JAKARTA: As Jakarta counts its days as the national capital, it is gearing up to celebrate its 497th anniversary on Saturday (June 22) as though it will forever be the center of the country’s marvels, never mind problems, with residents expecting some improvements to the city’s perennial issues, from choking air pollution to infamous traffic.
This year’s anniversary celebrations are expected to be another gloomy one, as Jakarta has been shrouded by thin, gray smog for the past week, ranking it among the world’s most polluted cities on the list of Swiss air quality technology company IQAir.
