The national capital will be moved from DKI Jakarta to North Penajam Paser, East Kalimantan. This transfer is of course complemented by infrastructure development. However, the community need not worry because the construction of the IKN will maintain biodiversity in Kalimantan. The government will continue to maintain Kalimantan’s status as one of the world’s lungs .
When the national capital (IKN) will be moved from DKI Jakarta to Penajam North Paser, East Kalimantan, so many were surprised. The reason is because since the pre-independence era, Jakarta, which was formerly called Batavia, has become the center of government.
However, the public shouldn’t be surprised, because during the Old Order era, Bung Karno also wanted to move the capital city to Kalimantan. The reason is because the city is in the middle of Indonesia so if the capital city is there the aim is for justice to the people.
Moving the capital city is a gigantic project and led to massive development in North Penajem Paser. The area that will be renamed Nusantara will be made into a modern city but still beautiful, because the government will build a forest city. The government continues to maintain the authenticity of nature in Kalimantan and promises not to dry it out when there is construction at the IKN.
The Head of the National Archipelago National Authority Authority, Bambang Susantono, stated that he is committed to protecting orangutans through collaboration with the Arsari Foundation in developing an asylum center on Kawasan Island, North Penajam Paser Regency, East Kalimantan Province.
IKN Authority Head Bambang Susantono said the development of the orangutan sanctuary center aims to provide a sanctuary for adult male orangutans .
Orangutans are one of Indonesia’s endemic species that need to be protected and preserved. Even though the IKN area is not a natural habitat for orangutans, the government is very committed to supporting the protection of orangutans
The orangutan sanctuary center provides facilities and management that meet the principles of animal welfare, especially for orangutans that have been determined not to be released into their natural habitat for certain reasons.
Bambang continued, the development of the orangutan sanctuary center has made IKN a government center that is very concerned about the environment. There will be cooperation between the IKN Authority and the Arsar Foundation, not only in developing an orangutan sanctuary center, but also in realizing IKN Forest City as a model for urban development that focuses on carbon neutrality, biodiversity and sustainable development goals or SDGs.
The government is also very open to cooperating with international and national environmental monitoring agencies to jointly protect the environment in the IKN area and its surroundings.
In a sense, the government is really taking care of the biodiversity in Kalimantan, especially because the orangutan is a protected animal . Kalimantan’s forests as the original habitat of orangutans will still be preserved.
The community doesn’t have to worry about the massive IKN development, because the government has promised not to clear the forests of Kalimantan in order to make a modern city. The reason is because the IKN concept is not only a smart city but also a forest city. Where the city is very environmentally friendly and maintains the balance of nature.
The concept of a forest city or forest city that was developed in the Archipelago’s Capital is Indonesia’s move to mitigate climate change. 65 percent of the archipelago’s capital city area will become tropical forest through reforestation, 10 percent will become park areas and food production, and 25 percent will be urban areas.
Meanwhile, Nikolas Agung SR, Main Director of PT Amarta Karya, stated that the construction of the IKN will combine three urban concepts, namely smart city, forest city and sponge city. In a sense, the development of IKN is not just making tall concrete buildings. But there is an environmentally friendly concept so that Kalimantan will remain the lungs of the world.
The definition of a forest city is a city that is in a forest. IKN Nusantara is very interesting because of its position in the middle of a beautiful forest. So, there will be no cutting of trees in North Penajam Paser, for the sake of building a government building. Precisely the building is ‘inserted’ in the middle of a forest and arranged so that no trees are cut down arbitrarily.
The public need not worry because the government will continue to maintain Kalimantan’s status as one of the lungs of the world. To overcome global warming , deforestation is strictly prohibited, for any reason, including the construction of a capital city. Maintaining environmental balance was one of President Jokowi’s promises in the 2019 election, and will continue to be fulfilled when he becomes head of state.
With the forest city concept , government buildings will be surrounded by trees, so ASNs can work optimally, because they feel at home in a cool office even without air conditioning. Moving the capital city will not force North Penajam Paser to be like DKI Jakarta, which is a megapolitan city, hot and full of tall buildings. Precisely moving will change the concept of the capital to be greener.
The construction of the IKN continues and the government promises to maintain Kalimantan’s biodiversity. Especially in protecting orangutans as endangered animals. They will not be expelled from the forests of Borneo which are their natural habitat . IKN Nusantara will become a forest city that maintains Kalimantan’s status as one of the world’s lungs .
)* The author is an Analyst at the Perkasa Media Institute
