COVID-19 Pandemic, Luhut: Preparation for New Capital Continues

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, ensured that preparations for the new capital in East Borneo continues amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as revealed by Luhut’s spokesperson, Jodi Mahardi.

“Currently, (preparations for) relocating the capital is still on track. We, the Ministry of State Owned Enterprises (SEO) and the Ministry of Finance, have communicated with investors and our joint venture partners in relocating the capital,” Jodi said in a video received by reporters on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.

Continuing on, Jodi claimed that a number of ministries, along with the board of advisors, continue to consider a number of options on the construction of the new capital, as any decision would need to be calculated and made together.

Similarly, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing’s Director General of Work Creation Danis Sumadilaga continued that the ministry maintains preparation on relocating to the new capital in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic.The preparations include the compilation of urban designs targeted for completion in mid 2020.

"We are still continuing (to compile urban design). Hopefully (we can) continue on schedule," Danis said last week.

In addition to the concept design, the government is preparing for the establishment of the New Capital Authority Agency. President Joko Widodo has identified four potential candidates to be chief of the authority.

The four candidates for Chief of the New Capital Authority Agency are Banyuwangi Regent Azwar Anas, Minister of Research and Technology Bambang Brodjonegoro, President Commissioner of PT Pertamina (Persero) Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, and Managing Director of PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk. Tumiyono.

According to Jokowi, the Chief of the New Capital Authority Agency will take care of all capital relocation needs, from licensing to investment.

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA | DIO SUHENDA (INTERN TRANSLATOR)