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Getting through the flood with social media
End of the world as we know it, again:The situation along Jl
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End of the world as we know it, again:The situation along Jl. Thamrin in Jakarta on Monday. (JP/AWO)
When floods hit, people in Jakarta turn to social media. Timelines are clogged with rants about congestion, info on alternate routes, photos of how deep the water is in front of Kelapa Gading as well as pictures of foolhardy motorists plowing through half-meter-deep waters.
Some, however, choose to just laugh, making or reading Internet memes about the capital's latest apocalyptic deluge.
Ratu Fauzah, a resident of Bogor, West Java, who lives part time in Mampang, South Jakarta, said she decided to post a meme about a conversation between Jakarta Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama and a resident to her Path.
Her goal was to tease those who like to blame Jakarta's floods on its neighboring city upstream.
The meme reads: 'Pak Gubernur, menurut Anda apa penyebab banjir Jakarta??' | Gubernur: 'Aer lah, masa cireng.'
It translates as: 'Mr. Governor, what do you think the cause of floods in Jakarta is?'
'Of course it's water, not cireng, duh!' the reply reads, referring to the snack famous in West Java.
'Some people on my timeline like to blame the governor for not doing anything,' Ratu says. 'They should realize that maybe they themselves also contribute to the flooding if they still throw their garbage anywhere.
Another meme that has appeared during the city's most recent flood features the top of the Dirgantara Statue in Pancoran, South Jakarta, just visible above a Waterworld-like Jakarta.
There's also one showing ferries painted in Transjakarta livery plowing Corridor 1 along Jl. Thamrin in the Sudirman Central Business District.
One well-known meme craftsman, Rendy Imandita, said this was the time of the year when he and his fellow miners of the Zeitgeist could spring into action.
He notes that some of the pictures that have gone viral this week are not new, but rather reposts from last year's flooding.
Rendy said he decided not to join the party this year, creating only a single meme, noting that the floods were a sensitive time for some
'For those who got stuck in traffic due to flooding and whose houses were not inundated, it may be funny reading those memes, but for some, it was a disaster,' he said.
Rain poured down upon Jakarta virtually continuously from Sunday night until Monday, inundating more than 100 areas across the city, including the State Palace and City Hall.
Floods have displaced 5,968 residents in 307 neighborhoods located in 97 subdistricts in the capital city, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).
BNPB spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said officials had set up aid posts for flood victims and that they have asked subdistrict heads to supply victims food and medicine.
Ahok apologized on Tuesday for not yet solving Jakarta's flood problems in Jakarta, shrugging off negative sentiments from the residents and vowing to continue to work hard to tackle the issues.
'We have to accept the sentiments, and keep working,' Ahok said.
Public transportation system has gradually returned to normal on Tuesday after some Commuter Line and Transjakarta routes were disrupted due to the floods.
A frequent Commuter Line user, Triana Putri Lestari, said that unlike on Monday when she had to take a long detour, she could take her usual route from Buaran, East Jakarta, to Kebayoran, South Jakarta.
'The train stations were more crowded than usual, and the trains arrived late, but my routes were all fine,' she said.
Social media activist and noted blogger Enda Nasution said that while social media had become an inseparable part of Jakartans' daily lives, it had not become a force that could push for a change.
'I don't think social media can significantly push a change in the society unless there are people who step forward to crystallize the concerns,' he said.
'For now, social media has only become noise, and only a handful of real impacts really come from it.'
This meme riffs on a cellular phone subscription message, with a man asking to unsubscribe from floods and to send them to Bogor.
The Dirgantara Monument says 'Praise to God, the flood has receded to my ankles.'
Boy: Is this rain or your ex's face? | Girl: My ex? | Boy: It's very scary!
