The National Development Planning Ministry/National Development Planning Agency announced a plan to build the metaverse version of the new capital city. This plan was announced by Minister of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency Head Suharso Monoarfa during a meeting with the House of Representatives a few days ago. 

At the meeting, the minister said they are currently in the process of building the metaverse version of the new capital city. The ministry estimates that it will be completed this May. Once the metaverse version is complete, the government will start introducing the concept of the new capital city to the parliament as well as to the general public.

Thus, the initial form of the new capital city will be done in a digital form. “So it's no longer in the form of a mock-up, nor in the form of a hologram. It is now interactive. We are working on it, hopefully in four months it can start to be seen,” Suharso said.

Previously, the Bandung Institute of Technology Alumni Association (IA ITB), has also revealed plans to build a metaverse version of the Indonesian capital city of Indonesia in December 2021, inspired by the South Korean government which made a version of the metaverse for Seoul.

“We can visualise services or activities in the new capital city in 3-dimensional form using digital applications,” said Bandung Institute of Technology Alumni Association Chairman Gembong Primadjaja. 

Suharso added that the development of the virtual version of the new capital city  is not included in the State Capital Bill (RUU IKN). Instead, it is considered as a part of  the presidential regulation which is more technical in nature.

This is consistent with the statement of Chairman of the Special Committee for the RUU IKN Ahmad Doli Kurnia. He said that technical references should be discussed or included in derivative regulations, such as a presidential regulation, so the basic principles of the new capital city can be sustained. 

This is due the limited term of the committee which is only five years, and the president can appoint/dismiss the team at any time. Moreover, the bill stated that the governor of the new capital city has the authority to review the whole master plan in the future, hence it is not sustainable. 

Lastly, the plan to tap into the metaverse is also supported by the Ministry of Communications and Informatics (ICT). The ministry encourages multi-stakeholder collaboration in pioneering and building the Indonesian version of the metaverse in order to provide benefits in the digital era.

ICT Minister Johnny G. Plate said Indonesia has a great opportunity and potential in the global development of the metaverse as the country has noble values and local wisdom.