'New fountain a waste of money'

'New fountain a waste of money'

The city administration spent Rp 14 billion (US$1.6 million)
on renovating the water fountain at the Hotel Indonesia traffic
circle to commemorate the city's 475th anniversary. Governor
Sutiyoso has also called on the public to stop staging rallies at
the traffic circle. What do members of the public have to say
about it?

Hermanto, 35, is an employee at a private company in Kota,
Central Jakarta. He lives in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.

How can the administration spend so much money on a cosmetic
project? Our leaders must realize there are still many unemployed
people in the city, so I think the money would have been more
usefully spent on creating jobs.

As a resident, I'm proud of having a beautiful statue with a
beautiful fountain. If the nation's economy was prospering than
the construction of such project would be welcomed. But at such a
time of crisis, surely there are far more urgent issues and
projects that need to be done first?

I hope that in future our leaders could be a little bit more
sensitive to how most Jakartans feel.

Ridwan, 23, activist of the Betawi (Jakarta native) Student
Association. He lives in Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta.

The renovation of the traffic circle fountain is a waste of
money. The money would be more usefully spent helping out street
vendors.

Sutiyoso is now trying to ban rallies at the traffic circle.
He has tried to create an image, maybe in front of President
Megawati Soekarnoputri, that he can improve security in the city.

Sutiyoso needs to be seen favorably by the President to be
reelected at the next gubernatorial election.

We, students, reject the reelection of Sutiyoso because of his
attempts to suppress democracy by banning people from conducting
rallies at the traffic circle.

Ponco Suprihandoko, who comes from Salatiga, Central Java, is
a marketing officer at a noted cigarette company. He has been
living in the city for seven years with his two kids and wife in
Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta.

The traffic circle fountain is far from being spectacular. I
would have thought Rp 14 billion spent on its renovation could
have created something a little more extraordinary.

What is it really for? Perhaps it's just to boost the city's
prestige? But, who really cares about that?

It would have been far more worthwhile to spend the money on
rehousing the city's evicted squatters. That's a real problem for
Jakarta and the city administration to deal with and solve.

The costly renovation of the fountain won't improve poor
people's lives, which, of course, should have been the
administration's priority.

Reyza Pribadi, 32, a councillor at a communication firm on Jl.
Jend. Sudirman, Central Jakarta, has been living in the city for
10 years.

I see no difference between the old and the new fountain. I
thought it would be better than the old one as it was reported
that the administration had spent Rp 14 billion to renovate it.

It's a waste of money and at the same time it reflects how the
governor has no sense of crisis.

The city faces a lot of social problems, which requires a lot
of money to solve them. What about rehousing evicted squatters,
for example, or creating more job opportunities? But, the
administration's response is to spend money on renovating a
fountain.

I can only say the administration is not serious in solving
the city's social problems. -- JP