Sutiyoso builds monuments, people stay poor<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Jakartans can easily recount the promises made by media-savvy
\nGovernor Sutiyoso for the city in 2005 by delving into his well-
\ndocumented statements in various media.<\/p>\n
But, asking which promises and plans have been materialized by
\nhis administration raises more concerns on unfulfilled promises
\nand unmet plans than satisfaction over achievements.<\/p>\n
When presenting the city's 2005 budget draft to the City
\nCouncil on Dec. 13, 2004, Sutiyoso spelled out five priorities of
\nhis administration for 2005.<\/p>\n
The priorities were law enforcement, professionalism among
\ncity apparatuses, the betterment of the people's economy, the
\nfulfillment of people's basic needs in health and education and a
\nhealthy urban life.<\/p>\n
A significant rise in 2005's budget to Rp 14 trillion, up from
\nRp 11 trillion in 2004, was also accompanied by an increase in
\nthe budgetary allocation for public service improvement.
\nUnfortunately, no significant improvements in day-to-day services
\nappear to be on the horizon.<\/p>\n
While the city enjoys an increase in budget, currently nearly
\nfivefold from that of 2000, when the city budget only hovered at
\nRp 3.38 trillion, residents here continue to experience the same
\nproblems, including flooding, evictions, undernourishment and
\nunemployment.<\/p>\n
Over 20,000 residents had to flee their homes for temporary
\nshelters as floods hit again in January, killing a resident and
\nparalyzing the city for at least two days.<\/p>\n
The number of poor households hovers at 101,000 this year,
\njust the same as 2001's figure.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, in what could be called a glaring show of
\ninsensitivity, Sutiyoso's administration did not hesitate to
\nspend Rp 26 billion for a Las Vegas-style water fountain project
\nin the National Monument (Monas) park to enliven the city's 478th
\nanniversary, just as 8,455 of the total 923,000 children in the
\ncity were in desperate need of nutritious food.<\/p>\n
Aggressive developments are ubiquitous across the city, but
\npoverty lingers at the very heart of the metropolis.<\/p>\n
Mismanagement, inefficiency and corruption are still rampant,
\nwith little effort taken to address the residents' problems.<\/p>\n
Unconventional episodes were the order of the day in 2005. A
\ndrunk public order officer, who was still donning his uniform,
\nattempted to steal a cab in September. In February, another
\nsenior public order shot dead a gang member at point-blank range.
\nSome senior officials are reportedly involved in graft cases,
\nincluding the forgery of operational licenses for taxis.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, most undisciplined civil servants have been
\nleft unpunished, while Sutiyoso's repeated threats of demotion or
\ndismissal for \"bad\" officers appears to be a bluff.<\/p>\n
It is no wonder that major backlogs of big project programs
\nare evident this year, with Sutiyoso putting the blame squarely
\non his subordinates' poor performance.<\/p>\n
The land acquisition program for the East Flood Canal project,
\nthe development of high-tech waste treatment facilities in the
\ncapital, transportation and parking projects are among those that
\nhave been proceeding slower than first hoped.<\/p>\n
The rate of progression of the East Flood Canal, which has
\nbeen on the drawing board since the time of former governor Ali
\nSadikin in 1973, has been just as slow. The canal aims at helping
\nmitigate flooding in the eastern part of Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The 23.6-kilometer canal, worth Rp 5 trillion, has been
\nstrongly opposed by residents whose properties are affected by
\nthe project. Landowners are also demanding higher compensation
\nfrom the administration.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso's administration has also found it difficult to
\nreduce its dependence on the Bantar Gebang dump in Bekasi, where
\nit has been disposing of a massive 6,000 tons of garbage every
\nday for more than 15 years.<\/p>\n
The city's only waste treatment plant, built by a private
\ncompany in Bojong, Bogor, West Java, has not been able to operate
\nto date following objections from people living in the area.<\/p>\n
Critics have also blasted the slow progress made by Sutiyoso's
\nadministration in improving the public transportation system in
\nthe city, including the unclear fate of the Mass Rapid Transit
\nand the slow development of additional busways.<\/p>\n
The City Parks Agency and City Forestry Agency have also been
\ncriticized for their failure to increase the percentage of green
\nspaces to keep pace with the city's target of 13.9 percent out of
\nthe capital's total area of 650 square kilometers by 2010.<\/p>\n
Environmentalists estimate that green spaces in Jakarta alone
\naccount for 9 percent of the city's area, with an apparent trend
\nof continuous shrinking in size.<\/p>\n
Of course, some of Sutiyoso's projects and programs are worthy
\nof praise, especially programs that focus on the empowerment of
\nthe residents and strengthen the arm of subdistricts and
\ndistricts offices, which are at the frontline of public service
\ndelivery.<\/p>\n
The city administration has earmarked Rp 267 billion for
\nSubdistrict Residents Empowerment Scheme (PPMK) funds to be given
\nto 50 subdistricts and 10 districts this year.<\/p>\n
The fund could also be used to finance infrastructure projects
\nin subdistricts, social assistance and the empowerment of small
\nentrepreneurs through a micro-credit scheme.<\/p>",
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