KALIMALANG RIVER

Our city, Bekasi, is divided into two by a river which we call it Kalimalang (means transecting river) due to its flow across the middle of city. 

Kalimalang river was mentioned in our revolution history when people in the city involved in the independence war against colonialism in October, 1945. The prisoners of war failed to be saved from the slaughter which took place at the river bank and made the river water red of human blood. 

Kalimalang river in the old time also a good place for predator fish commonly called snake head fish (Latin name: Channa striata) lived. Because of this fish Bekasi makes a good name for its delicious snake head soup sold by some local restaurants until today. 

Pollution and human exploitation have made the sneak head fish, we locally call it Gabus fish, gets rarely found in the river and that also limits the fish supply to those soup sellers.

Today, Kalimalang river has another significant role as water supply for Jakarta city and the neighboring areas. The Drink Water Company, Palyja, depends on Kalimalang for their water to be processed into tap water and distribute it to the whole Jakarta city.