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'Dirgahayu' Indonesia

Dua hari setelah perayaan 60 tahun Indonesia merdeka.

Lima menit, bis yang saya tunggu belum juga datang. Sepuluh menit, saya semakin tidak sabar, haus dan gerah. Memang belum ada jam sembilan pagi, tapi udara di Sudirman sudah semakin pengap dengan asap knalpot kopaja, bis-bis besar, dan sepeda motor-sepeda motor yang berseliweran. Damned, kapan saya akan bisa menikmati pagi di Jakarta tanpa harus merusak paru-paru saya dengan polusi udara? Akhirnya saya memutuskan untuk membeli sebotol aqua. Tak lama setelah saya membeli aqua dari ibu-ibu pedagang asongan yang mangkal di sebelah saya, tiba-tiba ibu itu melambai-lambaikan tangan.

“Hush-hush, sana, pergi”.
“Ada apa, Bu? “
“Itu, ada tramtib”.
“Oooh, sering dikejar tramtib Bu?”
“Yah, begitulah. Kalau dikejar, kita lari kayak maling. Padahal kita kan nggak jualan buat beli mobil. Kita cuma mau ngumpulin uang buat beli buku.”
“Ooh, buat buku anak-anak ya Bu? Berapa anaknya?”
“Dua mbak, satu SD, satu SMP. Anak SD aja sekarang bukunya udah 300 ribu. Belum yang SMP. Makanya, punya anak jangan banyak-banyak Mbak”
[hahaha, jangankan punya anak, I am not even getting closer to marriage]

Percakapan kami terhenti ketika ibu itu melayani kenek kopaja dan beberapa orang lain yang membeli dagangannya yang sederhana, permen, rokok, tissue, dan aqua. Dia dengan setia menghitung recehan-recehan seratus, dua ratus, dan lima ratus perak, kemudian mengumpulkannya dalam kantong plastik. Kemudian dia ngobrol dengan kenek kopaja itu.

“Denger-denger kopaja bakalan dihapuskan ya Oktober ini. Nggak boleh lewat sini lagi. “ *sontak saya menoleh dan getting curious *
“Gak tau deh”, si kenek menjawab dengan acuh. Mungkin bukan acuh, tapi sudah pasrah dengan nasibnya.
“Ah, tapi kayaknya issue doang deh. Waktu itu katanya Agustus. Terus September, dan sekarang jadi Oktober. Ah, issue doang itu.”


Issue doang atau bukan, yang jelas mereka gelisah mendengarnya. Kopaja dihapus, berarti banyak sopir dan kenek yang kehilangan pekerjaan. Pedagangan asongan pun kehilangan langganannya. Lalu ke mana mereka harus menggantungkan penghidupan mereka?

I am not saying that I am comfortable with Jakarta’s street which is very crowded with ‘pedagang asongan’ dan pedagang kaki lima. I really want to see my city clear and comforting, but how to make it? Dengan menggusur para pedagang asongan? Fine, mereka tidak boleh seenaknya ngetem di halte atau menggelar dagangannya di sepanjang trotoar. Tapi plis deh, apa yang telah pemerintah buat untuk mereka? Kegagalan pemerintah menyediakan lapangan kerjalah yang telah memaksa mereka turun berdagang ke jalan. Seandainya saja penertiban pedagang kaki lima dan asongan dibarengi dengan memfasilitasi mereka dengan tempat berdagang yang legal, nyaman. Hmmfff, ngomong doang memang gampang. Tapi kalau tidak dimulai dari keinginan dan goodwill, kapan Jakarta akan jadi kota yang bersih dan menyenangkan? Mungkin waktu generasi kita sudah jadi nenek-kakek, Jakarta belum juga berubah. Buktinya, ini sudah 60 tahun sejak proklamasi dikumandangkan lho ...

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