May 6, 2019 Comments Off on Indonesia next in moving its capital city to a new location Views: 770 Urban Trekker

Following recent announcements by Egypt to move its capital city out of Cairo, Indonesia also reveals plans to do the same. Reasons cited include heavy pollution, traffic gridlock, and the fact that Jakarta, a city that has been established during the 4th century A.D. but is now sinking.

“President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo surprised us this week when he revealed the plan to move the capital city. The idea is not new, but the fact that Jokowi, who is on course for a second term, discussed it at a Cabinet meeting as the administration prepares next year’s budget suggests that he might be serious this time around,” reported the Jakarta Post on May 4th, 2019.

“The idea to move the capital city appeared long ago. … But it has never been decided or discussed in a planned and mature manner,” Widodo reportedly said, according to The Associated Press.

Jakarta during monthly Car Free Day, on the last Sunday every month. The Thamrin and Sudirman avenue from National Monument to Senayan area is closed from cars and any motorized vehicles from 6 AM to 12 AM, except for TransJakarta Bus Rapid Transit system. Morning gymnastics, futsal games, jogging, bicycling, badminton, karate, an on-street library, and musical performances take over the road. Photo: Gunawan Kartapranata, CC BY-SA 3.0

It is not entirely clear yet when and where the new capital is going to be moved. The idea has persisted for decades now, but no leader has been able to deliver such an ambitious plan. Two provinces have already been proposed at the governmental level about where possibly Indonesia could have a new capital, including Sulawesi and Kalimantan.

Sulawesi is the less likely option as only last year the region was severely struck by earthquake and tsunami. The province is still rebuilding, and some survivors are not even sure if they want to go back living there.

The province of Kalimantan, which is part of the island Borneo and comprises 73% of the entire island, could be the better of the two options. According to geologists, this area is safer as it has been previously spared from major earthquakes or volcanic activities. However, moving the Indonesian capital to Borneo might mean destroying vast areas of tropical forests, an activity which is already ongoing on the island.

The National Museum in Jakarta, Indonesia. The architecture of the building attests to the Dutch colonial past of the island nation. Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0

At present, Jakarta is the 13th largest city in the world and of the largest in Asia. It’s a city that has changed its name five times before finally picking up the name Jakarta. In between the 4th and the 16th century, Jakarta was called Sunda Kelapa. Until the early 17th century it was called Jayakarta, and in between then and World War Two, it wore the name of Batavia. In 1942, it changed to Djakarta and finally, in 1972, the city took the present name of Jakarta.

Thanks to the modern-day fast development, some people also refer to Jakarta as the Big Durian, which is, an Indonesian equivalent of The Big Apple. Predictions go that the city will hit 35.6 million people by 2030, therefore become the world’s largest megacity.

Over the last few years, Jakarta has struggled with various issues posed by nature, and the city has sunk by 150 centimeters. The sinking continues, hence the need of Indonesian people to look for new capital.

Other Asian countries who have opted to change their capital city in the past include India and Pakistan, and as of most recently Burma (Myanmar).

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Tags: capital change, capital cities, Jakarta