The Government’s plan to move the State Capital has the full support of the community. It is believed that the relocation of the State Capital will accelerate the realization of equitable development throughout Indonesia.
The plan to relocate the State Capital (IKN) has received support from the wider community, including the local community. The Governor of East Kalimantan, Isran Noor, said that there was no rejection by the local community regarding the determination of the East Kalimantan region as an IKN. The people of East Kalimantan also did not reject the ratification of the IKN Law which had been carried out by the Indonesian House of Representatives.
Isran said that since it was announced by President Joko Widodo on August 26, 2019, the people of East Kalimantan had given full support. No problem, no claims, let alone denials.
He also dismissed the discourse that the people of East Kalimantan would be marginalized by the presence of immigrants who reached millions of people in the new state capital, so that it could potentially lead to public rejection. According to the governor, the people of East Kalimantan do not have a bad track record in terms of tolerance, diversity, including openness to accepting immigrants.
Isran said that there were few native East Kalimantan residents. Most of them are from Java, 35%. Only Sulawesi 20 percent. The rest are mixed up with other tribes, including the indigenous Dayak tribe, the Kutai. Mix with Banjar and others. They live side by side and there is no problem.
Meanwhile, regarding the claim that a group of people asked to be involved, according to the Governor, this is something that is normal and should be fulfilled. Yan is important according to the ability and capacity of each. However, it is clear that this IKN is not only for East Kalimantan, but also for the entire territory of Indonesia. Not Java centric let alone just Jakarta.
He also explained that the people in East Kalimantan are people who obey the government and state regulations. Because, since Indonesia’s independence until now, East Kalimantan has become the republic’s largest oil producer and a source of state financing.
Likewise in the era of the 70s, East Kalimantan again became the largest foreign exchange earner from the largest and most luxurious timber for the country. Furthermore, from the 80s to the present, East Kalimantan has become the largest contributor to coal production in Indonesia, reaching 60%.
During that time, the people of East Kalimantan have never rebelled against the state. Especially when East Kalimantan was designated as the State Capital. The people of East Kalimantan actually gave full support to this policy. The relocation of the nation’s capital is a challenge, as well as a great opportunity for the people of East Kalimantan itself.
East Kalimantan has always had a diverse social structure. Around 1.5 migrants consisting of State Civil Apparatus (ASN), TNI and POLRI and their families, as well as other economic actors will be present in the IKN area. Therefore, the transfer of IKN to East Kalimantan needs to be prepared as well as possible so as not to cause problems that we do not want. A comprehensive understanding of the social, economic, and cultural characteristics of the community will help Indonesia in realizing Smart, Green, Beautiful and Sustainable IKN.
In realizing a pluralistic and harmonious IKN in accordance with the identity of the Indonesian nation, of course, a comprehensive understanding and planning of socio-cultural and socio-economic aspects is needed.
Planning for social aspects is carried out by ensuring factors, such as community acceptance, improving the quality of human resources, utilizing and developing local wisdom, sources of community livelihood, as well as the role of various parties including the millennial generation in IKN development.
The Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas has carried out various studies, including the demographic, social and cultural aspects of IKN transfer. The study conducted is an initial stage, which needs to be discussed and explored further with various experts.
Differences in socio-cultural characteristics between local people and immigrants need to be anticipated from the start and community resilience in ecological, economic and socio-cultural terms can be realized.
Doli Kurnia as Chair of the IKN Special Committee (PANSUS) added that IKN was not made for a period of one or two years, because this is a plan for the future of the republic that considers social justice for all Indonesian people. The task of the government through the Authority formed by the President is to convince about this long plan.
Support from the community is the government’s success in convincing the public that the relocation of the State Capital will have a positive impact on Indonesia.
Syarifudin, Author is a contributor to Pertiwi Institute
