Fears of unrest keep people away from city center

JAKARTA (JP): With President Abdurrahman Wahid having announced he was going to declare a state of emergency on Friday, some areas of the capital were quieter than usual, although the President eventually backed down on his threat.

Shopping malls and stores opened, but many experienced a marked decrease in the number of customers. And traffic on the usually clogged streets of the capital was markedly smoother throughout the day.

As of late afternoon, traffic on main roads such as Jl. MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta and Jl. Sudirman in South Jakarta was remarkably light for a Friday. There were still many motorists on the roads, but none of the traffic jams that usually occur at noon and between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., when office workers normally begin heading home.

There was a traffic jam at Jl. MH Thamrin heading in the direction of the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle at about 3 p.m., but that was because of a student demonstration. Past the traffic circle onto Jl. Sudirman, traffic was smooth.

The street running in front of Plaza Senayan, Jl. Asia Afrika, was largely vacant of vehicles in the afternoon, though the shopping center itself was crowded.

The scene was similar in Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, in the morning.

Ahmad, a commuter from Serpong, Tangerang, said the Serpong- Blok M bus which he takes every day was unusually empty.

"Usually, it's packed with people. But it was a little vacant today," he told The Jakarta Post.

The Kebon Jeruk toll road, Ahmad said, was also less crowded.

"It usually takes me two hours to travel to Slipi, West Jakarta, but this morning it took less than one and a half hours," he said.

In the electronics center of Glodok in Central Jakarta traffic was also light.

This area is often targeted in riots because of the large number of Chinese-Indonesians who live and own businesses here.

According a parking attendant in Glodok, Kirman, the traffic was unusually light.

"You see, there are still many spaces in the parking lot. Usually at this hour there are no spaces left. The traffic jam is also not as bad as usual," he said.

Kirman added that it might have something to do with the President's threat to declare a state of emergency.

At the Harco Glodok shopping center, security officer Nurhusin said sales on the day had fallen by at least 50 percent.

"On Fridays people usually pack this shopping center, but not today," he said.

Nurhusin said the shopping center had taken steps to prepare for any outbreaks of violence. "The marines said they were ready to help us," he added.

Meanwhile, many areas in South Jakarta seemed unaffected on Friday. Mayestik shopping center, Blok M and Radio Dalam were all humming with activity as usual.

A woman, who gave her name as Vera, was shopping for clothes in Mayestik. She said that she was hesitant to leave her house in Bintaro, South Jakarta.

"At first I was afraid, but lots of people said everything was OK, so I came here. I think South Jakarta is safe, unlike Central Jakarta which is prone (to riots)," she said.(hdn)