Minister Basuki Says Construction Of The IKN Project Started In September 2022

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said the signing of the tender for infrastructure projects in the Nusantara Capital (IKN), East Kalimantan, will be carried out at the end of August 2022, and after that the physical construction construction will immediately begin.

"Sign the contract (end of August). After that, the construction will start," said Basuki as quoted by Antara, Thursday, August 11.

He ensured that there was no problem with the availability of budget from the government to start physical construction this year. Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani Indrawati, said Basuki, has in principle approved the budget for the physical development of IKN.

However, according to Basuki, the Minister of Finance and the echelon I ranks of the Ministry of Finance are currently reviewing the budget proposal from the Ministry of PUPR to be included in the budget implementation list (DIPA).

"For the DIPA, I think the Minister of Finance is okay. It is being studied again, usually by echelon I, usually to be included in the DIPA document. No problem," he said.

As for a number of infrastructure projects whose construction is targeted to start soon, among others, projects for land development, toll roads, national roads, logistics roads, and workers' flats.

In addition, the government will also immediately prepare an auction for the construction of the National Capital City Government Center Core Area (KIPP) project.

"(The palace) is just about to tender. The land development has been done, the toll road has been tendered, then the logistics have been done. We also hope that the flats for the workers will be determined by the end of this month," said Basuki.

Basuki is optimistic that he can optimally absorb the IKN development budget this year, which is Rp. 5.4 trillion.

"In the past, we could get more than Rp 7 trillion. But because this is only going to be September, we will reduce Rp 5.4 trillion. If there is no remaining DIPA, it's a shame too, asking for a lot can't be absorbed," he said.

On the other hand, Basuki also cannot confirm whether President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will directly attend the groundbreaking of the project at IKN, as is currently circulating news.

According to Basuki, President Jokowi doesn't really like groundbreaking ceremonies.

President Jokowi, he continued, prefers to review physical projects whose construction is already underway.

"There is a groundbreaking or not, we still don't know. If it's the President's groundbreaking, the President doesn't like groundbreaking. Reviewing what's been going on, yes. But to begin with, he didn't. Because he has been on the Bogor Ciawi Sukabumi (Bocimi) Toll Road several times, it turns out that the groundbreaking has been four times, not traveling," he said.