To Promote Healthy Living, North Jakarta City Government Builds Communal Toilet in Kalibaru

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The North Jakarta City Government (Pemkot Jakut) has inaugurated a communal toilet for the community in RW 04, Kalibaru Sub-district, Cilincing District, as an effort to encourage healthy living through adequate sanitation and to prevent open defecation. “This facility is the result of real collaboration between the Indonesian Chinese Clan Social Association (PSMTI) DKI Jakarta and PT Cahaya Mas Cemerlang,” said Deputy Mayor of North Jakarta Fredy Setiawan in Jakarta on Friday. He hopes that the facility can improve environmental health standards and provide comfort for the community, especially in RT 005/RW 004. According to him, the synergy between the government, private sector, and community organisations demonstrates a shared commitment to building a healthier and more prosperous North Jakarta. “Let us all maintain this available facility so that its benefits can be felt in the long term by all residents,” Fredy stated. He said that the presence of the communal toilet is an effort to improve sanitation quality while encouraging changes in clean living behaviour in the local environment. “The existence of the communal toilet is not just physical construction, but a manifestation of collaboration and social concern to meet the community’s basic needs,” Fredy said. “This is not only about building infrastructure, but part of a collective effort to improve the quality of life for the community,” Fredy added. On the other hand, he emphasised the importance of maintaining the built facility and increasing community awareness of environmental cleanliness. He reminded residents not to litter indiscriminately and to start managing waste at the source to reduce the burden on the Integrated Waste Processing Site (TPST) Bantargebang. “Collaboration between the government, community, business world, and social organisations is very important. We hope this becomes a pioneer and a good example for other areas,” Fredy revealed. Meanwhile, Kalibaru Sub-district Head Sukarmin stated that RW 04 was previously a coastal area vulnerable to tidal flooding. With the presence of embankments, the environmental conditions have now improved, but sanitation needs remain a challenge, including uneven access to clean water. Therefore, he views the communal toilet as very beneficial in supporting the stop open defecation (BABS) programme. “We continue to work with health centres to encourage the community to switch to more adequate sanitation,” Sukarmin added.