Stuck in my car in traffic because of the rain that’s been falling since last night. The rain shows no sign of letting up and Unspun supposes that in a couiple of hours huge swaths of Jakarta will be underwater by now. The airport, according to the radio, has been closed.
Just about the only consolation Unspun is getting in this wet mess is the news that the Presidential motorcade is stuck in a traffic jam caused by the floods somewhere in Pondok Gede. Unspun is imagining an uncomfortable looking SBY, desperately needing to go to the Boy’s Room but unable to because the car he is in is stuck in the middle of the road, hemmed in by other cars, unable to move because the the flood. He then spies an empty Aqua bottle…you get the picture.
Unspun remembers a recent article abut Suharto where the writer, a reporter who covered Suharto for many years, related how Suharto’s driver one told him that the most difficult thing for Suharto after he stepped down was the fact that he would be stuck in traffic jams like the rest of us.
Unspun thinks it is excellent that high officials should get stuck in traffic. Makes them more attuned to what the rest of us mortals are experiencing. In fact letting high officials experience the difficulties of the wong cilik should be SBY’s top priority.
Want to solve flooding problems? Get high officials to live in flood-prone areas. Solve traffic jams? Take away the police escorts of the VIPs. Once the officials get a taste of how life is like sans privileges they will post haste make sure that facilities and services are up to scratch. Nothing like the democratizing of misery to encourage some democracy and action.
What sort of a modern capital city is Jakarta when it floods everytime the skies open up for a few hours?
SBY has a private tiny toilet and a game room in his car, so who cares if he’s stuck in traffic?
Another solution for you, Unspun, is to hire the police escort – I’m told they’re available if you have a million rupiahs – so your car will be escorted home in no time!
Jakarta simply cannot cope to have 11 millions people, that’s the main problem. I don’t think having the yours truly stuck in traffic or flood will open their mind up, they’re ‘up’ there not because they’re smart or want to dedicate their knowledge to the nation in the first place, eh?
@anitamckay: And what does the game room stock? The latest version of Wii Wii?
Neah, I bet those government officials are seriously doing work while they’re stuck in their cars, going through important reports, taking important phone calls. No precious time wasted.
Who has time for Wii when the nation is in deep shit?
Lol.
Actually, they don’t need Wii in their cars, they can easily link their mobile phones and play golf together.
Yeahhh, JK just hit hole in one.