Gerindra, PKS Defend Anies Baswedan Following Indo Barometer Poll

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Both the Gerindra and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) defends Governor Anies Baswedan following the Indo Barometer survey on the achievements of the city’s last three governors in overcoming issues regarding Jakarta’s notorious traffic and flooding. 

According to Gerindra politician M. Taufik, the areas submerged under floods were proven to be less compared to when Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama led Jakarta. 

“The fact is there were fewer flood spots, the same goes in the smaller number of community units (RW). I am not saying it has been better, but it is much less,” said Taufik in the Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD) headquarters on Tuesday.

A Bajaj (three-wheeled public transportation vehicle) moves through the flooded Jl. Letjen Suprapto in Central Jakarta, Saturday, February 8, 2020. ANTARA/Sigid Kurniawan

As for Anies Baswedan’s handling of the city’s traffic congestion, he claims there are no significant differences between the three governors’ leaderships. “How was traffic congestion handled? Transjakarta? Same difference. The additional bus routes did not have major effects,” he said. 

Responding to the survey ranking Anies last behind the two previous governors, Taufik said that such surveys are normal occurrences. “That’s normal.”

Meanwhile, Jakarta Legislative Council’s head of PKS faction, M. Arifin, claims the performance Anies showed far exceeds what Ahok had done and effectively denies the results of the Indo Barometer survey that ranks Ahok as first in terms of his urban management.

“What Anies Baswedan had done is far better,” said Arifin. 

The Indo Barometer survey involved 1,200 respondents in 34 provinces from January 9 - January 15, 2020. They were asked how Jakarta’s last three governors handled issues regarding floods, traffic congestion, education, healthcare services, and people’s economy.

ANTARA