Latest news with #PramonoAnung
Straits Times
15-06-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
Jakarta floats stricter rules on smoking in public
Violators could be fined between 250,000 rupiah (S$17.60) and 50 million rupiah depending on the severity of the offence. PHOTO: REUTERS JAKARTA - Jakarta's city administration is currently drafting a new regulation to tighten restrictions on smoking in public spaces in an aim to protect the public from the harmful effects of tobacco smoke, especially vulnerable groups like children and pregnant women. Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung said the main goal of the new regulation was to restrict smoking in crowded public spaces, such as office buildings and shopping malls. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
CNA
08-06-2025
- CNA
‘Cat island' in Java Sea? Jakarta mulls moving stray felines offshore but experts flag concerns
JAKARTA: Fancy visiting an idyllic island in the Java Sea that is home to 1,000 rescue cats? Indonesia could soon have a 'cat island' modelled after the ones in Japan, if Jakarta governor Pramono Anung has his way. On May 15, Pramono revealed that the city government is considering populating one of the hundreds of islands off the coast of Jakarta with cats in an effort to manage their population and boost tourism. On islands such as Aoshima and Tashirojima in Japan, cats vastly outnumber human inhabitants after they were brought in to control the rat population. The presence of these four-legged creatures have put these islands on the map, attracting cat lovers and curious visitors from around the world. 'If we can make it happen, the island can be a source of revenue (for Jakarta),' Pramono said, without providing a timeline. The governor said ever since he took office in February, keeping Jakarta's cat population in check has been one of the top demands made by residents. After discussing with several experts, the idea to build a cat island was born. According to a 2024 estimate by the city government, Jakarta is home to 750,000 stray and 110,000 domesticated cats. With cats capable of producing three to four litters of kittens a year, experts predict the figure could quadruple in the next five years, heightening the risk of disease transmission, human-animal conflicts and ecological imbalance. Jakarta has the manpower and budget to only sterilise around 20,000 cats – feral or domesticated – every year, so finding spaces big enough to shelter the rescued animals in a sprawling metropolis of 11 million people is also a challenge. This is one of the reasons the city is turning its attention to the Thousand Islands, a chain of islands which stretches up to 160km northwest from Jakarta's mainland. Contrary to its name, there are around 340 islands and islets in the archipelago. Many of these islands have been populated by traditional fishermen for generations while others have been turned into popular tourist resorts. Some are uninhabited or manned by only a few people. 'The cats will not be abandoned on this cat island,' Hasudungan Sidabalok, chief of the Jakarta Food Security, Fisheries and Agriculture Agency, which oversees all animal affairs, told CNA. 'We will build a comfortable space for them where they will be well taken care of and groomed. People can visit this island which serves as both a tourism and an educational destination.' Hasudungan said the island will host primarily rescued strays and abandoned pets. '(The city government) estimated that there will be 1,000 cats on this island and we will take care of them,' he said. But the idea of relocating cats to an island in the middle of a sometimes inhospitable sea has proved to be controversial among experts and activists, who say the cats may not be able to adapt to the new environment or may upset the Thousand Islands' delicate habitat and wildlife. Members of the Jakarta city council are divided on the idea of turning Lesser Tidung into a cat island. 'The Lesser Tidung island is a nature conservation area so the entire flora and fauna there must be protected,' council member Francine Widjojo told CNA. The island is currently home to a sea turtle hatching site and a mangrove seeding ground. 'Cats are predators and they can eat birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. They can be a threat to conservation efforts,' the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) politician added. Council members who support the proposal say it can attract more tourists to the Thousand Islands. 'If executed poorly then (the programme) can backfire. But if done seriously it can be a tourist magnet just like the ones in Japan,' said city councillor Taufik Zoelkifli of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), as quoted by Tempo. Femke den Haas, founder of one of Indonesia's most prominent animal rights groups, the Jakarta Animal Aid Network, said the entire Thousand Islands archipelago is no place for cats. 'The Thousand Islands is home to many species which need to be protected. If the city government wants to put hundreds of cats on a small island, will they not catch the local wildlife?' Femke told CNA. The Thousand Islands is home to the brahminy kite, also known as the red-backed sea eagle, which Jakarta adopted as its official bird. The archipelago is also a stopover for many migratory birds. Cats are already a big problem in the Thousand Islands, including on Lesser Tidung island, Femke said. There are islands which are being overrun with cats because people from the populated islands are dumping unwanted cats on unpopulated ones. There are also pets that became feral after their owners died or moved to mainland Jakarta. These cats later reproduced and became a threat to the area's wildlife. The cats themselves suffer as they fight with one another or other predators for food. These stand-offs sometimes lead to death or serious injuries. 'And now the government wants to spend money to send more cats to the Thousand Islands?' Femke questioned. CITY'S THINKING THINGS THROUGH Hasudungan of the Jakarta agriculture agency said opposition towards the proposed cat island is 'premature' as the city government will ensure the cats are well taken care of and endemic wildlife is protected. 'We are in consultation with several environmental experts. They will conduct studies and make recommendations so the cat island can run sustainably,' he said. The city also welcomes animal rights advocates and conservation groups to get involved in running the island and caring for the cats. 'The presence of a cat island does not mean that we will stop our sterilisation programme or stop building animal shelters,' Hasudungan added. 'This is just another tool to control the ever-growing population of cats in Jakarta.' He said the main objective of the project is to promote a love for animals and educate the public about the importance of cat sterilisation and vaccination. 'At the same time, we can empower the local community and provide jobs as medical professionals or operational staffers. People can also sell food and cat-related souvenirs like t-shirts. Meanwhile, we can use cat excrement to generate biogas,' he said. The city government envisions the island will have an animal clinic, an exhibition room and a place where visitors can interact with the cats, which Hasudungan said will all be sterilised before they are relocated. The facility will be enclosed so the cats do not wander and endanger local wildlife. 'We are thinking things through to make sure that the project is sustainable and does not have any negative impact on the environment,' he said. WILL PEOPLE VISIT THE CAT ISLAND? Residents on the islands have mixed feelings about the plan. 'Some residents supported this plan because we could see more tourists coming and new economic opportunities emerging,' Greater Tidung Island resident Mukti told CNA. "But there are residents who wonder if the cats will encroach on our island, steal our food, eat our fish catch and become a nuisance to the community." The Greater and Lesser Tidung islands are only separated by 500m of water and a wooden bridge. Jakartans are also ambivalent about the plan. 'The cats will be better taken care of on the island, because not everyone is friendly towards the cats they see on the streets,' said Jakarta resident Linda Nasution, who supports the idea. Another resident, Widya Putri, said she is unsure about the project. 'I am a cat lover but would I go (to the cat island)? Perhaps not. There are many animal shelters around Jakarta where I can interact with cats, adopt or interact with other cat owners,' she said. 'I think instead of building a cat island, the government can use that money to build more animal shelters or support existing ones.' Mahawan Karuniasa, a lecturer from University of Indonesia's School of Environmental Science, echoed the sentiment. 'The cat islands in Japan happened naturally over generations, not out of relocation like Jakarta is proposing,' he noted. 'The cat population was able to thrive on these (Japanese) islands because they are well cared for by local residents, food is abundant and they have no competition from other predators.' Mahawan also noted that the number of cats on the Japanese islands is small compared to the 1,000 cats Jakarta plans on housing at the Thousand Islands. Aoshima in Ehime prefecture, for instance, only had 210 cats at its peak in 2018. The government decided to neuter all the cats as only a handful of elderly inhabitants still occupy the island and care for the cats full-time. Last year, various news outlets reported that the island's cats were all aged over seven and a-third are battling illnesses caused by decades of inbreeding. With both its human and cat population declining, it is predicted that within the next five years, Aoshima will become uninhabited. 'So even in Japan, cat islands are not sustainable,' Mahawan said. As an island cat sanctuary will need to have workers to feed the cats and food supply for the felines, the number of visitors it attracts should be high enough to foot the cost of the project, he said.
The Star
03-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Jakarta governor Pramono's first 100 days a mixed bag
Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung (right) and his deputy, Rano Karno (centre), talking with a prospective tenant of low-cost rental apartments (rusunawa) in Jagakarsa in South Jakarta on May 8, 2025. - Antara JAKARTA: While a recent survey reveals public satisfaction with many of Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung's programmes, activist groups have pointed out several flaws in his policies during his first 100 days in office. The public opinion poll from Indikator Politik Indonesia showed that Pramono's approval rating stood at 60 per cent since taking office in mid-February. Compared with the approval ratings of his counterparts across five other provinces in Java, Indikator placed Pramono in the second-lowest position. The survey, released on May 28, also indicated that while around 70 per cent of respondents were satisfied with six of Pramono's surveyed programmes, such as extending the operational hours of public libraries and holding job fairs, better policy communication is needed for Pramono's office to inform more residents. The pollster's founder Burhanuddin Muhtadi said that only one third of residents were aware of Pramono's programmes, despite Jakartans' high exposure to media. Since assuming office, the former cabinet secretary has been making efforts to fulfil his campaign promises, either introducing new initiatives like extending operational hours of public spaces or resuming past policies such as the Ciliwung River normalization and relocation of evicted Kampung Bayam residents. At City Hall on Monday, four Jakarta-based civil groups gathered to release the results of their own assessment of certain programmes of the new Jakarta administration, such as workforce policy and some past initiatives that the city reenacted, such as the river normalisation and the Kampung Bayam relocation programme. The groups were Greenpeace Indonesia, the Jakarta Urban Poor Network (JRMK), Urban Poor Consortium (UPC) and Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta). The results of their assessment showed that the Pramono administration gained an average score of 20 for all of the assessed policies, way below the threshold set by the civil groups, which stands at 75. The groups particularly criticized how Pramono reenacted the river normalization project and the relocation of displaced Kampung Bayam residents without transparency and without listening to the aspirations of the affected populations, while prioritising short-term solutions that could further harm the vulnerable groups. Pramono has set a target of completing the Ciliwung River normalization by 2026, a long-stalled project that aims to help mitigate flooding in Greater Jakarta. In the case of Kampung Bayam, Pramono moved in March several of its evicted residents to a low-cost vertical housing complex (rusun) Kampung Susun Bayam, located near the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta. The residents had been left hanging for years after their former houses were demolished to pave the way for the construction of the sports complex, under the leadership of former governor Anies Baswedan. The activist groups, however, claimed that the monthly rents in the new housing complex left several residents hesitant about moving as they may be too high. 'The new city administration is trapped in instant solutions, exacerbating the city's perennial problems,' said Greenpeace Indonesia campaigner Jeanny Sirait, referring to problems surrounding floods and land tenure. Chico Hakim, special staffer to the governor, told The Jakarta Post that the administration had received the assessment results from the civil groups, saying that it would look into every criticism and suggestion. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
The Star
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Take public transport, or no promotion: Jakarta civil servants forced to ditch their wheels to work
Civil servants are expected to share their proof of compliance in the form of selfies. -- PHOTO: REUTERS JAKARTA (The Straits Times/ANN): Civil servants in Indonesia's capital city must take public transport to work on Wednesdays, or risk losing a promotion. The order that kicked in on April 30 is part of a policy introduced by Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung aimed at reducing traffic congestion and air pollution – two major issues plaguing the city. 'For anyone who violates this policy while I'm in charge for at least the next five years, don't expect a promotion,' Pramono was quoted as saying by Jakarta Globe on May 8. 'We want this to become not just an order, but (also) a new lifestyle for employees. Public transportation is the future of Jakarta.' The Governor's Instruction No. 6 of 2025 on the Use of Mass Public Transportation for Employees within the Jakarta Provincial Government was signed on April 23. Civil servants are expected to share their proof of compliance in the form of selfies. Pramono warned that those who arrive at their office in a private vehicle will not be allowed to park. They will be removed from the office premises and will be considered absent from work, reported media outlet Tempo. However, exceptions are granted for workers with special conditions, such as pregnant women. The Jakarta government has also disallowed the use of regional government-owned vehicles for civil servants on Wednesdays. When the policy came into effect on April 30, road barriers and traffic cones were reportedly used to restrict access of private vehicles to Jakarta City Hall. High compliance rate despite criticisms Pramono said he noted a positive response from civil servants, with some sharing their commuting experiences online and tagging him in their posts. 'On average, they welcomed it with high enthusiasm,' he reportedly said on April 30. According to Pramono, the policy applies to 65,000 workers – comprising 45,000 regular civil servants and 20,000 contract workers – 96 per cent of whom complied on the first day. The number of public transport users jumped that day, with city-owned rapid transit bus service TransJakarta reportedly seeing 1.4 million passengers on April 30, up from the usual 1.2 million travellers. Among the travellers was Pramono himself, who took a bus from his official residence in Taman Suropati to Jakarta City Hall. Local media had earlier reported him as saying he does not commute to work using public transportation, as he lives nearby. Despite the high compliance rate, criticism emerged online after the policy was announced. One netizen said that while the policy may be a solution to the issue of traffic congestion in the city, it does not take into consideration the commute for civil servants who live on the outskirts of Jakarta. 'For those whose house is far (from the office), it'll be difficult because they need (to take several types of) transportation since there is no public transportation from their homes,' said another. Others suggested the government implement a carpooling or transport service purely for civil servants to take them to the office. According to Tempo, Pramono said in a written statement on April 24 that public transportation connectivity within the metropolitan area has reached 91 per cent, and that civil servants will soon be able to use public transportation services for free. In 2024, the Global Traffic Scorecard ranked Jakarta the seventh most congested city in the world. Jakarta also snagged the title of the most polluted city in the world in 2023, according to Swiss air quality technology company IQAir. - The Straits Times/ANN
Straits Times
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
No public transport, no promotion: Jakarta civil servants forced to ditch their wheels to work
Civil servants are expected to share their proof of compliance in the form of selfies. PHOTO: REUTERS No public transport, no promotion: Jakarta civil servants forced to ditch their wheels to work JAKARTA - Civil servants in Indonesia's capital city must take the public transport to work on Wednesdays , or risk a promotion. The order that kicked in on April 30 is part of a policy introduced by Jakarta governor Pramono Anung aimed at reducing traffic congestion and air pollution - two major issues plaguing the city. 'For anyone who violates this policy while I'm in charge for at least the next five years, don't expect a promotion,' Mr Pramono was quoted as saying by Jakarta Globe on May 8. 'We want this to become not just an order but a new lifestyle for employees. Public transportation is the future of Jakarta.' The Governor's Instruction Number 6 of 2025 on the Use of Mass Public Transportation for Employees within the Jakarta Provincial Government was signed on April 23 . Civil servants are expected to share their proof of compliance in the form of selfies. Mr Pramono warned that those who arrive at their office in a private vehicle will not be allowed to park . They will be removed from the office premises, and will be considered absent from work, reported Tempo . However, exceptions are granted for workers with special conditions, such as pregnant women. The Jakarta government h as also disallowed the use of regional government-owned vehicles for civil servants on Wednesdays. When the policy came into effect on April 30 , road barriers and traffic cones were reportedly used to restrict access of private vehicles into the J akarta City Hal l. High compliance rate despite criticisms Mr Pramono said he noted a positive response from civil servants, with some sharing their commuting experiences online and tagging him in their posts. 'On average, they welcomed it with high enthusiasm,' he r eportedly said on April 30. According to Mr Pramono , the policy applies to 65,000 workers - comprising 45,000 regular civil servants and 20,000 contract workers - 96 per cent of whom complied on the first day. The number of public transport users jumped that day, with city-owned rapid transit bus service TransJakarta reportedly seeing 1.4 million passengers on April 30, up from the usual 1.2 million travellers. Among the travellers were Mr Pramono, who took a bus from his official residence in Taman Suropati to Jakarta City Hall. Local media had earlier reported him as saying he does not commute to work using public transportation as he lives nearby. Despite the high compliance rate, criticism had emerged online after the policy was announced. One netizen said that while the policy may be a solution to the traffic congestion in the city, it does not take into consideration the commute for civil servants who live on the outskirts of Jakarta. 'For those whose house is far (from the office), it'll be difficult because they need (to take several types of) transportation since there is no public transportation from their homes,' said another. Others suggested the government implement a carpooling or transport service purely for civil servants to take them to the office. According to Tempo , Mr Pramono said in a written statement on April 24 that public transportation connectivity within the metropolitan area has reached 91 per cent, and that civil servants will soon be able to use public transportation services for free. In 2024 , the Global Traffic Scorecard ranked Jakarta the seventh most congested city in the world. Jakarta also snagged the title of the most polluted city in the world in 2023, according to Swiss air quality technology company IQAir. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
