INDONESIAN President Joko Widodo proudly announced that the construction of Nusantara, Indonesia’s new capital, is now eighty percent complete.
It was in January 2022 when the Indonesian government first announced that the country’s new capital would be named Nusantara.
Indonesian officials explained that the current capital city of Jakarta is congested, polluted, and prone to earthquakes.
Jakarta is Indonesia’s biggest city and is home to some 40 million including the metropolitan area.
However, the current capital is also sinking, with about 40% of the area below sea level.
Indonesian officials assured that the new capital Nusantara in East Kalimantan will be a “sustainable forest city” that is environment-friendly and aims to be carbon-neutral by 2045.
The government has invested $35 billion for the project. However, observers believe the funds are just 20 percent of the total amount needed for such an ambitious initiative.
The ambitious project also encountered challenges such as environmentalists who have warned of massive deforestation to build the capital which could threaten the habitat of endangered species such as orangutans and destroy the homes of Indigenous communities.
Despite the criticisms, President Widodo is optimistic that the new capital will be inaugurated in August in time for the country’s 79th Independence Day.
