"We must be ready to ensure that the 11 villages located in the first ring of the new capital Nusantara will remain (administratively) a village and not becoming a kelurahan (urban village)," Minister Abdul Halim Iskandar stated here, Thursday.
He expressed optimism that the 11 villages would become the showcase of Indonesian villages for the new capital.
"We want the 11 villages in the new capital to become the showcase of Indonesian villages, starting from their culture, association, characteristics, and democracy," the minister stated.
The ministry will involve various stakeholders, including universities, to develop villages in the new capital, he affirmed.
"We will develop the 11 villages in various models, such as in gampong (Aceh village) or nagari (West Sumatra village) formats, to ensure that the 11 villages could be the showcase of villages around Indonesia. This will be our focus," Iskandar noted.
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He revealed that the 11 villages comprised three in Kutai Kartanegara District and eight villages in North Penajam Paser District -- the two districts whose territories were carved to form the new capital territory.
Despite the village preservation plan, the minister hinted at the possibility of the territory of 11 villages being modified, akin to urban changes due to infrastructure and economic developments.
"Nonetheless, the social and government systems will remain (as villages) and not become urban villages because there is no village head election in urban villages, and its democracy will be different," Iskandar noted.
He also expressed optimism that villages in the new capital periphery would maintain their social and cultural aspects.
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Translator: Zubi Mahrofi, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Suharto
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