Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono told journalists on Friday that the design contest would be launched soon. "Within the next four years, progress should be made on the new capital city. Therefore, we will start with a design contest for the new capital,” Basuki said after officially opening the Indonesian Contractors Association (ICA) International Conference in Nusa Dua, Bali.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has officially announced the government’s plan to relocate the country’s capital to North Penajam Paser and Kutai Kartanegara regencies in East Kalimantan to ensure, among other things, economic development, which is currently centered in Java, is evenly spread across the archipelago. The government expects the plan to cost Rp 466 trillion (US$32.73 billion), more than half of which will be sourced from public-private partnership schemes, with construction to begin late next year.

Currently, the ministry’s team is in the process of selecting seven to nine judges for the contest. Basuki said two judges had already been selected.

The contest will be held in two stages. The first stage will be held at the national level, with the ministry to invite city planners, architects, urban planners and everyone across Indonesia to design the new capital city. The judges will choose the three best designs, with the national level competition expected to be completed within five months.

Once the three best designs from the national level have been selected, the ministry will open the contest to international designers to improve the selected designs. “To make our city become the best capital city,” he said.

Basuki emphasized that the involvement of international designers was important to create the best capital city. “It will be used for the next 50 to 100 years. We can’t regret it later,” he said.

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