A perennial problem<\/p>\n
Torrential rains crippled much of Jakarta last week. Many
\npeople on their way home from work had to spend hours on the trip
\nas most of the capital's roads were severely congested.<\/p>\n
For City Hall officials, the occurrence, which obviously has a
\nhuge impact on the city's economy, may be considered more or less
\nnormal -- an annoyance, true, but one which they have not been
\nable to deal with for decades. Or even an issue to spice up their
\ndaily conversation. When things go wrong, odd statements often
\nemanate from the officials in charge.<\/p>\n
The Minister of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure,
\nSunarno, for example, merely said the flooding was mostly caused
\nby a clogged drainage system. By stating the obvious, Sunarno
\nonly made it look as if he was trying to put the blame on
\nJakarta's citizenry without bothering to explain what the public
\nworks office, which lies under his jurisdiction, had done to
\nclear the system.<\/p>\n
Another weird statement came from the deputy head of the
\nJakarta Public Works office, Wisnu Subagio, who described last
\nweek's flood as an "extreme phenomenon".<\/p>\n
Sunarno's and Wisnu's statements clearly run against the claim
\nby another government official that the capital city was well-
\nprepared to anticipate the rainy season. This particular official
\nsaid in December, during the height of the monsoon rains, that as
\nmany as 40,874 personnel were standing to in case of flooding.
\nTwo hundred and forty-four dump trucks, 256 rubber dinghies, four
\nhelicopters, 94 water tank trucks, 210 tons of rice and 4,000
\nboxes of instant noodles would also be made available to flood
\nvictims, he said.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the official's promises and claims have simply
\ngone with the wind and the public easily forgets official
\nstatements.<\/p>\n
Since December last year, no big floods have hit Jakarta. But
\nonly last Wednesday large floods did engulf parts of the capital,
\nforcing thousands of families to leave their homes to seek safer
\nplaces. There was no reports the families received any rice or
\ninstant noodles from the administration. So what has become of
\nthe promised 210 tons of rice and 4,000 boxes of instant noodles?
\nDo they really exist or are they merely official rhetoric?<\/p>\n
Did any of the 40,874 officers who the officials claimed would
\nbe ready in case of flooding do something to help the flood
\nvictims last Wednesday? Hours after water inundated whole areas,
\nthe Jakarta Flood Task Force team was still uninformed of the
\ndeluge in the city. The officials in charge only started to
\ncollect data when reporters came to their office, asking for the
\nlatest information about the flood. Reports that Governor
\nSutiyoso had to take an ojek (motorcycle taxi) from the National
\nDevelopment Planning Agency (Bappenas) to the City Hall on
\nWednesday, should not be an excuse for this latest bureaucratic
\nfiasco.<\/p>\n
Four days later on Sunday, the Sunter and Krukut rivers
\noverflowed, causing floods in several areas in North Jakarta.
\nIt's hard to believe, but reporters found the Jakarta's Flood
\nTask Force office closed. Not a single person was on duty. Under
\nsuch circumstances can we even dream about asking for helicopters
\nto come to our help when such standard procedures are shamelessly
\nignored?<\/p>\n
It is obvious the administration has shirked its
\nresponsibilities in protecting citizens from such annual
\nmisfortunes that obviously can be anticipated. The problem is,
\nthe administration prefers to invoke theories and resort to
\nrhetoric rather than make concrete moves to help the population.<\/p>\n
In a rather grand gesture to the public, the Jakarta city
\nadministration recently published a book titled Rencana Operasi
\nPenanggulangan Banjir 03\/04 (Operational Plan to Anticipate
\nFlooding in 2003-2004). The work contains a chart of the
\nofficials in charge and on-paper procedures in case of flooding.
\nBut in practice, contrary moves are made. The destruction of
\nmangrove forests, the reclamation project along Jakarta Bay and
\nthe deforestation of the capital could be cited as "good"
\nexamples of actions that in fact contribute to flooding.<\/p>\n
Class action against the administration seems a possible
\nanswer to the people's frustration over the administration's
\nfailure to keep its promises. But history teaches us the courts
\nhave never favored the public in class actions against the city.<\/p>\n
Therefore, continuous pressure is needed. The public, non-
\ngovernmental organizations and the press should join hands and
\nstep up their pressure on the administration.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/a-perennial-problem-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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