Deputy Governor Of DKI Says Moving Capital City Prevents Jakarta From Sinking, Walhi: Misguided Thought

Jalan Gunung Sahari and Jalan Samanhudi in Central Jakarta were flooded in January 2020. (ANTARA-Sigid Kurniawan)

JAKARTA - Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta Ahmad Riza Patria stated that moving the capital city could be an effort to prevent Jakarta from sinking in 2050. The Jakarta Forum for the Environment (Walhi) views Riza's statement as incorrect.

"This statement by the Deputy Governor is a dangerous misguided thought that can undermine the sustainability of the environment and the lives of Jakarta residents," said Executive Director of Walhi Jakarta, Suci Fitria Tanjung in a statement, Tuesday, August 16.

Suci stated that the root of the problem that threatens Jakarta to sink is actually the government's failure to plan spatial planning, provide clean water pipe services, and enforce regulations related to groundwater extraction in equifiers for the commercial and industrial sectors.

This failure, said Suci, is reflected in the lack of groundwater recharge areas. As is known, 64 to 92 percent is impermeable and built-up land cover. In other words, some areas in Jakarta have lost their ability to absorb water, thereby disrupting the availability of ground water.

"The areas with the highest waterproof land cover are North Jakarta and Central Jakarta, both of which are also the areas with the highest land subsidence rate," Suci said.

Meanwhile, the relocation of the capital city to the archipelago, East Kalimantan, according to Suci, will not have a significant impact on Jakarta's land subsidence. Although, there will be one million ASN of the central government moving from Jakarta.

Jakarta, which is planned to become a global business center in the future, is predicted to remain difficult for environmental restoration.

“The relocation of the capital city has absolutely nothing to do with the environmental restoration agenda in Jakarta. As long as development ambitions are not lowered, it will be difficult for Jakarta to recover. So, stop using the excuse of improving the environment in Jakarta to smooth out the plan to move the capital city," he explained.

Previously, Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, Ahmad Riza Patria, said that moving the capital city was one of the efforts to prevent land subsidence that threatened Jakarta to sink.

"One of the goals is to move the capital city from Jakarta to East Kalimantan, one of which is to reduce the burden on DKI Jakarta. Including the burden of lowering ground water levels," said Riza at DKI Jakarta City Hall, Tuesday, August 9.