Indonesia's Planning Minister Announces Capital City Move

29/04/2019 Indonesia's planning minister announces capital city move - BBC News
Home News Sport Weather Shop Reel Travel M
Indonesia's planning minister announces capital city move
5 hours ago
GETTY IMAGES
Indonesia is moving its capital city away from Jakarta, according to the country's
planning minister.
Bambang Brodjonegoro said President Joko Widodo had chosen to relocate the capital in "an
important decision".
The new location is not yet known. However state media reports one of the front runners is
Palangkaraya, on the island of Borneo.
Jakarta, home to over 10 million people, is sinking at one of the fastest rates in the world.
The announcement comes after Mr Widodo declared victory in the country's general election
earlier this month, though official results will not be announced until May 22.
Why move the capital?

The idea of moving the capital has been floated several times since the country gained
independence from the Dutch in 1945.
In 2016, a survey found that the mega-city had the world's worst traffic congestion.
Government ministers have to be escorted by police convoys to get to meetings on time.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48093431 1/16
The planning minister says snarl-ups in Jakarta costs the economy 100 trillion rupiah ($6.8bn,
£5.4bn) a year.
There has also been a huge programme to decentralise government for the last two decades
in a bid to give greater political power and financial resources to municipalities.
Jakarta metro to battle notorious traffic
Why Indonesia's capital Jakarta is sinking
Jakarta is also one of the fastest-sinking cities in the world.
Researchers say that large parts of the megacity could be entirely submerged by 2050.
North Jakarta sunk 2.5m (eight feet) in 10 years and is continuing to sink an average of 1-
15cm a year.
The city sits on the coast on swampy land, criss-crossed by 13 rivers.
Half of Jakarta is below sea level. One of the main causes of this is the extraction of
groundwater which is used as drinking water and for bathing.
What are the options?

In a closed cabinet meeting, three options were reportedly discussed and presented to the
president.
One involved making a special zone for government offices inside the current capital; another
was to move it to just outside Jakarta and the third, the one the president preferred, was to
build a brand new capital on another island.
The chief candidate is Palangkaraya, hundreds of kilometres to the north-east in central

Kalimantan - the part of Borneo that belongs to Indonesia.
It is geographically close to the centre of the archipelago and Indonesia's founding father
Sukarno proposed to make it the capital.
In Palangkaraya there is a mixed reaction to the idea of their sleepy city becoming the
nation's capital.
One high school student told the BBC: "I hope the city will develop and the education will
become as good as in Jakarta. But all the land and forest that's empty space now will be
used. Kalimantan is the lungs of the world, and I am worried, we will lose the forest we have
left."
Mr Brodjonegoro said that the process could take 10 years. He told reporters after the
meeting that if other countries could achieve it, so could Indonesia.
"Brazil moved from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia near the Amazon, and look at Canberra it's built
between Sydney and Melbourne, and Kazakhstan moved their capital to closer to the centre
of the country and also Myanmar moved to Naypyidaw," he said.
The announcement comes after Mr Widodo vowed to spread economic development more
evenly around the country.
A powerful political message

By Rebecca Henschke, former editor, BBC Indonesian
Indonesians are sceptical about their capital ever moving. They have heard this before and
none of Indonesia's six presidents have been able to pull it off.
But President Joko Widodo has achieved ambitious infrastructure building in his five years in
office, so he may well be the man that finally does it.
Indonesia is an incredibly diverse nation made up of hundreds of ethnic groups living on

thousands of islands. But economic development, national cultural identity and political power
have always been dominated by the Javanese.
Indonesians have never elected a non-Javanese president and most of Indonesia's wealth is
concentrated in Jakarta.
Indonesians living outside Java, particularly in the east, have long complained about being
forgotten and neglected by the country's leaders sitting in the sprawling capital.
Moving the capital out of Java would send a powerful political message that this is changing, if
it happens.
Related Topics
Indonesia
Share this story About sharing
More on this story

Jakarta launches metro to battle notorious traffic problems
1 April 2019
Jakarta, the fastest-sinking city in the world

13 August 2018
Asia
Polls open in India's financial hub Mumbai

29 April 2019 India
Sri Lanka bans face coverings after attacks

29 April 2019 Asia
Huge protest in HK over extradition plan

28 April 2019 Asia
More Videos from the BBC

Recommended by Outbrain
Afghan peace envoy on Dumbo: How we made Russian 'spy whale'

stalled Qatar talks the visual effects makes new friends
'Autism is not a curse, it's Norway’s beautiful but The highs and lows of a
a blessing' treacherous road one-person island
Elsewhere on BBC
Recommended by Outbrain
BBC.com BBC Future

If India is a Book, Each Page is an The ancient memories trapped in the
Adventure world’s glaciers
BBC News BBC Culture

'I think I lost sight in one eye' Strange Fruit: The most shocking song
of all time?
BBC News BBC Culture

UK tourist wins Australia defamation The most iconic long song intros in
case pop music
From Around the Web

Promoted content by Outbrain
Freddie Mercury’s Sister Lists London Flat for £4.75 Million

Mansion Global
Price Falls in Prime Central London Slow to Lowest Rate

Since Brexit Referendum
Mansion Global
Mac Protection Of The Year 2019: #1 Rated Mac Antivirus

Now Free
www.antivirustop10.com
These New Wireless Earphones Are The Best Buy Of 2019

Next Tech
New WiFi Booster Stops Expensive Internet in Rio Grande

Do Sul
Next Tech
U.S. Dentist: The Easiest Way to Get a Brighter Smile

Next Tech
Top Stories
IS 'leader' in first video for five years
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who has not been seen on camera since 2014, vows revenge for his
militants.
6 minutes ago
Mozambique death toll rises as aid blocked

1 hour ago
Spain's Socialists consider next move

2 hours ago
ADVERTISEMENT
The Palm Oil Industry:

Visualized through Big
Data
Palm oil is an inexpensive and

highly versatile vegetable oil
derived from the fruit of the oil
palm tree. It can be found in
half of all consumer goods in
Western grocery stores, from
chocolate, ice cream, and
baked goods to soaps, lotions,
and detergents.
Palm oil is the highest-yielding

vegetable oil crop as well as
the most actively traded
vegetable oil in the world. As a
petroleum alternative, it can
Read More
Features
Is Europe seeing a nationalist surge?
Rapping for change in South Africa
The Wandering Earth and China's sci-fi heritage
Sports Ilustrated's burkini cover girl
Four things to expect this week
'I used to sell my packed lunch to my schoolmates'
What the European Parliament has been up to
The battle for Tripoli
Should these school clubs be kept secret from parents?
Elsewhere on the BBC
Lyrics quiz
Have you been getting these songs wrong?
Feeling hot
What happens to your body in extreme heat?
Most Read
London Marathon: Hayley Carruthers on crawling across the 1
line
Norway finds 'Russian spy whale' off Arctic coast 2
Almost a third of graduates 'overeducated' for their job 3
Sana Muhammad crossbow death: Jury discharged by judge 4
Urine test to end 'smear fear' 5
US firm apologises for seeking 'preferably Caucasian' candidate 6
Indonesia's planning minister announces capital city move 7
CCTV of car issued over T2 Trainspotting actor's murder 8
Essex Police misconduct probe over toilet fingertip loss 9
Mozambique cyclone: Death toll rises as storm blocks aid 10
ADVERTISEMENT
Why you can trust BBC News
BBC News Services

On your mobile
On your connected tv
Get news alerts
Contact BBC News
Explore the BBC
Home News
Sport Weather
Shop Reel
Travel Capital
Culture Future
Sounds CBBC
CBeebies Food
Bitesize Arts
Make It Digital Taster
Nature Local
TV Radio
Terms of Use About the BBC
Privacy Policy Cookies
Accessibility Help Parental Guidance
Contact the BBC Get Personalised Newsletters
Advertise with us Ad choices
Copyright © 2019 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our
approach to external linking.

Indonesia&#39;s Planning Minister Announces Capital City Move - BBC News

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Indonesia&#39;s Planning Minister Announces Capital City Move - BBC News

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

29/04/2019 Indonesia's planning minister announces capital city move - BBC News

Home News Sport Weather Shop Reel Travel M

Why move the capital?

Jakarta metro to battle notorious trafﬁc

Why Indonesia's capital Jakarta is sinking

Jakarta is also one of the fastest-sinking cities in the world.

The city sits on the coast on swampy land, criss-crossed by 13 rivers.

What are the options?

The chief candidate is Palangkaraya, hundreds of kilometres to the north-east in central

A powerful political message

Indonesia is an incredibly diverse nation made up of hundreds of ethnic groups living on

Share this story About sharing

More on this story

Jakarta, the fastest-sinking city in the world

Polls open in India's financial hub Mumbai

Sri Lanka bans face coverings after attacks

Huge protest in HK over extradition plan

More Videos from the BBC

Afghan peace envoy on Dumbo: How we made Russian 'spy whale'

BBC.com BBC Future

BBC News BBC Culture

BBC News BBC Culture

From Around the Web

Freddie Mercury’s Sister Lists London Flat for £4.75 Million

Price Falls in Prime Central London Slow to Lowest Rate

Mac Protection Of The Year 2019: #1 Rated Mac Antivirus

These New Wireless Earphones Are The Best Buy Of 2019

New WiFi Booster Stops Expensive Internet in Rio Grande

U.S. Dentist: The Easiest Way to Get a Brighter Smile

Mozambique death toll rises as aid blocked

Spain's Socialists consider next move

The Palm Oil Industry:

Palm oil is an inexpensive and

Palm oil is the highest-yielding

Is Europe seeing a nationalist surge?

Rapping for change in South Africa

The Wandering Earth and China's sci-ﬁ heritage

Sports Ilustrated's burkini cover girl

Four things to expect this week

'I used to sell my packed lunch to my schoolmates'

What the European Parliament has been up to

The battle for Tripoli

Should these school clubs be kept secret from parents?

Elsewhere on the BBC

Norway ﬁnds 'Russian spy whale' off Arctic coast 2

Almost a third of graduates 'overeducated' for their job 3

Sana Muhammad crossbow death: Jury discharged by judge 4

Urine test to end 'smear fear' 5

US ﬁrm apologises for seeking 'preferably Caucasian' candidate 6

Indonesia's planning minister announces capital city move 7

CCTV of car issued over T2 Trainspotting actor's murder 8

Essex Police misconduct probe over toilet ﬁngertip loss 9

Mozambique cyclone: Death toll rises as storm blocks aid 10

Why you can trust BBC News

BBC News Services

Get news alerts

Contact BBC News

Potrebbero piacerti anche

Indonesia's Planning Minister Announces Capital City Move - BBC News

Indonesia's Planning Minister Announces Capital City Move - BBC News