"The South Kalimantan provincial government is currently preparing around 300 thousand hectares for the future plan of the capital city relocation," the District Secretary of Tanah Bumbu, Rooswandi Salem, said here on Monday.
In preparing the area, the provincial government involved several districts, including Kotabaru and Tanah Bumbu districts, to provide land.
If the relocation plan for the future capital city is adopted and the central government is relocated to Kotabaru district, then it is expected to see construction of ministries and institutions built to expand Tanah Bumbu district.
However, if Tanah Bumbu district becomes the center of the governmental area, it is possible that the development will be carried out in Kotabaru or Tanah Laut district.
"Geographically and geopolitically, the location of those three districts is very strategic. It is quite easy to get to Tanah Bumbu district from Java, Sumatra, Papua, and Sulawesi using sea and air routes, because the district's position is in the center of Indonesia's territory," said Salem.
Based upon a study from the Indonesian Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas), the districts chosen as the capital city must be geographically strategic, as well as have extensive land and a minimal risk of being vulnerable to natural disasters.
Tanah Bumbu district in South Kalimantan province has already met the three requirements determined by Bappenas, so the local government is looking forward to the relocation of the central government, said Salem.
According to Bappenas’ study, the area for future relocation of the capital city must be located in a well-developing city in order to minimize the necessity for new infrastructure.
Translator: Imam Hanafi/Yuni Arisandy Sina
Editor: Sri Haryati
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