Garbage in Jakarta

As a regular overseas traveler, I am always impressed by the cleanliness of cities abroad, be it in Europe, America and even in some Asian countries.

If other countries can solve their garbage problems, surely Indonesia, as one of the richest countries in natural resources, is also in the position to do so. Incinerators are usually used abroad to get rid of garbage. Couldn't Jakarta also buy such an incinerator, no matter how expensive it is?

If a tourist happens to visit the market at Jl. Blora, Central Jakarta, only a stones throw from one of Jakarta's main streets, Jl. Thamrin, they would be horrified to see the piles of garbage and the uncountable number of maggots crawling in the sewers and ditches nearby, not to mention the awful stench.

Even in the elite neighborhood of Menteng, during my morning walks, I always see heaps of garbage unattended. I hope the Jakarta administration will pay due attention to this particular problem as a hygienic environment is key to a healthy life.

A. DJUANA

Jakarta