Borneo Forest Emerges Frontrunner to Replace Jakarta as Capital
- Jokowi may pick Bukit Soeharto in East Kalimantan: governor
- Plan to move capital comes as Jakarta faces total gridlock
Photographer: Romeo Gacad/AFP via Getty Images
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A national forest on the island of Borneo has emerged as the frontrunner to be the location of Indonesia’s new capital as the government eyes billions of dollars in potential savings over land acquisition costs.
With 68,000 hectares of government land readily available, Bukit Soeharto in East Kalimantan is now a favorite on President Joko Widodo’s shortlist of sites, according to Governor Isran Noor. With easy access to two international airports, it also meets the main criteria for the new capital set by the president, including being largely free from risk of natural disasters such as earthquakes or floods, Noor said.