Urban Growth Remains Main Problem For Fauzi To Solve

As the administration of Fauzi Bowo and Prijanto reaches its two-year mark Wednesday, urbanization still lingers as one of the main problems facing the city, economists say.

University of Indonesia urban economics expert Sonny Harry Harmadi said recently that besides continuing work on major problems such as flooding and traffic jams, the city administration should also put more efforts into developing a trustworthy population data management system to help maintain security in the city.

“No matter Jakarta’s economic potential, it’d be hard for the administration to attract more investors as long as they fail to convincingly handle security problems such as crime or terrorism,” Sonny told The Jakarta Post.

“So the implementation of a reliable [civil registry] system will not only allow the administration to control the population in the capital, but will also help improve the investment climate in the country.”

The administration admits that urbanization is the main challenge facing Governor Fauzi Bowo and Deputy Governor Prijanto, in a press release sent in connection with their two-year anniversary in office.

The press release, however, added that despite the challenges, including floods and traffic, the

city has progressed under Fauzi’s leadership, especially with regard to the East Flood Canal and transportation projects such as the Transjakarta, Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and railways.

Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF) economist Aviliani said the implementation of an advanced population data system, like the Single Identity Number (SIN) system, would help the city administration boost its tax revenue.

“With 65 percent of the country’s economy concentrated in the capital, the implementation of the single ID system will of course be financially beneficial for the city administration since all residents will have to pay their taxes,” she said.

Beside upgrading the population data management, Aviliani also suggested the administration cooperate with the government and other regional administrations to revitalize the transmigration program and ease the never-ending flow if migrants into Jakarta.

“Jakarta can’t tackle this urbanization problem alone,” she said.

As the country’s largest city, Jakarta is a constant draw for people from villages and towns across the country, triggering various social and economic problems, including poverty, crime and severe traffic congestion.

Instances of multiple ID cards and unregistered voters marred the elections earlier this year, leading

to greater calls for a revised civil registry.

More recently, the problem was more keenly felt when police revealed at least one suspected terrorist in the JW Marriott bombing had booked a room using a fake ID card.

To prevent such things ever happening again, Fauzi said last month the capital would apply a single identification number system as of next year.

Once implemented, the SIN system will assign each citizen a unique number to be used for all official documents, including ID card, passport, driver’s license, insurance policy, title deeds and tax card.

However, no further information has been provided on how and when the administration will set up the supporting infrastructure for the system.

Harjono, chairman of the All Indonesian Workers Union’s (SPSI) Jakarta branch, said the implementation of the system would help boost the city’s 4.7 million laborers’s bargaining position.

“Most workers in Jakarta are currently underpaid because there are too many workers in the city,” he said.

Hasyim Widhiarto , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Wed, 10/07/2009 10:30 AM | City