Jakarta governor announces 100-day priorities

Governor Fauzi Bowo on Monday unveiled the working plan for his first 100 days in office, with his priorities focused on tackling some of Jakarta's most pressing problems.
Speaking at a press conference at City Hall, the governor said his 100-day plan, which covers the period of Oct. 8 to Jan. 15, included 19 priority programs that "will help create a more comfortable Jakarta for everyone".
"I guarantee you that we'll finalize these 19 programs within 100 days. These programs have also been taken into account in the 2007 revised city budget," Fauzi said. "I have my staff to support me. I'll bind them with a contract that will stipulate punishments and rewards for those involved. All you have to do is just watch the process." The governor did not elaborate on the planned punishments and rewards.
One of the priority programs is easing chronic traffic jams caused by the ongoing construction of busway lanes. Three new corridors are being built, linking Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta to Harmoni in Central Jakarta; Pinang Ranti in East Jakarta to Pluit in North Jakarta; and Cililitan in East Jakarta to Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta.
"We'll expand the streets alongside the busway lane construction and build ramps on busway lanes for motorists temporarily to use them, as well as assigning officers from the public order and city transportation agencies to monitor areas prone to traffic jams," Fauzi said.
The governor also promised the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project, which eventually will stretch 14.3 kilometers from South Jakarta's Lebak Bulus to Central Jakarta's Dukuh Atas, would begin by the end of the year. "The loan for the MRT, or subway, project is now secured. We're expecting to have a company to handle the project by this year, with recruitment to be opened soon," he said. The money for the MRT project, which is expected to cost Rp 8.3 trillion (US$910 million), will be provided by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation in soft loans.
Another program calls for the administration to finish acquiring land for the East Flood Canal, a project that is expected to help reduce annual flooding in the capital. The administration needs to complete the acquisition of 13 hectares of land from residents of North Jakarta's Rorotan and Marunda subdistricts.

Fauzi's priority programs
1. Mitigating traffic jams caused by the ongoing construction of busway
corridors VIII, IX and X
2. Managing and re-routing traffic
3. Preparing Mass Rapid Transit project
4. Improving existing city institutions and issuing related regulations
5. Mitigating floods
6. Giving aid to the poor in the form of scholarship,
staple foods and health insurance
7. Providing more regulations, public facilities and easier access for handicapped
8. Revitalizing Jakarta's slums
9. Fighting drug abuse
10. Intensifying communication between the governor and Jakarta

(The Jakarta Post)