Jakarta Reallocates Funds for Rp 250M Suckermouth Catfish Study After Pramono’s Direct Order
Reported by Fakhrizal Fakhri | Translated by
The Jakarta Agency of Food Security, Maritime, and Agriculture (KPKP) has set aside a budget of roughly Rp 250 million to research the impact and management of ikan sapu-sapu (suckermouth catfish) across the capital's waterways.
The study must happen this year
The agency has revived its proposal to study the invasive suckermouth catfish, securing funds by trimming internal budgets after an initial plan was rejected.
The move follows strict directives from Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung, who insisted the ecological study proceed this year despite earlier setbacks.
Suckermouth Catfish Catch in Jakarta Hits 6.98 Tons“He (Mr. Pramono) made it crystal clear: the study must happen this year,” Jakarta KPKP Agency Head, Hasudungan A. Sidabalok, told the Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD) during a 2026 Revised Budget hearing on Thursday (9/10).
He explained that the study’s funding was successfully unlocked through budget realignments, balancing additions and cuts across existing programs in the 2026 Revised Budget.
“We brought the proposal back to the table and streamlined non-essential programs to make room for the suckermouth catfish study,” he noted.
To save its dying rivers, Jakarta has mobilized massive community-led hunts across all five city boroughs.
Dominating more than 60 percent of key waterways, the invasive suckermouth catfish has wreaked havoc on native wildlife while actively eroding the capital's riverbanks.
To permanently break the cycle, captured suckermouth catfish are safely eliminated and converted into eco-friendly compost—guaranteeing the invasive species never finds its way back into the water.
