Ahok Thanks Orange Troops Help Sequencing Jakarta Floods In Today's Memory, March 2, 2017

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok), who served as Governor of DKI Jakarta from the 2014-2017 era. (Between)

JAKARTA Memories of today, seven years ago, March 2, 2017, the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) invited Public Infrastructure and Facilities Handling (PPSU) officers to City Hall. Ahok also thanked him for the deftility of the officers nicknamed the Orange Troops to recede the Jakarta floods.

Previously, Ahok's leadership had never 'dedicated' a solution to tackling Jakarta floods. He prepared preventive measures as well as handling floods when the rain never stopped.

Flood management is often the homework of every Jakarta leader. This condition has been going on for a long time. Anyone in office, surely, flood management is one of the main priorities. Flood management matters are always the promise of a campaign for Jakarta leadership candidates ahead of the election.

Gubernur dan Wakil Gubernur DKI Jakarta terpilih 2012-2017, Joko Widodo (Jokowi) dan Ahok pernah menjanjikannya. Keduanya mengulankan langkah tepat guna mengangi banjir Jakarta. Langkah itu terdiri dari langkah pencegahan dan penanganan saat banjir.

Take for example preventive measures. Jokowi-Ahok prepared steps from the construction of many Green Open Spaces (RTH), Blue Open Space (RTB), to the normalization of the Ciliwung River. However, the normalization of the Ciliwung River is the most difficult.

The DKI Jakarta government is often forced to carry out less popular policies in realizing the Ciliwung River normalization plan. This policy forced Jokowi to continue with Ahok as Jakarta's number one person to carry out evictions.

This effort makes the most sense. Everything because normalization is an effort to restore the condition of the river width. Whoever is and resides on the banks of the river will be evicted.

The policy sparked a series of protests. Ahok was forced to face residents with various demands. In fact, the DKI Jakarta government is considered not to heed the court's orders for forcing evictions to occur in several places such as Kampung Pulo.

The RTH dissati of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government under Ahok's leadership by repurchasing land so that it can be used to build green open space. Apart from green open space, the DKI Provincial Government even plans to build a Blue Open Space (RTB), namely building reservoirs for water reservoirs.

For Ahok, river normalization is a rational solution that must be taken. For this purpose, the place where residents who inhabit the riverbank area have to be evicted, and Ahok compensates for their residence in the flats that have been provided," explained Rafif Pamenang Imawan in the book Sudah Senja in Jakarta (2020).

Instead of only preparing flood prevention efforts, Ahok also prepared efforts to deal with Jakarta floods. Ahok is planning to present PPSU officers in each residential area. More specifics in each village in Jakarta.

The mandate was confirmed by the issuance of DKI Jakarta Governor Regulation No. 169 of 2015 concerning Handling Public Infrastructure and Facilities at the Kelurahan Level. PPSU, which later became known as the Orange Troops, was present to beautify Jakarta, especially handling when floods came.

They work in each kelurahan with 3 shifts for 24 hours. Each kelurahan can employ 40 to 70 PPSU officers. Attendance is so effective. Moreover, when floods hit all areas of Jakarta in February 2017.

Ahok could not sleep because his residents were flooded. However, Orange Troops appeared like rescue workers. They work hard so that the Jakarta floods recede quickly. Sometimes they clean up the garbage. Sometimes they also repair clogged waterways.

Ahok also admitted that he was proud of the Orange Troops. As a form of appreciation, Ahok invited all Orange Troops to City Hall on March 2, 2017. Ahok then expressed his gratitude for the deftness of PPSU in reducing the Jakarta floods.

"I remember when PPSU started. At that time the village head often complained about finding people who wanted to work to protect the environment. I made a PPSU decree for the recruitment of people in the environment. Jakarta is clean because of the services of all brothers. People like to say I work alone, indeed I am Superman? How can I (work alone). In the past, when it rained I was nervous, check CCTV of all kinds. Now PPSU (Oranye Troops), the Blue Troops are working well. To be proud too, all heavy equipment and trucks are painted blue.

"I appeal to security, I don't want a work accident. Even though there is BPJS and insurance, I don't want to lose the person we love. The one who dives is also not allowed if you don't wear anything, you have to wear glasses and clothes. I'm afraid there will be injuries, if there are minor injuries, it looks okay, but if the infection is dangerous," Ahok said as quoted on Detik.com page, March 2, 2017.