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.