Indonesia is moving its capital city from Jakarta on the island of Java to East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. The common narrative states that Jakarta can no longer sustain itself. The utopian nature of the megaproject, infused with colonialism and western values, and with little regard for the existing values, is detached from the reality of everyday lives. In some ways, there are already signs that history is about to repeat itself.

In many ways, the move echoes the Dutch colonial government’s establishment of a colony in Batavia, something that had a long-term negative impact on the city and can be linked with the demise of Jakarta today. The current decision, enshrined in law, may despite intentions, turn into a form of segregation, creating urban enclaves. To bridge the gap between the development of the project and the present reality, this paper will propose to reappropriate the draft law, seeking to ground its execution in everyday urbanism and the spatial ability to consolidate.