Sutiyoso net contributor to annual floods: Public<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Jakartans expressed disappointment on Friday over a lower
\ncourt ruling against the flood victims in a class action lawsuit
\ncase, saying that the government's incompetence, in particular
\nGovernor Sutiyoso's, had contributed to the annual disasters.<\/p>\n
Jumadi, a bajaj (three-wheeled taxi) driver who lives in a
\nhouse near Jl. Radio Dalam in South Jakarta, claimed that it was
\nSutiyoso who had allowed uncontrolled development in the city
\nwhich, he believed, had reduced the land's ability to absorb
\nwater.<\/p>\n
\"If the court said Sutiyoso is not responsible for the floods,
\nwell, in my opinion (the ruling) is an absolute travesty. I
\nunderstand that Sutiyoso cannot control the rain, it is by
\nnature, but he should've done something to prevent flooding,\" he
\ntold The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
\"Since we cannot really halt development, there should be a
\nbalance ... like more effective drainage areas, at least,\" he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Jumadi, who has lived in the same house for 12 years, stated
\nthat floods had never hit the area until the construction of a
\nlarge apartment complex nearby on Jl. Gandaria was completed in
\nthe late 1990s. Floodwaters over a foot high (some 30
\ncentimeters) inundated his home last February and caused huge
\nlosses.<\/p>\n
Sri Astuti, a vegetable vendor at Pasar Minggu traditional
\nmarket in South Jakarta, said that the administration should
\ncover the losses of the flood victims because most of them were
\nfrom low-income groups.<\/p>\n
\"The affluent can live in good places where no floods can
\nenter their houses. But we, the wong cilik (common people) can
\nonly afford to live around flood-prone areas,\" the resident of
\nPasar Minggu told the Post.<\/p>\n
Both Khasori of Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta, who is a
\nparking attendant on Jl. Melawai, South Jakarta, and Reza, a
\npublic minibus driver, believed that the administration only
\npursued a \"half-hearted campaign\" on city cleanliness, since
\nmountains of garbage could still be found in rivers and drainage
\nareas.<\/p>\n
\"The administration says: 'Make a report when you see someone
\nthrow garbage in the river'. Hah.., but of course no follow up.
\nThe garbage trucks do not come regularly, so the residents just
\npile up their garbage or throw it in the rivers,\" said Reza of
\nKranji in Bekasi, who had to evacuate his house as it was
\ninundated by two meters of water earlier this year.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sutiyoso-net-contributor-to-annual-floods-public-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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