Capital should be a place accessible to maximum number of population, for which Jakarta is a perfect place, as it is within the island majority of Indonesians live. It seems like Indonesian govt. is isolating from the population and secluding itself in the middle of jungle. Washington and Putra Jaya example is not suitable for Indonesia's case. In those cases, capital is still at the heart of the population center. Washington is only a few hundred km away from New York and at the heart of populous Eastern coast of US. Putra Jaya is only 30 km away from Kuala Lumpur and still at the middle of population center in Malaysia.
But in Indonesia's case, capital will be in the middle of jungle of a sparsely populated island, 1400 km away from Java island which is home to 56 percent of Indonesians. It will also be very distant from Sumatra, the second most populated island. So, isolation between govt. and people will be in epic proportion. The only example which come close to this Indonesian experiment is Myanmar. The Myanmar Junta govt. also moved capital in the middle of nowhere, created a ghost town far from the reach of Burmese population. They did it to save itself from the popular discontent uprising toppling the junta. There is a possibility that, in the Kalimantan jungle city, Indonesian govt. will be increasingly authoritarian.
The main reason of why we should build new Capital in Kalimantan is to make Indonesia become Indonesian centric rather than Java centric. The main idea behind it is to spread economic development to whole Indonesia and improve unity among Indonesian.
Kalimantan as biggest Island and with lowest density population but with huge hidro power potency. Kalimantan potency is linked with future global economic trend that tend to favor green economy development. There green electricity power is in abundance.
Making the central government inside Kalimantan will make the Island get more attention and protection. We are also going to add another 50.000 armed force personnel in the Island and build sophisticated air defence there.
With internet era, I think the connection problem is not really a worrying thing. Indonesia hold election every 5 years, disconnected government will get punished there. Our system is democracy, not authoritarian.
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2021 news
Indonesia Breaks Ground on Green Industrial Park Set to be World's Largest
Jayanty Nada Shofa
December 21, 2021
Jakarta. Indonesia has kicked off the construction of what will be the world’s largest green industrial park in Bulungan, North Kalimantan.
“We hope that this will become the largest green industrial park in the world. Not North Kalimantan, not Indonesia, but the world,” President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said during the groundbreaking event on Tuesday, as broadcasted on Youtube by the Presidential Secretariat.
The industrial park currently spans 16,400 hectares and is targeted to expand to 30,000 hectares. Products coming from this industrial estate include solar panels, semiconductors, green aluminum, petrochemicals for textiles, among others.
“This is a major collaboration between Indonesia and investors from Indonesia, China to the United Arab Emirates. Everyone will join,” Jokowi said.
In his remarks, the president urged that any permit must be ready in a matter of hours, “to show that we are serious about developing this area. I don’t want to hear any more of the permit being [issued] late or incomplete.”
The green industrial park will become a major impetus for job creation. Its construction alone will require at least 100,000 workers. Once it operates, the industrial park —including its derivatives— can absorb more than 200,000 workers, according to Jokowi.
The industrial park would help pave way for Indonesia's goal of becoming more than just a raw material exporter, the president added.
For years, Indonesia's exports have always focused on raw materials. It is now time that Indonesia exports semi-finished or finished goods to bring more added value to the country. According to Jokowi, the green industrial park in North Kalimantan will mostly produce finished products.
"This is really a leap in Indonesia's economic transformation and it starts from here," Jokowi said.
Products coming from this industrial park include solar panels, semiconductors, green aluminum, petrochemicals for textiles, among others.
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