Plis Deh Jakarta!

Experts say, Jakarta’s public transport system needs an overhaul.

…there would be no ease-up in the daily traffic jams experienced by residents in the capital unless major changes were made to the public transportation system.

Who says Indonesia doesn’t have any smart people?

Workers tend to their stock of little LPG canisters. They will one day grow up to be real LPG canisters, changing blue in color. Unfortunately, those that don't grow, blow up.

Photo credit: Jakarta Globe/Antara

Seen on a Gramedia bookshelf – a Quran-reciting VCD sitting quietly next to the “Hantu Jamu Gendong” VCD.

Here is Plis Deh Jakarta’s scale of stupidity, 1 being simply dumb, 10 being outright idiotic:

1. picking your nose in a parliamentary session
2. using your BlackBerry while driving (c’mon guys… admit this is stupid)
3. trying to overthrow the government by burning tires in the street and hunger strikes
4. throwing trash in the river, then blaming the government for mismanaging floods
5. street demonstrations by whoever, provoking the cops to take action then claiming police brutality
6. queueing 5 hours to get a pair of sandals
7. crossing the street where there’s obviously a pedestrian bridge
8. overtaking traffic jams at a bottleneck (do’oh!)
9. riding a motorcycle while one hand is holding something else (cigarette, phone, LPG gas tank, 1 gallon water bottle, baby, etc)
10. SMS-ing while riding your motorcycle, without a helmet and no headlights at night

If you don’t agree (or perhaps offended ) by our list, don’t bitch! Make your own list and put ‘writing/reading Plis Deh Jakarta’ on the top. We won’t mind

submitted by iiiccchhhaaa.

contributed by iiiccchhhaaa and unwinged. Thanks!

Reader comments on an article reporting on the new rules and fines being imposed to motorcycle riders cover a range of reactions; from the usual:

- it’s about time there was a crackdown on the reckless motorcycle riders

to the somewhat illogical:

- if this goes on, sooner or later they’ll be fining pedestrians

to the conspiracy theorists:

- this rule does not side with the ‘little people’. It is a conspiracy between the city administration and the producers of motorcycle headlights to increase sales.

So I wonder how people would react to the rule where drivers are not allowed to make calls while driving? Maybe they’ll say it’s a conspiracy between the city administration and producers of cellphone handsfree kits.

That said, I am not aware if this HP handsfree rule applies to motorcyclists, which we still often see making calls while riding their motorcycles.

Submitted by reichan.

Separo separo

Submitted by iiiccchhhaaa.

So Jakarta aspires to become an international music city. It makes sense, given the amount of large-scale music events and festivals recently held in Jakarta. One thing: if Jakarta can manage to convert the howling din of daily honking from cars, buses, motorcycles and sate sellers into music, it certainly would earn that title.

Maybe Plis Deh Jakarta can start a side business selling musical car horns?

Jakarta is host to a multitude events all year round, but these events caught our attention:

Air Condtioning Technology exhibition, Nov 19-21, 2009, at Jakarta International Trade Expo, Kemayoran. As if Jakartans ever needed convincing to buy aircons.

World Town Planning Day, 8 Nov 2009. Really? In Jakarta? Maybe it’s supposed to show what not to do for town planning.