Management shake-up proposed for Monas<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The City Parks Agency has proposed an integrated
\nsystem to properly manage the National Monument (Monas) park,
\ndubbed as a landmark of the capital, as it is still in disorder
\ndue to the presence of too many street traders and a chaotic
\nparking system, an official said.<\/p>\n
The agency's chief, Dadang Ruskandar, said on Saturday that
\nthe proposal had been submitted to Governor Sutiyoso and that his
\noffice has agreed that all matters concerning the park, such as
\ndevelopment, security and maintenance, be handled by a single
\nagency.<\/p>\n
\"For years there have been at least three agencies managing
\nthe park and what we have seen is a permanent state of disorder
\nthere with street vendors everywhere and chaotic parking lots,\"
\nDadang told journalists at a ceremony marking the planting of
\nsome 1,000 trees in the park.<\/p>\n
For many years the parking lots in the park had been handled
\nby the city parking agency, the roads by the city public works
\nagency, while the maintenance and beautification of the park was
\nthe responsibility of his office, Dadang said.<\/p>\n
\"Sometimes we made plans and decisions separately, so there
\nhave been no integrated regulations concerning the management of
\nthe park,\" he added.<\/p>\n
\"In the proposal, we have asked the city administration to
\nestablish a special board or appoint one of the agencies to be
\nresponsible so that we can have more integrated decision-making
\nand an overall design for the capital's landmark,\" Dadang said.<\/p>\n
For example, he explained that there would be special sites
\nfor street vendors, new parking regulations and that fences would
\nbe erected around the park so that vehicles could be kept out, as
\nwell as the imposition of restrictions on the playing of football
\ninside the park's boundaries.<\/p>\n
\"If the park's management is under one office, we can arrange
\nall that easily,\" Dadang said.<\/p>\n
The 82-hectare park, the largest in the capital, is the site
\nof the National Monument (Monas). A total of 750 trees have been
\nplanted as part of the city's ongoing efforts to spruce up the
\npark.<\/p>\n
The 132-meter monument itself was one of former president
\nSoekarno's projects, and takes the form of a phallus with a flame
\non the top coated with 32 kilograms of pure gold, symbolizing
\nIndonesia's courageous struggle.<\/p>\n
The city administration spends Rp 360 million annually on the
\nmaintenance of the city's parks. Other projects, such as the
\nplanned construction of an underground parking lot, an
\namphitheater and the planting of various types of trees, have
\nalso been mooted so as to beautify the park.<\/p>\n
For the 2000 fiscal year, the city administration has
\nallocated Rp 7.3 billion to finance the park's regreening and
\nmanagement plan, the renovation of pedestrian areas, the erection
\nof a statue of national hero Prince Diponegoro, kiosks for local
\nstreet vendors and the construction of an amphitheater.<\/p>\n
The planting of the trees worth Rp 100 million on Saturday
\nmorning was also witnessed by Governor Sutiyoso and was sponsored
\nby Sony group, the giant electronics company from Japan.<\/p>\n
In his speech, the governor said: \"I will urge all companies
\nto participate in such activities so as to help the city
\nadministration to maintain city parks.\" (dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/management-shake-up-proposed-for-monas-1447893297",
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