Alphard vs. Rp.30,000

Social gap in Indonesia highlighted itself on the Pasuruan incident in which 29 lives were taken as people fought neck to neck to receive Rp 30,000. Not only highlighting the social gap, it also showed many other social problems that Indonesia has faced for years now and yet never succeeds to solve.

These people, whom the government labeled as ‘the poor’, were so drown in poverty that for them that amount of money worth them risking their lives and others’. Their monthly incomes are so low that the chance of getting Rp 30,000 was like finding a pot of gold. They went all the way to get it. As fairly reasonable people they understood the danger of waiting in line, sorry, line is not the word, waiting in the crowd, with people so eagerly pushing and tackling. Even if they didn’t, waiting in that crowd for hours between so many people should have been too much problem for anyone with sufficient income.
The sad fact is the crowd that gathered in that place was not unlike the crowd that gathers in those overpriced concerts of singers and bands from all around the world priced at Rp 200,000 to Rp 4 million. There are so many people in Indonesia who are capable of buying tickets to these shows with still enough money left on their accounts to buy a Jaguar while these people had to give it all for Rp 30,000.

Let’s not even go there. Government, who supposedly use THEIR budget that they got from the taxes that WE paid to ensure OUR welfare and not THEIR’S, is using their budget to buy their staffs all these expensive cars. Fauzi Bowo, Jakarta’s governor, is using a Land Rover for God’s sake. The first lady is using a BMW and wherever she goes she’s guarded with people in Jeeps and Alphards that cost God-knows-how-much-cause-I-don’t-but-I-know-it’s-a-lot. If only they were using the money for greater goods, those people wouldn’t have to die for Rp. 30,000. Oh, but that wouldn’t make a difference anyway since there will always be people who corrupt those money, thank you very much.

Last but not least, it shows where our culture and manner has landed us. People can’t even force themselves to wait in line. If only they were waiting in line nicely instead of pushing each other, those people wouldn’t have to die. Our people have no idea how to appreciate others and wait for what we deserve.

Sorry, that’s not the last point. The media, apparently, has had a field day with the news. The infotainment even has succeeded in bringing a different angle to the story by getting celebrities’ takes on the news. But the incident shouldn’t be merely another controversy splashes around by the media and the people for a couple days and than forgotten in a snap. It should be a reminder for our people of how bad our social situation is. Furthermore, it should be an incentive for the government and the people to find a solution and fight for betterment in Indonesia. Those people’s lives are too precious only to be a media hullaballoo.

We have to understand that when the government is buying Alphards and the people are dying for Rp. 30,000, there’s something wrong with us.

-me

Taipei, Sept 08