Population is puzzles Jakarta
Population is puzzles Jakarta
JAKARTA (JP): Governor of Jakarta Surjadi Soedirdja believes
population growth is one of Jakarta's most serious problems and
that the city must find a way to curb migration of rural people.
"There are in fact various problems prevailing here, which are
all equally urgent. But, we are giving high priority to the
population affairs since many other problems are closely knit
with it," the governor told a press conference at the City Hall
yesterday.
Surjadi said other problems which prevail in the capital
include the growth of informal sectors, the incompetence of city
officials and the inadequate transportation system.
"Most of the problems to some extent originate from the rapid
growth of the population," he said.
He said the administration is trying to solve the problem
through two strategies. Slums are being transformed into more
decent places to live and impeding migration.
"To improve the condition in the city there is no alternative
than to get rid of slums and build low-cost apartments so that
former slum dwellers can live a more decent life and at the same
time the city will look more pleasant," said the governor.
Stubborn
The Jakarta administration has occasionally failed to carry
out the plan because many slum dwellers refuse to move to
apartments, mostly because they can't afford to pay the rent, as
was recently witnessed in West Tebet subdistrict, South Jakarta,
Surjadi said.
On the other hand, he said, the administration has
successfully built at least 12 blocks of apartments and is
presently constructing another nine in six former slums.
"All the low-cost apartment blocks will have a total of more
than 5,000 units."
He said during his routine weekly tour of the city he has
always instructed all subdistrict chiefs to control their areas
and deter migrants from erecting new slums as quickly as
possible.
"I always tell the lurah 'Control your area!'. Since, if the
number of squatters has posed as a problem they will be very
difficult to make them leave the area.
In case the squatters have managed to settle down they will
only quit the area after setting a lot of conditions which
include compensation from the administration.
"They do not deserve it since they have illegally occupied
state land," said Surjadi.
Early tackling of the problem, he said, will hopefully deter
aspiring migrants.
The governor also said there are people who clearly make a
living by exploiting the poor and politicians who have made the
best use of the existing social gaps for their own interests.
In conjunction with the efforts to curb the migration of rural
people, Surjadi said, Jakarta will cooperate with other provinces
in Java and Bali on a campaign to curb migration.
The governor said Jakarta has in fact gained successes in its
efforts to stop population growth.
According to data collected by the City Hall, the population
growth declined to 1.96 percent in 1992, compared to 2.41 percent
annually in the last decade and 4.6 percent between 1970 and
1980. (jsk)