'We cannot get safe food anymore'

'We cannot get safe food anymore'

The government has issued warning against fish consumption caught
in Jakarta Bay upon the discovery of dead fish on the beaches of
Ancol, Kamal Muara and the Thousand Islands since May 7. The
Jakarta Post asked a few residents how they would deal with the
matter.

Ferdi, 22, is a university student who is currently doing an
internship at Kompas daily. He lives with his parents in
Cilangkap, East Jakarta:

I rarely eat fish to be frank, but if I happen to do so I
will, of course, keep the warning in mind.

For fish that's size indicates it comes from the deep sea --
which I can also verify with the seller -- I don't think I will
have any problem consuming it.

I will, however, be cautious of small fish which might be of
the type that lives in the shallow waters of Jakarta Bay.

I will also stop consuming clams and oysters -- not just
temporarily but maybe forever -- since I now know that they are
very susceptible to the accumulation of dangerous toxic
substances and heavy metals from polluted waters.

Budijanto, 29, is a computer administrator at a private
company in Setiabudi, Central Jakarta. He lives with his wife and
son in Cipinang, East Jakarta:

Actually, the warnings are quite clear: it only refers to fish
and clams that are caught in Jakarta Bay.

But then, how are we supposed to know which fish and clams
come from the bay, and which do not?

Come to think of it, how can we make sure which fish and clams
are free from any dangerous substances, because I'm pretty sure
that pollution is now present everywhere.

You can't even be a vegetarian nowadays to escape the
pollutants and diseases that plague beef, poultry and now fish,
because even vegetables are cultivated using chemical fertilizers
and pesticides.

We just have to accept this polluted world that we ourselves
have created, and contemplate it each time casualties arise
because of pollution.

To keep my family safe, I think we'll stick to freshwater fish
for the meantime, at least until the government says that they're
polluted too, and then it wouldn't matter anymore -- whatever we
eat will be dangerous to our health.

-- The Jakarta Post