Jakartans to get more information about city plans
Jakartans to get more information about city plans
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja assured ulemas
(Moslem leaders) yesterday that the city administration would
actively disseminate information about city planning programs to
Jakartans as one means of reducing conflicts.
"I have ordered the establishment of a team in each of the
city's five mayoralties, responsible for disseminating
information and making public presentations about development
programs," Surjadi said in a meeting between city officials and
ulemas.
Surjadi was responding to the comment of one ulema about the
importance of providing the public with detailed information,
especially those people living in slum areas, about government
plans for the construction of low-cost apartments and other
modern buildings.
The governor explained that the new team would be assigned the
task of informing the public about development plans down to the
neighborhood level, including when and where the administration
intends to build low-cost apartments.
The availability of this information is expected to help
reduce the current high level of conflicts between city
authorities and local residents.
The governor acknowledged that in many instances such
conflicts had lead to criticism of the municipal authorities,
which have been accused of intentionally burning down slum areas
to make way for the construction of the low-cost apartments.
"Through public presentations we expect squatters in slum
areas and on other state land to know and be ready whenever the
city administration starts constructing low-cost apartments or
other projects in their areas," he said.
Up to now, the city administration has been passive about
informing people of its development plans. People wishing to know
about municipal plans have been required to go to the City Hall
or the mayoralty office by themselves.
Yesterday's meeting, attended by 125 ulemas, was designed to
increase understanding between the authorities and ulemas, and to
allow the pooling of information in the weeks before Ramadhan.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of the
Jakarta Military Command and the City Police. The governor urged
the ulemas to continue playing their role of promoting peace
among Jakartans and helping the city administration to inform the
people of its development plans.
Surjadi told the ulemas that the various deeds of the city
administration to date, such as land appropriation, had been
aimed mainly at protecting municipal property. (yns)