PDIP - PSI Blames Anies to Issue Temporary IMB on Land of Residents Affected by Fire at Pertamina Plumpang Depot

Anies Baswedan (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The PDIP and PSI DPRD DKI Jakarta factions said that the former Governor of DKI Jakarta, Anies Baswedan was also guilty of the impact of the fire on a residential area in Tanah Merah Bawah, Rawabadak Selatan, North Jakarta which spread from the Pertamina Plumpang Depot.

Member of the DKI Jakarta DPRD PDIP faction, Gilbert Simanjuntak, said that from the start the land in Tanah Merah Bawah was not allowed to be built for residential areas. However, during the 2017 DKI Pilgub campaign, Anies made promises to residents who had settled in Tanah Merah. Anies said he would legalize land ownership there.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok), when he was still the governor of DKI in 2016, once reminded Anies not to issue his political promises carelessly.

Especially in Tanah Merah, Ahok at that time emphasized that the area was a buffer zone on Pertamina's land. There is a danger that threatens if residents establish settlements there.

However, Anies did not heed Ahok's warning. In 2021, Anies issued a temporary building permit (IMB) in Tanah Merah as a solution so that residents get their basic rights, namely water and electricity.

"From the start, it was known that the Pertamina Plumpang Depot could not be occupied at a certain distance. The land belonged to PT Pertamina which was occupied by residents, but Anies when he was governor was given a permit, which is clearly against regulations", said Gilbert on Sunday, March 5.

In Gilbert's view, the temporary permit for the Tanah Merah land that was issued by Anies while in the office made the problem even more complicated, because it seemed that he was more concerned with being elected governor with a campaign promise even though he had to break the rules.

"This mistake should not be repeated. At this time, with the victims of the fire, residents should be relocated to avoid a recurring disaster in the future", he said.

DKI Jakarta DPRD Fraction Secretary William Aditya Sarana also criticized Anies Baswedan who had issued an IMB at Tanah Merah, the location of the Pertamina Depot fire. At that time, Anies should have relocated residents to safer residential areas.

"Pak Anies should have asked residents to move to a safe location, instead they were given an IMB. This is an important lesson, leaders must have firmness, don't just want to make policies that are pleasing to the ear but can harm the community", he said.

For information, there was a fire at the Pertamina Plumpang Depot on Friday, March 3 at 20.11 WIB. The Pertamina gas pipe fire spread to a house in Rawabadak Selatan Village, Koja District, North Jakarta.

The fire was only finished being extinguished on Saturday, March 4 at 02.19 WIB. As a result of this incident, 16 people died. Then, 37 people are still receiving treatment at several hospitals.

As of Sunday, March 5 at 06.00 WIB, there are still 371 people displaced at the PMI North Jakarta Office and RPTRA Rasella. Some of the other refugees have returned to their homes.

Until now, it is not yet known the exact cause of the pipe leak that resulted in the explosion. The nominal loss is also still being calculated.