KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 (KUNA) -- Nusantara, to be built in the eastern Island of Kalimantan, was chosen as the name of the new capital by Indonesian top authorities, said an official on Monday. Minister of National Development Planning Suharso Monoarfa told the press "I just received a direct confirmation from the president (Joko Widodo) on Friday and he said the new capital is named Nusantara." "It is iconic internationally, easy and it describes the archipelago of the Republic of Indonesia," Monoarfa said, adding, "And I think we all agree with the name Nusantara." It yet to be determined whether Nusantara, meaning archipelago in English, will be named as a city or a district. Plans to relocate the capital dated back to 2019 when the President Widodo announced that the capital will be moved from Jakarta, which was under the continuous threat of flooding and overcrowding. The new capital would have cost around USD 32 billion to be built in 2020; however, the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) had postponed the governmentآ’s project. The Indonesian parliament is scheduled to vote on the new capital bill this month, allowing for the project to launch this year and complete by 2024. (end) aab.gta