ABRI members clean up rivers

JAKARTA (JP): About 500 members of the Armed Forces (ABRI) were set to work cleaning up Apuran river in the Cengkareng Timur sub-district of West Jakarta on Sunday.

They were deployed to assist measures which the city is taking to prepare for above average rainfall which has been forecast to bring flooding to the capital over the coming months.

Assisted by hundreds of local residents, the soldiers and police officers dredged mud and cleared garbage clogging up the river over a 1,500-meter stretch flowing through a densely populated residential area. The river channel is only six metres wide along the stretch.

The one-day operation was witnessed by Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Djadja Suparman, ABRI Chief of General Affairs Lt. Gen. Fachrul Razi, ABRI spokesman Maj. Gen. Syamsul Ma'arif, West Jakarta Military District Commander Lt. Col. Herry Suryanto and West Jakarta Police chief Lt. Col. Timur Pradopo.

Herry said the operation was also part of preparations for the commemoration of the Armed Forces 53rd anniversary which falls on Oct. 5.

He said that similar operations were also conducted in East, South, Central and North Jakarta, Bekasi and Tangerang.

"We want to help avoid flooding during the rainy season," he said.

The Meteorology and Geophysics Bureau (BMG) recently warned Jakartans of the possibility of major flooding due to the La Nia weather phenomenon. (ivy)