Problems abound as Jakarta goes through globalization process<\/p>\n
By Dewi Anggraeni<\/p>\n
MELBOURNE, Australia (JP): Global economic growth, as we
\nlearned in November's \"Cities and the new Global Economy\"
\nconference here, has given birth to new global cities. And one of
\nthese is Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Jakarta has been able to attract trans-national capital and
\ninvestment, and provide certain necessary services crucial to the
\noperation of the global economy, such as port facilities,
\ntelecommunication networks and labor, as well as consumer
\nmarkets.<\/p>\n
In terms of the property market in the Asia-Pacific region, it
\nis ranked, together with Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, as in the
\nrapid development stage.<\/p>\n
The lofty status of a global city must somehow have a giddying
\neffect on its citizens. San Francisco, London, Paris and
\nMelbourne are only a phone call away. Some Jakartans even have
\nbusiness connections in those cities. And imported goods are only
\na shopping trip away; the list goes on. Not only is Jakarta the
\nhub of manufacturing and financial activities, it is also the
\nmain player in the process of integrating the Indonesian domestic
\neconomy into the international market.<\/p>\n
However, every silver lining has a cloud attached to it. Most
\nof these cities in the Asia-Pacific region, have grown so fast in
\nthe last decade that the existing infrastructure, abetted by the
\nnewly developed additions, has difficulty meeting the increasing
\ndemands.<\/p>\n
As cities grow in importance, the quality of life of the
\npopulation drops. Ecological disasters such as contamination of
\nwater, air pollution, traffic congestion and a swelling homeless
\npopulation, are the direct results of inadequate infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Related problems like a high unemployment rate, family
\nbreakdowns and crimes are not far behind. As property prices
\ninvariably skyrocket, more and more people will be pushed further
\naway from the city center, causing sharp division in terms of
\nwealth and social class.<\/p>\n
Knowing that all those problems are not peculiar to Jakarta
\nmay be some consolation. Nonetheless they need to be tackled fast
\nbefore they fester and become permanent fixtures of the city.<\/p>\n
In the year 2010, the population of the greater Jakarta area
\n(Jabotabek) is predicted to reach 30 million, compared to 17.1
\nmillion at present. The urgent need of urban physical
\nrestructuring and better management of the environment will have
\nto be confronted. While commercial space problems are being
\nrectified by the rapid development of office buildings and better
\ndesigned shopping complexes and commercial centers, affordable
\nhousing for the general population is still scarce.<\/p>\n
And quality of life cannot be separated from management of the
\nenvironment. A densely populated city like Jakarta, with high-
\nrise buildings, as well as its packed clusters of dwelling
\nplaces, is a safety and security nightmare.<\/p>\n
There is an urgent need for efficient and effective
\nfire fighting management. It seems also that the need to access
\nrenewable energy for electricity is still not fully met. Yet it
\nis paramount, considering that there is a shortage of essential
\nitems like clean water for domestic, as well as industrial use.<\/p>\n
We need energy for processing and cleansing water and for its
\nreticulation into houses and other buildings, as well as for
\ntreatment of industrial and domestic wastes. We also need energy
\nfor the increasing use of advanced technology, on which we are
\nbecoming more dependent every day. With the increasing urgency to
\nkeep pollution as low as possible, the energy used must be clean
\nand fairly hazard free. Solar and geothermal energy stand at the
\ntop of the preference list.<\/p>\n
Coinciding with the conference, the Australian government has
\njust published the Report by the Urban Design Task Force
\nappointed by Prime Minister Paul Keating. Good urban design,
\naccording to this report, among others, should demonstrate design
\nexcellence in urban development and architecture; distribute
\nbenefits; respond to local features and needs; be relevant to the
\ncontemporary world; leave open the possibility for continuing
\nadaptation and change and forge connections with the past.<\/p>\n
A tall order indeed. While none of the global cities featured
\nin the conference fully meet the above criteria, some, like Lyons
\nand Munich in the northern hemisphere and Melbourne and Sydney in
\nthe southern hemisphere, seem closer than many, to meeting them.<\/p>\n
In terms of Jakarta, to move closer to meeting those criteria,
\na strong political will is essential, because of the complexity
\nof the restructuring process. While involving private enterprise
\nmay be a useful means, the initial design and the on-going task
\nof control, presumably in the hands of the authorities, are most
\ncrucial.<\/p>\n
The challenges are not strictly confined to managing and
\ngoverning the capital city. Metropolitan Jakarta will not only
\nattract unskilled workers, but also the best experts and skilled
\npeople. The concentration of the best human resources in Jakarta
\nmay be an advantage in terms of the workings of trans-national
\nbusinesses.<\/p>\n
However, it may also leave the lesser towns lagging in
\neconomic development for lack of good human resources and the
\ntechnical know-how that goes with it. The high fluidity of
\nmovement of skilled human resources among the global cities will
\nalso contribute to the trend that all these cities will appear
\nand feel increasingly alike. The difference will not be between
\ncountries, but between the cities and the rural areas of the same
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
While the authorities in Jakarta put their heads together,
\nporing over maps, computer screens and figures, the `global city
\nhoppers' a new name for commercial tourists, can be expected to
\nkeep pouring in.<\/p>\n
Dewi Anggraeni is a journalist and writer based in
\nMelbourne.<\/p>",
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