What is the greatest problem affecting Jakarta today?
What is the greatest problem affecting Jakarta today?
Jakarta turns 476 today, growing much too fast for some who
cannot keep up with its pace and too slowly for those intent on
keeping in the fast lane.
It's the dream city of migrants from other areas of the
country, but it can end up as their own living hell. Monumental
problems -- traffic congestion, pollution, crime, inadequate
housing -- plague the city and its people.
The Jakarta Post interviewed residents to find out what they
consider the greatest problem besetting the city, and what must
be done to remedy the situation to improve the quality of life
for us all.
Gozali, 52, taxi driver, a native Jakartan born in Pasar
Rumput, South Jakarta:
I think security is the most critical problem in Jakarta and
one that has to be solved right away. As a taxi driver, I'm
reluctant to drive at night because thugs and criminals are
everywhere, especially at street junctions.
You don't know if one of your passengers intends to kill you.
We taxi drivers have become overly cautious now because we never
know when we could lose our lives.
Of course, it has a real impact on our income because we avoid
night shifts.
So, if I had the authority, I would make sure this city is
safe enough so everyone can be more productive. To achieve that,
I might have to tap the consciousness of the people in the city.
I would push them to care more about others' rights and most of
all to comply with the rule of law, which has been taken for
granted for quite some time.
Nursyahbani Katjasungkana, 49, activist, legal expert and
legislator, Jakarta-born of mixed Betawi-Madurese descent:
One of the myriad problems faced by Jakarta lies in the hands
of its local government, for they don't have the sensibility to
respond to what the people say and they don't have a clear
vision. They still hold on to the old paradigm.
I don't see any changes from one governor to another. No
reform was done before or even after reform (downfall of
Soeharto) actually happened.
The local government is ... not proactive. They are still
stuck in the old paradigm -- top-down projects and not projects
or programs based on the real problems or reality of its people.
I was born in Jakarta and feel myself to be Jakartan because
my mother is Betawi. But it's too bad this city has never been my
favorite place to live in. I live in Bogor and am greeted by the
perennial traffic jams after leaving the toll road.
Here we just have too many problems.
However, we cannot just solve the problems by changing the
leadership and its face, or electing new councilors.
We need an unabridged package of leadership with a vision and
mission, as well as the right approach. That's why I decided to
run for vice governor candidate last year because I think I have
the vision and mission for people's welfare and for the reform of
the internal office in the Jakarta administration.
Maro'ah, 28, a housemaid from Tegal, Central Java, who has been
living in Jakarta for about 15 years:
The biggest problem is traffic jams. The unpleasant congestion
often forces me to stay at my small rented house anytime I want
to go shopping or watch dangdut (an Indian-Arab derived popular
music) at the complex of state-own television station TVRI.
I consider the traffic jams the biggest problem in the city
because it affects the daily life of Jakarta residents.
Compared to water pollution or the dwindling green areas in
the city, I think traffic jams affect almost all of us.
Suyatno, 43, taxi driver, originally from Madiun, East Java,
but a Jakarta resident since 1984:
Lately, Jakarta's problem is the safety issue. Crime is on the
increase, there are a lot of holdups of motorcyclists and drivers
on the streets.
Also traffic jams are getting worse. In South Jakarta, it's
probably because of the construction of the new flyovers, but in
the north of the city it's due to a lack of parking spaces.
They should really build a parking building there so it won't
take over the roadways.
I moved here in 1984 because there was nothing for me in
Madiun. We village people come to big cities to get jobs. At
least here there's a better chance of success with trade or
something like that. It's not like I like it here.
Candra Wijaya, 27, athlete, a resident since 1988:
I think security is the major problem for Jakarta because
there are so many people who do not feel safe on the streets,
especially in the evening. There are also certain areas in the
city notorious for their high crime rates.
At least we can help safeguard our own kampong or housing
complex by taking part in siskamling (neighborhood night
patrols).
I took part in siskamling during the May riots in 1998.
We cannot rely too much on the police as they have so many
burdens but limited number of personnel. Police officers'
presence in public places, such as in malls, increased the
feeling of security to an extent. At least we know that there is
someone who is taking care of the security problem.
Our police force must also improve its service so we will no
longer consider their presence as something to be afraid of.
Sindy, secretary, Jakarta-born but of mixed Manadonese-Javanese
descent:
Crime is the biggest problem. We do not feel safe anywhere
anymore, whether it's on the street, on the train, the bus or in
our own car. It doesn't matter if it's broad daylight or night --
it's just as risky now.
It's only got this bad in the past five years since the crisis
and the reform movement. Everything is really screwed up.
It's not up to the military or police to take care of the
problem, because there are so many criminals today. We need to
open up more job opportunities. For instance, they show all these
raids against prostitutes on the streets, but what good does it
do if there are no jobs for them to go to? And, the next day,
they have no choice but to go back to selling themselves.
Hanafi Wiradinata, 72, a pensioner, originally from West Java but
a permanent resident of the capital since 1954:
I have seen the city's physical change into what it is today
with skyscrapers and concrete buildings. Such development brings
environmental impacts because more and more land is used, leaving
no space for water catchment areas.
There have been so many situ (small lake) and empang (pond) as
well as swampy areas sacrificed for the sake of physical
development.
These actually help to conserve water for us so we will have
enough water during the dry season, and they prevent flooding by
storing excess water volume.
I have just read in the newspaper that Jakarta will face a
scarcity of water by 2010 if we keep building the way we have
been doing it. It is just such bad news for all of us because we
cannot live without water.
We should provide more water catchment areas inside the city
and in the surrounding areas. I know it will be impossible to
tear down buildings to provide open land, but at least we can
preserve what we already have now.
Another important thing is to keep the upstream area in Bogor,
Puncak and Cianjur intact. These areas have undergone massive
development in the past several years.
Once the upstream areas can be preserved, I believe Jakarta
will not have so many flooding problems in the future.