
JAKARTA -- Indonesia's $32 billion plan to move its capital city from Jakarta to Borneo is triggering fresh debate over issues ranging from the design of a new palace to the chances of attracting global funding amid the pandemic.
The controversy was resparked in late March after Balinese sculptor Nyoman Nuarta announced on Instagram he won a government design contest for the presidential palace in the planned new capital location in East Kalimantan Province. Many people say a massive Garuda-shape structure on top of the planned building ostentatious and unnecessary -- the Garuda, an eagle-like mythical bird, is a symbol of the nation.