JAKARTA, JAKTIMES.COM – After facing public protests, the Provincial Government of Jakarta finally reopened the sidewalk in front of the United States Embassy on Jalan Merdeka Selatan, Gambir Village, Gambir District, Central Jakarta on Friday night (9/6).
The Acting Governor of Jakarta, Heru Budi Hartono, appreciated the swift action taken by the Jakarta Provincial Government, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United States Embassy (USE), in reopening the sidewalk in front of the USE precisely at 10:00 PM local time on Friday (9/6). As a result, the sidewalk can now function as a comfortable pedestrian path.
“The arrangement and tidying up of the sidewalk in front of the American Embassy was carried out at 10:00 PM. Prior to that, preparations had been made since 8:00 PM by the Public Works Agency, with assistance from the Transportation Agency and the Public Order Agency. They worked together to remove the Moveable Concrete Barrier (MCB) in front of the American Embassy, witnessed by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the American Embassy,” explained Heru in Jakarta on Saturday (10/6).
Heru explained that the US Embassy had informed the Jakarta Provincial Government that they had no objections to reopening and utilizing the sidewalk in front of the embassy as intended.
“A few days ago, we discussed this matter at City Hall by inviting all relevant parties, and we reached an agreement to remove the MCB. The Jakarta Provincial Government had also received a prior letter from the American Embassy stating that they had no objections to the MCB being removed and the sidewalk being used as intended,” he added (Marwan Azis)
