President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo (right) speaks to the media as he visits the new Presidential Palace in the future capital city of Nusantara on July 29, 2024. - AFP
JAKARTA: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has affirmed his commitment to involve more small-scale businesses in the development of the country’s future capital Nusantara in East Kalimantan, emphasising that local entrepreneurs should be key players in the capital relocation project.
The outgoing leader held a meeting with heads of the East Kalimantan Chamber of Commerce (Kadin) and the East Kalimantan Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI) at Nusantara’s Garuda Palace on Tuesday (July 30), or his third day in the new city.
In the meeting, Jokowi was accompanied by the acting head of the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) Authority Basuki Hadimuljono, who also serves as the Public Works and Housing Minister; his deputy Raja Juli Antoni; State Secretary Pratikno as well as Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi.
“God willing, [the Nusantara project] will embrace more [local businesses] so that they can become not only subcontractors but also the key players,” East Kalimantan Kadin chair Donna Faroek told the press following the meeting.
“Hopefully, Pak Basuki and Pak Pratikno will also help to make it easier for us local entrepreneurs to get involved more in the development of Nusantara,” she added.
Donna also underscored the need for improved food security in East Kalimantan, given the province's current reliance on external food supplies from Java and Sulawesi.
With the influx of workers and officials expected to arrive in Nusantara in the coming weeks, she called on the government to improve local agricultural capabilities, particularly in the North Penajam Paser regency where around 13,000 hectares of fertile land are yet to be optimised for farming.
Speaking on behalf of the East Kalimantan HIPMI, Donna also said that local businesses were hoping to get easier licensing to open wider participation opportunities.
“I hope that licensing here will be made easier because many friends from HIPMI and Kadin want to get business opportunities [in the future capital], for example by opening cafes or restaurants”.
Meanwhile, the Kadin chair of neighbouring Balikpapan city, Yaser Arafat, said that the President also emphasised the importance of addressing various issues in Nusantara’s satellite cities, especially those related to basic necessities such as public transportation and water availability.
“The success of Nusantara [depends on] the success of its satellite cities,” Yaser said.
