Streets quiet, malls crowded<\/p>\n
Ahmad Junaidi and Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Most city streets were quiet on the first day of the new year,
\nwhile thousands of Jakartans flocked to shopping malls and
\nrecreation centers across the capital.<\/p>\n
At malls, most people simply window-shopped or ate at the food
\ncourts and restaurants. Only a few were observed carrying
\nshopping bags full of recently purchased goods.<\/p>\n
Motorists had to be patient as there were long queues to enter
\nsome malls. At Mal Taman Anggrek in Tomang, West Jakarta, it took
\nalmost half an hour to find a parking space as the lot was almost
\nfull. It was the same at the motorcycle parking lot in front of
\nthe mall.<\/p>\n
The visitors, most of whom arrived with their families,
\nflocked the food court on the fourth floor of the mall, while
\nmany children ice-skated on the third floor. Many other people
\njust sat on the long benches in the mall or in the ground floor
\nlobby.<\/p>\n
Plaza Senayan, Central Jakarta, and Pondok Indah Mall, South
\nJakarta, were also crowded, with visitors thronging the food
\ncourts and restaurants.<\/p>\n
Most visitors just hung around or purchased daily necessities
\nin the supermarkets, while department stores failed to attract
\nmany shoppers, despite the discounts on offer.<\/p>\n
Tight security was in evidence at the malls, with dozens of
\nsecurity guards checking cars at the entrances. At Plaza Senayan,
\nguards used bomb detectors to check vehicles but such equipment
\nwas not seen at Mal Taman Anggrek and Pondok Indah Mall.<\/p>\n
Governor Sutiyoso had earlier called mall management in the
\ncity to use bomb detectors following the Bali bombings on Oct.
\n12, last year.<\/p>\n
Besides crowding the malls, a huge number of Jakartans also
\nvisited recreation parks, such as the National Monument (Monas)
\npark.<\/p>\n
Tens of thousands also packed Taman Mini (TMII) in East
\nJakarta, where they could enjoy a number of attractions organized
\nby the TMII management or the regional pavilions.<\/p>\n
Visitors were from different economic levels, including those
\non low incomes, as the ticket price, Rp 6,000 for an adult and Rp
\n5,000 for a child, is relatively affordable.<\/p>\n
Traffic jams occurred one kilometer before the Taman Mini main
\ngate. People on buses had to walk the last part of the journey as
\nmany of the vehicles turned round early to avoid the congestion.<\/p>\n
In trying to ease the traffic jams, the TMII management opened
\nan additional eight ticket booths at the main gate, particularly
\nfor visitors who used public transport.<\/p>\n
Gunawan, an employee in TMII's public relations department,
\nestimated that the number of people who spent the first day of
\n2003 in the park had increased by around 20 percent compared with
\nthe previous year.<\/p>\n
\"The first day of January last year saw around 80,000
\nvisitors, I dare say that today the visitors may have reached
\nmore than 100,000 people,\" he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Gunawan said that the management had not organized a special
\nevent for New Year's Day, as the emphasis was on New Year's Eve,
\nwhen prominent dangdut singer Elvy Sukaesih and noted rocker
\nAchmad Albar performed.<\/p>\n
But many visitors did not mind the absence of special
\nattractions.<\/p>\n
\"I don't care about special attractions as the most important
\nthing is that I can spend the holiday with all the members of my
\nfamily. What I do know is that we can see various traditional
\nhouses from other regions and watch the dances here,\" said
\nBajuri.<\/p>\n
Bajuri, who lives in Cimone, Tangerang, Banten, traveled to
\nTMII by an air-conditioned city bus, together with his wife and
\nthree children.<\/p>\n
Regular shows there included Reog Ponorogo, Kuda Lumping,
\nTopeng Monyet (Monkey Show) and a variety of attractions at
\npavilions representing nearly all provinces in the country.<\/p>",
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"image": ""
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