Indonesia’s Prabowo wants key buildings in the new capital to be ready in 4 years

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s new leader Prabowo Subianto wants to complete key government and parliamentary buildings worth $32 billion new capital According to a cabinet minister, over the next four years.

The capital project, an initiative of former President Joko Widodo, aims to move Indonesia’s seat of power some 1,200 km from sinking and congested Jakarta to Nusantara, located in the jungle of the island of Borneo.

“He (Prabowo) even hopes that the inauguration of the next president and vice president of Indonesia in 2029 will take place in Nusantara,” Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said on Saturday (October 26) on his Instagram account.

The comments about Prabowo’s intentions come amid doubts over whether he will pursue the project at the same pace as Widodo, who tacitly backed him in the election, and whether the state budget will be able to stretch Nusantra alongside his multi-billion free meals program, his signature promise. electoral.

Raja Juli, however, further stated that there should be no doubt about Prabowo’s commitment to continue his predecessor’s project as he had already assured that he would complete it.

“For him (Prabowo), Nusantara is the capital of politics. Therefore, in the next four years, in addition to government buildings, we must complete buildings for legislative and judicial bodies,” added the minister.

Key government buildings, such as the presidential palace and the apartments of some government officials, have recently been completed, while construction of toll roads and an airport is ongoing.

Since construction began in 2022, the project has faced difficulties in attracting foreign investment, which will help accelerate its implementation.

The government agreed that only one fifth of the total budget would come from the state.

It received its first foreign investment last month when Chinese company Delonix Group invested 500 billion rupees ($31.80 million) in building hotels and offices.