The proposal, according to Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Abdullah Azwar Anas, was put forth by the President during a meeting on Monday discussing the relocation of the capital from Jakarta to the Nusantara Capital City (IKN).

"We were instructed by the President to formulate detailed incentives regarding the relocation of civil servants to the IKN. I cannot disclose the figures yet as they will be further reviewed with the finance minister," Adullah said following the meeting, as quoted by Kompas.

Anas said that the President cited incentives given to doctors placed in the country’s remote and outermost regions as an example of how civil servants eager to relocate to Nusantara should be rewarded.

But Anas also said that his ranks are still carefully hashing out the pros and cons of Jokowi’s proposal, particularly when it comes to calculating the right amount for the incentives while taking into consideration the potentially higher cost of living in Nusantara.

When asked by reporters which ministries and agencies would relocate first to Nusantara, Anas said that the first wave of relocation, slated for September, will involve certain high-ranking officials from 38 ministries and state institutions, but that it will ultimately depend on the readiness of the infrastructure there.

Efforts to prepare the necessary infrastructure include finishing the plumbing and waterworks systems, transportation infrastructure including toll roads and Nusantara’s airport and supporting infrastructure like markets and schools. 

"We will coordinate [the relocation of civil servants] with the public works and housing minister,” Anas added.

The administration of Jokowi, who will end his tenure in October,  is currently ramping up its construction of Nusantara in hopes of holding the country’s 79th independence day celebrations in the future capital city. (dds)