“Even though the capital city has moved, Jakarta will continue to support the economy, and transform into a global city,” said Andhika Ajie, Head of the Work Plan Sub-Division of the Jakarta Regional Government (Pemda), in a seminar held by the Center for Urban Development Studies, School of Strategic and Global Studies (SKSG) of the Universitas Indonesia (UI), last Wednesday (08/5), at the IASTH Building UI Salemba Campus.
In the seminar entitled “Jakarta After No Longer the Capital City”, Ajie with practitioners, academics, and students discussed the opportunities for Jakarta’s transformation into an autonomous region, national economic center, and global city. The transformation of Jakarta from the capital city to a global center presents various challenges as well as opportunities. By overcoming challenges and embracing its economic potential, Jakarta can emerge as a dynamic, sustainable and globally competitive metropolis.
According to Ajie, Jakarta has strategic advantages, including its demographic profile, skilled workforce and high standard of living. Therefore, Jakarta’s status as a national economic barometer should be maintained, even after the relocation of the capital city. “Jakarta contributes 16.77% of the national economy, if combined with Jabodetabekjur, the contribution is almost 30% of the national economy. Its HDI (human development index) is the highest in Indonesia and improves every year. Therefore, as a global city, Jakarta should not be a transit city. It must provide comfortable spaces to live in, interesting spots, and often organize international events,” he said.
In an effort to become a global city, there are many internal and external challenges that Jakarta needs to anticipate, ranging from population density and mobility to the turmoil of global instability that affects the economy. Head of the Jakarta Human Settlements, Spatial Planning and Land Agency, Heru Hermawanto, admitted that there are still many things that need to be improved and prepared by Jakarta in its transition, especially related to basic issues such as water and waste management, as well as the provision of affordable housing.
Heru advocates for a community-based urban development approach, so that the global city standards set are in accordance with the characteristics of the region. Therefore, education plays an important role in creating globally competitive Jakartans. Education must be easily accessible and affordable so that Jakartans have the skills and knowledge needed. “To become a global city, we must first globalize society, starting with education,” he said.
The panelists also discussed the importance of implementing digitalization, providing a livable living environment, and improving environmental sustainability in a global city. One of the panelists, Wiliam, a student of SKSG UI, highlighted Jakarta’s sustainability plan. According to him, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be achieved through policies at the executive/legislative/regional/national level.
Meanwhile, Prof. Gunawan Tjahjono, Professor of the UI Faculty of Engineering, argued that the human development index is one of the important indicators of Jakarta’s success as a global city. He said, “Although there is a lot of infrastructure development, the goal of our development is the people. We must be able to create a global city that is not only physically magnificent, but also pays attention to the welfare of its people.”
During the discussion, the panelists also discussed the necessity to foster an innovation and research ecosystem so that Jakarta can compete with other global cities. Jakarta’s transformation from a capital city to a global city is a long journey full of challenges. However, with careful planning, good collaboration between the government and the community, and a commitment to overcome various obstacles, Jakarta has the potential to become an inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous global city.
