Petrova Olga

New Capital of Indonesia: What's the Progress for 2024?

ЮГО-ВОСТОЧНАЯ АЗИЯ: АКТУАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ РАЗВИТИЯ, 2024, №4(65), 102-117

 
Annotation: At the end of August 2019, the Indonesian government officially announced plans to move its capital to East Kalimantan. Construction work was due to begin in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented it. The project was suspended and then resumed in 2021. Starting in 2024, about 1.9 million people were expected to move here from Jakarta. The government plans to turn the new capital into a low-carbon superhub that will support the health and technology sectors. The futuristic green abode of artificial intelligence, clean energy and flying taxis, a symbol of national unity and a “bright future”, is not one today. The project has not attracted significant investment, which has caused construction delays. Environmental promises are also looking shaky. Polls show that more than half the population now opposes the project. Many believe that the government, instead of solving existing problems, is creating new ones. And instead of moving the capital, it would be better to solve the problems in Jakarta. There are serious concerns that many government decisions were made without proper preliminary research. It is possible that Nusantara will end up as a “jungle resort full of government buildings.” Especially if investors do not start showing up soon and the pace of construction does not increase.

Keywords: Indonesia, capital, Nusantara, construction, native population, ecology