Ridiculous flood monitoring post

Ridiculous flood monitoring post

From Warta Kota

Being concerned about the condition of my relatives during the recent floods, on Feb. 4 I telephoned the Flood Monitoring Post (Posko Banjir) for East Jakarta at 819-2172.

What really shocked me was that after his polite "Good afternoon, flood monitoring post" came the brisk answer "I don't know" to my inquiry whether the area behind Cipinang penitentiary had been hit by floods. He gave the reason that the post was located at the East Jakarta mayoralty building. To my frustration, when asked what the post is supposed to do, he replied: "Monitoring, of course!"

The next annoying thing was his suggestion that I should check with the related subdistrict office, whose phone numbers again he did not know.

Half an hour later I phoned again -- as a test -- but this time under the pretext of wishing to give a donation. A different voice replied: "Thank you. We look forward to it. Come anytime or we can have someone pick it up."

When I asked him to name the inundated areas and the criteria of would-be receivers, he immediately barked: "Mister, you are really fussy. How much is it that you wish to contribute anyway?"

I put down the phone and said to myself: "Pak (Mister) Sutiyoso, what's the good of having flood monitoring posts if they are not even good for handling donations."

MIRANDA

Jakarta