Ataturk Road Plan Is Protested, Deputy Governor Of DKI Proposes Street Names Using City Names In Turkey

Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria/DOC VOI-Rizky Adytia

JAKARTA - Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta Ahmad Riza Patria is aware of the emergence of protests over the plan to name roads in Jakarta using the name of Turkey's first president, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Therefore, Riza proposed another alternative. He proposed changing the naming of streets in Jakarta from the plan to use the name of a character to the name of a city in Turkey.

"We will propose several names, and hopefully later the Turkish government will present alternative options. Of course, our hope is not the names of people, but the names of the cities, whether Istanbul, Ankara, and others," said Riza at City Hall, Thursday, October 21.

In order to finalize the plan for naming the street name, the DKI Provincial Government will hold a hearing meeting with the Turkish Embassy and representatives of community elements.

However, Riza admitted that he would propose an alternative street name using the name of an existing city in Turkey, before it was finally agreed and stated in the governor's regulation.

"There will be a hearing discussion process with the community if it is felt that the proposed road name will cause controversy," said Riza.

"We really hope it's like we gave a name and we hope it's like the name we gave in Casablanca, first with the Moroccan government. So it's not the name of a figure but the name of the city," he continued.

As is known, the plan to change the name of a street in a street in the Menteng area, Central Jakarta, with the name of Turkey's first president, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, has sparked protests.

Protests against the plan to name Ataturk Street were expressed by Deputy General Chairperson of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Anwar Abbas, Chairman of the DKI Jakarta PKS Regional Leadership Council Khoirudin, and Gerindra politician Fadli Zon.

Then, the chairman of the DKI DPRD, Prasetyo Edi Marsudi, expressed his objections to the Secretary General of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU Secretary General) Ahmad Helmy Faishal Zaini.

On the other hand, Turkey agreed to use the name Ahmed Soekarno for the name of the street in front of the Indonesian Embassy in Ankara. This is intended to strengthen relations between Indonesia and Turkey.