Job Discussion Forums

markustm · Joined: 15 Mar 2010 Posts: 95

Around 45 minutes from central Jakarta by train, there is probably the worse town to live in, called Bekasi - aka Chernobyl.

Its hot, dirty, heavily polluted and crowded. The roads are jammed with traffic most of the time, and the town center consists of several similar looking Malls, peddling the same brands.

Who would want to work in Bekasi?. I used to stay there sometimes, but to work there?.

The only advantage of the place, I can see is cheap rents, because of the distance to central Jakarta, and the train link it has to Bandung or Central Jakarta.

Otherwise Bekasi would be considered a hardship post for many expatriates, and if current quoted salaries of 6.5 to 9.5 jt are correct. Then unless you like heavy air pollution, incessant heat, dust and the MacDonalds culture of the Malls- Try and work somewhere else.

basiltherat · Joined: 04 Oct 2003 Posts: 952

It used to be regarded as the armpit of Jakarta (satellite). Sounds like not much has changed. If it has, clearly for the worse.

IMO, Depok used to be another nightmare; a real jungle. Dunno what it's like now. Anybody know ?

Basil Smile

spunkmonkey · Joined: 16 Jun 2009 Posts: 93

rayman · Joined: 24 May 2003 Posts: 427

Depok's improved somewhat, but still a horrible place to be. Angkot lanes have been created on the main strip, separating them from the main traffic by concrete barriers. So that's improved the traffic considerably. Particularly in front of ITC. A new, flashy looking mall by the name of Margo (Margonda) City also opened up a couple of years ago. Nothing special on the inside though. I guess Depok could now be considered a sewer rat in lipstick.

aku_tonpa · Joined: 03 May 2004 Posts: 63

Mark, did you work in Bekasi?

markustm · Joined: 15 Mar 2010 Posts: 95

malu · Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 1344 Location: Sunny Java

Depok and the Islamic Republic of Tangerang are carbuncles, but Bekasi retains the prize for being the ugliest of Jakarta's ugly sisters. An Indonesian friend of mine who escaped from Bekasi describes it as 'the dump with a dump' in honour of it having one of the largest landfill sites in Asia.

aku_tonpa · Joined: 03 May 2004 Posts: 63

I lived and worked in Bekasi for a year. I agree that it is a pretty souless place. It seems this is a reputation held by many people as it was difficult (actually, nearly impossible) to find ex-pats who were willing to work there. A point lost on the school manager, who told me that I had failed in my duties because I hadn't found anyone suitable to hire (I think he thought I should have gone to Jaksa on a recruiting drive). Needless to say, I got out of there once my contract finished.