by | ingot simangunsong
SUNDAY AFTERNOON, November 17, 2024, heavy rain forced me to take shelter in a coffee shop in the Pasar Dwikora area, Parluasan, Pematangsiantar City.
A plump man — who works as a parking attendant [jukir] in the area every day — sat to my right.
The eJukir and I chatted about various things, and finally ended up talking about the Pematangsiantar City Pilkada with 4 mayoral candidates, namely Wesly Silalahi, Mangatas Silalahi, Susanti Dewayani and Yan Santoso Purba.
The Jukir’s friend expressed his disappointment with the Public Debate which was marked by the disclosure of ulcers. What should have been, was the delivery of the vision and mission.
“It’s funny to see the debate that is so open about its corruption, we actually want to know what they will do for this city for five years, if they WIN,” said the parking attendant.
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The parking attendant also conveyed a message to the 4 mayoral candidates, whoever WINS, the thing that needs to be done 2 years after being inaugurated, is to organize the city to be better, beautiful, safe and comfortable.
He linked the two years to the completion period of the Sinaksak toll road to Simpang Dua towards Parapat. If there is no improvement with better arrangement, once the Sinaksak – Simpang Dua toll gate access is operational, then Pematangsiantar which is known as a TRANSIT CITY, will be ignored.
He said, if the chaotic traffic flow is not resolved, the slum areas of Dwikora Parluasan Market and Horas Market and the blocked drainage [after several hours of rain there are puddles everywhere] are not addressed, will there still be passers-by stopping in this city?
This problem, according to the parking attendant, is something that really deserves serious attention and priority scale.
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IF Pematangsiantar City is no longer a TRANSIT CITY, then many components will be affected.
Let alone the toll road functioning, now, because of the chaotic traffic and the conditions of Dwikora Parluasan Market and Horas Market, it has already had an impact on parking attendants.
The presence of two-wheeled online transportation and online shopping applications, has become an alternative for people to shop without going to the market.
Not to mention when it rains, the parking attendant’s income is no longer promising, while the burden of deposits cannot be adjusted to the situation.
That’s still a story about us, the parking attendants, he said. What about the others, huh.
According to the parking attendant, the previous mayors did not focus on city planning, and if the one who WINS the 2024 Pilkada also doesn’t think about organizing the city, then this city will not experience any changes.
Yes .. the community is getting smarter and many have a vision and mission on how to actually organize this city.
Hopefully the people’s aspirations will be heard by the mayoral candidates, Wesly Silalahi, Mangatas Silalahi, Susanti Dewayani and Yan Santoso Purba.
Writer, Ingot Simangunsong, Editor-in-Chief.Segaris.co