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Governor upbeat that residents will not resist relocation

Jakarta Governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo says that he is optimistic that residents living on riverbanks will agree to his plan to build kampung deret (rows of villages) along the river in order to provide them with better housing.

Jokowi assured that more discussions with residents would be organized to engage with those who did not agree with the plan.

“I’m sure [the residents will agree]. We haven’t talked much about it, and we don’t want to evict anybody,” he said on Friday as quoted by kompas.com.

Jokowi said that the administration had planned thoroughly on the construction of kampung deret.

“But talking with the residents is the most crucial part. And the construction of kampung deret and low-cost apartment blocks will of course be in line with the regulation,” he said.

Some residents along the riverbank said that they were still reluctant to move from their houses when the construction of kampung deret started.

They said that they were afraid they could not get used to the new conditions.

Jakarta housing and building agency chief Novizal said that the construction would start in 2013.

“The concept is now being discussed. We are still collecting information about areas whose residents have agreed with this plan and measuring the areas,” he said recently.

Novizal said that the kampung deret would look like two or three-story high low-cost apartments. Each unit will be built complete with proper lighting and air circulation.

He said that there would be no evictions during the construction, but the residents would be moved to places that would be provided by the administration.

Novizal said that when the villages and blocks were completed, residents would then occupy their old places.

“The mechanisms are still being planned. But residents will have new buildings at the same locations,” he said.

The first area that would be built would likely be Ciliwung River, Bukit Duri in South Jakarta.

Jokowi talked with residents in the area during his visit to the Sanggar Ciliwung Merdeka community organization in Bukit Duri.

He had a discussion with residents on the design of low-cost apartment blocks that were presented by community leader Sandyawan Sumardi.

He said that the plan had received a positive response from the residents and added that it could help turn the area into a better living environment.