Indonesia’s new capital city plan falling apart

Pioneering point: People visit “ground zero” of Nusantara, the new capital city to be developed in Sepaku district in North Penajam Paser, East Kalimantan, on Aug. 17. The nation’s new capital has reportedly been designed as a sustainable city. – JP/ANN

JAKARTA: With its gleaming offices, electric buses and economically productive residents, Nusantara is the quintessential modern metropolis-smack in the middle of a vast rainforest.

At least, that’s what the government brochures depict. What they don’t show quite so clearly is where Indonesia will find US$34bil (RM149bil) to build a new capital city from scratch.