Sutiyoso urges subordinates to keep security

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso urged his officials yesterday to help maintain stability and security in the city, saying he would not tolerate any action which threatened law and order.

"The city will use a humane approach, not a repressive one, in developing the city. But it doesn't mean that we are weak. I will take stern action against those who are found guilty of misconduct," Sutiyoso said in a ceremony to inaugurate Soebagyo as the new North Jakarta mayor.

Sutiyoso hoped that the new mayor, who replaces Suprawito, along with all officials in the five mayoralties, would be consistent in applying rules and regulations.

In his message to Soebagyo, Sutiyoso particularly asked him to maintain security in North Jakarta.

"North Jakarta has specific problems which have to be handled carefully. About 90 percent of its residents still live below the poverty line. Many of them live along river banks. Eight out of the 11 poorest subdistricts in the city are in North Jakarta.

"This situation means the area is prone to riots. That is why we have to create equality in the distribution of the fruits of development."

Security threats Sutiyoso mentioned included student brawls and crime. "North Jakarta must try hard to eliminate them," he said.

Newly installed mayor Soebagio pledged yesterday to continue the three major ongoing development projects in North Jakarta.

They are the revitalization of Sunda Kelapa port, the 2,700- hectare reclamation project in Jakarta Bay and the normalization of land use, especially along the banks of the 13 rivers that flow through North Jakarta.

"I'm optimistic because I'm studying every development issue in my mayoralty and I think I know what to do," the 47-year-old marine colonel said.

But Soebagio said that his immediate objective was to prepare his area, which is prone to floods during heavy rain, for the monsoon.

"I will clean up the 13 riverbanks in order to enable the water to flow properly," he said.

Among the 13 rivers in North Jakarta are the Ciliwung, Banjir Kanal, Cisadane, Opak and Angke.

Former North Jakarta mayor Suprawito said he had handed over about 40 land cases in the mayoralty that had not been settled during his term.

Kramat Tunggak

Sutiyoso also said yesterday that he was still studying the possibility of relocating the Kramat Tunggak red-light district in North Jakarta, which is considered overcrowded.

The city's assistant of development and administrative affairs, Prawoto Danumihardjo, said over the weekend that the municipality was discussing several alternative sites to relocate the prostitutes to.

"Maybe in Rawamalang, Cilincing (east of Jakarta). The two- hectare plot of land there is far from housing complexes, so it will not disturb the public."

Prawoto said that the other alternative for the prostitution relocation was the Thousand Islands. This has been rejected by the municipality because the authorities want the chain of islands to remain an untarnished international-standard tourism center.

There are reportedly 2,000 prostitutes and 250 pimps currently operating in Kramat Tunggak.

Later in the evening, Sutiyoso visited the West Jakarta Mayoralty office, where he urged private developers to abide by their obligation to provide social and public facilities.

"The facilities will be used for community needs. So, I order my officials to supervise this closely," he said. (07)