Jokowi Shows Off New Palace Design, Foreign Observers: Can RI Afford It?

HastagNet – President Jokowi uploaded the design of the State Palace by sculptor Nyoman Nuarta, in the new capital area. The visualization, which Jokowi referred to on his twitter account as a predesign, invited comments from one foreign observer.

In addition to the twitter account, Jokowi also posted the same video on his instagram account. The difference is, on Jokowi’s instagram account, he expressed praise for the sculptor who also designed Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) in Bali.

“His proposal is loaded with the philosophy of the Garuda Bird emblem as a unifying nation in accordance with the motto of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika,” wrote President Jokowi, Friday (2/4/2021).

As on the instagram account, on Twitter the President confirmed the proposal from Nyoman Nuarta is still at the predesigned stage. Therefore, Jokowi highly expects input from various circles about the predesign of this State Palace. “I expect input from all of you about predesigning. I expect this State Palace to be the pride of the nation, while reflecting the progress of the nation,” Jokowi wrote.

This post received a comment from one of the foreign observers, namely research fellow of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Singapore, Aaron L. Connelly. Specialists for the study of Southeast Asian politics and foreign policy, assessed the plan of the new capital as a spectacular idea. But he questioned the source of the financing.

“President Jokowi continues to tout the plan to build a new capital city in Kalimantan. It looks spectacular. But it is worth asking if Indonesia can afford to pay for a project worth USD 32 billion post-Covid,”
-Aaron L. Connelly-

He also questioned, if such a large budget is available, why not use it to solve various problems in the nation’s capital City of Jakarta.

Aaron L. Connelly argues, with the development budget absorbed for government programs this year, it’s hard to imagine a new capital city already built before Jokowi step down from the presidency in 2024.

“Realistically, with funding for the project running out this year, it is difficult to see meaningful progress before Jokowi leaves office in 2024,” he said.

If he has not woken up until 2024, he does doubt if the new president of Indonesia will still maintain the capital relocation project that he called Jokowi’s vision.

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