fter casting their votes at polling stations near their homes, most Jakarta residents opted to spend the rest of the day with their families, with many crowding restaurants and shopping centers.
"My son saw [a video] on YouTube about a new baked cheese tart, so we came here (to the Senayan City mall) to have lunch," said 46-year-old housewife Lilis after voting at Polling Station 72 in Cengkareng, West Jakarta.
Lilis lives in Tangerang, Banten, near the workplace of her husband, but she still holds a Jakarta identity card. “It is a good time for us to go out as a family and eat together," said Lilis, who had come to Senayan City with her husband and son.
Another visitor was Dian Rohmanti, a 29-year old civil servant, who lives in Cileduk, West Jakarta. She had come with her husband, baby daughter and a babysitter.
"We are here to have sushi for lunch," she said, adding that she did not frequently visit shopping malls, because she believed they were not baby-friendly places.
None of the restaurants, cafes and food courts at both Senayan City and Plaza Senayan stayed empty on Wednesday.
Fun and consumption, it seems, were a welcome escape for Jakarta citizens from tough political rivalry on election day.
In a peaceful election, the pair of Anies Baswedan and Sandiaga Uno defeated the incumbents, Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Saiful Hidayat, according to quick counts. (dra/bbn)
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