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Indonesia's President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said on Wednesday he plans to start working from the new capital city next month amid concerns over the future of the project following resignations of senior executives overseeing the development.
Jokowi said progress of a number of infrastructure development under the first phase of the $32 billion capital city, called Nusantara, on Borneo island, has reached around 80%.
"God willing, in July I will start working from the new capital city," Jokowi said in an Instagram post, adding that preparations to celebrate Indonesia's 79th Independence Day in the new capital in August are well underway.
The head and deputy head of the body overseeing the planned new capital have unexpectedly resigned, an official said on Monday, raising concerns that it would shake investor sentiment.
Jokowi earlier on Wednesday dismissed the concern when asked whether he is worried about it. He was in Nusantara to inspect the development progress and launch more building construction.
(Reporting by Fransiska Nangoy, Ananda Teresia; Editing by Angus MacSwan)