New governor told to be consistent in city planning

JAKARTA (JP): Experts have urged Jakarta's new governor -- who is scheduled to assume office next month -- to be consistent when implementing the city plan in a bid to prevent further overlapping in developments.

Noted urban planner Adhi Moersid and sociologist Sardjono Jatiman agreed yesterday that current overlapping was due to inconsistency.

They feared that such disparities would make the city and its citizens fall victim to progress in the future.

Adhi -- who won the Aga Khan Award for architecture and was former chairman of the Indonesian Architect Association -- expressed concern over many developments which were not given serious thought.

"Currently there's a wide gap between the high demand for quick development and the lack of detailed planning to support it.

"This is a serious and difficult task for the new governor to solve," Adhi told The Jakarta Post.

On Tuesday, Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso gained a majority of votes for the position of governor in an election at City Council. He defeated two other contenders -- legislator Achmadi and Deputy Governor of Economic and Development Affairs Tb.M. Rais.

Adhi said it was not too late for the new governor to rectify the situation but if he failed to act the gap would grow wider and become more difficult to solve.

"I know Jakarta wants to be equal with other big cities overseas," he said. "So, it doesn't make any sense if an area as large as Jakarta is ruined because of unplanned development."

The new governor should strive to bridge the gap and refuse to bow to any parties, regardless of their political or economic clout, he said.

"At present, most of the city's developments are still dominated by those with strong financial power," he said. "As a result, there's a tendency for development to be steered by those people."

Sardjono, a lecturer from the University of Indonesia, said that consistency in the implementation of the city plan will prevent violations of designated land use -- such as in Kemang and the Blok P cemetery, both in South Jakarta.

"Controversy over Kemang and the Blok P cemetery was caused by the city's inconsistency in imposing the city plan," he said.

According to the city plan, Kemang is a residential area rather than a commercial site, while Blok P is a designated green area instead of an office site.

As a result of development, however, many houses in Kemang have become business sites while the Blok P cemetery is being relocated to make way for an office complex.

Sardjono urged the new governor not to rush ahead with fresh plans once he is installed.

"There's a tendency for new governors to make new plans," he said. "As a result, some plans made by former governors have not been completed or are neglected altogether."

He suggested that the new governor review all city programs which have been planned or implemented by the current governor and his predecessors.

"After the review, he can decide which programs need to be continued, adjusted or even improved."

He said the plans of former governors already had the support of experts and were based on the city's needs.

"By reviewing all city programs there will be no important projects neglected just because the new governor wants to make new plans."

For instance, the new governor should finalize the revision of the 1985/2005 city plan, which was started by governor Surjadi Soedirdja. After the review the new governor would know which adjustments should be made, he said.

"I understand if there's a need to make adjustments, but it should still protect the city from further degradation."

In the future the city will need to build mass transport projects to solve traffic problems, he said.

Adhi also urged the new governor to make a detailed plan, based on the revised city plan, which includes the construction of the subway and three-tier transit system.

"The detailed plan should consider all factors, such as its traffic impact and the people living in the affected area, long before the construction begins," he said.

Currently, many people have to be evicted to make way for city projects, he said.

"This will not happen if there's a careful plan and a strong political will to impose it." (ste)