The above video is representative of why traffic conditions are so bad in Jakarta. We have reckless public transportation drivers (and passengers) and we have police officers too easily bought to look the other way.
The video, uploaded on Youtube yesterday, was taken by Ray Hendriks on January 15, 2015. Ray managed to obtain a great shot of numerous illegal practices being committed by three Kopaja buses and police officers at the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout, Central Jakarta.
To begin with, we see the first Kopaja bus driving in the fast lane. A bus conductor leaps out of the bus, followed by a few passengers (including a woman carrying a baby!). The conductor then runs over to the nearby police lookout post and places bribe money (according to Detik) there, as the two police officers continue to act nonchalant.
As the bus makes a u-turn, the conductor runs over to a flower pot on the other side of the road, and places more bribe money intended for the man in the Transportation Agency uniform who was looking away.
This process is repeated by two other Kopaja buses for the duration of the video.
According to Detik, Kopaja and Metromini buses are forbidden to make a u-turn at that particular junction. Many resort to bribing the police so they can make the u-turn and pick up passengers at the Sudirman Station nearby.
So if you’ve ever wondered why public transportation vehicles in Jakarta often get away with violations such as ‘ngetem’ (stopping to pick up/drop off passengers wherever they want) and reckless driving, it’s probably because they have paid off the right people.
