Sutiyoso song a vehicle for self-promotion?

Bruce Emond, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

April 1 is still a ways off, but some Jakarta residents might be excused for assuming that an online news report is nothing but a piece of clever tomfoolery.

Tempointeraktif reported on Saturday that Governor Sutiyoso is set to release his first solo album, Transjakarta, with the song Busway as its main claim to fame.

The song, the online news service reported, is a takeoff of Paul Anka's My Way, covered thousands of times by lounge singers around the world but with its most famous rendition done by Frank Sinatra.

It has also become a favorite song of defiance among local politicians, with President Megawati Soekarnoputri presenting a rather shrill version during a visit to Papua last year, after she had been assailed for her failure to speak up on crucial issues.

Sutiyoso's Busway may also be his vehicle to thumb his nose at his many critics, who have had plenty of opportunity to skewer the retired Army lieutenant general for leadership choices during his term in office.

His latest brainchild, the Trans-Jakarta Busway project, has been panned by many as unsuited to the particular transportation needs of the capital.

Tempointeraktif quoted some of Busway's refrains, which revealed liberal artistic license with Anka's lyrics, including:

"I've looked buses are full I've traveled each and every highway And more, much more than this I did it BUSWAY ...

"I planned each charted course Each careful step along the busway Oh, and more, much more than this I did it Busway ...

"And may I say, not in a BUSWAY, Oh no, no, not me, I did it BUSWAY"

Tempointeraktif quoted the city administration's PR chief Muhayat as saying the cassette is "in process", but the governor's spokesman was unavailable for confirmation on Saturday night. There was also no confirmation if Sutiyoso had sought permission from Anka for his artistic diversion.