Transfer To IKN Nusantara Is Not A Guarantee For Equitable Development

Photo By Andry Winarko VOI

JAKARTA August 17, 2024, could be a milestone in the era of President Joko Widodo. Yes, for the first time the ceremony to commemorate the Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia is planned to be held in the new capital city of Indonesia, the capital city of the archipelago (IKN) in East Kalimantan.

According to the Acting Deputy Head of the Archipelago Capital Authority (OIKN), King Juli Antoni, although it is still being carried out in a hybrid manner, the celebration of the 79th Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia at IKN is a welcome ceremony to the new capital city.

He revealed, for IKN to be attended by President Joko Widodo together with Elected President Prabowo Subianto, while in Jakarta he was held with Vice President Ma'ruf Amin with the Elected Vice President, Gibran Rakabuming Raka. "This is a transitional ceremony to welcome the new capital city. In 2025 the new ceremony is completely located at IKN," said Raja Juli, Saturday, June 15. Even though he was finally able to become the venue for the 79th Indonesian Independence Anniversary ceremony, the construction of the Nusantara IKN which cost Rp501 trillion sparked public controversy. In fact, in the presidential debate ahead of the 2024 presidential election, Anies Baswedan criticized the IKN project.

Anies stated that leaving Jakarta and moving the capital would not automatically solve the existing problems, but must be resolved directly. Moreover, in the process, including the creation of the IKN Law, it does not go through public dialogue.

"This is one example that does not go through a complete public dialogue. Okay? So the dialogue after it becomes law," he said, December 12, 2023.

What Anies is in the spotlight may be true. Researcher of the BRIN Political Research Center, Dini Suryani revealed, based on the results of her research, many things in the process of preparing IKN itself were made very quickly and in a hurry. For example, the Strategic Environmental Studies (KLHS) document which is usually made within 1 year, for IKN is completed in just 3 months.

In addition, many indigenous peoples in related areas admitted that they were not fully involved when the early days of IKN were set. Some of them admitted that they were initially happy to see their roads repaired. However, not a few were surprised because suddenly the boundary marker was embedded in front of his yard.

When IKN comes the road is opened then it's good, they are happy because the economy is getting smoother. But when it comes to other houses because this public consultation is minimal. So when KIPP, the zero point is built suddenly in front of the house, one of our Narsums already has a stake even though it's a private house. He was shocked because he felt he had never been told. So for the community around the mix feeling on the one hand is happy, on the other hand, insecure the fate in the future," explained Dini, Saturday, June 15, 2024.

The IKN Project Is Not The People's Will

The Dean of the Faculty of Government Management of the Institute of Domestic Administration (IPDN), Halilul Khairi, assessed that the government's plan to move the capital city to IKN was not carried out at the will and request of the people. Because, when President Jokowi campaigned first, he never mentioned the discourse on moving the capital city. Later when he took office, the discourse emerged and was later realized with the start of the IKN development project.

According to him, the government should first question the people about the discourse on moving the capital city, as a form of asking for approval and views from the public. As for the mechanism, the government can do it through the DPR, which incidentally is a representation of people's sovereignty.

"The concept is that when the government develops its strategy, it must get approval from the people. Through what? Through the DPR as an institution for the representation of sovereignty, because the people with 270 million cannot be consulted," said Halilul.

Dia juga menyoroti fungsi DPR yang dinilai kurang berperan sebagai lembaga legislasi dalam mengumpulkan aspirasi dan pandangan masyarakat terkait rencana peminda kota. Halilul menegaskan, DPR merupakan pesantung bagi masyarakat yang perlu selalu bertanyakan kepada rakyat terkait setiap kebijakan yang akan diambil oleh pemerintah.

"Ask the people. The DPR is paid from public money for what? To come ask questions, to be paid. I heard that recess is up to hundreds of millions. Well, after being asked, he made the policy to be carried out by the president. Because the president is not authorized to make policies relating to the goals of the people, "explained Halilul.

He emphasized that in fact, both the DPR and the president do not have a vision and mission, there is only the vision and mission of the state entrusted by the people. This means that the government's goal is to achieve the goals of the state, so it will be dangerous if the state actually has a different goal from its people.

"So the presence of the government is to manage life together in order to achieve the country's goals. He develops strategies, formulates policy options to achieve the country's goals," he added.

Looking back, the process of drafting and ratifying the IKN Law as the legal basis for the IKN project is indeed relatively fast. Referring to the official website of the DPR RI, on December 7, 2021, the Special Committee (Pansus) for the IKN Bill began official discussions involving various relevant ministries.

The chairman of the Special Committee, Ahmad Doli Kurnia, explained that in the working meeting on that date, discussions included dialogue with the Minister of National Development Planning, Minister of Finance, Minister of ATR BPN, Minister of Home Affairs, and Minister of Law and Human Rights.

On January 18, 2022, in the first level of talks, it was agreed that the State Capital would be named Nusantara and subsequently called the Capital City of the Archipelago. This rapid movement of the DPR and the government then triggered a judicial review to the Constitutional Court (MK).

On April 25, 2022, the Constitutional Court held its inaugural trial for the formal review of the IKN Law because it was considered less public participation. Applicants at this trial include the Alliance of Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago (AMAN) and the Indonesian Environmental Welfare Foundation (WALHI).

From the report listed on the official website of the Constitutional Court, in the trial, the petitioners stated that the formation of the IKN Law did not involve real participation, in accordance with the provisions described in the Constitutional Court Decision Number 91/PUU-XVIII/2020.

Unfortunately, the DPR seemed not to budge and continued the revision process. The 7th Plenary Session of the DPR RI Period I of the 2023-2024 Session Year which was held on October 3, 2023 officially ratified the Bill on amendments to Law Number 3 of 2022 concerning the State Capital (IKN) into Law (UU).

Moving The National Capital Is Not A Guarantee Of Equitableness

Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas, Suharso Monoarfa said that the transfer to IKN was based on the existence of a single camp on the island of Java, especially DKI Jakarta. According to him, Java Island has been the sole magnet for economic growth in Indonesia since the colonial era.

"There is an investment theory, it will not work. The investment theory fails to realize equity if structurally the conditions are as we inherited from colonialism, where there is only one single magnet, the dominant magnet," he said.

Another reason is the failure to spread the population through a transmigration policy, where the spread of the population only works in the West Sumatra region, while in Kalimantan and Papua it fails. This is what the government considers to cause inequality in human resources, especially between Java and outside Java in eastern Indonesia.

"Because the Java Island magnet is extraordinary. Families who are given transmigration land only survive as long as the basic food subsidies continue. After that, their rational thoughts arise. Those who are able to finally go to Java," said Suharso.

Meanwhile, Senior Lecturer in International Politics and Global Security's Studies attenuated University, and D. Wilson, considers the concept of IKN development to be an interesting thing. However, he has not been able to understand how the government has realized Indonesia's growth and equity through IKN. According to him, there are many cases of relocating the capital that have not succeeded.

"For example, Brasilia, it is very interesting because it is one of President Soekarno's inspirations about the possibility to move the capital city of Indonesia. But what is widely recorded and written at length, Brasilia faces many problems, in terms of aspirations to correct inequality, it can be said to be unsuccessful," he said.

Ian stated that this issue would be the same problem in moving the new capital city in other countries. Therefore, this also raises new questions about how Indonesia's democracy is with the development of IKN.

How this reflects Indonesia's political passion. How this will determine the quality and substance of Indonesia in the future. Frankly, for me, it's a bit worrying for one thing, that if we look at what is happening in other countries that make the capital city new," he added.