The Jakarta Post
Twenty-year-old Ivania Ananta was excited upon hearing in April that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo had decided to push ahead with a plan to select a new capital city outside Java. At least three locations across Kalimantan have been touted as the strongest candidates for the new capital, one of which is Tanah Bumbu regency in South Kalimantan — located around five hours by car from the provincial capital of Banjarmasin. “Finally, Kalimantan is in the spotlight. Our government has been Java-centric for too long. If the capital is relocated [to Kalimantan], I think it will be a very good opportunity, especially to level the development here,” said Ivania, who has spent most of her life in Banjarmasin. The government has given serious consideration to moving the capital city off Java to address development gaps in the country, among other issues. R...