Ministers to get smaller houses in new capital Nusantara: Basuki
JAKARTA: Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said on Wednesday (March 13) that government ministers would live in smaller official residences in the Nusantara Capital City (IKN), as architects for the project have designed a more sustainable, compact city.

Basuki said that the official residences of government ministers would be smaller compared to the sprawling houses now occupied by incumbent members of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo’s cabinet in Widya Candra, Kuningan, South Jakarta.

"Even Pak Luhut came up to me and asked why the house was so small, and he asked for it to be made larger," Basuki said as quoted by Antara, referring to Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Panjaitan.

Basuki added that he would be among the first to move into the new minister housing complex when it is ready in June.

"For me, this is also small, smaller than the one in Widya Candra and I will live here," Basuki said.

Jokowi decided to relocate the capital from traffic-clogged and sinking Jakarta to the IKN, a new city that is still under construction in East Kalimantan.

The IKN will cost billions of dollars and is scheduled to begin operating as Indonesia's new political centre in August.

President Jokowi is expected to hold a ceremony in the new city to celebrate the country's Independence Day on Aug 17.

Presumptive president-elect election Prabowo Subianto has promised to continue the development of the new capital. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
Indonesia,Nusantara,houses,ministers,Basuki
JAKARTA: Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said on Wednesday (March 13) that government ministers would live in smaller official residences in the Nusantara Capital City (IKN), as architects for the project have designed a more sustainable, compact city.