Beyond a 'space of exception': the multi-scalar politics of megaproject development in Indonesia

In many countries, megaprojects have emerged as a prominent development strategy to boost national economic growth. However, due to the diverse historical, institutional, and political backgrounds of various countries, context and empirical evidence play a crucial role in studying megaprojects. This study aims to provide a deeper understanding of Indonesia's rising ‘infrastructure-led development’, specifically by investigating the National Strategic Projects (PSN) agenda under the Jokowi administration. It focuses on the process of state restructuring and the influence of scalar politics on the dynamics of megaproject governance, as well as their repercussions on the delivery of megaprojects. This study argues that the process of spatial and scalar reorganisation and reorientation within megaproject development requires greater consideration. Through a case study of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway (HSR) project, this study looks at how contentious politics takes place within multi-scalar settings and how it challenges megaproject development practice in Indonesia. This study delves deeper into explores the complexities of Sino-Indonesian cooperation to develop megaprojects in Indonesia. With a ‘restrained’ state capitalism approach, the Indonesian government has successfully attracted foreign capital investments in Indonesia, which have been complemented by the increased role of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in developing megaprojects. Furthermore, it can be argued that megaprojects have become a ‘space of exception’, transcending various scales beyond administrative boundaries. Despite being under a decentralised system, megaprojects can circumvent local authorities’ wishes and normal administrative procedures. It is also evident that, as a result of various centralisation efforts, the central government has greater control over the planning and decision-making of megaprojects, while the local governments have little autonomy-exercising power. This study further investigates megaprojects beyond 'spaces of exception' by examining a variety of issues and challenges within megaproject planning and implementation. It is found that exceptionality measures have successfully expedited the development of megaprojects, but there have been adverse effects as a result of omitting necessary procedures and overlooking the local dynamics.