So What Will They Steal Next?
A bus shelter was reportedly stolen Friday night – it was last seen still standing at 8 pm Friday, yet was already gone by Saturday morning. A local government officer reacted to this by saying ‘all Jakarta bus shelters must be accounted for to avoid similar incidents in the future.’So forget ‘keep guard of your wallet’, you should keep guard of your bus shelter also! Next they’ll be stealing pedestrian crossing bridges. Thieves, steal the one in front of Pasaraya on the Iskandarsyah side, nobody uses it anyway.
Thumbs Up To Suara Transjakarta
Hating people who cut lines on the Transjakarta queue, or people littering in the Transjakarta facilities?This lady (and her group) has the right idea: she always scolds people cutting in line, and tells on people who litter. For most Jakartans, it may be a bit harsh, but maybe it’s just what we need – we live in the city where people wear motorcycle helmets because of police nearby, and not for their own safety.Suara Transjakarta is, I think, a better way for citizen activism, compared to endless demonstrations in front of government buildings. These guys are not pro-government, mind you – they have their criticism towards the Transjakarta service as well. But they are working positively on how, at least, the average citizen can make Transjakarta better. Because if we want to make Jakarta more tolerable to live in, it’s also up to us, not just the government…
Here’s A Great Way To Spend Your Spare Time
About a week ago, Tangerang residents protesting the disrepair of a long-ignored, damaged part of road, took one of the larger potholes, and turned it into a pond.And when the authorities were asked of their response to the citizen’s protest? “We sent three letters.”Well at least Tangerang gets a new lake/pond to replace their missing ones.
Nobody Goes This Way
Vehicles passing a partly subsided stretch of Jl. Ciputat Raya near the Pondok Pinang intersection in South Jakarta on Monday. Antara state news agency reported that the road has been in this condition for quite some time. Antara/Paramayuda
Smelly Declaration
To declare their alliance for the upcoming presidential elections, the Megawati-Prabowo election team has selected the Bantar Gebang dumpsite for the location, for some sort of PR effect – I think they want to be seen as ‘close to the people’.Yet I guess their definition of ‘leave the dumpsite as it has always been’ means setting up a huge stage and tent, placing down a walkway made of placing blocks, and so on, and is actually a few hundred meters from the actual dumpsite.The only thing they did not try to get rid of was the smell – hopefully the smell is enough for the campaign team to not just make this into a PR event, but something to act on.
Some People Just Can’t Be Told What To Do
A man puffs on his cigarette at Gatot Subroto Army Hospital in Central Jakarta, Monday. Amid the lack of officers to enforce the bylaw, many Jakartans still violate the ruling. Jakarta Post/Nurhayati
Mind Spices 
Trying To Smoke ‘Em Out Again
So tomorrow, the city government will attempt to restart the smoking ban that supposedly is already in effect, yet ignored by many Jakartans.In light of the recent alleged ban on Facebook, perhaps it is just simpler to ban everything instead of educating and reasoning. If people don’t understand why there is a ban, people wouldn’t care as much. Then again, all the reasoning in the world still hasn’t persuaded many Jakartans to wear helmets when riding motorcycles, either, except in the presence of police. Maybe there will be teams of police raiding smokers? Ha!