Jakarta municipalities granted cleanliness awards

All Jakarta’s five municipalities were granted on Tuesday the Adipura cleanliness awards from the central government, despite the slum areas that dot the capital city.

“I hope clean and green life will become a culture that lasts long in the city. Don’t just rest on the laurels,” Governor Fauzi Bowo told his officials during a ceremony at the City Hall on Tuesday.

Central Jakarta and South Jakarta ranked second and third respectively among 14 metropolitan cities which were in contention for the top award.

North Jakarta was sixth, followed by East Jakarta in the seventh and West Jakarta in the eighth positions.

Jakarta also took some awards for its city park, traditional market and bus station which were considered among the greenest and cleanest in the country.

"Although Jakarta has often won the Adipura award, the city is still far from ideal from the environment point of view," Fauzi said.

He expressed his disappointment with West Jakarta, which ranked lower than its neighbor Tangerang city.