Anies’ Subordinates Deny Accusing of Abolishing River Normalization

JAKARTA - DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has denied accusations that the DKI Provincial Government has removed the river normalization program in the amendment of the 2017-2022 Medium-term Regional Development Plan (RPJMD).

RPJMD is a development planning document that contains the vision, mission, and programs of the regional head promised since the term of office for a period of 5 years.

This statement was emphasized by Anies through the Head of DKI Development Planning Agency at Sub-National Level (Bappeda) Nasruddin Djoko Surjono. Nasruddin dismissed the accusation from the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) faction that Anies proposed the abolition of normalization, which is a legacy program of former DKI Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama.

"River normalization activities are still being carried out as an integrated part of flood control efforts in Jakarta and are not removed from the 2017-2022 RPJMD changes", Nasruddin said in his statement, Wednesday, February 10.

Nasruddin said river normalization activities are still listed in Chapter IV. This is also in line with the joint agreement on the Action Plan for Flood and Landslide Management in the Jabodetabekpunjur Area 2020-2024.

Where the Ministry of PUPR will carry out the construction of flood control in rivers/streams which is the authority of the Central Government and the Regional Government to support land acquisition at the rivers locations to be worked on.

"In fact, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has been carrying out a land acquisition on rivers, which supports the normalization implementation by the Central Government", said Nasruddin.

He continued, last year, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has carried out the land acquisition process in Ciliwung, Pesanggrahan, Sunter, and Jatikramat rivers worth around IDR 340 billion.

Meanwhile, for Kali Angke, the construction will be carried out in 2021. "In 2021, the budget has been allocated around IDR 1.073 trillion which is earmarked for land acquisition in the rivers/streams mentioned above and several reservoirs and rivers in the flood control system", He explained.

Nasruddin explained, RPJMD changes are still in the process of being discussed between the executive and legislative branches, which means that they are still open to input in its improvement.

Previously, a member of the PSI DPRD DKI Fraction Justin Untayana said that the river normalization program was removed in the draft revised RPJMD. Justin regrets the attitude of Anies, who has served for 3 years but has not been able to acquire land for the normalization program.

"The problem is, Anies has been serving as governor for more than 3 years, but the promise of the river naturalization and normalization campaign seems like nothing has been realized at all. If Anies removes river normalization from the RPJMD document, then the residents of Jakarta will suffer losses due to the continuing floods", Justin said in his statement.