Interview with President Jokowi on Indonesia's Capital City Move

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - In a special interview with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Monday, August 19, the former Jakarta governor says he is completely confident on the capital city-move from Jakarta to Kalimantan as the government is backed by a well-thought-out plan.

“The concept is well-planned. I will order the Bappenas to elaborate it in detail,” the president told Tempo yesterday, August 19.

He announced that the government has assessed the mega project’s budget and gauges that it would spend Rp460 trillion. The president says 25 percent of that budget will highly-likely be sourced from the State Budget (APBN) while the rest will be covered by stakeholders that are determined by the government partnership with business entities (KPBU).

“For example, members of the general public are already asked to support from the housing perspective,” he said.

With this funding model, he says, the goal will be able to be quickly achieved. However, President Jokowi maintained that the APBN will only be used to construct and establish massive basic public infrastructures.

The President’s intention to move Indonesia’s capital city from Jakarta to an area in Kalimantan was officially announced in his national speech on August 16. At the time, he also proposed the House of Representatives (DPR), People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), Regional Representative Council (DPD), and the people of Indonesia to move the capital.

TIM TEMPO | FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA