President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) traveled to the site of the future Indonesian capital, Nusantara, by sea on board KRI Escolar-871 military ship on Tuesday.

Accompanied by the head of the Nusantara Capital Authority, Bambang Susantono, the President spent an hour traveling by sea to Cita Sabut Port in North Penajam Paser, East Kalimantan.

Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, and East Kalimantan Governor Isran Noor also accompanied the President during his visit.

According to a statement received from the Presidential Secretariat here, the President and his entourage also crossed Pulau Balang Bridge connecting Balikpapan City to the new capital.

“(Our travel now) is to trace the logistics route for the new capital,” the President said.

During his earlier working visits to the region, the President spent two hours traveling by car from Balikpapan to the new capital site.

At the new capital, Jokowi was scheduled to observe the ongoing land development and visit Sepaku Semoi Dam and Mentawir Nursery.

He also visited Klandasan Market to distribute cash assistance to market merchants and cash fuel subsidies to residents at Balikpapan Post Office.

While distributing social assistance to beneficiaries at Balikpapan Post Office, he said that they must not hesitate to use social assistance to fulfill their children’s nutritional needs.

“This presidential assistance amounts to Rp1.2 million, of which Rp300 thousand is BLT BBM. It can be used to meet children’s nutrition,” the President said.

Jokowi also promised to increase the amount of social assistance if the state budget records a surplus.

After visiting the new capital site, he was scheduled to depart for Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman International Airport in Balikpapan to return to Jakarta on the Indonesia-1 presidential aircraft.

Source: Antara News