Jakarta deserves better

Jakarta deserves better

As Jakartans gear up for the election of our next governor
later this year, it might be worth pondering the question of
whether our beloved city has become a more pleasant place to live
in these last five years under the leadership of Governor
Sutiyoso.

Now that the incumbent governor has made it clear he intends
to run for a second five-year term, it is natural that we should
ask ourselves if things improved so much during his first term
that he thinks he deserves another chance.

The answer to the question of whether Jakarta has become a
more livable place is a resounding no. Anyone who thinks
otherwise ought to have their heads examined.

On almost all fronts, life in Jakarta has become unbearable
these past five years. Here is just a sampling of some of the
unpleasant facts of life in our city:

Traffic has become virtually impossible to avoid or navigate.
The congestion on our roads has continued to worsen, and not only
in Central Jakarta but also on the city's outskirts. We seem to
spend more and more time just trying to get from one place to
another.

The congestions has been made worse by damaged roads and
flooding, as well as the seemingly endless parade of street
demonstrations. Just think of how many productive man-hours have
been lost because of traffic; man-hours that could have
contributed to an economic recovery.

Crime is also a major problem that the Sutiyoso administration
has failed to tackle. The authorities are never short of excuses
and explanations for the soaring crime rate, from an understaffed
police force to rising unemployment. Only rarely are the
criminals caught and punished.

The floods earlier this year, the most severe to hit Jakarta
in memory, may not have been entirely the fault of the city
administration, but the way it dealt with the disaster, during
and in the aftermath of the flooding, was simply appalling.

Then there are the problems of worsening air pollution,
corruption in the administration, uncollected trash, the near
breakdown of various public services and many others that are
simply too numerous to list.

Some people may have simply given up on Jakarta and all its
unpleasantness, and headed to other cities, whether in Indonesia
or abroad.

But as unbearable as the situation has become, for some nine
million people Jakarta remains a place they still like to call
home. And for some four million others who live in the
neighboring towns of Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi, Jakarta is
where they come to work every day to earn a living.

Jakarta is the seat of government for the Republic. It is the
country's main business and trading city, a major destination for
foreign visitors arriving either for business or pleasure and a
major center for the nation's artistic and cultural life.

How Jakarta is governed is therefore important, not only for
the nine million residents who live here and the four million
others from surrounding towns who work here, but also for the
image and reputation of the country, for the smooth working of
the central government and for the overall national development.

Taking advantage of his position as the incumbent, Sutiyoso
has already given himself a head start in the election before any
other candidates have even come to the surface. Having survived
an impeachment campaign by the Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD)
two years ago, he seems to fancy his chances with the council
members, whose task it is to elect the governor.

It is unfortunate that under the present political system, the
governor of Jakarta is elected by the DPRD rather than directly
by the city's residents. This certainly opens the opportunity for
money politics to come into play.

To those whose job it is to elect the governor, we ask that
you look at the track record of the incumbent and seriously ask
yourselves whether he should be given another term.

Jakarta, with its numerous complex problems, needs a governor
who has the guts to tackle these problems head-on. Jakarta needs
a governor who is capable, who understands the city's problems
and who truly cares about the people of the city. Jakarta needs a
governor who works for the people, not one who simply exercises
his power. Jakarta needs a governor who can make the city a
pleasant place in which to live and work.

We deserve better.