Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto reaffirmed his full support for the development of Indonesia’s future capital, Nusantara (IKN), in East Kalimantan by making his first presidential visit there on Monday (Jan. 12), a national legislator observed.
“We see the visit as a political message. President Prabowo visited the city not only to review construction but also to assure the public of his genuine commitment to IKN,” said Muhammad Karsayuda, Chair of Commission II of the House of Representatives (DPR).
Addressing the press at the Parliamentary Complex in Jakarta on Tuesday, he described the president’s inaugural Nusantara visit as the second political message after the signing of Presidential Regulation No. 79 of 2025 in June last year.
Updating the 2025 Government Work Plan, the regulation formalized the Prabowo administration’s support for IKN development by setting a target of designating the city as the capital for political affairs by 2028, following the completion of judicial and legislative complexes.
The lawmaker added that Prabowo’s first presidential visit served as a strong counter to public speculation that the new government is abandoning the capital relocation project.
Furthermore, he emphasized that the continuation of Nusantara’s development has been guaranteed by Law No. 3 of 2022 on IKN.
"After all, we have approved a budget of nearly Rp100 trillion (around US$6 billion) for the development, which will go to waste if the government does not move swiftly to use Nusantara as the capital,” he affirmed.
He then referred to plans for transferring civil servants from central institutions to the future seat of government in stages.
Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Rini Widyantini, he continued, has briefed Commission II on the government’s strategies for relocating personnel at various ministries and agencies.
“However, the start of personnel transfers requires authorization from the president. I am convinced he will soon make a decision on this matter after having a firsthand assessment of the city last night,” Karsayuda said.
He also highlighted the development of residences for 15,000 state apparatus in Nusantara.
President Prabowo landed in Nusantara, North Penajam Paser District, on Monday afternoon after concluding his agenda in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, and Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, that day.
