DPLKLTS: Bandung Mayor Failed in Managing Spatial Planning and Environment
October 1st, 2011, Bandung, Indonesia. The Bandung Civil Society are welcoming well the Tunza UNEP’s Children and Youth Conference on Environment which takes place in Sabuga and Babakan Siliwangi, Bandung. As well we are fully appreciate and support the declaration of Babakan Siliwangi as world city forest. Historically, it has been 10 years the civil society fighting for it to be a city forest, and to be a public space which is truly for public interests; not for economic and commercial interests.
But—important for the UN, the world and the conference participants to know—behind this conference, there are in fact many problems in managing spatial planning and environment caused by the policies and attitudes of the Bandung Mayor who does not take side on citizen and justice to have a healthy and clean environment. Babakan Siliwangi, which is declared by the UN as world city forest, yet is not respected by the Mayor of Bandung. This is shown by the attitude of his who persistently will run the cooperation with private company PT EGI to build a restaurant on Babakan Siliwangi. This situation proves that he is a leader who does not take side on the public and on the continuity of the environment itself.
It is terribly ironic when the conference participants from various countries in the world are placed at Marbella and Luxton hotels which evidently break the policies of spatial planning and environment order. We all must know, that the Luxton Hotel is at a location which has been legally disputed where the citizens being the victim of injustice of the private company and city government’s policies, while the Marbella Hotel is at the North Bandung Area which is protected and functions as water catchment area.
Besides the above cases, a heap of problems and cases on spatial planning and environment caused by the Mayor’s policies that are wrong and do not take side on the citizens safety and the environment continuity have happened and been happening. For example, the citizens of Cempaka Arum Residence, Gedebage, have been a victim and been screaming asking the world support to fight the policy of building of Waste-powered Electricity Generator (PLTSa) using incinerator system which will produce air pollution in Bandung Basin; sacred graveyard of the citizens of Batununggal, Buahbatu, is threatened being condemned for the building of road and residence by Batununggal Perkasa CV; the citizens of Bangbayang and Tubagus Ismail are threatened being removed for the building of apartment by KAGUM Group; the citizens of Kiara Condong are threatened being removed for the building of mall and supermarket; the building of hotel and villa by PT DUSP and Citra Green Dago (Ciputra Group) in Punclut area breaks the spatial planning order policy; the poor urban citizens have been experiencing water crisis and conflict; the floods in rain season are getting extensive; historical buildings and cultural pledges are demolished; the building of malls and supermarkets breaks the spatial planning order policy; and many other environment cases.
While the participation of the citizens and the urban societal communities in managing spatial planning and environment to be better, cleaner, more healthy, green, and comfortable is getting stronger and extensive, the Mayor of Bandung City on the contrary has showed his failure in managing spatial planning and environment in Bandung. He has failed meeting the demand of 20% green public opened-space in Bandung (as stated by BPK/Financial Audit Board No. 78/S/XVIII.BDG/12/2007). He has failed being the people leader who takes side on the citizen safety and the healthy, clean, green and comfortable environment.
