Jabotabek a special region?

Jabotabek a special region?

From Suara Karya

Recently, the press had a field day because of Prof. Emil Salim's idea to unite the regions of Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabotabek) into one administration under a governor at ministerial level. The idea drew a host of pro and con responses.

One opponent was the Governor of West Java, H.R. Nuriana, who brought up various reasons. I am certain that there are more people against the idea, mostly from West Java. They have a point: If Tangerang, Bogor and Bekasi were to be integrated with DKI Jakarta, the cultural and traditional characteristics of West Java (Sunda) would, sooner or later, most likely disappear from those areas.

This was proven in Jakarta, where the Betawi people and their culture have become less prominent in the city. Even more tragic is the fact that their voices have been smothered and that Betawi in important positions are rare and few. This is looking at it from a cultural aspect. We have not arrived at the possibility yet that the Jabotabek governor (if there really is going to be one) would hail from an area outside the Sunda districts. Then it would be a certainty that the aspirations of the Sunda people would be obliterated from Tangerang, Bogor and Bekasi.

In other words, what happened to the Betawi people would also happen to the Sundanese from the above three areas.

Based on these reasons, I appeal to the prominent figures of West Java to reject Emil Salim's idea.

TB SUTISNAWINATA

Tangerang, West Java