- Rapid over development of city
- Widespread government corruption
- Insufficient funding from central government
- Annual flooding
- Population explosion
- Mis-management of natural catchment areas
- Decrepit canal system
- Rampant deforestation
Every year, the capital city of Indonesia is hit by heavy, deadly flooding from the overflowing of rivers and streams. Swollen by the monsoon rains and constricted by urban obstructions, catchment and channeling systems in Jakarta have been capitulated for the sake of rapid over development of the city since the late 20th century. With the absence of long-term, ecologically minded urban planning and public policy, recent floods in 2002 and 2007 have served as stark reminders of the catastrophic potential of mother nature.
At points, upwards of 70% of the city have been flooded, killing dozens of people, forcing hundreds of thousands fleeing, seeking refuge from the effects of natural disaster. After the 2002 floods, government officials sought to emplace a Master Plan to expand the city's dutch-built canal system. However, the canal system was originally planned over 200 years prior, only designed to sustain an urban population of 500,000. At present, Jakarta's population is over 11 million. Massive urban planning overhaul of the city's insufficient canal system required an administrative capacity that was not in place by the city government. As such, redesign of the city's ailing canal and catchment systems failed miserably.
While government officials blamed limited financial support from the country's central government as the culprit of failure, local, national and international NGOs blamed excessive construction of residential and commercial buildings in the city that violate environmental impact analysis. From every angle, widespread government corruption and decades of insufficient attention and care to natural catchment systems and run-offs have placed Jakarta on the cyclical abyss of chaos caused by flooding.
- Andrew Trabulsi
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