Time is money

Driver: Before 'time was money', now time is always traffic Mr...

There are now more than 10 million motor vehicles plying Jakarta's 7,650 meters of roads, with public transport accounting for only 2% of this. With the number of vehicles growing by 9.5% annually and new roads by just 0.01%, it is predicted that by 2012 all of the city's main roads will be gridlocked 24 hours a day. Estimated losses due to congestion have now reached $2 billion a year in wasted time, fuel and health costs.

Kompas - July 28, 2010

The Attorney General and Justice for the Victim

From an opinion piece in the Jakarta daily Kompas by Kontras coordinator Usman Hamid titled "The Attorney General and Justice for the Victims". Commenting on a speech by AG Hendarman Supandji at the 60th anniversary of the AGO, Hamid notes that in calling on law enforcement officials to be to be honest, disciplined and professional, Supandji totally neglects to mention the AGO's continued failure to prosecute past human rights cases.

Kompas - July 26, 2010

They will all be fully investigated!

Man: The Bank Century case, this case that case, case XYZ, to the piggy bank case, they will all be fully investigated! Full, full, fully!

Kid: Will!

Despite the government's tough talk on corruption, high-profile case involving the politically connected and powerful, such as the suspiciously large bank accounts held by 15 police generals, invariably end up being halted for 'lack of evidence' or the culprits absolved of any wrongdoing.

Kompas - July 24, 2010

They're safe till 2014, right?

1st Man: By 2050 many of our islands will be under water.

2nd Man: What's important is they're safe till 2014, right?

Observers say President Yudhoyono's 2nd administration is showing few improvements as it spends most of its time trying to survive until the 2014 elections in the face of continued infighting within the ruling coalition. Environmentalist warn that by 2050 rising sea levels will inundate around 2,000 of the country's 17,000 islands.

Kompas - July 21, 2010

My job... is to accept my fate...

Politicians: My job is to make policy, my job is to procure canisters... my job is this, my job is that...

Man holding gas canister: My job... is to accept my fate...

While government official continue to bicker over who's responsible, by the end of June there had been 95 explosions, 22 deaths, 131 people hospitalised and 55 houses damaged in spate of deadly explosions involving state-subsidized 3kg LPG gas canisters used by the poor for cooking.

Kompas - July 17, 2010

Report nasi

Man: The rice-reform order (era) huh? – report nasi (difficulties buying rice), a play on the word reform[n]asi (political reform).

Signs read: Going up. Going up.

With ordinary Indonesians already struggling with the increasing cost of basic goods, healthcare and education, on July 1 the government announced yet another electricity price hike, which experts say will push million more below the poverty line.

Kompas - July 14, 2010

Ethics in politics? No way!

Kid: So where's your commitment to the ideal of serving the people's interests?

Lawmaker: In spite of not turning up for work, falling asleep during hearings, using my position to earn extra on the side, throwing bribes around... nevertheless I do represent the prosperity of the ordinary people...

Kid: So your ethics Mr, where are they?

Lawmaker: Ethics in politics? No way!

Kompas - July 13, 2010

Going sightseeing Mr?

Man: Going sightseeing Mr?

Legislator: It's a working visit don't you know!

According to the Indonesian Budget Centre, 42.3% of the House's 2010 budget to support its legislative functions was allocated to overseas junkets to conduct so called 'comparative studies'. As of July, 10 months into its term, the house has not passed a single piece of legislation.

Kompas - July 7, 2010

May roads to Rome

Kid: There are may roads to Rome, but when will we get there Dad?

Signs: Police St, AGO St, Judiciary St, Finance St, Corruption Eradication Commission St, Judicial Mafia Task Force St, Commission XYZ St, Road Without End St. Damaged road!

A myriad of overlapping state institutions – each with their own vested interests and competing agendas – is undermining the country's fight against corruption.

Kompas - July 3, 2010