Criteria on Indonesia`s Capital City Move Explained by Bappenas

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Following President Jokowi’s statement on moving Indonesia’s capital city, the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Head Bambang Brodjonegoro revealed the criteria needed upon moving the capital city.

“The criteria on its location, since it’s the third option on moving it out of the Java Island, we suggest a strategic location that is geographically in the country’s center,” said Bambang in his presentation at the Presidential Office on Monday.

The reason why it must be in the center is due to the fact that it would represent the sense of fairness to every region in Indonesia and boost developments in every Indonesian region, especially in the Eastern hemisphere.

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“We are pushing for a capital city that is Indonesia-centric,” he said.

As of the land availability, Bambang said that it must be a government land or lands owned by state-owned enterprises to reduce the cost of land acquisition. The next criteria is to place the capital city in a minimum disaster region that must free of earthquakes, volcanic mountains, tsunami, floods, erosion, and forest fires.

The Bappenas head also said the new capital city must be close to the coastline, supports needs for fresh water, sanitation, electricity, and communication networks. Most importantly, Bambang asserts that a capital city must not be in close proximity of any border in terms of national security.

FRISKI RIANA