Punters crowd fare but fireworks fizzle

Punters crowd fare but fireworks fizzle

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

No fireworks lit up the sky over the Jakarta Fair on Wednesday
evening -- as promised by the organizers -- but at least 30,000
people showed up to celebrate the city's 478th anniversary.

"There are already fireworks and laser shows at the National
Monument (Monas) park and Ancol Dreamland ... We don't want to
compete ... We prefer to postpone our display until Sunday
evening," said Hartati Murdaya, president director of fair
organizer Jakarta International Expo.

The fair's project director, Ralph Scheunemann, said the
possibility of rain had persuaded organizers to postpone the
fireworks display.

Live dangdut music instead stole the show, with popular
singers, such as Iyet Bustami and Nita Thalia, livening things
up.

The fair's 830 participants also held special events at their
stands, from handing out prizes and vouchers to a competition for
the best costume among the crowd.

One of the best stands, Kampung Betawi (the village of native
Jakartans), featured the Gambang Kromong music ensemble and
traditional Betawi dances.

While 315,289 visitors have passed through the fair gates
since it opened six days ago, 32,842 tickets sold on Wednesday.

However, Scheunemann estimated the actual number of people at
the fair on Wednesday was more like 100,000.

He explained organizers had arranged free entrance for
military and police officers, charitable organizations and
foundations, people aged 60 and above and children under the age
of five.

On weekdays, about 30,000 people visited the fair, while on
weekends or special days, such as the anniversary, the number
rose considerably. Organizers had set a target of 2.5 million
visitors for this year's fair, an increase of 2.5 percent from
last year's visitors.

Scheunemann said the high attendance reflected increased
public confidence in the fair's security.

"The number of security officers on duty has allowed us to
provide good service," he said.

The fair committee used a layered security system, dividing
the fair into three rings. Ring one for outside the fair ground,
ring two for the parking lot, and ring three for the fair ground
itself. About 1,000 security personnel will stand by for the
duration of the fair.

During the opening ceremony on June 16, President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono expressed concern over security issues and
urged Governor Sutiyoso and the fair organizer to anticipate and
prevent such problems. (006)