Jakarta is the capital city of the Republic of Indonesia. Until now, Jakarta is still the center of various political, economic, and cultural activities in Indonesia. In 2020, there were around 36 million people who officially became citizens of Jakarta, mainly due to transmigration for decades. The city is also the second-largest city in the world, after Tokyo in Japan.
I have lived for about 28 years in Jakarta. I was born and raised in Jakarta, so I experienced direct association with Jakarta residents. There is an impetus to provide an overview that is based on my experience and analysis.
Jakarta People
As a general framework, I developed an analysis of Mochtar Lubis' 1977 cultural speech at Taman Ismail Marzuki entitled Indonesian Man. Five things need to be considered. First, Indonesian people are hypocrites. I think the same characteristics are easily found in Jakarta people.
Hypocrisy is a characteristic of people who do evil but cover it with things that are considered noble. Religion is often a symbol of hypocrisy. Jakarta has a variety of places of worship, and the number is growing, although most are without permits. However, the level of corruption, intolerance, and violent conflict, especially against women and children, ranks the highest in Indonesia.
Two, the people of Jakarta do not want to be responsible for their actions. This is easily seen in traffic behavior as well as in terms of cleanliness. There is no concern for the way of living together, nor the preservation of the environment. The perpetrators of violations also often run away, if they see or will be dealt with by law enforcement.
Three, Jakarta people have a feudal mentality. They highly revere positions, be it military, religious, government, or economic positions. Personal content and original nature are not considered, as long as people hold positions that are considered important in society. These people also often act arbitrarily, such as violating existing rules and laws, without caring, because they can hide behind their positions.
The most visible behavior of officials. On the highway, they often cut people's paths. They don't want to queue. The police or the army are also used to split traffic jams. This is sad because they all live on public money.
Four, Jakartans are fond of the occult. They are diligent in praying, to ask for something, usually related to wealth or beauty. Facing disease, they often do not use the modern medical system, but rather a shaman whose background is not clear. Not surprisingly, when the COVID-19 pandemic reached its peak, Jakarta was badly affected.
Five, the people of Jakarta are weak in character. They like to steal and lie when the opportunity arises. They don't care about morality, etiquette, or the law, as long as no law enforcement officer is paying attention. Hundreds of times, I have experienced firsthand how it feels to be cheated by Jakartans with bad character.
Weak character is also evident from the management of emotions. Jakartans tend to get angry easily. Small mistakes can lead to fights, even death. Jakartans tend to be impatient, so it is difficult to queue, especially when driving.
They also tend not to be on time. As far as I remember, I have never met a Jakartan person who was on time, when he made a promise. They use rubber clocks. If it's late, there's often no reasonable explanation, let alone an apology.
The majority of Jakartans also often pray aloud. They disturb the surrounding environment. The sick, and the lovers of silence, will not be able to find peace in Jakarta. The issue of worshiping loudly, and disturbing the peace together, has become a long-standing problem in Jakarta that has never been handled properly by its leaders.
Distance from Jakarta
After all, I am a Jakartan. This almost submerged and chaotic city is my hometown. I was lucky because I studied philosophy, so I can be quite reflective and critical of my own culture. This is not obtained by many people in Jakarta.
A bright spot also appears behind the darkness of the city of Jakarta. The people are very friendly, especially if you have the same interests, such as automotive, art and so on. I have been repeatedly greeted on the street by people I don't know, but who have the same type of motorbike. On the sidelines of the chaos of the capital city, this hospitality often refreshes the mind.
Can these six things also apply to describe Indonesian people? I think it's more or less the same. Several differences arise, due to geographical and cultural differences. What do you think?
Multiple Analysis
The general description above is not meant to be flat. Of course, there are some exceptions. There are people from Jakarta who are quite open, solidarity with those who are in need, and have a capable character. However, this is still a small exception to the whole that exists.
The number of immigrants also affects the atmosphere of Jakarta. For the newcomers, Jakarta is just a place to make money. There is no meaningful inner bond, so they tend not to care. This is rooted in four things that need to be noticed.
First, Jakarta is poor in its political example. Its political leaders do not set an example of a good nation and state life. They tend to be snobby, and don't care about the plight of the people who voted for them. Several strong allegations of corruption are currently taking place at the top of Jakarta's leadership.
Two, political mismanagement has a direct impact on the state of the economy. Jakarta is a very slum city. There are so many slums scattered all over Jakarta. This was accompanied by the presence of several super-luxury settlements which made the situation even more absurd. This situation is allowed to continue, especially by the leadership of Jakarta in 2021.
Three, as a democratic legal state based on Pancasila, the law plays an important role. The law will only be effective, efficient, and fair if its enforcers have integrity. Unfortunately, law enforcement in Jakarta is selective and is still very open to the practice of bribery. Political, economic, and corrupt rulers tend to get relief. Meanwhile, the helpless poor people continue to be dealt with firmly.
Fourth, the deepest root of course is the very low quality of education. A culture of rottenness, reverence, and blind adherence to both tradition and religion destroys education in Jakarta, as well as in Indonesia. Humans who graduate from the education system also tend to be of low quality, shallow, intolerant and radical in religion. Jakarta's education system has been wiped out by the religious radicalism of death.
Five, radicals will always be there. However, if they were dealt with firmly to the root, they would become powerless. This does not happen in Jakarta. Religious radicals are nurtured and used for the narrow interests of political and economic rulers. Religious life in Jakarta has become of very low quality, starting from the spread of terrorism to noise pollution that is almost unbearable.
Jakarta's Future
Can Jakarta still be saved? The answer is of course positive. Technology and science have enabled humans to deal with various natural phenomena that are full of uncertainty. However, a change in the way Jakartans think and live is necessary.
Hypocrisy must be raised clearly. Don't let religion or morals be used to cover up rot. We must also learn to be responsible for our lives, as well as for the environment around us. Feudal culture must be bulldozed to the roots. All humans are equal before the law and before the Creator.
A culture of scientific thinking must be developed. Common sense and a clear conscience must be empowered. The occult and radical mentality in religion must be lost to the roots. It all starts with daring to develop a capable self-character, starting from being punctual, honest, obeying the law, and being religious in a civilized manner.
The quality of political leadership certainly plays an important role. So, the people of Jakarta must choose the right governor. Do not be fascinated by sweet mouths, but corrupt and radical in religion. Pay attention to real performance.
Only in this way, economic and legal problems can begin to be corrected. Education can be developed by eliminating the culture of rote, blind obedience, and reverence. Religious radicalism can also be eliminated from Jakarta's education to its roots. If all this is done, Jakarta can become the capital of Indonesia.
Jakarta can be a role model for all other regions. Don't delay anymore.
Lead image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/mAxA2OmTmKA
