"This means that the poor and vulnerable has been saved and the notion of 'defensible life space' is guaranteed," said the head of Master of City and Regional Planning/MPKD study program, Department of Architecture and Planning, Faculty of Engineering UGM.
In Bobby’s view, defensible life space is very meaningful to those who are poor and vulnerable, because it is one of the eight elements of the social forces that allow them to escape poverty. Such was what the late Father Mangunwijaya did by accompanying the community living under the Gondolayu bridge in Yogyakarta. It is a form of defensible life space. "It has been proven to help deliver the poor and vulnerable to escape poverty," the man born in Yogyakarta, 28 June 1959, added.
In the eyes of the husband of Ir. Dwita Hadi Rahmi, MA, city planning is not a mere technocratic and technical activities that is free from value and interest. Urban planning is a process laden with clash, conflict, negotiation and possible concessions between the various actors in the city.
In such a situation, urban planning should be able to choose the side they will work on. Most of citizens are vulnerable, lost, and marginalized. "Therefore, planning should prioritize the strengthening processes of citizens associations. The strengthening is necessary for them to be ready and able to defend their aspirations and interests, and not defeated by the interests of capital and the ruler of the city," said the father of Tata Matahari.
The history of Indonesia is that village is an integral part of cities. In the urban development that will continue to occur, villages still have the opportunity to give shape and meaning to a better Indonesian urban life while until now many people perceive that the future of the village will be very dependent on the future of the city. This view must be changed, because the future of cities in Indonesia in fact will greatly depend on villages. As a matter of fact, the planning of cities in Indonesia in the future should observe and treat the village as an integral part of the city.
"Urban plan maps should contain clear and detailed explanation of existing villages. Planning and urban development documents should also recount and explain the existing villages, history, position and its contribution to the city," Prof. Ir. Bakti Setiawan, MA., Ph.D explained in the Senate Hall of UGM, Thursday (28/10) when inaugurated as Professor of Urban Planning, Faculty of Engineering.
Bobby (his nickname ) said, these documents are very important, because they show the important role of village in the city system as well as ensure that the village is not removed from the urban system of planning and development. In his view, in the context of urban development that is controlled by the market and capital, the planning should dare to take sides, assisting and protecting the village.