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.