By: Dimas Setiadi )*
The 79th Anniversary Ceremony (HUT) of the Republic of Indonesia (RI) which was held in the National Capital (IKN) of the archipelago was an important moment that not only celebrated independence, but also marked significant progress in the development of the IKN. The readiness to hold the ceremony shows that the development of infrastructure and facilities at IKN is in accordance with the established plans.
With all the thorough preparations, from the ceremony location to the supporting facilities, it is clear that the government and related parties have worked hard to ensure everything runs smoothly. This is not just a ceremony, but also an achievement that shows that the big vision of moving the nation’s capital has begun to become a reality.
Through this ceremony, we can see how far progress has been achieved and how IKN is ready to become the center of the new government which is expected to have a positive impact on our country.
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam), Hadi Tjahjanto emphasized that IKN was ready to hold a ceremony commemorating the 79th Indonesian Independence Day. In a meeting with the media at IKN, Hadi said that the State Palace and ceremonial grounds at IKN were in ready-to-use condition.
Access to IKN has also been confirmed to be ready for use. This shows that all important aspects of the ceremony, from location to accessibility, have been carefully prepared.
Two main routes to IKN have been prepared for invited guests. The first route is via the Balikpapan-Samarinda (Balsam) Toll Road with the exit at KM 11, which then continues via the Balang Island-Simpang Riko Bridge with a distance of 88 km and an estimated travel time of 90 minutes.
The second route leads to the Balsam Toll exit KM 38, continuing to the Samboja National Road with a travel time of around 150 minutes or almost 2 hours. Preparing transportation routes is an important aspect to ensure the smooth flow of invited guests.
President Joko Widodo is planned to be present directly at IKN as a ceremony inspector. The President’s presence at the ceremony is a symbol of the government’s commitment to this mega project. Apart from that, this ceremony will also be attended by President-Elect Prabowo Subianto at IKN, while in Jakarta, the ceremony will be attended by Vice President Ma’ruf Amin and Vice President-Elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka. The arrangement of these two locations shows the scale and importance of the commemoration of the 79th Indonesian Independence Day.
The IKN development itself is a megaproject that is being carried out in stages. Starting from 2022 to 2024, the development focus will be on basic infrastructure and government offices. The big theme of the commemoration of the Republic of Indonesia’s 79th anniversary, “New Archipelago, Advanced Indonesia”, reflects the spirit and vision of IKN development as a step towards a more advanced and integrated Indonesia.
Preparation for this ceremony not only involves physical aspects, but also logistics for the guests. Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono, who also serves as Acting Head of the IKN Authority, revealed that the infrastructure for VVIP guests is ready.
Official residences for 14 ministers have been prepared, although the number of ministers is greater than the number of houses available. This accommodation arrangement is carried out by the State Secretariat (Setneg) to ensure that all important guests can be accommodated properly.
On August 14, a dress rehearsal will take place, with President Joko Widodo present to ensure all preparations go according to plan. Transportation simulations by the East Kalimantan Regional Police will also be carried out to ensure the smooth flow of vehicles to IKN.
Apart from that, a cabinet meeting and meetings with governors and regents throughout Indonesia are also scheduled for August 12 and the day after.
The Directorate General of Railways (DJKA) from the Ministry of Transportation has also prepared the newest means of transportation, namely Autonomous Rail Transit (ART), which will be tested at IKN. This trial will be carried out in two phases, with a short route from Kemenko Building 3 to Kemenko Building 2 and back again.
This trial aims to ensure the feasibility of ART surgery and is expected to be introduced to the public from October 10 to December 31. ART will stop at eight main bus stops in the IKN Central Government Core Area (KIPP) and will be integrated with other modes of transportation such as bus rapid transit (BRT).
The readiness to hold the 79th Indonesian Independence Day ceremony at IKN Nusantara is a real reflection of the success and progress of the development that has been planned. Every detail of the preparations, from basic infrastructure to accommodation for invited guests, shows how serious the government is in making IKN a modern and fully functional national capital.
With all the preparations that have been made, we can conclude that the IKN development is proceeding according to plan and showing significant progress. This is a golden opportunity for all of us to witness how our nation’s great vision becomes a reality.
Let’s support and watch together how this ceremony will take place. This is an important moment for our nation to celebrate independence while seeing the real results of the IKN development which has been carefully planned. Continue to follow developments and provide support for the success of this 79th Indonesian Independence Day celebration!
)* The author is a domestic economic observer