Tangerang, Banten (ANTARA) - Referring to a possible choice of location for a new capital city to replace Jakarta, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said Kalimantan Island is located in the middle of Indonesia.
"It could be in Sumatra, but it would be far from the eastern part of (Indonesia). Sulawesi is a little in the center, but quite far from the western part (of Indonesia). Kalimantan is in the middle. That's about it," Jokowi said in response to questions from the media on the likely location of the next capital city here on Tuesday.
With regard to the environment, traffic, and water, Java Island, with a population of some 149 million people, comprising 57 percent of the country's total population, is unlikely to support the development of a new capital city.
"We are not thinking about now, but the next 10 years, 50 years, and 100 years," he said.
Jakarta is no longer fit to maintain its status as the country's capital city. The metropolitan city is very crowded with roads only constituting 6.2 percent of its total area, while it should ideally be 15 percent at least.
Losses as a result of Jakarta's traffic jams are estimated to reach some Rp100 trillion in 2019. Besides, 50 percent of Jakarta is prone to flooding.
Up to 90 percent of water in Jakarta's rivers are polluted; hence, it poses a danger due to bad sanitation. Jakarta is also sinking with a subsidence rate at seven centimeters a year. During the 1989-2007 period, the soil level in Jakarta subsided by 60 centimeters.
"Hence, we want to have a new capital city. It should reflect Indonesia's identity and become a modern city of international class, or a smart, green and beautiful city," Bambang Brodjonegoro, National Development Planning Minister/Head of the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), said during his presentation at a limited cabinet meeting to discuss the plan to move the capital city held at the Presidential office, here, on Monday.
When a new location is decided, the process to develop a new capital city will start in 2020 and it will take five to ten years to finish, he said.
Eastern Sumatra, Kalimantan Island, and southern Sulawesi are among the location options for the new capital city.
Reporter: Bayu Prasetyo, Fardah
Editor: Suharto
