Jokowi cites 'heavy rains' as reason for cancelling IKN transfer - Politics

Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, a city resident, said persistent rains in Nusantara, East Kalimantan, had hampered his plans to work in construction from the capital as early as this month.

Initially, Jokowi had proposed moving to his landmark Nusantara project in July as he believed the deadline for basic infrastructure would be met.

However, the outgoing president abandoned the project last week following reports from the Ministry of Works and Housing that the water and electricity supply was not fully ready.

“The target was originally set for July, but we see that it is raining every day in IKN (the capital of Nusantara) now. It is really raining a lot,” Jokowi said at Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in East Jakarta on Tuesday, before leaving for the United Arab Emirates. kompas.com reported.

Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono had previously said torrential rains had hampered Nusantara’s progress over the past month, adding that “out of the 30 days in June, only eight days were sunny.”

But Jokowi stressed that such rain-related delays were “normal in a big project (like this).”

Read also: Jokowi delays move to Nusantara, will move there ‘once the place is ready’

The construction of Nusantara, scheduled to begin in June 2022, is the president’s legacy, aimed at easing Jakarta’s recurring problems, ranging from congestion to land subsidence.

The capital is due to be inaugurated on the country’s Independence Day, August 17, when Jokowi and President-elect Prabowo Subianto are expected to host its celebration at the new state palace in Nusantara.

The incumbent president, however, advised everyone to manage their expectations regarding the new capital as it would be far from being completed by Independence Day.

“Perhaps, according to calculations, the IKN will be completed only 15 percent by August 17,” he said, while stressing that it was a long-term project that would not be completed in two or three years.

“It could be fully completed within 15 to 20 years,” he added.

Jokowi’s recent visit to the UAE was another attempt to seek foreign investors for Nusantara, whose lack of investors is among the problems hampering the progress of the new capital.

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