Presidential election puts a stop to trade
JAKARTA (JP): The capital's major business and shopping centers were all but deserted on Wednesday, with many of Jakarta's residents electing to stay home and follow the thrilling live television broadcast of the presidential election.
Employees who did turn up to work were glued to television sets as the count progressed.
On the streets, thousands of supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri, chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) used portable and car radios to follow the presidential election.
From early in the morning, most of the major thoroughfares were deserted.
Due to the absence of prospective shoppers, many shop owners at shopping complexes around the busy Mangga Dua business district in West Jakarta decided to close their shops after 1 p.m.
Some shop owners and attendants at the nearby ITC Mangga Dua shopping complex left their shops to follow the latest situation in the capital via TV sets in the shopping complex's hall.
"Of course we are interested in following the development of the presidential election as it is the most historic moment for the country.
Moreover, there are no customers coming," said shop attendant Sulasti.
Scores of other nearby electronic and household shopping complexes in the Glodok Chinatown area closed even earlier.
These business and shopping areas were among the worst hit by riots in May last year.
The suspension of business activities was also apparent at many city administration offices where most employees were observed hunched over available TV sets.
At the Menteng district office in Central Jakarta, none of the brown-uniformed office staff were seen working. The workers gathered around a small TV set in the office waiting room, seriously following every step in the election and the situation on the streets.
The district's deputy head, Sutarman Hadi, said that he did not object to his staff spending the entire day in front of the television.
"It is a historic moment, After all, there are also no people needing our services today," he said.
Streets that are usually prone to traffic congestion, such as Jl. Pos, Jl. Gajah Mada, Jl. Hayam Wuruk, Jl. Juanda and the Tomang-Kebon Jeruk toll road, were problem-free.
Many public vehicles discovered that there were so few passengers needing their services that they returned to their depots.
"I think the situation will worsen should Megawati not be elected. I'm afraid that her supporters will turn angry. So it's better to stop the operation," said Kopaja minibus driver assistant Jaja.
Jaja's intuition later proved correct.
When the ballot counting began, the public responded to the excitement.
Crowds at the Blok M shopping mall in South Jakarta yelled in support when their preferred candidate's name was read out.
Some Megawati supporters enthusiastically cried out and clapped their hands whenever her name was mentioned.
Similar expressions of devotion were uttered by supporters of Abdurrahman Wahid, who was then elected as the country's new president.
"I support Ibu Mega and I am upset that she isn't elected but it's okay. It's better than Habibie," said Panji, an employee from the Ramayana department store in Ciledug, South Jakarta, who joined the crowd around the TV. (ind/bsr)