Indonesia holds scaled-back Independence Day events at both Nusantara and Jakarta amid capital project delays

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Indonesian President Joko Widodo accompanied by his wife Iriana and President-elect Prabowo Subianto salute as the national flag is hoisted during a ceremony marking the country's 79th Independence Day celebration at the Presidential Palace in the new capital city of Nusantara, East Kalimantan province August 17, 2024. — Reuters pic

NUSANTARA, Aug 17 — Indonesia celebrated its independence anniversary at the site of its planned new capital, Nusantara, for the first time today, in a scaled-back ceremony as the still-under-construction city is beset by problems and faces delays.

A legacy project of outgoing President Joko Widodo, Nusantara has suffered construction delays and funding shortages due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a lack of foreign investment, and more recently, resignations of project leaders.

Indonesian military personnel march during a ceremony marking the country's 79th Independence Day at the Presidential Palace in the new capital city of Nusantara, East Kalimantan province August 17, 2024. — Reuters pic

In today’s celebration of the country’s independence from Japanese rule that ended in 1945, the number of attendees was cut to 1,300 guests, down from 8,000 initially, as lodgings and food supply were limited, Jokowi, as the president is popularly known, said earlier this week.

Hundreds of attendees from local communities and construction workers joined the ceremony under red umbrellas, with several under-construction buildings behind them.

A dancer performs during the country's 79th Independence Day celebrations at the Presidential Palace in the new capital city of Nusantara, East Kalimantan province August 17, 2024. — Reuters pic

Mulyana, a 38-year-old construction worker at the new capital, said he spent the last nine months to build a ministry office building which was partially used today for the celebration amid limited infrastructure to move the materials.

“For five months we work in 24-hour shifts, due to limited access we need two to three hours (daily) to move the concrete using heavy equipment,” Mulyana, who like many Indonesians has a single name, told Reuters yesterday, adding that when he came a year ago, water and electricity supply were limited at the site.

Nusantara is being built in a forested pocket in the eastern side of Borneo island, about 1,200km from the current capital, Jakarta, on Java island.

A man watches television screen showing Indonesia's President Joko Widodo (right) and Indonesia's Defence Minister and President-elect Prabowo Subianto during a live broadcast of Indonesia's 79th Independence Day celebrations from the future presidential palace in the future capital Nusantara, at his electrical recycling workshop in Jakarta on August 17, 2024. — AFP pic

Jokowi has sought to shore up confidence in the US$32 billion (RM140 billion) mega-project in recent months, breaking ground for hotels and office buildings and holding the first cabinet meeting in the eagle-shaped new state palace.

But he has also said plans to relocate thousands of civil servants to Nusantara could be postponed, subject to the readiness of the capital city, after previously ordering them to pack up and move in September.

Incoming president Prabowo Subianto, who also attended today’s ceremony, has promised to continue Nusantara.

A parallel celebration was also held in Jakarta, where most of the music and dances were performed. — Reuters

Members of the Indonesian Defence University brass band wait to perfrom before the annual session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) at the parliament building in Jakarta on August 16, 2024. — AFP pic

The Indonesian flag is raised during an underwater celebration of Indonesia's 79th Independence Day at Seaworld in Jakarta August 17, 2024. — Reuters pic