Indonesia hosts inaugural Independence Day celebration in future capital with ongoing development

Indonesia commemorated its 79th year of independence with a ceremony in the aspiring future capital of Nusantara. The new capital, designed to ease the burden on Jakarta, hosted hundreds of officials and guests in traditional Indonesian attire amidst ongoing construction and views of cranes dotting the city’s landscape.

President Joko Widodo, along with Cabinet ministers, joined the Independence Day event at the new Presidential Palace bearing the shape of the mythical Garuda figure. Originally intended to inaugurate Nusantara as the new capital, the delayed construction has cast uncertainty on the transfer timeline.

Plans to invite 8,000 guests were downsized to 1,300 due to inadequate infrastructure. A simultaneous celebration at Jakarta’s Merdeka Palace was attended by Vice President Ma’ruf Amin. Widodo initiated work at the new palace in July and held his first Cabinet meeting there recently.

Over 5,000 officers from the police and military were deployed for the ceremony, with 76 honorary flag-bearers parading behind the national flag. Jakarta’s congestion and environmental issues, such as pollution and sinking due to groundwater extraction, have driven the decision to relocate the capital.

The new capital’s construction, spanning 2,600 square kilometers on Borneo, aims to be an eco-friendly city with lush greenery, renewable energy sources, and advanced waste management. Despite government funding comprising only 20% of the $33 billion budget, the project has faced backlash from environmentalists and Indigenous communities for its impact on wildlife and livelihoods.

Seven groundbreaking ceremonies have marked the beginning of constructing government buildings and facilities, alongside promises of long-term land rights and tax incentives to attract investments. With Indonesia’s status as Southeast Asia’s largest economy, Widodo’s ten-year tenure will conclude in October, leaving behind the ambitious Nusantara project.