Rasuna Said: Jakarta Newest Car-Free Day Landmark

JAKARTA, Jakartaweekly.com – The Governor of DKI Jakarta, Pramono Anung, officially opened the inauguration of the 499th Anniversary of Jakarta at the Plaza Festival Pedestrian, H.R. Rasuna Said Street, Kuningan, South Jakarta, on Sunday morning (10/5). The event also featured the declaration of the Waste Sorting Movement under the theme “Toward 5 Centuries, Keep Jakarta Clean.”

“The inauguration of the 499th Anniversary was intentionally held here to demonstrate to the people of Jakarta that the city is currently undergoing a transformation. In accordance with Law Number 2 of 2024, Jakarta is becoming a global city and a national economic hub, while still holding the status of the Capital of the Republic of Indonesia to this day,” Governor Pramono stated in his opening remarks.

He explained that choosing the Rasuna Said corridor as the location for the inauguration was a deliberate decision. The demolition of the monorail pillars on H.R. Rasuna Said Street—which had been abandoned for nearly 20 years—serves as a symbol of Jakarta’s transformation into a global city that continues to improve.

“There were 109 monorail pillars on this road. That monorail project was quite disruptive and remained untouched for almost 20 years. Alhamdulillah, thanks to the support of law enforcement, the Regional Military Commander, the Regional Police Chief, the Attorney General’s Office, and the KPK, the monorail dispute has been resolved. Now, this area is being developed into a new icon for Jakarta,” he explained.

The revitalization of the Rasuna Said area includes road and drainage repairs, the construction of bus stops, bike lanes, updated public street lighting, and the widening of sidewalks using the ‘complete street’ concept, which is friendly to pedestrians and people with disabilities. Governor Pramono targets the revitalization of the Rasuna Said area to be completed by next month.

“I intentionally invited you while the work is still in progress. If it were already finished, everything would look good. But I am confident that next month, the face of Rasuna Said Street will look very different. This arrangement is also inspired by the figure of Hajjah Rangkayo Rasuna Said, a national hero from Padang. I hope this road will become a new icon for Jakarta,” he added.

Governor Pramono noted that building Jakarta cannot be done alone. Waste management, for example, requires collaboration with citizens. Through the Waste Sorting Movement Declaration, he urged all residents to sort waste from home to help reduce the burden on final disposal sites.

“Therefore, today, in accordance with the gubernatorial instruction, we are launching the waste sorting movement. I am certain that under the direction of the Minister of Environment and the Coordinating Minister for Food, this movement can be carried out earnestly. Hopefully, this will become a new movement in Jakarta, and the waste issues that have remained unresolved for so long can finally be addressed,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Environment, Jumhur Hidayat, expressed his full support and appreciation for the Waste Sorting Movement initiated by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government. In his speech, Minister Jumhur emphasized Jakarta’s important role as a role model for other regions in handling waste issues systematically and sustainably.

“Following the President’s direction, we are preparing a waste management roadmap to ensure that within two years, waste issues are resolved across Indonesia. Jakarta has taken the lead. Thankfully, several ideas and concepts from Jakarta can be adopted and synchronized nationally,” he explained.

Minister Jumhur emphasized that this should not just be a movement for the bureaucracy or the government, but must become a movement for all citizens.

“We hope this step can serve as an inspiration and a national movement in sorting and managing waste. Waste, which was once considered an enemy, must be transformed into something of value for the community,” he said.

Echoing this sentiment, the Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, also fully supported the Waste Sorting Movement Declaration. According to him, this step aligns with the President’s instructions regarding waste management, which is seen as a potential obstacle to the goals of food and energy self-sufficiency and industrial downstreaming.

“I am very pleased and give high appreciation because this waste sorting movement is being pioneered by the Governor of Jakarta. That is our core problem, especially household waste. By 2029, waste sorting must be completed at the source—offices in offices, markets in markets, restaurants in restaurants, and malls in malls. For the public, the key is sorting the waste,” Zulkifli Hasan explained.

He added that the government has now set a single tariff to accelerate Waste-to-Energy (PSEL) projects to simplify the bureaucracy, which was previously considered complicated for developers. In the roadmap presented, the government targets emergency waste handling in 71 cities, including Jakarta, through incinerator technology and waste-to-energy solutions.

“The target for 2027 is 50 percent. By May 2028, including Bantar Gebang, God willing, we will have it resolved,” he concluded.