A group of angry protestors from illegal settlements on the banks of the Ancol River tried to break into Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s house in Penjaringan, North Jakarta last night before being dispersed by police. They wanted to confront the governor over his plans to evict them from and demolish their homes.
Ahok is used to being protested by various groups, but this is the first time an angry mob has come to his actual home (at least since he had to defend his house from anti-Chinese mobs in 1998).
Nevertheless, Ahok did not seem intimidated by the protesters, nor moved by their plight. He said he his administration would remain firm in its plans to evict them and demolish their illegal settlements in the immediate future.
“I think this is normal. What else are people like that going to say? They come there, at that time. First they say they will move after the National Exams are over. Now, if we wait longer, they’ll want us to wait until after [Idul Fitri], it will go on and on for years,” Ahok said at City Hall on Wednesday as quoted by Tribunnews.
Ahok reiterated that the illegal settlement on the Ciliwung River had to be demolished in order to prevent flooding during the rainy season.
“The solution is still dismantlement. If you do not have another house, we have low-cost housing you can move to. If you do not want to live there, then that is your risk, you do not have homes anyways,” he said.
“I will remain firm. You can demonstrate against me, you can attack my home, but I am still going to work for a Jakarta that is free from flooding and traffic jams.”
