Indonesia's parliament approves $1 billion budget top-up for new capital

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo speaks about the planned new capital Nusantara, at Ecosperity Week in Singapore June 7, 2023. REUTERS/Edgar Su

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia's parliamentary budget committee has approved additional 15 trillion rupiah ($1.01 billion) to speed up construction of the flagship new capital Nusantara, a senior lawmaker said on Friday.

Said Abdullah, the committee's chair, said the additional 15 trillion will go to this year's construction, on top of the 22 trillion rupiah previously allocated for developing Nusantara on Borneo island in 2023.