THE busy main road in East Jakartas Manggarai district was crowded on Monday last week. Forty-year old Mustakim was pushing along his motorbike. I just want to go back to my village, he said. I can no longer afford to stay in Jakarta.

After more than ten years of working in Jakarta as a motorbike taxi driver, Mustakim can no longer make ends meet. Ever since the fuel price increases, his wifes vegetable trading business has been very slow. Now the