People go all-out to survive crisis

People go all-out to survive crisis

By Aloysius Unditu and Christiani S. Tumelap

JAKARTA (JP): The catchword sprinkled through most
conversations today is 'krismon', which is short for 'krisis moneter'
(monetary crisis).

Different people are affected differently -- there seems to
have been relatively few changes to the affluent's lifestyles.

Some well-off Indonesians and high-profile celebrities are
regularly seen dining out at elegant restaurants on Jl. Jend.
Sudirman, Jl. M.H. Thamrin and Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, in Jakarta's
Golden Triangle.

"I don't feel the impact of the crisis at all as I can still
afford to dine out at Planet Hollywood and do things like I used
to," said a famous pop singer, who asked for anonymity.

But many young executives have had to make cost-cutting
measures and cut back on daily expenses especially for meals,
drinks and entertainment.

Ferry Humato, an executive at Bank Bira, said he did not go
out as often as before as prices of most goods have increased
drastically.

A graduate from Bandung's Parahyangan University's School of
Law, Widjanarko, (not his real name), has learned to appreciate
his job as a tout, concentrating on PPD state-run city buses
plying the Blok M-Cimone (Tangerang) route.

He said he failed to get a better job and so turned to
touting at the bus terminal early this year. He makes an average
of Rp 10,000 (over US$1) a day.

The newly wed Widjanarko said he earned Rp 1,000,000 when he
was a human resources development employee at PT Kingherlindo
Shoes Industry, a shoe manufacturer based in Tangerang, West
Java. The company closed down early last year.

"Life is getting tough and I have to survive by becoming a
public bus chaperon," he said.

Widjanarko adjusted a little earlier than those just affected
by the crisis. There are 15 million Indonesians facing the bitter
reality that it is now more difficult to get a job.

Money market dealers in the currency market, securities
brokers, bank staff and analysts in the capital market are no
exception in struggling to survive the krismon.

The free fall of rupiah against the American dollar has cut
the purchasing power of many by about 70 percent.

Fear

An employee of a publicly listed bank who earns Rp 7 million
in gross income per month has not had a nightlife since October.
This is mainly due to his fear of being considered fair game by
robbers. Before the crisis hit, he often went to bars and classy
restaurants just to exchange ideas and information with his
peers.

"With the soaring unemployment, more people have gone crazy,
risking their lives for a penny," he said.

"Now I would rather go to small foodstalls behind Jl. Jend.
Sudirman for lunch even though I can still afford to go to finer
restaurants."

The turmoil has also affected the periodic get-togethers of
the alumni of social and political studies of the University of
Indonesia.

Bestina, an alumna, said she and her friends used to gather
monthly at bars or restaurants along Jl. M.H. Thamrin or Jl.
Jend. Sudirman and spend a maximum of Rp 60,000 each.

"These days we hardly spend much money. We just walk around
the Senayan Stadium complex to exercise and exchange ideas. If we
want to eat, we can have toge goreng (fried bean sprouts)," she
said, referring to one of the many snacks sold by vendors around
the stadium.

Many publications have also become victims of the crisis.
Those which have not closed down are increasingly tightening
belts. Reporters are living on bare necessities.

"Beer tastes good, but gone are the beer days for me," said a
journalist.

Intan, (not her real name) 26, a reporter for a local daily,
for example, now regularly takes the bus to her office in South
Jakarta instead of a taxi.

Her "torment" continued when her employer failed to pay her
meal allowance and salary for two months. Even her February
salary was paid in installments.

"The management paid February's second installment at the end
of March. But they can't guarantee that they can pay my March
salary," she complained, declining to mention her monthly salary.
She said she normally gets a daily Rp 3,000 meal allowance.

"My life has been difficult," said Intan. She can no longer
afford to go to the movies or other entertainment centers.

"I am actually a movie maniac. I used to watch a movie two or
three times a week. But now I haven't seen any in the last
month," she said.

To offset her declining income, she freelances for a
government-sponsored magazine.

"I get between Rp 150,000 and Rp 200,000 for each article."

Entrepreneur Utomo has another story. The 40-year-old
businessman said he had to sell one his favorite cars to support
his lifestyle, because demand for construction materials and
office equipment have declined drastically.

Utomo runs his own office equipment and building materials
supply company. Now that the property business is on the brink of
collapse, his business has come to a standstill.

"Fortunately, my wife works. Her salary can support our
family. I have to admit that at first it was very difficult to
get into this situation where we have to think 10 times before
buying something."

The principal of Kristoforus Senior High School in Grogol,
West Jakarta, Anton Horison, said Indonesia might fall apart
before the end of the century if the economy does not drastically
change for the better.

"Life has been so hard for us teachers at senior high schools.
We have been facing krismon all our lives. But we cannot stand
this current crisis," he said.