‘Better to have no rice than to be outclassed’: Why a customised minivan is a coveted ride in Indonesia’s Manado

MANADO, Indonesia: As soon as the sun dips below the horizon, the streets of Manado City, Indonesia come alive with flashes of colourful LED lights and the ear-splitting beat of electronic dance music.

The source of this exuberance and excitement – some say commotion – may come as a surprise to outsiders but to Manado’s 423,000 inhabitants, they can only come from one thing: The city’s public minivans.

“In Manado, people will not hop on board if there is no audio system (inside our minivans) … Audio system is a must in Manado. People say it’s no fun without an audio (system),” public minivan driver Steriandi Panambunan, 31, told CNA.

While many view these visually and aurally loud minivans as moving pieces of art and embrace them as what makes Manado unique, there are those who see them as a nuisance.

The latter includes city officials who believe that these minivans are disturbing public order and constantly try to clamp down on these vehicles for violating road safety regulations.

LAMBORGHINI-INSPIRED SCISSORS DOORS

According to government data, there are close to 1,900 public minivans operating in Manado of which drivers and locals estimate that between 50 and 70 per cent are customised.

Evidence of this can be found on Jalan Suprapto, a street which cuts through one of the city’s busiest shopping districts, Pasar 45.

There, dozens of minivans compete to attract potential passengers as they emerge from nearby shops and restaurants.

They do this by enticing the passengers’ eyes and ears, turning the four-lane street into an impromptu car show.