Sutiyoso bans Sunday jogging on Thamrin, Sudirman

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Joggers will be banned from Jl. M.H. Thamrin and Jl. Sudirman, Jakarta's main streets following Governor Sutiyoso's decree that he would effectively close the roads to all sports activities beginning this week.

Sutiyoso said that joggers had been ruining the city's parks.

"The governor is disappointed as people who jog along the streets only damage the parks," deputy governor Fauzi Wibowo said, quoting the governor on Saturday.

The warning was made during a coffee break with leaders of the Jakarta Legislative Council and the Jakarta Administration at City Hall on Jan. 16.

Sutiyoso complained that there were too many Jakartans enjoying sports and recreational activities on the streets for which they had paid taxes to build and maintain.

The streets have always been closed on Sunday until 9.00 a.m. for Jakartans who wish to exercise in a city that has already been largely denuded of parks and open spaces where citizens can exercise and recreate.

The governor said that many people purposely stepped on grass and sat on the wire fences which were erected around the city parks.

Starting this week, Jakartans wishing to enjoy what little open space is left to them in this city of ten million in the wake of rampant, illegal private construction projects, will now have to cram themselves into tighter areas at the National Monument (Monas) square or the Bung Karno sports stadium.

Asked whether both streets would be reopened in the future, Fauzi said he did not know.

Meanwhile, Jakarta administration spokesman Muhayat said the governor had ordered the closure of the streets, effective Sunday, to sports and recreational activities.

"Officials from the City's Public Order Agency (Tramtib) will carry out the order," he said, omitting details on how the order would be enforced.

He did not comment on the legality of the order.