Office hour by Ricky Yudhistira
Thursday, January 18, 2007
'It is unfair to blame only the motorcyclists'
The Jakarta Post, Thursday, January 18, 2007
Millions of people use motorcycles to beat the traffic, but now the city administration is talking about banning motorbikes from main roads during rush hour. The Jakarta Post asked people about the idea of banning motorcycles from thoroughfares, and whether such a move was fair considering the administration has not offered motorcyclists any alternatives.
Cepi Setiadi, is a journalist who works in South Jakarta:
I can see the impact of the decision to relegate motorcycles to the left lane. Motorcyclists are now more careful on the streets. This is a good development and needs to be maintained. Though it slows motorcyclists a bit, that's not really a big problem as long as it reduces the risk of traffic accidents in the city and creates a culture of discipline among motorcyclists.
However, banning motorcyclists from main roads during peak hours is unrealistic. Main roads such as JL. Thamrin and Jl. Sudirman are vital for thousands of middle-class workers, many of whom use motorcycles. The city government should first provide affordable public transportation before banning motorcyclists from the area.
Motorcycles are right now the best and cheapest way to get around in the city. I think this plan is too discriminative against motorcyclists. Why don't they ban cars as well? This also shows that the government's three-in-one program is not working, so they are just trying to look for a scapegoat. It is unfair to blame only the motorcyclists.
Rahman Dako, works at a non-governmental organization. He lives in Mampang Prapatan, South Jakarta.
Banning motorcycles from main streets during peak hours would only create another problem. These are people who make a living by using the city's roads; they aren't out there for fun. If the government bans them, they need to provide them alternatives. The busway might be one alternative, but the fare is getting higher and higher.
This shows the inconsistency of government policy. In my opinion, motorcyclists have the right to use main roads. In developed countries even bicycles have their own lane. I think the root of the problem is the government's attitude, rather than the attitude of the people.
Why doesn't the city government ban cars or at least limit the number of cars manufactured here or imported.
-The Jakarta Post-
Millions of people use motorcycles to beat the traffic, but now the city administration is talking about banning motorbikes from main roads during rush hour. The Jakarta Post asked people about the idea of banning motorcycles from thoroughfares, and whether such a move was fair considering the administration has not offered motorcyclists any alternatives.
Cepi Setiadi, is a journalist who works in South Jakarta:
I can see the impact of the decision to relegate motorcycles to the left lane. Motorcyclists are now more careful on the streets. This is a good development and needs to be maintained. Though it slows motorcyclists a bit, that's not really a big problem as long as it reduces the risk of traffic accidents in the city and creates a culture of discipline among motorcyclists.
However, banning motorcyclists from main roads during peak hours is unrealistic. Main roads such as JL. Thamrin and Jl. Sudirman are vital for thousands of middle-class workers, many of whom use motorcycles. The city government should first provide affordable public transportation before banning motorcyclists from the area.
Motorcycles are right now the best and cheapest way to get around in the city. I think this plan is too discriminative against motorcyclists. Why don't they ban cars as well? This also shows that the government's three-in-one program is not working, so they are just trying to look for a scapegoat. It is unfair to blame only the motorcyclists.
Rahman Dako, works at a non-governmental organization. He lives in Mampang Prapatan, South Jakarta.
Banning motorcycles from main streets during peak hours would only create another problem. These are people who make a living by using the city's roads; they aren't out there for fun. If the government bans them, they need to provide them alternatives. The busway might be one alternative, but the fare is getting higher and higher.
This shows the inconsistency of government policy. In my opinion, motorcyclists have the right to use main roads. In developed countries even bicycles have their own lane. I think the root of the problem is the government's attitude, rather than the attitude of the people.
Why doesn't the city government ban cars or at least limit the number of cars manufactured here or imported.
-The Jakarta Post-
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
'People ride bikes because it's cheaper'
The Jakarta Post, January 17, 2007
The Jakarta Police have claimed that relegating motorcycles to the slow lane has reduced the risk of traffic accidents in the city. The Jakarta Post asked some people what they thought about the issue.
Diman K Simanjuntak, 31, works for a non-governmental organization in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta. He lives in Depok:
As far as I can gather from the news, the implementation of the keep-left rule has significantly reduced the number of accidents involving motorbikes in the city -- though I am also aware that the regulation conflicts with a higher law.
Regarding the plan to limit the number of motorcycles on main thoroughfares during peak hours, I think it will cost motorists more and not solve the problem. It must be remembered that the transportation systems of developed and developing countries are inherently different.
Road rules in developed country only allow certain vehicles on certain roads. This is only possible if the infrastructure is in place and the people in general are not impoverished.
If not, the poor will bear the burden of high cost transportation because they have to pay more for fuel. The government must realize that people get around on motorcycles because it is cheaper -- not because it's more fun. In bringing in new road rules, the government must calculate the cost for the people.
Furthermore, motorcycles are not the only source of traffic woes here. The city needs to put greater emphasis on law enforcement and less on improving the public transportation system.
For example, rather than banning motorcycles on certain roads during peak hours, the government could enforce the law requiring buses to stop only at designated passenger stops. This would also mean that more bus stops were needed.
That might be the hardest part of the effort but it is fundamental, because people can easily bribe their way out of a situation. For the wealthy, a Rp 50,000 bribe is peanuts.
Yoyarib Mau works for a media company in Salemba, Central Jakarta. He lives in the area:
It seems to me that these regulation were made to discourage people from using motorcycles and get them to use public transportation, which is not always reliable -- or even affordable. It is clear the government is siding with businesses and not with people.
Motorcycles are not the only cause of traffic jams. Tens of thousands of cars are also on the road on any given day.
There should be a regulation limiting the number of cars imported or produced in Indonesia and also the number of cars owned by a family. Do not just make the three-in-one regulation, which, for me, does not address the problem.
Also the government needs to enforce the regulation on emissions tests, not only to reduce air pollution but also to limit the number of cars in the city.
-The Jakarta Post
The Jakarta Police have claimed that relegating motorcycles to the slow lane has reduced the risk of traffic accidents in the city. The Jakarta Post asked some people what they thought about the issue.
Diman K Simanjuntak, 31, works for a non-governmental organization in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta. He lives in Depok:
As far as I can gather from the news, the implementation of the keep-left rule has significantly reduced the number of accidents involving motorbikes in the city -- though I am also aware that the regulation conflicts with a higher law.
Regarding the plan to limit the number of motorcycles on main thoroughfares during peak hours, I think it will cost motorists more and not solve the problem. It must be remembered that the transportation systems of developed and developing countries are inherently different.
Road rules in developed country only allow certain vehicles on certain roads. This is only possible if the infrastructure is in place and the people in general are not impoverished.
If not, the poor will bear the burden of high cost transportation because they have to pay more for fuel. The government must realize that people get around on motorcycles because it is cheaper -- not because it's more fun. In bringing in new road rules, the government must calculate the cost for the people.
Furthermore, motorcycles are not the only source of traffic woes here. The city needs to put greater emphasis on law enforcement and less on improving the public transportation system.
For example, rather than banning motorcycles on certain roads during peak hours, the government could enforce the law requiring buses to stop only at designated passenger stops. This would also mean that more bus stops were needed.
That might be the hardest part of the effort but it is fundamental, because people can easily bribe their way out of a situation. For the wealthy, a Rp 50,000 bribe is peanuts.
Yoyarib Mau works for a media company in Salemba, Central Jakarta. He lives in the area:
It seems to me that these regulation were made to discourage people from using motorcycles and get them to use public transportation, which is not always reliable -- or even affordable. It is clear the government is siding with businesses and not with people.
Motorcycles are not the only cause of traffic jams. Tens of thousands of cars are also on the road on any given day.
There should be a regulation limiting the number of cars imported or produced in Indonesia and also the number of cars owned by a family. Do not just make the three-in-one regulation, which, for me, does not address the problem.
Also the government needs to enforce the regulation on emissions tests, not only to reduce air pollution but also to limit the number of cars in the city.
-The Jakarta Post
City workers prepare for bird culls
The Jakarta Post, Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Bogor
City officials have begun mapping poultry populations in Jakarta before they enforce a central government ban on all domesticated birds in residential areas.
Jakarta Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo said officials were focusing on neighborhoods where people had caught the H5N1 virus and those where birds were thought to be infected.
"The fowls from these neighborhoods will all be slaughtered," Fauzi told the Detikcom newsportal.
Adnan Ahmad, the deputy head of the city fisheries and animal husbandry agency, confirmed officials had begun the mapping work.
"Today (Tuesday) we are carrying out mapping in several areas in East and West Jakarta," he said.
Earlier Monday, Governor Sutiyoso called on city residents to voluntarily slaughter all backyard fowls -- especially chickens, ducks and pigeons -- to curb the spread of bird flu.
Sutiyoso's statement followed an announcement by Vice President Jusuf Kalla that the central government planned eventually enforce a total ban on all poultry in residential areas nationwide.
Four people have died of bird flu in Jakarta during the past week, pushing up the country's death toll from the virus to 61. Most of the victims were believed to have had contact with infected birds.
City officials have promised to compensate private and commercial poultry owners for all birds they cull, and are waiting for an central government ordinance permitting them to carry out the work.
Sutiyoso has also promised to issue a decree to legalize the culls.
However, officials in the neighboring municipality of Bogor are protesting the plan as unrealistic and too expensive.
Herlien Krisnaningsih from the Bogor Agribusiness Agency said the central government's plan was an emotional, knee-jerk reaction.
"We are not ready yet to carry out the central government's call because it will be extremely costly, and we believe it will discourage officers in the field who are struggling to prevent the virus from spreading."
She said the administration would continue to combat bird flu in the city by educating people about its dangers, carrying out poultry vaccinations and relocating poultry farms away from populated areas.
The city had already spent about Rp 340 million (US$37,331) on stopping the spread of the virus, Herlien said.
"We are trying hard to prevent bird flu here but the statements made by ministers in Jakarta yesterday really discouraged our people who work hard in the field."
Herlien said she had not received any instructions to carry out the culls from the central government.
"There are some 1.3 million birds in the city area. If the compensation to be paid out is Rp 12,000 for each fowl, it means we will need about Rp 16 billion to annihilate them all," she said.
A city councillor, Teguh Riyanto, said the government's plan would hurt poultry farmers.
"But we'd better not panic because this will also affect the poultry business. We don't want all the chickens in this country slaughtered and replaced by imported fowls," he said.(02)
Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Bogor
City officials have begun mapping poultry populations in Jakarta before they enforce a central government ban on all domesticated birds in residential areas.
Jakarta Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo said officials were focusing on neighborhoods where people had caught the H5N1 virus and those where birds were thought to be infected.
"The fowls from these neighborhoods will all be slaughtered," Fauzi told the Detikcom newsportal.
Adnan Ahmad, the deputy head of the city fisheries and animal husbandry agency, confirmed officials had begun the mapping work.
"Today (Tuesday) we are carrying out mapping in several areas in East and West Jakarta," he said.
Earlier Monday, Governor Sutiyoso called on city residents to voluntarily slaughter all backyard fowls -- especially chickens, ducks and pigeons -- to curb the spread of bird flu.
Sutiyoso's statement followed an announcement by Vice President Jusuf Kalla that the central government planned eventually enforce a total ban on all poultry in residential areas nationwide.
Four people have died of bird flu in Jakarta during the past week, pushing up the country's death toll from the virus to 61. Most of the victims were believed to have had contact with infected birds.
City officials have promised to compensate private and commercial poultry owners for all birds they cull, and are waiting for an central government ordinance permitting them to carry out the work.
Sutiyoso has also promised to issue a decree to legalize the culls.
However, officials in the neighboring municipality of Bogor are protesting the plan as unrealistic and too expensive.
Herlien Krisnaningsih from the Bogor Agribusiness Agency said the central government's plan was an emotional, knee-jerk reaction.
"We are not ready yet to carry out the central government's call because it will be extremely costly, and we believe it will discourage officers in the field who are struggling to prevent the virus from spreading."
She said the administration would continue to combat bird flu in the city by educating people about its dangers, carrying out poultry vaccinations and relocating poultry farms away from populated areas.
The city had already spent about Rp 340 million (US$37,331) on stopping the spread of the virus, Herlien said.
"We are trying hard to prevent bird flu here but the statements made by ministers in Jakarta yesterday really discouraged our people who work hard in the field."
Herlien said she had not received any instructions to carry out the culls from the central government.
"There are some 1.3 million birds in the city area. If the compensation to be paid out is Rp 12,000 for each fowl, it means we will need about Rp 16 billion to annihilate them all," she said.
A city councillor, Teguh Riyanto, said the government's plan would hurt poultry farmers.
"But we'd better not panic because this will also affect the poultry business. We don't want all the chickens in this country slaughtered and replaced by imported fowls," he said.(02)
Even wild geese have their own nests, says squatter victim of N.Jakarta fire
City News - January 15, 2007
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The city administration and community leaders are fighting over who should distribute aid to the victims of a fire that destroyed hundreds of squatter houses in Muara Angke, North Jakarta, the residents say.
As of Sunday, distribution of aid to the victims, who are mostly fisherfolk, was still slow despite the presence of disaster relief posts erected by political parties and religious organizations in the area.
Community leader Safei said residents had received some food, clothes, medicine and tents to live in from private companies, religious organizations and individual donors.
The local Red Cross had distributed 500 packet meals every meal time since Saturday, he said.
"We immediately distributed the aid given directly to us but most of the early aid (we received) is still being guarded by the local administration," he told The Jakarta Post.
The Post observed Sunday that boxes of food were being stored in a nearby warehouse and guarded by police.
A resident who preferred to remain anonymous said there was a dispute between administration officials and community leaders over who should distribute the aid.
"Before, they never even acknowledged us as a legal community, now that there has been a disaster, they think they have the right to organize the distribution of aid to us. We don't need them. What we need is help," he said.
Safei's deputy, Sujono, said many people claiming to represent government institutions had visited the fire victims "to ask what we need but so far they have not returned".
"Some political parties have even put up banners here, but none of them have ever done anything to help," he added.
Safei and Sujono said 999 people from 349 families were affected by the fire. They are sheltering in 42 tents.
"The authority says we are illegal residents, and we never knew the exact number of people living here. We know that many people have gone to their relatives' houses or hometowns after the fire," Safei said.
Some residents said the administration had issued them with identity cards bearing the addresses of official subdistricts nearby.
A fire in the area broke out at about 12 a.m. on Saturday, but the ruins were still smoldering at 2 p.m a day later.
Firefighters suspected the blaze was caused by an explosion from a broken kerosene stove, while some residents believed it was caused by an electrical short circuit.
"We will never know what actually happened, because most of us were sleeping at the time. We were only aware of the fire when two houses had caught fire," a resident, Umayah, said.
Her family only had enough time to grab some clothes, she said.
The community's fishermen work for several boat owners who pay them Rp 12,000 (US$1.30) a day in addition to the money they get from fish sales.
On good days, fishermen can bring home up to Rp 50,000 a day, a member of the community, Wawan, said.
Most of the families had been living in the area since the 1980s.
"We make a living from the sea and hope the government does not evict us from here ... Even wild geese have their own nests," Umayah said .(02)
Saturday, January 13, 2007
'We need information, not assumptions'
Thursday, January 11, 2007
With all the focus on the Adam Air flight that went missing near Sulawesi island more than a week ago, numerous questions have been asked about the safety standards of budget airlines in the country. The Jakarta Post asked people if the Adam Air case, as well as several recent ferry and boat accidents, had affected their travel plans.
Besly Yermi Tunggaoly Messakh, 34, is a pastor. He lives on Jl. Salemba, Central Jakarta:
I was flying from eastern Indonesia to Jakarta over the weekend, but I decided to end my flight in Surabaya and continue on to Jakarta by train.
The Adam Air accident is so frightening. We were confused by the flood of information provided by all the media coverage. I think people don't trust local airlines anymore. Their credibility is questionable. We don't trust Indonesian technology or the people in charge of that technology, but at the same time we rely on these people. This is really a mess. We deliberately put ourselves in danger.
I think all the airline companies must be transparent with passengers, and the government must be transparent with the people about its audits of these companies.
What we need to reduce our anxiety is more reliable and accessible information. People need to make decisions based on credible information, not based on assumption.
Sarah Lerry Mboeik, is a social worker. He lives in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, but frequently travels to Jakarta:
As consumers, we have no bargaining position with the airline companies. With the limited number of airline companies, especially in remoter parts of the country, we have no choice about who we travel with.
Maybe because most people do not really understand the technical aspects of aviation, the companies feel free to deceive us. Then, when a case occurs, they feel they can just lie to us.
An accident happened in East Nusa Tenggara in early 2006, and later it was clear that the government lied to the public about the age of the ship, causing hundreds of people to die. But why are these cases happening again this year?
I think no matter how expensive the price of an airplane ticket, people will still buy them because they need to fly, as long as they are convinced about the safety.
However, for a long time we have not had any reliable information.
We never know how they come up with ticket prices, for example. Sometimes I wonder why passengers in the same section of a plane pay different prices for their tickets. But the government has been turning a blind eye to such problems.
--The Jakarta Post
With all the focus on the Adam Air flight that went missing near Sulawesi island more than a week ago, numerous questions have been asked about the safety standards of budget airlines in the country. The Jakarta Post asked people if the Adam Air case, as well as several recent ferry and boat accidents, had affected their travel plans.
Besly Yermi Tunggaoly Messakh, 34, is a pastor. He lives on Jl. Salemba, Central Jakarta:
I was flying from eastern Indonesia to Jakarta over the weekend, but I decided to end my flight in Surabaya and continue on to Jakarta by train.
The Adam Air accident is so frightening. We were confused by the flood of information provided by all the media coverage. I think people don't trust local airlines anymore. Their credibility is questionable. We don't trust Indonesian technology or the people in charge of that technology, but at the same time we rely on these people. This is really a mess. We deliberately put ourselves in danger.
I think all the airline companies must be transparent with passengers, and the government must be transparent with the people about its audits of these companies.
What we need to reduce our anxiety is more reliable and accessible information. People need to make decisions based on credible information, not based on assumption.
Sarah Lerry Mboeik, is a social worker. He lives in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, but frequently travels to Jakarta:
As consumers, we have no bargaining position with the airline companies. With the limited number of airline companies, especially in remoter parts of the country, we have no choice about who we travel with.
Maybe because most people do not really understand the technical aspects of aviation, the companies feel free to deceive us. Then, when a case occurs, they feel they can just lie to us.
An accident happened in East Nusa Tenggara in early 2006, and later it was clear that the government lied to the public about the age of the ship, causing hundreds of people to die. But why are these cases happening again this year?
I think no matter how expensive the price of an airplane ticket, people will still buy them because they need to fly, as long as they are convinced about the safety.
However, for a long time we have not had any reliable information.
We never know how they come up with ticket prices, for example. Sometimes I wonder why passengers in the same section of a plane pay different prices for their tickets. But the government has been turning a blind eye to such problems.
--The Jakarta Post
Officials say no mutation in latest avian influenza outbreak
Saturday, January 13, 2007
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Authorities are dismissing speculation that bird flu has mutated in its latest outbreak, which killed a 14-year-old boy Wednesday and a 37-year-old woman the next day.
Accompanied by a panel of experts, the head of the National Commission for Avian Influenza and Pandemic Preparedness, Bayu Krisnamurthi, also denied a more virulent virus caused the outbreak.
He said the pattern of transmission remained the same, from chicken to human. He added that further study must to be done to discover whether ducks could also pass the virus to humans.
"There is a variety of hosts, but so far there is no scientific evidence that other animals can spread the virus to human beings besides chickens. The virus found in other animals is still the avian virus and has not yet transformed into a new variant," he said before the panel of experts in Jakarta.
In Bandung, West Java, four suspected bird flu patients -- a 33-year-old woman and her two children from Cicalengka in Bandung regency, and a poultry farm owner from Purwakarta -- remained in Hasan Sadikin hospital Friday.
The woman's husband, Endang, said his wife and two children, a 14-year-old boy and an eight-month-old baby girl, started suffering from high fever and coughing over the past 10 days.
"Around Idul Adha (Dec. 31), some 30 chickens around our house suddenly died. One of them even died in our front yard," he said in the hospital's Flamboyan room.
The three were referred to the Bandung hospital Thursday by a local community health center since they had a history of contact with dead chickens. Rapid test results from the dead chickens around their house showed two were H5N1 positive.
Another suspected bird flu victim, a 55-year-old poultry farm owner identified as J, had shown symptoms for three days before being taken to the hospital Thursday.
West Java animal husbandry office head of poultry health subdivision warned Friday that the H5N1 virus has continued to spread, and told people to maintain cleanliness, especially during the monsoon season.
The head of Hasan Sadikin hospital's bird flu prevention team, Hadi Jusuf, has also told people to be more aggressive in identifying bird flu symptoms, including high fever, coughing, and breathing problems after having direct contact with dead chickens.
Despite the return of the virus, the panel believed Indonesia was on the right track toward eradicating the H5N1 virus.
"By saying that there is an improvement in our efforts, we don't mean the virus is not around anymore. We have to remain alert to the danger because the nature of the virus is random. The war is far from over," said Bayu.
Bayu said bird flu control efforts in 2007 will focus on an expanded public awareness and social mobilization program, strengthened animal and human disease surveillance and control programs, and a restructuring of the poultry industry.
"Restructuring the poultry industry is not an easy choice; we need a comprehensive policy in order to reduce the cost. We need to be more careful because it will reduce jobs and disrupt the protein supply from chickens," said Krisnamurthi.(02)
--Yuli Tri Suwarni contributed to this story from Bandung, West Java.
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Authorities are dismissing speculation that bird flu has mutated in its latest outbreak, which killed a 14-year-old boy Wednesday and a 37-year-old woman the next day.
Accompanied by a panel of experts, the head of the National Commission for Avian Influenza and Pandemic Preparedness, Bayu Krisnamurthi, also denied a more virulent virus caused the outbreak.
He said the pattern of transmission remained the same, from chicken to human. He added that further study must to be done to discover whether ducks could also pass the virus to humans.
"There is a variety of hosts, but so far there is no scientific evidence that other animals can spread the virus to human beings besides chickens. The virus found in other animals is still the avian virus and has not yet transformed into a new variant," he said before the panel of experts in Jakarta.
In Bandung, West Java, four suspected bird flu patients -- a 33-year-old woman and her two children from Cicalengka in Bandung regency, and a poultry farm owner from Purwakarta -- remained in Hasan Sadikin hospital Friday.
The woman's husband, Endang, said his wife and two children, a 14-year-old boy and an eight-month-old baby girl, started suffering from high fever and coughing over the past 10 days.
"Around Idul Adha (Dec. 31), some 30 chickens around our house suddenly died. One of them even died in our front yard," he said in the hospital's Flamboyan room.
The three were referred to the Bandung hospital Thursday by a local community health center since they had a history of contact with dead chickens. Rapid test results from the dead chickens around their house showed two were H5N1 positive.
Another suspected bird flu victim, a 55-year-old poultry farm owner identified as J, had shown symptoms for three days before being taken to the hospital Thursday.
West Java animal husbandry office head of poultry health subdivision warned Friday that the H5N1 virus has continued to spread, and told people to maintain cleanliness, especially during the monsoon season.
The head of Hasan Sadikin hospital's bird flu prevention team, Hadi Jusuf, has also told people to be more aggressive in identifying bird flu symptoms, including high fever, coughing, and breathing problems after having direct contact with dead chickens.
Despite the return of the virus, the panel believed Indonesia was on the right track toward eradicating the H5N1 virus.
"By saying that there is an improvement in our efforts, we don't mean the virus is not around anymore. We have to remain alert to the danger because the nature of the virus is random. The war is far from over," said Bayu.
Bayu said bird flu control efforts in 2007 will focus on an expanded public awareness and social mobilization program, strengthened animal and human disease surveillance and control programs, and a restructuring of the poultry industry.
"Restructuring the poultry industry is not an easy choice; we need a comprehensive policy in order to reduce the cost. We need to be more careful because it will reduce jobs and disrupt the protein supply from chickens," said Krisnamurthi.(02)
--Yuli Tri Suwarni contributed to this story from Bandung, West Java.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Fear of bird flu yet to reach those in the poultry business
Friday, January 12, 2007
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Despite the recent death of a 14-year-old boy from suspected bird flu, chicken breeders and slaughterhouse workers are unconvinced that the HN51 virus is any particular worry, giving residents the feeling there is little they can do to protect themselves.
Yusuf hoped the government could prevent an outbreak of the virus in his neighborhood by intensifying inspections of poultry breeding sites and monitoring residents' health.
There are nine chicken suppliers in Pluis, each of which sells up to 1,000 chickens a day to nearby markets such as Palmerah and Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta and Kebayoran Lama in South Jakarta.
Residents say they have often observed chicken parts floating down the waterways in front of their homes.
"There'll be lots of chicken parts in the drainage ditches first thing in the morning and, if the ditches are running dry, there'll be even more," said a resident who asked not to be named.
The man, however, has never raised his concerns with the chicken suppliers to avoid conflict.
Kholifah, 57, who rents rooms to chicken vendors, said even though she had indirectly earned a living from the poultry industry for decades, she too feared avian influenza.
Mulyadi, 61, one of the chicken suppliers, said he got broiler chickens from Tasikmalaya, Garut, Bandung and Majalaya -- all in West Java -- and could sell up to 800 chickens, with a total weight of 1.1 tons, a day.
He said the chickens were crowded by the hundred into his truck for the two-hour drive from the West Java cities to Jakarta.
At least 10 chickens would not survive the journey. Mulyadi said he dumped the dead birds into a bin for collection by the city sanitation service. .
He said he was not afraid of contracting bird flu because "broilers, unlikely free-range chickens, are not carriers of the disease".
Despite reports of bird flu resurfacing, it is business as usual.
None of the workers in the chickens warehouses Thursday wore protective clothing to handle the birds. Many could not remember when the chickens were last vaccinated.
Faisal, a restaurant employee who lives about 30 meters away from Mulyadi's warehouse, said he did not worry about bird flu.
"Thank God, so far no one in this neighborhood has fallen ill," he said.
However, some residents of Pisangan Lama, Cakung, East Jakarta, are concerned about a possible outbreak because there are more than seven chicken suppliers in the area.
The chickens are mostly brought from West Java. Most of them are sold to street vendors or food stalls around the city.
The residents said they had long worried that HN51 might be lurking in their environment due to the operation of the chicken warehouses and had spoken to the district head about the issue.
He responded by ordering the sellers to manage their waste better.
Hendro, a chicken vendor who has been in the business for 10 years, said his chickens had not been vaccinated since midway through last year.
The poultry business continues to be lucrative. Hendro, for example, sells up to 1,200 chicken a day, making as much as Rp 15 million.
Last year, at the height of the bird flu outbreak here, the city administration announced it was formulating an ordinance prohibiting residents from keeping free-range chickens, but the law has yet to be drafted. (02)
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Despite the recent death of a 14-year-old boy from suspected bird flu, chicken breeders and slaughterhouse workers are unconvinced that the HN51 virus is any particular worry, giving residents the feeling there is little they can do to protect themselves.
"I am really scared, but what else can we do? We are powerless. The only thing we can do is to protect ourselves and our children,"Yusuf, a resident of Pluis hamlet in Grogol Utara subdistrict, West Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
Yusuf hoped the government could prevent an outbreak of the virus in his neighborhood by intensifying inspections of poultry breeding sites and monitoring residents' health.
There are nine chicken suppliers in Pluis, each of which sells up to 1,000 chickens a day to nearby markets such as Palmerah and Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta and Kebayoran Lama in South Jakarta.
Residents say they have often observed chicken parts floating down the waterways in front of their homes.
"There'll be lots of chicken parts in the drainage ditches first thing in the morning and, if the ditches are running dry, there'll be even more," said a resident who asked not to be named.
The man, however, has never raised his concerns with the chicken suppliers to avoid conflict.
Kholifah, 57, who rents rooms to chicken vendors, said even though she had indirectly earned a living from the poultry industry for decades, she too feared avian influenza.
"I pray for God's protection from bird flu,"she said.
Mulyadi, 61, one of the chicken suppliers, said he got broiler chickens from Tasikmalaya, Garut, Bandung and Majalaya -- all in West Java -- and could sell up to 800 chickens, with a total weight of 1.1 tons, a day.
He said the chickens were crowded by the hundred into his truck for the two-hour drive from the West Java cities to Jakarta.
At least 10 chickens would not survive the journey. Mulyadi said he dumped the dead birds into a bin for collection by the city sanitation service. .
He said he was not afraid of contracting bird flu because "broilers, unlikely free-range chickens, are not carriers of the disease".
Despite reports of bird flu resurfacing, it is business as usual.
None of the workers in the chickens warehouses Thursday wore protective clothing to handle the birds. Many could not remember when the chickens were last vaccinated.
Faisal, a restaurant employee who lives about 30 meters away from Mulyadi's warehouse, said he did not worry about bird flu.
"Thank God, so far no one in this neighborhood has fallen ill," he said.
However, some residents of Pisangan Lama, Cakung, East Jakarta, are concerned about a possible outbreak because there are more than seven chicken suppliers in the area.
The chickens are mostly brought from West Java. Most of them are sold to street vendors or food stalls around the city.
The residents said they had long worried that HN51 might be lurking in their environment due to the operation of the chicken warehouses and had spoken to the district head about the issue.
He responded by ordering the sellers to manage their waste better.
Hendro, a chicken vendor who has been in the business for 10 years, said his chickens had not been vaccinated since midway through last year.
The poultry business continues to be lucrative. Hendro, for example, sells up to 1,200 chicken a day, making as much as Rp 15 million.
Last year, at the height of the bird flu outbreak here, the city administration announced it was formulating an ordinance prohibiting residents from keeping free-range chickens, but the law has yet to be drafted. (02)
Voters skeptical about legislation on gubernatorial election
Friday, January 12, 2007
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
People are skeptical that the House of Representatives will pass a bill on the administration of Jakarta that serves the reelection needs of politicians.
The special committee is now debating the merits of electoral methods for selecting a governor for Jakarta in 2007.
The first approach proposed is direct elections based on competition among candidates from all the legally recognized political parties, while the other two would limit participation to only parties that have 15 to 30 percent of the seats on the City Council.
Rizal said the three electoral methods proposed by the special committee would curb people's voting rights because the gubernatorial candidate mix would be limited to supposedly safe candidates.
"I don't care what kind of law they want to pass, as long it enables people to freely participate in the election," said Sumitro, a pensioner from Ragunan.
He suggested allowing independent candidates to be nominated and placed on the ballot at the gubernatorial election, but was doubtful of public support for the move.
The bill, which is currently being deliberated at the House, is designed to replace a 1999 law on the administration of Jakarta, which is seen as being the barometer for other regions in relation to local election processes.
Erna, a stay-at-home mom who lives on Jl. Radio Dalam, South Jakarta, said political parties' disagreement over the election administration reflected the system's inability to speak to the needs of working people.
Nine out of 11 people interviewed by The Jakarta Post said the electoral method did not really matter, as long as the elected candidate was responsive to the needs of the people.
Some people, however, said they did not even know when the election was going to take place.
"I don't mind who they elect so long as her or she improves the quality of life in Jakarta," said Paul from Cipete.
A number of people said they would like to see independent candidates applying for places on the ballot.
However, around half of the people interviewed said they doubted the House would accept the idea of independent candidates.
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
People are skeptical that the House of Representatives will pass a bill on the administration of Jakarta that serves the reelection needs of politicians.
"There is nothing new about our legislature. They pass laws on certain issues, pretending to serve the people, but actually they are manipulating the situation to their own advantage,"Rizal, a state-owned enterprise employee from Cipete Utara, South Jakarta, said recently.
The special committee is now debating the merits of electoral methods for selecting a governor for Jakarta in 2007.
The first approach proposed is direct elections based on competition among candidates from all the legally recognized political parties, while the other two would limit participation to only parties that have 15 to 30 percent of the seats on the City Council.
Rizal said the three electoral methods proposed by the special committee would curb people's voting rights because the gubernatorial candidate mix would be limited to supposedly safe candidates.
"I don't care what kind of law they want to pass, as long it enables people to freely participate in the election," said Sumitro, a pensioner from Ragunan.
He suggested allowing independent candidates to be nominated and placed on the ballot at the gubernatorial election, but was doubtful of public support for the move.
The bill, which is currently being deliberated at the House, is designed to replace a 1999 law on the administration of Jakarta, which is seen as being the barometer for other regions in relation to local election processes.
Erna, a stay-at-home mom who lives on Jl. Radio Dalam, South Jakarta, said political parties' disagreement over the election administration reflected the system's inability to speak to the needs of working people.
"They only think about who is going to be governor, and are not necessarily thinking of the people,"she said.
Nine out of 11 people interviewed by The Jakarta Post said the electoral method did not really matter, as long as the elected candidate was responsive to the needs of the people.
Some people, however, said they did not even know when the election was going to take place.
"I don't mind who they elect so long as her or she improves the quality of life in Jakarta," said Paul from Cipete.
A number of people said they would like to see independent candidates applying for places on the ballot.
"What about people with real potential who are not nominated by any party?"said university student Cornelia.
"There are lots of good people out there, but they might not be interested in any of the parties because they think politicians are a self-absorbed bunch."
However, around half of the people interviewed said they doubted the House would accept the idea of independent candidates.
"The House will not allow such candidates because that would narrow their chances of gaining political power,"said Chairul, a businessman from Kebayoran Baru, who preferred the third choice requiring a 30 percent party representation, proposed by the special committee, saying it would curb political adventurism. (02)
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Bakri, si nelayan
Namanya Bakri. Dia cuma seorang nelayan di Pare-Pare, Sulawesi Selatan. Namanya kemudian masuk media massa nasional karena dia menemukan sayap belakang bagian kanan pesawat Boeing 373-400 Adam Air saat menjaring ikan 300 m dari bibir Malusetasi.
Namun popularitas hanya cukup di situ: hanya namanya saja yang muncul, tak lebih dari itu. Yang selanjutnya muncul di halaman depan media-media cetak nasional dan media televise adalah foto ‘orang besar’ macam Ketua Badan SAR Nasional, Bambang Karnoyhudo atau Komandan Pangkalan Udara Hasanuddin. Mereka berpose memegang foto sayap Adam Air.
Bakri memang ngak butuh semua popularitas itu. Bahkan ketika ia menemukan sayap itupun tidak ada niat untuk melaporkan hal itu ke polisi. Ia takut diperiksa seperti warga Toraja yang diperiksa sebelumnya. Konon, orang besar seperti Komandan Pangkalan Udara ngak bisa salah, yang salah dan bisa diperiksa hanya rakyat.
Baginya sebuah sayap patah dari sebuah pesawat lebih berarti disimpan di rumahnya daripada sebuah laporan yang akan berbuah kesalahan. Walaupun sayap itu mungkin tak memberi tambahan nilai apa-apa pada dirinya, ia pun tak akan kurang suatu apapun bila tak melapor.
Konsep “tanggungjawab publik” mungkin memang tak ada dalam kepala seorang nelayan. Tapi bukan itu yang tak membuatnya melapor. Ia memang tak punya sangkut paut apapun dengan Negara ini dalam segala hal. Karena Negara memang tak pernah memberi apa-apa kepadanya. Ia mungkin punya KTP yang diperoleh dari kantor desa atau kelurahannya, tapi itu tak banyak memberi arti bagi seorang nelayan yang tiap hari berurusan dengan ombak dan garam, bukan dengan polisi air ataupun polisi daratan. KTp itupun belum tentu banyak membantu ketika ia meminta pinjaman ke bank terdekat. Apalagi ketika ia dan anggota keluarganya harus berobat ke puskesmas. Biaya sekolahn anaknya pun tidak bisa dibayar dengan sebuah KTP. Tidak juga ketika bersengketa dengan nelayan lain. Paling mungkin KTP itu berguna ketika pemilu local maupun nasional. Karena saat itulah baru rakyat punya nilai.
Maka tak heran Bakri emoh melapor ke pemerintah. Mungkin pikirnya, paling-paling ia akan diperiksa karena tak mampu menunjukkan dimana ia menemukan potongan sayap itu.
John Dewey benar ketika ia mengatakan: biarkanlah rakyat tidak melakukan apa-apa untuk negaranya maka lama-kelamaan ia tidak akan peduli kepada negaranya. Ketidakpedulian ini sudah mengetal dalam masyarakat, hanya banyak orang tak mau mengakuinya.
Namun popularitas hanya cukup di situ: hanya namanya saja yang muncul, tak lebih dari itu. Yang selanjutnya muncul di halaman depan media-media cetak nasional dan media televise adalah foto ‘orang besar’ macam Ketua Badan SAR Nasional, Bambang Karnoyhudo atau Komandan Pangkalan Udara Hasanuddin. Mereka berpose memegang foto sayap Adam Air.
Bakri memang ngak butuh semua popularitas itu. Bahkan ketika ia menemukan sayap itupun tidak ada niat untuk melaporkan hal itu ke polisi. Ia takut diperiksa seperti warga Toraja yang diperiksa sebelumnya. Konon, orang besar seperti Komandan Pangkalan Udara ngak bisa salah, yang salah dan bisa diperiksa hanya rakyat.
Baginya sebuah sayap patah dari sebuah pesawat lebih berarti disimpan di rumahnya daripada sebuah laporan yang akan berbuah kesalahan. Walaupun sayap itu mungkin tak memberi tambahan nilai apa-apa pada dirinya, ia pun tak akan kurang suatu apapun bila tak melapor.
Konsep “tanggungjawab publik” mungkin memang tak ada dalam kepala seorang nelayan. Tapi bukan itu yang tak membuatnya melapor. Ia memang tak punya sangkut paut apapun dengan Negara ini dalam segala hal. Karena Negara memang tak pernah memberi apa-apa kepadanya. Ia mungkin punya KTP yang diperoleh dari kantor desa atau kelurahannya, tapi itu tak banyak memberi arti bagi seorang nelayan yang tiap hari berurusan dengan ombak dan garam, bukan dengan polisi air ataupun polisi daratan. KTp itupun belum tentu banyak membantu ketika ia meminta pinjaman ke bank terdekat. Apalagi ketika ia dan anggota keluarganya harus berobat ke puskesmas. Biaya sekolahn anaknya pun tidak bisa dibayar dengan sebuah KTP. Tidak juga ketika bersengketa dengan nelayan lain. Paling mungkin KTP itu berguna ketika pemilu local maupun nasional. Karena saat itulah baru rakyat punya nilai.
Maka tak heran Bakri emoh melapor ke pemerintah. Mungkin pikirnya, paling-paling ia akan diperiksa karena tak mampu menunjukkan dimana ia menemukan potongan sayap itu.
John Dewey benar ketika ia mengatakan: biarkanlah rakyat tidak melakukan apa-apa untuk negaranya maka lama-kelamaan ia tidak akan peduli kepada negaranya. Ketidakpedulian ini sudah mengetal dalam masyarakat, hanya banyak orang tak mau mengakuinya.
“Emang gue pikirin,”kata anak jaman sekarang.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Waterbird count identifies species in trouble
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
January 10, 2006
For a long time, the public has regarded wetlands as waste-lands, though they are great places to see a variety of bird species.
During Dutch colonial rule, 15.40 hectares of land in Maura Angke, North Jakarta, was declared by the governor general of the Netherlands East Indies on June 17, 1939, a coastal nature and wildlife protection zone.
A ministerial decree issued in 1999 extended the zone to 25.02 hectares, covering coastal areas of Jakarta and the mouth of Angke River.
However, a visit to Maura Angke Wildlife Reserve (SMMA), which was named after a warlord of Banten, Tubagus Angke, reveals the area has been neglected in recent decades.
The river carries along with it the waste of those who live and work on its banks, from fishermen to vast industries.
Visitors must pass over pools of mud on rickety pathways and the security and information posts are in dire need of renovation.
But the reserve is still a haven for bird-spotters.
More than 30 bird lovers and volunteers gathered in the area Sunday for their annual waterbird count.
The bird count, organized by Wetlands International -- a nonprofit group dedicated solely to wetland conservation and sustainable management -- Jakarta's Green Monster and Flora and Fauna International (FFI), began in the early morning.
By noon, participants had spotted 408 birds belonging to 22 species in the reserve.
The annual census is a part of the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC), which has been running since 1987 and usually takes place in the second and third weeks of January.
It runs parallel to other census of waterbirds in Africa, Europe, Central and West Asia and Latin America, under the umbrella of the International Waterbird Census (IWC).
"This data will be brought together with data from wetlands elsewhere, providing the basis for estimates of waterbird populations. The counting may have been done over a relatively short period of time, but any wildlife count is subject to conditions. However, it is important in providing basic data and an overview of the waterbird population," said Imanuddin from Wetlands International.
"Because this is an annual event we can determine how the bird population is affected by the reclamation of Jakarta Bay. If it shrinks, then we will have the basis to say development activities in the bay area are posing a threat to the birds in the sanctuary."
Alex from the FFI said the objectives of the census were to monitor the changes in waterbird numbers and distribution, to improve knowledge of lesser-known waterbird species and wetland sites, to provide information on the conservation status of waterbirds species and to raise awareness of the importance of waterbird and wetland habitats.
"The more we know about the population and condition of inhabitant or visiting birds, the better we can manage this place as a wildlife protection zone," he said.
A few month ago, nonprofit group Jakarta's Green Monster dredged tons of rubbish from the site.
A study by the Institute of Mangrove Research and Development (IMReD) shows there are 76 species of birds in the reserve, of which 17 are protected and 50 others endemic, and there are 10 species of migratory birds.
Muara Angke wildlife reserve is home to two endemic bird species, the Sunda coucal (Centropus nigrorufous) and the milky stork (Mycteria cinerea), both of which are endangered. A coucal is one of about 30 species of birds in the cuckoo family.
"This is why this site is very important for bird conservation. In order for a species to survive, there must be 500 or more birds. There are no more than 50 coucal left. It will become extinct within two years," Aminuddin said.
He said the coucal was particularly vulnerable because it could not fly for more than 20 meters at a stretch and the reserve was surrounded by buildings, so there was no chance of it emigrating to another area where it might have a greater chance of survival.
Ruskomala Sari, a student from the private National University, saud she did not enjoy the bird counting very much because of the poor condition of the reserve.
"For beginners it is very interesting because waterbirds have bigger builds than land birds. However, I feel bad about the poor condition of the site," said the student who has been spotting birds as a hobby since 2003.
"It's strange that a wildlife sanctuary should be surrounded by a mall, housing complex and slums."(02)
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