DIGIVESTASI - Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono has denied the news of the cancellation of President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) plan to start work at IKN in July 2024. Basuki stated that there are still many aspects that can be completed until July 31. He explained that regarding the availability of water and electricity at IKN, his party will carry out commissioning in the middle of this month, and is optimistic that the two aspects will be completed before the end of this month.

"There will be commissioning on July 15. I will be there on the 18th, because on the 15th I went to Abu Dhabi with the President. I will return on the 17th, and on the 18th I will go there to make sure the water is okay," he told reporters at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (10/7/2024).

Basuki explained that the commissioning process will be carried out in three stages. The first and second stages of commissioning for the IKN water system are targeted to be completed on July 18. However, Basuki cannot confirm when the President will start working at the IKN, although he considers the news of the delay to be too bombastic.

According to Basuki, he has repeatedly said that the availability of water will only enter IKN in mid-July 2024. Meanwhile, electricity from PLN has entered the archipelago. "Earlier I just gathered energy and communications, Telkom and PLN, and they reported that 10 Megawatts is ready. Now the next 40 Megawatts are being built, but the 10 Megawatts from PLTS were checked by Mr. Erick (Minister of BUMN) last week," he said. 

As Acting. Head of the IKN Authority, Basuki revealed that Jokowi will leave for the archipelago on July 22. "After the 20th, he will go to Papua for Children's Day, and after that he will go there," Basuki said.

For information, previously President Jokowi said that the plan to move the office to the Nusantara State Capital (IKN) this month was canceled because the infrastructure was not ready. This was conveyed when he released humanitarian aid for Papua New Guinea and Afghanistan at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base, East Jakarta, Monday (8/7/2024). "The water is ready, isn't it? The electricity is ready, isn't it? The place is ready, isn't it? If it's ready, just move," he told reporters.