Jokowi's Asa Changes Jakarta Like New York: Global City And The Largest Economy

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Ministry of Finance)

JAKARTA - The government is currently known to be drafting a Draft Law (RUU) for the Special Region of Jakarta as a consequence of moving the State Capital (IKN) to Kalimantan.

This information was first revealed by the Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani after attending a cabinet meeting chaired by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) earlier this week.

The Minister of Finance explained that the DKJ Bill is an embodiment of Law Number 3 of 2022 concerning the State Capital. The regulation also replaces the position of Law Number 29 of 2007 concerning the Provincial Government of the Special Capital Region of Jakarta as the Capital City of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

"The transfer of the State Capital based on the IKN Law will change the status of Jakarta, which was originally a Special Capital Region, was directed to become a Special Region for Jakarta or DKJ," he said.

It was stated that the direction of development in Jakarta in the future would become the center of national economic activity. In addition, the Minister of Finance revealed that the government wants to encourage Jakarta as one of the strategic areas of international standard.

"The DKJ Bill carries the concept of the Special Region of Jakarta to become the global city and the largest economic center in Indonesia," he stressed.

Separately, the Deputy for Funding and Investment of the Archipelago Capital Authority, Agung Wicaksono, said that the government's decision to move the capital city from Jakarta to Kalimantan had a deep meaning. According to him, this crucial step became an important milestone in Indonesia's history and even the world.

"The capital city that moves from one island to another, it only happens in Indonesia," said Agung.

Therefore Agung encouraged the public to better interpret the government's goal of bringing the capital far across the island.

"The capital city moved from Java to Kalimantan. The signal is that the President wants to convey an equitable development, equal distribution of opportunities, including equal distribution of investment," he said.

So, what will happen to Jakarta next?

As previously mentioned, the government plans to make Jakarta the economic center in Indonesia. The concept of separating economic and government activities is commonly encountered in developed countries.

For example, the United States has Washington DC as the city where the President serves and New York as the center of the economy.

Likewise with Australia moving the capital city from Melbourne to Canberra because it is considered unable to accommodate state activities with the economy in the same place.

Jakarta itself already has all the requirements to become a world economic city. First, adequate infrastructure. Second, a good telecommunications network. And the third is connectivity between neatly built areas.

Just so you know, 70 percent of the circulation of money in Indonesia is circulating in this city. Jakarta is also the largest contributor to gross domestic product (GDP) reaching IDR 1,953.46 trillion in 2022. So, after the capital city moves to Kalimantan, Jakarta can focus more on developing economic activities, such as trade, services, property, creative industry, and finance.