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City to appoint new neighborhood heads
The city administration will appoint new neighborhood unit (RT) and community unit (RW) heads because the current crop are allegedly abusing their power, according to acting governor Basuki âAhokâ Tjahaja Purnama
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he city administration will appoint new neighborhood unit (RT) and community unit (RW) heads because the current crop are allegedly abusing their power, according to acting governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama.
'We're facing the fact that most RT and RW heads rent out stalls, kiosks and even parking lots. The more money they have, the more powerful they are,' he said on Friday.
Ahok said the appointment system would not be applied to the entire capital. Residents concerned with neighborhoods would be allowed to choose their own RT and RW heads.
'We give them a monthly honorary fee of Rp 750,000 from the city budget, but what's the point of giving such an amount if they do not perform?' he questioned.
Previously, he said many street vendors did business on sidewalks and streets around traditional markets in the city because they paid illegal levies to their RT and RW heads.
He said the RW heads saved the illegal levies for various activities, including to finance their political campaigns.
Two RW heads in Tanah Abang district in Central Jakarta quickly opposed the plan to change the election system.
The deputy head of Tanah Abang's RW 1 in Central Jakarta, Achya Idris, and the head of Palmerah's RW 2 in West Jakarta, Slamet Martodiarjo, said the RTs and RWs should be led by people who understood the conditions of the neighborhoods.
Both denied Ahok's allegations that RW and RT heads collected illegal levies from street vendors trading in forbidden spots within their areas.
Achya explained he had never collected illegal levies from street vendors for trading at Tanah Abang Market and in its surrounding areas because he had no authority to give the permits.
'Allowing street vendors to trade at the market is none of our business,' he said.
He explained that instead of giving them permits, he had voluntarily participated in helping the city administration drive street vendors from selling their products in forbidden areas in and around Tanah Abang Market.
Similar to Achya, Slamet said that he never collected illegal levies from street vendors in forbidden spots at Palmerah Market.
He challenged anyone to show evidence of him collecting illegal levies from street vendors at Palmerah Market.
'I am always ready to accept responsibility if I am proven of collecting illegal levies at Palmerah Market,' he said. (alz)
