Floods Submerge Jakarta, Academics Mention Anies' Self-Imaging In Cipinang: His Arrogance Is Immediately Answered By Nature

Jakarta flood illustration (Photo: Angga Nugraha / VOI)

JAKARTA - Academic Ade Armando's harsh criticism came after the floods inundated many areas in Jakarta. According to him, DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan was only busy self-imaging without knowing which priorities should be worked out for the interests of the citizens of the capital.

Most noticeably, Anies Baswedan posted a photo of himself and a woman in the Cipinang area, East Jakarta some time ago. In the photo on the @aniesbaswedan Twitter account, you can see a comparison between 2017 where the area was still flooded, and 2020 when it was flood-free.

"This is the most ridiculous illustration of the visit to Cipinang Melayu Sub-District, East Jakarta on February 9. Anies prided himself on describing the area as now flood-free," said Ade Armando on the CokroTV YouTube channel, Saturday, February 20.

This fact is inversely proportional to the current condition in which the Cipinang Melayu Sub-District is still submerged in floods as high as 1.5 meters.

"It is described that this was achieved because of the Grebek Lumpur program at the Sunter river. So the mud was lifted and a new embankment was built. His arrogance was immediately answered by nature, in mid-February, Cipinang Melayu Sub-District was hit by a flood of up to 1.5 meters high," said Ade.

This social media activist added that Anies's policies during his tenure did not have a major effect on flood management as did his predecessor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok.

Ahok, emphasized Ade Armando, implements river management systematically by widening the river basin (DAS) so that water can quickly flow into the sea.

To support this program, Ahok then moved residents along the river to flats, including residents of illegal buildings. This program was insulted by Anies for fighting Sunnatullah (Law of God).

"In all over the world, Anies said, water from the sky should be absorbed into the earth not discharged into the sea, because that is why he said what to built should not be giant culverts, but ensure that the water is immediately absorbed into the ground. That way there is no need for eviction of illegal settlements on the river banks," said Ade.

Naturalization is the right policy to support water programs that must be absorbed into the earth and not returned to the sea. The problem, explained Ade, is that naturalization is limited to words, the DKI Provincial Government has never realized it.

"Anies explained that naturalization means replacing river walls from concrete to green areas to protect the ecosystem but everything is unclear there is no sustainable execution. So normalization at the stop of naturalization has never been carried out," explained Ade.

Based on data as of 09.00 Western Indonesia Time, there were 200 RTs out of a total of 30,070 RTs. Then, there are 26 evacuation locations, with a total of 329 families out of a total of 2.4 million households in Jakarta.

The DKI Provincial Government has prepared a public kitchen for the refugees. In that jam, covid self-isolation tents were also prepared for those who have symptoms or are detected from antigen tests. "We also prepare medicines and infrastructure," he said.