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No
More Shame to Drive Becak
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Maluku
Media Centre
August
5, 2003
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No More Shame to Drive Becak
Reporter: Daniel Nirahua
Ambon, MMC --- Something different can be found about becak (pedicab/tricycle)
in Ambon recently. Not so long ago everybody knew that a becak
driver always a migrant, whether they hailed from Buton, Bugis,
Makassar or East Nusa Tenggara, but not Ambon. Everything has
changed, Ambon people no longer ashamed to drive becak. This is
one of post-conflict Ambon features.
Becak is a favourite vehicle in Ambon City, Maluku. It is
enjoyable and comfortable vehicle, and its velocity is apt for a
small city with its relatively short roads. It is not surprising
that everybody loves becak
Prior to Maluku conflict broken in 1999, the operation of becaks
in Ambon was very well regulated. Those popular vehicles were
coloured indicating operation quota. Monday and Thursday red
roamed Ambon streets. Tuesday and Friday the yellow ones operated.
While Wednesday and Saturday were the turn for white ones. Sunday,
all colours roamed the streets.
Becak’s regulation as such was initiated by Mayor Dicky
Wattimena in 1980s. When in many cities becak was accused as
culprit of traffic jam and disorders, Decky entertained different
opinion. “Should becak banned, what then thousands Ambon becak
drivers supposed to earn a living?” Decky had been argued. It
goes without saying that becak regulation à la Decky was joyfully
celebrated by becak owners and drivers. As a consequence, there
were more and more becak in Ambon.
Because of its attractiveness and uniqueness, becak featured a
favourite thing for foreign tourist. And hence Becak Race was
organised as compliment of Darwin-Ambon Yachts Race. Considered to
be fruitful, Becak Race was listed in calendar of event of Maluku
Province Tourism Service.
In terms of employment, this sector able to absorb around 15
labourers. They are migrants, all of them. Mostly hailed from
Buton, Bugis and Makassar. Tens of them are East Nusa Tenggara
migrants. Ambon youths? None. In the eyes of Ambon youth, driving
becak was disdainful job.
Maluku breakout in 1999 has victimized becak. Since becaks were
mostly belonging to Muslims, those lovely vehicles have had to
face ill fated. When they owners and drivers fled home, thousands
of their left becak were plundered and torched in the streets.
Their frames were disposed as garbage. Lovely Ambon Becak then
became rare items.
When upheaval turned out, an interesting phenomenon emerged. In
some Christian compounds can be found new becak drivers who are
native Ambon youth of Christian faith. Initiated by only one or
two youths, soon becak drivers became tens.
It seemed that deserted becaks has tempted Ambon youths to drive
them for fun. They drove no men’s becak in limited distances,
just for fun. Eventually, transportation problem and their own
living problems turned this fun into serious business. Then they
became real new becak drivers.
Semy Renyaan (31), a Christian becak driver, related that in times
of riot he lost his job as construction labourer. Jobless, he
threw his embarrassed feeling away and begun to operate becak.
“I’ve been driving becak since 2000. I felt so ashamed at
first. But nothing else to do. This was the only chance. I have to
make my children and wife’s ends meet,” he said. He said that
this job gave him Rp 70-100 thousands per day. He gave Rp 15 each
day for becak owner, and he took home the rest.
Another Christian becak driver, Nelson Luhukay (23), told the
same. He said that many Christian begun to drive becak when
conflict erupted. ”I’ve been in this job since 2001. I was
embarrassed at first, but I put that feeling aside,” said Nelson
in his Ambon dialect. This father of a child that driving becak
can fulfil his everyday life, even though he has to work from 7 AM
to 6 PM.
Those native Ambon becak drivers have by no means worked
unchallenged. Their first appearances has roused tension in
relation to the origin of those becaks. “Where they came from?
They were plundered!” accused Muslims by the time. Luckily the
problem has been immediately settled. A church lawyer brought
those becaks back to the owners, Muslim migrants.
However, almost everywhere in Ambon city, especially in Christian
areas many unidentified becak. Police once gathered them and has
announced so that their owners may take them back, still many
becaks were left without owners. It is those becak that Christians
now drive.
An NGO activist of Baileo Network of Maluku, Marines Sugi SH,
considered that phenomenon as positive one. “At first people
used those deserted becaks as playthings, or to be destroyed and
torched. Eventually people put them into their original function,
even though they belonged to the fled Muslims,” Marines said.
According to him, native Maluku becak drivers were result of sense
of crisis. In predicament people become creative. When conflict
torn up the two communities, and people were out of work. One of
easiest ways out is driving becak.
Becak drivers increased day by day, it is hard to find out their
exact number. Recent data unavailable. MMC has sought data in
Ambon Municipal Office in vain. A mayor aide explained that after
conflict his office has nothing to do with becak.
Rido’s Initiative
The emergence of Ambon youths as becak drivers was ascribed to a
resident of Belakang Soya Ambon, Rido Matauseja (36). This
bachelor of social science of Pattimura University affirmed public
opinion that becak business was exclusively associated with Buton,
Bugis and Makasar migrants. None of native Maluku businessman
involved. He has just dealt with this business when an opportunity
came up, when many becak owners fleeing the conflict.
“In 2000 I initiated this business with 3 becak that I bought
for Rp 3-4 millions. I have saved my profits. When I had suffice
saving, I bought a new becak. I did it continuously,” he told
MMC in his becak pool in Belakang Soya, Friday (1/8). As for the
drivers, Rido has employed refugees from Southeast Maluku
District, Aboru village in Haruku Island dan Allang village in
Leihitu sub district, both in Central Maluku District, beside
indigenous Ambon. He has obliged them to pay him Rp 15 thousands
per day, except Sunday. Becaks were brought for free on Sunday.
The perseverance of this civil servant of Ambon Immigration Bureau
brought about 107 becaks. He has more becaks than anyone else in
Christian areas. It is easy to acknowledge Rido’s becak; they
were labelled as ‘Bastek’. When he had 30 becaks, Rido
recruited three assistants. They were assigned as a manager of
becak operational, a financial and administrative manager,
workshop manager respectively. Each of them was waged for Rp
500,000 monthly. “The key of success in professional
management,” Rido said. Now he can get Rp 13-14 millions
monthly. For becak maintenance he spend Rp 1-2 millions monthly.
Becak business’ profit has allowed him to start a new business:
ojek (motorcycle used for public transport). He has 40
motorcycles, each give him Rp 25 thousands daily. This business
gives him Rp 7 millions monthly. Total net income from becak
motorcycle is Rp 20 millions monthly.
He is pleased that his ventures absorb many labourers. He treats
his men as family members, in addition Rido often held character
building in informal fashion. He got becak drivers promises that
they will never gamble and consuming liquor. They who break the
promises will be reprimanded.
Rido admitted that Ambon youths have different character from
their Sulawesi fellows that so steady and industrious in
character. According to him Ambon youths are lack of tenacity.
“As long as they can gather money suffice for a day, they
don’t want to get more money,” he regretted.
Furthermore, Rido endorsed his men to think about their troubled
fellows. His men’s solidarity, he said, had been realised when
they gave financial aid for their refugee fellows, they gathered
fund in Sunday service. “Most of my men are refugees, but they
willingly help their troubled refugee fellows,” he made his men
proud.
Rido felt proud for, beside he has been earning more income; he
brought Ambon youths’ mental improvement forth. They felt
contemptible to do lower jobs, but now they feel no shame to drive
becak.
Hundreds of Ambon youths earn a living as becak driver. They work
side by side with Sulawesi youth. Though they belong to different
tribe and different faith, they roam the same lines, serve the
same customers: Ambon city residents. (MMC)
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