Illegal Settlements in Jakarta
By: Rëy Fahira
Tags: Opinion, Jakarta, Settlements, Criticism, Writing

In 2018, there were still many evictions of illegal buildings that did not have permits; for example, build constructions on river banks, near railroads, under flyovers, and others. As an illustration, a mother and her child who lives on the banks of the Ciliwung River are considered illegal buildings. When their children were grown and had families, they illegally built new structures along the Ciliwung River. It is a crystal clear example of the construction of illegal buildings that has become a culture inherent in Indonesian society, and problems like this have been around for a long time. Therefore, the purpose of writing this is to describe why illegal settlements can occur in big cities, especially in Jakarta.

First of all, it is because of the mindset of people. The rise of development in big cities in Indonesia can spur economic growth. As a result, these cities will become a magnet for residents to come looking for work and life. This migration of population is often referred to as urbanization. However, this urbanization creates various problems owing to the fact that there is no control over it. For example, Jakarta is one of the big cities in Indonesia and many people migrate to Jakarta to find new jobs and start a better life. Yet, the actual reality was contrary to what they thought. As an illustration, it starts with the difficulty of finding a job that makes them have no income. As a consequence, they don’t know where to live by the reason that they don’t have money, and don’t want to go home yet. The main reason is that they are ashamed to go home but do not have any competence to succeed in a big city. Through this first point, some of the Indonesian people have high prestige, even though the reality is not in accordance with their expectations.

Second, the number of residents in Jakarta is less than the total population. Big cities, exclusively Jakarta, certainly have a dense population. Moreover, Jakarta is the center of government and the economic center of the Indonesian state. Based on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, the population of Jakarta in 2015 reached 10.18 million. Furthermore, it increased to 10.28 million people in 2016 and expanded to 10.37 million people in 2017. It means that over the past two years, the population in the Capital City has increased by 269 people every day or 11 people per hour. With a population that continues to elevate every day, Jakarta is not supported by the number of buildings available. Most city residents have no choice but to build, buy, or rent illegal residences since they cannot afford the cheapest legal house or apartment. It is now common for 30 to 60 percent of an entire city’s population to live in houses and neighborhoods which have been developed illegally (Squatter Citizen: Life in the Urban Third World Chapter 1).

Lastly, the government’s efforts are less than optimal. When we see news on television, it often appears related to the illegal eviction of buildings. It can be avoided if the government works effectively, efficiently, and appropriately in this regard. For example, the DKI Jakarta government currently does not carry out what they are boasting during the campaign, namely the 0% down payment house. In fact, what is happening today is that the 0% down payment house must meet the conditions that are quite heavy for the middle to lower class people.

In conclusion, along with the increase in population, illegal settlements also increased at the same time. As stated by Nasritdinov (2008), lack of residence permits and welfare provisions, illegal settlers endure significant economic hardship. Besides, it was said, “A good country has good leaders”. If the government doesn’t move for the country, the squatter settlements will continue to grow and grow like grass in a park that nothing can stop it. It would be better to pay more attention and take this illegal settlement more seriously; hence, it can be resolved properly.

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