TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Governor of Jakarta Joko Widodo has criticized the city's spatial planning in the last few years. The Governor argued that development activites in Jakarta is heavily focused on misguided economic development that stimulates people to live a hedonistic lifestyle.
"[Development] was focused on malls, luxurious goods, and hedonistic lifestyle..." he said on Monday, September 16.
Jokowi informed that currently, Jakarta has 173 malls. In an effort to promote a balanced development, the Governor said that he will no longer grants permission to construct malls.
"Jakarta is a city with the highest number of malls in the world, and I have stopped [granting mall construction permission]," Jokowi said.
Jokowi claimed that he has been focusing on revamping and developing traditional markets.
"Products in malls have fixed price. In traditional markets, there are bargaining and hospitality. Those are our culture," he said.
Furthermore, he said that he aims to build and develop 20 to 30 markets every year so that the economic development can also benefit the lower-income class.
LINDA TRIANITA