BALIKPAPAN: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili and some 40 senior officials became the first Malaysians to step into Indonesia’s new capital city, Nusantara.
“We are here, Titik Nol!” said Maximus, referring to “Zero Point” of Nusantara, an old Javanese term meaning archipelago,
Nusantara sits on a 632,850-acre site, roughly four times larger than Jakarta, and thus presents opportunities for investors from a wide range of industries.
“We are equally excited (of the move) because obviously the economic spill over will benefit neighbouring Malaysian states Sabah and Sarawak.
“The delegation had the opportunity to visit the proposed site for the presidential palace, where President Jokowi Widodo camped recently,” said Ongkili who was accompanied by Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
The presidential palace, legislative buildings and key national government departments would be ready in 2024.
Maximus at Titik Nol.
The chosen location is an area split between North Penajam Paser Regency and Kutai Kartanegara Regency in East Kalimantan, which is roughly between Balikpapan and Samarinda.
Work was supposed to start in 2020, but then Covid-19 happened, forcing the project to be put on hold and resumed in 2021.
“However, as much as we are excited with this new development, on the Malaysian side, we need to be fully prepared for the huge change. There are issues that need to be looked into, such as economic border trading, logistics and security. There is a need for the Federal Government to speed up the establishment of Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (CIQS) centres at all entry points into Malaysia,” said Ongkili.
The Malaysian delegates are on a week-long official visit and is currently in Tarakan, its fourth stop after Jakarta, Samarinda and Balikpapan.
