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Flood management, then Formula E: Netizens petition against Anies' 'misguided' priorities
Netizens are calling on Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan to cancel the upcoming Formula E, an all-electric racing series, in Jakarta as they say they believe the budget should be directed to a more urgent matter: flood management.
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Formula E warm-up: The Lowo Ireng (Black Bat), an electric car developed by the 10 November Institute of Technology (ITS) in Surabaya, East Java, takes part in a convoy in the Gelora Bung Karno sports complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta to welcome the selection of Jakarta to host the Formula E electric car race in 2020. (JP/Narabeto Korohama)
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etizens are calling on Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan to cancel the upcoming Formula E, an all-electric racing series, in Jakarta as they say they believe the budget should be directed to a more urgent matter: flood management.
A petition to cancel the Formula E, which is slated to be held in June, had garnered more than 7,100 signatures by Tuesday morning, four days after it was posted.
The petition on change.org was initiated by Irawan Endro Prasetyo, who wrote that “one of the biggest and worst floods that have ever happened in the city’s history” during the first few days of 2020 was due to the budget cuts of the city’s flood management, allegedly for the preparations to host the race.
The petition, which was addressed to the International Automobile Federation (FIA), Jakarta City Council Speaker Prasetio Edi Marsudi and Anies, says: “We need all available resources to help people and rebuild our city, not to waste them on one event that ridicules the citizens’ sufferings. Please consider moving this event to another city that is more prepared to host it.”
Raiyan Laksamana, in explaining his support for the petition, wrote: “The Formula E is just a vanity project compared to [the] humanitarian crisis that is happening in Jakarta right now.”
“It’s absolutely appalling to hold this event when the city needs to be rebuilt after a devastating flood. Jakarta is not ready for this,” said Serena Suprawoto, another netizen.
Governor Anies responded to the claim mentioned in the petition by saying that it was untrue.
