Jakarta Deputy Governor, Rano Karno, hopes that the Betawi Community Customary Institution can be formed this year.

He said, Betawi Community Customary Institution is important for advancing culture and is a requirement to achieve 50 top global cities.

"Hope this will be completed this year, as we know it will discuss about the bylaws next year. This is because this activity component definitely involves budget discussions, as well as a fund called an endowment fund," he expressed, when he opened the Group Discussion Forum on the promotion of Betawi culture, Tuesday (7/15).

Besides Betawi community leaders, the event held at Tavia Heritage Hotel, Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta, also invited representatives from cultural institutions of Bali, Aceh, and Papua communities.

"This is the agenda we have been waiting for immediately preparing the Bylaw regarding the Betawi Cultural Institution," he uttered.

So far, he had been trying to unite the interests among Betawi community leaders and organizations. However, it was not easy to gather and reconcile those differing interests.

Therefore, Rano emphasized the importance of sitting together to discuss the next steps. To all parties, he stressed that we must look forward to guiding the steps for the progress of Betawi as the core community of Jakarta.

He added Betawi is one of the richest cultures in Indonesia because it was formed from a mixture of cultures as Jakarta became a port city and the center of government since the 16th century.

"This mixture becomes the strength and advantage of Betawi culture compared to other cultures in Indonesia," he said.