Build A Dam In East Kalimantan, Prabowo's Brother Will Supply Water To IKN?

Hashim Djojohadikusumo. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The younger brother of Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, stated that the clean water project to be built in East Kalimantan had been initiated since 2016. Therefore, he denied that the dam was a project to share sustenance from the government.

Hashim explained that in developing a clean water project in East Kalimantan, his party also decided to appoint a consulting company from the Netherlands, Witteveen Bos to conduct a feasibility study in 2016.

Hashim said the study was conducted to determine whether the land he owned was feasible or not to build a large clean water project in East Kalimantan.

"Based on the feasibility study of Witteveen Bos, it turns out that in our area the topography is very supportive to build a dam that can produce abundant water. That's why we finally plan to also want to cook clean water in East Kalimantan so that we can have a role in helping to cook clean water which is currently still limited," he said in a virtual press conference, Tuesday, February 8.

According to Hashim, based on his consultant's calculations, the supply of clean water for Balikpapan and surrounding industries requires at least 300 million to 330 million or equivalent to Rp. 4.7 trillion (assuming an exchange rate of Rp. 14,389 per US dollar).

"That's just Balikpapan and the surrounding industries. There are palm oil, paper, coal and Pertamina refinery industries. We estimate that for Samarinda and its surroundings, Kota Bangun and Tenggarong there are also several hundred million dollars, the main component of the water pipe, it is very expensive, and increasingly far from the place of origin, the more expensive the project," he said.

Even so, Hashim said that the funding for the provision of clean water would not reach more than 1 billion US dollars. According to the plan, the funding will be sought from various investment sources.

Furthermore, Hashim said that there were five foreign contractors who had offered. Hashim also explained that his party had spoken with the Indonesia Stock Exchange or BEI to review the funding scheme for clean water projects to rehabilitate damaged forests in East Kalimantan.

Haven't got a clean water project at IKN

The Chief Executive Officer of Arsari Group said that his party had not yet obtained a contract or obtained an official decision on the provision of clean water in line with the appointment of a new IKN in East Kalimantan.

"We are grateful for his prayers that we will receive sustenance so that the community and industry there can get clean water in accordance with our intention, which has long been a provider of clean water," he said.

According to Hashim, his company is currently applying for a permit for the clean water business as an effort to support the needs of industry and the community.

"We want to be a provider of clean water for the residents of North Penajam Paser and Balikpapan and other East Kalimantan areas to be used for needs such as toilets, cooking and even industry," he said.

According to Hashim, his party's desire to build a dam in East Kalimantan was solely to meet the needs of the community and it was just a coincidence that the IKN was built adjacent to his dam. This is because the development plan has been carried out since 2016.

"All of this was (designed) before there was a new capital city. One thing that attracted the new capital was closer to our reservoir, 25 km from the new capital, from the presidential palace, that was the reservoir we planned in 2016. Before there was a capital city, we water supply to Balikpapan which is 40 km from our reservoir," he said.

"Later on, our clean water project will provide water supply to Balikpapan, Samarinda, the city of Bangun Tenggarong and also the new national capital," he concluded.