Acting Jakarta Governor Basuki T Purnama assessed that the root cause of problems in the capital city, including flooding and traffic congestion, is the widespread culture of corruption in the governmental bodies. Nevertheless, he believes that such problems can be resolved as long as there is substantial fund of City Budget (APBD) and flood prevention infrastructure development. If there were money, all problems can be resolved.

The root of all problems in this republic is corruption, because it is being maintained

“(With money) we can even tell the devil to grind soybean into tofu, haha…! With APBD, we can resolve flooding problem,” he stated on the sidelines of flood handling seminar at Century Park Hotel, Senayan, Central Jakarta, Thursday (10/30).

Basuki also admitted that he is concerned with monopolistic practices in governmental bodies. Most of goods procurements belong to Jakarta Provincial Government for flood handling have been monopolized by some parties.

“There are lots of stuffs about goods procurement. If people really intended to work, that’s not a problem. I think there are interests, contractors, et cetera,” he expressed.

Similar thing, Basuki continued, does not only happen in Jakarta, but in other regions all over Indonesia. It happens because instead of being eradicated, corruption is maintained by some parties.

“That is the root of all problems (corruption). Not only flooding. The root of all problems in this republic is corruption, because it is being maintained,” he uttered.

Hence, Jakarta Provincial Government must able to combat and eradicate corruption, thus flooding problem can be resolved.

“(We have) many smart people, lots of money, everything. There is only one way to solve the root problem of overcoming flooding in Jakarta, that is fight and eradicate corruption. If the leader is straight, subordinates will also be straight. That is my conclusion,” he said.