After a sumptuous meal at Pondok Laguna Seafood restaurant in Jakarta, we made our way out to a car park. Right outside the restaurants, there were 5 peddlers squatting on the ground selling fruits such as duku, langsat, mangoesteen and other local exotic fruits. My colleague decided to buy a few bags of fruits, and I took 2 from the bag.
In a matter of seconds, then you starting to hear a pleading voices, 'Ibu ibu (Maam maam) , can I have some small change'! There were street kids who were usually hardcore poor waiting for well fed customers to make their grand exit and hoping they have some small change to spare. What surprise me most of the restaurants patrons were unmoved or rather 'Pretending it's not my problem I didn't want to deal with it'. I believe I understand, there were way so many of them on the street, there were no ways my colleagues or others could give them money everytime they came begging. Worst stills some work for beggar master.
Meanwhile, for that night, the kids knew they won't get any money, instead they said, 'Ibu ibu can I have some fruits instead'! I always support for giving out fruits or food, at least I know they may not have a beggar master behind. I gave my only fruits in my hand. Jakarta is such a big place with mega shopping malls, and yet we have children who has the right to be in school turn out begging to live. At that moment, I believe population control is necessary. If any government not willing to cope with hardcore poor families, we need to stop population growth.
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