A Life in Jakarta

Although Indonesia is perhaps not the highest ranking among expat destinations, life in
Jakarta can be thrilling. Due to Indonesias long and turbulent colonial history, the influence of
the Dutch and Portuguese are still prevalent. There are many traces from colonial times in
Jakarta, from the buildings to the way the city itself is structured.
As the metropolis of Indonesia, Jakarta attracts many new residents from other parts of
Indonesia. Not only are the residents of Jakarta relatively open-minded in respect to foreigners,
but the mix of nationalities brings a unique flair to the city.
With quite a few cultural offerings to attract tourists, Jakarta successfully lures expats to
its city center. The restoration of the Jakarta Arts Center, for example, along with a number of
other buildings, means that the city can now boast some of the countrys best concerts and
exhibitions.
Jakartas climate is generally hot and humid, with the Indonesian wet and dry seasons
dividing the year in two. If you are planning on living in Jakarta, be prepared for average
temperatures in the upper 30C range year-round, and be aware that the rainy season is long,
beginning in November and lasting until March.
As a result, life in Jakarta also means putting up with severe flooding, due to its many
rivers. The flooding, however, can be mainly attributed to overpopulation and the resulting
deforestation required to provide more space for the growing number of residents. The weak
city infrastructure can lead to clogged sewers as well, causing parts of the Jakarta to be
impassable at certain times.
When living in Jakarta, you will have a number of opportunities to make up for any
cultural deficits you may believe you have acquired. Jakarta is known as the cultural center of
Indonesia for a reason. In fact, expats in Jakarta can easily profit from the citys cultural
offerings. From jazz festivals and fashion weeks to international art exhibitions and traditional
trade shows, life in Jakarta is filled with leisure activities.
If you are a food enthusiast, Jakartas spectacular culinary offerings will make your
mouth water at all times. Due to the numerous domestic and foreign immigrants,
especially betawis (immigrants from other Southeast Asian countries), the mix of flavorful
traditions abounds in the streets of Jakarta. From savory traditional dishes displayed by street
vendors to expensive high-class restaurants, Jakarta has it all.
Currently, the residents of Jakarta have the opportunity to take a number of rickshawtype vehicles (bajaj,becak, bemo, etc.), which can seat up to four people comfortably. However,
using such a rickshaw in areas with heavy traffic can be rather dangerous. In addition, Jakarta
has a bus rapid transit system called TransJakarta, which serves all of the city center as well as
the outer suburbs, making it easier for those living in Jakarta to get around. Timetables are
available on the TransJakarta website. Tickets are relatively cheap at IDR 3,500 (about USD
0.30 US) per ride.

New Cabinet
On September 15, president-elect Joko Widodo stated that his cabinet would
have 34 members, with 18 coming from professional backgrounds and 16 from
political parties in his coalition. The cabinet was due to be announced on
Wednesday 22 October, and a stage had been prepared at Jakarta's Tanjung Priok
harbour, but this event was cancelled at the last minute. The delays were caused by
the decision of Joko Widodo to wait for comments from the People's Representative
Council. Another reason for the delayed announcement was his decision involve the
Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Financial Transaction
Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) to ensure that prospective ministers did not
have poor track records with regards to human rights or corruption. The KPK stated
the eight of the original candidates were "problematic" and that alternatives should
be found. One candidate for the post of coordinating minister for security affairs,
Wiranto was seen as having a problematic human rights record, and was not
included in the final line up.[1][2][3]
The cabinet lineup was announced on Sunday, October 26, 2014 and was
sworn in on Monday, October 27, 2014. The cabinet consists of 34 ministers, 14 of
whom are affiliated to their respective political parties. There are 26 men and eight
women (including the country's first female foreign minister), with 20 ministers
being under 45 years old at the time of their appointment. A member of the
president's transitional team explained that unlike previous cabinets, Jokowi would
not be appointing a cabinet secretary or a presidential spokesman. In another break
with tradition, Jokowi did not name the attorney general or head of the Indonesian
State Intelligence Agency.

Jokowis Inauguration
On Oct. 20, Indonesia inaugurates its first President truly of the people. Joko
Widodo, known commonly as Jokowi, is unique in Indonesian presidential history
because he comes from neither a politically elite nor a military background. Raised
in a riverside slum, Jokowi ran a furniture-exporting business in the heartland city of
Solo before he successfully ran for his hometowns mayor in 2005. Two years ago,
he was elected governor of Indonesias chaotic capital, Jakarta. Although he
prevailed in the July presidential election against old-guard candidate Prabowo
Subianto a former general once married to the daughter of Indonesian dictator
Suharto Jokowi, 53, faces numerous challenges as he helms the worlds third
largest democracy:
Religious Extremism: Indonesia hasnt suffered a major terrorist strike
since 2009 when a pair of luxury Jakarta hotels were targeted by suicide bombers.
But it only takes one attack to shatter the sense that Indonesia has tamed a band of
radicals who are trying to hijack the moderate, syncretic Islam that has long
flourished in the worlds most populous majority-Muslim nation.
Dirty Bureaucracy: Jokowi won votes because of his pristine image and his
anti-corruption campaign in Solo and Jakarta. He boasts of having cleaned up the
once graft-ridden process by which government permits and licenses were granted.
And he helped expand government coffers by enhancing tax collection. Can Jokowi
promote transparency in a country notorious for corruption and bureaucratic
inefficiency at every level of government?
Ethnic Relations: While mayor of Solo and governor of Jakarta, Jokowi
picked deputies who happened to be Christian. In Jakarta, his No. 2 was also
Chinese, an ethnicity that has suffered from race rioting. Although the sprawling
island nation has maintained remarkable harmony given the diversity of its
inhabitants, human-rights groups worry about a recent uptick in ethnic and religious
intolerance.