Sutiyoso net contributor to annual floods: Public

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.