Capital's population drops by 1.1 million, governor reveals<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The capital, renown as one of the most densely
\npopulated cities in the world, wrote a new page in its history
\nbook by losing a whopping 1.1 million of its population within a
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Smiling broadly, Governor Sutiyoso announced on Tuesday that
\nthe current population in Jakarta -- based on the latest census
\nby the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) -- dropped to 8.3
\nmillion people from last year's figure of 9.4 million.<\/p>\n
\"I was quite stunned, but glad after reading the report. The
\ncapital will be less condensed than it used to be,\" Sutiyoso told
\nreporters, adding that it's hard for him to believe the
\nsignificant drop in population of the megalopolis.<\/p>\n
BPS initially predicted that the total population in Jakarta
\nthis year would be about 400,000 higher than the 1999 figure.<\/p>\n
The World Bank has predicted that Jakarta is likely to have
\nover 20 million inhabitants by the year 2015 and will be the
\nfifth largest urban agglomeration in the world after Tokyo,
\nMumbai, Lagos and Shanghai.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso admitted he did not know the reasons behind the
\npopulation's decline, saying that he had just read the BPS report
\non Tuesday.<\/p>\n
But the former Jakarta Military commander estimated that the
\ndecline might have something to do with the trend of many
\nJakartans to work or run their businesses in Jakarta but live
\nwith their families in the nearby towns of Tangerang, Bekasi,
\nDepok and Tangerang.<\/p>\n
\"The phenomenon is actually advantageous for us because we are
\nless burdened with the number of the people but our economic
\nactivities go on as usual,\" Sutiyoso said.<\/p>\n
He also suspected that the drop in population might be
\nconnected with people losing their appetite for Jakarta and the
\nscheduled implementation of regional autonomy in 2001 which
\npromises many business and job opportunities in the provinces.<\/p>\n
\"The number of people from other provinces who used to seek
\njobs in Jakarta has also been declining.<\/p>\n
\"They might have realized that regional autonomy will give
\nfairer profit sharing for people in their hometowns in other
\nprovinces,\" Sutiyoso said.<\/p>\n
Unlike many other cities and provinces across the country,
\nJakarta -- which covers an area of 656 square kilometers -- has
\nno natural resources and relies on trade and service activities
\nfor its income.<\/p>\n
Last year, the BPS recorded some 681,000 people here lived
\nbelow the poverty line.<\/p>\n
But Sutiyoso said that he and his administration were happy
\nwith the drop in population.<\/p>\n
\"Whatever the reason, it gives us fewer problems and people to
\ntake care of,\" the governor remarked. (dja)<\/p>",
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