Better coordination among agencies vital

Floods have claimed two lives and forced over 20,000 residents to flee their homes for temporary shelters. The Jakarta Post talked to city residents on the administration's efforts to stave off the annual disaster.

Bimo, 33, is an employee of a private hospital on Jl. Salemba, Central Jakarta. He resides in Ciomas housing estate in Bogor, West Java, with his wife and two children.

I think the Jakarta administration has failed in its flood- prevention strategy. As a matter of fact, damage could be kept to a minimum if there was improved coordination between the relevant agencies. For instance, officers at flood gates should share information about water levels. They would find it easier to regulate their respective flood gates with better information.

Floods have become an annual occurrence. To let this happen every year is as dumb as falling into the same hole time and again.

I think it is important for riverbank squatters to prepare themselves ahead of the rainy season. They could help one another to minimize material losses.

Candra, works in the marketing department of a private company in Grogol, West Jakarta. He stays with his family in Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta.

The Jakarta administration has not done its utmost to solve the problem of flooding in the capital. The administration must start focusing on efforts to prevent flooding in flood-prone areas if it really wants to solve the problem.

I think corruption, which is rampant among the administration's officials, has caused the delay of many flood mitigation projects in the capital. With the eradication of corruption, those projects would receive greater funding.

Personally, I support the East Flood Canal project. The administration must go ahead with it. But, once again, I worry that funds allocated for the project could fall into the wrong hands.