Abdul Khalik and Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Local officials, supposedly the frontline of the Jakarta administration's community fix for flooded areas, have done little to help inundated residents, often not even bothering to show up, flood victims said.
However, as water in some areas started to subside on Wednesday, many residents, apparently used to the floods -- and the lack of action -- downplayed the problem.
At Bukit Duri in South Jakarta, ankle-high water was a common problem for the residents, who said they had yet to prepare flood prevention measures.
"We have not prepared anything so far. No officials at the subdistrict or district levels have bothered to come here and check the area's condition," said Muhammad, a community head.
Officials usually came only after big floods forced residents to flee their homes.
Muhammad said the recent floods were not enough to worry residents, as they had experienced worse flooding in early 2002.
"Until we get information the water level at the Depok sluice- gate has reached 320 centimeters, then it's business as usual," he said.
When the water rose to that level, houses in Bukit Duri along the Ciliwung River would be submerged up to their roofs.
"That's when residents will begin evacuating to a safer place," Muhammad said.
In 2002, at least 1,800 people in Bukit Duri had to flee their flooded homes.
At Cipinang Besar Utara, in East Jakarta, residents initiated the emergency measures.
"For the time being we don't need to set up tents. When the waters are higher, then we will set up a shelter at a nearby school," a resident, Yusuf, said.
So far there had been no instruction from subdistrict officials about flood prevention measures, he said.
Flooding occurs at the area annually. Although the government has deepened and widened the Cipinang River nearby to prevent flooding, one-meter-deep water still flooded the area on Tuesday.
However, the situation was different in Semanan, West Jakarta, where local officials provided meals for 50 families taking refuge at the nearby mosque.
The officials and companies around the area had set up a flood task force and provided 50 kilograms of rice and 20 boxes of instant noodles for a public kitchen. Officials from the Kalideres district community health center also provided medical services for the refugees.
"We are doing OK. Now, there is a health clinic and we are also given food twice a day. There is also a public bathroom convenient enough across the street," said Arsadi, an evacuee, who with his wife was tending their three small children.
On Monday, about 200 people sought refuge at the mosque after a meter-high flood inundated their houses.
Musa, the neighborhood chief, hoped that the officials would not only help them during flooding but would also find a solution to prevent the floods from reoccurring.
"We are fed up with the annual floods. We have sent requests to the West Jakarta municipality to address the problem but maybe they have disappeared in the jungle of bureaucracy," he said.
Home to 13 rivers, Jakarta has suffered flooding for more than 400 years.
The city administration has been criticized before for doing little to prevent floods. Meanwhile, it continues to issue permits for developers to build more buildings which take over green spaces that help drain water from streets.