KSP: Transfer Of State Capital Makes Indonesia No Longer Java-centric

President Jokowi with the Governor of East Kalimantan while reviewing the location of the new State Capital (DOCUMENTATION VIA ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Main Expert Staff of the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) Ali Mochtar Ngabalin said the relocation of the country's capital city (IKN) from Jakarta to Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan, is proof of the government's seriousness in distributing development so that it does not become Java-centric.

"Most of the APBN only revolves around Java. So the first and main idea of moving IKN is so that Indonesia does not become Java-centric," said Ali Ngabalin in an online discussion forum entitled "Measuring the Opportunities and Challenges of Moving the State Capital", as quoted from broadcast KSP press reported by Antara, Sunday, January 30.

According to Ali, the transfer of IKN is not without reason. This is because the island of Java has always been the largest contributor to the Indonesian economy, which can be seen from the amount of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Java Island of 57.55 percent of the national GDP, as data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) as of the third quarter of 2021. This indicates The largest economic turnaround occurs on the island of Java.

Meanwhile, GDP in Kalimantan Island was only recorded at 8.32 percent, Sulawesi Island at 6.98 percent, and Maluku and Papua islands at 2.45 percent.

"With the transfer of the IKN, the state budget, financial allocations, and policies that were formerly centered on the island of Java can be shifted and evenly distributed to islands outside Java. This will break the chain of 'everything Javanese'," said Ali Ngabalin.

According to a KSP press release, academician from Cenderawasih University, Dr. Septinus Saa also supports the government's visionary steps. He gave an example of how governance in Australia has become better after the Australian Capital City moved from Sydney to Canberra.

"We see the population density on the island of Java, especially Jakarta. In addition, environmental factors are also neglected where there are now many disasters. This makes Jakarta no longer ideal as a capital city," said Septinus, based on a KSP press release.

Previously, the DPR in the 13th DPR RI Plenary Meeting for Session III 2021-2022 Session Year, Tuesday, January 18, approved the Draft Law (RUU) for the State Capital (IKN) to be ratified into law.

Minister of National Development Planning (PPN)/Head of National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Suharso Monoarfa said the nation's capital on the island of Kalimantan will be named Nusantara.