IKN Development Discourse From Community Gathering, PKS Suspected Of Being Used By Conglomerates

Design of the State Palace at IKN Nusantara, East Kalimantan. (Instagram @Nyoman_Nuarta)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the PKS DPP, Mardani Ali Sera, criticized the discourse on the development of the National Capital (IKN) of the Archipelago in East Kalimantan from the community through crowdfunding.

"The idea is interesting, but absurd. Interesting because it gets people involved. Absurd because this is a government project. It should use state funds. It should be clear what the allocation of funds via crowd funding is like," said Mardani through his Twitter account, @MardaniAliSera, Ranu 22 March.

Mardani suspected that the discourse of opening all funding doors to build IKN, including through crowdfunding, was used by conglomerates.

To the central government, including the Head of the IKN Authority, Bambang Susantono, Mardani asked that this discourse be explained in detail to the public. He asked for an open dialogue on the idea.

"Because we, the community, are involved, not the conglomerates who control. We have to make everything clear and transparent," said Mardani.

In the development of IKN Nusantara, previously the government emphasized that it would prioritize local wisdom.

Director of Urban Areas and State Borders at the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) Thomas Umbu Pati Tena Bolodadi said the government would appreciate, protect, and affirm the existence of customary law, including those related to the sultanate and other matters concerning local wisdom.

"I think the affirmation has become a commitment in the master plan or the details of the master plan, it's just a matter of how we monitor the execution so that the appreciation of the public properties of the sultanate's customary law communities can be properly maintained," he said at the consultation event. Public of the Draft Implementing Regulation of Law Number 3 of 2022 concerning IKN, Tuesday 22 March.