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Fauzi Reserves His Traffic Apologies for Foreign Officials
Arientha Primanita | October 29, 2010

Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo apologized for the "extraordinary" traffic on Monday, but not to the the citizens of the city — he reserved his apologies for a foreign delegation. (JG Photo/Afriadi Hikmal) Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo apologized for the "extraordinary" traffic on Monday, but not to the the citizens of the city — he reserved his apologies for a foreign delegation. (JG Photo/Afriadi Hikmal)
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marko1
3:54pm Oct 29, 2010

Yes on the Monorail, its 2010 and it will take 6 years to build 15km?

Who would accept that plan when China builds 3000km per year!

Are the car company preventing this?

Jeanne Hachette
1:53pm Oct 29, 2010

What about every Jakartan dumping a bag of sh.. in front of the Foke's office? He would enjoy the fun paddling in it to go back home

TiaTum
8:35am Oct 29, 2010

Heavy rains are quite expected in Jakarta, just as snowstorms are in Moscow! The nature cannot be blame. Time is not for audit or discussion anymore. Time is now for implementing an effective action plan - Marshall plan style. As for the money, we do pay taxes as residents of this city... if the administration is already short, where has it gone then? Journalists, please investigate more on this issue.

I would also appreciate to read in your columns a financial assessment with a good analysis of the earnings vs spendings of the Jakarta city administration management so that we can judge fairly the efforts. It would be good to see also the initial action plan drafted by M. Fauzi Bowo, what has been implemented and what has not been yet, and also all say more about the spendings that had to be done and were not part of the initial action plan...


Leslie_Williams
7:39am Oct 29, 2010

This guy's shallow and all to regular "Gubernatorial Decrees" are little short of a joke - like his "sterilization of TransJakarta routes" to make them "free from private vehicles".

His blitz lasted for a couple of days and prior to Idul Fitri it was a pleasure to use TransJakarta - lanes on routes selected for "sterilization" were free and buses were frequent and less crowded because of this.

Since the Lebaran holidays ended, policing of busway lanes has been virtually non-esistent with the result that they are again clogged with motorbikes, public buses (still stopping wherever they like) and private cars.

As soon as rains hit, the busway lanes become a "free-for-all" as motorists know that there would NEVER be a police officer out in the rain to check on them.

Wake-up Governor Fauzi!!! Before you shoot from the lip about the merits of TransJakarta, take a bus yourself in peak hours to see just how "sterile" the busway lanes really are.


TGIF
5:30am Oct 29, 2010

Foreign visitors would have a field day to report when they return home. But "shame" is not in the daily vocabulary here in this country.

"He also told them about the city’s plans, unveiled last month, to have a fully-operating Mass Rapid Transit rail line by 2016, equipped with 13 stops along a 15.5-kilometer route."

Should the foreign visitors be impressed by the statement??? I think NOT. Nonetheless,frustrated people who live in Jakarta may not see the realization of it being unveiled.


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Jakarta. Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo finally apologized for Monday evening’s monstrous traffic gridlock — but to a visiting foreign delegation instead of his constituents.

“I’m sorry for the traffic you have to go through while you’re here,” he told delegates from the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) on Thursday, during a governors’ and mayors’ convention.

“It’s because of the increased population and [low public] welfare.”

The governor was widely criticized for attempting to deflect blame over severe traffic congestion on Monday, which was caused by heavy rains and flooding.

Fauzi called the incident “extraordinary,” but said the situation was out of his hands.

He blamed nature for causing the snarl, while experts blamed inadequate infrastructure.

“The rain wasn’t my fault, and it was heavy,” Fauzi said.

Critics have pointed out that the condition of the city’s storm drains, which an official had acknowledged were only 20 percent functional, was well within his authority to fix.

The city’s TransJakarta busway network, meant to help ease congestion, was paralyzed in Monday’s downpour.

The busway network has been touted by Fauzi’s administration as one of the solutions to the city’s chronic traffic problems, mainly due to the increasing number of private vehicles hitting the roads, which has been costing the government billions of rupiah every year to address.

On Thursday, however, Fauzi once again played up TransJakarta’s merits as a solution to traffic issues. He told the ASEM delegates about the eight routes that the busway currently served, and said that two more corridors were due to open later this year.

He also told them about the city’s plans, unveiled last month, to have a fully-operating Mass Rapid Transit rail line by 2016, equipped with 13 stops along a 15.5-kilometer route.

He said the government would also revitalize existing rail networks and improve traffic management.

Muhammad Sanusi, chairman of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and a member of the Jakarta City Council, said Fauzi’s statements on Thursday were not the kind of assurances people were looking for.

“What the people want is action, not just words,” he said. “People are angry because traffic congestion and flooding remain the biggest problems in the city.”

Fauzi noted the public’s anger over Monday’s nightmare, saying he would welcome any class-action lawsuit filed against his administration over the traffic fiasco.

The Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) said it had received numerous complaints from citizens, urging it to sue the administration in the hope that the government would improve the delivery of public services and boost infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit, part of the ASEM delegation, said floods and traffic jams were common problems in highly urbanized areas.

“I think big cities must invest more in the public transportation system and infrastructure for the public because that is the goal for the future,” he said.

Wowereit said the administrations of Jakarta and Berlin, which are sister cities, planned to “engage in greater cooperation and sharing of experience to help each other boost the provision of public services.”