TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan did not worry about Jakarta’s air pollution that being said as the worst ahead of the 2018 Asian Games.

Al Jazeera’s accusation about the high rate of air pollution in Jakarta in welcoming the 18th Asian Games athletes was denied by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

According to Anies, the difference in data by the two institutions need not be debated because the environmental problems in Jakarta, such as land subsidence and air pollution, are indeed the concern for the Jakarta Administration.

“The reality is that we have environmental problems, and this is the problems that have been in the process for decades. Therefore, we must start to change our lifedata-style,” said Anies at City Hall on Sunday, August 19.

Read also: BMKG Refutes News of Jakarta Having the Worst Air Quality

Anies said one of the steps taken was implementing the odd-even system that was made to shorten the travel time of Asian Games athletes to the match venues.

Anies also said the Jakarta Administration would be aggressive in conducting the motor vehicles emission. “So that all vehicles, especially those with public transportation, and those with the high-air emission effects, will be monitored better,” he said.

On August 17, Al Jazeera made the news titled “Air pollution welcomes athletes in Jakarta for Asian Games”. BMKG Head Dwikorita Karnawati said that the accusation was not true.

“However, the assessment and research of other well-known institutions and the measured Greenhouse Gas data in the field also refute the accusation,” Dwikora said in Jakarta, Saturday, August 18.

M YUSUF MANURUNG