Letter #4

Letter #4

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am a student at Ipeka Christian Bilingual School. Every morning
when I go to school, I'm almost always trapped in traffic
congestion. As a result, I am often late to school. Sometimes in
the afternoon when I go home from school, I get caught in traffic
congestion.

It seems that recently, it has become unlikely for us to avoid
heavy traffic in many parts of Jakarta. Traveling a distance of
eight kilometers, for example, may take as long as two hours
during rush hour. I think traffic congestion has become a very
serious problem in Jakarta.

Traffic congestion is more than just a problem in Jakarta. It
makes people tired from having to spend hours in the street. It
takes more time to get to a place than it should.

Traffic congestion also makes people waste more fuel, [and]
this waste of fuel consumption could lead to an energy crisis in
the country. Besides, it makes people reluctant to travel in the
city. I believe that traffic congestion is caused by the number
of motor vehicles have grown too large in Jakarta.

We all know that the government has tried several methods to
handle this problem, one of them is the three-in-one [policy].
Unfortunately, this method doesn't work very well.

But, I still believe that there are still some ways that the
government should try to handle this problem. First, the
government should extend the routes of the busway. I think the
busway is a good transportation facility, and it can accommodate
a number of people in a relatively short time [compared to
conventional buses]. Another benefit of choosing the busway as
daily transportation vehicle is that it is relatively cheap.

Secondly, the government should create a mass rapid
transportation system such as monorails and the MRT. Thirdly, and
most importantly, the government should discipline drivers of
public transport who are reckless. Reckless drivers are one of
the main factors that cause traffic jams in Jakarta.

I have faith that my suggestions will be successful because
with the extensive routes of busway, more people can travel on
the bus. I also think that a monorail or MRT can accommodate a
large number of people at a time in a relatively short time, so
people would rather choose monorails or the MRT as daily
transportation rather than a private car. By disciplining the
reckless drivers, traffic can run smoother.

If these plans succeed, the traffic will become smoother and
comfortable, although I know that to make these come true, we
need a large amount of money.

Some people might say that these plans are impossible. But, I
can assure you that all of these are possible. But, I am afraid
if the government doesn't handle this problem seriously in the
future, maybe it will take one hour to travel a distance of eight
kilometers during normal hours.

We all want to have a better future, and I believe that
government can afford the budget to make these plans come true.

I hope that the government and the people of Jakarta will
consider my suggestions. Let's build a better future for Jakarta.
Together, we can make this come true.

Thank you for your attention and your willingness to read my
letter. I hope my letter can be published in the newspaper.

Sincerely,
Patricia Larissa