BALI – Makassar Mayor Moh. Ramdhan “Danny” Pomanto became one of the main speakers of the 10th World Water Forum Workshop in Bali along with a number of world leaders such as Dr. Ganesh Raj Joshi, Expert of UNCRD, Ms. Shikiko Tatsushima, Deputy Director of International Policy Division, MLIT, Japan, and Mr. Jee Hyung-jae, Director General of Environment and Water Resources Bureau, Daegu City, South Korea.
This international workshop is themed “Building Smart and Resilient Cities and Communities in Asia and the Pacific: The Role of Regional Government Policymakers and Planners”.
On this golden opportunity, Danny Pomanto briefly explained how his vision and mission to realise Makassar Sombere’ and Smart City.
Sombere’ itself is Makassarese for “great hospitality, great humble and great brotherhood”. From here, sombere’ is related to ‘heartware’.
Meanwhile, Smart City is related to hardware and software. Therefore, it is hoped that Sombere’ and Smart City will make Makassar a technology-based smart city with local cultural character.
“Sombere’ will make people’s character strong. Both, sombere’ and smart city, will connect the hearts and minds of people,” said Danny during the event organised by UCLG ASPAC and UNCRD at Courtyard Hotel, Nusa Dua, Bali, Tuesday (21/5).
Regarding Sombere’ and Smart City, Danny built it all through the city alleys that he called “lorong”. Now the lorongs has successfully transformed into Lorong Wisata.
This flagship programme of the Makassar City Government has successfully contributed positively to economic growth and has a broad scope, not just a new tourist destination.
“Lorong Wisata is a multi innovation that involves the community as a whole so that the community becomes empowered and able to be independent entrepreneur in the hallways,” said Danny Pomanto.
At the same time, the two-term mayor gave an example of Sidney’s Tourism Alley (Lorong Wisata).
He showed to the audience that the community is truly independent in producing their daily needs, such as growing vegetables, aquaculture, and others.
Moreover, Lorong Wisata has as much as 21 contents including food security, inflation control, circular economy, 20 digital MSMEs per hallways, aisle startups, delicious food tourism destinations, historical tourism destinations, art, and so on.
Having architecture education as his background, the mayor also introduced various Makassar innovations in realizing a low-carbon city in the future.
Among other things, he showed how he produced electric and environmentally friendly public transportation Commuter Metromoda called Co’mo.
The Co’mo is said to have its battery uses two solar panels so that it charges itself without PLN electricity.
In addition, his government is also making solar energy in all schools. Solar panels will be installed in collaboration with PLN in all schools, health centres, and government offices.
And in relation to the Water Forum, he said, Makassar has the Losari Wastewater Management Installation (IPAL) which has been inaugurated by Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
The Losari IPAL aims to convert wastewater into clean water for daily needs. Its wastewater management capacity is 16 thousand cubic metres per day which covers five sub-districts in Makassar City.
Moreover, he emphasised that changes in human behaviour must start from the alleys in Makassar.
Everything starts there. Therefore, it must be changed. No matter what the technology is, it all starts with human behavior.
And it is human behavior that can protect and save the planet, such as reducing carbon and increasing oxygen.
Therefore, in Makassar, the alleys are made into Lorong Wisata in which there are Public Engagement and Touching Heart Protocols.
In addition, Danny also revealed that to engage the community, he conducted social restructuring in which there is a Lorong Council consisting of Charismatic Leader, Woman Leader, and Millennial Leader.
In his closing presentation, Danny urged everyone to save the planet, water, and life.
“Let’s work from now on, work with diversity and work together,” he said.
