The current capital of Indonesia, JakartaIt is overcrowded, full of pollution and traffic. The population of this city is 11 million people, and about 40% of the city is under the sea and it sinks on average about 7.5 centimeters per year.. Thanks to the canals the Dutch built when they invaded this country and the excessive consumption of the area’s natural resources, flooding has always been the city’s biggest problem. In 2007, they were hit by one of the worst floods that destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, also claiming 80 lives.

The city is also prone to a drinking water crisis estimated to be in 2050, and a plethora of pollutants that develop with population growth. Another problem the city has is the lack of a waste management system; currently the only way to get rid of waste is to burn it, which causes poor air quality. Another reason is that it is a city with a high risk of earthquakes.

All these variables led President Jojo Widodo to announce his ambitious project to create a new capital. While the cultural, social and economic center will be relocated, it does not mean that everyone living in Jakarta will be relocated to the new development, which has been delayed due to the global coronavirus emergency.

File photo dated December 30, 2022, showing passengers in face masks waiting for the train in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Photo: BAGUS INDAHONO

The current city still has growth plans and is expected to become the most densely populated city in the world in the future.

There are many capitals whose construction is duly planned. Washington DC, Canberra (Australia), Brasilia (Brazil), Ottawa (Canada) are all examples of capital cities that were built to serve as the main cities of each country. The current capital, Jakarta, is located on the island of Java and is a city facing the sea.

The new capital will be on the island of Borneo, the third largest island in the world after Greenland and New Guinea. The name will be Nusantara, which means archipelago in the native language. The Indonesian president’s plan is not just to create a new city to escape a sinking city, but to create a new future for Indonesia.

Widodo has assured that he wants to create a new work ethic, a new mindset and a sustainable city. They plan to create a metropolis with renewable energy, community green spaces, low traffic, and a technology city. It is the most ambitious project of its kind and the inauguration is scheduled for August 2024, upon completion of the first phase of a total of five years.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (center) speaks with families whose relatives have been victims of human rights violations over the past decades at a reconciliation rally in Gampong Bili Aron village in Pidie, Aceh province, on June 27, 2023. Photo: AFP

This project can bring many solutions, but also has many challenges. The first is that while they are moving the capital, they are not moving everyone who lives in Jakarta. That means any issues they’re trying to fix with this change will still exist. Environmentalists worry that construction will destroy the fauna and flora of the land where it will be carried out. And thanks to this project, at least five indigenous communities will be removed, which means that the new city will cause internal displacement of its population.

Indonesia is not the only country that wants to create a new capital to start from scratch without all the problems that exist in the old capitals. A New Cairo is being built in Egypt.