Air Show free for Kamal residents

JAKARTA (JP): Residents of the Kamal subdistrict near the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport have been able to watch the ongoing International Air Show for free.

"The residents of RW (neighbor units) 02,03,05,06 and 09 have been lucky. Since Sunday, the opening day of the event, they have been able to watch aircraft exhibitions just by standing near the fence separating Kamal from Soekarno Hatta airport," Kamal subdistrict head, Asnawi Ijo said yesterday.

According to Asnawi, those who wish to watch the show just need to hop on a public transportation minivan, which charges a fare of Rp. 5.000 per person, towards the edge of Kamal subdistrict. Kamal is located just two 2 kilometers away from the airport, allowing residents a bird's eye view of the show.

Living so close to the Air Show's location also has its drawbacks. Asnawi said that residents have complained about the noise caused by the planes.

Residents have had difficulty sleeping. The noise has also caused windows of several houses to shatter.

Kamal, located between the airport a toll road, is quite isolated. Since 1994, the subdistrict has been part of the Least Developed Kampong program, receiving assistance from various organizations.(25)