Jl. Jaksa: Time to reach out to more than the regulars?
Jl. Jaksa: Time to reach out to more than the regulars?
Hera Diani and Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta
Its reputation is firmly cemented as the spot for backpacker
travelers, but Jl. Jaksa today resembles a jaded old woman who
has seen better days.
At night, she perks up from her languor to greet her fiercely
loyal regulars with a dizzying draw of loud music, sparkling
lights and a fanfare of women.
When dawn breaks, the mask lifts and what is left is a
deserted road, a few bleary-eyed stragglers looking the worse for
wear and the shabby exteriors of the numerous cafes and cheap
hotels.
The owner of Jaksa Cynthia Book, Lily, said things were a lot
better when she started the secondhand book business 10 years
ago.
"There were not as many hotels, cafes and street vendors then.
Now we can barely pass along the sidewalks. And the street is
dirtier," said Lily, amid hundreds of books stacked inside the
three to four meter kiosk.
She also has to put up with more hoodlums demanding protection
money.
There has been a sharp downturn in visitor numbers in recent
years, triggered by the worldwide alert on terrorism from the
9/11 terrorist attacks, and the direct impact of the Bali and JW
Marriott bombings. Lily said there were only two secondhand
bookstores left on the street, compared to six in the 1990s.
"After the Bali bombing (in October 2002), there was a period
where I didn't get even one customer for four months. Now, it's
getting better than after the Bali and Marriott bombings, but
business is still suffering."
Less than 500 meters long, Jl. Jaksa has been the hub for
budget tourists since the 1980s, offering low-price hotels and
cheap beer, even by local standards.
Despite its strategic location in Central Jakarta, a stone's
throw from the center of the city, the area's tourism potential
remains untapped, with the street and its denizens left to their
own devices.
Compare it to Khao San Road in Bangkok. Located near
Chinatown, the street offers a lively atmosphere with souvenir
shops, happening artists, street singers and more, all adding up
to a sense of Asian urban exoticism.
At its establishments managed mostly by Chinese Thais, all are
welcome to visit, from tourists to locals.
Jl. Jaksa, meanwhile, has no symbols of local culture, unless
the couple of cheap souvenir shops count. This is despite the
fact that on adjacent Jl. Kebon Sirih Dalam there are still
several small houses retaining their Dutch architectural design,
and an old box shop which was established in the 1930s.
With the number of Western visitors decreasing and the
recently implemented US$25 visa-on-arrival policy likely to make
backpackers think twice, it may be time to be more inclusive of
locals.
With the state of things now, however, many locals would not
be interested in stopping by for a glass of beer and some pub
grub.
For one, they feel out of their element.
"It's shabby and uncomfortable, and people often discriminate
against us because we're not Westerners," said 30-something
working woman Ade.
There are also problems of drug dealing and prostitution,
which are apparent in the tiny inns in small alleys.
Businesses have been taken over by Westerners who are married
to Indonesians, or who rent their establishments from locals.
Only one or two cafes and hotels are fully owned by Indonesians.
According to Mack, an American expatriate who owns
shares in a pub in the area, the government should take an active
role if they want to revive the area.
"In Khao San Road, the government is very involved. Here, they
put on extra taxes even for a 100 percent locally owned place.
Because they said 'Oh, you must have a lot of money because you
serve bule (Westerners). They should give business incentives if
they want to lure more tourists."
He added that it was relatively rare to have tourists in the
area. Most people who visit Jl. Jaksa's nightspots, he said, were
expatriates working here, like English teachers, who were not on
a hefty expatriate pay package and found the street to their
liking to kick back and hang out with friends.
Mack said Jl. Jaksa still serves the best foreign food for the
price, sometimes tasting better than more expensive food at
upmarket restaurants.
Despite negative stereotypes of the Jl. Jaksa regulars, Mack
said he found most to be among the most intelligent members of
the expatriate community.
"There are many young, fresh graduates who come down here to
get the experience, and then they go back to get their master's
degree," he said.
Still, as part of the capital and a tourist attraction, the
street needs to rethink its image to become inclusive. Otherwise,
it will remain a different world for most Jakarta residents.