Apartments should

Apartments should
replace slums

From Warta Kota

The eviction of fishermen in Kali Adem, North Jakarta, has
made these poor people homeless. This problem will only be solved
by the building of low-cost apartments, something that should
have been planned by the Jakarta city administration before the
demolition of the slums.

Densely populated districts in Jakarta should be rejuvenated
by building low-cost apartments so that the city's down-at-heel
neighborhoods can be gradually improved.

For example, the slums of Tanah Tinggi, Central Jakarta,
particularly the decrepit shanties along both sides of the
railroad tracks from Pasar Gaplok to Kota railway station, should
be prioritized for rehabilitation. This can be done by providing
apartments before pulling down the shacks.

Perhaps Jakarta's governor, Sutiyoso, should go by train to
see for himself what the slum areas really look like. In fact,
President Megawati should visit the city's many slum districts.

ABDUL WAHID
Jakarta