Jakartans gather for one-minute wonder

Jakartans gather for one-minute wonder

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Forgetting the current prolonged crisis, hundreds of thousands of
Jakartans flocked the city's main thoroughfares on Monday night
to brave massive traffic jams and crowds to celebrate New Year's
Eve.

Blowing paper trumpets, playing with fireworks and ignoring a
ban by the city administration by setting off firecrackers,
revelers in their cars and motorcycles jammed roads as well as
public recreational places.

Jakartans started to flock roads heading to the National
Monument (Monas) park and Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central
Jakarta at 4 p.m. despite the overcast sky hanging over the city.

Among the popular places, the National Monument complex in
Central Jakarta attracted the most revelers, with thousands of
people cramming every nook and cranny of the 80-hectare park.

Many of them went along with their families early in the
evening, picnicking in the park, carrying their mats and tucking
into their evening meals.

Many others just sat on top of their parked cars or drove
slowly around the park, blowing their trumpets and playing with
car horns, creating an unimaginable amount of noise.

The park became jam-packed with thousands of revelers.

Surprisingly, when the clock ticked 12 a.m., no special
attraction was on offer to entertain the hundreds of thousands of
people at the National Monument park, except several blasts of
fireworks from nearby Aryaduta Hotel.

Some people, nonetheless, had prepared with their own
attractions, such as small fireworks, which entertained the
revelers and made the sky above the park more colorful.

"Although there is no big attraction, to me, it's a beautiful
night," said Karta, with his girlfriend sitting behind him on his
motorcycle.

No wonder there was no show at the National Monument as the
city's official New Year celebrations were centered at Ancol
Dreamland park in North Jakarta, where Governor Sutiyoso led the
ceremonies.

Sutiyoso marked the New Year by setting off a firework
display, which colored the city's skyline for almost 30 minutes.

Sutiyoso arrived at Ancol 15 minutes before midnight,
panicking all the organizers, by getting on a Harley Davidson
motorcycle belonging to the City's Land Transportation Agency.

The governor had to abandon his bus, which was among his
entourage of six buses, because it got trapped along nearby Ancol
tollroad, some five kilometers from the stage.

There was no way to pass the tollroad near Ancol as people had
parked their cars along the highway, so as to get the best view
of the fireworks.

According to Ancol's General Manager of Promotions at Ancol
Dreamland Y.J. Harwanto, the park imported 1,010 world-class
fireworks from Canada, Spain and China.

The park management spent more than Rp 1 billion (US$98,000)
for the New Year celebrations, of which Rp 750 million was used
to finance four onstage performances and concerts across the
park.

One hour earlier, the governor and his entourage, including
Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Bibit Waluyo and city
council chairman Edy Waluyo, joined the New Year's Eve
celebrations at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in East Jakarta.

Witnessed by thousands of people, Sutiyoso even sang Begadang
(stay the night) together with Rhoma Irama, dubbed the king of
dangdut.

Separately, revelers also celebrated New Year's Eve at Taman
Ria Senayan in Central Jakarta, while many others enjoyed a
dangdut music show held at the nearby offices of state-television
company TVRI.

People also flocked to Bung Karno Stadium sports complex in
Central Jakarta and the Hotel Indonesia roundabout.

Amidst the festivities at the roundabouts, two groups of
people held peaceful rallies there.

The festivities began to cool down at around 3 a.m.

However, while Jakarta's streets started to empty, an
explosion rocked Jakarta, killing one person.

This explosion spoiled a festive night, which otherwise passed
peacefully.