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| Raja Juli Antoni, the newly appointed Minister of Forestry under President Prabowo Subianto's "Merah Putih" Cabinet. |
JAKARTA, PEWARTA.CO.ID – Raja Juli Antoni, the newly appointed Minister of Forestry under President Prabowo Subianto's "Merah Putih" Cabinet, shared his thoughts on Prabowo’s state address, which did not touch on the development of the new capital city, Ibu Kota Negara (IKN) Nusantara.
When met before the inauguration ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday, Raja Juli expressed confidence in Prabowo’s commitment to completing the IKN project in East Kalimantan, even though it wasn’t mentioned in the speech.
Raja Juli emphasized that President Prabowo is strongly determined to continue the development of IKN and bring it to completion.
"Pak Prabowo has a strong commitment to the IKN development. He has repeatedly stated that he will continue, and even complete it," he said.
This statement clarified that the major project initiated by President Joko Widodo would not be abandoned, despite not being specifically highlighted in the state address.
When asked about his future role as the Deputy Head of the IKN Authority, where he currently assists Basuki Hadi Muljono, Raja Juli remained diplomatic. He advised the public to wait for the president's official announcement regarding his position.
"Please wait for the announcement from Pak President. Thank you," he remarked.
IKN: Jokowi's Legacy
IKN is a project to relocate Indonesia’s capital from Jakarta to Penajam Paser Utara in East Kalimantan, originally proposed by President Joko Widodo.
Prabowo, who previously served as the Minister of Defense in the Indonesia Maju Cabinet, has expressed his support for this project on numerous occasions. He is committed to continuing the IKN development during his presidency.
"I have said many times, that I am determined to continue, if possible, complete it." Prabowo made this statement while inspecting the MBH Reservoir in the Core Government Area of IKN.
In addition, Prabowo reiterated his intention to carry on the project initiated by President Jokowi, with the goal of finishing it.
"I believe Pak Jokowi has taken a historical role, he initiated it, at the very least, I will continue, and if possible, I will help complete it," he told reporters at the project site.
Prabowo’s statements reinforce his commitment to the development of IKN, which is expected to be a symbol of Indonesia’s major transformation.
Although there was no in-depth discussion of IKN in the state address, insights from officials like Raja Juli Antoni signal that the project remains a priority under Prabowo’s administration.
Therefore, despite not being explicitly mentioned in the speech, the IKN development seems likely to proceed as planned, with the full commitment of President Prabowo and his ministers.
