'Cloning' of Jakarta map

'Cloning' of Jakarta map

From Bisnis Indonesia

A word of caution is advised on the newest map of Jakarta, because the wrong choice can lead one astray, as was my own experience.

At first I intended to buy the 2001/2002 edition of the Jakarta-Jabotabek map compiled by Gunther W. Holtorf and distributed by PT Djambatan for Rp 199,000.

However, another lower-priced alternative (Rp 159,000), attracted my attention as it had the logo of the Jakarta City Mapping Board prominently printed in the bottom left corner of the cover.

On closer examination, this supposedly 2001/2002 edition by Riadika Mastra and published by PT Bhuana Ilmu Populer (one of the Gramedia Group's companies) greatly resembles the 1997/1998 edition of Gunther W. Holtorf, which I had purchased a few years ago.

The imitation started right from the cover, continuing page by page, up to the end. The very few minor differences were in the size or typefaces, use of some colors, placing of street names, scales or other unimportant altered elements.

Obviously, the cloning of the previous map contained old unused names of streets and it did not have newly developed streets or their current names. Has piracy in our country become this bad?

RUDY S. PONTOH

Jakarta