Memories Of Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono's Criticism Of IKN Nusantara

Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono as Minister of ATR/BPN when accompanying President Jokowi to IKN Nusantara on February 29, 2024. (Doc. ATR/BPN RI)

JAKARTA - The idea of moving the State Capital (IKN) from Jakarta to Kalimantan was rolled out. There is President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) behind it. The desire to move IKN is based on the fact that Jakarta - a historic city for the nation and state - is no longer worthy of a big responsibility.

The narrative is because Jakarta is experiencing serious environmental problems, from flooding to land subsidence. The desire to move IKN has also been criticized by many parties. Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) and the Democratic Party were the most criticized.

The desire to move IKN has been rolled out since the Soekarno and the Old Order era. However, this intention was not carried out. Soekarno thought that there were no cities that had a history of the nation's struggle as large as and as many as Jakarta.

Bung Karno also considered Jakarta a beacon of national civilization. The desire to move IKN did not continue. The idea of moving IKN then reappeared when Soekarno passed away. Several of Bung Karno's successors tried to inflame the transfer of IKN.

The 7th President of Indonesia, Jokowi, is the most serious. Jokowi's government thinks that Jakarta is no longer worthy of developing IKN status. The argument was based on the fact that Jakarta was too crowded.

Development to support government is increasingly limited. This condition is exacerbated by the status of Jakarta, which is included in the top 10 most congested cities in the world. Jakarta's weakness is increasingly complete with flood problems and land subsidences that occur almost every year.

The plan was then accelerated when Jokowi began to enter the second period of his leadership. The reactions raised by all Indonesian people vary. Pros and cons appear. The narrative of the counter is no less numerous. Even though the Jokowi government has suspected the reaction of people's dissatisfaction.

A series of academics, businessmen, students, and opposition governments also voiced their rejections. The power of attorney is actually seen as failing to deal with Jakarta. All kinds of problems in Jakarta are not resolved.

The idea of moving IKN was then chosen as a shortcut to cover up the government's failure. Moreover, the idea of moving was carried out at a fast tempo. The government's opposition condemned IKN's move plan. The most noisy criticism emerged from the Democratic Party.

They think that the government can actually use the IKN fat budget to overcome various problems in Indonesia. The large budget can be used to alleviate poverty or advance education so that it can be accessed by all Indonesian people.

"So that the budget is non-priority, such as IKN Nusantara, it can be postponed, and it is focused first on price stability for basic needs and energy for small communities," said Member of the DPR from the Democratic Faction, Rizki Aulia Rahman Natakusumah as quoted on the CNBC Indonesia website, May 23, 2023.

Criticism of IKN from the Democratic Party does not only arise from members of the DPR. Chairman of the Democratic Party, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono also spoke up. The son of the 6th former Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), became one of the noisy figures throwing criticism.

The harshest criticism arose when AHY criticized the idea of moving IKN at the DPP office of the Democratic Party, Jalan Proclamation, Menteng, Jakarta on July 14, 2023. AHY is of the view that there is nothing wrong with the logical argument of moving IKN.

The logical argument includes the government's desire to carry out economic transformation and Jakarta is no longer feasible. Problems arise when the government wants IKN to be executed immediately.

This desire in AHY's glasses is like a rash act. He considers that IKN development is trying to be carried out when Indonesia's economic condition is not doing well, especially since Indonesia's debt is piling up.

Indonesian leaders have not escaped the spotlight by AHY. The Jokowi government is considered to be only playing a mere legacy matter. In fact, if the owner of the power of attorney is careful, the funds that should have been obtained for IKN can be used to increase people's lives, aka making people not suffer.

"Thus, I can be honest when there is a discussion in the DPR, I ask, please give the most critical note. The spirit (of IKN development) is not a problem. But once it must be executed now and in 2024 must be finished. What is being pursued?

"So, legacy doesn't have to be (now). Unless, indeed, the character is eliminating the legacy of the previous leader. There is a fear, there will be concerns later if it's not me, not us, later it will be claimed by others. This is a people's problem, a people's economic problem that needs to be found a solution. Don't prioritize projects that are extraordinary in confiscation of our country's budget. I'm afraid that later our people will not be successful in suffering," explained AHY as quoted on the Kompas.com page, July 14, 2023.