Two districts in Tangerang seek split
Two districts in Tangerang seek split
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Residents of Teluk Naga and Kosambi districts have agreed to
separate from Tangerang regency and become part of Tangerang
municipality as they claimed the regency has neglected them for
years.
In an attempt to seek out ways to joining with Tangerang
municipality, the two districts recently formed a team tasked
with formulating a plan for such a merger.
"We're really disappointed with the regency administration
because they have made no serious efforts to develop the
districts. That's why we want to split from the regency," Imam
Hambali, who chairs the team, told The Jakarta Post last
Saturday.
He explained that the districts actually had numerous economic
possibilities -- including agriculture, tourism and warehousing
services -- that could be developed to improve the residents'
standard of living.
"Should those sectors be seriously developed, they will not
only improve the lives of local residents, but could also make a
huge contribution to the regency's own-source revenue," he
explained.
He said that it had been eight years since the regency
administration promised to develop tourism at Tanjung Pasir beach
in Teluk Naga district and at Dadap beach in Kosambi district.
But to date, no action had been taken.
According to Hambali, the main roads connecting the two
districts, such as the main Kampung Melayu-Teluk Naga and Kampung
Melayu-Lemo roads had been in severe disrepair for years, while
the construction of public transportation terminals in the
two districts had never been completed.
He claimed that the education sector was similarly neglected.
The regency had given no attention at all to this sector so that
many schools in the two districts were also in severe
disrepair. Several school buildings had almost collapsed but the
administration continued to turn a blind eye.
Commenting on the plans of the two district, Tangerang Regent
Agus Djunara said that people were allowed to voice their
aspiration but it would not be easy to accommodate their wishes.
However, the regent, who is coming near the end of his term,
denied that his administration had ignored the two districts,
saying that in order to improve the lives of residents, his
administration would begin the construction of 45 kilometers of
new tollway that would connect the two districts with the
airport, Tangerang and Serpong, plus a seaport in Tanjung Pasir
next year.
"We have asked an investor to conduct a feasibility study on
the new tollway and the sea port, and the study will start in
December," he told the Post, adding that if the feasibility study
was completed within one month, the construction would begin
early next year.
On school buildings, he said that other districts also faced
similar problems due to lack of money.