After Claiming It's Clean, Pramono Now Admits Rubbish Still Piling Up in Jakarta

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has acknowledged that the handling of rubbish piles in several areas of the capital is not yet fully resolved. “The rubbish issue isn’t entirely finished yet. But the rubbish at the temporary disposal sites is starting to decrease,” Pramono said at Jakarta City Hall in Central Jakarta on Wednesday (1/4/2026). Pramono did not deny that there are still several points of rubbish accumulation that have not been fully addressed, including in the Kramat Jati area in East Jakarta. “The one in Kramat Jati, yesterday we specifically added 20 new trucks to reduce it. It might take a little time, but it will be resolved soon,” Pramono said. This statement differs from Pramono’s previous claim that rubbish in Jakarta had already been handled. The day before, Pramono stated that rubbish piles in several areas had been cleared and conditions had returned to order. “Now it’s back in order, and some piles not just in Kramat Jati, but in several places too, but now almost all those piles are clean again,” Pramono said at Jakarta City Hall in Central Jakarta on Tuesday (31/3/2026). However, the reality on the ground is different. There are still rubbish piles in several areas, including East Jakarta, West Jakarta, and North Jakarta. At the Rawadas TPS in Pondok Kopi, Duren Sawit, East Jakarta, rubbish has been piling up to around three metres high over the past two weeks. “The accumulation at Rawadas TPS in RW 02, Pondok Kopi Subdistrict, indeed happened after the landslide at Bantargebang and following the Eid holiday. But today, alhamdulillah, we will carry out evacuation with four trucks,” said Sandy Adamsyah when met at Rawadas TPS on Tuesday. Similar conditions are occurring around Kopro Market, South Tanjung Duren, Grogol Petamburan, West Jakarta. Rubbish piles are overflowing onto the road, making the surrounding area dirty and muddy. The area around the rubbish mountain appears dirty, muddy, and blackened due to puddles of water and liquid from the rubbish piles. To clear the piles, a yellow wheel loader heavy machine is being operated by officers from the West Jakarta Environmental Service. Meanwhile, at Kencana TPS in Sungai Bambu, Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, rubbish is also piling up to around three metres under the Wiyoto Wiyono Toll Road. A pungent smell can be detected up to about 50 metres from the location. One resident, Suyitno, even urged Pramono to visit the TPS site directly. “See, this is proof there’s still (rubbish accumulation). Yeah, this is proof the rubbish is still piling up. That’s why the Governor should come down to the field, not just receive reports from his subordinates,” he said.