Aquarium Village: Evicted By Ahok 5 Years Ago, Constructed Flats Until Anies Inaugurated Now

DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan (Photo: Instagram @aniesbaswedan)

JAKARTA - Yesterday, the Governor of DKI Jakarta inaugurated the construction of phase 1 of the flat in Kampung Akuarium. The construction of the Aquarium Susun Village is carried out through the developer's obligation fund in accordance with Governor Regulation No. 112 of 2019.

If you review the past few years, Kampung Akuarium has attracted enough attention from the two governors of DKI Jakarta.

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 Kampung Akuarium. This promise was echoed by the former minister of education during the 2017 DKI Jakarta election campaign.

A new chapter of Aquarium Village by Anies

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.

This arrangement uses a community action plan (CAP) approach. CAP is a method of developing an area that involves community and community participation.

Until finally, to coincide with the celebration of the 76th Indonesian Independence Day, Anies inaugurated the Aquarium Susun Village. After laying the first stone last year, the construction of phase 1 of the Kampung Akuarium flat was inaugurated with 2 5-storey building blocks consisting of 107 residential units that have been firmly established and can be started to be inhabited by the residents of Kampung Akuarium.

By analogizing the situation of Kampung Akuarium with independence, Anies said that the residents who live there have experienced a difficult test. He views that the inauguration of the Kampung Susun Aquarium is the independence of the citizens towards welfare.

"The people here endured that period with extraordinary mental resilience. It was not at all light that they went through. Now it is a record of their life history that there was a period of 5 years in which they underwent a very big test. Today hopefully will be a chapter new, for all of us in the DKI Provincial Government," said Anies, Tuesday, October 17.

Anies said the construction of the Aquarium Village was an effort by the DKI Provincial Government to pay off the independence promises that had been agreed upon by the nation's founders.

"The state is here to help the weak to get a decent life, as well as provide opportunities for the private sector to pay off their obligations," he said.

Furthermore, Anies revealed that the construction of Kampung Aquarium is a regional strategic program that is a priority and is carried out in collaboration with various parties.

"This is collaboration. The government has the authority and resources, but the people who have experience and understand the needs, the people who experience the complexities that exist in their communities. Sitting together, designing," he explained.