Indonesian President Joko Widodo talks with religious leaders at what is known as Kilometer Zero Point, the center of the new capital to be called Nusantara in East Kalimantan province. (Photo courtesy of www.presidenri.go.id)
A Catholic priest was among a group representing Indonesia’s main religions and several traditional beliefs who took part in a symbolic ceremony to bless the construction of Nusantara, the country’s new capital to be built in Borneo.
President Joko Widodo presided over the event on March 14 at the intended capital’s city center called Kilometer Zero Point (IKN) in East Kalimantan’s North Penajam Paser district.
The governors from all 34 provinces took turns in adding soil and water to a gold-plated container as part of the ceremony.
Widodo said this symbolized “the collaboration between the central government, regional administrations, the Indonesian military, the Indonesian police, private sector, and society in supporting the development of the city.”
The ceremony included an interfaith prayer session during which 13 religious leaders, including Oblate Father Agustinus Adeodatus Wiyono from the only parish church in the district, prayed and gave the project their blessings.
“I prayed for all national leaders and for the project to run smoothly,” he told UCA News on March 16.
"If you ask me whether or not I support the project, it is what I should do as a Catholic. Catholics are part of this nation. It is time for us to work together with the government on this project"
He said the government must have thought long and hard with regard to the relocation of the national capital from Jakarta to his locality.
“They must have thought about it thoroughly. The leaders of traditional faiths know all about it because they were involved in the discussions,” he said.
“If you ask me whether or not I support the project, it is what I should do as a Catholic. Catholics are part of this nation. It is time for us to work together with the government on this project.”
Moving the capital has sparked controversy, with some saying many people’s lives, both those of the local population and those forced to relocate, would be thrown into turmoil.
During talks with Widodo after the event, the traditional and religious leaders urged the president to ensure the needs of people are not overlooked during the relocation.
President Widodo announced the relocation of the capital city in 2019, citing the need to reduce the burden on flood-ridden and traffic-congested Jakarta
“We hope the government will not merely focus on infrastructure and facilities. We want attention also to be paid to people’s development,” said Helena, chairwoman of the district’s Dayak Tribe Council.
She said the move provided an opportunity for the government to further aid the development of people in the Kalimantan region by providing training facilities and universities so that local people could play key roles without the need to rely on bringing in tens of thousands of outsiders, she said.
President Widodo announced the relocation of the capital city in 2019, citing the need to reduce the burden on flood-ridden and traffic-congested Jakarta, which currently serves as the country’s administrative hub and business center.
Nusantara will be located on 256,000 hectares of land in an area straddling North Penajam Paser district and neighboring Kutai Kartanegara district. It is estimated it will cost 466 trillion rupiah (about US$32.7 billion).