Industry players in Jakarta are somewhat relieved after Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) signalled that he will allow a revision to the mandatory relocation of local industries to designated industrial zones. Based on Regional Regulation No. 1/2014 on Detailed Spatial Planning and Zoning Regulations, all local industries in Jakarta have to be (re)located into the designated industrial zones before 1 January 2017. Ahok is now expected to extend the deadline to the end of 2019.

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According to local media, Commission IV of Indonesia's House of Representatives and the central Indonesian government agree to temporarily suspend development of the land reclamation project off the coast of North Jakarta as seven violations of Indonesian law occurred during the process. Authorities want to undertake a more thorough study before construction continues. Herman Khaeron, Vice Chairman of Commission IV, claims Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (better known as Ahok) has issued construction permits too soon without having a legal basis. Earlier, a corruption case related to this mega-project had made headlines.

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Property market research firm Colliers International Indonesia said Indonesia's residential apartment sector remained weak in the first quarter of 2016. The sector is still feeling the impact of the slowdown in the overall property sector of Indonesia that occurred over the past two years. Ferry Salanto, Associate Director for Research at Colliers International Indonesia, said only three new apartment projects were launched in Jakarta in Q1-2016: (1) The Residence at The St Regis Jakarta, (2) Arandra Residence and (3) the Victoria Tower Fatmawati City Center (these projects are expected to be completed by 2019 or 2020).

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Despite the slowdown that occurred in Indonesia's property sector amid the overall cooling economy, at least 54 apartment projects are currently being developed in the capital city of Jakarta in 2016, nearly all of these projects are situated outside the city's central business district. Investment in apartments remains attractive for both the developer and end-user (or investor), various property watchers say. Meanwhile, global rating agency Standard & Poor's Financial Services says the outlook for Indonesian property developers this year depends on the passing of the tax amnesty bill.

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Several people, five terrorists and two civilians, have been killed in a series of multiple explosions and gunfire in the center of Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta. Around 10:50 am local Jakarta time the first explosion occurred near the Sarinah department store on Jalan M.H. Thamrin in Central Jakarta. Previously Indonesian authorities had already received a threat from Islamic State that the country would be in the spotlight of this terrorist organization. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

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The crime rate in Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta fell slightly in 2015. Whereas in 2014 there occurred 44,687 crime cases in Jakarta, the following year the number had fallen to 44,304 cases, a mere 0.87 percent decline (year-on-year). Inspector General Tito Karnavian, Chief of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Command, said this decline is an indication that effectiveness and efficiency of crime prevention has improved. In 2015 one out of every 513 people in Jakarta became victim of crime.

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Although the start of construction of the USD $5.5 billion high-speed railway between Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta and Bandung (West Java) is still waiting for the necessary permits as well as a recommendation from the Governor of West Java, there are no crucial matters that disturb the project, says Sahala Lumban Gaol, Chairman of Pilar Sinergi BUMN Indonesia. Pilar Sinergi BUMN Indonesia is a consortium consisting of four Indonesian state-owned companies. Together with China Railway International Co Ltd, this consortium formed a joint venture to develop Indonesia's first high-speed railway project.

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In line with rising tourism in Indonesia, the value of hotel construction in Southeast Asia's largest economy is expected to grow 16 percent to IDR 21 trillion (approx. USD $1.6 billion) in 2016. Most of the new projects - roughly 21 percent - are located in the Greater Jakarta area. Besides tapping the tourism potential, hotel developers also want to tap the business potential, meaning that due to expected accelerated economic growth in 2016, there will arrive more foreign businessmen in Indonesia to attend meetings and other activities, particularly as the ASEAN Economic Community comes online.

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Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, has a population that numbers 10.2 million people. Besides this big number, the population of Jakarta is also characterized by being a young (productive) population and by having a relatively high per capita GDP. Together, these factors give rise to high (and increasing) demand for recreational activities in the capital city.

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The amount of empty office space in Jakarta's central business district (CBD) has grown as supply outpaces demand, while business activity in Indonesia has slowed amid the ongoing economic slowdown of Southeast Asia's largest economy. Since 2011 Indonesia's GDP growth has been slowing due to sluggish global growth and low commodity prices. According to information from Savills Consultants Indonesia, unit of London-listed global real estate service provider Savills Plc, the office space vacancy rate in Jakarta grew from 4.8 percent in 2014 to 8.4 percent in mid-2015.

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Better late than never! On 10 April 2020 large-scale social restrictions were imposed in the capital city of Jakarta through Jakarta Gubernatorial Regulation No. 33/2020, and Jakarta Gubernatorial Decree No. 380/2020. The regulation and decree, which both aim at curtailing the further spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Jakarta, were imposed around five weeks after the very first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Indonesia (namely in Depok, a city located within the Jakarta metropolitan area).

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Back in late-August 2019 Indonesian President Joko Widodo had already made an official announcement that Indonesia’s capital city is to be moved from Jakarta to two regencies in the province of East Kalimantan, namely (1) the North Penajam Paser regency and (2) the Kutai Kertanegara regency. The news came as a surprise to us.

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It was reported in media around the globe near the end of July 2019 that Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta has been constantly ranked in the top 10 of the world's most polluted cities over the past two months (based on AirVisual’s World Air Quality Index, AQI). And, for several days in July 2019 this mega-city was even ranked as the world's smoggiest city.

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On Wednesday 26 September 2018 the local Jakarta administration decided to revoke private developers’ principle permits for the development of 13 artificial islands (reclaimed islands) in the bay north of Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta. The decision was hardly a surprise. After Anies Baswedan was elected Governor of Jakarta in 2017 it was assumed that the end of the grand project was near.

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The local Jakarta administration has officially revoked principle permits for the development of 13 artificial islands (reclaimed islands) in the bay of Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta. For now, the decision means a complete stop to all activities related to the ambitious land reclamation project north of Jakarta.

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In his quest to improve infrastructure in Indonesia, President Joko Widodo inaugurated the railway service that links the capital city of Jakarta to the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Indonesia's busiest airport, on Tuesday (02/01). With the new train, called Railink, people can reach the airport - located about 30 kilometers to the northwest of Jakarta - in about one hour.

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The Indonesian government is still studying the possibility of building a new capital city in Indonesia, thus replacing Jakarta that has become overcrowded with approximately 10 million official residents (the real figure may be much higher as many unregistered Indonesians live in the capital). Moreover, every morning there is a huge inflow of people (originating from the satellite cities around Jakarta) who are heading to their office or place of work. This causes great pressure on the city's fragile infrastructure.

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The future of the ambitious land reclamation project in the bay of Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta is highly uncertain now Anies Baswedan has been elected as next Jakarta governor. Baswedan and his running mate Sandiago Uno have repeatedly expressed their objection to the reclamation project, while defeated Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) was a major supporter of the project.

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Jakarta's gubernatorial election is important for two reasons: (1) it is an important test case to determine the current state of religious and ethnic tolerance (pluralism) within Indonesia, and (2) it forms a prelude to Indonesia's 2019 presidential and parliamentary elections. Today, the second round of the Jakarta gubernatorial election is held, a tight race between incumbent Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) and former education minister Anies Baswedan.

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Indonesian President Joko Widodo declared Wednesday 19 April 2017 a public holiday for citizens in Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta. This decision, made through a presidential decree, will make it easier for locals to cast their votes in the second round of the Jakarta gubernatorial election, a tight race between incumbent Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (better known as Ahok) and former education minister Anies Baswedan.

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