TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (BTP), better known as Ahok, opined that the flooding in Jakarta during the new year’s day was not attributable to the heavy downpour.

“[In the previous flooding,] even when Katulampa dam was not overflowed, we (Jakarta) have been damaged,” said the former governor of Jakarta after the launching event of his second book ‘Panggil Saya BTP’ at Ruang dan Tempo, Jakarta, Monday, February 17.

He said that Jakarta’s streets were inundated because the water was not pumped to rivers or lakes. “The [overflow] water was not pumped and not distributed. So just adopt the Netherland’s concept,” said the chief commissioner of Pertamina. He added that his recipe to tackle flooding in the capital was from the Netherland.

“1300 water channels must be clear. The water pumps must work. So before the rain showers, clean up the channels. Heavy equipment must continue dredging [the city’s rivers because Jakarta is on] alluvial lowland, you see. That’s not based on my own knowledge, but from the Netherlands,” Ahok explained.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said extreme rainfall resulted in a flood in several areas of the city on February 8, 2020. Referred to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the rainfall was categorized as heavy because of its intensity reached up to 244 millimeters.

Anies claimed the flood during the 2020 new year’s day was not as severe as floods in 2013 and 2017, when Jakarta was led by Jokowi and BTP respectively. “[During this year’s flood,] no school was closed, shopping mall remained open, and roads in HI Roundabout was not inundated,” said Anies on January 9.

KIKI ASTARI | MARTHA