Deer project raises further controversy
Arya Abhiseka and Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
More questions have arisen in regards Governor Sutiyoso's controversial deer project for Monas park following the death of a deer on Sunday, as city officials appear to have attempted to cover up the incident.
The death of the deer was publicly announced only on Tuesday evening.
On Monday, The Jakarta Post visited Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta and spoke with Hadi S. Alikodra, a consultant to the city administration in charge of the deer project, to follow up on a report that one of the deer, a buck, had been taken to an animal hospital for treatment.
Alikodra said on Monday that the deer had broken its leg and suffered heavy stress while being transported to Monas, and was being treated at the zoo's hospital, but hospital staff rejected the Post's request to observe the deer's condition.
However, head of Ragunan zoo Edi Setiarto revealed that the deer had actually died on Sunday night from blood loss and stress suffered during its trip to the park.
Alikodra insisted that his team had followed the proper procedures in transporting the deer to their new home.
"I do not see that my team did anything wrong in transporting the animals, and we have requested the zoo to replace our loss with one of the zoo's deer," he said.
He also admitted that -- although he is the head of the team -- he had only just learned about the death of the deer on Tuesday.
Further, he said that although his team had tranquilized the deer for the duration of their two-hour journey to the park, the tranquilizer had worn off for one of the deer after only 30 minutes.
Sutiyoso's deer project in Monas park has been widely criticized as the crowded park and noisy traffic in the area do not provide a suitable environment for deer, which are known to be sensitive animals that are easily distressed.
He said he was responsible for the death of the buck, "Because releasing deer in Monas park is my idea, I am responsible for the death (of the animal)."
There are currently 11 deer -- four bucks and seven does -- in the 5.2-hectare deer zone at Monas park. The project plans to release a total of 20 deer by the end of the year.
President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who has been said to disapprove the deer project, is scheduled to lead a national ceremony at the park to mark World Environment Day on Thursday.
However, inaugurating the deer's new home is not on her official agenda, said a presidential spokesman.
He said Megawati's activities during the ceremony would include planting trees at Monas and presenting the Kalpataru environmental awards.
The President is also scheduled to officiate the unveiling of the "walk of fame" monument -- a walkway imprinted with the footsteps of former presidents, former Jakarta governors and other distinguished national figures.
"The event has nothing to do with the deer," the spokesman stressed.
Meanwhile, Sutiyoso had announced earlier that the President would officiate the inauguration of the deer project -- one of his ambitious plans to beautify the capital -- on June 5.