Keeping Thieves Away

To sustain security in areas of Jakarta, especially in rich neighborhood, often citizens build gates at the entrance streets to their neighborhood, even though this means closing the public streets illegally. Since March 2009, the issue of tearing down gates have been voiced by the Jakarta governor Fauzi Bowo, and now the realization is in its initial progress. There are no novel solutions offered to replace the gates in terms of security apparatus. Usually, the gates are closed on late night hours, but this particular gate at Tebet Timur Dalam 3A, South Jakarta street is closed even at 7.30 pm on Sunday (18 May).

For me, it tells about how people relate to their belongings and to other people. How people find security in their riches to a point that they could build "a small prison" to confine their home like that. It is more than about social gap. They themselves are trapped.

Portal Menahan Pencuri

Untuk meningkatkan keamanan permukiman, terutama permukiman mewah, seringkali warga membangun portal di jalan masuk kawasan rumah mereka, meski ini berarti menutup jalan umum secara ilegal. Sejak Maret 2009 wacana penertiban portal liar diangkat oleh pemerintah Jakarta, dan saat ini realisasinya masih dalam tahap awal. Masih belum jelas solusi baru yang diterapkan untuk menggantikan fungsi keamanan yang diberikan portal-portal itu. Biasanya portal ditutup mulai jam-jam larut malam, namun portal di jalan Tebet Timur Dalam 3A, Jakarta Selatan ini telah ditutup pada pukul 19.30 wib, Minggu (18/5).

Buat saya, perilaku ini mencerminkan bagaimana relasi manusia terhadap hartanya dan juga dengan orang lain. Tentang bagaimana manusia mengandalkan harta bendanya sampai membuat "penjara kecil" seperti itu bagi mereka. Ini lebih dari masalah kesenjangan sosial. Mereka sendiri terpenjara.

keyword: portals, gates, jalan, streets, jakarta