Jakarta is the second-worst place for expatriates to work in outside of the United States, Canada and Western Europe, according to a recent report published by Businessweek, dampening Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo's rosy report of his administration's progress.

The Businessweek report, compiled by New York-based human resource company ORC worldwide, ranked emerging markets that might be challenging to move into due to their level of pollution, disease, political violence and availability of goods and services.

The report ranked Jakarta second, just below Lagos in Nigeria and above Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, saying the threat of violence from extremists, in particular, was a serious drawback to living in Jakarta.

Your comments:

I know Jakarta is bad in some ways: Floods, pollution, traffic, population density, but it's a common problem in all major cities in the world (except for the annual flood part, maybe). A lot of room for improvement for officials of the Jakarta city government.

Hilda

Putting comments here won't change anything! We have to work together to make Jakarta cleaner, safer and better. Start with the little things, for example, throw your rubbish in a rubbish bin.

Lianto Osa

Michael, I've been to almost every corner of the city. Yes, there are homeless and street people but they are not as omnipresent and visible as you may suggest. I probably see more homeless roaming the street of San Francisco than Jakarta.

I have no issue with safety and security in Jakarta but I do have problem with its pollution. Too many of its buses and public transportation minivans or angkot emit black exhaust fumes. There seems to be no standard or enforcement by the authorities on auto emissions. It's worse than LA.

Jakarta doesn't seem to be pedestrian-friendly in many parts, although downtown is OK. You don't see too many people walking just to enjoy the city, as city planners have not made it comfortable for anyone to do so, with reliable and clean public transportation, decent-sized sidewalks, large parks and green areas etc. A lot of homework for city officials and planners.

Josh

I have been to Indonesia so many times since 2005 both for business or leisure. Indonesia overall is a good and comfortable place to live, but not that nice for those who are raising children.

Surely there are millions of children in Jakarta, why don't your children get along with them. It is the fact many street and homeless people make this city their home. I don't say they are bad people, but will you let your family be surrounded by them at any market, road junction or major street in town.

The security authorities don't look too reliable. I bet you never let your Western-looking children walk to school on their own. That is why the survey put Jakarta as second-worst place to work for expatriates, not second-worst place to work for its citizens.

Michael Ong

I lived and worked in Jakarta for 16 years until July 2007, before returning to Australia for medical treatment. I love Indonesia and consider it my home.

I could not believe what was written in the report. It must have been written by someone who spent all of five days in the country, who never bothered to go and meet and mix with the people in the city and the kampongs.

Every chance I get, I tell people about Indonesia and her delightful people. I cannot wait to return to live and enjoy the many wonderful things and people that are in abundance there, if you bother to just look. Long may Indonesia and her people continue to grow and develop.

Noel Butson

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