A group of Jakarta citizens say they're going to launch a class action lawsuit against Governor Anies Baswedan over what they perceived to be inadequate prevention and handling of the New Year flood crisis in the capital.
Citizens involved in the lawsuit are seeking compensation from Governor Anies' administration for material damages caused by the floods.
"In order to prevent man-made disasters in the future, there needs to be a legal movement from the citizens so there's a deterrent effect for policy makers," Diarson Lubis, a lawyer who is representing the class action lawsuit, said in a statement yesterday.
Diarson did not reveal how many Jakarta citizens have registered for the lawsuit thus far, nor did he specify when the lawsuit would be filed.
Citizens who wish to join the lawsuit can contact Tim Advokasi Korban Banjir DKI Jakarta 2020 (Advocacy Team for the Victims of the 2020 Greater Jakarta Area Floods).
The Greater Jakarta Area, as well as parts of Banten and West Java, saw the most intense rainfall since 2007 on New Year's Eve, which continued well into New Year's Day.
According to data from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), as of 11pm on Dec. 4, 60 people were killed by floods and landslides while over 92 thousand were forced to flee their homes.