Sutiyoso opens boat festival

JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso opened on Monday a traditional boat decoration festival at Angke river, North Jakarta, as part of efforts to normalize the function of rivers in the city.

"We're committed to normalizing all rivers in Jakarta," he told participants of the festival in Kapuk Muara, Penjaringan subdistrict of North Jakarta.

He said that flood problem was closely related to the condition of the rivers. If the rivers were silted up and illegal shanties were built along the riverbanks then they would easily overflow during the wet season.

He called on residents to help clean up the rivers in their respective areas as the rivers' condition will certainly affect their lives.

Last week, the city Public Order Office forcibly evicted about 200 families living in shanties along the banks of the Angke river. The agency said that they were illegal residents and their buildings obstructed the water flow.

The eviction almost sparked a mass brawl between residents and public order officers. Several people received light injuries.--JP