'Festive anniversary won't improve our lives'

Jakarta celebrates its 475th anniversary on Saturday. Slums, poor garbage management, traffic congestion, floods, indisciplined residents and corrupt bureaucrats still plague the city. Some residents share their hopes with The Jakarta Post of what kind of city they wish Jakarta would become.

Nursyahbani Katjasungkana, 48, is a lawyer, women's activist, member of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and vice governor candidate.

The city is for everyone, for the rich and the poor. So far, it has been very cruel to disadvantaged people, favoring those more fortunate. In the future the city should be friendlier to the poor.

Public participation in making public policy should also be encouraged. So far, the administration, under military governors, has ignored the public by deciding its own policies.

Lina Kartika, 30, a housewife and secretary at a private company in Slipi, West Jakarta. Born in Jakarta, she lives in Pejompongan, Central Jakarta.

I was born here so I'm familiar with all the disorder. But just the same, I don't think the city is an ideal place to live.

Jakarta should be friendlier and more accessible for all residents. It appears that the city is only developed for the wealthy. Sky-scrappers, comfortable apartments and hospitals, for example, are mainly developed to cater to the rich.

The city administration should improve public services, particularly public transportation and housing. Otherwise, the city could turn into a giant slum.

However, I doubt the administration will be able to accomplish this if it fails to eradicate the rampant corruption, collusion and nepotism.

Barman, 45, is a vendor at Tanah Abang market, Central Jakarta. He is an indigenous Jakartan who lives in Petamburan subdistrict, Central Jakarta.

Jakarta's anniversary? When? I've been too busy with my business to earn money for my family and I forgot the city would celebrate its anniversary.

Living here gets tougher every day and we must work harder to survive.

If you ask me about my hopes, one is that the leaders will focus more on poor people like me in the future. They should be able to create more prosperity for their people, not for themselves.

How festive they make the anniversary will mean nothing if there is no improvement in our welfare.

R. Harijanto S., 47, is head of the Public Order Office in Menteng district, Central Jakarta. He lives in Pondok Gede, East Jakarta, with his wife and four children.

The city's anniversary hopefully will bring a better and brighter future. I really wish the people, mainly pedestrians and street vendors, would be more knowledgeable about the city bylaw on discipline.

The capital's atmosphere is totally chaotic. Most Jakartans are self-centered and tend to be bad-tempered.

If the city leaders started giving good examples in obeying the law, I think all people would respect the law enforcers, including us.

We realize that we risk our lives doing our job. We hope the people will uphold the law, which would improve our lives. Otherwise, the discipline campaign will come to nothing despite the anniversary. -- JP