'Festive anniversary won't improve our lives'

'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