Will Nusantara be Jokowi’s lasting legacy or a burden on Indonesia?

[JAKARTA] It was August 2019 when Indonesian President Joko Widodo first announced in parliament the bold plan to relocate the nation’s capital from Jakarta – a city that is congested, sinking and polluted – to East Kalimantan. The new capital, called Nusantara, would be a shining testament to Indonesia’s emergence as a new economic power in the region, he said then.

As things stand, Nusantara is envisioned to be a green and smart city, with its inhabitants enjoying a standard of living unheard of in Indonesia.

At an event last year, Widodo promised that 70 per cent of the capital city’s area would consist of forests and greenery. The authorities would also tap renewable energy to power offices, homes and public transportation. Only electric cars and bicycles would be allowed on the roads.