Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Indonesia's capital is still reeling from the effects of severe flooding three months ago with some areas submerged in water, major roads damaged by huge potholes and some residents without proper housing.
Several Jakarta groups are suing the government for failing to address the problems that affected more than 360,000 when the floods hit early February. Sixty died from drowning or flood-related diseases then.
A sharp increase in the number of people living below the poverty line in the capital has been reported after the floods. In the worst-hit north Jakarta area, the number of poverty-stricken families jumped to nearly 38,000, up from 29,000.
At many public schools, classrooms remained in poor shape despite the government's pledge to renovate them, and one five-star hotel – the Regent – remained closed for major restoration.
Property prices in west and north Jakarta have dived as some areas are still submerged.
As flood canal projects have yet to begin, many people in flood-prone areas live in fear of another deluge each time it rains.
According to government reports, the floods have damaged 17,000 phone lines, 1,570 electrical relay stations, roads, 10 bridges, 218 schools, and 100,000 homes.
The government has allocated 250 billion rupiah to rehabilitate public facilities and some private homes. Yet, most of the projects have not started. The city's Public Works Office said that the rehabilitation programmes had been slow because the money had not been disbursed. But others blame corruption.
Officials of the Jakarta administration have been accused of misappropriating much of the funds allocated for flood rehabilitation, as well as donations from private parties to flood victims.
Ms Wardah Hafidz of the Urban Poor Consortium told The Straits Times: "The city officials are using the disaster for personal profit." Earlier, Jakarta Deputy Governor Djaelani has admitted that much of a 3.3 billion rupiah received from various businesses during a charity event in March for the flood victims had been kept in the personal account of Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso.
The reason given to the press was that the administration was waiting for more money from other donors before disbursing the funds.
As a result, many people eligible for aid have not received it. And for those who did, they received only a portion of it as their local district leaders took a cut from the funds.
"Some did not get it because they were Christians and so are assumed to receive aid form churches, and many poor ethnic Chinese families did not receive it simply because they are Chinese," Ms Wardah said.
But most people did not get the aid because they lived illegally in makeshift homes, she said, despite the fact that they had been worst hit.
The Urban Poor Consortium and several other NGOs are leading the move to sue President Megawati Sukarnoputri, Mr Sutiyoso and West Java Governor A.R. Nuriana for compensation and neglect.
Fifteen of the plaintiffs represent the tens of thousands of residents who suffered because of the floods.
They are demanding 100 million rupiah in compensation for material losses and another 1.2 trillion rupiah to repair damaged public facilities.