Cogitation On The Busway 2/17/09

Wed 17. So I'm sitting on a busway heading straight to my house in Lebak Bulus. Today my bike is deposited at the garage (again) due to the setting being completely blown when I ran out of gas in the middle of Sudirman and I tooled around with the carburetor in an effort to restart it.

This is a new route and I'm happy. Previously I have had to get off the Blok M terminal and hop on one of the local buses going south, to the Lebak Bulus terminal. And the local buses are not pleasant. But this is exactly what I wanted to write today. You know, I've only realized that I've been wrong all this time. When I was in the US, perhaps a part of it being influenced by other Indonesians who have fled the country, and perhaps being myself so far and so long away from the country where I grew up in, I couldn't care less about what was happening here. In my mind, it was almost like, oh well. There's always something wrong with that country anyways. There was a big tsunami? Is my family okay? Yes! Ok. Then everything's cool. There was a big quake? My family? Ok? Ok.

After all, one of the biggest tragedies of Indonesia happened without my being there: the Asian Financial Crisis of 1998 and subsequently, the May 1998 riot in Indonesia. I was already in the US, and I remember at that time I was running around like a rat drowning on the sea. A part of it is because my dad had cut the supply of money for my study as the Rupiah slid from Rp. 2500 a dollar to close to Rp. 20.000 at the height of the crisis. But another part of it is because I wanted to take part in history. I mean, Suharto was about to step down. His 32-years rule was about to end. There were tanks on the street. Several demonstrating students were shot dead by the nation's special forces. Properties were being burned to the ground. Martial law was implemented throughout the nation. Chinese Indonesians were targeted. Indonesia was at the cusp of revolution. Where others flee the country, I had wanted to return to the hot zone, to be part of it. As a young fool, I felt the intense urge to join the movement. And be amongst the masses and friends. My parents tried desperately to keep me there, although they themselves didn't know how I would survive without money from home.

Fast forward nine years later, when I've graduated from college and was then working in corporate America. I had worked various odd jobs including being a liquor store clerk, gas station attendant, pizza delivery, busboy, waiter, and theater usher to help earn my degree. During those times, I went through a lot; things that were my problems; moments that were my moments; life that was my life. I have had guns pointed on my head, on two different occassions, during different store robberies. I've fallen in love there. I've made blood pledges toward three buddies for life that are from three different countries. I've even contemplated ending my life once. So naturally, after all those years, Indonesia seems so far away, and I stopped caring. I've disconnected myself from it.

Now I realize that I've been wrong all along. I was wrong when other Indonesians there bad-mouthed the country. "That country is going straight to hell." And I laughed. And when Americans asked me what was good about Indonesia, I just shrugged. "That country is going to hell," I imitated my disillusioned Indonesian comrades. I bad-mouthed my own country without knowing or seeing what I was saying. Forgive me. I am guilty for falling in to the trap of countless Indonesians who tend to bad mouth their own country without being really fair or honest to themselves. Even now, I don't have to go out from this city to find hundreds of people who will happily discredit Indonesia.

And that is very wrong, because now that I'm here, I can see that this is a different place than 12 years ago. 12 yrs ago, nothing really works. The government system was a joke, the police were landsharks, the people's assembly was a smoking room, and the law didn't work.

I'm not saying that now everything works or that Indonesia is now up to US caliber, but what I am seeing is that the country is changing, and for the better. As I observed during the xmas holidays, when traffic was less and I had more time to relax, I see that potholes were being fixed, road signs and sign posts are posted numerously in the city and are quite clear and accurate (I bet locals can't really appreciate this since they have the city memorized to a science; but I totally do. Ever try following the direction of the signposts to get to a locale in the city? It works.) and that the rules of roads are starting to change for the better (I said rules of the roads, not the streets themselves. Driving in Jkt remains one of the absolute worst experience.)

Thu 18.

Although the police force have not reinvented themselves to an ideal degree, in yet another degree I see that they've evolved into something better. I see that they help old ladies cross the street. I see that they regulate the traffic in a somewhat more serious tone and although corruption is still rampant, it is less so now compared to 12 yrs ago. I have met several policemen that won't even budge with bribes. They give you the ticket without a word and then left. And let's not forget that their SWAT team did catch Noordin M Top, the bastard terrorist who bombed Ritz Carlton and Marriott last year.

And in general, the city of Jakarta possesses a well developed (to a degree) infrastructures that makes life so much easier to adapt to after I came home. I can see the difference when I visit Bali. The roads are wide and expansive, and although they're still prone to flooding, but at least in the major arteries floods subside rapidly as drainages were built. I personally have not had the experience of going through severe flooding as I stick mostly to the city's major arteries.

Foreign investment and presence is more prevalent here than 12 yrs ago. A lot of people now make a conscious effort to bike to work. The government is actively involved in promoting green living. New improvements are made every day, such as the busway and new roads.

So I guess I should end this by saying that although lots of improvements are still needed in this country, but the most important thing is that it's trying to, and it is heading toward that. I think what we often forget is that it takes effort and courage and, above all, time, to achieve that. Instead of us being cynical and critical to the environment that we live in, we should hold our heads high and believe that we are in for better times. And instead of complaining, we should take a deep breath, hold hands together and work toward a greater goal. Indonesia is not perfect yet, but what is important is that we have hope.

Author's note: turns out that the new busway route still sucks. I spent close to 2.5 hrs on the road on congested roads and they still transfer me twice. Its not a one-time deal where I hopped on the bus and sit until I reach home. Looks like I'll be going on my old, albeit less comfortable, route.