Jakarta can no longer rely on band-aid fixes, according to Governor Pramono Anung. He stressed that flood control is a team effort that requires a unified strategy, with the city’s pump network serving as the last line of defense in flood-prone areas.

“Jakarta’s flood mitigation can't be a piece-meal effort,” he stated, at the Pulo Gebang public housing complex, Monday (1/12).

It’s all hands on deck for Jakarta’s flood defense, with 1,200 pumps now at the ready and operating at full throttle. The city is also leveraging its reservoirs—such as the just-inaugurated Cilangkap Batu Licin—to act as a safety net for the capital.

His party aims to nip floodwaters in the bud, providing a swift response to any inundation in areas like Ancol, North Jakarta, to keep the city's daily grind from grinding to a halt.

The full mobilization of Jakarta’s flood infrastructure is designed to fast-track the city’s response to pooling during the wet season, with a sharp focus on vulnerable coastal spots like Ancol.

"If you look at this level of rainfall, in the past, the city would have been in a bind with widespread flooding. But now, we are ahead of the curve. In Ancol, the moment we see water levels creeping up, we kick the pumps into gear to nip the problem in the bud," he explained.

He is doubling down on immediate relief for the city’s flood woes. He argued that the city needs actionable results now, rather than pie-in-the-sky long-term visions.

“Our strategy has to be about the here and now. The long-term is just too distant a prospect to dwell on when we have pressing issues to tackle immediately," he closed.