President Jokowi inaugurates Ciliwung River Waterway

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated that completion of the Ciliwung River Waterway (sodetan) can resolve 62 percent of the flood problems afflicting Jakarta City.

“With the Ciliwung Waterway, (most of) Jakarta’s flood problems can be resolved,” Jokowi said at the launch of the waterway in Jatinegara here on Monday.

However, he reminded that construction of the Ciawi and Sukamahi dams, the Ciliwung Waterway, the Ciliwung River normalization efforts, and the East Flood Canal can only handle about 62 percent of the flood problems in Jakarta.

The president explained that 38 percent of the flood problems in the capital city still had to be solved by the central government and the Jakarta Provincial Government.

“There is still 38 percent of ‘homework’ that must be done together by the Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Ministry and the Jakarta Provincial Government, as this is a very complex issue,” Jokowi remarked.

With the existence of the Ciliwung Waterway, Jokowi stated that at least six villages in Jakarta will no longer experience flooding.

“The Ciliwung Waterway had been constructed for almost 11 years, and today, Alhamdulillah (Thank God), it is finished. This can at least end flooding in six villages,” he said.

The president emphasized that the flood handling in Jakarta should be carried out from upstream to downstream levels.

“It cannot be carried out at the downstream only. Hence, we completed the construction of Ciawi Dam and the Sukamahi Dam in 2022,” he noted.

Jokowi said that the government does not solely work towards the proper handling of the Ciliwung River in Jakarta.

“There are 12 other rivers, such as Sunter River, Cipinang River, Baru Barat River, Baru Timur River, Mookervart River, and Pesanggrahan River, that also need to be handled properly,” he explained.

The president also drew attention to the issue of coastal flooding that had yet to be addressed properly and stressed that flooding problems in the capital city must be handled comprehensively.