TV owners share World Cup joy
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Soccer is the world's most favorite sport and attracts fans from all walks of life. The ongoing World Cup in Korea and Japan can be enjoyed by everyone, including the poor.
Although poor people have no television sets, they can always find ways to watch soccer games, whether in their neighbor's house or at nearby foodstalls.
Wardjo, a 56-year-old becak (pedicab) driver who lives in a boarding house in Tangerang, said that despite having no TV set, he never missed any of the World Cup matches.
"My housemate has no TV set. Luckily, Pak Sawal, our neighbor, is a soccer fan and he is always happy to have company when watching World Cup matches in his house. So his door is always open for at least 10 poor neighbors," said Wardjo, who has been a pedicab driver for the last nine years and earns about Rp 10,000 (US$1.15) per day.
But the father of four from Pemalang, Central Java, said that during the day when he is looking for passengers he can often find foodstalls nearby which have a television.
The avid supporter of the Italian team, whose wife is a vegetable vendor at the traditional market in Bukit Duri subdistrict, South Jakarta, said that since pedicabs were banned in Jakarta, he had to work in Tangerang, where pedicabs are free. He visits his wife and four children in Bukit Duri twice a week.
"I like the Italian team because they are always exciting to watch. I hope the team will reach the final," he added.
Kalim, a 40-year-old former leprosy patient of Tangerang Sitanala Lepers Hospital, who earns a living begging on the street, always carries with him soccer match schedules.
From 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. everyday, Kalim, who supports the Argentinean team, sits with crossed legs, begging, braving the heat at Jl. TMP-Taruna-Jl. Veteran intersection, about 100 meters from Tangerang Women's Penitentiary.
Despite not having a TV set, he never missed a world soccer match and could name many players taking part in the World Cup.
"When a soccer game is aired on TV at midday or in the afternoon, I usually crawl to the nearest foodstall, which has a television," said Kalim, whose both legs have been amputated due to leprosy.
Kalim said that if he was home, he would watch games at his neighbor's house. "Normal people are likely to close their doors for people like me, but luckily my neighbor is also an ex-leprosy patient and he has a television," he said.
Separately, 50-year-old Slamet, a garbageman who lives in Gelam Jaya subdistrict of Pasar Kemis district said that he always watched soccer games at his neighbors' homes and expected his favorite team, England, to reach the final.
"I like soccer very much, so I won't miss any game aired on TV, even though I don't have a television set," he said.
The father of five always goes to his neighbor's house to watch World Cup matches. Luckily, his neighbor Lutfi is very kind and has allowed him, along with several other poor neighbors, to pack his small house when matches are aired.
Slamet, who has to walk every morning from house to house in the Villa Tangerang Regency II housing complex to collect household garbage and take it to the dump, said he could not afford to buy a TV set because he only earns Rp 150,000 a month from his job.