Bamus Betawi Prepares Strategic Programmes Ahead of Jakarta's 500th Anniversary

The Betawi Consultative Council (Bamus Betawi) is preparing strategic policies and work programmes in anticipation of Jakarta’s development ahead of its five-century milestone. “This working meeting is an important momentum for Bamus Betawi to formulate the organisation’s policy direction and work programmes in facing various challenges and opportunities for Jakarta’s development approaching its 500th anniversary,” said General Chairman of Bamus Betawi, H. Riano P. Ahmad, in Jakarta on Tuesday. Riano stated that during the two-day meeting, each division within Bamus Betawi would convene to discuss and formulate the organisation’s strategic programmes throughout 2026. This working meeting also carries significant weight as it takes place amid the dynamic status of Jakarta following the Constitutional Court’s recent ruling that Jakarta remains the nation’s capital until the President issues a Presidential Decree regarding the relocation of the capital to Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN). Furthermore, Riano highlighted Bamus Betawi’s commitment to continuously synergise with the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government while supporting various policies implemented by Governor Pramono Anung and Deputy Governor Rano Karno. According to him, organisational consolidation is a crucial step to strengthen fellowship and solidarity within the extended Bamus Betawi family in the land of Betawi. “This working meeting is expected to serve as a platform for the Betawi community in building an inclusive and modern Jakarta heading towards a global city, yet remaining firmly rooted in local Betawi cultural values,” Riano said. He expressed hope that the forum would produce various strategic programmes capable of delivering tangible benefits to the Betawi community while contributing to Jakarta’s future development. As an umbrella organisation uniting various Betawi elements and community organisations, Bamus affirmed its commitment to continue being a vessel for community aspirations and a strategic partner of the DKI Jakarta Regional Government. The organisation’s primary focus is safeguarding and preserving Betawi customs and culture, while advocating for the rights of the Betawi people as the indigenous inhabitants of Jakarta amid the capital’s transformation into a global city. The event, themed “Welcoming Five Centuries of Jakarta, a City of Culture and a Global City,” was officially opened by the Assistant for People’s Welfare of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government, Ali Maulana Hakim. Several Betawi figures and DKI Jakarta Provincial Government officials attended the event, including Chairman of the Customary Council of the Betawi Community Assembly (MKB) Fauzi Bowo, Chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross DKI Jakarta Beky Mardani, General Chairman of DPP Forkabi Abdul Ghoni, and Secretary General of DPP Forkabi Syarif Hidayatullah. Bamus Betawi also presented the Head of People’s Welfare at the DKI Jakarta Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), Eky Darmayanti, as the keynote speaker at the forum.