Anies Claims JIS To Make Jakarta The Largest City In The Southern Hemisphere, Gerindra: That's Motivation, Citizens Must Be Proud

JAKARTA - Member of the Gerindra faction of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, Syarif, responded to the claim of DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan who stated that the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) made Jakarta the largest megapolitan city in the southern hemisphere.

Syarif admitted that he supported Anies' statement. Although Anies' claim has not been proven to be true, Syarif thinks it can be used as motivation for Jakarta residents.

"It is true that other people judge. But (Anies' statement) is an encouragement, motivation. Residents of the capital city should be proud because this is a form of cultural progress in development," Syarif said when contacted, Friday, April 22.

Moreover, Syarif considered it natural that Anies as a leader needed to motivate his citizens to be proud of this new Jakarta icon.

However, there are other things that Anies must also think about, apart from his proud claim about JIS. Anies, according to Syarif, must take into account the stadium use scheme, ranging from commercialization to access for vulnerable or marginalized groups.

"Right now, the problem is that after JIS is established, we have to think about its management. For example, what kind of commercialization is it, what about vulnerable groups, can they not have access? Instead, the message is that we should be proud and on the one hand how to maintain this," he explained.

Previously, Anies claimed that the soft launching which coincided with the final of the International Youth Championship (IYC) a few days ago was a historic day. In fact, he views JIS as making Jakarta the largest megapolitan city in the south of the earth.

"This stadium confirms that Jakarta is the largest megapolitan city in the southern hemisphere and as the capital city of ASEAN. This stadium is expected to provide a bright future, as well as be part of an important journey in the history of the Indonesian nation," said Anies.

Anies stated that the new international standard stadium built by the DKI Provincial Government is proof that Indonesia is a great nation because it is able to present works worldwide.

"JIS was built with the spirit of pursuing the perfection of a development process. During its construction process it has recorded various records in the construction world and will become a new benchmark that other nations in the world must pursue," said Anies.