The Indonesian government has long discussed the possibility of moving the nation’s capital to another city in the archipelago, which could potentially help solve many of Jakarta’s most pressing urban problems (traffic, pollution, overpopulation, etc) as well as lead to more balanced economic development for the country if the capital was moved outside of Java. However, the enormous logistical difficulty of such a move has kept most from considering the plan more than a pipe dream.
But the government seems to have become truly serious about relocating the capital recently (or at least serious about convincing people they are serious about it) with the Minister of National Development Planning, Bambang Brodjonegoro, claiming that studies regarding the move are in their final stages and that actual steps to start the relocation process could start very soon.
“So, in 2018 or 2019, there will already be activities related to the transfer of the central government administration,” Bambang said yesterday as quoted by Kompas.
Bambang said extensive studies have been conducted regarding where to move the capital, the cost of the relocation and the urban planning aspects. He said his ministry would lead the move by coordinating other government agencies
The minister did not divulge the most likely candidate for the new capital city, although Palangkaraya, the capital of Central Kalimantan, has been brought up often in the past (including by President Joko Widodo). Earlier this year, the Central Kalimantan government said they were readying 500 hectares of land in Palangkaraya for the possibility.
