City administration told to focus on stability, security<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Observers and residents called on the city
\nadministration on Wednesday to place more focus on maintaining
\nstability and security in the capital, and less on holding
\ncelebrations to commemorate the capital's 473rd anniversary on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
Many city residents claimed they had lost their enthusiasm for
\ncelebrating the city's anniversary, saying deteriorating living
\nconditions in the city was far more important a topic.<\/p>\n
Sociologist Paulus Wirutomo and Jakarta Legal Aid Institute
\nchairwoman Apong Herlina said the city administration had too
\nmany other things to concentrate on, and that the annual
\nfestivities had become meaningless given the worsening living
\nconditions of city residents.<\/p>\n
\"The city administration should use Jakarta's anniversary as
\nmomentum to think about revising the city's development
\nstrategy,\" Paulus said.<\/p>\n
He said incidents of crimes, violence and brawls frequently
\noccurred in the city because the development programs did not
\nreach the masses or improve the quality of life for the majority
\nof the people.<\/p>\n
\"For instance, there are public facilities like art and youth
\ncenters, but they are not managed well. Even worse is that the
\nplaces are used more for economic purposes,\" he said, referring
\nto a youth center in Kuningan, South Jakarta, which has turned
\ninto a shopping complex and the lack of vision behind the
\nmanagement of the Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center in Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Conditions deteriorated further after the country was hit by
\nthe economic crisis in 1997, which resulted in increased
\nunemployment, he said.<\/p>\n
He said that given the unfavorable conditions it was
\nunderstandable that Jakartans were not enthusiastic about
\ncommemorating the city's anniversary.<\/p>\n
Paulus said the administration should follow the lead of the
\nMalaysian government, which provided the support to increase
\nemployment opportunities.<\/p>\n
\"Employment will stifle aggressiveness. So far I don't see
\nevidence that the city administration has any visionary
\nprograms,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Numerous festivities are planned by the administration to mark
\nthe city's 473rd anniversary, including the Pasar Baru festival
\nand community celebration on Jl. Antara in Central Jakarta,
\ndangdut music at Kali Deres in West Jakarta and keroncong and
\ndangdut music performances in North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Apong said the administration could celebrate the anniversary
\nin more meaningful ways, such as organizing a community dialog to
\nresolve the city's numerous problems.<\/p>\n
\"People, in this case activists from non-governmental
\norganizations, are always invited to give input to the
\nadministration,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Apong rejected the claim the celebrations would show the world
\nJakarta was safe. \"Safety is not proven by the flawlessness of a
\ncelebration, but by the feelings of the people.\"<\/p>\n
She said she saw no changes in the administration's attitude.
\n\"Ironically, like what is happening at the national level, those
\nwho have authority in the city are more interested in having
\npolitical struggles.\"<\/p>\n
Many city residents are of the same opinion. Handi Juhandi,
\nwho owns a food stall at Senen shopping complex in Central
\nJakarta, said the capital was becoming more and more horrifying
\nas violence occurred with increasing frequency.<\/p>\n
\"So organizing any kind of celebration will mean nothing.
\nMaintaining security is a much more important issue now,\" Handi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said he always felt uneasy when running his business.
\n\"I sometimes worry that a celebration like the one at Pasar Baru
\ncan turn violent anytime. It is us who will always feel the
\nimpact.\"<\/p>\n
Another resident, Aman, who runs a fabric shop at Pasar Baru,
\nsaid it was okay to hold the celebrations as long as the
\nadministration could guarantee the programs would run smoothly.<\/p>\n
\"Security is the most important thing for businesspeople,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
However, many residents were unaware of the anniversary, even
\nthose who witnessed the opening of the Pasar Baru festival.<\/p>\n
\"I thought it was being held to celebrate Indonesia's
\nindependence day,\" said Mujiah, 65, upon witnessing the opening
\nof the festival.<\/p>\n
Other residents showed a similar lack of knowledge for the
\nreason behind the celebration. \"I don't know. I just passed here
\nand stopped to watch the festivities,\" said Usman. (ind)<\/p>",
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