Jakarta's Car Free Day Becomes Tourist Attraction for Singaporeans and Malaysians, Governor Says

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung Wibowo stated that the implementation of Car Free Day (CFD) in Jakarta now attracts not only local residents but also tourists from neighbouring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. According to Pramono, CFD has evolved into a social interaction space enjoyed by various groups, including foreign tourists who deliberately take the time to join the event before returning to their home countries. “Many brothers and sisters gather, meet, make appointments for Car Free Day, and also many people from outside, especially from Singapore and Malaysia, specifically. Before they return to their respective countries, they join the Car Free Day in Jakarta,” Pramono said when met in East Jakarta on Friday (5/6). He assessed that CFD’s function is no longer limited to reducing air pollution. The activity has transformed into an increasingly popular urban tourism destination in the capital. Pramono is optimistic that the implementation of CFD in the Jalan HR Rasuna Said area, which officially begins this week, will provide a new alternative for residents wanting to exercise and enjoy the weekend. “For Car Free Day on Rasuna Said or in Kuningan, I am sure this will become a new favourite place for Jakarta residents to choose whether to go to Sudirman-Thamrin or Rasuna Said, because the Rasuna Said loop is approximately 7 kilometres. If Sudirman to the end is approximately 10 kilometres, so there are choices for the community,” Pramono stated. With the new route, the public has more location options for running, leisurely walks, or cycling during CFD. In addition, Pramono is targeting the completion of the Rasuna Said area’s arrangement to coincide with the Jakarta anniversary celebration. He revealed that the progress of the area’s arrangement has currently reached around 95 percent. The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government hopes that the CFD implementation at Rasuna Said will provide better comfort compared to the previous trial period. “Hopefully, this will make Jakarta residents more fond of running, jogging, and living healthier lives, and especially, Car Free Day has now become a place for maintaining social ties,” Pramono stated. The existence of CFD at various points in Jakarta is expected to not only encourage a healthy lifestyle but also strengthen the function of public space as a means of recreation and social gathering for residents and tourists alike.