"We definitely set up the special committee," Chairman of the House Commission II Overseeing Home Affairs Zainuddin Amali told journalists here on Thursday in response to the government's plan to relocate the capital city outside Java.
The House would thoroughly study the law on the capital city by considering Law No. 29/2007 on Jakarta as a Special Capital City Administration, he said.
However, all technical matters related to the comprehensive study on the relocation of the country's capital city, including the chosen location and budget, would be handed over to the government, Zainuddin Amali said.
If the central government has planned to relocate the country's capital city, it should have thoroughly calculated all necessary consequences, including those related to the multi-year budget, he said.
On Monday evening, while instructing high-ranking officials at the presidential palace in Jakarta, incumbent President Joko Widodo reiterated the government's steadfast commitment to going head with its plan to relocate the capital city outside Java Island.
The Indonesian government is contemplating developing a new capital city outside Java Island in place of Jakarta that will mark its 492nd anniversary this year.
Jakarta is viewed as no longer being able to maintain its status as the country's capital city. The metropolitan city is highly congested, with roads merely comprising 6.2 percent of its total area, while it should preferably be at least 15 percent.
National Development Planning Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro believes that Eastern Sumatra, Kalimantan Island, and Southern Sulawesi are among the preferred locations for the new capital city.
Once a decision is taken regarding a new location, the process of developing a new capital city will kick off in 2020, and its completion will take five to 10 years, he said.
EDITED BY INE
Translator: Imam Budilaksono, Rahmad Nasut
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
