When Depok's Proposal To Join Jakarta Was Rejected, It Was Called Making Noise And Not Urgent

Depok Mayor Mohammad Idris/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - The statement from the Mayor of Depok, Mohammad Idris, who proposed that his area be included in the Greater Jakarta area, was rejected by many parties. The West Java Provincial Government and even members of the DPR did not agree with Idris' request that other areas around DKI be integrated into Greater Jakarta.

According to Idris, the proposal to merge the area around Jakarta into Greater Jakarta is related to the existence of the National Capital (IKN) Nusantara in East Kalimantan.

"This should clarify the understanding of Greater Jakarta, that the issue I raised is related to the implementation of the IKN Law," said Idris some time ago.

The proposal was expressly rejected by the Deputy Governor of West Java (Jabar) Uu Ruzhanul Ulum. Uu asked Mohammad Idris not to make noise in the community.

Because according to Uu, the statement from the Mayor of Depok is tantamount to ostracizing West Java. That the provincial government is not able to build all cities and regencies in West Java.

"Please, Mayor, don't make statements that make people noisy and make people have other thoughts," said UU to reporters, Sunday, July 17.

Uu emphasized that M Idris' statement was discrediting the West Java Provincial Government, especially the West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil and himself as West Java Deputy Governor. It is as if, according to the law, the Bodebek (Bogor, Depok, Bekasi) areas are not progressing because they are merged with West Java.

The law then lays out a number of indicators for the progress of Depok or the Bodebek area. For example, large local revenue (PAD), good education and health infrastructure, and others. Therefore, Uu asked Idris to be careful in making statements.

"Don't say things that make people give an interpretation that the provincial government has not succeeded in building West Java," he said.

According to Law, the provincial government and the city or district government should mutually support and strengthen each other. Because according to him, the West Java Champion Born Inner program has derivatives of innovation, collaboration, and digitization.

"As a West Java person, I don't want to release Bodebek to other areas," said Uu.

West Java Legislator: Depok Joins Jakarta Not Urgent

Member of the House of Representatives for the West Java electoral district, Intan Fauzi, assessed that Depok Mayor Mohammad Idris' proposal for Depok to join Greater Jakarta did not have much urgency. Because according to her, economically the Depok area is quite integrated with the DKI area.

"In many ways, including economically, areas such as Depok have been integrated with DKI. Thus, the discourse on merging Depok City to DKI Jakarta is not too urgent," said Intan to reporters, Sunday, July 17.

Moreover, the PAN Legislator for West Java Region VI Depok and Bekasi City explained that the process of merging Depok City to DKI requires a long process. Because, she said, there needs to be a law that must be discussed in the DPR RI first.

"The mechanism for merging one city with another must be discussed in the DPR RI and then passed into law," explained Intan.

"I happened to be in the DPR Baleg, we also drafted a law for the merger of cities and so on. So it had to go through a long process," she continued.

In addition, this member of the DPR's PAN faction added, the process of merging Depok City to Greater Jakarta requires a referendum process through a third party, namely the people.

"By merging Depok to DKI, there is a process that must be passed, including through a third party referendum, in this case, the community," she explained.

Not to mention the question of the mechanism for selecting the Mayor of Depok which is different from the Mayor in the DKI area. Where, the Mayor of Depok is elected by the people of Depok City through general elections.

This, said Intan, is different from the position of the Mayor in Jakarta who was appointed by the Governor of DKI Jakarta. "This means, if Depok joins DKI, the regional head or mayor will be chosen and appointed by the governor and Depok will not have a city-level council," concluded Intan.