Is it `APEC', `apek' or `apes'?: Jakartans are wondering<\/p>\n
By Yoko N. Sari<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Every big event generates its own jokes, or
\nanecdotes, and the big APEC gathering in Indonesia over the past
\nweek is no exception among the local people.<\/p>\n
As newspapers and television have bombarded Indonesian readers
\nand viewers with APEC stories over the past month, people are now
\nbeginning to understand what the four letter acronym stands for.<\/p>\n
But pronouncing the acronym is another matter and even
\ntelevision newscasters sometimes still get it wrong.<\/p>\n
This is where some of the jokes originate. The pronunciation
\nresembles the Indonesian words apek, which means a musty and damp
\nsurrounding, or apes, which means unlucky.<\/p>\n
These are the two words with negative connotations, which many
\npeople are using now to describe the APEC gathering, especially
\nif they have to bear some of the brunt, or excesses, of the major
\nevent.<\/p>\n
Street vendors are among those who, while not complaining too
\nstridently, lament that they have been asked not to trade in
\nJakarta's main roads and at busy intersections in the run-up,
\nduring and, perhaps, after APEC.<\/p>\n
\"I don't understand why the little people always have to
\nsuffer every time there is an international conference in the
\ncity,\" said Yan, who usually hangs out at the National Monument
\n(Monas) park just across from the Presidential Palace.<\/p>\n
Many vendors, either not aware of any ban, or simply stubborn,
\nkeep returning to their usual business sites every day. And just
\nas quickly, officers from the city's security and order agency
\npick them up.<\/p>\n
The sweeping of vendors off the streets is only one among the
\nextra measures taken by the government to make the APEC meetings
\nsuccessful.<\/p>\n
The city administration, for instance, has gone extra miles to
\nmake the city as beautiful as possible, planting flowers in the
\nmedians along the main thoroughfares and installing new
\ndecorative lights.<\/p>\n
\"Because of APEC we have become apes (unfortunate),\" Sri,
\nanother habitual Monas park vendor, who lives in the Tanah Tinggi
\nslum area, said in describing the recent turn her life has taken.<\/p>\n
She said that the municipal public order office had prohibited
\nvendors from their trade from Oct. 31 until Nov. 21, but several
\nvendors tried to circumvent the ban because they do not have any
\nother livelihood.<\/p>\n
\"We have to play hide and seek with the officers from the
\nagency because we will be hungry if we don't,\" Sri said.<\/p>\n
Yan, who lives in the Gambir railway station, said they have
\nto be prepared to run away from patrolling officers to avoid
\npaying the hefty fines.<\/p>\n
For public transit drivers, the APEC meeting is a Catch-22
\nsituation.<\/p>\n
They had earlier feared that the presence of APEC leaders and
\nthe hordes of officials and journalists would create massive
\ntraffic congestion, which would mean less income for them.<\/p>\n
Traffic jams were such a major headache for the national
\ncommittee, which has organized the APEC meeting, that the
\ngovernment agreed to its proposal to declare Monday and Tuesday
\nas public holidays.<\/p>\n
Now city bus and taxi drivers say the holiday means even less
\nrevenue than they had previously anticipated because most people
\nhave left town.<\/p>\n
\"I thought APEC was supposed to discuss ways of boosting the
\npeople's welfare. But my welfare is taking a definite downturn,\"
\njoked Sobikin, a taxi driver who lives in Bekasi Timur.<\/p>\n
To some, the public holiday is an APEC gift in many ways.<\/p>\n
Tris, a junior high school student, who also works as a
\nshoeshine boy at City Hall, does not know what APEC means, but
\nsaid, \"If school is off, I'm all for it.\"<\/p>\n
Benefit<\/p>\n
But the barrage of publicity about the benefits of APEC and
\nthe hosting of the conferences to Indonesia appears to have been
\nsuccessful.<\/p>\n
\"It means that the world is acknowledging Indonesia as one of
\nthe economic giants in Asia and they are also admitting Indonesia
\nis a country which has national political stability,\" Tri Riki, a
\nstudent of the University of Indonesia, who lives in Penjaringan
\ndistrict, North Jakarta, said.<\/p>\n
\"This is going to be very good publicity for Indonesia as the
\nhost of the meeting. For three days Indonesia will become a
\ncenter of International attention,\" Uci, another student from the
\nsame university, who lives in Pekayon Bekasi, said.<\/p>\n
\"This is a chance for local businessmen to get international
\npartners or buyers. Just like the governor said, they have to use
\nthis opportunity,\" said Zainal Mutaqin, a city administration
\nofficial.<\/p>\n
\"Yes, this is absolutely a big chance for local businessmen,
\nbut I doubt that the small businesses will benefit,\" commented
\nShanti, an employee of a private company.<\/p>\n
Some, however, question whether or not the government has gone
\noverboard in preparing the APEC conference by clamping down on
\nvendors.<\/p>\n
Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono, who heads the National
\nCommittee for the APEC conference, said he never asked the
\nJakarta authorities to sweep vendors off the street, or even to
\nclamp down on crime in the name of APEC.<\/p>\n
It appears that the city authorities have been acting on their
\nown initiative.<\/p>\n
\"I understand the government should make thorough preparations
\nfor the meeting. But it should have not gone so far as clearing
\nvendors or hawkers off the streets,\" Uci said.<\/p>\n
\"The government has exaggerated this event as if the kings of
\nthe world are coming to this city and the streets should be clean
\nof vendors and the general public,\" Tri Riki said.<\/p>\n
The street vendors said the government should do more than
\njust chase them around to make the capital cleaner and more
\nbeautiful.<\/p>\n
\"The government should give us transportation allowances so we
\nall can go home for the whole month,\" Yan said to the applause by
\nhis fellow vendors.<\/p>",
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