Friday’s twin bombings have prompted security to be tightened across the city, but residents remain largely undaunted by the possibility of another attack. Fears of another bombing did not manage to prevent many Jakartans, who often consider the weekend “mall time”, from gathering in public places. In South Jakarta’s Senayan City mall on Saturday, armed police officers roamed the brightly lit walkways, their brown uniforms starkly contrasting the flattering outfits worn by many of the female shoppers. The mall, which is usually packed with visitors, was surprisingly quiet, despite an attraction featuring TV cartoon character Spongebob Squarepants. This could however have been attributed to the fact that many Jakartans left the city for this long weekend. Iksan, a middle-aged father, was among the visitors, spending his time amusing his son as they waited in line to access the Spongebob attraction. “I usually don’t go to malls, but I got these tickets for free.” When asked why he wasn’t afraid to take his family to the mall just a day after the bombing, he smiled. “It is really up to God to decide our fate.” Not all malls considered machine guns necessary. Mall Ambassador, located just 300 meters away from the ill-fated hotels, and the nearby Plaza Semanggi, increased security, but remained content with the available manpower, not resorting to calling in military soldiers. “I went to Pasar Baru arcade today and it’s very crowded. People seemed unperturbed by the bombings and were hanging out there,” said Maria Margaretta, a resident of Jatinegara, East Jakarta. Antara reported that Jakartans, as well as dozens of expatriates, flocked to the Pondok Indah shopping mall in South Jakarta. A security guard said the shopping mall was as busy as it had been before the bombings. "There was no decline in the number of guests. More people streamed into the mall yesterday evening I guess,” he said. Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo expressed his believe Saturday that the city had fully recovered after Friday’s blasts. “I spent hours today visiting luxury hotels, malls, hospitals, as well as the airport and train and bus stations. I found no rush at all,” he told reporters at the Bellagio Mall in Mega Kuningan. “Occupancy rates at all high-starred hotels, except the Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott of course, were reported above 70 percent,” he added. Fauzi said a normal number of passengers were reported at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Saturday. “Malls and other commercial centers that I visited today were full of visitors like any other ordinary day,” he said. After his “one-day tour” across the city Fauzi concluded Jakarta had returned to normal. “In fact, I will kick off the ‘Jakarta Great Sale’ program tonight [Saturday night]. No need to worry, I believe Jakartans will feel the same and crowd this event,” he said. Arie Budiman, head of the city’s tourism and culture division, expressed similar optimism regarding the upcoming sale. “I am confident that the event will attract many visitors. “The police will surely increase their security measures,” he said.Author: The Jakarta Post
