Indonesia’s very own Silicon Valley

(The Star) – Indonesia’s new capital city will be modelled on Silicon Valley, a base for tech and creative companies, besides hosting the government apparatus, according to President Joko Widodo.

The president wants the yet-to-be named city in East Kalimantan on the Borneo island to foster development of technology startups and a digitised manufacturing sector, The Jakarta Post reported, citing Widodo as telling journalists on Tuesday.

The new capital will boast an efficient, technology-driven urban system for delivery of public services, Joko said.Indonesia will begin the construction of the new capital at an estimated cost of US$33bil (RM139bil) from next year as Joko seeks to ease pressure on the congested and sinking Jakarta, and spread economic activity outside the nation’s most-populous island of Java.

The new city will be dotted with world-class educational institutions, modern hospitals, botanical parks and backed by a green transportation system with only electric vehicles, Joko said.

While authorities have identified about 180,000ha of land in East Kalimantan, the centre of government will require only about 10,000ha and about 30,000ha will be put up for sale to individuals and companies at a fraction of the price it costs in Jakarta, Jokowi said.