It's a (s)mall world after all

By Simon Wellington

They form one of the larger congregations in Jakarta and definitely one of the more devoted. With religious fervor, they meet at any time and on any day of the week to worship at the fountain of life -- provider of all life-sustaining resources -- the mall.

JAKARTA (JP): Well it has to be said that there are a lot of malls in Jakarta.

They range from centers catering to specific trade, such as technology or textiles, to the grand, all-encompassing palaces of pleasure and luxury such as Plaza Indonesia or Plaza Senayan. The latter are common habitats of mallrats.

Lured by the sparkle of shiny objects, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the chanting of their comrades, the mallrats usually swarm the shrines to capitalism in same-sex groups.

While there, they make sacrifices to the gods of shopping, perform silent mating rituals and engage in miscellaneous social intercourse.

Jake and Grace, two students from the Jakarta International School (JIS), were found wandering Pondok Indah Mall (PIM), South Jakarta, recently and were happy to explain their tale of plaza seduction.

PIM is this young expat duo's main haunt because of its proximity to home and school. Jake visits the mall two to three times a week, when he's bored, while Grace has her habit down to once a week.

Both visit the mall to be with friends, see movies, go to the arcade and occasionally do some shopping.

"I usually come with a group of friends, hang out for a few hours, watch a movie and then hang out some more," Jake said.

Jake said that he spent around Rp 400,000 a month at the mall, while Grace forfeited a more modest Rp 100,000.

Asked about whether their parents were concerned about them spending time at the mall, Grace responded, "The (U.S.) embassy sent out a letter warning about the possibility of bombs and my parents didn't want me to go to the mall as often."

Did it stop her?

"Nope."

PIM has all the basic mall essentials: a cinema, cafes and a decent range of shops -- making it extremely popular among younger teens. There is also a strong expat presence, due to it being located within the Pondok Indah residential area and close to JIS.

Upon further investigation of the mall world, it became clear that Plaza Senayan had to be seen. Or more to the point, was the scene to be seen!

Thousands of people flock to this Mecca for shoppaholics, all appearing to be in competition for the next cover of Vogue -- both the magazine and the Madonna song.

Plaza Senayan, known better among the locals as PS, is clearly a test site for genetic enhancement experiments. Slim bodies adorned with chic figure-hugging outfits, the click of high-heel shoes and the incessant melody of mobile phones (an essential accessory) is visually and aurally overwhelming.

There must be an unwritten dress standard that everyone strictly adheres to and there is a deep suspicion that the security guards could in fact be fashion police.

Clearly, the pressure to look good is compelling. Devy, 25, said that "the girls are so beautiful and the guys are so handsome" at Plaza Senayan, to which Reza, 22, added, "So when we come here we have to dress up like they do."

Their dilemma, so common, is one of the more heart-wrenching tales of this great city.

"This is the place where we want to meet our future wives," Reyno, 16, said.

These three mall musketeers hang out in the food court or cafes about two times a week, usually spending around Rp 500,000 a month within the walls that could contain the loves of their lives.

On Mondays they can see discount movies at the Cinema 21 outlet and on Saturdays, well, there's lots of girls around -- or as Devy so eloquently put it: "Beautiful chicks."

Ocha, 23, and Putri, 21, go to Plaza Senayan almost every day. They revealed a key attraction for mallgoers -- there's just so much under one roof.

They can go bowling, see movies, there are lots of cafes and good choices for shopping, where they usually buy clothes and makeup. They also spend about Rp 500,000 a month to maintain the lifestyle to which they are a customer.

"There are many options for food, a lot of restaurants and good window-shopping," Ocha said. So what do they talk about? Politics? The economy?

"Boys!" came the immediate response.

Meanwhile, it's not only the girls talking about boys at Plaza Senayan.

Ardhi, 24, said that he and his friends often chat about interesting guys within eye-range and sometimes meet up with people whom they've been chatting with over the Internet. Ah, the blurry lines of love, where the real and virtual worlds collide and commitment is measured by the speed of your modem.

"Plaza Senayan is great for eye-catching because there's so many cute guys here. People are more fashionable here and there's more bule," Ardhi said, referring to the fair-skinned expatriate community who are also lured by the color and movement of the plaza.

"Sometimes I go to Blok M because there's a lot of Internet cafes there. So I can use them for chatting and see a lot of my other friends who hang around there," he added.

"I prefer Plaza Senayan though because it has good cafes. There's some good cafes in Blok M but they're located in the basement -- not a strategic place for sightseeing."

Blok M Plaza, still in South Jakarta, does not have as many branded stores. There are more kiosk-style shops here selling mobile phones, electronic goods and the prices are generally cheaper.

The presence of warnet (internet kiosks) and arcades ensures significant mallrat patronage, from teens to early twenty- somethings.

Plaza Indonesia is another glitzy consumer paradise. Nestled within an outcrop of five-star hotels, it has the usual fare of Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Versace and Fendy, the combined stock of which would probably carry a price tag equal to Indonesia's gross national debt.

Most people are business types from the surrounding precinct, as well as guests from the hotels. There are fewer entertainment venues, making it less attractive to teens, which adds to its exclusive ambience.

Further up town, Mal Taman Anggrek is the substructure for a small city of apartment towers. It is Jakarta's biggest mall and is packed with a variety of entertainment options. Like other plazas, MTA -- as many mallrats call it -- has its own distinct culture.

It also has warnet, a number of department stores and shops catering to specific hobbies or merchandise. There aren't as many branded shops here though, thus creating a fashion divide with the more trendy model malls.

The majority of MTA's patrons are Chinese Indonesians, with a large number of them being young teenagers. Customers are lured to this mall by entertainment spectaculars, while the large ice skating rink at the center of the complex definitely has a chilling grip on many youngsters who appear to be frozen to its surface, motionless, while engrossed in conversation.

Whereas previous generations had revolutions or political oppression imposing on their leisure time, today's young people would seem to have a significantly larger number of options.

When asked about social activities undertaken outside the mall world, most people seemed bewildered by the possibility. After all, everything that's cool happens in the mall.

There is definitely a sense of escapism involved in mall culture. The real world outside is hot and dirty, fast and confusing. Inside, it's cool and clean, safe and glamorous.

Malls offer a new conduit for social interaction.

They are the symbol of a generation overwhelmed by manipulative stimulus and newfound freedoms. Viva le plaza!

Who cares if it's all just an illusion?