Wait For 15 Million New Seeds, Jokowi Will Expand Nurseries On Kalimantan Island

President Jokowi together with a number of editors of the national mass media visited the Mentawir Nursery in East Kalimantan on Wednesday, June 22. (Inter-Setpres)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said the construction of the Mentawir Nursery in North Penajam Paser, East Kalimantan is a tangible manifestation of the Government's seriousness in managing the environment, especially in the Nusantara Capital area (IKN).

This was conveyed by the President while reviewing the Mentawir Nursery in North Penajam Paser Regency, East Kalimantan, Wednesday, together with several chief editors of the national mass media.

"We want to show that we are serious about environmental issues, that's serious. In fact, if we don't build it here, the environment is getting more and more damaged. That's all that must be underlined", said the President during a discussion with the editors, according to a press release received, in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Wednesday, June 22.

In the development of IKN, the President targets the composition of nature to be 75 to 80 percent. This, said the President, is in accordance with the IKN concept as a city in a forest or a forest city.

The President said that the environment is an important concern at this time, because in the future environmental problems will continue to be pursued.

According to the President, not only in East Kalimantan Province, the Government will show seriousness in handling environmental problems through nurseries in other provinces on the island of Kalimantan.

"We will show our true intentions, yes. Later, when there are 12 million, 15 million new (seedlings), and not just here, we will show what kind of thing in South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan is like", said Jokowi.

The President also explained the Government's target to build 30 other nurseries, such as the Rumpin Nursery in Bogor Regency. The development is planned to be focused on areas with large mining industry.

"No, not many will be in Kalimantan, Sumatra, which have a lot of mines, because I oblige from miners to palm oil," said the President.

Also attending the review were the Chair of the Indonesian Parliament, Puan Maharani, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Minister of PUPR, Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Investment/Head of BKPM, Bahlil Lahadalia, and Governor of East Kalimantan, Isran Noor.