Running Away from Jakarta

KOMPAS/DIDIE SW

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Jakarta is like a weird romantic partner. It is terribly annoying and yet wonderfully attractive at the same time. In recent years, many other Indonesian cities have begun to equal Jakarta’s charm. In this digital era, with the world having become borderless, are Indonesian youths still attracted to building their careers in the Indonesian capital?

“There are too many people living in this place,” said Irsyad Muhammad on Monday (18/6/2018). The University of Indonesia student said that Jakarta had completely worn him out. “It’s not just Jakarta. It’s the whole of Java Island.”