Elevate status of

Elevate status of Jakarta governor

From Warta Kota

I agree with President Megawati Soekarnoputri's plan to carry on the pursuit of the late first president Sukarno (Bung Karno), such as to make Medan Merdeka Utara a museum zone, restore the Gelora Bung Karno stadium as an international sports venue and rebuild banteng (bull) statues once erected in the national monument square.

Bung Karno also had futuristic ideas. For instance, in 1965 he issued a decree raising the status of the top executive of Greater Jakarta.

Within the context of current conditions, the decree requires reconsideration. Allow me to describe several factors supporting the idea. First, the flood control concept has, since the colonial period, applied upstream to downstream control, now known as the Bopuncur concept, meaning flood control from the origin of water in Bogor, Puncak and Cianjur.

With regional autonomy currently in force, the authorities in Bopuncur are more interested in optimizing development efforts to increase their regional revenues, regardless of the flood threat to Jakarta.

Second, Jakarta's muddled transportation results from the city's inability to apply the mass transportation concept, with the consequence of congestion on routes such as Kampung Rambutan to Bekasi, Kampung Rambutan to Bogor and Lebak Bulus to Tangerang.

Third, Jakarta's air space is polluted, thereby making the city one of the world's dirtiest capitals.

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso has often complained about the resolution of these issues and once even blamed neighboring administrations. If only the status of the Jakarta governor could be raised to the level of a special minister, the complaints and debates between regional administrations would not occur.

To this end, I would suggest that President Megawati reissue a decree like that of Bung Karno or mobilize supporters of Bung Karno in the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction in the House of Representatives to submit this matter to a special committee for revision of the autonomy law.

MA'MUN IBNU RIDWAN NGO Activist Coalition Coordinator Jakarta