The Central Kalimantan administration said it was hopeful that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo would move the nation's capital to Palangkaraya, saying such a move would fulfill the "dream of Indonesia's founding fathers."

The province's capital was reportedly among cities being studied in regard to their readiness to become Indonesia's new capital.

(Read also: Indonesia studies new sites for capital city)

Central Kalimantan Governor Sugianto Sabran, an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician, said he hoped Palangkaraya was named the country's new capital during Jokowi's presidency, claiming the province had the "potential to be on par with other more developed provinces" in Indonesia.

"We just pray the plan materializes [...] Central Kalimantan is in the center of Indonesia and less prone to earthquakes," Sugianto said at his official residence in Palangkaraya.

The government included Palangkaraya on the list because Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, had planned to move the capital city there.

National Development Planning Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro told Antara earlier that the government had expected a final decision on an alternative capital city "within this year." (ary)