Yuke: Setu Babakan Revamp Must Protect Residents' Livelihoods

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Jakarta DPRD Commission D Chair Yuke Yurike has urged that the redevelopment of the Setu Babakan area not only focus on physical improvements but also prioritise the sustainability of street vendors (PKL) and local residents who depend on the area for their livelihoods. “If zones are created for street vendors, the Setu Babakan area is actually very large so it can accommodate more traders. The important thing is that local residents still have space to do business,” Yuke said in Jakarta on Thursday. Yuke revealed that some street vendors are currently undergoing relocation because they previously traded on top of water channels. Despite this, she hopes the relocation site is not too far from the Setu Babakan area so that traders do not lose their customers and source of income. In addition to highlighting the Setu Babakan arrangement, she also encouraged the optimisation of DKI Jakarta Provincial Government assets that have not been utilised to support community-based waste management. According to her, many government-owned lands have been idle for months or even years and could be used as sites for organic waste processing. “Even a small plot of land can help the community process leaf litter and other organic waste, thereby reducing the burden of transporting waste to the final disposal site,” Yuke said. Furthermore, Yuke also touched on the need to resolve cross-agency asset issues that often hinder the construction of public facilities, such as repairing footpaths that provide access to schools or places of worship. “I hope the government reviews the possibility of utilising the Pondok Ranggon cemetery land, which is considered necessary by the community for building a school,” Yuke stated. She emphasised that the need for educational space is just as important as other public facilities, so the best solution must be sought through inter-agency coordination. “If it is possible, a middle ground must certainly be found so that the community’s needs, both for educational facilities and other land functions, can be equally met,” she said.