A brand new capital metropolis for who? Central-local tensions in Indonesia

Whereas travelling with colleagues to East Kalimantan to do fieldwork within the Indonesian capital metropolis (IKN) in mid-July 2022, we collected 180 responses from individuals affected by the brand new capital web site. In Java, the relocation of the Indonesian capital from Jakarta to purpose-built Nusantara in Kalimantan raises new hopes for each ruling elites and the Jakarta individuals. It’s anticipated to eradicate extreme congestion, unsustainable land use, and overpopulation in Jakarta, and the knock-on results of those issues. These issues have haunted not solely Jakarta, but additionally Java, for a lot of a long time. Once we mentioned these points with our native respondents throughout casual and formal conversations, the primary impression we encountered was scepticism. This got here not solely from native teachers, activists, and native individuals, however even native bureaucrats from regency and provincial ranges in East Kalimantan.

These sceptical responses exhibit a spot in data and poor communication between ruling elites of Jakarta and people in East Kalimantan. Whereas the previous downside pertains to an absence of aspiration to create bridges between nationwide and native actors, the latter downside is misinformation on each the capital relocation and improvement of supporting amenities equivalent to housing for civil servant and servicemen and governmental places of work.

These two components inevitably result in unwelcoming responses from most East Kalimantan locals in direction of the brand new capital. Their sombre responses replicate attitudes knowledgeable by previous and present issues in East Kalimantan, equivalent to pure disasters, like unrehabilitated mine websites and inequitable funding allocations from all ranges of presidency. Each issues stay unresolved because the capital metropolis points loom. The capital relocation guarantees to be one other thorn within the facet of East Kalimantan if prior issues are left unresolved.

Most respondents agreed that there isn’t a mutual dialogue  between Jakarta and East Kalimantan or inclusive participation provided to residents of East Kalimantan. For instance, native representatives who had been initially invited to Jakarta had been really members of a small native elite who had been unfamiliar with the native scenario. Extra particularly they do not know of the influence that the venture may have on native populations.

This meant that details about relocation of individuals in East Kalimantan and the event of the brand new capital has not unfold extensively among the many individuals of East Kalimantan. It resulted within the sudden improve in land costs in a number of sub districts, like Sepaku, Samboja and Bumi Harapan which lie between Nusantara and East Kalimantan’s two supporting cities, Balikpapan and Samarinda for use for housing and different industries supporting the brand new capital. A so-called “land mafia” has emerged, which unilaterally decides the value of land and retains this data from locals. Sadly, these present and upcoming booms don’t profit the small group of indigenous individuals, such because the Paser and Balik peoples, who’ve been compelled to surrender their customary land because of  authorities choices to amass it.  Against this, those that have freehold title / SHM (sertifikat hak milik) can promote their land.

The Capital Authority / BO (Badan Otorita) itself doesn’t have a department workplace in East Kalimantan but. Ideally, it ought to it ought to set up an workplace from which to interact with the individuals of East Kalimantan. In keeping with native bureaucrats the BO made few visits to carry talks with native governments and/or communities. Actually, these situations create a spot between nationwide and native governments find frequent floor concerning energy sharing.

The primary hole is the shortage of coordination between authorities ranges particularly the central authorities, provincial authorities, and regency/municipal authorities. The difficulty of territorial enlargement and spatial planning is inflicting main issues between BO and its native authorities counterparts. Though the brand new capital metropolis invoice already defines the capital territory in regulation, there may be nonetheless the opportunity of buying different land from the Kutai Kartanegara and North Penajam Paser regencies, and Balikpapan metropolis. This might absolutely disrupt the present spatial planning of the three regencies’ governments. One bureaucrat from the Native Growth Company (Bappeda) informed me that there isn’t a joint settlement to merge spatial planning between the brand new capital and regencies. Bappeda will run its personal spatial planning packages independently from the Capital Authority. Extra particularly, there may be finances inequality between the BO and its neighbouring governments.

The regencies are envious of huge BO’s finances. Actually, East Kalimantan Province is the largest fundraiser for the Indonesian nationwide finances (APBN), contributing nearly 500 trillion rupiah per 12 months. However the particular allocation fund (DAK) that transfers again to East Kalimantan from Jakarta is just not at all times enough for native infrastructure and public companies. The BO, because the central authorities establishment, won’t be welcomed by surrounding native governments because of its institutional superiority and big funding.

On a social stage the brand new capital metropolis is colloquially often known as the Second Betawi (Betawi Kedua) in East Kalimantan. This terminology refers back to the Betawi individuals, the unique inhabitants of Jakarta, who’ve been compelled out by fast improvement and modernisation. On the brand new capital web site roughly 150-200 households in Paser, Balik, and Basap individuals shall be faraway from their ancestral land because of disputed authorized standing. The federal government doesn’t acknowledge ancestral land claims as a result of it believes claimants have the fitting to handle, however not personal the land, in accordance with constructive legislation ideas. This implies the federal government can declare land that’s thought of to be “unowned”, even when it belongs to conventional land house owners. Moreover, the title “Nusantara” itself is just not accepted by locals who suggest indigenous title “Benuaq Etam” (Our Metropolis) as the brand new capital’s title.

In sum, each the shortage of coordination between state actors and an absence of acknowledgment between state and society lead me to recommend the actual voice of East Kalimantan must be heard. Extra particularly, central authorities ought to sit with native residents in East Kalimantan. There’s an pressing have to ease unresolved points between Jakarta and East Kalimantan to keep away from additional exacerbating an already tense scenario.