Surprised Sunter ITF Project Canceled, DPRD: Don't Give Bitter Pills But In The End Stomach Pain

JAKARTA - Member of Commission C of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, Manuara Siahaan, admitted that he was surprised by the decision of the Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono to cancel the construction of the Sunter Intermediate Treatment Facility (ITF) this year.

In fact, this waste processing project into electricity has received an allocation of regional capital participation (PMD) of IDR 577 billion in the 2023 APBD as the initial capital for its construction. Moreover, ITF Sunter is included in the national strategic program (PSN) in the government of President Joko Widodo.

Therefore, the DPRD summoned the DKI Jakarta Environment Agency and PT Jakarta Propertindo (Jakpro) which received an assignment for the construction of the Sunter ITF.

"The problem now is whether the ITF has been evaluated or not? Suddenly a statement exploded that it was not continued for reasons a, b, c, d, e. Don't give the bitter pill and end up getting stomach pain," said Manuara at the DKI Jakarta DPRD Building, Tuesday, August 1.

Pengakuan Pemprov DKI dalam rapat hari ini, proyek ITF Sunter belum juga dibangun lantaran pemerintah khawatir tak mampu membayar biaya tiping fee kepada mitra pengelola fasilitas pengolahan sampah tersebut.

Based on the results of a feasibility study, the DKI Provincial Government must pay a tipping fee of Rp. 500 thousand to Rp. 700 thousand per tonne of waste processing in the period of 20 to 30 years.

However, according to Manuara, the DKI Provincial Government can still tamper with regional expenditure costs from the Sunter ITF operations which will later be signed through a cooperation agreement with private partners.

"Tipping fees are variables. If you have spoken nominally, it becomes objective or not objective if it has been analyzed in the feasibility study regarding the nominal amount," said Manuara.

The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has actually allocated a budget of IDR 577 billion from the 2023 APBD as the initial capital for the Sunter ITF work. However, Sunter's ITF work this year was canceled.

The calculation is that the investment value of Sunter's ITF development reaches IDR 5.2 trillion. This project clearly requires investors from the private sector for funding. What is burdensome is that when the Sunter ITF operates, the DKI Provincial Government must pay the cost of waste management or tipping fees to partners.

"Yes (ITF Sunter canceled). We can't afford it, yes," said Heru when met at TPST Bantargebang, Bekasi, West Java, Tuesday, July 27.

Heru admitted that he did not rule out the construction of the Sunter ITF. However, when the Sunter ITF was successfully built and operational, Heru admitted that the DKI Provincial Government was unable to pay the Tipping fee for the waste processing facility management partners to become electrical energy.

"I basically allow B2B (business-to-business), but the DKI Regional Government is unable to provide a tipping fee," he said.