TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok admitted that there was a miscalculation when relocating residents, who were affected by the Jakarta administration’s slum area normalization program, to low-cost apartments.
"The error is related to the commercial area," Ahok said at the Rawa Bebek low-cost apartment in East Jakarta on Tuesday, April 18, 2017.
Ahok explained, the Jakarta administration planned to allocate the ground floor for shops, while upper floors were to be used for residences. According to Ahok, the concept was similar to the Gandaria City Apartment at Taman Anggrek and Central Park, which combine a shopping center and apartments.
However, Ahok did not realize that people living in low-cost apartments had lower purchasing power than those living in non-subsidized apartments.
"Customers of shops located near rivers and dams are those who don’t live there. So, the customers are outsiders. That's why I'm planning to make a change," Ahok explained.
Ahok also admitted that he did not take social aspects into account when relocating squatters. According to Ahok, neighbors usually shared staple foods. Since the government applied a lottery system, they are now separated from their neighbors and having difficulties to socialize with new neighbors.
Ahok said that he has prepared a solution to deal with the social issue.
"We are fixing this. People will be able decide whether they are going to live on the same floor or block," Ahok added.
Ahok revealed that he will pitch a family-size low-cost apartment development project to the Public Works and Public Housings Ministry. Meanwhile, the Jakarta administration will suggest single people to move to a new block with a capacity of 400 units.
FRISKI RIANA
