Dismissing Criticism of IKN's Hasty Project, Presidential Special Staff: Be Careful, You Could Slip

JAKARTA - Special Staff to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), Grace Natalie, dismissed criticism from the Chairman of the Central Leadership Council of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Djarot Saiful Hidayat who said that moving the National Capital (IKN) was a hasty policy.

Anticipating misleading information, Grace invited Djarot to come to IKN to see for himself the implementation of IKN development.

"Yesterday Mr. Djarot Syaiful Hidayat told the media that the IKN project was a policy that was too forced and was made in a hurry. Please Mr. Djarot come to IKN yourself. If you only look from a distance, it is very likely to be inaccurate. It's dangerous, there is a lot of misleading information. Be careful, you could slip," said Grace in a written statement, Friday 12 July.

Grace explained that the IKN work was carried out using careful calculations, including in preparation for the Indonesian Independence Ceremony on August 17 2024.

"There was no attempt at coercion at all. All procedures were followed, nothing was skipped. For the commemoration of the Republic of Indonesia's Independence Day, everything is almost ready, including basic infrastructure such as drinking water, electricity and road access," he said.

He emphasized that IKN is the face of Indonesia so it is made as good and perfect as possible. "The government will not risk Indonesia's face," concluded Grace.