Surabaya DPRD Chairman Urges Long-Term Solution-Based Urban Planning

Surabaya, East Java (ANTARA) - Chairman of the Surabaya Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) Syaifuddin Zuhri is urging city planning based on long-term solutions to achieve thorough and sustainable results. “Development must no longer be trapped in patchwork patterns that only solve temporary problems without addressing the root causes,” he said in Surabaya, East Java, on Friday. According to the man familiarly known as Kaji Ipuk, ideal urban development must begin with the government’s ability to map out problems comprehensively through careful study. This ensures that every programme born from the development planning consultations (Musrenbang) genuinely answers the community’s needs and has a long-term impact. “Large budgets should not be spent every year only for the same problems to recur. If we only address the symptoms without understanding the root of the problem, development will never be complete,” he said. He cited the issue of flooding, which has been a concern for the government and the public for years. According to him, solving flooding cannot be done merely through partial canal construction; it must be based on an integrated drainage system plan from the neighbourhood and sub-district levels up to the city scale. “When talking about floods, there must be a clear drainage master plan. We must know where the water flows from, where the obstacles are, and where it empties. We cannot build a canal in one spot only to find it moves the problem to another area,” he said. He believes the success of development is not solely measured by the physical quality of buildings or the size of the budget spent. More than that, development must provide maximum function and answer environmental needs sustainably. “It is useless if the building specifications are good and the material quality is high, but the placement is not right and it does not solve the problem. The most important thing is the benefit for the community,” he said. He appreciated the steps taken by the Surabaya City Government in recent years, which have successfully reduced flood spots through various drainage construction and canal normalisation programmes. However, he said this work must continue with a more systematic and integrated approach. Beyond the issue of flooding, the Surabaya DPRD Chairman also highlighted the importance of equitable development across all city areas. He assessed that development should not be concentrated only in certain areas while other areas lag behind in terms of public facilities. “Development must bring a sense of justice. There should not be areas that are continuously beautified while other areas have yet to receive the same basic facilities,” he said.