Anies Changes 22 Jakarta Street Names, JJ Rizal: Worried About Losing Historical And Cultural Values

Banners rejecting Anies Baswedan's decision to change street names at several points in DKI Jakarta/ Photo: IST

JAKARTA - The change of 22 street names to names of Betawi figures has raised concerns for historian JJ Rizal. Rizal said that the change in the name of this road has the potential to lose the historical and cultural value of the initial naming of the road.

"It is feared that changing the name of the street, if the origin, will cause loss of history and cultural value. Because, in place names, street names, important history and cultural values are also stored," Rizal said when contacted, Friday, July 1.

Rizal gave the example of Jalan Warung Buncit Raya which Anies converted into Jalan Hj. Tutty Alawiyah. Rizal said that there is a historical value to the origin of the name, namely the beauty of tolerance and inclusiveness of the Betawi people.

"Those who are identical with Islam give the name of the area with the name of a Chinese, Tan Boen Tjit. This is the toponym of Warung Buncit. Isn't this historical cultural value that is important for our present day?" said Rizal.

Likewise with the names of Jalan Kebon Kacang and Bambu Apus. These two street names contain ancestral messages to invite people to orient the city to the future as a green city.

"Well, this is an important message because now Jakarta has a green open space crisis," he said.

Furthermore, Rizal also asked Anies to use the legal basis of Government Regulation Number 2 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of Topographical Names as the basis for determining the names to be used as street names.

In this regulation, it is emphasized that every government should first take an inventory of all street names in its place, so that it knows which ones have not been named or have a meaning but do not conform to the rules of the earth's appearance or are foreign to the vision of the city's identity.

"From here, it can then be determined to place or rename the street," he added.

For information, here are the street names that were changed to the names of Betawi figures:

1. Entong Fat Street (formerly Jalan Budaya).

2. Jalan Haji Darip (formerly Jalan Bekasi Timur Raya).

3. Jalan Mpok Nori (formerly Jalan Raya Bambu Apus).

4. Jalan H. Bokir Bin Dji'un (formerly Jalan Raya Pondok Gede).

5. Jalan Raden Ismail (formerly Jalan Buntu).

6. Jalan Rama Ratu Jaya (formerly Jalan BKT West Side).

7. Jalan H. Rohim Sa'ih (formerly Bantaran Setu Babakan Barat).

8. Jalan KH. Ahmad Suhaimi (formerly Bantaran Setu Babakan Timur).

9. Jalan Mahbub Djunaidi (formerly Jalan Srikaya).

10. Jalan KH. Guru Amin (formerly Jalan Raya Pasar Minggu, North side).

11. Jalan Hj. Tutty Alawiyah (formerly Jalan Warung Buncit Raya).

12. Jalan A. Hamid Arief (formerly Jalan Tanah Tinggi 1 alley 5).

13. Jalan H. Imam Sapi'ie (formerly Jalan Senen Raya)

14. Abdullah Ali Street (formerly SMP 76 Street).

15. Jalan M. Mashabi (formerly Jalan Kebon Kacang Raya North Side).

16. Jalan HM Shaleh Ishak (formerly Jalan Kebon Kacang Raya South Side).

17. Tino Sidin Street (formerly Cikini VII Street).

18. Jalan Mualim Teko (formerly Jalan in front of Muara Angke Nature Park).

19. Sheikh Junaid Al Batawi Street (formerly the West Outer Ring Road).

20. Jalan Guru Ma'mun (formerly Jalan Swamp Buaya).

21. Jalan Kyai Mursalin (formerly Jalan Panggang Island).

22. Habib Ali Bin Ahmad Street (formerly Panggang Island Street).