Revisiting The Arranging Of The Aquarium Village, Which Was Debated Because The Land Was Brought By Anies To IKN

The Governor of DKI Jakarta hands over Jakarta's water and land to President Jokowi/Photo: VOI

JAKARTA - The Aquarium Village in Penjaringan, North Jakarta is back in the debate. This started with the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Anies Baswedan, who chose to take the land in the Aquarium Village to be brought to the National Capital (IKN) of the Archipelago during the procession of unifying land and water for all provinces on Monday, March 14 yesterday.

Then, this decision was protested by the PDIP faction of the DKI DPRD. PDIP reiterated the problem of violating the rules that Anies had done when organizing the Aquarium Village.

This is the initial problem. Kampung Aquarium is known as one of the slum areas on the north coast of Jakarta. In 2016, this area was evicted by Basuki Tjahja Purnama alias Ahok when he was governor of DKI Jakarta.

The reason is that Ahok wants to build a sheetpile in that area, near the Maritime Museum and Fish Market. In addition, Ahok also wants to build a dike to prevent sea water.

In the process of eviction, it turns out that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has found a Dutch heritage fort. Seeing that, Ahok had a desire to restore the cultural heritage.

Ahok's initial plan to reorganize the Kampung Aquarium area was hampered by the discovery of the Dutch fort. The project was abandoned, although some residents have been relocated to the Marunda flats and the Rawa Bebek flats.

However, residents came back after Anies Baswedan promised to rebuild a permanent house in the Aquarium Village. This promise was echoed by the former education minister during the 2017 DKI Jakarta election campaign.

- A new chapter of Aquarium Village by Anies

In January 2018, Anies fulfilled his promise by building three shelter blocks for the residents of Kampung Akuarium. The building was completed four months later.

After building the shelter, Anies continued by building more permanent housing in the slum village arrangement program. The residential development with the concept of a four-story flat has 5 blocks.

In total, there are 240 housing units with a type of 27 square meters per unit of the 10 hectare land. Until finally, to coincide with the celebration of the 76th Indonesian Independence Day, Anies inaugurated the Aquarium Susun Village.

- Why is it called breaking the rules?

Member of Commission A of the DKI DPRD, Gembong Warsono, assessed that the construction of the apartment in Kampung Akuarium violated the Regional Regulation on RDTR. Gembong said, the location of the Aquarium Village in the Regional Regulation on RDTR and Zoning is a red zone. This means, said Gembong, that the location cannot be used for residential purposes.

"The red zone is a government designation. Say it's like the sub-district office can, the sub-district office can. But it's not a residential area. If we don't do it ourselves, who has to obey the regulation," said Gembong.

Gembong assessed that the soil sample from the Aquarium Village taken by Anies during the Kendi Nusantara ritual held by President Jokowi was incorrect. At that location, the Kampung Aquarium settlement program carried out by Anies only seemed to favor the small people, while there were rules that Anies violated in the construction.

"In the past, it was a residential area, evictions were carried out and it was returned to its original function, namely for heritage. Now, it has been transformed back into a dwelling in the hope that Anies will take sides with the people, as if he is taking sides, but violates the rules.

Gembong hopes, the polemic that took place in Kampung Akuarium during Anies' leadership in Jakarta did not occur during the IKN development later.

"Don't let IKN be brought into psychology like that, as if taking sides but breaking the rules, you can't. IKN should not bring psychological factors like that," he added.