By: Zakaria )*
The nation’s capital city will be moved from DKI Jakarta to Penajam Paser Utara, Kalimantan. The relocation of the national capital is an effective step in advancing the country and distributing development throughout Indonesia.
Moving the country’s capital city to Kalimantan is not just a discourse because the government has already made a move, even a sketch of the presidential palace has been made. Maybe many are surprised, why should there be a transfer? Actually, this plan has existed since the old order era because Bung Karno, who was president at the time, wanted to move the capital city to Kalimantan, with the aim of achieving equity.
It is only now in the era of President Jokowi’s leadership that this plan will actually be carried out, although not in 2022 because it is still a pandemic period and the preparations also need a lot of time. In addition to infrastructure preparation in North Penajam Paser, there is also preparation for which government employees will be transferred to Kalimantan, what are all staff in other ministries and ASN and so on.
When the capital city of the country is moved, it will advance Indonesia. First, there will be equitable development and not Java centric. Weaknesses since the New Order era with a centralized system, so that only Jakarta and Java were built. After reforms were made and it was changed to decentralization, then there was development in other islands.
To increase equitable development, the most appropriate way is to move the capital city of the country to Kalimantan. When the president works there, it will be easier to access, both to the central and eastern parts of Indonesia. When there is easy access to travel and communication, development will also be facilitated, so that it is guaranteed that there are no underdeveloped areas in this country.
When the nation’s capital is in Kalimantan, rapid development will also be carried out in Borneo. Not only in East Kalimantan but also other provinces. There is good road access, not just a macadam but a highway with hot mix asphalt. There is also the construction of a new school so that there is human resource development in North Penajam Paser.
Second, relocating the nation’s capital will advance Indonesia because it reduces the burden on DKI Jakarta. Currently there are too densely populated, both those who have permanent housing and workers who move from Bogor, Bekasi, and surrounding areas. When there are many vehicles carried by employees on the streets, it certainly causes congestion. When there is a traffic jam, it will certainly create stress and employees can be depressed and not optimal at work.
Congestion in Jakarta is already too severe because it is very difficult to unravel, because of the congested roads. The bad effect is the loss of up to billions of rupiah because time is wasted on the streets, isn’t time is money? If the capital city of the country is moved, the ASN in both the ministry and the presidential office will also move, and the level of congestion can also be reduced.
While the third, when the capital city of the country moves to Kalimantan, it will change the concept of development so that it is Indonesia-centric. The reason is because what was built was not only in Java (as an island that was once the nation’s capital), but also in other areas. Development is not only held in Kalimantan but also in Sulawesi, Papua, etc. This is in accordance with the late Bung Karno’s mandate for equitable development.
When the national capital was moved to Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan, there were many benefits. Indonesia will be more advanced because there is equitable development and all Indonesian citizens get justice to live prosperously. Development is no longer Java centric but is carried out on all islands in the country.
)* The author is a citizen living in Bogor
