Citayam Fashion Week And SCBD Phenomenon: Maybe A Booster For Depok To Join Jakarta

JAKARTA - Teenagers from Citayam, Bojonggede, to Depok who often pass by in the Sudirman and Dukuh Atas areas, Central Jakarta have become a separate phenomenon. Especially on weekends, they come with quirky Hollywood street style outfits.

Until the term Citayam Fashion Week emerged from social media activists. Roy Citayam and Jeje Slebew are arguably the mascots. It was so viral, the Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan even gave rise to the title SCBD which means Sudirman Citayam Bojonggede Depok.

This phenomenon did not happen only this time. Previously, there were also many teenagers from Depok to Citayam who were always looking for a place to hang out in Jakarta. The usual destination is to public areas that hit the capital, such as Monas, Senopati Park, Blok M area, HI Roundabout area to Sudirman.

“In the past, when fixie became a trend, there was the Depok Fixie community. We ride usually at night. Sometimes it's Saturday morning. Just for hanging out, in Tebet, Blok M, the furthest to the HI Roundabout. Once to the Kota Tua. The difference now is that the SCBD team just blows up social media,” said Aco, a former fixie bike activist who lives in Depok.

Mascots Of Citayam Fashion Week, Roy Citayam and Jeje Slebew. (Instagram@roy_handsome19)

Is this phenomenon a signal that Depok City should join Jakarta?

Looking at the data, the spokesperson for the Depok City COVID-19 Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling stated that 60 percent of Depok residents are commuters who work in Jakarta.

Commuter activities certainly have an impact on the development of areas of origin and commuter areas. This means that the residents of Depok City indirectly have a big role in building the city of Jakarta. The data also implies that the majority of Depok residents are more familiar with Jakarta than the city itself.

Mr. Yos's Megapolitan Concept

The initial idea of the City of Depok to join Jakarta has been launched since the era of Sutiyoso as Governor of DKI Jakarta. At that time, Sutiyoso spawned the Megapolitan concept which combines DKI with partner cities only related to spatial planning.

One area must focus on one area, such as industry, education, and offices. Thus, the development will not only focus on Jakarta, but will shift to partner areas, for example, the unification of mass transportation development. Thus, the citizens of partner cities who carry out their activities in Jakarta will be easier and more efficient.

"The concept that we are actually building is an area or spatial layout that is synergistic, so that between the core city of Jakarta and the surrounding area, the spatial layout is packaged together so that it is synergistically beneficial," added Mr. Yos, Sutiyoso's nickname, quoted from Antara.

According to him, the concept of megapolitan is actually a natural growth and has occurred in various countries. From a micro-city to metro and continues to grow as a core city and then develops together with the surrounding area into a megapolitan.

Depok Station. Millions of Depok residents who work in Jakarta prefer to use the Commuter Line (Wikimedia Commons)

“Look at Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, namely Putera Jaya, it used to be like a satellite city. Also in the United States, so it's a natural process," he said.

Unfortunately, the Megapolitan concept did not get a good response. There are still a number of people who think that the concept is only a reactive discourse from the inability of the DKI Provincial Government to overcome the problems of flooding and waste.

In fact, said Mr. Yos, this only concerns spatial planning. "The Bekasi, Depok, Bogor, and Tangerang areas are not included in the Jakarta administration area. Partner cities are still included in the West Java region. But we will arrange the spatial layout together," he explained.

Troubleshooting Integration

Like being blown away by the wind, Depok Mayor Mohammad Idris suddenly resurfaced the discourse. Moreover, after the SCBD term went viral on social media. He expressed his desire to leave West Java and join Greater Jakarta.

During his 15 years in government, Idris believes that there are still a number of problems that cannot be resolved without the intervention of other provincial governments. This problem also occurs almost every year and there are often misunderstandings that lead to blaming each other between regional heads.

"Wow, this flood is because of Depok, but Depok said it was flooded because of Bogor. Bogor said no because the upstream was like that. Now, I think this can be finished, I think, if it is put together," said Idris, quoted from Kompas.com.

Supporting cities, such as Depok, Bekasi, Bogor, and Tangerang, must have one command. "Now there are five commands. For example, the Governor of DKI wants this, but Bekasi and I can't go beyond the limits of my governor's authority," he said.

Another reason why the Depok City Government 'insists' on wanting to join Jakarta is the close proximity of the area, the cultural structure that is not much different, namely Betawi, and the security coordination which is still under the auspices of the Metro Jaya Police and the Kodam Jaya.

Mayor of Depok, Mohammad Idris. (Between)

"Try asking the residents of Depok City, there will definitely be many who want to join Jakarta, including the problem of Junior and Senior High Schools, definitely more and easier to accommodate the needs of quality education," added Deputy Mayor of Depok, Imam Budi Hartono.

Moreover, based on the Central Bureau of Statistics, as reported by Kata Data, the majority of the population of Depok City are of productive age (15-64 years). Reaching 1.46 million people or 70.81 percent of the total population. The large population of productive age in an area will be an important capital in development.

Urban planning observer Nirwono Yoga believes that with the potential for a productive population, Depok's joining as part of Jakarta will further strengthen Jakarta's position to compete with other big cities in the world.

“Actually, Depok has indirectly become part of Jakarta. The majority of Depok residents are active in Jakarta, and their teenage children hang out in Jakarta. It's just a matter of how the stakeholders of power and interests see the opportunity (regional merger)," he said when contacted on Saturday (16/7).