Surjadi vows to improve Jakartans' lives

Surjadi vows to improve Jakartans' lives

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja has pledged to
improve the economic and social conditions of Jakartans as well
as the city's environment to face the 21st century .

Low-cost apartment and minimarket projects in all subdistricts
are evidence of the administration's seriousness in caring for
the residents, Surjadi said when speaking at the city council's
extraordinary plenary meeting to commemorate Jakarta's 469th
anniversary yesterday.

"The administration will continue such development programs
because they have proven positive in improving all aspects of
people's lives," the governor said.

The plenary meeting was attended by city councillors, the
director general of rural development, H.M. Siagian, as well as
former governors Tjokropranolo and Wiyogo Atmodarminto.

Surjadi said that low-cost apartments are the answer to
housing problems faced by the poor. The project can also provide
the capital with more green areas.

"Jakartans who previously lived in slum areas, which are prone
to fires and floods, can now live safer and better in apartments.
I am glad that many poor families have asked the administration
to build apartments for them," he said.

During the sixth five-year development plan, which started two
years ago, the city needs to build a total of 10,500 low-cost
apartments per year but due to financial problems, the city
administration can only afford to build 3,150 apartments. Private
developers are expected to build the remaining 7,450 units.

So far, the administration has built a total of 1,456 low-cost
apartments in Tanah Tinggi, Jati Bunder, Karet Tengsin in Central
Jakarta, Bulak Wadon and Bidara Cina in East Jakarta, and Tebet
Barat in South Jakarta.

Minimarkets

When speaking about warung serba ada (minimarkets), whose
capital comes from local residents, Surjadi said that a
minimarket is planned for each of Jakarta's 265 subdistricts.
There are still 254 to be built.

"The minimarkets provide various food stuff with low prices,"
he said.

Surjadi did not say if studies had been conducted to compare
the economic condition of a community before a minimarket opened
and after a minimarket opened.

He said that by going to minimarkets, people do not have to go
to shopping centers or markets. "In this way, hectic traffic
conditions could be lessened," he said.

Meanwhile, City Council Chairman M.H. Ritonga praised the
administration's achievements in various fields, including
cleanliness, for which the city mayoralties received the Adipura
award.

However, Ritonga criticized the administration for not
improving its main task: to serve the public.

"The city must improve its service to the public to deal with
the city's rapid development. It is important to eliminate
bribery. The public deserves good services," he said.

On Friday night, Surjadi celebrated the city's anniversary
with thousands of Jakartans when he visited public entertainment
spots in East Jakarta, the Jakarta Fair and Taman Impian Jaya at
Ancol.

The governor celebrated the first minute of June 22 by dancing
with several performers on the stage at Ancol's art market while
firecrackers lit up the sky.

"I thank you for your participation in building the city and I
hope you will always support our programs, which aim to make the
city as beautiful as other capital cities in the world," Surjadi
told the audiences.

Each mayoralty gave the public free shows featuring local
artists such as dang dut (Indian-beat influenced music) singer
Itje Trisnawati in East Jakarta and pop singers Rida-Sita-Dewi,
AB Three, Yana Julio and Krisdayanti in Ancol.(yns)