Jokowi: Land Readiness In IKN Must Be Accelerated, We Are Chased By Investors

Screenshot - President Joko Widodo during a speech on the agenda of laying the first stone of the Nusantara Hotel in North Penajam Paser, East Kalimantan

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated that the readiness of land and basic infrastructure in the capital city of Nusantara (IKN) must be accelerated to respond to the interest of domestic and foreign private investors who are now arriving.

"I see that it is precisely the readiness of this land that must be accelerated, plus the infrastructure, because we are being chased by investors," said President Jokowi after laying the first stone for the Nusantara Hotel in Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan, as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, September 21.

The President said that in the last year the government's concentration in IKN development focused on the realization of basic infrastructure, such as ministry buildings and also the Presidential Palace.

Meanwhile, the fulfillment of infrastructure needs to support public services will be met through investment in the private sector.

"One of them is marked by the laying of the first stone for the construction of a five-star Nusantara Hotel in North Penajam Paser," Jokowi added.

"Tomorrow there will be a hospital, tomorrow there will be a distribution center, and later in November there will be universities, hotels and others. Because the key is there (the private sector), because government matters are only in the affairs of government buildings, infrastructure, and also the Presidential Palace," he said.

The plan to build a number of public facilities at IKN mentioned by Jokowi, has fully come from investment in the domestic private sector.

"We are talking about new ones from within the country, who have not spoken from abroad. So I hope ground breaking this afternoon shows that private sectors are expected to be very interested in entering IKN," he said.

The inclusion of various investments in the private sector in IKN, said Jokowi, cannot be separated from government policies that facilitate basic infrastructure needs, one of which is toll roads that have been completed.

In addition, Jokowi also targets the construction of airports in the local area to be completed this year.

"If these two are finished, I think more and more will come. I'm sure of that," he said.