Governor Pramono: Drastic Reduction in Jakarta’s Slum Areas

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung, announced a significant decline in the number of the administrative neighborhood units (RW) classified as slum areas. Based on the latest data collection conducted in collaboration with Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the number of slum RWs in Jakarta has decreased to 211, down from 445 in 2017.

This represents a decrease of approximately 52.58%

Pram has instructed his administration to conduct an in-depth analysis of these findings to further improve the quality of life for Jakarta residents. This statement was delivered during a joint press briefing with Statistics Indonesia at Jakarta City Hall, Thursday (5/7).

"While there are 1,900 units previously considered non-slums that I have agreed to examine further, the data shows a clear reduction in slum RWs from 445 in 2017 to 211 this year. This represents a decrease of approximately 52.58%," he explained.

PSEL Project to Solve Jakarta's Waste Crisis, Says Pramono

He expressed gratitude for this progress, noting the complex challenges and multi-faceted issues faced on the ground.

Nevertheless, the Jakarta government remains committed to prioritizing the management of slum areas, particularly in densely populated regions such as West Jakarta and North Jakarta.

"These areas will receive focused attention. West Jakarta has the highest concentration (of slums); based on my visits to nearly all 267 urban villages, several areas in the West, such as Tambora, require intensive intervention," he added.

During the occasion, he also commended BPS for their cooperation in mapping the actual conditions of Jakarta. He further requested BPS to assist in mapping Jakarta's Green Open Spaces (RTH), expressing optimism that the city's RTH ratio has also seen a significant increase.

BPS Head, Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, explained that the slum RW mapping utilized a modern methodology incorporating Big Data—specifically satellite imagery—integrated with direct field surveys. This dual-method approach was employed to enhance data accuracy.

"Consequently, the results of the slum RW data collection we presented to the Governor are more precise, as they leverage the latest technological advancements," she clarified.

From the survey conducted across 2,749 RWs in Jakarta, 211 remain classified as slums. The Jakarta government and BPS will continue their collaboration to map an additional 1,904 RWs to verify environmental conditions.

"We'll proceed by overlaying data from 1,904 RWs with satellite imagery to identify which areas still require further field verification," she added.

Amalia detailed that 11 specific criteria are used to determine "slum status" at RT level, which are then aggregated to the RW level. These indicators include population density, building density, housing construction quality, ventilation and lighting conditions, and access to sanitation facilities.

Other parameters include waste management practices, frequency of trash collection, drainage conditions, the state of local roads, public street lighting, and building layouts.

"The essence of determining a neighborhood's slum status—which we then aggregate into a slum RW—is not based solely on building structures or density. It also accounts for the condition of environmental facilities and sanitation infrastructure," she concluded.