JAKARTA: In the Indonesian vicepresidential candidate debate, the Nusantara capital development project in East Kalimantan, valued at around US$32 billion and set for completion in 2045, took centre stage.
Mahfud MD, expressing concerns over dependency on the national budget and potential land ownership issues, questioned the lack of private investors in the project.
Muhaimin Iskandar prioritised infrastructure projects over ambitious endeavors, suggesting allocations for road and school construction. Gibran Rakabuming Raka highlighted ongoing infrastructure construction as an economic growth catalyst, emphasising that only 20 per cent of the Nusantara’s cost comes from the national budget, with the rest from investors. Gibran pledged to extend downstream programs to agriculture, fisheries, and the digital sector.
The Prabowo Subianto partnership aimed to accelerate development outside Java, drive the creative economy, and position Indonesia as a global green energy centre.
Mahfud focused on upholding the rule of law, fighting corruption, and boosting the mining sector for continuous investments and economic growth. Muhaimin proposed raising taxes on the rich, reducing taxes for the middle class, and making social assistance a national obligation. The Anies-Baswedan partnership pledged to provide loans for young entrepreneurs, create job opportunities, and develop rural areas. – BERNAMA
