IKN Bill Targeted To Be Legal In Early 2022, Observer: Relocation Of Capital City For Elite Interests

Illustration of the HI/VOI Circle

JAKARTA - The Special Committee on the Draft Law on the National Capital City (RUU IKN), targets the bill to be passed into law in early 2022. Chair of the Special Committee, Ahmad Doli Kurnia, emphasized that the government and the majority of factions in the DPR agreed that the transfer of IKN was needed.

In response to this, political communication observer at Esa Unggul University, M. Jamiluddin Ritonga, said that the agreement between the government and the majority of factions in the DPR confirmed the assumption that the transfer of IKN was to accommodate the interests of the elite rather than the people. "The elite referred to here are executives and parties supporting the government," said Jamiluddin, Monday, December 13.

According to him, the majority of the factions in the DPR that support the transfer of the IKN will be used as a stamp to smooth out the wishes of the elites with a target for completion in early 2022.

"In addition, the IKN Bill is an initiative from the executive. This indicates that the IKN transfer is indeed more dominant in the wishes of the leaders (elite, ed) than the people," he said.

The transfer of IKN, said Jamiluddin, is increasingly elitist because President Joko Widodo has determined the location of the new IKN. After reviewing Central Kalimantan and East Kalimantan, Jokowi finally decided on a new IKN location of 180,000 hectares on the border of Kutai Kartanegara Regency and North Panajam Paser Regency, East Kalimantan.

"On the other hand, the people have never been asked whether they agree with the transfer of the IKN. The people have also never been asked where the new IKN is located," said Jamiluddin.

"The people were suddenly surprised, the location of the new IKN has been determined. The method of determining the location of the IKN is just like in the royal era. When the king wanted to move the capital of his kingdom, the king also reviewed several locations. If the king felt it was suitable, he issued an order to determine the location of the new royal capital. The king feels that it is his right, and the people must follow the king's orders," he continued.

However, he said, Indonesia now adheres to democracy. The president cannot be like a king issuing an order to transfer IKN. The amended 1945 Constitution also does not authorize the president to determine the new IKN, including its location.

Therefore, added Jamiluddin, if this country still feels that it adheres to democracy, the transfer of IKN and the determination of its location should first obtain approval from the people. The people should be asked through a referendum about two things.

"First, do the people agree to move IKN? Two, if they agree, where is the desired IKN location? If the people agree, then the IKN Bill is drafted to be discussed together by the government and the DPR. Not the other way around, the elite wants IKN to be moved by first determining the location, then a bill was made to be passed by the DPR RI. The problem is, is this country, especially the country's elite, still committed to democracy?," said Jamiluddin. Previously, the Chairman of the Special Committee for the Draft Law on the National Capital City (RUU IKN) Ahmad Doli Kurnia targeted that the IKN Bill could be ratified in early 2022.

Doli is optimistic that the discussion of the IKN Bill can be completed during two sessions of the DPR, namely the current session and the next session.

"At the beginning of the year (it was completed). So, our trial period runs until the 16th (December) then recess, January 11 comes in, well until February in between," said Doli at the DPR Building, Jakarta, Thursday, 9. December.

Doli believes that the discussion of the IKN Bill will not be difficult because the government and the DPR have also built an agreement so that the IKN Bill can be completed as soon as possible.

The Golkar Party politician said that the substance that needs to be discussed in the IKN Bill is also not too much because the bill only consists of 34 articles and 8 chapters.

"So actually, from a technical point of view, there is not much discussion of the law. But because this is something important, we also need to listen to the aspirations of the people, then we will visit campuses throughout Indonesia," said Doli.