IKN Controversy: When Jokowi Gives HGU Up To 190 Years To Investors

JAKARTA - Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) wish to move the capital city from Jakarta to Penajam Paser Utara is unbearable. He named the new capital city as the capital city of Nusantara (IKN). The plan was seriously discussed. All kinds of rules to facilitate development were also presented.

IKN is a form of equitable development that brings benefits. Any investor who wants to invest will be given a Cultivation Right (HGU) of up to 190 years. A strategy that is believed to be able to make investors queue.

In the past, Soekarno had a strong reason for choosing Jakarta as the capital city of Indonesia. Bung Karno considers Jakarta a city of struggle. All kinds of historical events have occurred in Jakarta from the Youth Pledge to the Proclamation of Indonesian independence.

Bung Karno was determined to choose Jakarta and did not want to move the capital city. Soekarno is different, Jokowi is different. The 2014-2024 Indonesian president considers Jakarta no longer special to be the capital city. Jokowi's view underlies that Jakarta's condition is no longer conducive.

The narrative was reviewed from various problems faced by Jakarta, such as floods, traffic jams, pollution, and densely populated. As a result, there was a desire to move the capital outside Java. Long story short, East Penajam Paser, East Kalimantan was chosen.

Recently, the area was known as IKN. IKN development was immediately taken seriously. Jokowi considers IKN to be a manifestation of economic equity. Alias, the economic big turnover so that it is not only on the island of Java.

The National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) revealed that the total IKN development budget reached IDR 466.9 trillion. Jokowi confidently said he would not use the APBN. Jokowi asked his staff to look for other schemes. However, it still failed.

The state budget remains touched. The plan is for the state budget to reach 93 trillion or 20 percent to build a core government area. The rest of Jokowi remains confident in relying on direct investment from investors.

Jokowi also guarantees that investors who will invest in IKN are hoarding. Some of them have even queued up.

Yang beret ini banyak, hanya mengatur di mana lahan yang sudahclear dan clean, kemudian kawasannya di mana agar ekosistem ini segera terbentuk sehingga kota menjadi hidup. Kalau yang mengejalan ini ya diberi ini terus, yang lain tidak, nanti ekosistemnya tidak terbentuk.

"And I see optimism after yesterday's election not waiting and now we will arrange everything but it is in accordance with the established ecosystem. The denser one is actually at the western IKN, only these points have not been shown here, but this is the densest one later. In these two to three months the densest, "said Jokowi as quoted on the Cabinet Secretariat website, February 2, 2024.

Jokowi's desire to build IKN has never subsided. He wants to ensure that IKN is built and will not stall. This narrative is so that the investment climate to IKN is increasing. Investors who want to invest can feel comfortable and profitable in investing.

Jokowi also supports the agenda of investors to become rich in the IKN Law. This narrative made the IKN Authority give the freedom to withdraw investment as much as possible. Jokowi even gave investors a period of HGU period of up to 190 years.

"Yes, it is in accordance with the existing IKN Law. We really want the IKN Authority to be given the authority to attract the maximum investment, both domestic and foreign investment. Because what is built from the APBN is only the core area, namely the government area, the others we hope for investment, to investors both at home and abroad," Jokowi said as quoted on the website.com, July 16, 2024.

This number is considered too long. Because, in the past, Indonesia could only accommodate HGU for a maximum of 35 years, even though it could be extended for a maximum of 25 years. That number is also considered more than the HGU given by the Dutch East Indies era government.

Colonialists are only able to provide a maximum HGU of 75 years. Giving HGU for a maximum of 190 years is considered excessive. Jokowi received criticism and criticism. In fact, not a few think that Jokowi is more cruel than the invaders.

Jokowi denies the ideals of independence. Jokowi is considered to be giving birth to the next generation of the nation regarding injustice. IKN is nothing more than an reckless project that robs the rights of indigenous and local peoples.

Criticism continues to come today. At its peak, the Constitutional Court (MK) canceled the provision of land rights in IKN which allowed investors to have 190 years of HGU in November 2025.