JAKARTA, Sept 9 (NNN-ANTARA) – Indonesia will continue its plan to build a new capital city in East Kalimantan province on the island of Borneo, despite economic pressure due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, President Joko Widodo said yesterday.
Widodo made the remarks at a meeting with a senior minister and several business associations.
“The president said, the development plan of the new capital city will continue to be carried out,” Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, said, after the meeting.
Widodo announced in Aug, 2019, that a new capital city would be built between the districts of North Penajam Paser and Kutai Kartanegara, in East Kalimantan province.
With an area of about 127,000 square km, East Kalimantan is home to more than 3.7 million Indonesians.
The relocation of the capital city is highlighted in the 2020-2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan.
The groundbreaking was initially expected to be conducted in Aug last year, but it was delayed due to the pandemic.
According to Hartarto, the project was estimated to take up to 20 years.– NNN-ANTARA
