Did you know that Tangerang Selatan City was previously named Cipasera City? The senior citizens who claimed to have lived in this city since 1988 did not know either.
Cipasera was the name of a city which was an abbreviation of several sub-districts in the southern part of Tangerang Regency. They are Ciputat, Cisauk, Pamulang, Pagedangan, Serpong, and Pondok Aren sub-districts. These areas then separated and expanded to become an autonomous region officially announced in Law Number 51/2008 regarding establishing the city of Tangerang Selatan brought urgent reasons.
It is to be expected that many people do not know about this because it all happened back in 2008. Besides, the information and literature on this matter were also limited and seldom discussed widely.
“It’s true that a lot of literacy was indeed broken off because you got the sources only from conversations,” said Asyam Shobir Muyassar (28) as a Tangerang Selatan city observer through an online video call.
The beginning of Cipasera’s growth
It all began with the high urbanization, investment, trade, and industrial sectors that occurred in Jakarta. The overflowing number in that city then slowly affected other areas that are located nearby.
Out of other areas, the southern part of Tangerang Regency was the most economically developed. The rapid growth of residential areas while offering affordable prices for everyone was the key that attracted the masses to migrate and start businesses there. They revived the economy by building investment opportunities, recreational areas, star hotels, and trading centers, leading to more employment opportunities.
Rising problems underlying the establishment of Cipasera city
However, despite the adequate economic growth in Cipasera, several problems and hindrances needed to be resolved.
The residential areas that grew quickly did not get adequate facilities and services from the Tangerang Regency’s spatial planning (RTRW), resulting in a segregated area. The tendency of investor’s attention to the southern had caused an imbalance with other regency areas. More specifically, the developed areas located closely alongside Jakarta, such as Pamulang, Ciputat, Pondok Aren, and Serpong, were not followed by acceptable educational and health services (Puskesmas).
In addition to that, Tigaraksa was the central government of Tangerang Regency, which was 45 kilometers away from Cipasera. It was a hassle for the citizens to take care of their business that involved the government.
As one of the initiators of Cipasera City and a part of the Tangerang Regency Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) at that time, Heri Sumardi (58) shared his experience.
“…. and then, in terms of public services, back then it was still manual, such as ID cards. It was all still manual, so we had to go to Tigaraksa to get it done. It was quite far,” said Heri.
The $63,8 million for the local government budget (APBD) of Tangerang Regency could not even pave the access road between districts and cities. Therefore, Cipasera’s urge to detach themselves from the Tangerang Regency hopefully could put more concentration on those matters.
The desire to make an autonomous region was also encouraged by the reformation era in 1998, which allowed people to voice their opinions freely. Moreover, the enactment of Law Number 22/1999 on regional governments which explains that communities also have the right to organize their cities based on community aspirations, along with the Government Regulation Number 129/2000, which contains the procedures and conditions for this formation.
Drs. H. Hidayat, who was also one of the initiators of Cipasera City and was a civil servant in the Department of Foreign Affairs, saw those regulations as an opportunity that made them more confident in succeeding the separation.
Initial movement to establish Cipasera autonomous region.
From those rising problems, around 2000, the first foundation to carry out the idea of the Cipasera autonomous region called the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Center for Local Autonomy Empowerment (LSM SPOT) was born, with Hidayat himself as the general coordinator. Not long after that, the name changed to Committee for the Preparation of the Establishment of the Autonomous City of Cipasera (KPPDO-KC).
The strategy KPPDO-KC used to promote this idea was propaganda in mass media. Instead of gaining support, it received a negative response from the public and the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) as well. This was because the outreach to the community was still poor, therefore resulting in low support.
Cipasera originally consisted of 4 sub-districts: Ciputat, Pamulang, Serpong, and Pondok Aren. Hidayat then decided to include Cisauk and Pagedangan sub-districts to get a more diverse community across religions, ethnicities, groups, and parties.
In 2001, KPPDO-KC launched its mission to deliver three letters to the DPRD of Tangerang Regency. Their effort still failed to get a good response. In the end, H. Dadang Kartasasmita, who was the head of that institution, finally responded that the separation of Cipasera City into an autonomous region was still not yet time to be carried out. Despite getting rejected, the KPPDO-KC continued to broadly promote their idea with pamphlets, banners, and even held seminars to bring more support.
In October 2004, community groups formed Tim Sembilan consisting of representatives from each of the six sub-districts, one representative from KPPDO-KC, entrepreneurs, and the press. The Coordinating Body (Bakor) of Cipasera set 6 years to accelerate the expansion to alleviate problems in infrastructure development, social inequality, and population growth. Therefore, it was implemented in 2010, four years delayed from the target.
Following a suggestion from the Regent of Tangerang, in 2006, the DPRD of Tangerang Regency finally approved the expansion of Cipasera City. Before it was formalized, the word Cipasera had become a nickname for the area of the six sub-districts. Then, the initiators also proposed that the name Cipasera still be used as the official designation of the regional division. However, during the Tangerang Regency DPRD meeting, there was a new proposal titled Tangerang Selatan City.
Before it was formalized, the word Cipasera had become a nickname for the area of the six sub-districts.
South Tangerang but not in the southern
“… Well, if we count the area of Tangerang Regency, this area is not the southern. It’s not the southern of Tangerang. But there are also many Betawi figures. It’s a native people. Well, if it’s Betawi figures, they just gave any name, it’s called South Tangerang,” said Heri.
After that, the DPRD of Tangerang Regency established the name of Tangerang Selatan City, comprising the sub-districts of Serpong, Serpong Utara, Setu, Pondok Aren, Ciputat, Ciputat Timur, and Pamulang.
In 2008, the Home Affairs Minister inaugurated seven sub-districts as Tangerang Selatan City with Law Number 51/2008 on the Establishment of Tangerang Selatan City.
Today, Bakor will include Tangerang Selatan City in the expansion of the Tangerang Raya Province, covering Tangerang Regency, Central Tangerang Regency, Tangerang Utara Regency, Tangerang Utara City, and Tangerang Selatan City.
Member:
- Keizya Ham (00000053840) — Writer & Article’s editor
- Rachma Azahra Ramadhani (00000060105) — Writer
- Muhammad Daffa Abyan (00000060478) — Video’s editor
- Rachel Immanuela (00000061037) — Narrator video
- Muhammad Rafli (00000064341) — Interviewer
