Jakartass Home thoughts from abroad. Alien thoughts from home.

Every so often I get to read an online article which offers the theory that the internet is destroying our brains. Or maybe not. Certainly, those of us with access to it, however limited that may be, have changed our reading habits, ergo the ways we take in and use information.

Some, such as Jeremy Wagstaff in his syndicated column Lost in the Flow of The Digital Word in the Post argues that "digital rules, and ebooks now make more sense than papyrus."

He bases this on the 'fact' that online bookseller Amazon "is now selling more ebooks than hardbacks." Hardbacks are not my reading fornat of choice, and I can't be bothered to check Amazon's stats for paperbacks or used copies sold, nor do I wish to attempt to quantify the number of books bought online from publishers or readily available in specialist and chain bookstores.

Jeremy has written to me to say that "the device doesn't need to be connected for you to read, only to download. And the file sizes are small. And you only need one app to make it happen."

Fair enough, but batteries need regular recharging. Besides, I've always loved the feel and smell of books, the pleasure of turning over a new leaf, and their neat arrangement (usually) on my shelves where they await a reread.

Given that I've had to reformat the hard drive on my computer umpteen times as well as creating backups, I still manage to lose documents and files. So, what is the lifespan of a soft-copy book on forever being 'improved' electronic reading aids?

Anyway, I digress a bit as this post isn't supposed to be about the medium, but the message. Whether we read a novel on the iPhone, a Kindle or in a hardback paper format, what is important is, as Jeremy states, that "we lose ourselves in the reading … [and} … tune out what is around us."

If the quarter page colour ad in yesterday's Post wasn't placed by Astra International, the major car importer and assembler in Indonesia, I'd be somewhat less cynical. (Spot the punctuation error!)

ONE educated child will lead to ONE educated family. Imagine the result of ONE million educated children, they will create ONE illiteracy-free generation!

There's a problem of numeracy in this. It is widely expected that the main results of the recent census will be published this week and they will show that the population has grown to 238 million. If the literacy rate as given by UNESCO was 92% as at 2007, then there are c.22 million illiterate citizens. Given that the 'educated' classes tend to have smaller families, then it's going to take a lot longer than one generation.

But, hey, Astra has a message of hope.

Roll up your sleeves!
(Most us prefer short sleeves, but no matter, do carry on.)

Let's share the spirit of nurturing the nation's youth and help them become the next generation that has confidence to meet challenges in tomorrow's world.
(Because our generation is going to leave them with a pretty fucked up world?)

So, what is literacy?

At a basic level, it's the functional skills of reading and writing, as well as oral communication. However, this does not necessarily equate with what I term as 'productive communication', the ability to hold opinions and to engage in reasoned discourse and debate. That requires a fifth element: analytical thought rather than emotional responses.

That so much that is read is now written as tweets to 'friends' and unseen 'faces' is only self-nurturing, a futile search for community aided by the very tools which Jeremy says encourages folk to read books in "short bursts".

I've always got a book 'on the go'; it's got pages I can touch and fold over to mark my place for the next time I'm stuck in a traffic jam or my flight is delayed, or for the loo when I've got the trots, or ….. for those moments when I can't work out where my next post is leading.

The main challenge in Indonesia today is to disengage from myopic and instant reactions, to examine and deal with the root causes of the evils of sectarianism, corruption and greed, and to engage with all communities which one is part of. This should not be a matter of self-preservation as much as growth.

And that's my message. Concentrated rather than cursory reading is a challenge, yet ultimately offers long-lasting pleasure and a focus into new worlds. The new horizons opened up are an index of possibilities and are therefore truly nurturing. That is true education, not the stultification offered by Astra.

However, I would like to share in their justification for taking up such valuable space.

It was not the best moment to hold a gig on Friday. The rain was bad and the traffic was worse. It was quintessential Jakarta, save for the small section of Senayan Sporting Complex.
(fr. a review of a gig by 90's Brit-poppers where Ian Brown and Kula Shaker played 6.8.10.)

So here we have international 'stars' performing in a sports hall. Given the massive growth in Jakarta's population in the last 50+ years, one might have expected something more sophisticated.

Before 1965, when Koes Bersaudara were banned and imprisoned following Soekarno's "war against Beatle "music", declaring that "Beatleism" was a "form of mental disease", they had "regular spots at venues such as the Megaria cinema, where they played between films." They later managed "to secure a twice-weekly gig at the International Airport Restaurant in Kemayoran (North Jakarta)."
(fr. Wage War against Beatle Music! Censorship and Music in Soekarno's Indonesia by Steven Farram)

The Megaria cinema still stands, but isn't a gig venue. The Kemayoran airport is no more following the opening of Soekarno-Hatta; the area is now being redeveloped with industrial estates, a host of apartment blocks and as the venue for the annual Jakarta Fair. And just last year, 2009, the Aula Simfonia Jakarta (Jakarta Symphony Hall) was officially opened.

It was built as an answer to this big city's need of a 'proper' concert hall, as well as to fulfill the cultural mandate given by God. As the first, and currently the only concert hall in Indonesia, Aula Simfonia Jakarta accommodates 1,200 seats and offers a world-class acoustic experience. Both local and international musicians have performed in this hall, and Aula Simfonia Jakarta welcomes more good quality music performances in the future.

it is bloody difficult to get to at the best of times (i.e. at 2am when Jakarta isn't grid-locked) and I foresee further problems ahead in the rainy season as Kemayoran is in flood-prone northern Jakarta.

And I'm not sure that they have a "cultural mandate given by God" given that an upcoming concert on the 22nd (to mark Indonesia's Independence Day on the 17th) is sponsored by, among others, a women's magazine, a cigarette company, and a Japanese car manufacturer.

So, what else is there?

A search for 'music venues*Jakarta' on the World Events Guide "returned 0 results".

The real answer given by Widyasena Sumadio a year ago is 'not much'.

A number of concert venues have emerged recently in Jakarta and surrounding areas: from
the Jakarta International Expo and Mangga Dua in the centre of Jakarta, to Sentul City Convention Center in Sentul, a town in southern Jakarta known for its motor racing circuit. The well-established, if slightly dilapidated building Istora Senayan, the junior tennis indoor stadium Senayan, and the Jakarta Convention Center are also often used for festivals and events.

But these buildings were not intended for musical performances, so they are lacking in acoustics. The auditoriums in five-star hotels [and shopping malls. J.], which on some occasions have also hosted music performances, are not ideal venues for music performances either. And the number of buildings equipped with appropriate acoustics, unfortunately, cannot hold a large number of people.

As a result, for Jakarta to become a musical centre, regional and central governments, in addition to private parties, need to …. invest in specialised and well-equipped performance venues capable of accommodating larger numbers.

Not all gigs and performances need to attract large audiences, but, unfortunately, there aren't that many smaller venues specifically devoted to 'culture' either.

As a public service, I've compiled the following list. I fear that it is exhaustive, but if there are any glaring omissions, please add them in the comments box or email me so I can add them to this post, which may end up on the music links page above.

My favourite venue for performances is the beautifully restored Dutch building Gedung Kesenian. Although on the corner of a busy thoroughfare, upon entering, having traversed the car park, one can imagine a much less chaotic Batavia among a milieu admittedly 'free' of Indonesians.

There are a number of 'cultural centres' which offer a mix of exhibitions, workshops and performances. The somewhat rundown Taman Ismail Marzuki (T.I.M.) is, to my knowledge, the only facility under the aegis of City Hall.

Otherwise there are community-run initiatives such as Bentara Budaya, Theatre Salihara and Komunitas Utan Kayu.

There also a few 'foreign' Cultural Centres including Goethe Haüs, Erasmus Huis, and the Jawaharlal Nehru Indian Cultural Centre, which are sponsored by their respective governments.

Unlike London and other western cities and towns which seem to have live music in pubs and bars within strolling distance, one has to be in the know to find them in Jakarta, and then make a strenuous effort to actually go out.

Jakarta 24.com has a now outdated list. (BB's is still going strong, but Jamz isn't.) The best list I've found, which, although not their fault, isn't saying much, is Jakarta 100 Bars.

Perhaps the $3 million that the City administration has earmarked for the Betawi Cultural Centre could be better spent on a cultural centre for all Jakartans, residents and visitors alike! Maybe a better short-term solution would be to invest this sum in the public transport infrastructure so that we could actually get to the few venues that exist.

Ho hum.

Cul’ture (kul’cher) vt: to grow (micro-organisms) in a specially prepared medium.

Yesterday the Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar advised foreign visitors, specifically western women, against going out in public scantily dressed.

At the opening of a national meeting of his ministry’s officials in Jakarta, he said, “Our country holds high moral values and wearing revealing clothes insults the women’s dignity. Women from western countries visiting Indonesia go to the market wearing only a bra.”

What? No panties??

He did not say why he raised the issue. Neither did he cite instances where he had spotted Westerners going about their business in their underwear.

So now we have confirmation of yet another blinkered government minister in SBY’s government.

Cul’ture (kul’cher) n: the ideas, customs, skills, arts etc. of a people or group, that are transferred, communicated or passed along as in or to succeeding generations.

Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo said Wednesday that [his administration] would increase the size of Betawi Cultural Village in Situ Babakan, South Jakarta. He said, “We want the village to represent the culture and the life and tradition of Betawi people.”

Fine words? Not when nigh on everyone else, including Husein Abdul Aziz, head of the Jakarta regional representative council of the Democrat Party and also the head of the Betawi Scholars Circle (BSC), perceives Orang Betawi to be resistant to education.

“At the Betawi Scholars Circle we have a number of successful Betawi figures who have become professors and experts. The young Betawi should look up to them,” said Husein. “But habits of today’s youth and the youths in my time differs.”

I’ve already commented on the recent Betawi youth gang’s thuggery, connected with their carving up of patches for their ‘protection’ rackets.

Then there is the matter of definition. Ultra Tupai commented here as follows:

Susan Abeyasekere in Jakarta: A History has this to say about the Betawi. First, by the nineteenth century ethnic groups in Batavia “underwent the most interesting transformation.” Here Malays, Buginese, Balinese, Sumbawanese, Ambonese and others and “the catch-all category of slaves” were intermixed to such an extent that by the 1820s “observers could no longer divide the Indonesian community into distinct ethnic groups.” In the nineteenth century Indonesians born in Batavia generally came to be called Orang Betawi.

Also, an observer of Betawi culture, S.M. Ardan, once said Betawi people had almost no original arts of their own because most of the arts had emerged through the intermingling of various arts from those ethnic groups.

So, what ‘culture’ is going to be displayed for the reported $3 million of City Hall’s money? If the intention is to prevent the further acculturalisation of Betawi culture, then it is obviously wrong to “mostly facilitate the Muslim-Betawi culture” and marginalise certain groups such as Betawi Pinggir [Rural Betawi] and the group Cina Benteng in Tangerang, the township south of Jakarta.

Tatang Hidayat, the head of the Betawi Culture Institution (LKB) said, “Cina Benteng arts and the cokek dance of Rural Betawi are not Betawi culture.”

Yet beauty pageants are.

I made a rare venture to a jazz gig last night at Goethe Haus. That the gig was free and was part of the Serambi Jazz events curated by Riza Arshad were sufficient inducements. That he and ace guitarist Dewa Budjana were among the guest musicians of the Mery Kasiman Project were added incentives.

The hall was so packed, mainly with young university student types, that friend and I had to sit on the stairs, which wasn’t a particular hardship. But, oh dear, the music was. Maybe I should have read the pre-publicity a little closer.

Serambi Jazz hopes to be the learning ground of culture and a place to appreciate good quality jazz, also set as an event that can complete all the jazz events in Indonesia especially in Jakarta, the presentation of Mery Kasiman is something not to be missed.

Introducing the music of Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane to young people who rarely have the chance to hear it is no bad thing. After all, they were seminal improvisers in jazz whose inspiration spawned many great jazz musicians.

To quote Thelonious Monk: “All musicians stimulate each other. The vibrations get scattered around.”

Mery Kasiman is a mere stripling at 27, and has studied improvisation with Benny Likumahuwa, father of dynamic bass player Barry, another of the evening’s guests. Barry, along with drummer Sany Winarta and Riza, has participated in jam sessions at Indra Lesmana’s studio which enable them “to explore whatever they feel inside them in the jazz language.”

The introduction to last nights gig featured an interview with Mery; the loudest cheer was when the word “improv” was spoken.

What I had failed to note was that Mery also has “a Masters degree focusing on arrangement and orchestration”.

The ‘big band’ then took their places and with Mery conducting proceeded to play the notes on the pages in front of them. Even the solos were set out for them and to these ears, only the pianist, Ali Akbar Sugiri, injected some personality into his playing.

As friend said, “I’ve got the CD at home.”

Yep, from where we were sitting, the sound quality was excellent, yet what we were hearing were sub-Carla Bley orchestrations with none of the fire or freedom of her work with, say, Charlie Haden’s Liberation Orchestra.

I wondered too about the non-existent nods to Indonesian music. To quote Riza, “world jazz presents jazz with local/ethnic values and this is a new trend here”.

Maybe so, but emphasising “local/ethnic values” here has a history. As this National Geographic page about Krakatau, pioneers of Indonesian ethno-jazz, notes, since the 1930s Indonesian nationalists and musicians have striven to create a new classical national music that would work to bind the various ethnicities of the Indonesian archipelago as successfully as did the national language, Bahasa Indonesia.

President Sukarno gave this effort a push with his ‘War against Beatle music’.

In August 1965, the Department of Education and Culture decreed that ‘constructive’ music was to be fostered and developed whilst ‘destructive’ music was to be fought against until it was eliminated. ‘Destructive’ music was said to have, among several others, the following feature: Indonesian music whose ambience, composition and presentation is given in a jazz or beat arrangement that is unnatural and deviates from the original.
(fr. article by Steven Farram in Review of Indonesian and Malaysian Affairs, vol. 41, no. 2. 2007.)

Well, unfortunately there wasn’t any ‘destructive’ music to be heard last night. It was so safe and unsatisfying that friend and I left and went to chat with acquaintances outside in the lobby.

One of them had a selection of Indonesian jazz sounds for me to get into and in return I gave him a selection of my bootlegs of European jazz concerts; I wasn’t in the audience of any of these gigs, but I can feel their rapport with the musicians who were driven to reach even greater mutual heights.

I hope Mery will give more freedom to her musicians in future gigs.

I remember little of the Glasgow shipbuilders occupation and work-in of 1971-72 as I was at that time I was doing my thing in Ibiza. However, I have always been aware that the work-in – which was not a strike, a withdrawal of labour – was successful.

Jimmy Reid, who died aged 78 on Tuesday, was a leader, the public orator, of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders, and his advocacy of ‘the right to work’ – with dignity – is a cause dear to me. (Mind you, I’ve always felt that there should be a ‘right to not work’, but that can wait for another time, another post.)

No doubt I will be reminded by a commentator or two that he was a member of the UK’s Communist Party’s executive committee and that therefore nothing of value can be said about the man.

So I will let these words justify the man.

“From the very depth of my being, I challenge the right of any man or any group of men, in business or in government, to tell a fellow human being that he or she is expendable.”

And from his speech upon his inauguration as Rector of Glasgow University in 1972.

“A rat race is for rats. We’re not rats. We’re human beings. Reject the insidious pressures in society that would blunt your critical faculties to all that is happening around you, that would caution silence in the face of injustice lest you jeopardise your chances of promotion and self-advancement.

“This is how it starts, and, before you know where you are, you’re a fully paid-up member of the rat pack. The price is too high.”

Fine words which encouraged dignified action.

It seems that my short-term memory capacity is going because I don’t recall such lengthy shutdowns at the start of previous Muslim fasting months. Our Kid has ‘lost’ the first three days of schooling at his ecumenical institute and a Catholic school I know of in West Jakarta shut for two days.

On this first day of fasting, a beautiful sunny day, nothing much stirs outside Jakartass Towers – Allah, God, Mammon, whatever, be praised. The builders aren’t banging away next door, a cyclist drifts by, oh look, two pedestrians quietly stroll by, but no cars, and even fewer motorcycles. Whats also pleasant is that the controllers of the sound systems in local mosques seemed to have turned down the volume to a mere setting of 11.

So thoughts can turn inward, or in my case, to some more WTFs which make living here so fascinating.

First some good news. The Simpering Twitterfool, our Minister of Information and Miscommunication, has finally agreed that there’s no way that Indonesia’s ISPs can block all porn sites for Ramadhan.

“A 100 percent ban is impossible, but it’s the effort that counts,” he said on Tuesday.

The bad news is that his recourse is to get his underlings to create a list of search words which can then be added to the porn filters which all 200 ISPs are supposed to have.

“The filtering will be based on keywords, not the websites,” he said, adding that the keyword list would be updated regularly to accommodate new keywords associated with porn websites.

That this effort will also block access to sites which have no connection to material which he deems to be ‘pornographic’ will almost inevitably lead to further problems for him

Try these “keywords” first, guys: sex / penis / vagina / penetration / head.

Need I go on?

Yes, of course I do.

I give you ‘cock’ (a male bird), ‘tit’ (a species of bird) and ‘gay’ (joyous and light-hearted). Feel free to add further double-entendres in the comments box.

But enough of this frivolity.

After all, this is the one time of the year when we’re all supposed to be on our best behaviour, to refrain from mockery and other indulgences.

It is a shame, though, that little effort is made to be good during the rest of the year.

Take the anarchic conditions on the road. This past week, I spotted a hoarding which showed a pedestrian crossing behind which were a couple of cars and a motorcycle or two waiting neatly for a family, mother and a couple of children, to cross the road. The message was simple: Share The Road.

Nice, I thought, whilst wondering how many of the drivers in the traffic whizzing by could read English. But then I got to wondering on which parking lot the photo shoot had taken place. Where was the rest of the traffic? Why were no motorcyclists making use of the empty sidewalk? But hey, if you ignore the wastage of the weak, fat frogs grow from tiny tadpoles. So this must have been the start of a road courtesy campaign.

And it is.

Last Saturday a road safety workshop was lead by a team of racing drivers who advised motorists to train themselves to set aside negative emotions such as selfishness and rage while at the wheel even in low speed situations to ensure the safety of themselves and others.

A true Ramadhan message.

Round the corner, near the start of the Kebon Jeruk toll road, I spotted another hoarding, an advertisement for a motor oil which suggested that the product would Make Every Road A Race Track.

Not in the normal gridlocked months, but now, when the roads are emptier?

Well, actually no.

On Tuesday, Jakarta Police began a campaign of evening operations to stop illegal street races during the fasting month.

According to the police website, those caught during the operation risk the confiscation of their registration papers (STNK) and motorcycles, [which] would be returned after Ramadan.

As a Post editorial says, going by the Indonesian experience, we can be fairly sure nothing will really change once the fasting month is over. It will be like going back to normal.

Still, one month of peace and harmony is better than nothing.

And you thought that Jakartass was cynical?

It’s surely about time for Jakarta residents to tell the Governor, Fauzi Bowo to his acolytes, to take a hike. It’s just over three years since he took over the city’s helm and much seems worse – apart from his personal fortune.

Governor Fauzi Bowo is today about Rp 9 billion ($1 million) richer than when he ran for office in 2007, with a total fortune of Rp 50 billion, while his deputy reported a Rp 440 million decrease in his net worth.

“My assets did not increase nor decrease,” Fauzi said at City Hall. “The value only changed because the taxable value of my properties increased.”

He is reportedly a scion of a “wealthy family”, although some may suspect that his 30+ years in City Hall may be a significant source factor.

He’s always offered excuses for his inaction. For example, I quoted him pre-election in 2007 as saying that there was nothing that could have been done to prevent Jakarta’s floods because they “happen everywhere in the world.”

On the day of his accession, I suggested that he set up a Public Transport Authority for the city. Since then, we’ve been offered nought but a few bandaid solutions, such as the current police drive to block private transport from access to the Busway lanes and an extra car-free half Sunday. But then, there are other interests at play here.

A couple of days ago, he and Jakarta Police chief Insp.Gen.Timur Pradopo attended the 12th anniversary celebration of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), “leading critics to say they both feared the hard-line group.”

This was a day after the FPI (in the vernacular – the Effing Perverted Islamists) visited the Jakarta Police headquarters to offer the group’s services in enforcing a city bylaw that bans some entertainment establishments from operating during Ramadan.

FPI leader Habib Rizieq told reporters after the meeting, “We will protect the police and public order officers by enforcing the bylaw. We are ready to face thugs who stand in the way of these law enforcers.”

Most Jakartans think that the definition of ‘thugs’ – aggressive and violent young criminals – applies to the FPI themselves, as do the many synonyms: hood, hoodlum, punk, strong-armer, toughie, goon, tough, bully.

That the police and City Hall are in thrall to them only serves to prove that point. Why else allow 5,000 of them to parade through main thoroughfares?

A quick glance at this photo shows several flaunting their disregard for the law (and their own lives) by not wearing crash helmets.

Furthermore, in not prosecuting them for their witnessed thuggery in Banyuwangi, East Java, when they violently broke up a meeting of parliamentarians discussing the new health bill, the police continue to lose public trust.

But back to Bozo, who has another bunch of thugs at his disposal – or is it the other way round? He is a ‘native Jakartan’, a Betawi Asli, who are considered the original inhabitants of Jakarta. 

They originated from the mixture of peoples who arrived in Batavia (Jakarta’s historical name), and they have occupied the port city since the 15th century. The authentic Betawi people can be found in the outlying areas of Jakarta, such as in Pasar Minggu in South Jakarta, in Condet in East Jakarta, the area of Kampung Sawah in Bekasi, and in the neighbourhood of Jakartass Towers.

It is difficult for the Betawi to be separated from their family. If they are in their hometown and experiencing difficulty, they can request financial assistance from their family members. This situation sometimes gives the impression that they are less industrious in seeking a livelihood compared with outsiders. The formal educational level of this indigenous Jakarta population is usually rather low. Possibly, they have connected “school” with the Chinese or Dutch Colonists’ lifestyles, which they have rejected. This antipathy to public education is reinforced when Islamic teachers urge them to avoid government schools and instead study in Islamic schools (pesantren) and seminaries (madrasah).

There are only about half a million Betawi, out of a day time population of 13 million, and it is easy to understand that they feel marginalised. As Jakarta has grown, their land holdings have been grabbed, often at the behest of City Hall, and they have not been allowed to continue their previous trade in the new locations they have been allocated, thus resulting in poverty. Young men readily form gangs, such as the Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) and the Betawi People Communication Forum (Forkabi), in lieu of regular employment; in the past week or so a turf war broke out between the FBR and Forkabi in South Jakarta.

Other groups, including Pemuda Pancasila (PP), formerly “an organization of bullies at the disposal of [Suharto's] Presidential Palace“, and Kembang Latar were also involved. The police made 26 arrests, but as yet there have been no convictions.

Tri Aryadi, 30, the secretary of the Betawi Brotherhood Forum’s (FBR) South Jakarta chapter, said the organization had allocated “tactical funds” to “smooth” negotiations with law enforcement. There is a Betawi Consultative Body (Bamus Betawi), which supervises activities of Betawi-based organizations.

However, they stated that they “cannot prohibit or interfere with our members’ policies.” Vice chairman Amarullah Asbah also said, “We hope to maintain public order across the city by helping the city public order agency.”  Surely some contradiction here Husain Sani, a member of the Bamus Betawi advisory board, chaired by Fauzi Bowo, said “Fauzi is our asset.”

Some asset if he is powerless in the face of thugdom, as are the rest of us in the absence of the police who are similarly cowed. Does anyone else seriously believe the ‘promise’ of the thugs’ that they won’t resort to violence in the month ahead?

Whatever: Fuzzy Bodoh has advice for us. He has called on Jakarta residents to love the capital city. “This is important, otherwise Jakarta will suffer.”

On Saturday, Bozo gave donations to “1,000 orphans and poor people”. Were some of them the beggars he vowed to clear off Jakarta streets for Ramadhan?