Ahok: What Jakarta Can Learn from London

Liputan6.com, Jakarta London and Jakarta are both the capital city of two among many of the highly populated countries. Despite the similarity, there are still a number of factors that differentiate both countries. Viewed as still ‘developing’, the capital city of Indonesia is considered less advanced both in the aspects of transportation and infrastructure. In an attempt to make a credible improvement in these sectors, Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama chooses London as a source of example.

The man who is colloquially known as Ahok plans to make a friendly visitation to London to undertake a comparative study focusing on transportation. He confirmed his intention shortly after the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson paid a visit to Jakarta last Sunday 30 November 2014.

“We will also visit London in return. We ought to learn a lot about transportation from them. Their transportation system is the most desirable one,” uttered Ahok after a visit to the State Palace, Jakarta on Sunday, November 20, 2014.

The former Regent of East Belitung believes that London has an excellent ability and experience in building its spatial structure. This can be seen from the successful construction of underground properties, buildings and mass transportation.

“London is highly experienced in its construction of underground properties, including the ‘sky building’, mass transportations and also its waste water management. We also want to be like that,” Ahok added.

In a meeting with Boris Johnson, Ahok also took time to discuss low-price housing in Jakarta. Boris shares how in London this system has already been adopted for a long time.

“London has previously gone through the same phase of needing low-price homes for its people. The progress towards its implementation in London was extraordinary. But London has gone through that, its time for us to learn from them and adopt it in Jakarta,” said Ahok.

In order to make Asian Games 2018 that will be held in Jakarta a successful one, Ahok seeks to learn from London’s experience in managing its London Olympics in 2012. “We want the Asian Games in 2018 to be a successful one. We want to learn from London. It took them 10 years to be fully prepared for the 2012 Olympics Games. It should take less than that for us to prepare for Asian Games in 2018,” said the former politican of Gerindra Party.

Ahok claims that Mayor Boris will provide inputs and yield assistance to Jakarta. He expects that Jakarta, as a developing capital city will gain similar successes in these sectors.

Although not particularly evident yet, Ahok claims he has done a number of improvements including sports facilities, housing for athletes in the form of rented apartments and other needs for Asian Games 2018. He also plans to build new sports venue, repairing the old ones and fixing the transportations.

Meanwhile, London Mayor said his team will cooperate with Jakarta in preparation for the Asian Games 2018. “We have experience in constructing the facilities and constructing the appropriate infrastructure for the Games. Perhaps it is best for us to cooperate so that Jakarta can learn from us,” shared Boris.

Vice Versa

Jakarta is not the only one seeking the lesson, London is also learning a lot from Jakarta. Mayor of London boris Johnson claimed he is particularly interested with the system of Car Free Day (CFD) in Jakarta. He intends to implement this activity in London. “I was impressed by all the things I saw in Jakarta. What you are doing on Car Free Day is amazing, I want to adopt such system in London,” said Boris.

He also praised Jakarta people who have the profound motivation to wake up early as they gathered at Car Free Day areas to exercise. Boris wants his citizens in London to have similar motivation and willingness to wake up early and embrace the art of exercising together in the absence of vehicles. It is particularly hard to gather people in the morning to exercise together in big cities.

“I want the citizens of London to get out of bed in the morning and do similar activities like what Jakarta citizens do on Car Free Day. It is not easy to motivate the citizens to wake up early and be involved in this kind of activity. I am very impressed with Jakarta,” Said Boris.

Apart from that, Boris also claims he is impressed with Jakarta progress in developing its public transportations and the economy. He mentioned how development of Mass Rapid transit (MRT) is progressing well.

“Jakarta is experiencing a remarkable progress as compared to last year. This city is ready to become the financial centre and the place where most of its transportations are working very well. Starting with its infrastructure, subway and the transportation stations. I am very impressed,” Boris added.

During his visit, Mayor Boris yielded 12 units of bike for the patrol officers at the National Monument (Monas). Boris officially handed over the bike to Jakarta Governor Ahok. President Joko Widodo witnesses this event. The kind gesture was a symbol of cooperation between the two public figures in trying to improve their cities.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson arrived in Jakarta on Saturday 29 of November 2014. As soon as he arrived, he paid a visit to official residence of Jakarta governor at taman Suropati, Menteng. Though it was raining that day, it did not stop Boris from running out of the car straight to Ahok’s residence in the absence of bodyguards or any sorts of security.

President Joko Widodo said he has previously exchanged letters with Mayor Boris discussing his intention to come down to Jakarta.

“Mayor Boris sent me a letter telling me how he wants to come down here to discuss matters such as transportations and infrastructure for Jakarta to improve. By the time he’s here, I am no longer Jakarta Governor. So, it is Ahok’s duty to have that discussion with the mayor,” explained Jokowi.

Mayor Boris has already planned to come down since last year. But he claims that the opportunity to do so apparently is this year. Jokowi, similar to Ahok has the same intention, that is to learn to manage a highly populated city particularly in terms of its transportation. However, since now Ahok reigns as the governor, it is his job to further this intention.

“Now that Ahok is the governor of Jakarta, he is the one that will finish the task of improving Jakarta,” shares The President. (Akp/Ein)