Efforts to resolve flooding in the capital city keep conducted by Jakarta Provincial Government. Flood disaster handling this year is prioritized in Kampung Pulo, Kampung Melayu Urban Village, Jatinegara Sub-District, East Jakarta, while next year will be the turn of Bukit Duri, South Jakarta. However, the problem can only be solved if the residents living on riverbanks willing to be relocated to flats (rusunawa).

If the residents refused being relocated, Kampung Pulo will always be flooded until doomsday. They insisted for compensation, whereas Jakarta Provincial Government has provided flats for them

“I’ve already told you that flood in Kampung Pulo can only be solved if the residents’ lands given to me (Jakarta Provincial Government). The river will be sheet piled, and I guarantee Kampung Pulo will not be flooded again this year. If the residents refused being relocated, Kampung Pulo will always be flooded until doomsday. They insisted for compensation, whereas Jakarta Provincial Government has provided flats for them,” stated Jakarta Vice Governor Basuki T Purnama, Friday (5/23).

According to Basuki, for tens of years Kampung Pulo residents have violated the rules for building houses illegally on government’s land. On the other hand, Jakarta Provincial Government all this time is waiting for their consciousness to be willing relocated to flats.

“Their demands are not clear until now, what compensation, et cetera. Whereas, it (the land they lived on) is inspection road. If rain poured, it will be flooded. I’ve told you that if Kampung Pulo residents did not give me their lands, the area will remain be flooded until doomsday,” he asserted.