Gerindra Respects NasDem's Proposal On IKN To Be The Capital Of East Kalimantan

Deputy Chairman Of Commission II Of The House Of Representatives Bahtra Banong/PHOTO: Nailin In Saroh-VOI

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission III of the DPR from the Gerindra faction, Bahtra Banong, said that his party respects the NasDem Party's proposal regarding the placement of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming based in the capital city of Nusantara (IKN).

"So we respect and appreciate what the friends from the NasDem Party have proposed and that's good. The name is a proposal, it's definitely good," said Bahtra at the DPR building, Jakarta, Tuesday, July 22.

However, Bahtra said that his party must take a closer look at the urgency of placing the Vice President at IKN. Including the matter of IKN's proposal to be used as the capital city of East Kalimantan if the construction is continued.

"For example, the capital city, there are two proposals. The first is asking the vice president to have an office there in order to make the acceleration more effective," said Bahtra.

"Continue the second, whether a moratorium is necessary or not. Later we will conduct a more in-depth study whether or not it is necessary," he continued.

According to him, Commission II of the DPR must think carefully about this proposal. Because, said Bahtra, currently there are many central government programs or President Prabowo Subianto's programs that require budget priorities.

"The strategic program, such as for example food security, free nutritious food requires of course not a small amount of money," he said.

"Well, maybe that is the view of NasDem Party friends and then took the initiative to propose it in a moratorium. But for us, we will see more, whether or not we need to study it later," concluded Bahtra.

Previously, the NasDem Party issued suggestions to stop the polemic over the fate of IKN Nusantara. One of the proposals is to place Vice President Gibran Rakabuming based in IKN.

"So let IKN have activities and so that the buildings that have been built are not abandoned. So later the maintenance costs will be expensive if there is no activity, right. So we ask that there be activities with the Vice President's office at IKN," said Deputy NasDem Party Deputy Saan Mustopa at a press conference at NasDem Tower, Central Jakarta, Friday, July 18.

Another suggestion is that the government issues a Presidential Decree (Keppres) on IKN Nusantara. According to him, with this Presidential Decree, the Vice President and several ministries can have an office in IKN as soon as possible.

"The government will immediately issue a Presidential Decree on the Transfer of Position, Function and Role of the State Capital from the Special Capital Region of Jakarta Province to the Capital City of the Archipelago and a Presidential Decree on the Transfer of Ministries or Institutions and Transfer of ASN gradually to IKN starting from the Vice President and several priority ministries/agencies," said Saan.