Sutiyoso net contributor to annual floods: Public

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jakartans expressed disappointment on Friday over a lower court ruling against the flood victims in a class action lawsuit case, saying that the government's incompetence, in particular Governor Sutiyoso's, had contributed to the annual disasters.

Jumadi, a bajaj (three-wheeled taxi) driver who lives in a house near Jl. Radio Dalam in South Jakarta, claimed that it was Sutiyoso who had allowed uncontrolled development in the city which, he believed, had reduced the land's ability to absorb water.

"If the court said Sutiyoso is not responsible for the floods, well, in my opinion (the ruling) is an absolute travesty. I understand that Sutiyoso cannot control the rain, it is by nature, but he should've done something to prevent flooding," he told The Jakarta Post.

"Since we cannot really halt development, there should be a balance ... like more effective drainage areas, at least," he added.

Jumadi, who has lived in the same house for 12 years, stated that floods had never hit the area until the construction of a large apartment complex nearby on Jl. Gandaria was completed in the late 1990s. Floodwaters over a foot high (some 30 centimeters) inundated his home last February and caused huge losses.

Sri Astuti, a vegetable vendor at Pasar Minggu traditional market in South Jakarta, said that the administration should cover the losses of the flood victims because most of them were from low-income groups.

"The affluent can live in good places where no floods can enter their houses. But we, the wong cilik (common people) can only afford to live around flood-prone areas," the resident of Pasar Minggu told the Post.

Both Khasori of Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta, who is a parking attendant on Jl. Melawai, South Jakarta, and Reza, a public minibus driver, believed that the administration only pursued a "half-hearted campaign" on city cleanliness, since mountains of garbage could still be found in rivers and drainage areas.

"The administration says: 'Make a report when you see someone throw garbage in the river'. Hah.., but of course no follow up. The garbage trucks do not come regularly, so the residents just pile up their garbage or throw it in the rivers," said Reza of Kranji in Bekasi, who had to evacuate his house as it was inundated by two meters of water earlier this year.