Jokowi Shares Stories About The Shadow Of Nuansa Colonial When Occupying 3 Palaces Legacy Of The Dutch East Indies

President Joko Widodo gave directions to hundreds of regional heads in the official IKN State Palace, East Kalimantan, Tuesday (13/8/2024). BETWEEN Dwi Gayati

KALTIM - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that he was overshadowed by the smell of colonialism while occupying three palaces from the Dutch East Indies government, Merdeka Palace, State Palace and Bogor Presidential Palace. "So if our Palace in Jakarta, which is in Bogor, is a former colonial palace that was once inhabited. The State Palace is inhabited by Governor General Pieter Gerardus van Overstraten," Jokowi said while giving directions to hundreds of regional heads in the official IKN State Palace, East Kalimantan, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, August 13. Jokowi said that the two palaces in Jakarta, namely the State Palace and the Merdeka Palace, were inhabited by governors generals of the Dutch East Indies during the colonial period. For example, the State Palace was once inhabited by former Governor General Pieter Gerardus van Overstraten, while the Merdeka Palace was inhabited by Governor General Johan Wilhelm van Lansberge. Meanwhile, the Bogor Palace, which is Jokowi's residence, is also inhabited by Governor General Gustaaf Willem baron van Imhoff. Jokowi also reminded that the President's palace had been occupied for 79 years by Indonesian presidents. "And we have lived 79 years. So, I always feel the smell of colonialism every day. I imagine it," said the President. Therefore, Jokowi explained that through the development of IKN, the government wants to show that Indonesia has the ability to build the nation's capital according to the wishes and designs of the government, even though it takes a long time. Since the start of 2021, the construction of the new IKN will be completed around 10 to 15 years. The President also detailed that the current IKN development has only reached about 20 percent of the planned one.

This is because the construction that has been realized only includes the Central Government Core Area, which consists of the State Palace, Garuda Palace, Vice Presidential Palace and the coordinating ministry building, while the buildings of each ministry have not been built.