River Normalization And Formula E Are Both Regional Regulations, Anies Baswedan Must Carry Out Everything

JAKARTA - Chairman of the DKI DPRD Prasetyo Edi Marsudi urged DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan to immediately realize the river normalization program as flood control. Currently, the progress of the normalization of the Ciliwung River has stalled in the land acquisition process.

Prasetyo emphasized that river normalization is a mandate from regional regulations (perda) regarding the DKI Regional Budget because it has been included in the approved budget.

He also quipped Anies who had stated that Formula E had to be done because it was an order from the regional budget (APBD) in the 2019 budget year.

If Anies runs the Formula E program because of a regional regulation, Prasetyo said that the former Minister of Education must also complete the normalization task as well.

"Since 2017, the normalization project has stopped because Anies does not want to acquire land. Don't just criticize Formula E, Anies says Formula E is (implemented because) it is carrying out local regulations," Prasetyo told reporters, Thursday, February 24.

Furthermore, Prasetyo said that Anies' reluctance to tackle the Jakarta floods was evident from the Jakarta Administrative Court's decision which sentenced Anies to dredge the Mampang River completely.

This decision follows up on a lawsuit that was won by residents who were flood victims in early 2021 around Mampang River.

"The panel of judges granted the lawsuit. Anies was sentenced to dredge and anoint the Mampang River to Pondok Jaya. Well, this is because the governor did not implement the local regulation, so he was punished," he said.

Some time ago, Anies explained the reason why he continued with the plan to hold Formula E during the COVID-19 pandemic. Formula E has been postponed since 2020 and is planned for June 4, 2022.

Anies said, Formula E is a mandate from the regional budget for the 2019 and 2020 budget years. At that time, the Youth and Sports Office budgeted the commitment fee with a total budget of IDR 560 billion.

"This is a program from the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government, there is a regional regulation included in the budget. We have an obligation to implement the regional regulation. And if a program is already in the regional budget, we are under the order of the constitution and must implement it," said Anies.