He stressed that Jakarta’s recurring floods have had extensive adverse impacts on social and economic activities in the capital.
“Please keep in mind that the people are hit the hardest when flooding occurs, as this disaster forces shops to close, halts small businesses, and causes hours-long traffic congestion, which in turn leads to wasted fuel,” he remarked in Jakarta on Sunday.
Kalla, who served under Presidents Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Joko Widodo, made the statement in his capacity as chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) after overseeing a massive cleanup initiative alongside Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung in Cipinang Melayu, East Jakarta.
He asserted that the responsibility for mitigating and anticipating floods does not rest solely with the Jakarta provincial government, emphasizing that all members of the wider public must share in the effort.
“This city belongs to all of us. It is true that the governor provides leadership, but every one of us shares the responsibility to maintain cleanliness,” Kalla said.
Bearing that in mind, the former vice president urged families or households—particularly those with larger plots of land—to proactively clean their surroundings and ensure well-functioning drainage systems are in place.
On that occasion, Kalla also symbolically handed over cleanup tools and equipment from the PMI to Governor Pramono, including about 5,000 hoes and shovels each, 1,000 carts or wheelbarrows, and 3,000 sacks for waste.
He said the PMI intended the aid package to support the government and the wider public in cleanup efforts, particularly in flood-prone areas.
Furthermore, he urged residents to confront flood risks with a change in attitude, beginning with discipline in waste management and maintaining environmental cleanliness rather than blaming one another.
“The daily sight of waste piling up should have prompted us to reflect and change for the better,” he affirmed.
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Translator: Asep F, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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