Minister AHY: Continuation Of IKN Development Focuses On Settlement Of Government Centers

Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Development of the Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) Region. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Regional Infrastructure and Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) revealed that the construction of the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) in East Kalimantan will continue with a focus on resolving the government center.

AHY said that this decision was a follow-up to President Prabowo Subianto's direction which emphasized the importance of resolving the central government as a priority in IKN development.

"Many IKN also ask whether it will continue? President Prabowo has clearly conveyed that he will continue the IKN development. However, he will focus more on the completion of the central government," AHY said at the 2024 Kadin National Leadership Meeting (Rapimnas) in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Sunday, December 1.

AHY revealed that President Prabowo had stated that the IKN development would continue, focusing on the development of government centers including executive, legislative, and judicial facilities.

"So (the completion of development) of IKN is more of a central for government, both executive, legislative and judicial. So, that's what we will focus on first," said AHY.

According to AHY, although IKN development is continuing, a limited budget is a big challenge in the project.

Therefore, the government seeks to attract investment from within and outside the country to fund various infrastructure projects, including IKN development.

"Because, indeed, we must also distribute the budget to other sectors. This is always faced with the limit of our fiscal limitations, that is why we are trying to attract investment from various domestic and foreign sources for various infrastructure projects," said AHY.

AHY also hopes that the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) can play an important role in this development. Apart from being a strategic partner of the government, it can connect the private sector, both big entrepreneurs and MSMEs, to be involved in the development of IKN infrastructure.

"I hope Kadin friends, apart from being a strategic partner of the government, but the second function as a forum for associations from entrepreneurs, both at the top to MSME entrepreneurs, let's involve all in infrastructure development," said AHY.

He also admitted that his party would cooperate with the IKN authority to tidy up the government center development planning, including facilities for legislative and judicial at IKN.

"Later we will work together, coordinating closely with the IKN Authority, Pak Basuki (Chairman of OIKN) for example there, which we are also tidying up together for planning the construction of a center for legislative for parliament and also for judiciary," said AHY.