JAKARTA WELCOMES NEW YEAR WITH JAKARTA NIGHT FESTIVAL

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Dec 31 (Antara) - White tents and entertainment stages bedeck the roadsides along Jalan Thamrin and Merdeka Selatan, in the central business district of Jakarta, on Tuesday, to hail in the New Year 2014.          This year, Jakarta will welcome the New Year by holding the 'Jakarta Night Festival' (JNF), which has been chalked out by Governor Joko Widodo as the annual event.          "We have made preparations and set up entertainment stages and tents," Head of Jakarta Tourism and Cultural Service Arie Budhiman stated at the City Hall.           He informed that the preparations for the festival, which included setting up the stages, required a lot of time, hence, the work had begun two days before the New Year's Eve.           "Of the total 12 stages planned for the JNF, three were set up on Monday. The main stage is located around the Hotel Indonesia Traffic Circle," Arie added.          The Jakarta administration has also installed 300 stands for street vendors along the Jalan Thamrin, Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan, and Dukuh Atas Trains Station area.