JAM KARET (RUBBER TIME), A CULTURE OR INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER?

If you have a relationship with Indonesian people and happen to visit them in Indonesia, do not be surprised when in a meeting they come too late, even for hours. In Indonesia, although not as bad in Latin America, Jam Karet is still coloring community life. Jam Karet (Rubber time) has become a habit in society and very difficult to break.

picture by: www.deptan.go.id

Jam Karet is a familiar term in Indonesia. Jam Karet refers to the concept of "elasticity" of time, in which a predetermined time is not something that for sure, but something that can be postponed. (Analogically like the stretch of rubber). Agreements, meetings, social gathering, or group works is almost never done without colored by Jam Karet. However, because most Indonesian tend to be very easy to tolerate and forgive, delays or being late are often considered normal and understandable. Being late 30 minutes to one hour is not big matter.

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Along with the development of the era of globalization of the world, Indonesia now slowly begins to leave this habit and get into more strict competition. Slowly but surely, in the sphere of education, business, and social, Jam Karet is not tolerated without any good and logical excuses. The reasons of transportation or oversleeping problems can not be used as an excuse of being late anymore.

Although very hard to break, Jam Karet has become a concern of public awareness in big cities like Jakarta, Surabaya, or Medan, especially those that are considered as business and industrial city. Jam Karet is no longer applied by employees, business executives, as well as entrepreneurs who highly appreciate the price of time. Now, gradually, Indonesia begins to apply the wise word “Time is Money."