Editor’s Note:
Traffic congestion (macet) remains one of Jakarta’s defining characteristics, despite significant investment in new toll roads, the MRT, LRT, and expanded TransJakarta services.
According to the latest available government statistics, DKI Jakarta has approximately 7,650 kilometres of roads, while the number of registered motor vehicles continues to grow. As of 2024, there were more than 11.8 million registered vehicles in Jakarta, including approximately:
- 9.17 million motorcycles
- About 2.0 million passenger cars
- Approximately 520,000 trucks
- Nearly 380,000 buses and other vehicles
The imbalance between road capacity and vehicle ownership helps explain why traffic congestion continues to be part of everyday life for millions of Jakarta residents and visitors. (DKI Jakarta Statistics)
Macetnya
Here I sit within the macet.
Pelan-pelan no use to fret.
Cannot read, sakit perut,
Cannot watch, pusing kepala.
Kanan, kiri, terus, putar,
I steal a peek, haven’t gone far.
Bajaj, sepeda, kaki, mobil,
Beam me up Scotty, this can’t be real.
I try to relax and close my eyes,
I dream of places far and away,
And remember faces that brightened my way.
I think, life is good, yes very good.
Honk! Honk! Beep! Beep!
The moment rusak
Lest I forget to curse this macet.
Mini-Glossary
| Indonesian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| bajaj | three-wheeled motor vehicle |
| kaki | feet (here meaning pedestrian) |
| kanan | right |
| kiri | left |
| macet | traffic jam, lots of traffic |
| mobil | car |
| pelan-pelan | go slowly |
| pusing kepala | headache |
| putar | turn around |
| rusak | ruined, broken |
| sakit perut | upset stomach |
| sepeda | bicycle |
| terus | keep going straight |
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