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The lungs of Borneo, rich in natural resources, a city where the river flows. And home to the indigenous Dayak tribe. These are just a few things East Kalimantan is known for. A province in Indonesia that could soon become the nation’s new administrative capital.
In August 2019, Indonesian President Joko Widodo officially proposed to relocate the capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan. The move is due to the city’s bad traffic jams, overcrowding and overdevelopment. More than that, he wants to grow the economy across the archipelago.
Samarinda is one of the two biggest cities of East Kalimantan and its capital. According to its current governor, Isran Noor, as told to The Straits Times, the relocation is not meant for business, but services. So it won’t change the position of Jakarta as a center of business, trade and finance.
East Kalimantan is chosen because it is sheltered from natural disasters. It is also strategically located in the center of Indonesia and has good infrastructure. However, the province is not well known to many tourists, including Singaporeans.
Other biggest city in East Kalimantan is Balikpapan. It is known as the pulse of Kalimantan, with many international companies operating here. Many expatriates work and live here.
East Kalimantan has two airports, an international seaport, and five-star hotels. There will be soon 99km toll road connecting the province’s two largest cities.
The seaport is equipped with facilities to process shipments from overseas. It hopes to work with countries such as Singapore in the future…(Please watch the whole video to find out the whole story)
Source: The Straits Times Channel on Youtube
About The Straits Times:
The Straits Times, the English flagship daily of SPH, has been serving readers for more than a century. Launched on July 15, 1845, its comprehensive coverage of world news, East Asian news, Southeast Asian news, home news, sports news, financial news and lifestyle updates makes The Straits Times the most-read newspaper in Singapore.
