Indonesia’s ambitious new capital faces unwelcome visitors: rats

As thousands of holiday tourists poured into the site of Indonesia’s under-construction new capital during the Eid al-Fitr break, they were greeted not only by gleaming new government buildings rising from the forest, but by something less welcome: rats.

Videos of rodents darting between crowds in the country’s planned capital city on Borneo island quickly spread across Indonesian social media in recent days.

In response, the Nusantara Capital Authority deployed hundreds of rat traps and promised additional sanitation measures, in a scramble to contain the pest problem before it undermines the city’s high-tech, green ambitions.

"This used to be a forested, hilly area," said Thomas Umbu Pati Tena, the authority’s deputy for development control. "Naturally, there are many old rat nests. But we’re not sitting idle. Our health and community teams are already working on this."

The $32 billion project to relocate the national capital from Jakarta, a congested and sinking city, to the heart of Borneo, has been promoted internationally as a "smart and sustainable" urban hub that will showcase climate-conscious design and a reduced ecological footprint.

Construction began in earnest in 2022, with the city expected to eventually house up to 1.9 million residents.

But the images of rats scurrying across construction zones—some chasing startled tourists—have become a jarring counterpoint to that futuristic vision.

Over the Eid holiday weekend, more than 64,000 visitors descended on Nusantara to witness firsthand the progress of the nation’s future capital.

While many expressed admiration for the modern architecture, others were quick to note the presence of litter—especially plastic waste—which authorities say has exacerbated the rodent problem.