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Jakarta Post

Your letters: Esemka by SMK students

Every now and then, amid the usual tales of slowing economies, a hidden jewel of a story emerges with thought-provoking inventions and we are forced to say a word or two of praise

The Jakarta Post
Thu, June 13, 2013

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Your letters: Esemka by SMK students

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very now and then, amid the usual tales of slowing economies, a hidden jewel of a story emerges with thought-provoking inventions and we are forced to say a word or two of praise.

One such marvelous group of people is the students of vocational high schools (SMK) who have designed and developed a new car for the middle class.

As interesting as the name is (the way high school is spelt in Indonesian), the Esemka also has an interesting history and other trivia. Several SMK were involved in its making.

For example, the engine was designed by students of SMK 4 Jakarta and SMK 1 Cibinong, while the body and design was formulated by students of SMK Muhammadiyah 2 Borobudur Magelang.

Unlike older and monotonous car models built in Indonesia such as Mobil GEA, Arian and Tawon, Esemka provides a wide and vibrant horizon of hope. The manufacturers have taken an audacious step by making the vehicle available in several sizes and types such as SUV, pickup double and single cabin, sedan and van.

Ambitious projects such as these are not formed so easily. The hard work of a few selected people and the undying spirit of others is responsible for the huge success that Esemka is.

Credit must be given to PT Solo Manufaktur, which has taken the entire load and pressure of manufacturing and has dutifully served all the orders. German Ambassador to Indonesia Nor Bert Baas and his country'€™s government must also be appreciated, since he promised in March last year that he would offer the engineering expertise of his country so that there would be no constraints in the entire process. Last but not the least, former Surakarta mayor and current Jakarta Governor Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo must be given a double thumbs up for making the Esemka the official car for him and his deputy during his tenure as mayor. He set an example and his successor is also helping the Esemka mission.

The creators of this innovation have left no stone unturned to embellish the looks of the car. This project is not only luring consumers from round the country, but has also become a source of inspiration for other projects.

A price of Rp 140-150 million (US$14,140-$15,300) will aid you in buying a mid-sized sedan with nominal features. But with more money in your pocket, you can buy an Esemka SUV. I am sure all those involved in the creation of this marvel have no feelings of disdain, since they have shown to the world what capable hands can perform. We cannot gauge the amount of hard work behind the scenes that must have gone into this. Designing the minute details of a fully-fledged car is no easy work.

Such projects ameliorate the current conditions in our society. We must always love and respect those who have an altruistic nature and who devote some of their time for others. Initiatives such as those taken by normal state level students in a developing country are never seen. It is by helping each other that we can stride forward progressively. To sum up, I would like to quote Martin Luther King, Jr: '€œWe must learn to live together like brothers, or we will perish together like fools.'€

Sahil Nandal
Purwakarta, West Java

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