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Brilio.net/en - The planning to move Indonesia's state capital from Jakarta to Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan got its first rejection from the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Chairman Zulkifli Hasan.
According to him, the plan needs to be reconsidered considering the current economic conditions of Indonesian people.
"We're in tough times, so why the capital moving plan? Pak Jokowi is supposed to only focus on infrastructure development," said Zulkifli after providing four pillars of nationality socialization at the Syekh Burhanuddin Tarbiyah School, Pariaman, West Sumatra, Thursday.
The former Minister of Forestry praised President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's infrastructure development working program and he expected the government to focus on completing those programs rather than thinking of moving the capital.
"[President Jokowi's] infrastructure programs are really positive, so we support them. If there's a plan to move the capital, how do we earn the budget? How is the process?" said Zulkifli.
Earlier, the Presidential Palace mentioned the capital moving plan has been long voiced. However, until now, it remains in the stage of assessment.
Presidential Special Staff Johan Budi revealed that the discourse came up after President Jokowi made his working visitation to Palangkaraya.
"The discourse emerged after the President, some time ago, not this year, last year, made a visit to Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan. The plan came up there [Palangkaraya] because of there was people's enthusiasm that refers to the statement once delivered by Bung Karno (President Soekarno), to make Palangkaraya as the capital," said Johan.
Johan himself assesed that currently, Palangkaraya is not quite ready to serve as the nation's capital.
(brl/red)
