Jakarta's problems spilling over

Jakarta's problems spilling over

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

Tangerang Mayor Wahidin Halim urged the Jakarta administration to
share responsibility in coping with a variety of social problems
now emerging in the areas bordering the two administrations.

"I'll send a team to meet Governor Sutiyoso directly to talk
about these problems as most of them are resulting from over
population in Jakarta," Wahidin said on Monday.

He highlighted four main problems including illegal dumping
and prostitution.

Since the temporary closure of Bantar Gebang dump in Bekasi
early in January, he said, many garbage trucks from Jakarta have
been playing hide and seek with local officers in order to dump
garbage at the municipal dump in Rawa Kucing, Neglasari district.

Meanwhile, he added, evictees from Tanjung Duren, West
Jakarta, were now squatting in Batu Ceper district.

Wahidin also claimed that an increasing number of prostitutes
have moved to several main roads in Tangerang, "who previously
operated in Pondok Labu, South Jakarta, and Jatinegara, East
Jakarta".

"Moreover, many residents of Ulujami subdistrict, South
Jakarta, opted to go to a community health center of Larangan
subdistrict which is under Tangerang's jurisdiction. We already
have enough problems with limited medical facilities and
services," he remarked.

Expressing hope that Sutiyoso would respond to the problems,
Wahidin added that the neighboring administrations should build
cooperation and improve coordination.