The flooding around Bunderan HI in 2013. Ahok says that sort of thing won’t happen again, but admits he can’t stop the flooding everywhere in Jakarta.
Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama has made flood prevention one of his main missions (something he hopes to go down in the history books for). His says the government’s efforts have already led to many areas – which used to be vulnerable to banjir – becoming flood free.
Ahok readily admits that there are certain areas of the city that are still flood prone, but he says there’s nothing the city can do for the people living in those areas because they simply shouldn’t be living there.
Ahok was referring specifically to two perpetually flooded neighborhoods, Kampung Pulo in East Jakarta, and Bukit Duri in South Jakarta.
Ahok also those two areas should not be used to judge the city’s flood prevention efforts because there is nothing his administration could do to stop rising waters from the nearby rivers from flooding the illegal settlements there.
“Regarding Kampung Pulo, we do not have to talk about it. Other areas like Semanggi, Atma Jaya, don’t have [flooding problems] anymore because the channel is fixed. Kampung Pulo and Bukit Duri lie are built on river, if we’re talking honestly,” Ahok said at City Hall on Tuesday as quoted by Kompas.
According Ahok, the only solution to the flooding in Kampung Pulo and Bukit Duri is to have the residents moved out of the area. Ahok said the city government would set up cheap apartments to accommodate them.
“Later we will move them, we are preparing the apartments,” he said.
