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

JAKARTA - Indonesia’s new leader Prabowo Subianto wants to complete key government and parliamentary buildings in the country’s US$32 billion (S$42 billion) new capital city in the next four years, according to a Cabinet minister.

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

“He (Prabowo) even hopes that the inauguration of the next Indonesian president and vice-president in 2029 could be done in Nusantara,” Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni, said on Oct 26 on his Instagram account.

The remarks on Mr Prabowo’s intentions come amid doubts that he will pursue the project at the same speed as Mr Widodo, who tacitly backed him for the election, and whether the state budget can stretch to fund Nusantara alongside his multibillion-dollar free-meal programme, his signature election campaign promise.

Mr Raja Juli, however, said there should be no questions of Mr Prabowo’s commitment to continue his predecessor’s legacy project, as he has already guaranteed he would complete it.

“For him (Prabowo), Nusantara is the capital of politics. That is why in the next four years, apart from government buildings, we must complete buildings for legislative and judiciary bodies,” the minister added.

Key government buildings, like the presidential palace and some state officials’ housing, were recently completed, while toll road and airport construction are under way.

Since construction started in 2022, the project has faced difficulties in attracting foreign investment, which will help to expedite its progress.

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

It received its first foreign investment in September when Chinese property firm Delonix Group invested 500 billion rupiah (S$42 million) to build hotels and offices. REUTERS