Mayoralties get 'Adipura' award

JAKARTA (JP): The city's five mayoralties, for the first time in history, have won the Adipura award for cleanliness. The trophies were handed over by President Soeharto in a ceremony at Merdeka Palace on Monday.

The trophies were taken by the respective mayors who then paraded them on horse-driven carts to City Hall. Governor Surjadi Soedirdja and City Council Speaker MH Ritonga greeted them.

The Central Jakarta mayoralty's award this year is its fifth and therefore it got Adipura Kencana (Golden Adipura), instead of just Adipura. North Jakarta received its first ever Adipura.

Surjadi said in his speech that Adipura is the answer to the city residents' determination to maintain cleanliness in their respective areas.

"The awards are not the final targets as they are just a means to enhance the 'clean culture' among residents," he said.

Pollution is still serious in Jakarta, he said. "It is subdistrict and district heads and mayors who have the right to push residents into having a greater awareness of cleanliness." (yns)