Let's Have A Party

Yep, today is a special day. Jakarta is 481 years old and civic services are apparently taking place all over the city, but mainly out of sight. Except, of course, in the shopping malls .

In my 20+ plus years here I've never received an invite to a do and I can't say that I'm too eager to seek one out.

Jakarta Post readers agree with me.

- Actually, I see no special preparations to celebrate Jakarta's 481st anniversary. It may be because if you add up the constituent numbers you get the unlucky number 13. However, we can make the city a better place to live in by praying to the Lord, our Savior.
RUDY D. SALIM

Getting anywhere is a pain, as readers of the Jakarta Post make plain.

- Please improve public transport. Bring in the monorail system to avoid traffic and improve transportation.
DEVIKA

Transport is just one problem.

- There are many classical problems that Jakarta faces, including seasonal floods, traffic jams, illegal street vendors, slum areas along riversides and a lack of awareness and discipline among its residents etc.

In an effort to overcome these problems, the Jakarta administration must implement priority-based integrated programs for short-, medium- and long-term periods to be carried out systematically and consistently.

In encouraging public awareness and discipline, the city should consistently uphold the law. It will help the city become better organized.
ABDULRAHIM
Tangerang, Banten

According to the Post, Jakarta is home to some 8.5 million people at night and 12 million in the day time. The difference is due to the large number of commuters from neighboring cities, including Bogor, Bekasi, Depok and Tangerang. And it seems that more and more people are likely to come to the city.

Those who live in Jakarta or earn their living here typically blame the city authorities for nearly all of the problems they face.

But Governor Fuzzy Bodoh blames us, mainly because people have continued smoking. He pointed out that Bylaw No. 22/2005 on air pollution control -- which includes a ban on smoking in public places, including restaurants, offices and hospitals -- was toothless because Jakartans are very far from being law-abiding citizens. The governor criticized those who smoked in forbidden places in spite of the bylaw, which threatens up to Rp 50 million (US$5,500) or 3 months imprisonment.

So, those addicted to nicotine are to blame for everything.

I'd like to be fair to City Hall, so let me point out how strange we Brits can be.

Good Queen Bess has a 'real' birthday, 21st April, and an 'official' one. I think it's something to do with the British weather because April can be bloody cold. Maybe climate change will let her celebrate properly next year, when she'll be 83.

Every year I get an invitation from Our Man in Jakarta who, this year, is Martin Hatfull who, with his wife Phyllis,
My confusion is because according to Its Royal Highness, the Official Website, the date of the official 'official' birthday is June 14th, last Saturday.
 

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¶ 1:30 pm