Arya News - Although the construction of Kampung Susun Bayam (KSB) was completed in 2022, the Jakarta administration, then led by acting Governor Heru Budi Hartono, prevented the displaced residents from moving in to the apartment complex, citing unresolved legal issues.
JAKARTA – After years of uncertainty, the Jakarta administration has finally allowed the displaced residents of Kampung Bayam, whose homes were demolished to make way for the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, to move into a rusun (low-cost apartment) intended for them.
On Thursday, newly inaugurated Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung symbolically handed over the keys to around 30 evicted families during a ceremony at Kampung Susun Bayam (KSB), the low-cost apartment complex located next to the stadium.
“It’s a testament to our commitment to finding the best solution for the Kampung Bayam residents. We aim to empower them by ensuring they have access to comfortable, adequate living spaces that promote sustainable living,” Pramono said during the event.
The Jakarta administration will provide a 3,000-square-meter greenhouse for urban farming at KSB, replacing residents’ farmlands that were cleared for the stadium’s construction.
The administration will assist residents in managing and marketing their urban farms to ensure their sustainability. The urban farm will also be included as part of the JIS tour.
Read also: Jakarta enters new chapter under Pramono
Residents will also be given employment opportunities at the JIS based on their skills, with their salaries automatically deducted to cover the rusun rent.
The displaced families are expected to move into KSB later this month after completing their paperwork.
“Living in Kampung Susun Bayam will offer residents better access to jobs, training and business opportunities,” Governor Pramono said.
During the key handover ceremony on Thursday, around 130 families that had been evicted from Kampung Bayam staged a protest in front of KSB, demanding to be allowed to move into the low-cost apartments.
After meeting with the protesters, Pramono told the press that he would honor the promise made by the previous administration and allow more former Kampung Bayam residents to move into KSB.
Years of struggle
In 2020, the Jakarta administration, led by then-governor Anies Baswedan , pledged to build a rusun near the JIS as a replacement for the homes of Kampung Bayam residents who were displaced when their houses were demolished.
Most of the displaced residents were relocated to the Nagrak low-cost apartment complex in Cilincing, North Jakarta, about 30 km away from their original neighborhood, while waiting for the rusun construction.
The displacement has severely impacted many residents’ livelihoods, forcing them to take on odd jobs, such as parking attendants or scavengers, after losing their farmland. Nagrak’s remote location has also made it difficult for residents to access city centers or for their children to attend school.
Although the construction of Kampung Susun Bayam (KSB) was completed in 2022, the Jakarta administration, then led by acting governor Heru Budi Hartono, prevented the displaced residents from moving in, citing unresolved legal issues.
Later, the administration announced that KSB would instead house the JIS’ operational support staff, without offering further explanation of the decision.
Read also: Ex-Kampung Bayam residents struggle with life at Rusun Nagrak
Anies criticized the move, saying Kampung Susun Bayam was intended for those specific citizens and that it was “heartless” to not give it to them.
In 2023, a group of displaced families from former Kampung Bayam set up camps and temporary shelters around KSB, demanding that authorities allow them to move into the promised low-cost apartments.
The residents decided to move into the apartment rooms illegally the following year and were subsequently evicted by authorities. One resident was arrested and charged with theft and illegal occupation but was later released in exchange for the residents agreeing to leave the KSB complex.
The residents were then relocated to makeshift settlements made of bamboo and plywood on nearby Jl. Tongkol 10, Tanjung Priok, where they lacked basic amenities. At the time, the Jakarta administration promised to build a new low-cost apartment complex in Tanjung Priok for the evicted families, although the construction timeline remained unclear.
During his campaign for governor of Jakarta in November of last year, Pramono vowed to address the displacement of Kampung Bayam residents and make it one of his top priorities upon taking office as governor.