Huh, speak of the devil.*
From Japan's Nikkei Asia, August 2:
Nusantara construction 'on schedule'; 60,000 people expected in 2024: officials
NUSANTARA, Indonesia -- More than two hours by air from Jakarta, and another two-hour drive from Balikpapan airport, a new city is appearing the middle of Borneo Island's vast rainforest.
Next August, Indonesian President Joko Widodo will shift some government functions to the new capital, Nusantara. Widodo plans to hold next year's Aug. 17 Independence Day celebration outside the new presidential palace, just before his term ends in October 2024.
With only a year to go before the relocation, a senior government official recently expressed big ambitions for the relocation: to make the new capital an economic hub by attracting a nucleus of businesses from various industries, including renewable energy and health care.
"It is not just about wanting to relocate the capital. We don't just want a place for government functions," said Danis H. Sumadilaga, "We want to create a new economic growth center."
Sumadilaga heads the task force overseeing infrastructure development implementation at Indonesia's Ministry of Public Works and Housing. He spoke to reporters in late July during a media tour of the construction site organized by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which has provided technical advice on the city's construction.
Sumadilaga said the government is trying to attract businesses in areas such as renewable energy, health care, education and agriculture, although he also stressed the current capital, Jakarta, will continue to develop....
Peninsular
Malaysia and Singapore on the left, Borneo island shared between
Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia and Jakarta on Java to the southwest.
And Orangutans/ Simply the greatest of the great apes!
Magician 🤣 pic.twitter.com/CfmLb0q7zP
— Daily Dopamine (@DailyxDopamine) July 22, 2023
