Jokowi Expected to Inaugurate Indonesia’s Head New Capital Authority

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is expected to inaugurate the candidate for the head of the future capital authority of Nusantara on Thursday, March 10, a source familiar with the matter said.

The candidate, known as Bambang Susantono, has been officially chosen by the president. Bambang is an expert in infrastructure and transportation planning.

“It (the inauguration) is tomorrow,” the source told Kompas.com on Wednesday.

The source also said no other name besides Bambang until the last moment.

Also read: Jokowi Chooses Nusantara as Indonesia’s New Capital Name, Says Minister

Previously, though his name came last, Bambang is one of the strong candidates for the position. Other potential candidates were President Commissioner of Indonesia’s state oil company PT Pertamina Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, former National Development Planning Agency Head Bambang Brodjonegoro, and President Director of state construction firm PT Wijaya Karya Tumiyana.

Jokowi has said that the candidate for the head of the Nusantara authority will not be a politician. “The criteria is the candidate will not come from the political party. The inauguration may take place next week,” the president said after inaugurating the NasDem Tower on Tuesday, Feb. 22.

About Bambang Susantono

Bambang completed his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering at the Bandung Institute of Technology. He furthered his studies at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a double master’s degree in city and regional planning as well as transportation engineering.

Also read: Construction of Indonesia’s New Capital to Begin in 2021