Banjarbaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo is committed to boost the advance of South Kalimantan as the gateway to the new state capital in East Kalimantan.
As he attended the 2020 National Press Day (HPN) in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, the president opened discourse on toll road construction to connect South Kalimantan and the state capital in Penajam Paser Utara District.
"I have asked the South Kalimantan governor how many hours from here to East Kalimantan. He said it takes only 3 to 4 hours. Even from Batulicin, it could reach one and half hours," said the president and immediately greeted with applause by the invitees at the commemoration of the 2020 HPN, Saturday (Feb 8, 2020).
Jokowi admitted he had just learned that the position between Penajam Paser Utara and Batulicin, Tanah Bumbu District, or Kotabaru in South Kalimantan were tight.
"The close distance condition certainly makes it easier for us to integrate between regions in Kalimantan, especially East and South Kalimantan," he pointed out.
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President also revealed that the South Kalimantan Governor Sahbirin Noor has prepared 300 thousand hectares of land if needed for the development of the new state capital.
"This governor still insists on continuing to the President. Means he still hasn't received it yet," Jokowi said while joking.
When speaking of the national capital, the president presented a video of the design of the new capital titled "Nagara Rimba Nusa". It has a concept of environmentally friendly, close to nature and modern in line with technological advances in the 21st century.
The 2020 National Press Day raises a theme of "Press excite South Kalimantan the Gateway to the State Capital," as press incorporated in the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) agreed to fully support the progress of South Kalimantan to welcome the national capital in Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan.
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