TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Pramono’s 24-hour parks plan raises security concerns
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Cheap treat: People visit Ayodya Park, a popular green space and affordable place to spend free time in Jakarta, on Jan. 27. (Antara/Sulthony Hasanuddin)
J
akarta Governor Pramono Anung’s plan to keep several parks open for 24 hours to provide affordable nighttime leisure, as well as curbing teenage brawls has been met with caution by observers, who warn that the parks could instead be misused by “irresponsible parties” if the security aspects are overlooked.
Street brawls, often involving students and sometimes resulting in serious injuries or even fatalities, have become a growing concern in the capital. While the root causes vary, ranging from social pressures to economic hardship, experts suggest that such violence often serves as an outlet for pent-up stress among teenagers.
Governor Pramono acknowledged that the lack of accessible public spaces for youths to express their creativity may be contributing to the problem.
“So, hopefully, [expanding access to parks] will help reduce the troublingly high rate of brawls in Jakarta,” he said last month.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician further pledged to upgrade park facilities by adding sports areas and creative art spaces.
Initially, Pramono planned to extend the operating hours at six parks, two in Central Jakarta and four in South Jakarta. However, the plan for the recently renovated Tebet Eco Park in South Jakarta was later withdrawn following objections from local residents. The 7.3-hectare park revitalized by former governor Anies Baswedan will only open from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Read also: Jakartans rush to join ‘orange troops’ amid job scarcity
