Teen Wakeboarders Take on Jakarta’s Floods
Picture this: a bunch of 19‑year‑olds cruise waist‑deep water using a car as their board, all because Jakarta keeps turning into a giant bathtub after the down‑pour. That’s exactly what a crew of Jakarta teens did in a splashy Instagram clip that pulled the Internet’s attention to the city’s nasty flood problem.
Why the splash?
- Heavy rains in Samarinda on Borneo drained the streets, turning them into puddles.
- The gang, fed up with the regular monthly waterlogged chaos, decided a “wakeboarding” stunt would shout louder than a city siren.
- Inside the video, 19‑year‑old Muhammad Fahri Ramadhan shows off a few tricks while the car slides over the muddy water, turning the streets into his personal water park.
- In the background, the narrator laments that the city, with over 800,000 residents, has been living the same scene over and over.
Message for the Mayor
“We’re hoping this stunt will make the local government notice,’ says Ramadhan, who’s practically waving a paddle at the mayor’s office. The teens are quick to point out how a spotless street might help keep the drains flowing and reduce future flood damage. “Please don’t litter,” he says, “or you’ll clog the drains and we’ll all end up swimming like fish.”
Community Response
When the video hit the feeds, the comments were mostly heart‑warming. “Good job!” “Nice trick!” “We’re proud of you,” the crowds replied. Even people who were just scrolling by found themselves cheering from the sidelines.
More Beach‑Like Acts
Earlier this year, a group of youngsters in Sumatra did something similar—posing like models in the chaos-ridden, mud‑slick streets. It shows a growing trend of creative activism, daring to turn flood disaster into a stage for change.
Want to Get Involved?
- Keep your streets clean; a simple act that can prevent overflow.
- Spread awareness about the link between litter and drainage capacity.
- Share your own creative protest—if you can, even on an Instagram reel!
When the city finally spits out the bright side of a splashy protest, they might realize that sometimes the most effective way to shout about an issue is to ride the waves of it—literally. And who knows? Maybe a future mayor will even change the title of “City Emergency” to “Wet Weather Fun Time.”
