Busway? No waaayyy...

It supposed to be a nice comfortable public transportation that Pemprov Jakarta has promised and also be the answer for the city’s public transportations sad quality problem – but what turned out was really bad service quality provided by TransJakarta management. There were only limited busway units that should go running in service for thousand people. Republika wrote that only 10 new units are provided to serve four new corridors. The remaining units will be put into service in the following months. If that is the case, why can’t they just wait to operate ‘til the whole units are completed? hhmmm...

I experienced it myself last night in Busway Corridor 4 (Dukuh Atas). There were hundred of people flocked in the shelter bus with very minimum of air supplies for sure! When the bus came, the situation was getting even horrible; everyone tried ‘hardly’ getting in the bus by pushing one another.

Couldn’t stay longer in the situation like this, I called up my husband to pick me up instead.

On the way back home, we argued on who should be blamed for this and what sort of things can actually be done to resolve it. From my side, I think people here are not ready yet to adopt better facilities that require high level of discipline. Discipline in queuing is the most vital one and that’s precisely what our people lack of. How possible it is to enjoy a nice, comfy busway ride without even bothering to line up. Ckckckckc...people!

Am also wondering whether local govt had expressed their apology for this very unfortunate condition, which I think, is a must. At least let people know that you guys are also very much concerned and assuring them for immediate improvement at the soonest.

Welcome to flood

Once again, our five-annually guest came to Jakarta: Flood. And it still amazed me what water can do to disrupt people in Jakarta.

I remember in 2002, when there’s also a heavy flood in Jakarta, many of my colleagues must take about three or five hours to get to the office. Usually they only take about half hour or at least one and half hours to get to the office.

This time, concern about the traffic in the street (I’m kind of a bad temper in the street….), I push my self to go to the office earlier. And it means that I have to take a bath before 05:00 p.m.

Flooding disaster this year, make me more amazed what water can do. And maybe it goes the same way with the government, they too amazed to the flood situation and they almost do nothing. (well, at least to some people…err…or to majority?)

I mean, this flooding disaster came every years, and it became worse every five years, and why government seem don’t have any plan about this? I remember that in the past two years, government always busy mumbling, even yelling, about busway project.

It doesn’t mean that busway project is not important, it is important. But do they realize about rainy season five-year cycle? Do they realize that they have to choose the priority for public?

That one thing, the other thing is:

I saw Bang Yos at the talkshow in Metro TV few days ago, sometimes in weekend if I’m not mistaken, he interviewed about flood disaster in Jakarta. One question from Metro TV announcer’s that still banging in my head is: “What government anticipation about flooding disaster this year?”

And Bang Yos answered: “Well, we distributed survival-boat more quickly, and develop more posko banjir, and distributed other survival-logistic faster….”

…..

I thought ‘anticipation’ is some kind actions BEFORE something happen, not DURING the situation.

Well Bang Yos, maybe you need our juicy and fruitful Media Training Session.

note: photo was taken from corbis with keyword: flood in Jakarta.

The Highlander: Not for eternity

Have you ever been to The Highlander pub at the Grand Kemang Hotel?
I’m not a regular customer myself. I went there once to enquire prices for a private party. And since then, they included my email in their promotion mailing list. No probs… at least until yesterday, when I unexpectedly received this rather ‘abnormal’ message…

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To whom it might concerned

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I wrote you this e-mail in regards to letting all the highlander costumers know that all of you being fraud by The highlander scottish pub and restaurant.

Recently they just put the beer price up, without further notice from the restaurant management. The steak measurement is way bellow standards, they serve only 80 gr of steak instead of 200 gr, they put a lot of vegetable instead of meat inside their pies.

They put 21% of service but they are only paying the hotel management 17,5%, they never pay tax, they paid all of their staff under goverment standards of payment, they didn't provide the staff with medical insurance, they let one of their kitchen staff died becasuse of the air circulation in the kitchen area is bad, the gas in the kitchen always leaking, etc

PLEASE IF YOU TOLARATE THIS IT MEANS YOU ARE SUPPORTING LOOSE CRIMINALS,...STOP COMING TO THE HIGHLANDER, AND SHOW THAT YOU CARE
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The person who sent this email to me (and to 45 other recipients) is definitely disgruntled. Anybody out there knows what had happened to this Scottish-themed pub?

Counterfeit medicines: another health hurdle

Yesterday, I went to an Anti-Counterfeiting Workshop for Pharmaceutical Products held by the US ASEAN Business Council. Guess what? I found out that in 1995, 60.000 people in Nigeria were inoculated with fake meningitis vaccine. The most extreme was that in 2001, when 192.000 patients in China died after taking counterfeit drugs.

Would you believe this?! It bound on me that this counterfeit drug is a serious matter. Consuming counterfeit drugs would result in sick people end up sicker, wider epidemic spread and prevention failure (in case of fake vaccines), numerous unwanted effects, and in extreme cases, death

Too bad we do not have the exact numbers as counterfeit drugs are not always identified or reported, unless there are casualties involved. But are we gonna wait ‘till someone dies?

Apparently, the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) has taken steps to put an end to the problem. BPOM has made a number approach to tackle this 'obat palsu' matter. They are trying to break the supply chain, conduct national joint operation and investigation (with law enforcement agencies), carry out comprehensive investigation and mopping up what is already in circulation, strengthen the infrastructure, and break the demand chain (increase public awareness).

However, in my opinion, BPOM shouldn’t be the only one taking on the responsibilities (as stated otherwise in Detik.com, 15 January 2007, "Obat Palsu Beredar Luas, Pemerintah Yang Tanggung Jawab"). The legal drug manufacturing companies, wholesalers and retailers, as well as health professionals should also make efforts to put an end to drugs counterfeiting.

The International Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group (IPMG), for example, has put up a national award for anti counterfeiting journalism. The award is a form of appreciation from the industry for journalists’ efforts in providing beneficial information and increasing public awareness on counterfeit drugs.

Well, the simplest and safest way to combat this problem is to buy medicines in legal, registered pharmacy.

Something to be proud of

The thing I'm proudest of is to be able to leave the office for two or three weeks with almost no contact and enjoy peace of mind while I'm on holiday since I know that when I get back the office will still be shipshape.

I think its one of the highest achievements a business proprietor could hope for: a kick ass office that runs itself. It wasn't always like this and Maverick took three years before we managed to begin shaping a team that works like a dream machine. I think this is because my partner Lita and I learned from our mistakes and refused to compromise on quality.


The people we recruit are usually signed on to a 6-month contract. During this time they prove themselves. We use a Caree Journal that the staff fill in themselves. There are all sorts of parameters we've put in. One of them is a record of how much the staff network. Another is a record of the books they've read for the months they've been with us. Then they are asked to evaluate themselves in terms of professional skills, interpersonal skills, creativity and drive. We then have a discussion with them to see if our perception agrees or differs from theirs in these crucial areas for a successful PR carreer.

Those who score satisfactory overall may have their terms extended so they can prove themselves. Only those tho score good or extraordinary get recruited. We repeatr this process every six months. Each timethe staff builds on their journal entries and we check our perceptions against one another.

This method of performance evaluation has proven extremely effective. One other thing that Lita and I have done is to be stoic about insisting on both attitude and perofrmance. Our experience is that staffers will work out only if they have both the right attitude and performance. If they have one without the other the organization is looking for trouble if it settles for them.

The result is that we have a team that I'm extremely proud of. I'ts a team whose productivity, gung ho and kick-ass attitude places them way above many other Indonesian organizations. I'm also willing to wager their efficacy against foreign PR firms.

So what this really means is that I can enjoy my holiday and that's what life should be about. I hope that Lita and I can swing it so that when the time is right they can alsy have as good a holiday as us while the others in teh office cover for us.

So, some photos as a tribute to the hardworking Mavericks in Jakarta.

Disaster. Apologies.

Being new to blogging I inadvertently deletd the entire blog. Fortunately we managed to salvage some of the stuff we posted. So we'll be re-posting some posts. Sorry. Mea Culpa and I promise not to hit the delete button again.