Surabaya DPRD Chairman Urges Long-Term Solution-Based Urban Planning
Surabaya, East Java (ANTARA) - The Speaker of the Surabaya Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), Syaifuddin Zuhri, is urging long-term solution-based urban planning to ensure thorough and sustainable resolutions to city issues.
“Development must no longer be trapped in a patchwork pattern that only solves immediate problems without addressing the root causes,” he stated in Surabaya, East Java, on Friday.
According to the man affectionately known as Kaji Ipuk, ideal urban development must begin with the government’s ability to map out issues comprehensively through mature studies. This approach ensures that every programme arising from the Musrenbang (Development Planning Deliberation) truly meets community needs and delivers a long-term impact.
“We must not allow large budgets to be spent every year only for the same problems to recur. If we only treat 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 primary concern for both the government and the public for many years. He argued that resolving floods is not achieved merely through the partial construction of channels, but must be based on an integrated drainage planning system spanning from the neighbourhood and sub-district levels to the city scale.
“When discussing floods, there must be a clear drainage masterplan. We must know where the water flows from, where the obstructions are, and where the discharge point is. We must not build a channel in one area only to inadvertently transfer the problem to another region,” he said.
He noted that the success of development should not be measured solely by the physical quality of structures or the size of the budget allocated. Rather, development must be able to provide maximum functionality and address environmental needs sustainably.
“There is no point in having high-quality building specifications and premium materials if the placement is incorrect and fails to solve the problem. The most important thing is the benefit to the community,” he added.
He expressed appreciation for the Surabaya City Government’s efforts over recent years, which have successfully reduced flood points through various drainage construction and channel normalisation programmes. However, he maintained that such work must continue using a more systematic and integrated approach.
In addition to flooding, the Speaker of the Surabaya DPRD also highlighted the importance of equitable development across all areas of the city. He assessed that development should not be concentrated in specific zones while other areas lag behind in terms of public facilities.
“Development must deliver a sense of justice. We must ensure that certain areas are not continuously beautified while others have yet to receive the same basic facilities,” he concluded.