Memories Of Ali Sadikin Paying Compensation For Road Widening In Jakarta With Satay And Rice Cake

The Governor of DKI Jakarta, Ali Sadikin, joked with the artists of the capital city on an occasion. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Ali Sadikin is furious about Jakarta's traffic jams. Congestion makes the whole city lose money. The government loses, let alone the people. He didn't stay still. Jakarta's number one person made a breakthrough. Road widening is an option in the midst of limited finances.

The man who is familiarly called Bang Ali perpetuates road widening without compensation. He takes advantage of his charisma. Residents met one by one. The spell was successful. As an appreciation, Ali invited the land owner to eat satay and rice cake.

It is not an easy matter to become a Governor of DKI Jakarta. That is what Ali Sadikin has felt since early April 1966. Jakarta has a problem with a high level of complexity. Accuracy is needed to understand all kinds of problems in Jakarta.

Observations by going directly to the people are carried out. Ali also explores every inch of Jakarta incognito. Day and night. From the station to the slum. Everything is done to get a definite policy formulation that is able to elevate the dignity of the city and the lives of the citizens of Jakarta.

DKI Jakarta Governor Ali Sadikin once paid for a road widening project in Jakarta by inviting land owners to eat lontong satay. (National Library)

Significant results. He feels sadness when school children are without shoes, children drop out of school, lack of school buildings, complicated transportation, to see residents fighting for clean water. His observations are stated in policy products.

Problems arose. DKI Jakarta's finances are limited. Moreover, to perpetuate the entire policy. Ali Sadikin tactics. He is determined to increase income for Jakarta. He chose to perpetuate the synergism of formal and controversial ways – perpetuating gambling and prostitution. The move worked. Even if, decorated with protests here and there. Even Jakarta has built a lot because of it.

“I started being governor in 1966. At that time I was cornered with a Rp66 million budget plan: Rp44 million for central government subsidies and Rp22 million from my own income. Eleven years later, I left Pak Cokro with a budget of Rp116 billion; 75 percent of own income. Work, work, work. Make money for the people, including gambling. Now the fuss about gambling. They should know the history of the gambling.”

“Before there was my casino, there were six illegal gambling places. Who's behind it? Soldiers. I called the muspida, I told him, I need money for school, for this, for this, for this. Borrowing from the bank is not allowed. Not from abroad. This is a source of money, I'll take it. And there is a law that justifies me as governor granting a gambling license. I took the tax for the cost of building Jakarta," said Ali Sadikin in an interview with Dewan Rakyat Magazine (Malaysia) as quoted in the book Pers Bertanya, Bang Ali Menjawab (1995).

Road widening

All kinds of ideas to build Jakarta are often accepted by Ali Sadikin. He is not afraid of criticism and is willing to receive income. In terms of facilitating the flow of traffic from congestion, one of them. The idea of ​​widening the road that was perpetuated by his subordinates was immediately approved.

However, the DKI Jakarta government has to rack its brains. Ali Sadikin admits that the funds owned by the authorized person have been diverted to other projects. As for road widening projects, especially those that require land acquisition by the DKI Jakarta government, it is quite limited.

Ali Sadikin also tried persuasion. He tried to carry out land acquisition without compensation. His charisma is used to it. He visited Jakarta residents who were affected by the project one by one. Take for example when the Gajah Mada and Hayam Wuruk Street widening projects took place.

DKI Jakarta Governor Ali Sadikin while attending a beauty pageant event. (Wikimedia Commons)

Slowly the man who was nicknamed the Kennedy of the East explained that widening the road was for the common good. Not just for one group. Ali Sadikin's efforts paid off. All residents of Jakarta also agreed to give up some of their lands for road widening.

Every time the widening process is completed, Ali Sadikin does not forget to be thankful. As an appreciation, he invited all land owners at the governor's residence to attend an event. Grateful Evening, the name. At the same time, satay and rice cake were served. All happy, all happy.

"I paid for the road repairs with satay and rice cake," said Ali Sadikin. The success of this breakthrough eventually became an example for other city governments in widening roads without providing compensation to land owners. Even though in the future local governments, including DKI Jaya, obeyed the law to meet the provisions for compensation for residents affected by road widening," said Ali Sadikin's staff who later became Indonesian Minister of Education and Culture (1993-1998), Wardiman Djodjonegoro in his book Sepanjang Jalan kenangan (2016).