Megawati inaugurates merrier Jakarta Fair

Megawati inaugurates merrier Jakarta Fair

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri
inaugurated the annual Jakarta Fair on Friday amid growing
optimism that the economy will improve and encouraging signs of
society's increasing political tolerance toward the Chinese
community.

Some 1,507 local and foreign companies and agencies are taking
part in the month-long event that includes not only trade
exhibitions but also cultural exhibitions and performances.

The number of participants is more than five times the 270
which took part in last year's fair, but it is still lower than
the 2,500 exhibitors in 1996, the year before the economic crisis
hit.

For the first time, the fair, which is part of the
celebrations to mark the city's anniversary which falls on June
22, has opened a special section on Pecinan Tempo Doeloe (Old
Chinatown) that displays various Chinese artifacts.

Paulus Japutra, who has set up his Chin art gallery in the
section, said the Chinese minority welcomed the idea as it would
communicate an openness.

Many ethnic Chinese regard themselves as Indonesians, but they
miss their root culture. Now, they can celebrate the city's
anniversary in the Chinese tradition, he said.

At Rona studio, visitors can have their pictures taken wearing
Chinese costumes and makeup, using a Chinese panorama as the
background.

This special section will be a good opportunity to introduce
Chinese culture to Indonesians through artwork, Hendra Kusuma,
the studio's photographer, said.

"Many native Indonesians from different religions and ethnic
groups want to have their pictures taken wearing Chinese
outfits," Hendra said.

The event's organizers have also accommodated 400 small-scale
vendors who have opened stalls in the huge Jakarta International
Trade Fair complex in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.

In her opening speech, Megawati told fair participants to use
the event to maximize their business opportunities.

She urged local participants and the government to improve
their information system so that they could link their businesses
with investors and other players in the sector.

"They could provide investors with actual and accurate
information about themselves and their products," she said.

Traditional Betawi dances, Jigrik Endat and Cokek, were
performed and an orchestra comprising members of the Guruh
Soekarnoputra Production company played at the opening ceremony.
Guruh, a noted choreographer, is Megawati's younger brother.

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso in his speech said the strong
participation in this year's Jakarta Fair could be an indication
that the Indonesian economy was starting to recover.

The Jakarta International Trade Fair's corporate
communications officer Nugroho Aditomo said the organizer
expected a total of two million visitors, compared to 700,000 in
1999 and 2.5 million in 1997.

Nugroho called the event a "Party for Jakartans".

"No other event can draw as many people in the greater Jakarta
area," he told The Jakarta Post.

The organizers have coordinated with the Jakarta Land
Transportation Agency and bus operators to make the Kemayoran
area more easily accessible to people from various destinations.

"Some public transportation operators who serve routes near
the fairground have been asked to extend their route to pass
through the area," Nugroho said.

On security arrangements, Nugroho said the local police
station and the military district had deployed their personnel.

"We just want to make sure that security in the fairground and
in the surrounding area are well taken care of," he said.

The complex stands on a 44-hectare plot, 20 hectares of which
house exhibition sites while the remaining is used as a parking
lot which can accommodate up to 6,500 vehicles.

Most participants have expressed hope that this year's fair
will bring in more profit, although some were concerned about
security in the area.

Kismanto, a staffer at a stall selling ground coffee, said
security was important because of the large number of people
expected to visit the fair.

Sri, who usually sells snacks in Ancol Dreamland, said she had
been eagerly waiting for the event, hoping to earn four to five
times more than normal.

Sri said she had had kiosks at other trade events held at the
fairground but the Jakarta Fair was the time she enjoyed most
because of the atmosphere.

"It really reminds me of the old times," she said, adding that
this is the 15th time she had exhibited at the fair. (06)