There is a reason why Singapore outdoes Jakarta

In Singapore it's quite normal for people, entire families, young and old, to wander the streets, ride a bus or stroll home from work late at night -- because, unlike Jakarta, the city state is a safe place to live and work.

With an area as large as Jakarta, Singapore is home to many ethnicities and nationalities and is relatively safe for tourists.

During a recent three-day visit to learn more of Singapore's tourism board, I noticed a distinct lack of police on the city's streets.

Our beloved Jakarta is, like Singapore, home to many embassies and expatriates, as well as families who have moved from Indonesia's regions to the capital.

But the similarities do not include security -- personal safety at night in Jakarta is always questionable.

Jakartans -- particularly women -- will not take the risk of being outside past midnight without a companion, lest they become a victim of sexual harassment or other criminal activities.

The Indonesian government and its administration should have been able to work hand-in-hand to improve security, particularly in Jakarta.

And these bodies should also have developed the tourism sector and promoted Indonesia, or Jakarta in this case, more aggressively.

I believe more foreign tourists would come to Indonesia if only the administration, and of course the government, would develop the tourism sector and, most importantly, give tourists the assurance they will be safe on arrival and throughout their stay.

--Mustaqim Adamrah