President Joko Widodo Starts Office In IKN On July 28

Head of the Indonesian Presidential Secretariat Heru Budi Hartono delivered a press statement at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (24/7/2024). ANTARA/Yashinta Difa

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is confirmed to start having an office in the capital city of Nusantara (IKN) on July 28, 2024. "The plan is that on the 28th he will inaugurate the toll road and review (IKN). We together (Ministry of PUPR) and the Presidential Secretariat prepare all needs for the President based in IKN," said Head of the Indonesian Presidential Secretariat Heru Budi Hartono at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Antara, Wednesday, July 24. Heru explained that the Palace in coordination with the Ministry of PUPR is still preparing complete infrastructure for the Presidential Office at IKN, including filling the furniture needs. "(Procurement) tables, furniture, lights, chairs are all running," he said. However, he did not explain whether President Jokowi would continue to have an office at IKN or would go back and forth to Jakarta, in running the wheels of Indonesian government. In addition to preparing the Presidential Office, he said, the Presidential Secretariat also continues to finalize all preparations ahead of the commemoration of the 79th Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia, which he plans to hold in two locations, namely IKN and Jakarta. "We certainly concentrate there to prepare all infrastructure in the framework of August 17. So later after the 28th maybe he (President Jokowi) will come to IKN several more times before August 17 because there is still a series of activities (of the independence commemoration)," said Heru. Regarding the details of the series of events for the Indonesian Independence Day, Heru said the government would soon hold a press conference at the end of July. So far, the 79th Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia is planned to begin with national remembrance on August 1, 2024 and then continue with a number of other agendas, including the awarding of honors by the President of the Republic of Indonesia on August 15, 2024. President Jokowi previously said that he was ready to have an office in IKN, East Kalimantan, as soon as possible if there was a green light signal or a sign of readiness. He conveyed this when giving a press statement after watching the opening match of the President's Cup at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium, Bandung Regency, West Java, Friday (19/7).

"Once the green light is ready, I will have an office in IKN," said the President when asked by the media about the readiness to have an office in IKN, based on the recording received in Jakarta, Friday.