TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama plans to build a helipad in the Thousand Islands regency to ease the evacuation of sick residents, especially to Koja General Hospital in North Jakarta. "Koja already has a helipad, but there are none in the Islands," he said at the City Hall on Monday, November 23.

"It's technically just a concrete slab, so we need to move fast and build one," continued the Governor.

According to Basuki, the existence of a helipad would help the residents of the Islands - who up until today, could still be cut off from accessing the capital's amenities by adverse weather. "This way, if sea access is cut off by large waves, residents [of the Islands] could use the helicopter to go to Koja," he said.

In a separate occassion, the Head of Jakarta's Health Agency, Koesmedi Priharto, confirmed the plan - but said that the project will not be funded by his Agency's budget. "Maybe Jakarta's Disaster Mitigation Agency will fund the construction," he said.

According to Koesmedi, the proposed helicopter access will not only be used by patients, but also for other purposes. "This is why we will not be funding the project - I believe the Public Works Agency is better fitted to fund it," he said. "We don't have the means and expertise to embark on such project."

Governor Basuki had said last Wednesday that there agencies will received prioritised funding - in addition to the Health Agency, the Public Housing and Construction Agency as well as the Education Agency is slated to accept prioritised funding.

ANGELINA ANJAR SAWITRI