Jokowi Hints Gunung Mas, Kalimantan as Future Capital City
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8 May 2019 22:14 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, during his visit to Kalimantan today, mentioned that Gunung Mas in Central Kalimantan is currently the most qualified location to replace Jakarta as the country’s capital city.
“Based on the area’s vastness, this location is arguably the most qualified. It may be the most prepared to provide 300 hectares of land which can be expanded if needed,” said the president during his survey in the Gunung Mas Regency today, May 8.
His visit marks Gunung Mas as one of three prospective locations for Indonesia’s future capital city other than Palangka Raya and Katingan Regency.
As mentioned by the president, Indonesia’s first president Soekarno once visioned Palangka Raya as a capital city and defends that Soekarno must have had strong reasons upon choosing this area.
“[Soekarno] must have considered it based on specific reasons with major significance. That should also be considered. A decision would not be announced without it being backed by data-based arguments and facts,” Widodo said in a press release from Bey Machmudin, head of the presidential protocol and press bureau.
The former Solo Mayor president deemed that the area geologically imposes a minimum risk of being struck by major natural disasters and that its infrastructure construction must be built from zero. He also assured that a special team will continue to conduct a thorough analysis of the three regions considered as capital candidates before announcing the final decision.
“I came to do this field visits as to get the that 'feeling'. A better appraisal of the location could only be gained once this 'feel' is attained,” said Jokowi who was accompanied by state ministers from ministries critical for the future development plan.
ANTARA
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