Jakarta Suffering Huge Economic Losses Due to Floods: Kadin

The massive floods that hit Jakarta have paralyzed economic activities and may disturb the capital’s economic growth, an official said on Thursday.

“This is due to absent employees,” Deputy Chairman of the Jakarta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) Sarman Simanjorang told Beritasatu.com on Thursday. “As the center of the national economy, Jakarta’s economy has been disturbed by the floods that, up until now, the government still has no clear solution for.”

Sarman claimed that economic losses could reach anywhere from Rp 1 billion to 1.5 billion per hour. 

He added that business people expect the Jakarta administration and the central government to draft a plan with a definite timetable to solve the crisis.

Torrential rain from Wednesday night until Thursday morning had paralyzed the capital, with floodwaters up to one meter deep rendering several roads impassable.    

The TransJakarta busway halted operations on Thursday morning while trains from Bogor were only able to travel to Manggarai as the Kota and Sudirman stations were inundated as well.   

Many workers, including civil servants and employees with companies workers, could not reach their offices.

Sarman declared that the floods could not be tolerated in the capital.

“In this case, we hope the central government will fully support the Jakarta administration in solving [this problem],” Sarman said. “If necessary, the president should establish a united team that coordinates facility and infrastructure development to free Jakarta from flooding.”-The Jakarta Post (January 17, 2013)