Indonesian President Joko Widodo is preparing to move to the new capital city, Nusantara (IKN), by the end of June, ahead of its anticipated inauguration on Aug 17. This move is meant to reassure the public about the development of the new capital, following the surprise resignations of Mr Bambang Susantono and his deputy, who were in charge of overseeing the project. The President plans to relocate once clean water is available in the government offices and housing complexes.
Minister of Public Works and Housing Basuki Hadimuljono stated that President Widodo will begin working in the new capital as soon as the water supply is ready, with the installation expected to be completed by the end of June or early July. Despite the resignations, President Widodo emphasized that the development of Nusantara will continue according to the shared vision that has been established. He also reiterated that the new capital will be the “greenest capital in the world”.
The Indonesian government has been working to build the necessary infrastructure for the relocation of 12,000 civil servants to Nusantara by September. However, the plan has been delayed twice, and the lack of private funding for the new capital remains a challenge. President Widodo, currently on a working visit to Nusantara, has been inaugurating various projects, including schools and other facilities. He is expected to stay in the ministerial housing complex instead of a tent during his visit.
Indonesian Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi announced that the IKN airport will be ready for operation on Aug 1, with significant progress made on the runway and terminal buildings. The autonomous rail transit (ART) system is set for testing in August, along with trials of the country’s first flying taxis in July. These flying taxis, capable of carrying five people, are part of an initiative to modernize transportation in Indonesia and bring it on par with countries like the UAE, Slovakia, and Japan that have already begun similar tests. The testing will take place at Samarinda Aji Pangeran Tumenggung Pranoto International Airport for a month.
