Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Ministry has prepared the Presidential Palace in the new capital (IKN) Nusantara in case President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) decides to make an overnight stay on August 17, 2024.
"We have prepared it (the palace)," head of the PUPR Ministry's executive task force for IKN infrastructure development, Danis Sumadilaga, said at his office here on Friday.
He assured that the ministry has taken the requisite measures to make the palace a viable option for the president to stay before or after the commemoration of Indonesia's Independence Day, though the head of state has not announced any plan to do so.
Sumadilaga said that the construction of the palace's main building reached 73 percent completion as of June 6.
He added that overall, the development of the Presidential Palace Complex is 80 percent complete, with work on the complex's Presidential Office nearly 90 percent finished.
"The completion rate is almost 90 percent, at 89.9 percent to be precise. Our target is to conclude the construction by October or November," he informed.
Earlier, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy said that the presidential palaces in Nusantara and Jakarta will both host a national ceremony to commemorate the 79th anniversary of Indonesia's Independence.
According to the plan, Jokowi will chair the upcoming ceremony at IKN. Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto is scheduled to accompany the head of state during the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, accompanied by Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka, will chair another ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.
Jokowi noted that the decision to hold two national ceremonies was taken on account of the ongoing capital city transition.
He said that Nusantara will serve as the sole host of the 2025 Independence Day national ceremony after a presidential decree on the transfer of the capital city is issued.
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Translator: Putu Indah, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Tia Mutiasari