TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) lawyer Jenny Sirait on Friday found it regrettable that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and a number of State Ministries are appealing the Central Jakarta District Court verdict that found the defendants’ negligent by failing to curb air pollution in the capital city of Jakarta.

The state ministries subjected to the lawsuit include the Environment and Forestry Ministry (KLHK), Ministry of Finance, and the Home Affairs Ministry.

In a press conference held virtually on October 1, Sirait stated that state institutions and public officials are most responsible to ensure good air quality for Jakartans, the appeal “actually legitimizes their lack of performance that leads to negligence.”

The 32 Jakarta residents filing the lawsuit decided not to file an appeal in hopes that the court’s orders will be implemented to improve Jakarta’s air quality but instead the appeal from the President and other defendants will only delay that.

The LBH Jakarta lawyer insisted that the lawsuit was not meant to establish winners and losers but to fix the issues related to air that is breathed by the entire Jakarta population.

The court instructed the President to set sufficient national ambient air quality standards to protect public health, environment, and ecosystem while the Minister of Environment and Forestry was asked to supervise the Governors of West Java, Jakarta, and Banten in inventorying cross-border emissions in their respective regions.

The Home Affairs Minister was ordered by a judge to supervise and guide the Governor of Jakarta in controlling air pollution. Meanwhile, the Minister of Health was asked to calculate the reduction in health impacts due to air pollution in Jakarta Province.

Anies Baswedan as Defendant V have to supervise public compliance with the provisions of laws and regulations in the field of air pollution control and or the provisions of environmental documents.

Governor Anies Baswedan previously announced that the city will not appeal to the verdict and stated that it goes in line with the spirit of the Jakarta Administration upon providing good air quality for its people.

Read: Court Finds Jokowi, Anies Baswedan Violate Law Related to Air Pollution

ADAM PRIREZA