Streets quiet, malls crowded

Streets quiet, malls crowded

Ahmad Junaidi and Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Most city streets were quiet on the first day of the new year, while thousands of Jakartans flocked to shopping malls and recreation centers across the capital.

At malls, most people simply window-shopped or ate at the food courts and restaurants. Only a few were observed carrying shopping bags full of recently purchased goods.

Motorists had to be patient as there were long queues to enter some malls. At Mal Taman Anggrek in Tomang, West Jakarta, it took almost half an hour to find a parking space as the lot was almost full. It was the same at the motorcycle parking lot in front of the mall.

The visitors, most of whom arrived with their families, flocked the food court on the fourth floor of the mall, while many children ice-skated on the third floor. Many other people just sat on the long benches in the mall or in the ground floor lobby.

Plaza Senayan, Central Jakarta, and Pondok Indah Mall, South Jakarta, were also crowded, with visitors thronging the food courts and restaurants.

Most visitors just hung around or purchased daily necessities in the supermarkets, while department stores failed to attract many shoppers, despite the discounts on offer.

Tight security was in evidence at the malls, with dozens of security guards checking cars at the entrances. At Plaza Senayan, guards used bomb detectors to check vehicles but such equipment was not seen at Mal Taman Anggrek and Pondok Indah Mall.

Governor Sutiyoso had earlier called mall management in the city to use bomb detectors following the Bali bombings on Oct. 12, last year.

Besides crowding the malls, a huge number of Jakartans also visited recreation parks, such as the National Monument (Monas) park.

Tens of thousands also packed Taman Mini (TMII) in East Jakarta, where they could enjoy a number of attractions organized by the TMII management or the regional pavilions.

Visitors were from different economic levels, including those on low incomes, as the ticket price, Rp 6,000 for an adult and Rp 5,000 for a child, is relatively affordable.

Traffic jams occurred one kilometer before the Taman Mini main gate. People on buses had to walk the last part of the journey as many of the vehicles turned round early to avoid the congestion.

In trying to ease the traffic jams, the TMII management opened an additional eight ticket booths at the main gate, particularly for visitors who used public transport.

Gunawan, an employee in TMII's public relations department, estimated that the number of people who spent the first day of 2003 in the park had increased by around 20 percent compared with the previous year.

"The first day of January last year saw around 80,000 visitors, I dare say that today the visitors may have reached more than 100,000 people," he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Gunawan said that the management had not organized a special event for New Year's Day, as the emphasis was on New Year's Eve, when prominent dangdut singer Elvy Sukaesih and noted rocker Achmad Albar performed.

But many visitors did not mind the absence of special attractions.

"I don't care about special attractions as the most important thing is that I can spend the holiday with all the members of my family. What I do know is that we can see various traditional houses from other regions and watch the dances here," said Bajuri.

Bajuri, who lives in Cimone, Tangerang, Banten, traveled to TMII by an air-conditioned city bus, together with his wife and three children.

Regular shows there included Reog Ponorogo, Kuda Lumping, Topeng Monyet (Monkey Show) and a variety of attractions at pavilions representing nearly all provinces in the country.