Indonesia's President Joko Widodo (Photo: Bernama)Jakarta (VNA)– Indonesia on December 20 started construction of the third phase of the newcapital project (IKN) Nusantara in East Kalimantan province on the Borneoisland.
Inhis remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Central General Hospital, President Joko Widodo said that thisis the fourth hospital built in Nusantara in the past three months. He expressed hishope that once all the hospitals become operational, people will not have to gooverseas to Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and the US for treatment.
Thehead of the Indonesian Government also set a goal of completing and puttinginto use these four hospitals by mid-2024, prior to the 79th anniversary of Indonesia’sIndependence Day on August 17 next year.
Earlier,Nusantara Capital City Authority (OIKN) said that the groundbreaking ceremonyfor the third phase of the 30 billion USD project will be heldon December 20-21 in three areas namely the green area, area of government agenciesand ecological areas.
According to OIKN spokesman Troy Pantouw, thethird phase includes afforestation projects, electric transportation systems,hotels, hospitals, and many other projects, with a total cost of about 645million USD.
Indonesian President Widodo first announcedthe plan to relocate the capital from Java, the country’s most populatedisland, in April 2019.
Months later, Widodo announced the districts ofPenajam Paser and Kutai Kertanegara in East Kalimantan province to be the siteof the new capital city.
With an area of about 127,000 sq.km, EastKalimantan is home to more than 3.7 million people. The new capital will serve as the centre ofgovernment, while Jakarta, the current capital city, which is home to more than10 million people, will remain the business and economic hub of Indonesia./.
