Jakarta – Jakarta had its new governor and deputy governor installed Sunday amid a wave of rallies organized by various groups to remind Fauzi Bowo and Prijanto to keep the promises they made during the election campaign.
Home Minister Mardiyanto, who presided over the inauguration ceremony at the City Council building, Central Jakarta, also said the new governor and his deputy would have to keep the promises they made to the public ahead of the Aug. 8 election.
"Fauzi must remember his promises, such as to eradicate poverty, promote industry and trade, and prevent floods," he said as quoted by the detik.com news portal at the City Council. The minister said Fauzi must try to put into effect the free 12-year-education program for every child in Jakarta.
Fauzi, with his deputy Prijanto, said they would try to fulfill their duty as the city's leaders to the best of their abilities.
Backed up by a 13-strong coalition, Fauzi and Prijanto defeated former deputy national police chief Adang Daradjatun and politician Dani Anwar in Jakarta's first-ever direct gubernatorial election.
Sunday's inauguration ceremony was attended by former governor Sutiyoso and City Council chairman Ade Surapriatna.
Outside the building, protesters from the Poor People's Alliance held a rally, demanding that Fauzi keep his promise to make the city "friendly" to all residents.
Fauzi's campaign slogan, Jakarta untuk Semua (Jakarta for all) included free education, improved social services and employment opportunities for the urban poor. "The city administration should focus on people's welfare," said Sabarudin of the alliance.
Khalisah Khalid of the Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi) said the city needed to be revitalized and restored. However, she warned Fauzi not to discriminate against the city's poor.
"I hope Foke (Fauzi's nickname) will accommodate the interests of the poor because this city, as he said in his campaign, is for all kinds of people, not the rich alone," she said.
Fauzi said last month that he would concentrate on revitalizing the city's slums during the first three months of his tenure.
The Betawi native said he planned to involve the private sector in rejuvenation projects so as to reduce the burden on the city budget.
Fauzi's experience as a bureaucrat and his expertise in urban planning issues were the main reasons why people voted for him in the gubernatorial election, according to a number of exit polls.
Khalisah said that many people migrated to Jakarta as they could not make a living in their hometowns. "They're trying to earn some money here by doing anything they can," she said.
Many slum areas had emerged because of this massive influx. People who lived in such areas mostly worked as unskilled laborers and street vendors.
Besides dealing with the slum issue, Fauzi will also have to solve the city's persistent traffic problems, which, according to Tulus Abadi of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI), are one of the biggest problems facing Jakarta.
Tulus compared Jakarta to Bogota, Colombia, the city from which Sutiyoso got the idea of the busway, which has been turned into a "humane" city. "The busway and monorail must be completed soon because they're important," he stressed.