Balikpapan – Deputy II of the Executive Office of the President (KSP), Abetnego Tarigan said infrastructure development in Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN)must be supported by strengthening human resources. The improvement of service quality like healthcare and education is very important, especially in IKN buffer area.

“The needs of basic services will be significantly increased along with the influx of the residents in the area. It must be balanced by improving quality services in healthcare and education sectors,” said Abetnego during the Coordination Meeting with IKN Authority in Balikpapan, Tuesday (19/9).

In the health sectors, Abetnego said that services improvements could be done by raising the hospital level in the buffer area. He gave example in Sepaku and Samboja area. Where the hospitals available are only in type D and C. “It should be increased to type A and B. Of course, this effort needs financial support for additional human resources and qualified health infrastructure,” he said.

Furthermore, Abetnego added the importance of investment in the educational sector in the IKN buffer area. Currently, the government of East Kalimantan along with the government of Penajam Paser Utara and Kutai Kertanegara already cooperate with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology to improve the quality from Early Education to university.

“The prospect of collaboration of IKN Authority with several educational institutions that want to invest in IKN already existed,” he added.

Abetnego assesses that the efforts to fulfill basic services must be supported by connectivity, especially in IKN buffer areas. So the development of IKN will produce a multiplier effect on the buffer area. “We hope that the carrying capacity of the buffer area can be increased, in order to maximize the impact produced,” he concluded.