'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