I’ve never thought that a history book can be this amusing and jaw dropping. This masterpiece book of three parts/chapters
On one fine Saturday morning, I took TransJakarta— Jakarta's rapid transit bus— and saw a landmark read “Jakarta city of Collaboration”, whilst at the same time I was finishing the last part of this book. Thus, I contemplate, whom Jakarta is collaborating? Indeed not the proletar.
After reading this book, I can not find any flaw other than a very few miss-spelled and word repetitions. This book is written in sequence by timeline, very clear, congest, and comprehensive. Therefore, as a non fiction book I can not stop reading it, wondering what if I arrive in Jakarta in one of those epochs. Two main themes in this book are continuity and rapid changes in Jakarta. Since its established in 1619, the dutch evicted local people in order to create synthesis Batavia's population; European, chinese, and slave from outside Java. In the 19th century the aculturation of various ethnic group, emerged Betawi ethic and its unique culture. However,the effect of devide et impera politics was still strong in Batavia, in which european was in the exclusive political structure and strategical economics, chinese in manufacture and skilled worker, whereas Eurasia and indigenous became slave and unskilled labour. In 1930ish there was a significant migration flow to Batavia, was one of the reason of the expansion of Batavia for elite namely Waltevreden; european style neighborhood in Menteng, clubs, tram and so on. This book gave me a lot of insight regarding why Jakarta is always facing flood. The fact what happen nowadays are better than in Batavia era, as the city in Asia that has the highest mortality due to typical tropic countries' illness such as malaria and cholera, plus there is no adequate proper health facility. The bad drainage system, made Batavia lack of clean water, a quarter of corpse burried in the cemetary dominated by children under 5 year old. This is hideous, how the Dutch colony did not have any sense of humanity. Things got a little bit change when Japan came and sent the European and chinese to some camps. All european symbols and landmark were replaced, and Melayu language is used. Until Indonesia got its independence, the president had an ambition to develop Jakarta massively to be a facad and representative for Indonesia to international world, however he forgot the substantial issues in Jakarta; the poverty. Entering new order, Ali Sadikin made some realistic policy and among the massive development in Indonesia, Jakarta was also well developed. Nevertheless, the cases of land clearing gave a clear depiction that government is similar to Dutch colony; the comfortability and interest only belongs to the elite and certain groups. But the non-elites group in Jakarta, the majority, is still in struggle, accepting new ideas and culture, and it's inevitable that Jakarta still being the face of Indonesia. The city where I, and a billion young adult like me work and contribute in economic growth.
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little noteI love reading since I was an infant, I can't recall the exact age, yet from the very beginning folklore attracted my childhood's fantasy. Archives
December 2017
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