At the state-owned Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) Nusantara Office's cornerstone laying ceremony on Thursday, the president expected facilities in the new capital to make the new capital livelier.
"We hope that Nusantara Capital City will be a lively city, not only as an administrative center but also if the city facilities are completed to host major concerts," Jokowi stated.
The president is optimistic that Nusantara City will be an eco-tourism center, as forests in the future city are being revamped as a tropical rainforest area to replace the existing industrial forest.
He noted that the existing forest in the new capital site is the monoculture eucalyptus plantation for the paper industry.
"We are ready to provide 15 million (tree saplings) annually from the Mentawir nursery, located at least 30 minutes from here," he stated.
While admitting that weather conditions are currently still hot in the new capital, Jokowi is confident that the increasing number of plants and trees will make Nusantara a greener and cooler city in future.
The president is sanguine that more banks opening their offices in the new capital would support Nusantara's smart city concept since the banks have an advanced digital banking system.
"It will be consistent with the smart city concept that we are advocating. It will happen for sure, but it takes time," Jokowi remarked.
He is also confident that the increasing number of investments in the new capital would accelerate Nusantara City's development which, according to estimates, is expected to take place for at least a decade.
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Translator: Rangga Pandu AJ, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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