Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Indonesia to move capital to jungle

Indonesia to move capital to jungle

Indonesia wants to create a “smart metropolis” to attract “global talent” and combat Jakarta’s current urban problems
Indonesia’s parliament has passed legislation paving the way for the nation’s capital relocation from Jakarta to a forested patch of land on one of its biggest islands – Borneo.

Indonesia is on the way to getting a new capital. Called ‘Nusantara’, the new city is to be built from scratch in the East Kalimantan province on the island of Borneo that Indonesia shares with Malaysia and Brunei.

On Tuesday, Indonesian lawmakers voted to support a law approving the relocation that would see the nation’s capital moving some 2,000 kilometers away from the city of Jakarta on the island of Java. The initiative was first announced by President Joko Widodo back in April 2019.

Problems faced by the current capital were cited as the reason for the sudden move. Jakarta’s agglomeration, home to more than 30 million people, has long been plagued by various infrastructure problems and congestion. Frequent flooding and climate change fears also led some climate specialists to warn that the huge city could literally sink under water by 2050.

Now, Indonesia is apparently determined to build an environmentally-friendly ‘utopia’ on a jungle-clad area of 56,180 hectares in Borneo. A total of 256,142 hectares have been reserved for the project, with most land intended for potential future city expansion.

“This [capital] will not only have government offices, we want to build a new smart metropolis that can be a magnet for global talent and a center of innovation,” Widodo said in a speech at a local university on Monday. The president also said that the new capital's residents would be able to “bike and walk everywhere because there are zero emissions.”

The project, however, has already drawn criticism from environmental activists, who argue that further urbanization of Borneo would endanger local rainforest ecosystems already affected by mining and palm oil plantations.

The project’s costs have not been officially revealed but some earlier media reports suggested they might amount to $33 billion.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×