Don't close Jakarta to migrants, say analysts
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Governor Sutiyoso received sharp criticism from the public over his plan to make Jakarta a closed city to poor migrants, as it would be against the Constitution, and also could spark unrest, according to a legal expert.
His move would be a violation of human rights, particularly on freedom of movement, and the Constitution, which rules that all citizens have the right jobs and a decent life, Tubagus Haryo Karbianto of the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta), said on Thursday.
He said that Sutiyoso's insistence to make Jakarta a closed city confirmed the allegations that he always fled from responsibility instead of trying to resolve problems.
"When he cannot resolve the problems of street vendors and three-wheeled becak pedicabs, Sutiyoso expels them and does not solve the problems by giving an alternative place for them to work. It is typical of him," Tubagus added.
Separately, a demography and environment expert from the University of Indonesia (UI) Budi Haryanto warned that if the city leaders insisted on going ahead with their plans, it would spark unrest and the administration would have to spend a lot of energy to resolve it.
"I think if the city goes ahead with the plan, it will spark protests from migrants and other people," Budi added.
He said the mobilization of human beings from remote areas to big cities was a natural phenomenon, therefore any regulation aimed at curbing human flows from remote area to cities would never be effective.
Although there is a regulation aimed at curbing urban overpopulation, it would never be successful if the real problem was not addressed, he said.
"I do not see that such a regulation is applicable, as the human movement follows a simple sugar and ant theory where the people always seek better places to live," Budi told The Jakarta Post.
Sutiyoso, on Wednesday, elaborated his plan to close the city to poor migrants, saying anyone coming to Jakarta should have sufficient money to live on, a job and a place to stay.
The City Administration is now preparing a draft of the bylaw on population which is expected to curb the influx of migrants from other provinces.
Sutiyoso introduced it as one of his policy priorities as the first year of his second gubernatorial term after he was reelected by the City Council on Sept. 11.
Budi, however, admitted that problems of urban overpopulation should become a national debate as it was a result of the national policy where the circulation of the state wealth and development were still focused in Jakarta.
China is a good example of a country which managed to create new industrial areas which could reduce the flow of rural poor to big cities, he added.
The process in Indonesia, Budi added, could be curbed by continuing its regional autonomy program by giving more shares of wealth to the regions so that the region could experience faster development.
According to Budi, based on the spirit of the Law on Regional Autonomy No.22/1999, a regional administration in the country receives some 28 percent of the revenue generated from the region. While the regions are obliged to take care their affairs, such as public welfare and job creation.
"The ideal share of the wealth is 50 percent for the region and 50 percent for the central government. If it is implemented, migration to cities could be curbed," Budi added.