Presidential election puts a stop to trade
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)