As a continuation of control against buildings affected by Ciliwung River normalization project, five three-story buildings on Jalan Jatinegara Barat, Kampung Melayu Urban Village, Jatinegara Sub-District, East Jakarta, are finally demolished, Thursday (8/28). These five buildings are part of 13 buildings to be demolished.

The demolition is carried out because all of the buildings have been emptied. If there were still stuffs, we clean them first until clean

With the help of two bulldozers, hundreds joint personnel from Satpol PP and TNI/police torn down the buildings which have established since 1970s. Those buildings are Sumber Agung Store, Ni Agung Store, Karya Logam Store, Karya Baru Store, and Perdana Store.

Head of Jatinegara Sub-District, Sofyan Taher, said the demolition is carried out because all of the buildings have been emptied. As for the remaining eight buildings, they will be demolished soon.

“For initial phase, we demolish the buildings on the south side and then later the buildings on the north side. The demolition is carried out because all of the buildings have been emptied. If there were still stuffs, we clean them first until clean,” he stated.

Taher also admitted that he knows the building owners and their attorney have met Jakarta Vice Governor Basuki T Purnama. In the meeting, they begged for the demolition to be done on Saturday (8/30).

“If (the demolition) postponed, our men would lose their power and the work become slow. While we’re still in the field, we work. What can we do, we must do it. If the buildings’ emptying finished, then they should be demolished,” he asserted.