At 471, Jakarta turns a black page in its history

At 471, Jakarta turns a black page in its history

JAKARTA (JP): The accent is on the subdued as the city marks
its 471st anniversary today. Despite the absence of grand
celebrations, the annual Jakarta Fair -- a mainstay of the
anniversary's commemoration -- will go on even despite a
postponement until July due to the tumultuous economic and
political situation.

Jakartans shared their thoughts on marking another milestone
during a time of unprecedented hardship and in the wake of the
May riots which blackened the face of their city.

Abdulah, a traditional es cendol (iced beverage) vendor: It's
sad to see Jakarta marking its anniversary in such a condition.
It looked very ugly with all the burned buildings, not to mention
the sad and stressed faces of the people who lost their
belongings and loved ones during the riot. I was very lucky not
to be a victim.

Hendra, a Chinese-Indonesian man whose motorbike workshop in
Petukangan, South Jakarta, was damaged during the riots: I almost
forgot about the anniversary. Not that I don't care, but I've
been busy with my own sorrow... For Jakarta's anniversary, I hope
that it will regain its spirit soon and everything will return to
normal. Please, no more burning and looting. I also hope that
Jakarta will give its residents a better life and environment. By
the way, will they (the administration) organize any celebration?
A modest one will do to ease our tension, I suppose. Happy
anniversary anyway.

Irawan Sarpingi, chairman of the Association of Public
Transportation Owners (Organda): What Jakartans need today is the
physical and psychological protection. People are still in deep
trauma because of the massive riots ... I hope the administration
can guarantee that people are safe to run their businesses.
Businesspeople need the guarantee to resume their activities. I
also hope that the administration will make reform efforts in its
services, especially transportation. I think the administration
should first ensure better welfare of their employees so that the
latter will stop collecting illegal levies because their needs
will have been covered by their salaries.

Bill Saragih, a noted jazz musician: My message is, of course,
happy anniversary, have a long existence, with the hope that
there is a guarantee for the security here. That's the most
important thing. Let there be no more disturbances because what
is essential now is for the people to have something to eat. The
city has been blessed with all the good things, let's not destroy
this. My suggestion is for the administration to improve the
public transportation services. On the other hand, the public
should also support it by behaving more appropriately. Once
again, happy 471st anniversary and many happy returns.

Ridwan Saidy, a politician: On its 471st anniversary, Jakarta
bears witness to the rise and fall of the power of former
president Soeharto. The country's change of power always has an
impact on the city's physical form. The celebration of the city's
anniversary is marked by the odor of the dead, intimidation and
the ruins, all of which have scared the inhabitants. We witness
that Jakarta is becoming a dead city in which symbols of
modernity like cafes, toll roads and apartments are deserted.

Tini Hadad, chairwoman of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation:
I think the city's anniversary should be commemorated in the
spirit to correct anything which is wrong. It's important for the
administration to be consistent with regulations it has made.
Frankly speaking, it's notorious for being inconsistent with its
own regulations, not to mention the bad behavior of its
officials.

People know that the administration itself frequently violates
its own legal products. For example, many green areas have been
changed into hotels, shopping centers or other sites. This
happened because of collusion and corruption practiced by the
officials. People are sick of it. They have to face difficulties
in getting services or pay more than the official fees in
processing documents. If the administration does not take any
action to solve all those (problems), then the commemoration will
has no meaning. (cst/ind)