Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia During the Groundbreaking Ceremony of State Mosque in Nusantara Capital City (IKN), North Penajam Paser Regency, East Kalimantan, January 17, 2024

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

Good afternoon,

May peace be upon us all.

Distinguished Ministers of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet, Chief of the Indonesian National Defense Force, Chief of the Indonesian Police, Governor of East Kalimantan, Regent of North Panajam Paser,

Distinguished Head of Nusantara Capital City (IKN) Authority,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Alhamdulillah, this afternoon we could hold the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the State Mosque in Nusantara capital. Minister of Religion told me that the mosque will have a capacity of 61,000 people. Around the mosque, as you see on the screen, will be surrounded by water since we will also create an artificial reservoir here. So, I imagine the scene of the mosque will be stunning from the outside and the interior will also be dazzling from the inside.

In addition to building the mosque, we will also build a cathedral, a monastery, a temple, and a shrine. Such projects will show how diverse we are and we must continue to maintain harmony to shape unity in the country.

The development value (of the mosque) is Rp940 billion. The mosque will be enormous and is also complemented by other infrastructures, such as utility landscapes, roads, as well as bridges and will be built in approximately 400 calendar days. We aim to complete it, inshallah, by the end of this year.

I hope the State Mosque will represent Indonesia’s diversity and a way to improve faith and devotion to Allah, as well as a comfortable place for Muslims to perform religious and social activities and become a symbol to strengthen religious tolerance and moderation in new capital of Nusantara.

I hope the soon-to-be constructed mosque can become a benchmark for the mosque development across the globe and its design can showcase the uniqueness of Indonesia and the new capital of Nusantara.

That concludes my speech on this auspicious occasion.

By saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim, I hereby declare the groundbreaking ceremony of the State Mosque begins.

I thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(GWH/EP)