Adit on Life

2010-08-07T23:17:00.001+07:00

KINDLY REDIRECT TO

http://aditonmeds.blogspot.com/

2010-04-03T00:24:00.002+07:00

ADIT on Life is officially in hiatus...

(yes, I should have said that months ago)

However, I am preparing for a comeback. Can't stop blurring the line between humor and libel. No, there won't be any dirty jokes in the next incarnation of this blog.

Right now, I am still considering whether to continue this blog or migrate to a new one. That's not your business. Go back to your respective lives.

Giving Batik A Hand?

2009-10-19T00:04:00.001+07:00

On October 2, UNESCO officially acknowledged that batik originates from Indonesia, not from that country across the strait. To celebrate the occasion, Indonesians proudly wore their best batik everywhere they were for whatever they did. The president’s call to wear batik together on that day took the celebration to another height. Government offices, schools, and private companies also urged their guys and girls to wear batik. On personal level, in a break from my typical polo shirt and non-blue jeans attire, I joined the fashion festival of the people by wearing my batik uniform from the days of high school. Congratulate me, because I proudly appreciated one of my country’s treasures – and because it took a lot of guts to wear a shocking green batik in public.

Celebrations aside, there are several questions that UNESCO’s acknowledgement, and its protection, has not yet answered about the fate of batik. I heard some of these questions from the news, and I formulated some myself based on a class on batik I took in my first semester.

First off, does the UNESCO protect the processes of making a traditional batik? Batik has a very unique production process, traditionally called mbatik, which takes a lot of time, effort, and skill. While similar processes exist in other places, I am quite certain that Indonesia’s batik production has its defining characteristics that we need to preserve. When people try to visualize the making of a batik, they will see a kind old Javanese lady in kebaya sitting with a sheet of fabric (the batik-to-be) in one hand and a canthing (the wax applier) in the other. If their imagination is animated, she will be delicately tracing the batik patterns she made earlier on the fabric with melted wax. Ask me to describe the scene, and I will answer “powerfully serene”.

This question is related to the booming of factory-made batiks, an awful lot of them coming from China. You see, there are at least three types of batik production. (1) Fully handmade; the product is labeled batik tulis, which literally means written batik. This method means no two batik is the same. (2) Stamp batik or batik cap, in which stamps are used to make blocks of patterns to speed up the process. (3) Factory-made batik, in which batik is just another insignificant stuff made in a factory.. That brings us to question number two, Will this UNESCO mumbo-jumbo help traditional batik makers survive the storm of mass-produced batik?

Despite the fact that it can take months, or years, to make a sheet of batik, people refuse to pay a fair price for a real batik tulis. I don’t know what factor to blame for this: cheap batik from China, lack of appreciation, or well, just too expensive for a piece of cloth. If this goes on, even an acknowledgement from a world body cannot help prevent batik workshops from closing and potential batik makers from choosing another profession.

Third question, because when I say batik you will think of exquisite complicated patterns, it is very appropriate to ask, Are our batik patterns properly protected? There are numerous examples of batik motifs: parang, parang rusak, parang kusumo, garuda, naga, and a broad range of images – not to mention endless combinations of geometric patterns. And we have not talked about new designs that emerged after batik reclaimed the spotlight. We need some kind of a registry of batik patterns to make sure that they are not lost through the time. After all, we cannot expect the masses to care about what kind of batik they are wearing and to know its details, let alone the deep philosophy contained within.

The last sentence popped up another question, How can we safeguard and disseminate the rich philosophy in batik and mbatik? You will have a hard time looking for someone knowledgeable enough about this issue. I don’t really know what means what in the mesmerizing details of batik, but I'd love to enrich my knowledge. Furthermore, understanding the priceless values hidden in each batik cloth will make people appreciate the art even more, especially batik tulis.

Finally, How will we actually help preserve batik as a whole? I honestly don’t think that simply wearing batik everyday or every hour does any good for batik. Most people are contributing to the income of made-in-China batik businessmen without even thinking to at least scrutinize batik the patterns. If traditional batik makers are thrown out of business by the endless tornado of cheap batik, are we still protecting our heritage? If we don’t know anything about the batik that we wear, are we guarding the art of batik?

Bu, Tell Your Husband to Zip It

2009-10-16T22:31:00.001+07:00

Why bother dumbening yourselves through ridiculous sinetrons when you can do it more intellectually by following the flow of Indonesian politics? SBY’s definitive victory in the presidential election was not the end of nonsensical selling-out by greedy politicians. Golkar, who ditched the big guy and fielded the veep as its own candidate, then lost, ended up choosing SBY’s minister as its chairman. As expected, they kissed and made up. What was the nation’s biggest political machine became another passenger in SBY’s coalition train. In effect, the incoming government is supported by 75% of House members.

Another party to watch is PDI-P, who has played the lonely role of opposition in the House for 5 years. Members from PDI-P did have their shortcomings, but let’s remember that they courageously turned down the controversial Porn Law and the ridiculous Halal Bill. In this year’s election, the party made use of that title, promising voters a stronger check and balance function. PDI-P came third in the legislative election with roughly the same votes as second-place Golkar; PDI-P chief Megawati lost to SBY in the presidential election but came out firmly ahead of Golkar’s Jusuf Kalla. Indonesians, especially PDI-P voters, were sure that the party will continue and refine its role as opposition in the 2009-2014 House of Representatives. Ibu Mega has also reiterated this stance in more than one occasion.

But she forgot to tell her husband Taufiq Kiemas (TK) to shut up and stop fraternizing with the enemy. Through a delicate dance of power, TK was elected Speaker of the Parliament with the support of Partai Demokrat and its allies. People started to question what was happening in there. Why did the almost-absolute winner give such an important post to its opponent? And why did PDI-P accept it? Various analysts signaled warnings that if things keep on going this way, SBY will gain an enormous power with the House, well at least 90% of it, at his feet.

However, TK maintained his tryst with SBY. As the president-elect tries to assemble a new cabinet, a couple of names from PDI-P was thrown into the mix: Puan Maharani, Ibu Mega’s daughter and probably her successor, and Pramono Anung, another PDI-P bigshot. We don’t know who conjured up this disastrous plan, but TK is surely drooling at the offer.

While his wife as PDI-P chief continues to emphasize that her party will once again be the opposition, TK’s actions and words show the opposite. He has said the often-repeated words of “it’s all up to Ibu Mega”, yet he never stops his quest for power even if he has to stoop so low. What’s worse is that he goes against the grassroots movement who is not satisfied by SBY’s performance. The people and experts have frequently asked PDI-P to be strong and resist the temptation. PDI-P’s strong opposition is essential to make sure that the government cannot run so wildly. Moreover, if the party succumbs to the offer, it will seal its own fate and will face what Golkar had.

Now let me be so bold to offer a piece of advice to Ibu Mega. Have faith and stay the course. If your husband keeps toying with the idea of joining the government and shows off his aspirations to the world, shove your socks into his mouth and tape it in place. Then hospitalize him for as long as possible or send him in a wooden crate to Madagascar. He can love to move it, move it to his heart’s content there. PDI-P would be better off without him.

Getting It Right From the Start

2009-10-15T16:54:00.001+07:00

Medical school has never been a real inspiration for this blog, although I admit it is somewhat hard to get inspired while dozing in class. For this time, however, school sparked a decent thought about what I could write for Blog Action Day 2009.

Every week, we have a plenary session where all discussion groups share the results of their exploration of a certain topic. Students are expected to discuss the basic sciences to discover the underlying processes of a condition. Yet, we kept delving more into clinical science than into the basic science such as physiology and biochemistry, to the dismay of our lecturers. Finally in the last plenary session, a lecturer sternly warned us about the danger of not grasping the basic concepts and skipping to the seemingly cooler stuffs.

Doctors are different from shamans because doctors need to understand how things work in the normal condition, how they go awry, and what causes the problems. Only after that doctors can make a diagnosis and set up a treatment plan. They don’t randomly stick syringes your arms or tell you to take a truckload of pills just because they like it – even if it is empirically proven to cure you.

That is exactly what hit me. In Indonesia, the issue of climate change has gone from tree-hugging obscurity to mainstream then to celebrity. It has become a must-chant mantra for politicians, a hot issue for gossiping moms, and a publicity mine for the stars. On the brighter side, it has engendered active movements from the people who are now aware of the problem. Green is definitely the new black.

This is irrefutably good. Blessed are those who reduce electricity use and print on both sides of a paper. Praise be to you who use public transportation and plant CO2-absorbing trees. Nevertheless, we don’t really know what is behind all these behavioral changes. Do people have the right idea about global warming or are they simply following the leader (or the star, whoever suits you better)? We can only see that people are practicing the “clinical science” of climate change, but have no idea whether their “basic science” foundation is firm enough.

I have heard of public figures claiming that the greenhouse effect is caused by the increasing amount of glass in our buildings. The fact that greenhouse is translated as rumah kaca – glass house- doesn’t help correct this mistake. Moreover, we never know if the green generation actually understands the “pharmacodynamics” of its Earth-saving methods. Do they know what good they are doing when they halve their paper usage? Do they realize why getting on the TransJakarta can help prevent islands from sinking? No survey has investigated into this matter. Additionally, another frequent error is the hybridization global warming and the ozone hole, which can only grow out of an incorrect understanding of global warming’s “pathophysiology”.

It is very important to know whether people have got the right concept of climate change. The awareness and attention for this issue is a precious asset in the fight against global warming. On the other hand, it is very regrettable if that awareness and attention is built on unsteady ground, which makes the people an easy target of climate change skeptics.

Walk Our Gold-paved Streets

2009-09-27T19:05:00.001+07:00

My family is very privileged to have mbak Tuti as our domestic helper. She has been with us for more than 10 years and seen my younger brother grow from a teeny-weeny disgusting baby into an aspiring teenage musician. My mom hired her when she was just another newcomer to the Big Durian from a village near Wonogiri, East Java. (Interestingly, my mom also has a helper who had worked for my grandparents since my mom was a baby). She is diligent, smart, and trustworthy; we had no qualms leaving her alone at our home. She can do almost anything my mom didn’t have time to do. During the years, every time my family moved houses, she came along. Every lebaran she goes mudik, and faithfully came back.

During those years too, we witnessed her marriage and first child. In fact, I clearly remember the times I used to spy on her flirting sessions with her then-boyfriend now-husband who was, and still is, a driver. Then they got married and the young family was quickly blessed by the birth of a baby boy. The three of them lives with us and my mom supports the boy’s education. We often eat out together, go for leisure trips, and went to the movies once, where the boy slept through Madagascar 2.

Good help is hard to find, let alone trustworthy ones, so we are determined to maintain our mutualistic relationship. Additional information: the husband developed a small business selling mobile phone credits and snacks on his motorbike. If I may be so bold to coin a new term, I would say she and her husband achieved the Javanese dream, if not Indonesian, of escaping one’s monotonous village and making it –relatively- big in the capital city. In mbak Tuti’s case, she just bought a house in one of Jakarta’s newer suburbs and sends a steady flow of money to her hometown.

It is exactly stories like this that brings throngs of people in the end of the annual mudik season. “Pioneers” share stories of how modern things are here, how everything is bigger and better, and how the streets are paved with gold – which is not true; all we have is a gold-plated eternal flame. Never mind their omitting the sadistic parts such as the life-sucking traffic jams and choking air. Their glamorous stories awed the villagers and prodded them to try their luck here. They will, in turn, become the next Big Durian evangelists who pulls in even more people.

Workforce mobility is naturally beneficial, but in this very case it has brought undesirable effects to the city and the village. According to a data from a national newspaper, an overwhelming majority of the newcomers are unskilled labor. They will land a job in either the informal sector or low-paying workplaces. The effect of this influx is real, unless you can deny the existence of dense slum areas in the city and its associated problems like infectious diseases, high crime rate, and flooding. On the other hand, the village is losing a big part of its workforce. Additionally, as more people leave a village, the culture of that village changes more often in the wrong direction.

If life in the city is so hard, why do villagers keep believing that shiny dream of a city life? From my own observation, there are at least two factors playing a part in this phenomenon: the pull from people who had worked in the city and the willingness to be pulled on the villagers’ part.

First, the people who had moved to Jakarta comes back to their villages and, perhaps unknowingly, exudes a signal that tells everyone to brave the city. Let’s put it this way: one who courageously went to the city and didn’t fail so badly would only share the better experiences of his/her time away from home. It is not so strange if domestic helpers take their pictures with their employers’ homes and cars to boast about it back home. Some mudik-goers also dress the part (fancy clothes, tons of jewelry, inches of make-up) to create the impression that they are prospering in the Big Durian. Those with better income usually take home bundles of small changes to give away to the village kids. This kind of performance never fail to engender the urge to urbanize.

Second, there are intrinsic and extrinsic factors that made the villagers themselves want to try their luck in the city. To begin with, life in the village is not so easy. There may not be enough jobs there, and the ones available are not paying so well or too blah for youngsters. The development in some villages are very slow and the facilities for health care and education is not adequate. Villages that rely on farming is not saved either. Even though Indonesia claims to be an agrarian country, farming is never the priority of our government, who seems to be enamored of factories.

To stop this unhealthy migration, there is nothing the government can do but start closing the development gap between urban and rural areas. They cannot restrict anyone’s movements or deny them the right to (look for) a humane occupation and to fulfill their needs. Until villages and small towns are developed enough for its population, the government should just let the newcomers struggle to get by in the city and extend a helping hand when needed. If they have to live in a slum, let’s at least give them proper health care and get the children in school. If they cannot cope anymore, send them back to their villages.

I’m Bringing Ponorogo Here

2009-09-26T01:01:00.001+07:00

You might have noticed that I have decided not to participate in an Indonesian Eid tradition: homecoming, or mudik in Bahasa Indonesia. I stopped going to my grandparents’ hometowns of Solo, Central Java, and Ponorogo, East Java, several years ago after my grandpa’s mom had passed away. In fact, the last time I went there was for her funeral.

In the previous years, my family drove all the way from Jakarta to those cities. Since we were not overexcited homecomers who were willing to get trapped in their cars for hours, we carefully chose when to hit the road, avoiding the frustrating traffic in the whole island of Java. That smart choice cut our travel time significantly, which means there were two less cranky kids (my brother and moi) in the car.

Mudik is fun, despite my objections back then. Hello, in the mind of young me, it was just wrong to pluck a kid from his PlayStation and plop him down on a mountainous small town. GameBoy, and later GameBoy Advance, did appease us a bit, but still we were not satisfied. Now, imagine kidnapping someone away from his/her FaceBook access. It is not only technologically impossible, but also morally deplorable.

Anyway, since my hometown is not graced by a visit by yours truly this year, I decided to do it a favor and bring it here on my blog. Here are some of the best things I love about Ponorogo. As it is based on my own experiences, some stuffs aren’t specific for Ponorogo. It’s just that I found these in my visit to Ponorogo.

Ponorogo itself has unique characteristics. Its people –ponorogoers?- is widely known to be very brash, brave, and determined. And I did not just describe only my grandpa. Perhaps it is connected to its cultural product, Reog Ponorogo, and the stories that surround it. I am not an expert on this anthropological matter (if that’s even the appropriate field for this), so I hereby grant you full freedom to research Reog and its star Warok yourself.

source: detik.com

Before anyone even start to think about going into another round of Malingsia-bashing, I’d better explain my position. Reog Ponorogo, as its name clearly says, comes from Ponorogo, East Java, Indonesia. Malaysia have never “stolen” it; they were just lucky enough that some Ponorogoers migrated there and brought their culture with them.

Next, Ponorogo has that certain Javanese small-to-medium town feeling. It has a real city square, the alun-alun, where fun fairs are occasionally held. It was not the most sophisticated fun I ever had, but hey, who cares? There were daredevil shows, amusement rides, and a sprawling bazaar. While we also have crappy pirated stuffs here in Jakarta, the tiger- and ox-shaped clay coin bank, which were the only stuffs I bought there, are memorable treasures.

There were still many traditional Joglo houses with their distinctive roof – at least they were still there the last time I came. The real old ones were built uniformly to a specific orientation, north-south if I’m not mistaken, to respect Nyi Roro Kidul or some other mystic bigwig of the area. That is why the houses don’t really face the street.

It is inevitable that I must boast Ponorogo’s yummy food. We have sego pecel, sate gule, and the whole traditional lot. One thing that sets the town apart is sate ayam Ponorogo or Ponorogo chicken satay with its special dressing. It is unquestionably a treat for the body and soul, yet deceivingly simple. Near the alun-alun is a es dawet ayu vendor. Es dawet ayu is an example of traditional cold desserts. To tell you the truth, I have never grasped why this one is so special, but because we went there each year, I think it’s worth mentioning here.

On a more personal level, I love staying in my great grandparents’ house. It is locally known as “rumah pak kades” (the village chief’s house), because my great grandpa had served as one…in the early years of this republic. He gladly stepped down when Soeharto and his Golkar party started dominating the nation. I don’t know how he managed it, but his legacy lived on today.

The house is one of those traditional Joglo houses. It has a spacious pendopo (a gathering hall) where the whole family can come together. Like other old houses, it still has a water well working along a typical jet pump. We loved playing with the ropes and getting buckets of water just to pour them back into the well. In the backyard, My great grandma used to have a chicken coop. My brother and I enjoyed attempting to feed the chickens, and the chickens surely had fun freaking out two city boys.

Ponorogo is not such a boring city after all. When I think about it now, it was the trip there and back that really took a toll on us, not the city itself. My family loves to dream up an imaginary trip there, conjuring images of delicious satay and refreshing es dawet. Then we cringe on the thought of locking ourselves in the car between hordes of motorcycles in the mudik trail. No, thank you.

Proud Party Eid-nimals

2009-09-24T23:14:00.001+07:00

There is something different about this Eid (locally also called Lebaran) for me. In previous years, my family usually went to an Eid prayer open-air congregation, got prepared back at home, and dashed off to two big family gatherings.

The first would be to my father’s side of the family, and the location always changes each year. I met my grandma and my dad's siblings there; not to mention the familiar faces (their names keep eluding me every year, let alone how they are related to me) and the who-dat-uncles. They are what I call Lebaran relatives: you discover their existence and chat with them in a Lebaran gathering, only to forget about them as you leave.

After that half-fun half-ordeal, we zoomed to my mother’s huge huge family. I did so with great alacrity since there are only so many I’m-trying-to-be-nice-even-though-I-have-no-idea-who-you-are smiles you can give your Lebaran relatives. It was held in my great grandma’s house and I know everyone who comes, even if my family tree knowledge is a little fuzzy. This family gathering, or some sort of a reunion, is reliably refreshing. Apart from the interesting random conversations, in which SBY got frequently bashed, the Lebaran photo-op is never to be missed. Squeezing my mom’s family into a single frame is no easy feat, but being in that very frame gives me a strange sense of being at home.

There’s none of that for this year. I don’t know how events transpired in the higher tiers, but suddenly my mom announced that the -for a lack of better term- “elders” decided to have the Eid festivities in my home. Well, to be more accurate, it is actually my maternal grandma’s home. Because she is the first child, somewhat automatically her house becomes the place of choice. Hassles and persistent mess aside (our helper has gone back to her hometown in East Java earlier), the seemingly simple change created even bigger changes in my Eid experience

First, I could take my time after the Eid prayer. As the feast is at my home, I had to travel nowhere, which saves a lot of time. I helped arrange the meals, move furniture around, and then relax. My mom didn’t have to brandish her whip to make me rush for a shower.

Having the gathering in my house also saved me from going to the other side. I wanted to meet my paternal grandma there, I really do, but the prospect of meeting a crowd of Lebaran relatives deterred me. I’m not that bad a grandson; if it gives any reassurance, I did go to my grandma’s place that night for the Eid.

The annual photography moment took an exciting turn: the house can’t accommodate everyone for the picture. In an almost literal example of thinking outside the box, my dad as the official photographer of the day herded everyone to the street. Everyone was to line up in the roadside in front of the house so we wouldn’t interfere with whatever traffic that comes. However, it appeared that my dad still couldn’t get everyone into a single picture. He didn’t have enough room across the street to fit everyone. As I said before, I have a huge family.

So God wanted us to be a little naughty, and we changed the orientation of the picture. Now the line goes from one side of the road to the other. We effectively blocked the road. If you can’t picture that, I made a rough visual aid.

The yellow dotted line is the former position, and the yellow arrow is the farthest my dad could go. Then we moved to the position of the red line, which is the point where the street splits into two, making it wider - though we we still have to squeeze in. The advantage of that orientation is that my dad (the red arrow) could go backwards all the way. The greenery to the back of the crowd also served as a gorgeous backdrop. The presence of a big old beringin tree made someone comment that the pic was taken in a botanical garden.

Because we aren’t such obnoxious people, we did take the minimal traffic into account. We thought that we wouldn’t be blocking the road too long so the plan was OKed without much debate. Well, we forgot that the traffic obeys Murphy’s law. As we tried to assemble everyone, traffic suddenly increased. At first, when the formation wasn’t quite stable, a car pushed through and we gave way with a “mohon maaf lahir batin”.

But then, after everyone lined up for the camera, cars started to avoid the street. I counted at least three cars -I’m sure I missed a car or two- that had entered the street and turned back to look for another way. We honestly didn’t think we looked so intimidating back there, yet the result from the camera proved us wrong. We looked like a mob ready to charge at anything. Not my fault. Really. If you are wondering: yes, we blocked the road once and we went all the way. We took tens of pictures on the street. Thank God none of us had to be questioned by any policeman for causing unrest.

Last, after everyone went home, we had two things left: the good thing and the bad thing, although the difference isn’t quite clear. The bad thing is rather obvious. The house was, let’s gently say, not as clean and tidy as I would like it. The four of us (my parents, me, and my brother) had to mop the floors multiple times after realizing that it was so sticky that a spider could have trapped us there. The dishwashing department was not hit so hard, thanks to my mom’s preference for disposables. (Sorry trees and hippies). We only had some trays and serving plates to clean. Moreover, the furniture arrangement have not gone back to its original state.

The good thing: leftovers! Ketupats, opor ayam, sambel goreng ati, and cakes abound! Before you have any crazy thoughts, we were not a hopeless family that feeds solely on leftovers. For the sake of our sanity, we (had to) go out for lunch. Only at night we take a bite on the lebaran food, which saves us from endless nights of instant noodles.

Eid 2009

2009-09-19T16:25:00.001+07:00

During the Islamic lunar month of Ramadan, Muslims everywhere in the world undergo a period of spiritual rejuvenation through fasting, prayers, and acts of benevolence. It is said that the good deeds done in the holy month is another huge step toward God, so every Muslim is encouraged to take his/her “game” up another level.

However, Ramadan possesses a different side not to be forgotten. As ignorance, intolerance, and violence tighten their vicious grips, it is more important now than ever that Muslims grasp that Ramadan is also a month of transformation. The month demands that its observer be a better person: a person of awareness, tolerance, and compassion. Mankind has witnessed too many evidences of how cruel a man can be to his brothers and sisters just because they look different, think differently, or call God by different names. I genuinely believe that Ramadan is an appropriate moment to reflect upon our actions, whether we really deserve to call ourselves Muslims.

As we celebrate our personal victory after going through the grueling days of fasting, yet another victory awaits to be claimed – together. Ramadan, with its call for Godly characters, must put Muslims in the frontline of establishing peace, fostering open-mindedness, caring for the Earth, defending liberty, and respecting equality. Or more precisely, we have to change ourselves so we may contribute towards a better world for all.

Have a blessed Idul Fitri, 2009.

Can We Move On Now?

2009-08-21T00:39:00.001+07:00

While having the world’s largest Muslim population, Indonesia has been somewhat consistently practicing a loose form of Islam. Headscarves on women hasn’t really gone mainstream until recently. At the same time, acceptance for “uncovered” women is not changed at all. Men and women enjoy basically the same freedoms, unlike in Saudi Arabia and Taliban Afghanistan. Segregation of men and women is unheard of, except for doing salat prayers. However, some issues do make some waves in the country’s Muslims: one recurrent issue is Indonesia’s participation in Miss Universe beauty pageant, and its swimwear session.

Organizations claiming to represent Islam continue to protest our Putri Indonesia (PI) for participating in the “sinful” act, asserting that it goes against Islamic teaching. If I’m not mistaken, one organization went further in the past, suing Putri Indonesia and Putri Indonesia Foundation for either making pornographic material or indecent act. Parts of the society also cited “Eastern values” and “Indonesian norms” as reasons to why no Indonesian woman should be photographed in bikinis, or take part in the first place.

Before making fun of those flimsy arguments, I should lay down my own views on this matter: wearing bikinis for the beach is as normal as wearing the mukena for doing salat prayers. The right outfit for the right occasion. (Hopefully on the right person too - Dorce in bikinis is just not healthy.) Frankly, it makes much more sense than those middle-aged women who goes to the beach in full Lebaran attire. Moreover, the PIs donned their bikinis at their own discretion. It is fully their decision. They know that PI winners will be sent to the Miss Universe contest; Miss Universe contestants are required to do the shoot. No one’s rights are being violated here.

Now, let’s move on to the first bite. Islamic figures and organizations reject the event since it flouts their teachings. Even if it does, so what? After all, it is only their views, to which they are entitled and to which we can pay no attention. In a broader scope, as a human, each person has the freedom to practice his/her religion according to his/her faith. If a girl believes that bikinis won’t burn her in hell, it is totally up to her. Even the state cannot interfere, let alone mere figures and groups.

In my point of view of Islam, the last time I checked, there is no such thing as the vicar of Allah on Earth. No Muslim has religious authority over other Muslims, even if his/her name is changed into Arabic staple names and adorned with titles like sheikh, kiai, ustaz, or habib. Similarly, MUI’s or FPI’s or anyone’s fatwa has no real power on anyone. Otherwise, it would violate the freedom to practice one’s religion freely, which Islam itself acknowledges.

Next, the phrases “Eastern values” and/or “Indonesian norms” is as discombobulating to me as Mbah Surip: everybody talks about it, yet it remains a mystery. The real meaning of “Western trends/ideas” is also unclear; it became more of a cliché than an evil, thanks to Ahmadinejad. Those phrases are frequently abused to resist any kind of new stuffs. Victims include more freedom in friendship, better sexual education, and sharper presidential debate. They all had to brave the “Eastern values” storm, before either being widely accepted or being completely rejected. Until now, Putri Indonesia and her bikini are still floating on the raging wave of public opinion.

Instead of delineating what “Eastern values”, “Indonesian norms” are, fans of those phrases are making the impression that they all mean “oppression”. On the other hand, “Western ideas” stands for wild freedom. Yet, they never try to show what “Indonesian norms” do, what good are “Eastern values” for, and what on Earth are included in the “Western ideas” category. On the grounds of fuzziness, I think the phrases –and their users- deserve no attention at all. If you do have some thoughts on “Eastern values”, “Indonesian norms”, and “Western ideas”, do not hesitate to enlighten me.

One last question, “Can’t we just move one, like, now?” Indonesia has been sending delegates to Miss Universe for several years now. When it’s spanking new, I can understand the outrage; but now, I understand that people can be foolish. Let our present and future gorgeous Putri Indonesia’s make her own choices because at the end of the day, you can make your own choices too. Don’t approve of bikinis? Just change the channel. Don’t approve of beauty pageants? Well, stop paying so much attention! It’s so simple, even Tukul can do it.

My 17an Post

2009-08-17T01:00:00.001+07:00

July 17, 2009. I was on my vacation in Melbourne, and my main sources of news from home were Facebook and Twitter. Naturally, those two channels gave me mostly personal updates, so the day went as usual. When I was taking a nice stroll in Melbourne’s CBD, I took the free afternoon paper mX, which carried the headline Terror Blast and a mainly grey-black front page. Given the paper’s light-reading quality, I thought it was the usual exaggeration of the trivial, perhaps it was about a new reality show twist or another esoteric Australian show. Exactly because of that, I continued my walk and sat down to enjoy the afternoon at Federation Square. Everything was fine, just normal.

Man, was I terribly wrong! In the first sentence, Jakarta was mentioned, then the words JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton followed. Apparently, the capital was once again hit by two bombs in the Mega Kuningan area. That would explain the picture in the front page, which I only then realized was a picture of the smoke billowing from one of the hotels. But I told myself to slow down, “hey, it’s mX the paper that scrutinized every bit of Lady GaGa and publishes celeb tweets everyday, it could be wrong. I’ll just check the internet later when I go back.” Simply enough, I looked online and the news started pouring in.

I was flushed by a deluge of reports about the bombings. This channel said this, that newspaper said that, and although it seemed impossible, the internet felt rather chaotic. However, there was one web service the users of which consistently exhibited a different take on the tragedy, and it would keep amassing attention for more than a month, maybe forever. It was Twitter.

Indonesian Twitter users (Twitterers?) ignited another kind of explosion, that instead of spreading fear and killing men, revealed whole new levels of optimism, activism, and nationalism in the generation frequently labeled “lazy” and/or “unpatriotic”. #IndonesiaUnite claimed the trending topics top spot (a feat which would be repeated by Mbah Surip – but that’s really another story). #IndonesiaUnite made an unprecedented impact not only in cyberspace, but also in meatspace. As time progressed, the movement grew and touched more general issues too. In the end, it was about showing off our love for Indonesia.

It would be ironic, not to mention disrespectful, to say that it took two bombs and many lost lives to switch on our nationalism. Yet, it is understandable that only something extraordinary can do so. Then again, the past Dutch colonialism did, in one way or another, force Indonesians of the time to unite. This time, the so-called spoiled Indonesian generation –my generation- suddenly came out in full force, nudging Indonesia into the world’s limelight one tweet at a time. For one thing, I have never expected the archipelago to host so many twitterers. More importantly, we (as in they and I) proved that our nationalism never hit rock bottom. Yes, maybe it’s a little drowned out by the music from our iPods or by the addictive games on Facebook, but we definitely still have nationalism.

The #IndonesiaUnite movement brought a sense of relief that Indonesia is not losing a generation, it just got another precious generation with its own attitude – and advantages, of course. That generation might have been reticent all this time, but when the time comes, as the bombings showed, we are more than ready to contribute in our own ways. If we do our parts right, Indonesians of the next era will regard this point as another milestone in the nation’s history.

The two sides of nationalism: loving your nation, despite its shortcomings; loving your nation, and complain about its shortcomings – for a better future.

A Surprising Discovery in (and about) FKUI

2009-08-14T23:23:00.001+07:00

The month of August is always a special day for Indonesians. On August 17, 1945, after centuries of struggle, the people of Indonesia declared their independence from colonial rule. It is celebrated annually with various activities, ranging from the stand-still serious to the let-everything-loose. As the president leads the official ceremony in the Istana Negara, little kids are concentrating on nibbling the kerupuk above their heads and men are playing soccer in their wives’ negligee, all for the good time and eyes set on the prize. This year, I guess things will be even more festive after the #indonesiaunite movement and the wave of nationalism that followed. I am very optimistic on that upcoming event, but a recent personal discovery gave me another direction to look at.

During August 12-14, FKUI (Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia) hosted a photo exhibition, organized by the alumni society, about the role of its community during the fight for national independence. It highlighted the contribution of the Salemba community, named after the street in front of the university, in the decades before Soekarno read the declaration.

A short history lesson will do here, although it might get a little fuzzy. FKUI has been around for more than a century, longer than the University of Indonesia itself. It was not named FKUI until the 1950’s. It bore many name, many of which escaped my memory, but I do remember Sekolah Dokter Djawa (Javanese Doctor School), STOVIA (School tot Opleiding van Indische Artsen, 1989), and Geneeskundige Hogeschool (GHS, 1927). The students of STOVIA pioneered and played a prominent role in the national awakening, which later led to the nation’s independence. It is only appropriate that the STOVIA building is now made the National Awakening Museum. After the school, then GHS, moved to its current Salemba site, its defiance grew and its students were deeply involved in the process to freedom.

I visited the exhibition on August 13, and my grandparents tagged along. The lobby of the faculty building was decorated in an antique minimalist setting with sheets of elegant batik cloths hanging from the walls. Historical black-and-white photos were displayed on the support columns and old stands. Those pictures hold more than millions of words and emotions.

There were pictures of dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo, after whom the school’s teaching hospital is named. He founded the Indische Partij and argued for an independent Indonesia. Another well-known figure was dr. Abdulrahman Saleh, also called Pak Karbol. A day after the declaration of independence, radio stations were shut down by the Japanese; in response, Pak Karbol assembled a radio transmitter in the physiology laboratory to spread the good news everywhere. The laboratory is still in use for medical students. Later, he established Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI). He is also a military pilot in AURI (RI Air Force).

Other figures were also featured in the exhibition. There were dr. Leimena, dr. Latumenten, and dr. Kariadi. Several doctors’ name don’t appear often in history books, but their descendants are now holding various positions. My grandparents told me more about them, but I think they will have to repeat that.

The exhibition showed not only graduates, but also people who were admitted into the school but didn’t finish it. Mohammad Roem, of the Roem-Royen Agreement, transferred to the law school. Soedarpo Sastrosatomo was fired from the school because he refused to obey Japanese order to shave his head. He then joined the negotiators in the Linggarjati Agreement. After the country stabilized, he founded Samudra Indonesia, a shipping company that grew powerful.

A couple pictures or two captured the campus itself during the years. The building was astonishingly majestic, and it still is today. My grandma shared a little story of how the students, including her, used to take shortcuts by climbing over a short wall, and at one time was caught by a professor who just laughed at the scene. A picture immortalized the patriotic scene in which students, doctors, and nurses staged a walk-out from the hospital after it was invaded and taken over by the Dutch.

The exhibition was some kind of an epiphany to me. I know that FKUI has a history like no other school, but only yesterday I grasped the whole thing. I would have to thank the organizers who set up the exhibition, and my grandparents, who added so many little bits of interesting information about the people and events in the picture. (It turned out that my grandpa organized a past Dies Natalis, and met several historical figures to enrich a stage play he planned for the occasion). Considering its past, it would be great if FKUI compiles its deep history and the stories of its figures. This exhibition made me a proud Indonesian and a motivated FKUI student; imagine what such book could make us all?

First-time Research Experience

2009-08-13T22:59:00.001+07:00

“Publish or perish” sounds scary enough to me and my fellow students in the medical school that we forced ourselves to plunge into the mysterious world of scientific research. After a month of preparation, I did my first data collection today in a dense residential area (also called a kampung) in East Jakarta, and I found out that there’s only a microscopic line between publishing and perishing.

Some background info: Six of us are doing a research on basic immunization in six areas around Jakarta. Per government regulation, basic immunization in Indonesia consists of BCG, DTP, polio, hepatitis B, and measles vaccines; immunization schedule is also set out in the regulation, albeit a little different from the pediatric society’s recommendation since the government has to consider the public health aspects. We want to know the coverage of the immunizations, and find out what factors are correlated to completing the immunization program on time. In theory, we are giving out questionnaires to mothers with toddlers; in practice, we’re dealing with restless young mothers, crying tots, and people who are too eager for a little souvenir.

Even before we planned anything, I had already realized that it is foolish to think that a field research can go smoothly without any hiccups. Anyway, that’s not a reason to let everything go wild; so we contacted the Kampung Melayu posyandu (community health service for toddlers) coordinator and delineated our plans for the research. She was extremely helpful and resourceful, thus lifting a lot of burden from our amateur shoulders. She took care of the location and contacted the research subjects. And in one day, we had the best plan ever. Or so we thought.

D-Day. Curiously enough, our research mentor called it “turun penelitian” a.k.a. getting down –and dirty- with the research. The day started peacefully. We settled in the place, and a couple of mothers with their toddlers came. We happily acted our part as the eager and caring researchers. Those first mothers were very lucky: we recited the whole ethics stuffs, played nice with their tots, helped them fill out the questionnaire attentively, and gave them a proper goodbye. All the time we were totally oblivious to the impending chaos.

Throngs of mothers just appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The new crowd suddenly packed our research spot and bombarded us, if not whined, with requests. “I haven’t got the questionnaire!”, “Can I have a pen, please?”, “I am in a hurry! Help me fill this out!”. Our stock of questionnaire simply flew everywhere into the hands of the overexcited subjects. The niceties were shamelessly replaced by hurried efficiency. Instead of the calm introduction, we had to tell them to complete the questionnaire straight away. (We still paid attention to the consent form, so no ethics problem there.)

Despite the main theme of chaos, there were many bits of interesting insight and experience there. One of the most serious insight is that quite a lot of the mothers lost their child’s immunization record to frequent floods. Only then the fact struck us that Kampung Melayu is dangerously flood prone. Apparently, floods in the area can reach the second floor. Second, their interest in our research should have been expected since the kampung is one of the university’s favorite research areas. They know that there will be souvenirs for them. Hence, they come for the souvenirs. Can’t blame them, and we do need them.

There were several mothers who caught our attention amid the choking crowd. There was this one mother who just stared blankly with a pen in her hand and questionnaire in front of her. My friend expected that, as she helps others with their forms, the mother would have finished hers. My friend was completely shocked to find her spacing out without any ink on her questionnaire. Another mother annoyingly asked my other friend to “serve” her first, because she had to breastfeed her son. That would have been fine, if not for the fact that there are people who got there before her and she could have breastfed her son while waiting for her turn. I don’t know why she insisted that she must fill her forms before breastfeeding. In the end, she did her questionnaire as her son had his milk in tranquility.

Surprisingly, the crowd cleared out as fast as it appeared. We instantly had a stack of filled forms with precious data, and also a chance to look at each others’ freaked out faces. No one dared to think that our first work would soon be over, but fortunately we finished the day in one piece. I wouldn’t bet on our sanity though.

All this stuff, and we still have 5 places to go. Yet, I proudly say that I feel no regret. It is a unique experience, and we won’t be able to avoid it anyway. It is a matter of time, whether we get this now and become prepared or years later when we have more things to stress about and are unprepared. After all, we had a good laugh on our way home, thanks to this research.

Movie Chit-Chat: UP to the Top!

2009-08-08T22:43:00.001+07:00

Until last night, I had been preparing a writing to post here soon. Then Up came along, and it floated like a house with balloons to the top of my priority list. It has been a long time since the last “movie chit-chat”, which should give you a clue to how good my movie reviews are. Let’s just say the quality is proportional to the frequency. To be honest, I feel like I’m the Paula Abdul of movie reviews, only less drunk and less clap-happy: I blindly praise almost all movies I’ve seen. My movie chit-chats weren’t as much a review as a personal opinion. So if a proper review is what you’re looking for, you’d better look somewhere else.

I’ve just watched Up Thursday night, a little late considering that it’s been around for a week or so. When its trailer started to show up months ago, I wanted to go see Up simply because it’s another Pixar product. It is too normal to be so eager as Pixar has given us Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and WALL-E, to name a few. Last weekend, Up was already playing everywhere and words start to circulate. What I got from my friend was that the movie is lovely and very touching. Some admitted that Up brought them to tears. They mentioned something about the opening scene and the flashback scenes. And I was like “whaat!?”. And then they said it was funny too. Those cutey-touchy comments could have cancelled my plan right away, yet I resisted. Even if it is that mellow, a Pixar movie must never be missed. I proudly confirm that Up is that amazing and is also a must-watch.

Sitting in the cinema, I braced myself for the said tear-jerking moments. However, I beg to differ even from the start. The movie started exceedingly beautiful, showing the main character Carl Fredricksen’s adventure-crazy childhood and how he met fellow explorer girl Ellie, who later became his wife. The story was accompanied by wonderful music that still echoes in my ears. The couple seemed to have a wonderful time, except for the fact that they were unable to have children. Then, the couple set their goal on visiting the Paradise Falls somewhere in South America, but life keeps getting in the way. When they almost realized that dream, Ellie passed away. Carl was then left alone bitter. I loved how they portray Carl’s life: childhood, wedding, married life, old age, and widower.

One day, after an assault to a construction worker in front of his house, Carl was ordered to move to Shady Oaks retirement home. In one night, Carl inflated thousands of balloons (Wikipedia said 10,000) and in the morning, surprised the caretakers when his house floated off its foundation and flew away. The house itself with the balloons is a festival of color, totally unforgettable. Mid-air, Carl was then joined by Wilderness Explorer kid Russell who was eager to get his “Assisting the Elderly” merit badge. From there, the wacky adventure started.

I cannot stress this enough: Up is a must-watch. It has a unique story, a good balance of emotions, the gorgeous Pixar graphics, and charming music. I would say that the movie is poetic.

Travel Notes #1: Getting Around Melbourne

2009-08-03T16:52:00.001+07:00

Here is my first post about the month-long vacation I had in the east coast of Australia. Rather than making a chronological series of the journey, I decided to write one topic each time. This way, I have a broader field to write about so that I am not stuck sharing stories about the amazing time and adventure I had in the land down under *evil grin*. Besides, I will not have to recall what I did on which day; it has become somewhat fuzzy since I did so many exciting activities there *another evil grin*. For this one, I will share a side of Melbourne which made me fell in love with the city: its public transport.

A city’s public transport is very important to me, and my family, because we rarely join packaged tours whenever we are travelling. We value our freedom to choose and move very highly, and using public transport gives a glimpse of life in that city, which is what I like about travelling. In every city we visited, we mainly rely on public transport to go around: London’s Tube, Paris’ Metro, Sydney’s monorail, and many other. On this matter, we can be surprisingly daring. In a trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, a few years ago, my family decided to split from our Indonesian tour group (we can only tolerate so many shopping stops in a day) and rode the underground railway, guided only by some Cyrillic scribbles from the tour guide.

Moreover, I have complained again and again about Jakarta’s public transport. This post will hopefully help people imagine the efficient, convenient, and humane public transport I always wish Jakarta will have soon. And believe me, we have lightyears to go and catch up.

Melbourne’s public transport is one of the best I have ever known - perhaps the familiarity helps a lot too. There are trains, trams, and buses in Melbourne, all of which are integrated into Metlink. This integration means we only need one ticket, the Metcard, to go almost anywhere. The fare is based on the duration, during which ticket holders have complete freedom to travel on trains, trams, and buses. Metlink offers 2-hours, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly Metcards, along with several special offers like the 10x 2-hours and 5x Daily. Metcards are also based on zones: Greater Melbourne is divided into Zones 1 and 2, with a City Saver zone for Melbourne’s CBD in Zone 1. Almost all the touristy stuffs are in Zone 1, so it is quite cheap to get around.

The main train station is Flinders Street Station; that and the stations on the edges of Melbourne’s CBD make up the City Loop. Another main station in the loop is the renovated Southern Cross Station (formerly Spencer St.) which also serves regional and interstate trains and hosts a coach terminal. Trains are useful to reach the suburbs, like in my case since I lived with my aunt in the south eastern suburbs. I think tourists who stay in the city will not need the trains very much.

On the other hand, the tram network is a great way to explore Melbourne’s city centre and its surroundings, especially because it offers more view than the underground train. Because tram routes are concentrated in the city, a stretch of road may be served by multiple routes; thus, the waiting time is very short. For example, the part of Swanston Street in the CBD is served by nine routes. A free City Circle tram is also available. The tram follows the outer roads of the CBD (Flinders, La Trobe, and Spring Sts) and also goes to the Docklands.

A particularly fun ride is the route 96 tram to St. Kilda Beach. It comes into the city from Nicholson Street in the north, passing Carlton Gardens, where the Melbourne Museum and Royal Exhibition Building are located. Then, it enters Bourke Street, goes through the Bourke Street Mall, and turns south. The tram switches into a light rail train after passing Crown Casino and travels just outside Albert Park until it becomes a tram again in St. Kilda.

Last, the buses are also convenient, although the waiting time is quite long. However, tourists rarely use the bus. I rode the bus to go to Chadstone shopping centre, and occasionally to return to my aunt’s place when I’m too lazy to walk from the nearest –yet not so near- train station.

Metlink has a useful website with all the information one could need: route maps, timetables, zoning, Metcard types, and fares. It also provides a journey planner that gives out detailed plans. I tried the feature several times; apart from the information on which train/tram/bus to take, it also calculates the walking time to get to the stops.

The public transport in Melbourne is not perfect, though. The trains do run late at times, so do the other systems. Nevertheless, compared to what we have here in Jakarta, it is so much better that I began to wonder how on Earth did I survive TransJakarta for a year. While I might come across as a whiney kid too frail for the Indonesian urban jungle, I wrote this to complete what I have written here before about the urgency of a real public transport system to be established in the capital of Indonesia.

Where Are They Now? (Gimme My MP!)

2009-08-02T20:06:00.001+07:00

Roughly three months ago, Indonesian cities are deluged in their posters, stickers, and banners. They smiled at us from the side of the road, stared at us from walls, and covered every reachable surface. Their presence is almost Big Brother-esque. Without being asked, they told us their names and flaunted all their academic degrees regardless of where and how they got them. Some went further and photoshopped themselves with Obama, Beckham, and Superman. Others were more clueless. And being the cheeky people that we are, we made fun of them again and again and again.

Now, they are gone as fast as a shady reality show star. But wait, who are they that we are talking about?

No, they are not Tukul or Manohara and her greedy mother or Kangen Band. I will seriously sound a lot happier than this if they are gone. Right now, I am talking about our former legislative candidates - more specifically, the tiny percentage of them who had graduated to become members of our legislatures from the lowest level to the highest.

We can remember their omnipresence in the times before the election. You can find them hung between electricity lines, nailed to the trees, glued to the nooks and crannies of the city, and stuck to bajajs, buses, and hawkers’ stalls. Following worldwide trend, the uniting theme was “change” and “youth”. Virtually all the candidates tried to exploit that theme, even if he/she is -or looks like- a septuagenarian from an old-skool political party.

Let it be the thing of the past, although you can still laugh at the absurdity for years to come. What matters is that we already have our representatives-elect from all the electoral districts. According to the news, KPU is still in hot water after a Supreme Court decision regarding the allocation of DPR seats, not to mention the boiling ocean it has been in for their blatant ineptitude in organizing the elections. Let’s skip that part mostly because I don’t grasp what is actually going on. For now, I want to express an idea involving the elected guys.

For the sake of clarity, I am using the terms MP and lawmakers for members of the MPR, the bicameral parliament which consists of DPR and DPD; representative (rep) for members of DPR; and senator for members of DPD. If you know the official translation for those offices, please let me know. And despite this paragraph, I guess I will accidentally mix those terms up anyway.

I’m no politician or political analyst, fortunately. However, I believe I have more or less grasped the concept of representation in the parliament. In Indonesia, citizens of an electoral district are represented in DPR by several reps from different parties and in the DPD by four senators from each province. In lower levels, there are DPR’s in the provincial and regency level. By definition, to represent someone is to speak and act with authority in his/her behalf. Hence, when a district says it wants to outlaw Kangen Band, its MPs should fight for the noble cause in their respective legislatures. In turn, MPs should do a show-and-tell about what they have done in office to their constituents. A little boasting is also welcomed.

People living in developed democracy can understandably take that for granted. They have access to their MPs and their MPs regularly reach out to them. On the other hand, Indonesian voters do not enjoy the level of transparency and accountability a democracy should provide. I personally felt that when I stayed in my aunt’s house in Melbourne. During the month-long vacation, I found out that she receives letters, brochures, and many other publications from her MPs in both the state and federal legislature. I also happen to pass the offices of MPs in the area. Facebook opened my eyes on this matter as well. Because I am a fan of Barack Obama on the site, I get frequent updates and on those updates, the writer urged people to call or mail their own reps to convey a united message.

Those experiences sparked some thinking and questioning. I have been an Indonesian for more than 18 years and nearly all my family members are Indonesians, yet we never come into contact with any of our representatives. I confidently assume that most Indonesians also feel that way. How can they fight for our causes and believes when they don’t even know it? If we want to tell them, how can we do it? It is not so strange when people have the impression that MPs spend too much time hanging out with the big boys, and too little with the ordinary Anto or Joko or David.

Until now, our reps are almost strictly party-line voters, even when they and their constituents stand for something different from what the party wants. A recent example would be the controversial Porn Law, which got the nod from all but two factions in DPR (PDI-P and PDS). Many members betrayed the wish of their constituents from provinces that strongly rejected the bill simply because their parties wanted them to vote yes. One particular representative from Golkar came clean in a Jakarta Post article. This tragedy must never happen again in Indonesia.

I propose that the next members of our legislatures start making huge waves of change in how political representation works. Scratch that. To make political representation work will be more accurate. First, having offices in the district each one of them represents is a minimal. That way, we can get in touch with them and they can reach us. This office must be able to absorb the district’s general opinion regarding a matter, whether by asking or by listening; then relay that opinion to the MP so that he/she can represent it in the legislature. This office will also be responsible for the dissemination of information concerning what the MP has done.

Second, a strong presence in the cyberspace is needed to top off the presence in meatspace. After Obama’s brilliant online campaign, any politician who has a decent website will be accused of stealing a thing or two from Obama’s recipe book. Just don’t listen to this pointless accusation. Everyone will catch up with the trend, eventually; it’s not like Obama invented the internet. Conquering the internet will be even more crucial for MPs representing urban areas, while MPs from rural areas can always have a head start before the constituent gets into teh interwebs through series of tubes. For starters, an official page on Facebook or regular tweeting is acceptable, but it is certainly better if MPs employ local web designers to set up a dynamic, interactive, and up-to-date website.

Additionally, an MP must be extra sensitive about the goings-on in the net. We have to thank YouTube for making it obscenely easy to exaggerate a problem and amass support for it. A frustrated voter who chooses to let hell loose on YouTube can be the undoing of a representative or two. Apart from nipping troubles in the bud, an MP must be cool and hip. What the what, you say. Obviously I don’t expect my MPs to have a burning love for Miley Cyrus or the Jonas Brothers. Being cool and hip is, in this context, being able to grasp the general mood of the people and know what internet meme is growing fast. It may sound silly, but it won’t be when an MP’s gaffe evolves into a world-famous meme and politicians fail to catch it.

Third, MPs must not be afraid of getting down and dirty. They should hold a town hall meeting (the town hall part is figurative, of course) on a regular basis with the people they claim to represent. Constituents will have a chance to vent out whatever issues they have and to check whether the MP has done his job. MPs will, in return, get an opportunity to expound on the policies he makes and convince the people that it is suitable and beneficial for them.

Making these three changes will bring an unprecedented positive change to our politics. The people will be more properly represented in the legislature and enjoy a sense of being in touch with the extension of their voices. Decisions made in the representative bodies will then reflect what the people want even better. Voters will have an established channel to directly send their messages, lodge a complaint, express their outrage, and show their support to the legislative. For example, I would be able to share my love-hate TransJakarta relationship with the provincial representative from South Jakarta and tell them what I think needs to be fixed.

More importantly, constituents can demand greater accountability from their reps. They will have access to where the lawmakers stand on various issues and how they voted a bill. If the people find out that the lawmaker had voted against their wish, they can ask why after giving him/her the benefit of a doubt and a chance to explain that difference.

For the politician, breaking down the walls that separate them from voters will similarly bring its own benefits. It would be easier for MPs to sense the people’s collective vibe, whether they are satisfied or not with how things are going. Problems can be detected earlier and taken care of before blowing up into pure mess, which would damage a politician’s reputation the same way Simon Cowell ruins an auditioner’s day.

The other way around, an MP can use the channel of communication with his/her constituent to report on what have been done and voted in the legislature. A little self-advertising won’t hurt because an MP does deserve praise if he/she does a great work. “The Hon. Mr. X, MP have argued and voted for more spending on school infrastructure” or “The Hon. Mrs. Y, MP rejected bill on legalizing polygamy” - I personally wouldn’t mind getting updates on the successes of the guys who claim to be my voice in the government. Later, this will be an advantage if the MP is seeking another term in office because the people have known this MP’s performance.

The next members of Indonesia’s legislatures haven’t been sworn-in, but I already have high hopes that the “change” that they boasted to bring since the campaign days are not mere repetition of Obama’s buzzword, but real positive change for a better Indonesia.

Back in My Zone

2009-07-27T22:39:00.001+07:00

Yep, I am back in the Big Durian after the month-long vacation. Most importantly for this blog, it means that I can once again assume a semi-vegetative state with my laptop and cable TV. That translates to more time online and thus, more time blogging. As you can see, my good I’m-gonna-post-something-during-vacation intention which I declared in the previous post didn’t work at all. Not my fault, really, that the vacation was sooo much fun.

Anyway, for some of the coming posts I’m planning to share my experiences during the trip to the land Down Under. Dip my toes in the travel writing ocean and see how it will go. Although at one point of childhood I wanted to be Lonely Planet’s Ian Wright-slash-travel writer, I’ve never done any travel writing. Of course I’m not counting those corny elementary school assignments where I have to write about what I did during school holiday. You should know that there are numerous ways to “decorate” a dull staycation into an exciting once-in-a-lifetime stuff on paper. So yeah, it will be a new challenge.

As much as I wanted to write something meaningful (now that would be new!), I’m coming down with mild flu. I hope it’s nothing big; the last place I want to spend the rest of my holiday is some creepy isolation ward for H1N1 patients. Right now, it’s rather hard to keep my mind focused enough to write properly. But fear not, for I usually recover surprisingly fast for this kind of illness. Until then, you can enjoy your life unadulterated by my rants.

What am I writing!?

I'm Still Here

2009-07-13T13:34:00.002+07:00

In case you're wondering, I am still alive and well. The last time I posted something was two weeks ago; since then I've been on vacation somewhere in the southern hemisphere where road speed limit means the upper limit rather than the lower and where public transport is meant for human. Moreover, I don't want to brag, but I'll still be on vacation two weeks from now and the next academic year won't even start until September. (Ha!)

I genuinely regret my absence for the last two weeks: I think I haven't done enough bashing prior to the presidential election and I really wanted to rant about the result. (However, as in every democracy, I will have to accept and respect it).

The good news is that, for this second half of my vacation, I'll have more free time so maybe I can drop in and type a post or two. Maybe, just maybe. So...move along with your lives and come again soon.

Stop the Crackdown in Iran

2009-06-26T21:12:00.001+07:00

While Indonesia is in the middle of a peaceful presidential campaign season, a country in another part of the world is suffering through a post-election turmoil. The Iranian presidential contest between incumbent Ahmadinejad and opposition figure Mousavi ended in huge demonstrations, after allegations that Ahmadinejad’s victory is a result of an unfair, rigged election. Mousavi’s supporters took to the streets, chanting “where is my vote?”. The government denies any wrongdoing, although it has offered partial recounts. Unsurprisingly, Ahmadinejad have accused that “Western powers” are the cause of the unrest.

In the meantime, the government and the Iranian police have conducted violent crackdown against protesters. Photographs of bloodied Iranian beaten by the police, videos of people shot dead, and the news that Facebook and Twitter have been blocked – these saddening reports have made its way through today’s various channels of communication. I need not delve again into this matter since everybody in the world must have known what happened.

What I would like to express in this post is that I support the demands by Iranians for a fair, democratic election and for measures to ensure that the result is not controlled by anyone but the voters. I would also like to express my condolences, support, thoughts and prayers to Iranians; the citizens of the world, especially its leaders, must urge Iran to respect its people’s human rights.

Not to make the wrong start, it is frankly not our right or business to say who should have won the election: it is an internal matter of Iran and its people. We should not be trapped into mocking Ahmadinejad as the demagogue the media made him, nor should we blindly name Mousavi as a messiah whatsoever. Furthermore, I see this human rights tragedy from my point of view as an Indonesian. My country Indonesia have weathered undemocratic regimes and started a Reformasi, during which lives were lost and buildings burned down. Moreover, Indonesians can relate to Iran as both have predominantly-Muslim population.

We must support efforts by Iranians to address all election concerns democratically, the result of which should be accepted by everyone. More importantly, we have urge the current government to stop assaults and censorship against its own people. In its past “deviances”, Iran still proudly claims that it respects human rights; yet those pictures and videos we see in the news tell otherwise. Shortly, world figures must strongly urge Ahmadinejad to make good on his claims. If he refuses, it is not so bizarre to delay the recognition of any new government Iran assembles. Why would we recognize a state that is built on bloodshed?

On Indonesia’s Reformasi, the military also used violence against demonstrators and several students died. There were reports of rapes and of people being locked in buildings and burned alive inside. The following riot wreaked havoc everywhere. However, at the end of the day the regime that has stood for 32 years fell down and the rule of the people comes back to power. So unless Iranian leaders want to be seen as despots, they should stop abusing their power and halt all violence.

As a Muslim, I also have messages to convey. First, Islam around the world has been working hard to prove that Islam respects and supports democracy. Democracy has always been well-accepted by Indonesian Muslims, and it is growing in many other countries which previously adheres to extreme views of Islam. If Iran insists on continuing the oppression, it will hurt the image Muslims everywhere have fought to build and will only engender more slanders against the religion. Second, to Muslims everywhere in the world, we need to make our stance clear that we condemn such violence and human rights abuse committed by the Iranian government. Islam is a religion that protects human rights, although I admit that some people haven’t practiced that part of the teaching yet. Anyhow, we should be the wave of change and show the world that we cannot tolerate this tragic event.

Last, we need to show our support for our brothers and sisters in Iran who are being oppressed. The Muslim solidarity, or the ukhuwah, should not get stuck in Palestine-Israel only. This solidarity must extend its reach to help the people of Iran, too. All people of various faiths worldwide have shown great support, there’s no reason why Muslims should stay silent.

Support Iran’s path to a fair election and to democracy. Stop all human rights abuse.

A Battle Cry, But No Battle At All

2009-06-25T12:55:00.001+07:00

My last post about the TransJakarta was purely unpolitical. It should remain so unless Fauzi Bowo decides to sue me, which would create a deluge of support from our presidential candidates. Then I would reek of politics. However, let’s not waste our time pondering about this hypothetical event and let’s puzzle ourselves with the workings of this presidential election campaign.

According to my personal history, this campaign season features the first real debates among presidential and vice-presidential candidates, organized by the General Elections Committee (KPU). The first of five presidential debates took place on June 18. It was widely considered as a flop: although all went well, the debate itself was tedious and not so enlightening. It mysteriously didn’t have a real debating session, only 90 minutes of one-way blabbity-blab snoozefest and 30 minutes of commercials. Ironically for a “debate”, Indonesians couldn’t see their would-be leader express their thoughts, showcase their critical thinking abilities, argue against each other, and compete for the top spot. In short, they spent 2 hours on something that they could have done on YouTube, like what the Queen has done – and leave Britney alone.

As if that was not horrible enough, the criticism was met with the lamest defense one could construct. Some say that debates in which candidates go for an all-out attack are too “American”; others claim that a heated debate goes against “Indonesian culture” as Indonesians follow “Eastern customs”. Concerned commentators defend the debate format on the grounds that it’s the only way to prevent unruly exchange between the candidates, colloquially known as debat kusir. Nevertheless, SBY was the one who dropped ‘da bomb. He said that debates don’t have to follow the American format because we have our own culture, that attacking other candidates only happens in the US, and that candidates should prioritize substance and solidarity over aggression.

Dear Leader, I beg you to stop right there! The things he -and also the others- said were too wrong on too many levels. In this post, I will attempt to answer those accusations and clear the image of debating. There will be less comedy here, sorry.

For a start, someone could take the article I refer to in the previous paragraph and upload it to FailBlog.org with the title “Debate Concept FAIL”. Wiktionary defines debate as “an argument or discussion, usually in an ordered or formal setting, often with more than two people, generally ending with a vote or other decision”; “an informal and spirited but generally civil discussion of opposing views; “discussion of opposing views”. Basically, there must be arguments for and against something. Additionally, every argument will generate a rebuttal from its opponents. Statistics will be thrown around, so will philosophy and ideology. Why?

For a presidential debate, it means each candidate needs to convince the audience, voters, that she or he is the right person for the job. They must expound on the values they believe in and how those values will translate into concrete action. A debate should be the moment where candidates can clearly differentiate herself/himself from the competition. For example, all three of them could promise accessible and affordable healthcare for all Indonesians. Without a debate, that statement is as essential as JK is tall. Thus, the debate is a chance to elaborate how the candidate is going to achieve accessible and affordable healthcare for all Indonesians. In the process, he/she must also point out what makes their plan better and others’ flawed.

That being said, the dreaded “aggression” is actually nothing to fear. Debaters don’t slap or claw each other, and neither do they gouge each other’s eyes out. In any proper debate, arguments never equates to personal attacks or baseless accusations. Instead, arguments should contain logic, rhetoric, and data. That is where the audience can see the values and beliefs the candidates hold, and decide whether it suits them or not. I admit, nevertheless, that since Indonesia’s democracy is still evolving, some debates will not be so different from debat kusir. Yet, that is a step we all have to take. We must not sacrifice our future by stifling the development of real debates.

Last, I find that the “Indonesian culture”/”Eastern customs” excuse is too clichéd. Which part of the culture are we dealing with? Most Indonesians are expected to be courteous and discreet, and perhaps some people thought that a debate is not so Indonesian. That couldn’t be farther from the truth because as I have described earlier, a debater must boast himself/herself and refute the opponent elegantly. In fact, the Indonesian version of decision making called musyawarah untuk mufakat naturally demands opposing sides to debate what’s good and what’s bad so that they can reach a deal. Looking at the big picture, the “Indonesian culture”/”Eastern customs” argument is ridiculously abstract and overused – people use this to cut off all kinds of progress.

To conclude, I hope that the next presidential debates, not only for 2009 but also for all future elections, will be more like a real, educated debate. A debate is never rude or un-Indonesian. Voters are tired of absurd promises of heaven and we should make our choices according to how we want our beloved country to be run by the next government.

TransJakarta Survival Guide

2009-06-16T22:24:00.001+07:00

It was almost a year ago when I initiated my almost-daily adventure on the TransJakarta (TJ) from Salemba to Alpus. Well, not really a year until this September but I’m on holiday now, which means no busway ride for me and I’m not looking forward to any TJ ride in the near future. I’ve experienced the best and the worst it can be, and like it or not, it has colored my life. My mom has taken to calling me “the busway lover”. Eeugh. I'd better get to the point now.

In celebration of my so-called “love of busway”, I’m spreading the mass transport love and joy to the whole world through my very own TransJakarta Survival Guide. It is a reflection of my affair with Sutiyoso and Fauzi Bowo’s pet project. Use this at your own risk – you have been warned.

OK, first and foremost, any potential TJ passenger should realize that TJ operates in its own universe. The buses come and go capriciously, and God alone knows how much time we waste waiting for our bus. You will have plenty of time to admire the bus stops, called “shelters”. I believe they’re called shelters for a reason – not a good reason, if you’re wondering. Air conditioning in the shelters are all-natural, keeping in mind that “natural” in Jakarta = Mother Nature + her bratty illegitimate offspring, the toxic stuffs floating in the air. Its design is an example of minimalism. It’s basically a box made of corrugated metal and glass with a few benches plopped here and there. Austerity is the word of the shelters. If your trip includes changing corridors, it means you have a chance to enjoy a scenic route from one shelter to another since you will be walking a considerable distance. Hurray!

That said, I recommend that passengers prepare themselves physically, mentally, spiritually, and whatever aspect your body holds. Before hitting the trail, it is always a great thing if you have already known your destination shelter, the corridors you have to take, and where you have to change buses. There are guards/guides in most shelters, but sometimes they’re not there or they may not be the nicest guy around to ask for directions. So do your homework and save yourself from all the fuss. Don’t forget to allocate enough time for your trip. Due to the arbitrary nature of the TJ, trips can take less than 15 minutes or a lifetime. If you are the kind of busy person who has to be at two places at the same time, TJ is definitely not a smart choice.

The moment you enter the shelter you must buy the ticket. It ticket costs Rp3500 and it grants you unlimited ride on the city’s busway system, provided you don’t go out of the shelters. If you have a day to spare, you can try spending it on board these giants. If you really have a day to spare and decide to ride TJ all day long, please get a life. Seriously.

Now that you’re in the waiting area, chances are you must wait for some time. This is where the physical part goes into play. Be a nice guy/girl and stand in line. If someone is being obnoxious, ignore them and don’t be like them; we have enough obnoxious people in the city. In some shelters, the line will fan out from the door and people will pile up from every direction. Queue concept FAIL. You should stick to the real line. Oh yeah, wait for the bus at the right shelter door and don’t go in from the exit door. In case you’re getting the articulated bus, you can enter from the front and back door (the middle’s for the exit). I advise you take the back door.

When the bus approaches, everybody in line will move to the I-have-to-get-on-the-bus formation, i.e. they will start pushing forward. Adapt yourself to the formation, and make sure all your belongings are safe. When the bus door is open before you, proceed carefully to ensure your safety and dignity (tripping over the steps = bad!). There are two scenarios on this point.

Scenario A: there’s no seat available and you have to stand. Unless you’ll be getting off at the next stop, you should make your way to the back of the bus or the front. I generally prefer the back since it is more spacious. Don’t be a jerk by sticking around in front of the door when it’s crowded. Happy standing, and hope that you will get a seat during your lovely trip.

Scenario B: there’s a seat. You should…sit! Yay us! Please be a civilized passenger and give up your seat if someone needs it more. Possible candidates: pregnant women, old people, handicapped, and people with small children. Personally, I don’t give my seat to any woman. If they’re not pregnant, they can stand. In fact, I think its deeply condescending to all women to think that a woman is not strong enough to survive TJ.

There are several things you can do in the bus, apart from eavesdropping on a fellow passenger’s phone call. You can sleep. You can read stuffs. You can listen to music – and if you don’t have your own, some bus drivers turn on the radio on the bus. Most of the time it’s GenFM *blurgh)*; in rare cases, dangdut *double blurgh*. Apparently some people think that they can speak on the phone very very loudly. I don’t think so.

Suppose you reach your destination in one piece…you should get off the bus. Usually you can use all the doors to exit, but if the shelter’s full of people, you should choose the true exit door. ‘Nuff said. Don’t forget to thank God and congratulate yourself.

At all times, keep your belongings safe and your head cool. A TJ ride can be tough – it should be an extreme sport someday.

It is true that TJ can be a great way to get around, but public transportation is not only moving a person from point A to point B but also providing reliable, consistent service. While TJ’s benefits amaze me a couple of times, TJ could also be an inch shy of being a human right violation. Anyway, best wishes to TransJakarta.

PS. Now that I’ve written this potentially libelous writing, I’m going to pray that Fauzi Bowo won’t sue me in court.

A New Dawn

2009-06-11T23:46:00.001+07:00

The world’s been spinning wildly these days, especially if you have TV (who doesn’t?) and infotainment programs found a way to infiltrate your brain. Indonesians have kicked off the presidential election(s) campaign season, boohoo-ed with and later boo-ed at Manohara, sympathized with Prita, cursed at Malaysia over Ambalat, and totally forgot about the legislative elections (which were held April 9 this year, if you’re wondering). There are other issues too, apart from Adam Lambert’s official coming-out. Sometimes I wonder whether our drastic advance in communications technology is matched by our own capacity to manage it.

Today, let me be a bit egoistic. I’m going to tediously tell you my recent life stories and you will be so bored that fluid will ooze out of your ears. First, I made a Twitter account. Yay! After months of hesitation and laziness -mostly the latter- a Time magazine article moved my heart to tweet. Core motivation: following Ellen DeGeneres’ twitter. Along the way, Twitter proves to be a great channel for news updates as well as the usual business, i.e. gossips among friends and such.

Second, this is the last day of the Neuroscience module. I predict that I flunked my anatomy lab test. Still, I am a firm believer of “hope for the best, prepare for the worst” so it hasn’t disturbed me that much. I’m too happy for being free from the dreaded module to care about those mumbo-jumbo. And yes, I am entering the beloved phase of med school life: long holiday!

Third, I’m back to blogging…obviously. Do expect temporary increase in blog-fecundity. In fact, I made this post just for the sake of blogging something. Thank you for being my victims.

Last, I am looking forward to my trip down (that’s a clue) to a place I miss so much. I’ll be away from the end of this month but I guess I can access and perhaps drop a line or two during my vacation.

Annoying life storytelling ends here. Go back to your lives, or get one.

Talking About The Winner

2009-05-31T17:18:00.001+07:00

Yesterday was Saturday and I did rather unproductive stuffs: waking up late, facebooking the morning, going to campus to sign an attendance list, and enjoying Jakartan’s favorite past-time activity that is wandering in a mall. (Grand Indonesia, to be specific). To balance that “negativity”, I decided to revisit this blog I love. And what could be a better topic to ease my homecoming than the timeless American Idol. I’m too lazy to think, anyway.

Yeah yeah, we all got the news last week. Kris Allen virtually stole the American Idol winner title from Adam Lambert’s grasp, engendering mixed, if not all-negative, opinions from critics and the public. Adam, who has been the judges’ golden boy throughout the competition, had consistently dished out outstanding performances and built an unorthodox image on his looks and stage appearance. Apart from his excellent musical talent, his wardrobe and make up each night would shame my mom – she admitted that she could learn a thing or two from him. The world thought that they are ready to just hand him the trophy of American Idol that night.

On the other hand, Kris Allen was someone whom you could expect to be there. The typical cute face, nice demeanor, and totally-not-freaky performances combination is arguably the key to American Idol stardom. Not having photographs in drag costume and questionable poses helps too. He is a great singer, nonetheless. (IMO, his version of Kanye West’s Heartless is simply irresistible; instantly got that on my iPod). Perhaps Ryan Seacrest said it best on the result show, it was “the guy next door (Kris) vs the guyliner (Adam)”.

At the end of the day, Kris Allen won. According to relevant sources, there were several factors that contributed to his victory. An opinion pointed out that Adam’s consistency in giving superb shows from the start to the end did not actually help him in the finals. In contrast, Kris Allen’s slower rise to visibility (I didn’t even notice that there was a Kris Allen until the season was halfway through) built more momentum for his win. People saw Kris improve and they voted for him.

Another possible factor is that Kris inherited third-placed Danny Gokey’s voters, who preferred him to Adam. The notion of “Christian vote” floated around for a while, especially as the public’s curiosity tried to solve the mystery of Adam’s sexuality. Last, it is very possible that Americans are not ready to have Adam Lambert as an American Idol winner and they chose the more conservative Kris.

Then Perez Hilton joined the fray. He alleged that AT&T helped Kris by providing free cell phones to a gathering of Kris’ supporters and teaching them how to “power text”, i.e. sending 10 votes at the touch of a button. Read the whole ~~news~~ gossip here or the Wikipedia article here. Trust him or not, it’s your choice.

As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have any complaints regarding Kris’ triumph. I did root for Adam Lambert (hello, he’s like fantabulous!), but since the Top 4 –Allison Iraheta, Danny Gokey, Adam Lambert, and Kris Allen- I didn’t care who would win, all of them are fantastic. So what do you think?

It’s Been Too Long

2009-05-28T00:20:00.001+07:00

Here’s the lowdown: school has taken hostage most of my time. I’m currently going through (and hopefully surviving) Neuroscience, one of the scariest monster in med school…not counting the lecturers. Hahaha, just kidding. The scary lecturers part. The school’s taking hostage of my time is real. I have been diving into the realm of human’s nervous system, and I’m trying hard not to lose my anchor to real life.

Evidently, this blog has been eeriely dormant since the beginning of this month. The last post I did was about SBY’s being squeezed into the Time 100 list. It is naturally a good news for the country, yet I think if SBY is really that influential, Time should have asked someone else to write about Dear Leader SBY. All he got was a writing by Anwar Ibrahim that came straight off Wikipedia. Yay…not. (Why am I writing this!?)

I am doing this post around midnight, suspecting my GCS is lower than 15, and I have a freakin’ lab time tomorrow. So let’s end this fast: I still update my tumblr regularly – link on the right. Most are written in Indonesian, but there aren’t too many texts posted there anyway. It should work just fine for everyone.

Nevertheless, I am looking forward to once again actively updating this blog, which I suddenly have an impulse to call “my first child”. Okay, that “child” thing means I need some sleep. Bye.

He’s In!

2009-05-02T00:15:00.001+07:00

Every year, the Time magazine produces a list of 100 people they think has greatly influenced the world. I never really wait for that particular issue, but when the magazine plopped down the driveway this morning, I knew that I just had to read who’s in the list this year. And who’s writing about him/her. That is another reason why I love the list: for each Time100er, the magazine got another famous person to write about that guy/girl. It gives another fresh view of that person since we can see it from another perspective. For me, it is also a reminder that no matter how hugely popular or immensely influential a person is, they still live in this very Earth, together. Obama and Sarkozy lives here, so does Tom Hanks and M.I.A. And no, Zac Efron does not live in Wildcats-lalalaland where one sings for every mood change.

However, this current issue of the magazine has gained relatively bigger attention from Indonesian public compared to previous list. The reason is that, a few weeks ago, our dearest leader Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (I somehow had taken to refer to him with a sarcastic “our dearest leader”) was reported to be in the list. The presidential website put up the news, after it had received a letter from Time magazine saying just so. News spread fast these days, and in a blink of an eye, there were rumors going around that it is a hoax. Yeah, following Supertoy and Blue Energy gaffe –or scandal, whichever suits your taste, it didn't sound so weird if the President had indeed received a fabricated letter. Thus, we could do nothing but wait until Time comes out with the list itself.

And yes people, he’s in! Let me get this straight, in real life I do not sound that perky or feel that happy for him. Nevertheless, this should be a source of pride for the nation because it means that the magazine have considered that SBY has influenced the world quite a lot to deserve a spot. I’m no fan of the big guy, but as far as I’m concerned, he is not a complete whack. Moreover, it should serve as a motivation to all Indonesians to really really go for it, whatever they're doing. In fact, SBY can be succeeded in the list next year by anyone, not by the next president only.

As for the writing, his spot was filled by Anwar Ibrahim, who wrote a short piece regarding SBY’s job as Indonesia’s president. I’m not gonna lie; I think Anwar did a plainly meh job of describing my president. SBY is the president of the world’s most populous Muslim nation…blah…transition to democracy…double blah…a more prominent position in Asia and throughout the Muslim world…extravagan-blah. Perhaps he should have been allowed to read what J.K. Rowling wrote of Gordon Brown or Madeleine Albright of Hillary Clinton before he began to write the piece. Note to Encik Anwar (if that’s the correct Malay way to address him): we want an insight into how outsiders perceive RI-1, not some facts we could copy-paste from Wikipedia.

For the online version, go here and don’t forget to check out the also-annual, always entertaining Joel Stein’s own version of Time 100.

Free Health Care is Not Slavery

2009-04-29T22:55:00.001+07:00

I am a medical student; I’m gonna be a doctor in about 5 long, torturous years. People say the process will push me to just an inch away from insanity. And they say if I am to be a doctor, I will have to eat thick books everyday until I die or retire, whichever comes first. And they say doctors will have to deal with annoying patients, which seems to be the category three quarters of all patients fall into. Now, pardon me for what I’ve said. Whoever they are, they made me question the path I have taken so far.

Those stuffs I understand. What I never get is how Indonesians perceive free health care.

As an example, my high school teacher once said that “in the future, doctors in the country will work as public service; that is, they don’t get paid”. He continued on with his dreams of affordable doctor’s fees and drugs -and doctors that will not prosper when the utopian health care system fell down to Indonesia from the heavens. Uncharacteristically, I ignored him and was like “What!? Doctors aren’t slaves!” (regrettably, not out loud) What was he thinking? Sadly, many people share his view on the issue.

Well, I felt a strong urge to clarify one thing: “free (or affordable) health care means that the government comes up with a brilliant idea to manage its money (including your tax money) so that it can PAY some of your medical expenses, if not most of them”. It is the government who will pay the doctors and hospitals for providing their care. If you ask me about the government’s coming-up-with-a-brilliant-idea-to manage-its-money part, I cannot give a conclusive answer, though, since I’m not wacky enough to be a politician. On this occasion, I’m emphasizing the point that the government, instead of the literally sick people, will be the one rewarding health care workers. Raising taxes? Opting to provide minimal coverage only? Cooperating with private companies? I think our lawmakers already have the whole parliament building to wrestle around on this matter.

If the government wants to claim that it has provided health care to all Indonesians and use the claim for campaign material -if you think that I’m referring to our dearest leader SBY…well, I said nothing-, they must allocate enough money to hospitals and community health centers. Additionally, since we are in Indonesia, the government must also must also ensure that fund’s safe passage, lest it will be trapped in some bureaucratic bigwigs’ pockets.

The way I see it, our media today is quite unfair to hospitals. They kept complaining about critical patients being left untreated, some eventually died. They whined about babies “taken hostage” because their parents cannot pay the bills. It’s true that those were terrible tragedies that should’ve never happened in the first place. However, when the newspapers blame state hospitals, they forgot one thing: state hospitals still need money to serve their patients. That money, we understand now, comes from the government. So, when our state hospitals do not have any money, and thus they abandon the sick, it is really the government’s fault.

I could go on and on on this subject, but not now. Through this post, I just want to tell people what “free health care” actually means and prevent their being fooled by misleading campaigns.

Oh My Idol!

2009-04-26T23:37:00.001+07:00

Guess what? I was brewing some idea for another post when I suddenly remembered that I haven’t got my vital dose of What The Buck Show lately. No wonder life has been somewhat dull these days. So to the sacred YouTube I went, and What The Buck Show I watched. Of course, the recent Miss USA “opposite marriage” fiasco is up already, with the strong taste of a Michael Buckley production. However, it also reminded me that I’ve been silent on a topic that affects most of the cable-TV-connected world: American Idol!

In case you’ve been too busy picking your nose these months, American Idol is now in its eighth season. Kara DioGuardi joins the panel of judges. There were less wackiness during audition, and even more talent this year. The wild card round was back. The Top 12 surprisingly became the Top 13. A new feature, the “Save”, is introduced –and has been used- to rescue would-be Chris Daughtry or Jennifer Hudson from artistic freedom and independence.

The content of the Top 13 and its order of elimination has been more agreeable to me, compared to previous seasons. The first five people to get the boot, so insignificant that I’m not gonna list them, deserved it. Especially Alexis Grace. I didn’t know she existed until she was voted off. And then I heard something about Megan Joy, who was apparently another contestant on the show. She got kicked off too.

The sixth person we said bye to (the eighth place) had been very sensational from his first audition. Scott McIntyre is visually impaired; people simplify it to “blind”, although holy Wikipedia said he has tunnel vision. OK, he’s blind. His early performances were fantastic, but I felt that he lost his touch in recent shows, including his shout-y last song. Thus, I was more than happy when Seacrest told him good bye.

Next show, Matt Giraud got the lowest number of vote, despite giving one of his more memorable great performances. Lo and behold, he was saved by the judges. And I yay-ed, although not so much. But that save should be used at one point, so I don’t have any issue with it. As a result, the following week (this week) two contestants will be eliminated.

Fortunately, Giraud escaped the bottom three this week. Imagine the shame if he did. Instead, there were Lil Rounds, “Slumdog” Anoop Desai, and Alison Iraheta in the dreaded place. Both Lil Rounds and Anoop got chopped off the show; that I can understand. Yet, it’s too bad that Alison was there too.

Now, there are only 5 people left: Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey, Matt Giraud, and Alison Iraheta. They are all fantabulous and I can’t really decide who to root for. Nevertheless, I predict that we’re going to have an all-male Top 4. From there, I don’t really care who goes to the final and win. I will still watch American Idol religiously anyway.

Never Too Late for Earth, and for Ourselves

2009-04-25T23:57:00.001+07:00

Just a few days ago, April 22, a part of the world’s population celebrated another day for our one and only home in the universe: Earth Day. This post is a little off-schedule because I was trapped in the web of school assignments and exams; however, I’m back – and I’m on my holiday. I decided that I can still do my Earth Day post now, since every day is always an Earth day. I would like to highlight the importance of religion and religious figures in the joint effort to keep this Earth comfortably habitable.

The trend of religious resurgence, in all kinds of religions, has been quite drastic these years, especially in Indonesia. More people are turning to religious figures for a splash of wisdom and a breeze of serenity compared to, let’s say 5 years ago. Thus, even more religious figures enjoy the level of fame –and fortune- usually reserved for models, singers, and sinetron actors/actresses. They pop virtually everywhere: talk shows, gossips, traditional religious service programs, and the frequent REG<spasi> advertisements (even though I don’t really agree with what they’re selling there; “heavenly” ringtones, anyone?) They now wield an awesome influence over the country’s believers community.

That’s why I strongly believe in the virtue of promoting environmental values through religions and their people. I myself had a personal experience on that matter when I was in high school. I went to a private Islamic high school, but not a madrasa where students only study scriptures and strict separation between sexes exists. It was a normal high school with an added value, for a lack of better term.

Anyway, each month a student gets the ~~burden~~ opportunity of delivering the sermon before Friday prayers, chosen arbitrarily by the Islamic studies teacher. Being the nice and well-mannered student that I always am, she decided that I should get the chance to take the podium and preach. How could I say no?

Well, I could; but I wanted to rise up to the challenge and gave her a confident yes. Obviously, I also desired to serve something different, so I defied expectations and wrote a sermon about protecting the environment. At that time, I felt that the school need some shakes on the shoulder to remind them about environmental issues; it’s the new in stuff. I built my green case with real data and scientific explanations; I quoted the Qur’an, Muhammad, Gandhi, and many others. And I stood up there to tell the story.

The sermon caught the full attention of the congregation, despite the mediocre delivery that I regret so badly. It was nowhere near bad or abstruse, but there were some things I would’ve done differently. From where I was standing, at least I felt that everybody was awake and people actually paid close attention to my sermon. I got many positive feedback from my peers and teachers, some highlighted my breaking the unwritten, unspoken rules of tedious Friday sermons, and my bringing up a fresh topic of the world we’re living in.

It was a couple or so years ago; Earth Day 2009 seems to be a great day to reflect on that experience. I have realized that can learn about many precious things from that specific moment in my life. First, we don’t need to introduce environmental issue into religion per se because it has been there all along. Since I am a Muslim, I browsed several verses of the Qur’an and easily found verses touching the ecology and mankind’s responsibility toward the God-given Earth, both textually and contextually. I think other religions have such materials too – what kind of religion wants its followers to end up in a doomed planet? (No offense to any doomsday cult)

Second, people can accept religion making environmental cases and stances, and they are happy about it. This is certainly a good news because it means that religious figures make up another group of potential green crusaders. Imagine Qur’an recitals or Sunday masses encouraging its congregation to abstain from plastic bags or to print on both sides of the paper. Third, the environment is a topic on which all religions could work together in harmony. Of course, everyone is entitled to his/her own opinions; but when green issues forces people from various beliefs to cooperate, that’s another step towards tolerance and mutual understanding. Just what the world needs right now, amid the hatred that has permeated the air. We have to realize that no one religion is the “king” of the Earth and that we share a huge responsibility of taking care of this Earth, regardless of what deity/supreme being/concept we believe in.

Are we ready to harness the full potential of our beliefs for the sake of our Earth? There is no line that separates religious matters from environmental issues; in fact, respect for the environment is an important part of any belief. Someone should stand up and speak it really loud. Starting from YOU. Yeah, you!

To All Twelfth Graders of Indonesia

2009-04-19T00:08:00.001+07:00

Ah, the national exam…Last year, we had it “good” in one way or another. The government insisted on holding the fateful test despite widespread protests. They also doubled our workload, and our stress levels too. We were the first batch to go through six-subjects national exam; our seniors did only three subjects. In effect, our teachers and principals were forced to pump out all efforts to make sure everyone graduates on time with scores as high as possible. Arranging special hours on the tested subjects, going to tutorial services/huge-money-extortionist, and hunting the previous year’s test papers (anything more recent than that clearly violates the law, and it’s lame).

Probably you are experiencing something similar now. All the anticipation building up in your head and stomach. Various visions of worst- and best-case scenarios. Reciting prayers you’ve never known before and doing rituals you eschew in normal times. The feeling that you are still missing an important piece of information that will prove useful in the exam. The fear of making a ridiculous simple mistake. Don’t you just wanna explode? However, I’m not making this post to scare anyone. In fact, I’m doing the very opposite of scaring people.

I am hoping that all twelfth graders in the country, who will have their tests starting April 20, will get the best results for all the preparations they’ve made. Special prayers goes out for the students of my high school, Al-Azhar 1 Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta. Don’t you let your teachers and parents down. Additionally, climb up that Top 10 High School ladder once again!

I believe that you have studied all the topics that they will dish out in the exam. (Otherwise, you’re pretty much screwed) With only a day left, there’s no time to catch up on anything and seriously, no screaming and stressing out over the 5-days-for-eternity - We have enough depressed people right now.

Tomorrow is your cool-off day and don’t underestimate the power of cooling off. Your brain has been working it’s ass off (weird choice of words, I know) and I bet it’s on the verge of setting itself aflame. So, calm down and be cool. You won’t lose anything by not touching the books in a day.

I hope that you can easily dig out your knowledge to answer all the questions. It would be very sad to just know about the question but you can’t seem to pinpoint its answer. Last, I seriously wishes you tons and tons of good luck. Believe me, you need it.

Taking the Hit a.k.a. Dashed Dreams

2009-04-17T23:47:00.001+07:00

By this time, the fact is established that the current KPU members screwed up in their job and (dis)organized what many Indonesians see as the worst election in the country’s history. Some people excluded the elections during Soeharto’s time for being “undemocratic”, counting only the 1955 and post-reform elections; yet, they still say this election’s the worst of them all. They totally messed up big time in this election; don’t expect them to be able to arrange a full-scale traditional Javanese wedding ceremony with all its details.

The committee has been slammed over and over by various organizations and political parties (except the victorious incumbent’s, of course). In fact, I think the newspapers said that huge lawsuits are coming their way full speed. Errmm…KPU, good luck(?) The barricade looks good in front of your office, and my grandma said that it has a nostalgic value: it reminds her of Japanese colonial times in Jakarta during WWII.

However, KPU is not the only one taking a gargantuan hit after the election. Legislative candidates, half-affectionately called caleg, must also face the looming disaster of not getting that prestigious, money-showered representative seat. And some of them have already failed to cope with things going the wrong way. There are at least two types of stories from abortive calegs: the sad and the ironically funny, and perhaps a few that fits in both categories.

The sad stories are rather predictable. Calegs being suicidal are starting to (not) surprise us in the news. One female caleg from West Java, sources said she was pregnant, was found hanging in a hut in the middle of a rice field. Other failed calegs followed suit and ended their life after learning that they didn’t get a significant number of vote. Similarly, campaign managers of these calegs are joining the cruel trend too.

Another kind of sad story can be found more often: calegs from various parts of the country admitted into mental institutions. Some calegs and their family members prefer –maybe “were sent to” is more accurate- psychiatric hospitals, which have been on high alert status special for this election. I must say that the anticipation is one rare act of prepared prevention in this whatever-goes country. Also special for this election, those hospitals have equipped themselves with better amenities to accommodate these guys. Other calegs chose to enlist the help of spiritual gurus to guide them and ease the pain. Bathing in sacred lakes, holy waters, unintelligible prayers, or maybe more mainstream religious services like midnight prayers and Qur’an recital for muslims.

All of them are suffering from depression, ranging from mild to severe. They refuse to eat, talk, take a shower, and more than a few opt to bare everything, if you know what I mean. More belligerent calegs keep screaming at the open skies, demanding that their campaign money be given back. Not that strange, though, seeing that they’ve spent all of their assets to fund their campaigns and it’s very possible that they have taken out huge loans to add to the burden now.

Next, we have the funny stories. Let me start with this one: a caleg, who had donated carpets to a local mosque hoping to secure 20 votes from its Qur’an recital group, took the carpets back after somehow learning that he/she (sorry, got this one from Indonesian news) got only 19 votes. In a not-so-different fashion, candidates who gave out “cash donations” to his/her would-be constituents are now actively withdrawing those gifts. According to my mom, a TV news reported that a candidate who contributed his money to repair local roads tried to damage it back to its original condition, obviously because he lost. A more recent news covered a syukuran celebration of a failed caleg. He is very proud to say that he’d rather have a party than be sucked into a depressed state of mind. Either that or he’s just plainly went nuts.

These stories can tell us many things. First, the new election system put even more pressure on individuals running for office since they must compete with candidates from other parties and his/her own party. That translates to the necessity for more campaign materials and "contributions”. Second, because of all the costs, running for office requires lots of money that, sadly, doesn’t grow on trees. Life’s unfair, when you have little money. Third, our calegs haven’t quite grasped the concept of fundraising. Instead of owing here, there, and everywhere; calegs should have directly asked their supporters for donations to enhance their causes. Should they be elected, calegs pay the money back by actually serving those people, like making sensible laws and not sleeping on the job. If you see it like I do, these debt-ridden campaigns the calegs ran are clearly another form of gambling. Last, I must emphasize what people had said all this time, “they’ve spent so much money now and eventually, they will ‘multiply’ that amount in five years while being overpaid representatives.”

Man, this is sooo your Kryptonite!

Notes from a Grandson

2009-04-15T19:11:00.001+07:00

Last Sunday, April 12, 2009, my big extended family celebrated the 70th birthday of my grandfather. As expected, great food abounded, some of which my mom supplied from the roadside stalls of my high school. This isn’t the first time we played out this strategy, and as usual, it proved to be a hit. There happened to be some singing too. Hmm...I’ll put it this way: it’s like the audition for American Idol, properly-sang songs were few and far between; however, you just really have to love it. Otherwise, my mom wouldn’t hesitate to chop me up and serve my meat for the next party we’re having.

Festivities aside, there were moments that really made the day what it is: an expression of gratitude and a rare opportunity to discover an essential part of my family’s history, plus precious life lessons my grandpa inherited from his ancestors. The event was somewhat different from my family’s typical birthday party. Before we got to the tempting lunch part, the day began with speeches and testimonials from people who had been around my grandpa for all these times.

There was one of his younger brother who spoke about his admiration for his older brother’s tenacity and hard work, reflecting on the hard days of yore when they were still students. My grandpa’s colleague, and friend, for more than 40 years reminisced about the days when they were in medical school (FKUI, yay!) and finally became pediatricians. He also told about the times when the three of them (my grandpa, grandma, and himself) had to relentlessly fight their way to establish the pediatric pulmonology field in the hospital and university. A former student of his, now a senior pediatrician, also shared his experiences when he was taught by my grandpa, whom he regards as a “real teacher”.

Then, my grandpa did a speech, which was so inspirational that some of the audience wished their family were there to hear it themselves. He began with a short history of his parents and ancestors. His father was a widely-respected village head in Ponorogo, East Java. He was known for his dedication and pluralism, uniting the so-called nasakom (nationalist, religious, and communist) of that time. He stepped down only when Suharto took the presidency because he was asked to force the villagers to vote for Golkar.

On a side note, I have experienced my great grandpa’s legacy myself: whenever I mention his house to a Ponorogo senior citizen, they always mention it as the village head’s house – almost half a century after his letting go of the position and more than 15 years after his death.

My grandpa continued on, into the topic of his being a doctor. This part was very revealing, especially for me, since there were soo many information I never knew before. Apparently, after graduating from a high school in Madiun, he tried out for three universities: the medical school in University of Indonesia (once again FKUI, yay!), the med school in Airlangga University, and Bandung Institute of Technology. Well, he got accepted to FKUI and became a doctor in 1965. He originally wanted to continue his studies to become an internist; yet, he didn’t pass the selection. That’s the point where he was offered a chance in pediatrics. Noting that his wife (my grandma, they’re already married by that time) was already accepted in pediatrics, he said yes to the offer.

Just a few years later, my grandparents and their colleagues established the pediatric pulmonology field, despite challenges from many people. At one point in the heat of things, my grandpa was told to go on a leave for a while as a time to refresh himself and clear his mind. Fortunately, they got the support from a professor and achieved their first goal. He ended the touching speech with ancient Javanese adages which had guided him all these years.

The whole thing made me a genuinely proud grandson, who aspire to be like him. It really was an inspiration and a motivation for me to keep going through the trials and tribulation of med school. His life story reminds me to always go for that extra mile, the mile that only extraordinary people would tread. Last, he is also well-known as a down-to-earth person, one who never forgets his roots - and he’s a person of great social values too.

This piece of writing is dedicated to my grandfather, whom I admire very very much.

A Big Week…

2009-04-11T01:24:00.001+07:00

not counting the elections.

I’m going to get somewhat more personal in this post since this week is extra huge for me. First things first, your dearest blogger turned 18 last Monday, April 6. Woohoo! Yay-ya! Obviously I have been very happy, especially because this is my first birthday in the university. Compared to less than a year ago, I have gained a crowd of new friends who gladly splat new dazzling colors to my canvas of life. Thank you everyone! Thank you Facebook for facilitating people to congratulate each other on their special moments.

Looking at the other side, some people do freak out when their birthdays are coming as it means they are another year closer to their deaths –and receding hairline or being committed. Me? I just don’t buy into all these depressing stuffs. Like it or not, we grow older each day, regardless of our feeling gloomy or glowy about it; I’m telling ya, there’s just no stopping the natural process of aging. (Just don’t bring up the topic of cellular aging, unless you really hate me) What we can do is to age gracefully, like Madonna and George Clooney did.

What matters most is that we always strive for the best, that we live up to the fullest of our potentials, and that we are not even thinking playing small. In my case, I want to be a great doctor and contribute to, at least, the people of my nation. I will also rise to the challenge if I’m offered the chance to contribute in a larger scale. I have a desire to help the progress of this country to the right direction, save being a legislative candidate in Indonesia. I simply don’t think it’s my way, unless something extraordinary happens.

This week also includes the date April 10. It is a very very personal date for me. You can check this post from exactly a year ago, but I don’t think there’s enough clue there. You want the truth? On April 10, 2008, I received the letter from University of Indonesia stating that I got directly accepted to its Faculty of Medicine. It was the first time I can actually be sure that my life would take the path I intended, FKUI. God, Thank You so much for guiding me to where I am now!

Last but seriously not least, –seriously!- April 12 is my maternal grandpa's birthday. He, and my maternal grandma, are my inspiration and motivation. I wouldn’t be who I am right now without their help and guidance. They are the ones who inspired me to become a doctor, since they are excellent pediatricians themselves. I always look up to them; in fact, I want to be like them as I grow up.

Oh, phew…it certainly feels nice to get a tad emotional, in a positive way, at times.

April 9, 2009. It’s Here, After All.

2009-04-10T01:41:00.001+07:00

Well well well, what have we here? Oh my, it’s the “celebration of democracy”, Indonesian-style! This morning from 8 AM till noon, Indonesian citizens who are lucky enough to get into the much-criticized Permanent Voters List a.k.a. DPT –and I really mean lucky like the blessings of a hundred angels smacked right into your face- flocked to local voting booths to cast their votes and hopefully get this country back on the right track. Evidently, the streets were somewhat abandoned until noon when people finished voting; then all Jakarta broke loose to the malls.

I want to be a polite guy; therefore, I believe the General Elections Commission (KPU) deserve some strictly-rudimentary compliments for finally holding the elections on time. That’s it. My compliment is valued roughly the same as your you-look-nice-today comments that you give to people because you just want to be, well, polite.

For what it’s worth, this legislative election is nowhere near perfect. Screw it, I think perfection itself is trying hard to run away from this election. Very sad and depressing, but frustratingly true. Ask your local voting organizer and they will happily confirm that the 2004 elections were far more neatly organized.

As predicted, if registered voters who chose to not vote (colloquially called golput) were to found their own party, they would be one of the biggest fraction in the Parliament, easily beating out mid-size parties. There are various explanations for this phenomenon. First, it has been widely reported –and often denied by KPU- that the DPT is messed up. Ghost voters, dead would-have-been voters, underage voters (whoa, talk about youth involvement!), and the millions of potential voters -first-time and umpteenth-time alike- who were left out of the list. Example: my grandparents, who have been living in the same address for like 50 years and have voted in the 2004 and Jakarta gubernatorial elections. These people are accidental golputs.

Second, there are people who are fazed by the number of parties and candidates competing in the election and by the complexity of the process. Don’t count them with your fingers: there are 38 political parties nationwide, plus another 6 in Aceh. Some field as many as 20ish candidates in each electoral district they enter. That translates to huge ballots which, I might frankly say, look utterly ridiculous. More importantly, it actually deterred people from exercising their right to vote. Third, there are people who doesn’t freakin’ care anymore about the election and wish that Simon Cowell be the next President of Indonesia. OK, I made up the second half of that sentence. These people have lost faith in the power of the election in changing the country; a stance that I myself can understand and we must respect. They are the real golputs, who think that golput is better than being represented by a clown.

No wonder many Jakartans opted to spend the long weekend away from home. Bandung, Bali, and what have they.

The shabby DPT is just one slice in the messed-up-election pie. From what I can gather from a number of news sources, there are obviously problems with campaign violations, logistics, socialization of the new system, vote-buying (including the famous serangan fajar, which is vote-buying in the early hours before the election), and allegations of manipulations to give advantage to a certain party. I’m gonna shut up now since I don’t want to be “visited” by police officers in the near future, or forever for that matter.

Anyway, I hope you, registered voters, have done your patriotic duty to mencontreng, but not mencoblos, your persons or party of choice. We may not think alike, and I just might even hate your choice; but hey, it’s your right to vote for what you believe in. At the end of the day, we all want the best for our beloved Indonesia, don’t we?

One more thing, the DPT issue is not your local voting booth organizers’ fault. KPU and the Ministry of Home Affairs have been shamelessly pointing their fingers to each other as the source of this brouhaha. In my case, the organizers have worked very hard to update the DPT so that it completely lists potential voters; however, their efforts were ignored by officials. In this spirit, I urge you to thank these organizers as they are your very neighbors who have worked hard, despite all the hardship KPU had thrown them, to make sure that this election can run as smoothly as possible.

Beauty is in the Eye of the Voter

2009-04-04T06:20:00.001+07:00

In the new open-list proportional representation system used in this year’s legislative election, voters will directly choose the guy or girl they want to represent them in the House (DPR). The change forces candidates for DPR and DPRD alike to prove their individual mettle, since they can no longer rely on their strong ~~nepotism~~ ~~connection~~ “merits” in the eye of the party. Thus, the flashy nomor jadi on the top of the lists are not so coveted anymore (although I will still think twice whether I want to vote for someone listed in number 20). Each candidate must kick their rivals from other parties plus his/her own party, and come out on top.

In a perfect world, the candidates would compete against each other by showing off their ideologies, their platform, and track records so that people would be convinced to tick their names on the ballot. They would list out what they’ve done to improve their constituents’ lives and set an agenda if they get elected. However, this world, especially this election, is evidently nowhere near perfect. The sudden system change caught candidates unprepared with their campaign materials. Most of them, if not all, only managed to crank out tasteless stickers, posters, and huge banners adorned with their huge faces and number. Quite a lot of these banners simply crossed the line into Wackytopia, as I’ve commented in previous posts.

If it is the case, then only famous candidates can win the hearts and votes of the masses. No wonder candidates/stars are scattered in various districts, running for a seat through all kinds of parties. One prominent party even acquired a new nickname due to the numerous celebrities in its list of aspiring lawmakers. PAN, which actually stands for Partai Amanat Nasional (National Mandate Party), is being popularly renamed as Partai Artis Nasional (National Celebrity Party).

I myself have observed a phenomenon closer to home. A young, good-looking candidate from Prabowo Subianto’s Gerindra is stealing the hearts of my friends in the uni. The guy is 28-years old Budisatrio Djiwandono, running for a seat in DPR for DKI Jakarta 2 electoral district which includes South Jakarta, Central Jakarta, and Overseas voters. (If you really wanna know, a search on facebook will unsurprisingly take you to his fan page). He swept many of my friends who happen to be girls off their feet; I haven’t checked on the guys yet. My friends have set their heart to ticking his name on April 9.

You see, these friends I’m talking about don’t really care about politics in normal times. Legislators could wrestle nude in the Parliament building or elect a monkey as the Speaker of the House, and my friends would still talk about what’s on E! last night. That’s why their newfound interest in politics is rather surprising and intriguing. The election committee has tried all moves in its book to attract voters, only to fail again and again; this young man with his “charming good looks” puts pictures of himself on trees and bajajs, voila, a throng of supporters appeared and pledged to vote.

OK, we have to admit that his fresh campaign pictures look way better than those oldsters who look like they’ve been fermented too long in the Parliament. The same case goes for the stars that vie for a seat in the House too. However, the story I told you earlier can only prove that Indonesians isn’t ready to directly choose its representatives. Most of these candidates don’t even disclose their plans, only promises to make stuffs free and cheap. Even worse, some only put their slogans like “Let’s Build Indonesia”, “Towards a Better Future”, “Young Voters’ Choice”, and many a tacky variations of “Yes, We Can!”

Looking at another side, the candidates shouldn’t be the butt of criticisms regarding this trend. The blame should fall on whoever changed the system so suddenly after parties have registered and made their candidate list according to the closed-list principle. Candidates and party big shots originally thought that they would campaign for their party as a whole. Then the new system struck down and they are scrambling to make themselves known to voters.

It would be much better if the change is applied for the next election in 2014 so that would-be candidates can come up with better strategies, rather than sticking their profile pics everywhere. The winners will probably be the bold (i.e. the ones who spend mountains of cash to campaign) and the beautiful (pretty self-explanatory, eh?). I don’t want to generalize these people as unqualified –some celebrities like Rieke Diah Pitaloka and Nurul Arifin really have what it takes to be a lawmaker- but the way this campaign season played out, I can’t help to think just that.

Anyway, the election is only a few days away, despite reports of mismanagement from all corners of the archipelago. We can only hope that those pretty faces we see everyday have the brains to boost this amazing nation to the right direction – if they get elected, of course.

Turned Off the Lights, Turn On the Action

2009-03-31T23:29:00.001+07:00

Fellow Earthlings, how did your Earth Hour go? The event, especially the thought that all of us in this planet can act together for a common good, really injected some kind of hyperexcitement into me. I am ever so grateful that all my family are also very supportive of the event, and my mom even used her facebook (yes people, she has a facebook account) to invite her friends to the so-called first ever global election between dearest Mother Earth and the sinister Global Warming.

On the hours leading up to the actual switch-off, I kept checking all the websites about Earth Hour to see how the event progressed in other parts of the world. The Earth Hour ‘09 picture gallery at flickr was a very smart way to build the excitement as the event went from one time zone to another. Of course, because Jakarta is on GMT+7, the report wasn’t that extensive yet, only from places located beyond GMT+7. Nevertheless, I could see the “dark” pictures from Fiji, Sydney, Melbourne, KL, S’pore, and several other cities.

Then, it turned out that my family had something to attend to and had to go out. However,it didn’t turn off our spirits (no pun intended) and we decided to just switch off the lights earlier than scheduled. Yay! Apparently, my house in the dark isn’t as creepy as I thought it would be.

So, we took care of business. Let’s jump to the part where my family discovered that it’s not Earth Hour yet. That’s when my mom, in a surprising spontaneity, suggested that we cruise to Bunderan HI and the area around the National Monument. They are two of the many sites that will participate in Earth Hour as pledged by the Governor and city council. The plan seemed stupid at the moment: turning off the lights to save energy while driving an less-than-essential trip. Yet, we considered the fact that we’re already out there in our car and the drive wouldn’t take so long since it’s near. Therefore, we gave the plan the go ahead.

“Controversies” aside, I was extremely fortunate to witness the switch-off, and also the switch-back-on an hour later. Earth Hour in Jakarta started when I was at the bridge before Bunderan HI. It was 8.30 and my mom half-sarcastically-in-a-nice-way asked why the whole city hasn’t turned off its light yet. I asked her to be a little more patient…and right after I said it, the median street lights were out. Blip. (OK, I don’t know how darkness sounds). Bunderan HI ahead had also lost its fountain and blazing light. Businesses in the area -which includes Grand Hyatt, the posh Grand Indonesia mall/Hotel Indonesia Kempinski, and Nikko Hotel- took part by reducing their lights. Obviously we can’t let shoppers wander around or hotel guests bathe in complete darkness.

The stretch between Bunderan HI and National Monument jumped on the dark wagon too, throwing the usually-congested street into some kind of serene urban scene. TransJakarta shelters along the way were plunged into darkness too. Secretly I hoped everyone and his/her belongings will be safe. The National Monument and the area around it (along all Medan Medeka’s) were in almost-complete darkness. Buildings that participated include the State Palace, the Governor’s Office, DPRD building, National Library, US Embassy, Bank Indonesia, various ministries, and the National Museum a.k.a. the Elephant Museum. The attention center is, of course, the National Monument, which only kept its golden eternal fire aflame at its top. The darkness around it offered a perfect glow for the flame, proven by the number of “likes” in my facebook photo.

Talking about the switch-off, one thing seems wrong, yet feels good, in an urban manner is that the darkness seemed so natural. Honestly, my mind kept erroneously thinking that this is how things usually go around there everyday. The National Monument looked as proud as ever, the center of the city peaceful, and its citizens caring for the world. It never occured to me that I want the lights to be turned on any time soon.

Now, I want to talk about how Earth Hour can bring an enduring benefit for us and for Earth. I, with millions of participants around the world, discovered new ways to reduce energy consumption in the coming days till forever. We found lamps the light of which we took for granted, and decided that they don’t have to be turned on everyday. We realized that some stuffs can be done in minimal light like meditating, doing yoga, praying, enjoying family time, producing pictures to put on facebook, and anything else people might think of. Yes, WWF intended Earth Hour as a mostly-symbolic event; however, we can take and extend the goodwill to every day of the year.

Last and so not least, expect pictures coming up soon!

Make Your Earth Hour Worthwhile

2009-03-28T10:12:00.001+07:00

In the last few days, Earth Hour 2009 is making its mark in Jakarta telling its citizens to take action together with one billion people worldwide by switching off the lights for one hour tonight. Billboards for the even sprung up and signs are placed along major thoroughfares like Sudirman. Posters are placed in many spots, including all TransJakarta shelters – which people still notice despite the intolerable heat yesterday. Newspapers are joining the effort to build the buzz around the event, reporting various turning-off plans in the city. On the telly, WWF Indonesia, as the organizer in the country, have launched an ad featuring a number of Indonesia’s public figures asking people to participate. On personal level, I “decorated” my stuffs that I bring to campus with Earth Hour signs.

So, the response has been amazingly well. My friends have pledged to turn off at least some of the lights in their homes, some even toyed with the idea of really going dark for the hour. Earth Hour groups in Facebook are gaining lots of supporters, all kinds of them. A little adventure through the world wide web really shows how people are so excited to join the global effort.

However, many people are still somewhat clueless about what they’re going to do during the dark hour. All they know is that they’re supposed to do good by turning off the lights, but they have no idea about what they'll do for an hour.

Here’s my answer: you are free to do what you want during Earth Hour 2009. Make it work for you, your family, your friends…anyone! Of course, the unique event will trigger people to do unique stuffs, and obviously, people will upload photos and videos of themselves during Earth Hour. Additionally, these are the stuffs you can do to make your Earth Hour worthwhile:

1. Have a warm chat with your own family. Seriously, when was the last time you had a proper family conversation? A conversation that doesn’t have to involve your coming home so late or your spending too much time on Facebook or your parents’ rivalling your Facebook time. Even better, organize a family game time.

2. Take a look at the magnificent, humbling night sky. We haven’t paid enough attention to the skies lately, and it’s quite nice to just stare at the stars.

3. Do some prayers, meditate, have a yoga session, contemplate, read your Holy Book lit by a candle, or just take your mind off the things that have been clogging up your brain.

4. Try eating in the dark. You know, there are restaurants that boast itself on serving their meals in total darkness. Now, you can do the same.

5. Not feeling that wacky? Have dinner by candle light.

6. Candle-lit bath, anyone?

7. Take a stroll around your neighborhood, and see fellow Earthlings taking action for our common home planet Earth.

8. Share a romantic night with your loved ones.

9. Sleep, I mean it. You might be deprived of sleep these days, and sleeping is a very good idea.

10. Think about how you can extend the benefits of this event way beyond tonight. Rethink your daily energy usage and lower your electricity bill.

Will You Switch Off?

2009-03-27T00:37:00.001+07:00

I don’t want to come across you guys as a hysterical doomsayer. Seriously, I don’t. That’s why I never promote money-sucking doomsday sects or Brangelina’s adopting another baby from Africa. However, like it or not, this very planet Earth we live in needs our full attention; even more urgently now than it has ever been. “Change” may arguably be the word of this era; it’s so totally cool. But not “climate change”.

In December this year, leaders from all around the world will gather in Copenhagen (that’s the capital of Denmark, in case you forgot) for the UN Climate Change Conference, which includes a conference of the parties to UNFCCC. According to the Bali roadmap, the meeting will produce a global agreement to replace the almost-expired Kyoto Protocol.

Then you ask, “What can I do? I’m not a government bigshot who will swoosh there to debate and sign stuffs!”. Well, that’s not the only definition of action.

Earth Hour 2009 will be held this Saturday, March 28, 2009, from 8.30 to 9.30 PM in your local time. This is where you can act: switching off unessential lightings and appliances, if not all, is a sign that you support the well-being of our common home Planet Earth and, of course, mankind. Just a flick, that’s all; you don’t have to live in a cave to do good. Your switching off, along with more than a billion’s from all corners of the world, serves at least two purposes.

One, it raises awareness about the current state of our Earth and how people are trying to once again live in harmony with the planet. Obviously, no one can ignore the whole world throwing itself into darkness, right? Questions will be asked, and answers will be made, knowledge broadened. When the message gets through billions of people, it will bring about the change we have been hoping for, for the sake of Earth.

Two, it serves as a reminder to our policymakers that we, as fellow Earthlings, want sustainability to accompany the progress the world will make for its future. It’s no good to have towers of gold when islands are sinking, food crops are not growing, and rivers are drying. No matter how far human civilization has come, environment will always play an essential part that we cannot do without. Our willingness to turn off the lights will tell’em to formulate the best stuff they can for Earth.

I’m going to switch the lights off this Saturday. Thousands in Jakarta are going to do the same thing. The Governor has pledged to turn off several landmarks in the city during Earth Hour, including the towering National Monument. Millions, or probably billions as the target says, will also turn off the lights. How about you? One billion ain’t one billion if one is missing.

If you do switch off, it’s all up to you to have fun in the dark. Have that rare family conversation, gaze at the magnificent sky, catch up on sleeping, (temporarily) free your mind from Facebook, whatever! Yes, have fun!

More information is available from http://www.earthhour.org/ and Facebook groups (seriously, where else?) Then again, the internet is yours to explore, so get clicking and find out!

Show your support http://voteearth2009.org

The Caleg-Bashing Continues

2009-03-26T06:03:00.001+07:00

A little note: I just had my laptop back today, fresh from the service center. Fortunately, my files are safe, all my pictures and music which I’ve collected these years; only the programs had to be wiped out. Not much of a trouble, really. I immediately downloaded the installers, including the one for Windows Live Writer here. My Office software followed up and was installed without a hitch. For all intents and purposes, my laptop is ready to get me back on top of my game!

In the spirits of democracy, general elections, and irrelevance; today’s caleg-bashing theme is So What?

This PKS-girl in her huge-tablecloth-turned-headscarf has the honor to kick things off. Mrs Defy, a contender for a seat in Bogor’s regional representatives (DPRD), boast herself as “Istri Mas Fery” (Mas Fery’s wife) and “Cucu H Syawal” (Haji Syawal’s granddaughter). You know what to say: SO WHAT!? OK, let’s not be too harsh. Just hope that whoever Mas Fery is, he’s famous enough so that his name can elevate his wife’s chance at winning this election.

On second thought, most probably not. This picture has been floating around for quite some time on the internet –where else?- and no one reported to have heard about the elusive Mas Fery. Once again, we ask ourselves: what does being Mas Fery’s beloved spouse has to do with any of this matter? Perhaps she should reconsider her running for office if she really really wants to be Mas Fery’s good wife that badly. Frankly, I’m no fan of PKS anyway.

Ha! This banner has already made news in several newspapers. As you can see, the candidate for the provincial representatives is trying to prove that he is a real Sundanese person, the irrelevancy of which deserve its own post. In the list, there are some well-known names of ancient heroes like Syarif Hidayatullah (his great x9-grandfather) and Prabu Siliwangi (his great x11-grandfather); yet, there are also many less-familiar names which obviously doesn’t make any difference at all if they were gone. By this time, it must be hard to hold it…so just say it: SO WHAT!?

Whatever he will do if he gets the lush seat in the DPR, please stand by him. If he supports great policies to improve this nation, stand by him. If he pushes for better education and affordable healthcare, stand by him. Moreover, if he wants to take a stroll in Europe for the so-called “Studi Banding” or vote for a wacky law like Porn Law or appropriate some of your money for his prosperity, stand by him. That’s all he asks of you.

This one is the ultimate so-what maker. “INI BUDI”; in English it is “THIS IS BUDI”. Obviously, we can just skip to the ending and raise the roof by screaming SO WHAT!?

Emergency Post

2009-03-19T16:31:00.002+07:00

My holiday's over, life gets hard again for another 6 weeks or so, and suddenly my laptop's gone haywire. I took it to the service center and the technician hasn't made a clear diagnosis. I keep my hopes up in the sky it's nothing that will sweep off all the files there. However, the tech told me that probably my laptop is infected by a virus. If it is, I've got some nice little "reminders" for my friends who asked me to copy some files to their USB flash disks right before my dearest laptop went out of order. That's something I really regret because I rarely plug in anyone's flash disk to my laptop, and the one time I did...poof! Blurgh.

I'm typing this post on my dad's laptop without Windows Live Writer; I seriously don't know how this will show up. I'm also deprived of many luxuries there, like my music library on iTunes (oh God, please save them), my schoolworks (although I can access most of them elsewhere), and the freedom to save my passwords on the sites I visit. This unfortunate event certainly dampened my scholarly spirit and delayed my noble will to study. Quite embarassingly, there was some hyperventilating and incrased pulse rate involved in this tragedy. Close to addiction? (Perhaps I'll tell more of this after everything's back to normal).

I still faithfully hope that my laptop can be saved with all the files intact, or as many as possible. For now, I have to make do with the stuffs available here and I myself don't expect to write many posts until I'm back on the top of my (laptop's) game. In an ideal world, I'll use the spare time to study these days so that I can get back here when my laptop comes home. Wish me lots of luck!

More Pics Coming Your Way

2009-03-15T00:46:00.001+07:00

Today’s Theme: Non-superhero-related Identity Issues

It is more appropriate for me to just shut up and let this picture speak for itself. Naaah, I can’t keep these fingers from the keyboard. Some of recently-published poll put the incumbent SBY’s Partai Demokrat on top, due to its surging popularity since 2004. Apparently, that doesn’t guarantee an easy escape from the doom of misspelling. Mister President, feeling a little bit rusty? Just don’t shed your tears, we’ve had enough of your mood swings. (Hint: karat means rust in Bahasa Indonesia)

Seeing triple? This may be Saturday night, and perhaps you’ve spent too many hours on too many cans of beer. That picture is just an abortive attemp to imitate the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” monkeys. At least she looked happy and most probably not intoxicated. On the other hand, I guess the designer of this banner is the one who’s drunk. He/she should be held for a count of DUI, Designing Under Influence.

Whoa, this so-called celebration of democracy must have its own unique powers. Who has ever thought that even narcissist also care so much that they selflessly run for a comfy seat (and money cushion) in the Parliament? The bright side, her nickname Siska helps her avoid ridicule, despite its coming-out-of-nowhereness. Blah. She should wisely tap the full potential of narcissistic voters, just check their Facebook profile pictures.

Coming soon to a cinema near you: horror movie “The Caleg RIP (Running in Peace)”. Seriously, the banner says almarhum in the name box; almarhum means “deceased” in Bahasa Indonesia. Oh man, I’m totally lost here. Extraordinarily absurd. May I suggest a campaign tagline for the party? “Partai Bulan Bintang, transcending worlds”

Muting the Divine Voices

2009-03-13T22:49:00.001+07:00

If you are an Indonesian who has a television set, you will surely know about what I’m gonna talk about. If you are an Indonesian, yet you anachronistically don’t have a television set, well dear, you’re as good as another topic for this blog. Anyway, read on!

As the number of mobile phone, or colloquially HP for handphone, in this country surges, businesses related to it are also booming. In the television, we’ve been relentlessly haunted by reg<spasi> advertisements. That is, these ads asks people to text reg<space>whatever-they’re-selling from their HPs for all kinds of services, from Javanese horoscope and Chinese fortune telling to celebrity updates and matchmaking.

Less bizarre ads simply sell ringtones for those who want to impress others by not answering calls immediately. In response to our society’s increasing religiosity-slash-gullibility, these “clever” services start to sell ringtones using Qur’anic verses, Arabic prayers, salawats, and other Islamic noises. (OK, noises is too harsh a term to describe those things –I myself would be gravely offended if someone says Qur’anic verses make terrible noise; however in this context, I believe it fits the description). Users may see this as an inevitable marriage between religion and technology as both has gotten closer each day. Nevertheless, there has been considerable backlash, especially from Islamic scholars and ulamas, against the use of such religious materials for ringtones. I myself has tought up two big reasons why this techno-divine tones should stop soon.

First, it is simply sacrilege. Setting a verse from the Qur’an as your ringtone means that there’s a chance that it will play out in places you will never read a Qur’an in, like in a restroom while you’re doing your “earthly business”; or in situations where it’s inappropriate to blurt out parts of the Holy Book. Moreover, although a number of these ringtone users have a some kind of fetish for Arabic language, most of them don’t understand a single word of Arabic. What’s the point of showing off stuffs you don’t understand? Besides, some ulamas cite that ringtones tend to be cut off, because they’re ringtones. They’re not made to be enjoyed to the end, DUH! In this case, cutting Qur’anic verses randomly runs the risk of distorting its meaning and doing so would constitue a sinful act.

Personally, I am concerned more about the first part, the sacrilegious usage of religious verses, than about the distortion-of-meaning part – people don’t actually know what’s said in the ringtone in the first place, how would they know if it’s distorted? And distorted to what? And would they really notice? Thus, this trend could equate to being disrespectful to God. Please, there are already enough people doing that.

Second, and perhaps this would appeal to a bigger audience, it is freakin’ tasteless! Mankind has produced music since the dawn of civilization (MTV helped!), there are millions of songs circulating in this world, and somehow some funny people chose chunks of Qur’an as their ringtones. If you think the faux-heavenly tones would make people think highly of you, you’re dead wrong. It would take you to ridicule rather than raudah, in an instant.

Let me say this in a nicer way. Dear perpetrators of this cheesy crime, you are just trying to hard. It’s like wearing bikinis to the mall so that people will know you’re a model. Instead, people will think that you’ve just escape from a mental institution. Don’t get me wrong, I believe everyone should have the opportunity to improve their spirituality. However, especially since I’m a Muslim, I also believe that this is not the way. Never! There are plenty of other ways available to enhance our faith. Just not this one. No. No. No.

If, at this point, you are still not convinced that such ringtones are wrong and sinful, you should at least agree that it’s downright tacky.

Superman is Here!

2009-03-12T13:59:00.001+07:00

Today’s Theme: It’s A Bird! It’s A Plane! No, It’s Superman! (Is It?)

The banner says it all: “The Power of Creativity”. Representative by day; crime-fighting superhero by night. Want the people to vote for you? Show’em your sexy, inviting yellow briefs and bulging pecs. That’ll surely get you a seat in the Parliament.

When you’re chased by a creepy thug in Balikpapan, you know whom to call. Let’s just hope that Kalimantan’s mineral-rich land doesn’t contain chunks of Kryptonite. At least, don’t let it fall into his opponents’ hands. Now, who wants to be his hairstylist?

If Sabaruddin only shows himself in Superman costume, this guy adds a mantra to it. “Ikhlas Mengabdi” roughly means “Serving Faithfully”. Hey, I just realized that he’s a candidate from Jakarta, although not from my municipality. Tonight, I can have a nice, peaceful sleep knowing that Heza/Superman is out patrolling the city.

This is the last Superman (that I have in my folder - who knows how many will pop up on the internet these days). The previous guys don’t directly point to Superman, except by the costume; this man plays the Superman card better. Superman + Rony = Superoni. Wait, why not Superony? Mmmm, superoni = super pepperoni.

The bottom line: Superman is giving Beckham a run for his money in being the most popular image to use in the campaign. The bad news: the market for Superman is saturated and you must resort to other characters like Spongebob Squarepants, Dora the Explorer, or Doraemon.

A “CELEBration” of Democracy

2009-03-11T22:24:00.001+07:00

Most of us may not notice it, but according to the election schedule there’s less than a month before the day when we get to contreng (mark, tick) our reps for the various legislative bodies in Indonesia. On April 9, voters will get three ballots: one for members of DPR (kinda equivalent to US House of Reps), one for the provincial DPRD (like the state assembly), and another one for municipal DPRD. Voters in Jakarta will only receive two because the capital city doesn’t have any municipal DPRD. I’ve touched this topic quite frequently; however, today I decided to take a lighter approach to the messy event.

Aaah, campaign banners and posters. If there’s one thing to learn from Obama’s victorious campaign for the White House that we can apply immediately, it’s his clever use of slogans, posters, banners, and everything else for a full campaign experience. Obama did this extraordinarily well, in both online and traditional domains. Here, there was a time when outdoor advertising exhibits beautiful people showcasing beautiful products using beautiful words (and perhaps a huge discount). Yet, when the campaign season started, those ads got company and found themselves submerged in a wave of less-refined flags and banners. As of today, I’ve compiled at least 52 pictures of those “humorous” materials. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Today’s Theme: International Connection (and a part of Photoshop Frenzy)

We just can’t let go of our Obamamania, can we? This caleg (calon legislatif = legislative candidate) from SBY’s Partai Demokrat –which does not have any relation with the US Democratic Party- wants to make people think that he’s a pal of Obama. I think the cheesiness is enough to deter people from voting for this man. Too bad, Obama looked so happy in that picture.

This Mii-like caleg, listed in number 23 on the ballot, opted for his numbersake David Beckham. Thus, if you believe in universal manscaping or pro-metrosexual policies, pick this guy. He’ll make sure that ugly guys will be fed to the sharks. Plus, your skin will look better after the government decides to give out free moisturizers to everyone. If he gets chosen again, I think he’s gonna push for government-subsidized waxing treatments.

OK, someone should’ve told me about the research showing that Beckham’s the numero uno vote-getter in the country. If you can bend it like Beckham, there’s no way you can lose. By the way, erotic dangdut singers are so 2004. Rhoma Irama? Only if you want to attract voters stuck in the past.

(Un)welcoming TransJakarta Corridor VIII

2009-03-06T08:50:00.001+07:00

I still remember the good old days of our civil disobedience. That time, the provincial government insisted that a new corridor for TransJakarta (TJ) will pass the whole length of Metro Pondok Indah, the main thoroughfare in and through the area. The plan included more road space to acommodate the special a-bit-raised bus lane, which would eat up the green belt lined with palm trees. Refusing to let the poorly-managed system ravage the neighborhood, irked citizens launched a series of protests. One event to highlight was when some residents blocked the special lane construction by placing their cars in front of the heavy machineries. Some spats and negotiations later, the then-new vice governor Priyanto agreed to not make the TJ lane special and thus, raise the whole road altogether. The palms, they get to stand up tall till the end of time, untouched by the government’s pet project. (Some of them was still cut, but promptly replaced as a part of the agreement).

On a side note, it was a pivotal point in my life. Perhaps, that was the first time an absurd government policy really hit close to home. During the “warfare”, we had terrible traffic jams, negative opinions from the so-called “general public”, and so much more. In fact, this event nucleated my first blog which then transformed into this Adit on Life. Those first posts were all about how ridiculous the plan was and why it shouldn’t go on. Some friends who caught wind of my blog were surprised by how, in their terms, explosive I could be.

Afterwards, the counstruction finally continued under the agreement. As a result, Metro Pondok Indah has six lanes and no separator. There are two bus stops in the area, one directly connected to Pondok Indah Mall’s skywalk. The construction of the corridor finished in a short time. However, the show didn’t go on so smoothly. Its operation was delayed by various reasons, mostly by complicated bus procurement. The shelters were literally abandoned and lane separators, in other parts of the corridor of course, were chipped here and there.

Then, the governor announced that the new corridor will start running on Valentine’s Day 2009. Yet, it got delayed again for a week, maybe because of the “surprisingly” poor state of its infrasructure. Workers were immediately deployed to clean and prepare the bus stops for ~~inauguration~~ operation. After the numerous, yet widely expected delays, Governor Fauzi Bowo can finally say TransJakarta Corridor VIII is in da ‘hood.

<<I drafted this post almost two weeks ago, before all the exams started to flood me>>

Today, I am proud to say that I have experienced the "Corridor VIII experience”. And by saying proud, I mean I actually have the right to criticize it. First of all, there were not enough buses. This translates to long waiting time in the stuffy bus stop and to hours of standing in the packed bus. I was forced to stand the whole length of my journey from Grogol to Pondok Indah: totally not a nice feeling. To be fair, this is a problem in almost all corridors, so I won’t get too specific on this one. Next, the operation is kinda fizzled. Instead of connecting Lebak Bulus to Harmoni, the corridor is cut off in Grogol, yet the information is somewhat insufficient.

On a more personal level, this corridor just doesn’t do it for me. If I want to go home from my campus in Salemba to Pondok Indah, I’ll have to hop on and off about three corridors. That needn’t be a problem if the corridors have humane waiting time. Thus, the plan is major no-no. Moreover, even if I managed to survive and reach the new corridor, the bus would take the most ridiculous course to reach my area: from Grogol to Jalan Panjang (which is literally panjang [long]) through Arteri Pondok Indah and finally Pondok Indah Mall. This is also an issue for people who are trying to reach, let’s say, Sudirman from Pondok Indah. Tell me, how many people from this side of the town work in areas like Permata Hijau or Kebon Jeruk compared to Sudirman?

I frankly don’t think the busway will do any significant good. It obviously fails to attract motorbike and car drivers to switch, despite the teasing “Capek Macet? Naik TransJakarta” (Tired of Traffic Jams? Get on TransJakarta) campaign. Hey, I’d rather brave the traffic jams rather than necrotize my legs in the busway! Let’s evaluate this corridor again sometimes in the future; perhaps if I get the chance and the impulsiveness that got me there in the first place.

Are We Voting or What?

2009-02-21T07:00:00.001+07:00

“Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, for the people.” That’s what Abe Lincoln said and what your average 5th grader would answer if you ask them what democracy is. An important part of democracy is the election of the people’s representatives, plus a direct election of the leader in some cases. In Indonesian context, we often call our elections “pesta demokrasi” or “the celebration of democracy”, whether we are looking for the new class president, student’s senate leader, or the big kahuna called Presiden Republik Indonesia.

I turned 17 in April last year, which means I am a young tech-savvy first-time voter, the class of voter glorified by the Obama campaign. As the word “voter” implies, I will be a first-time voter only after I give my vote to the man/woman I trust to sit in the comfy chair in the Parliament. However, my dream has been on the verge of destruction since I found out my family wasn’t registered as voters. I discovered this months ago. At that time I ignored it because the list of voters was just the temporary one, and the news frequently said that the General Elections Committee (KPU) was actively updating voter data. So I waited, and waited, and waited, and still, my name is not on that list. If I’m the only one in the family to not be registered, I wouldn’t be so surprised; but until today, my whole family has not been listed yet. Both of my parents, and grandparents for that matter, voted in the 1999 and 2004 elections with no hassle. Thus, it was truly shocking to find out that even they are not registered to vote in the coming election.

Even if I’m sad for not being registered, I won’t be alone. The current KPU has been blasted numerous times for doing such a sloppy work, including missing out on hundred-thousands of voters from Sabang to Merauke. Estimates always vary; but ideally, even one person who lost his right to vote is one too many. Those who vote will get a laughably ginormous ballot (40 parties with multiple candidates in each voting district), the system on who gets the Parliament seat is not fixed yet, and the last news I heard was that the ballots, after they’re folded, don’t fit the ballot box. Surprised? Oh come on. If you’re suprised by those stuffs, you are not an Indonesian.

Now, suppose I will be registered next month and I will be allowed to vote for members of the Parliament this April, I won’t know what to do when I get into that voting booth. The usual method of casting our votes is by perforating the ballot anywhere within the valid area. The process is so deeply rooted in our minds that, in fact, the term “mencoblos” (perforating, punching out) has become a synonim of voting. In election season, people proudly say that they’re going to coblos this and coblos that. Parties and candidates also joined in the coblos craze. The current Governor of Jakarta, Fauzi Bowo, was known for his “Coblos Kumisnye” (punch out his moustache) slogan. PDI-P frequently uses “Coblos Moncong Putih” (punch out the white nose of PDI P’s iconic ox). I bet that in every province, there’s a candidate running with the coblos theme.

Suddenly, the KPU is trying to turn things around, if not mess them up altogether. The Committee is trying to introduce a new, hip way to vote: marking the ballot, affectionately known as “mencontreng” or “menandai”. No, contreng sounds more fun. Voters will cast their vote by making any kind of line with a pen on the ballot-in the valid area, of course. Yet, official simulations consistently show that people still prever to coblos their ballots. The trend led to predictions that a huge number of ballots will be invalid in the coming elections.

Just face it. The KPU hasn’t done anything real to inform voters that they must tick the ballot to vote. The news about this change has been floating around since months ago; however, KPU has never made it clear whether mencontreng is the right way to vote or not. The latest development (if it hasn’t changed too) is that the KPU will allow people to either coblos or contreng. An act of desperation?

I’m an Indonesian citizen, and I have reached the age to vote. I love my country, and I firmly believe in democracy. I want to exercise my right to vote for my representative in the Parliament and to elect my President through the direct election. Sadly, I’m not registered and I’m terribly confused. For now, the question is “Are we voting or what?”

The Great Jakarta Flood, Part X

2009-02-05T21:54:00.001+07:00

I’m not the most creative person in the world, but I think it’s true that almost anything under the sun can be a source of inspiration. The rain, for example, has sparked tons of contemplations and poems and songs. (Can you hear “ella…ella…e…e…” playing in the background?) Coupled with human ~~stupidity~~ stubbornness, it has brilliantly inspired me to write.

We, as in Jakartans, have been experiencing massive rains in recent days. So very sadly, we expect that the roads will be flooded and traffic clogged. We just know that many residential areas will be unnecessarily irrigated and schools washed with icky-brown water. It is ironic frequently hear jokes like this one: “The flood water has entered my house, but only up to my ankles…on the second floor.” Oh dammit, we are living in the biggest kampung in the world.

It doesn’t take a genius to remember that Jakarta has a special annual agenda: flood. Plus, every five years we get the special flood like the one in 2002 and 2007. If each flood were a newspaper, those 5-yearly floods would be the weekend editions. One particular day in the 2007 Great Flood, I went to school and only about a fifth of the 30-strong class was there; the same thing happened in the other 3 classes, even merging classes would have been similarly absurd. In that case, the culprit wasn’t the flood itself –my school was as dry as Tukul’s jokes-, but it was the flood’s severe side effects on everything else. Anyway, the flood literally paralyzed the proud capital city of Indonesia and all its gold-paved streets.

For any of you who in 2007 thought that we cannot go lower than that, you obviously thought wrong. The great flood is coming again, and Noah isn’t around to build us a nice ark to float on.

Let’s get straight to the point and not blame Noah, or God for this matter. When will the city council realize that they have to stop pouring concrete and asphalt on Jakarta’s rare green spaces? Malls are fun and all, but its growth has surpassed all expectations. I bet even the craziest mall-goers would say that it’s too much. Additionally, when the council said that they’re building public parks for the citizen, they don’t seem to have the same image of a “park” compared to ours. Their “parks” are serpentine jogging tracks, plazas, and gazebos, with tiny blots of grass and non-shady trees here and there. To avoid any disappointment, just don’t dream of actually taking off your shoes to walk on the lush carpet of green grass, let alone have a picnic.

As a result, we have to endure the same ordeal year after year. Common stories aside, I have heard stories about residents who prepare themselves with rubber boats. Others chose just silently accept their fate, while those trapped in traffic can only grumble.

Although I’m no city planning expert, I believe that something can be done to alleviate the impacts of our floods in short term and prevent any flood altogether sometime in the near future. More green spaces for water absorption and for leisure are always welcome. So are improvements for the city’s drainage system. Even though we live in the concrete jungle, we still have to respect the natural environment, or whatever is left of it.

In the State of Denial

2009-01-29T19:33:00.001+07:00

Let’s start with the truth: life in Jakarta is chaotic, unorganized, and basically messy. Chronic severe traffic jams, wild drivers, inhumane public transport, abysmal hygiene, vulnerability to yearly floods, and numerous violations of city zoning regulations-those are not even half of the trouble we see everyday. Probably you want to add a thing or ten to that list. The new governor Fauzi Bowo has not brought much change; he mostly continued the destructive progress his predecessor Sutiyoso started.

However, rarely would a Jakartan complain and really mean it. Most will only get to the level of grumbles that will be forgotten as life goes on. Drivers struggling in the traffic will yell to that annoying metro mini so loudly in the safety of his/her own car. There’s nothing the victims of the dysfunctional TransJakarta can do except silently endure the torture. We can only feel confused and betrayed when the city council went on with its absurd plan to start school hours at 6.30 AM. People talk about various things about the city that bug them each and everyday of their lives, and that’s it. These protests go nowhere and they get nothing out of it.

This condition also happens in a much bigger scale: the country we know as Indonesia. Presidents come and go, all kinds of people get highlighted in the political spotlight, and change is always underway; but I don’t see any revolution that makes life easier. Dealing with government offices and bureaucrats will still challenge your patience, wacky projects still get OKed, and our upcoming election in April borders on becoming a hilarious comedy. Our rich land, with its “green carpets of rice fields”, cannot feed its people; at the same time, our children are not learning the things they need from school. It reminds me of a Mark Twain quote: “Never let your schooling interfere with your education.”

Nevertheless, we continue to live in this horrible condition. Some say that they cannot do anything about it. Others say that they are so depressed that they keep on going through this earthly hell blindly. A common line is that “It’s Indonesia. We live here, we have survived this long, and we are living the Indonesian dream of life without rules. So shut up and act like a real Indonesian! Nothing can hurt you.”

It is not uncommon for Indonesians who spent a long time abroad to come back and experience a “reverse culture shock” from a humane city to the biggest kampung in the world. Their hearts pop out of their chests when they have to go through the typical Jakarta traffic. They search in vain for a public park for a nice stroll. The roadside panorama of proud-looking children smoking cigarettes was an impossibility in their minds. After a few days in tanah air, complaints and protests start to fly out of their mouths. “The government should change this, improve that, make it more efficient,” so on and so forth. Quite a few went public with their criticisms, thanks to weblogs and its friends. In fact, I just read an article in the Jakarta Post titled “It’s Indonesia, and I Can’t Complain”.

A few days after that, the reader’s opinion page was filled with various response. As expected, more than half of them contained, in one way or another, the standard Indonesian defense to protect the status quo. One accused the writer of being “too American” after years spent living there; many simply said that he was being too whiney. Another responded that “it’s Indonesia and that’s how we live”. This is what happens when you speak your mind to the “tough” Indonesians who think they thrive in this chaos. In a few words, you are guilty of being “un-Indonesian”. Their message: “Indonesia ain’t broken, so don’t you dare fix it”.

I firmly answer with one of my favorite quotations: Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt. Right here right now, we are living in a serious state of denial. Despite all the problems, we always think that everything’s all right, that we can live like this forever and ever. It’s too much trouble to turn hell into heaven and, once again, it’s un-Indonesian. Like rebellious teenagers, we believe it’s supercool when we ignore the rules.

That is totally wrong and we have to set things straight immediately! If we do love this country so much, we have to admit that it has a lot of fields to improve. I’m not saying that currently I don’t have any sense of pride for my country, but I will be even more proud of it if Indonesia progresses to the right direction. This is meant not only for the government or our policy makers, but also for everyone else, including you and me. We are all Indonesians, right?

Let’s start with more of down-to-earth things. Try throwing away your thrash to the right place (which does not include roadside gutters, rivers, and open fields, among other things). Please drive in a way that does not endanger anyone’s life or unnecessarily lengthens travel time. If you have an appointment, be a hero by coming on time. Watch less E! Channel, and read more news and books. Less Luna Maya and more Pramudya (Ananta Toer). Did I sound cheesy? Most probably yes, but it shouldn’t stop us from doing good to ourselves, our community, and our nation.

Only after we succeed in getting our acts together, we actually get the right to demand more from the government. Human rights in all aspects must be upheld to its fullest extent. Our children need to be properly educated, not merely schooled. This country must stop being a mean traitor to its agricultural and maritime roots. We need a public transport system that doesn’t squeeze its passengers breathless. The government have to be more responsible, efficient, and organized.

Therefore, it is time for us to love our country so much that we cannot let it go down the pit by continuously denying its shortcomings. Everyone must realize that we can’t live like this for the next five or ten years, let alone a century. For those “tough” Indonesians, get real. Although we can live in this condition -and even I sometimes think that this makes us better in one way or another compared to those in “civilized” countries-, we should not be satisfied. Ready to do good?

Happy Chinese New Year

2009-01-25T23:19:00.001+07:00

Let the dragons out and the angpau in, it’s that time of the year again! In retrospect, it’s been only a few years since Indonesians, especially those of Chinese descent, started to freely celebrate the Chinese New Year and embrace another part of its rich culture. Nowadays, malls are dressed to their best in red and yellow to welcome the occasion. In many public venues, it’s becoming more common to find lion dance performances attracting full attention of the crowd. We are rediscovering a culture that has made significant contribution to the nation from centuries ago. In short, Chinese New Year celebration has become bigger and livelier each year.

We have come a long way from ethnic discrimination-I am very proud to say that, noticing the goodwill of the society to stop such outdated view. However, I will also readily admit that the fight for equality is very very far from over. Chinese Indonesians still get different treatment in many aspects, including from government offices which are supposed to serve all Indonesians. Additionally, it is too bad that lots of people in the community are still holding on to unjustified racial prejudice against Chinese Indonesians as if they were illegal immigrants or second-class citizens. These actions are totally baseless and at one point, it will lead to human rights violations. If we want to tell the world how wonderful Indonesia’s cuture is, we’d better clean up our act and stop these terrible views from gaining more ground in the society.

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! May we have a prosperous, peaceful year ahead and may this nation grow stronger each and every day.

I sTumbled upon This Neat Thing

2009-01-24T00:31:00.001+07:00

I don’t wanna be trite, but I really have to say this: the rapid advance of technology has made the world a tiny, yet huge global village where each person is so closely connected to another through various means. First of all, you just have to have at least one e-mail account. Take it to the next level and get connected to an instant messenger. Past that, it is safe to say that you have -or at least had- a Friendster account, especially if you are Asian or an annoying tween alay girl. Got something to say? Perhaps you’ve made yourself a blog (I know I did). Then, all net broke loose: facebook, plurk, twitter, imeem, the whole nine yards. Additionally, nonsocial-networking sites, like YouTube, have features to connect one user with another.

Just when I thought it’s all too much, I stumbled upon this stumblr thing. I was quite hesitant at first, keeping in mind that I already have two blogs at hand, a plurk account, and a hyperactive facebook. Yet, I decided to make an account, which basically took less than 30 seconds. Voila! I have another rich plot of land on the internet to exploit. To my surprise, most of my friends has never actually known about it. So, here’s what stumblr is: a tumblelog (that’s the thing you make in stumblr) is basically a simple blog where you can post your writings, links, pictures, quotes, music, and videos. My impression is that tumblelog is more suitable for shorter writings about light stuffs. That’s exactly what I’m doing, and I’m doing it in Bahasa Indonesia.

To summarize, I have three outlets with which I can share my thoughts and abnormality:

1. Adit on Life (you’re looking at it), filled with random writings from “serious” topics to light-hearted thoughts. English.

2. Keeping Myself Intact (http://keepmeintact.blogspot.com/) as some kind of a journal for my adventure in the faculty of medicine of a certain university in Jakarta. English.

3. Cerita dll (Stories etc, http://adhitsr.tumblr.com/) for short everyday stuffs, random pictures, and anything else that might come to my mind. Colloquial, real-life Bahasa Indonesia.

Besides those, I also have a facebook and plurk account; I’m keeping both of them private, although it shouldn’t be too hard to find me there-if you want to do it so badly.

Taxed in TransJakarta

2009-01-17T22:39:00.001+07:00

Don’t tell me I got my priorities mixed up just because I don’t blog about the whole Gaza tragedy right now. I happened to experience my own personal tragedy right here in Jakarta, last Monday. So, if you haven’t exhausted all your sympathy for the war-torn Middle East, spare me some.

Although I generally hate Mondays; January 12, 2009, was a fine Monday. My school activities for the First Aid Module were very interesting and certainly unique, my reward for the gruelling two weeks of clueless Research came out (an “A”, yay!), and I’m entering the recruitment process for one of my faculty’s student organization. No crap whatsoever was bugging me. There’s no way I could’ve guessed what was coming that afternoon.

Long and exhausting story short, I finished everything at 5-ish and it was getting dark. I took the TransJakarta and, after a short detour to Gramedia Matraman, headed home. The journey is somewhat OK in TransJakarta standards: long lines instead of waiting for an eternity; standing in the bus instead of packed like a can of sardines. When I reached Dukuh Atas for the last leg of my daily journey, I SMSed my mom with my Nokia 5300. *Report to the big boss, check.* Then, I put the phone back into my pants (in the pocket, of course). Turns out that it would be the last time I’ll ever see my beloved 5300.

After waiting for a while, I got into a bus. If I’m not mistaken, it was around 7 o’clock and the bus was full of office workers making their way home. At one of the bus stops after Dukuh Atas, either Setiabudi or Karet, lots of passengers got off the bus. Inside of the bus, it was chaotic. Some were struggling for the door, some hunted for empty seats, while others made room for the passengers getting off. I was unsurprisingly pushed here and there because I stood near the door. I felt my cellphone vibrate. (That’s an important point) Considering the chaos, I didn’t pick it up straight away and continued my resistance against the flow of people. A few seconds later, after the mess ended and the doors are closed, I wanted to check my cellphone. My hand went for my pocket, entered it, and found…nothing. WHAT THE WHAT!!? I groped that same pocket again and again, then I searched the other pocket. No result. I checked my extra tote bag. Still no-no. I scanned the bus floor. Nothing there either.

Tick-tock, tick-tock. Aaaaaaaaaaarggggh!! Someone stole my cellphone!! It must have happened during the chaos at the bus top, right when I felt my phone “vibrate”. Aaaah blurgh. I wanted to tell the security guy inside the bus, but instantly realized that it would do no good at all. I swear I must’ve looked like a mentally-ill guy in that bus. I was so stressed and sad that I’ve lost my dear phone. Since I got my first cellphone in 5th grade, this is the first time I lost my phone. There’s a huge difference between buying a new phone to replace an old one and having to buy a cellphone because the old one’s stolen. There’s no sense of achievement or pride for keeping a stuff entrusted to you.

Not long after that, I soon realized the real problems ahead. I have to apply for a new SIM card-with the same number, fortunately. I can’t even imagine having to announce a new number to all of my contacts. After that, I have to browse around for a new phone (which would’ve been great if not for this incident). Last, I have to collect all my contact data and put them in my new phone. Believe me, I know how annoying that could be.

Currently, I’ve only managed to get the new SIM card; and I’m looking for the new phone. By the way, this incident didn’t deter me from riding TransJakarta. The next day, I already went back to normal life and normal TransJakarta ride. Like I have any choice! Perhaps this is a punishment for my trashtalking TransJakarta. Or NOT!! FYI, TransJakarta actually deserved all those harsh criticism.

A Rant for 2009

2009-01-04T22:01:00.001+07:00

After all the "Happy New Year" greetings and fireworks have died down, I believe we should take a look at what has happened in '08, which doesn't have to include Obamas' over-hyped election, and think about what we expect to see in '09, which doesn't have to involve Mama Lauren's E!-channel-ish predictions.

I personally feel 2008 had been very rough, and the depressing news on TV and the web doesn't help at all. Contrary to popular belief, I DON'T have a heart made of stone; I am deeply concerned with what other people, nationwide and worldwide, are going through, and there were times when I felt this nation is going to the wrong direction. Conservatives, especially religious cons, have had it too easy in 2008 and as they tighten their grips on the nation, they lure us away from our rationality and open mind into a ginormous, narrow-minded mess. While we are going through a positive period of religious reemergence, many "faithful ones" found more besides God. They found arrogance, intolerance, and violence-plus an unhealthy dose of stupidity. Even worse, these "evils" made their way into the government, the parliament, and almost everywhere else.

The Ahmadiyah debacle was truly disturbing. The government meddled in its citizens' religious affairs and, bowing to pressure, decided to say that one religion is "right", the other is "wrong". This made me question the freedom of faith in the nation as provided by its constitution. There are hundreds of religions in our archipelago, including various local beliefs that have existed from centuries, possibly millennia, ago; surely it is wrong for the government to "officially recognize" only six of them, especially because these six are "newcomers" which are lucky enough to gain a huge following. Every human has the right to freedom of faith, whether choose to believe in something or nothing at all. Perhaps this quote from Thomas Jefferson can illustrate my point: "It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg".

Then, we are treated to a spectacular display of ridiculousness by the members of Representative Council. All but two fractions supported the poorly-drafted, unconstitutional Porn Law. I'm not gonna go all over it again; I just want to say that the passage of the bill is a sign that our Parliament is dominated by religious conservatives who want to dominate the truth, who think that they've grasped the truth on their hands, and who feel that they can impose their "truth" unto other people. I can only pity them: they are forever stuck in what they perceive as the "porn" part of freedom of expression, and sadly can never move on beyond that; they think they can protect the vulnerable (i.e. women) by restraining them. These "wakil rakyat"s instilled fear into critical people by saying that the law is suitable for Indonesia's so-called "religious" "Eastern" society.

Furthermore, regional autonomy has brought more than development. It also opened the gate to shariah- and other religious-based laws. Of course, the biggest villain is Aceh: the only province to have shariah as its foundation, as opposed to Pancasila. In the province, women are forced to wear headscarves and follow a certain dresscode, lashing as punishment is legal, religious competence is compulsory, along with other unconstitutional nonsenses. A special force was set up to monitor the citizens' compliance; this force can "educate" women who are deemed to violate the strict dresscode. Tight jeans? Shorts? Nuh-uh.

A significant number of other regions have followed suit. Many areas require women to wear headscarves and dress "modestly". Tangerang forbids women to "look or act suspiciously like a prostitute"; they cannot be outside alone after dark. Several regions require their citizens to be able to read the Qur'an sufficiently. Bukittinggi criminalized Valentine's Day and dampened New Year's Eve. (Whoa, the mayor must be an expert killjoy) Ulama councils and other religious groups' influence on the government continues to increase unchecked, and they have thrown the country off its tracks.

Oh my, I just hope that things will get better this year. I pray to God that people be reminded about God's gift to them: their brains and hearts; it seems that people have forgotten their ultimate treasures. There's been too many violence and violations in the name of religion. Clear reasoning must fight its way back on top, I hope it happens this year. With the elections coming, my hopes for change grow so that we can get back to the right direction.

President SBY Wanted to Meet Me!

2009-01-02T00:25:00.001+07:00

This day, as in January 1, 2009, is very very unique and memorable to me. Last night at my relatives' house, I had a wonderful New Year party, which included a spectacular fireworks show-off/showdown. It started a few years ago, when my family got a little bit excited with the fireworks. We added a little blast of fireworks display, like the ones you usually see on TV, along with the usual child's play. The year after that, the neighbours followed our path and had their own tiny fireworks display. The implied "rivalry" continues year after year, and last night, another neighbour joined in the fray. Thus, the first night sky of 2009 was invaded by light and colors for half an hour. For what it's worth, the fiery battle must have been an excellent vista for the residents in the area; if I were them, I'd just sit peacefully at home and watch the amazing pyrotechnics rather than joining the traumatizing masses in Ancol.

After the extreme fun night, I woke up at 7.30 A.M. (Thankfully not P.M.) Then I slept again, woke up an hour or so after that, slept once more, and I don't really know what time I actually got out of bed today. The details were kinda fuzzy, but I clearly remember that I was having my Burger King at Pondok Indah Mall (PIM) 1 around 1.00 to 1.30 P.M. When I got there, I noticed that there were several formal-looking security guys in batik -it's all the rage these days. I sat near the window, and since BK is on the ground floor, I had a clear view of the parking lot and the main entrance. Outside, there were more security guys, some in batik, others uniformed, waiting for something to come. I thought that a minister or perhaps a parliament member was coming. I was totally wrong.

A convoy entered the parking lot. A police car came first, then another one, followed by jeeps, and a black sedan; a few other security cars tailed behind it. Sarcastically, I said to myself, "Here's the one we've been waiting for" and I began to guess whether that was RI-1 (the prez) or RI-2 (the veep). The black sedan stopped in front of the entrance nearest to me, but I could see only one of the passengers getting out. A woman, definitely. But was that a veil, which means it's JK's wife, or just a hairdo of the First Lady Ibu Ani? So my father decided to have a look when the VIPs walked in front of the store. He blended in the crowd, surely took his time, and he reported back with a huge smile that it was SBY and the First Lady. OK, that explained the whole brouhaha by itself. To add some unnecessary information, in the last election's presidential campaign weeks, I already saw SBY shopping for some clothes in PIM. Another completely unrelated info, my father is the only one who voted for SBY in my predominantly PDI-P family. We just love to tease hin when the big guy messes up.

As the prez proceeded to the stores, the crowd dispersed and my family naturally talked about something more important than the President of Indonesia. You know, stuffs like what Mama Lauren predicted to happen in 2009 or what happened in the last episode of Termehek-mehek. After lunch, we innocently went to Gramedia only to find that the presidential crowd was inside. Inevitably, there were lots of book signing, phone cameras capturing the prez's every movement, and store workers cherishing the moment. This time, I really got a closer look of SBY and Ibu Ani as the distance couldn't be more than 3 meters from where I was standing. Another bit of unnecessary info: they wore blue, which is "accidentally" the color of his political party. You should be very genuinely happy to know that I did not do any of the following things: yell at him, complain that I'm not registered to vote, ask for his signature, overeagerly snap a pic of him, and -give me a round of applause- throw my shoes at him. I discovered a funny thing, though. When SBY was in Gramedia, the display in front of the store was filled with SBY's books, including the new one. Not long after SBY left, I also went out of the store and saw a member of the staff being busy with the display. I almost burst out laughing when I realized that he's replacing the display of SBY's books with Benny & Mice's comics. Oh my...

I saw the entourage once more when I was in The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, but there was nothing to tell about. Actually, I have no idea why I even wrote this on my blog. Most probably I did this on the spur of the moment, and I will regret it soon. And I'm writing this at midnight, for God's sake! No wonder I'm kinda confused. Oh, I apologize for the bombastic title. Blame the night.

Books (& Discount) Frenzy

2008-12-28T17:59:00.001+07:00

This has gotta be the best Christmas gift ever. Gramedia, which is one of the biggest bookstore chains in the country, just opened a huge 2-storeys new store in Grand Indonesia shopping center. The grand opening ceremony was attended by President SBY himself, who launched his new book Indonesia Unggul at occasion. You see, to run a campaign, one needs tons of money and months of intense public appearance. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he went to kiss tens of babies after that. After all, what could be more important than cutting the ribbons of a new bookstore? Taking care of the country is so passé.

Nuff 'bout the president. The bookstore is undeniably spacious and has a more sophisticated interior compared to other Gramedia stores. Its size and wow-factor matched the grandiose mall. Although the books offered are dominated by local books and translated works, it carries more English books than previous stores. The stationery and office needs part is quite extensive, offering various essentials and surprising tidbits. Unfortunately, I don't think that it offers enough titles or kinds of books for a store its size. I expected to see rows of shelves dedicated to Indonesian literature ready to be browsed. I wanted to see if the store can offer more foreign books to expand its catalogue. Yet, it didn't live up to my expectations. I even think that the chain's flagship store in Matraman is more complete - and more convenient from my campus in Salemba. The new store lacks the bookstore trap that makes you want to buy more books than you had planned.

However, I went there twice in three days. Why?

From its opening until last Friday, it offered 30% discount on all items except electronics. On top of that, customers of a certain credit card get another 5% off. That kind of discount is very big for bookstores; the last all-items discount I had from another bookstore was only 15% and it wasn't really all-item. Nothing could make my "nerd alarm" ring more loudly.

Consequently, it also attracted hundreds -or maybe thousands- of other discount hunters. Before I went there, I had asked several friends who were lucky enough to go there first about how the new store was. "Crowded". "Packed". "Like a swarm of ants". When I was there myself, in the evening on both occasions, those words suited the urban vista. As I walked to the store, I saw people with happy faces carrying multiple black plastic bags from each hand. I read "Gramedia". It didn't take a genius to guess how crowded the store was. Shoppers everywhere, browsing through all shelves available. In the comics and novels section, books were literally flying off the racks and covering the floor, thanks to hundreds of clumsy, overexcited bookworms. Where there was no books lying, there were small kids *cough*and teenagers*cough* reading comics and other books for free. Carefully tiptoeing on the space left, finding the books I wanted was a struggle. The shelves are messy and most of the books were in a chaotic arrangement everywhere else. Fortunately, the stationery part was more peaceful, so was the foreign books part. Is it Indonesians' rising interest on reading, or just its deep, primal love of discounts?

Anyway, I got hold of some books and restocked my pencil case with 35% less bucks. Additionally, I genuinely hope that this discount frenzy is the reason of my less-than-great first impression of the store. I really look forward to go there again and reevaluate what I said before. By the way Mr SBY, my dad -strangely, he's a fan of yours- didn't buy your new book. You just have to look for campaign funds somewhere else.

Now...if Kinokuniya and Periplus gives 50% discount (although I'll settle for 30%), my life is too perfect.

Season's Greetings

2008-12-25T05:44:00.001+07:00

With my hectic university life, it seems that time has shrunk into something that simply flies by. As I've told you before, this year's Ramadan was just a fleeting moment and then Idul Fitri came out of nowhere. I proceeded with my torturous lectures, which I -gladly- survived through. And suddenly, it's Christmas; now, I'm having a long holiday -relatively speaking, of course. My friends are currently on a two-months free time. Me? Just a modest two-weeks break. Yay. Anyway,...

I'm wishing you a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS. SELAMAT HARI NATAL. And let's not forget, HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Have a nice day and safe travels wherever you may be.

Finally Here

2008-12-16T21:27:00.001+07:00

Hello world! For the second time in almost two months, I disappeared from the blogosphere-although not from the facebooksphere. A lot of things have happened since the last time I posted, some of which I really really wanted to blog about. But what can a simple, innocent guy like me *yeah right* do when faced with a mountain of tasks which, I may add, I know absolutely nothing about. And I said to myself, "So this is med school...now, where did I put my normal life?"

Anyway, what kind of things have happened? (And here I go again with my random, impulsive blurts) Well, there was World AIDS Day. I eagerly planned to take part in the Bloggers Unite campaign and I would have made a nice post if it had not been for the "lovely" school stuffs. There was a sad, horrifying news I read in The Jakarta Post which reported a survey that found the majority of religious studies teacher in the basic education level is breeding exclusivism, discrimination, antipluralism views, and perhaps they will contribute to future acts of terrorism. SBY got my attention at least twice: once for signing the troublesome Porn Law and once for allegedly blowing his top when a crowd of protesters in front of the Presidential Palace became too loud. Is it just me, or does our "Dear President" simply love to vent his anger publicly?

Switching to good stuffs, the last book of the Laskar Pelangi tetralogy was released and I've finished the wonderful book. It serves as an appropriate closing for the phenomenal series by a small town boy who lived a big live. Sorry, I meant who has lived a big life; he's not dead yet. I seriously recommend the book for everyone. I'm currently reading Perempuan Berkalung Sorban, a critical novel about the position of women and feminism in the ultraconservative views of Islam. I've just read about half of the book, but I expect to finish it soon since my workload is waaay lighter than the previous two weeks. Another good stuff, I watched a great movie that didn't involve the so-called "vegetarian vampires". It was The Day The Earth Stood Still. Great concept, great special effects, great wow-factor; yet, the movie didn't maximize those potentials.

One last thing, I made another blog which specifically deals with my (mis)adventure in the Faculty of Medicine in a certain university. Check it out! By the way, I think it's important for you to know that I'm trying my very best not to be so libelous in that blog. Two words: hard work.

And expect lots and lots of posts here and there soon!

Why Be A Follower?

2008-11-29T11:04:00.001+07:00

Much of the muslims in South East Asia, or perhaps even the world, were surprised by a recent move by the Malaysian Fatwa Council to ban muslim Malaysians to practice yoga as it "can destroy the faith of muslims" due to its Hindu roots and influences. This news spread through the region; the quote above made it into Time magazine's Verbatim section this week. Naturally, a fatwa is not legally binding despite its influence among fatwa-obedient muslims. Nevertheless, as Islam is Malaysia's official religion, it is expected that it will soon make its mark in the national law. Of course this drew outrage from yoga practitioners, activists, and the mainstream muslim community for being too narrow-minded. Many Malaysian government officials, even some of its sultans, said that they will not rush adopting the fatwa to get a clearer picture of the issue.

At this point, you should be asking why I am taking this whole shebang seriously. It is happening in Malaysia, a country I've frequently ridiculed on this blog, while I myself am a proud Indonesian. Even though we're in the same regions and more often than not we've had some kind of a lover's quarrel, we shouldn't be meddling into each other's internal affairs, right?

Yeah right. Unless it is beginning to affect my beloved country Indonesia. Apparently, some of our ulamas (that's like the religious bigwigs), at least those who are not too busy campaigning for the next election, caught wind of this news and started their own brouhaha. The news said that they're taking this issue into consideration, although not instantly creating similar fatwa. First comments OK-ed yoga as long as muslims don't delve into the Hindu mysticism. However, it is also said that the Ulama Council will observe yoga practices in the country to finally arrive on a final decision. Errr, imagine you're minding your own yoga moves when an ulama barges in...wacko+ulama=wackolama.

I am very terribly sorry for the Malaysian community that they have to go through this unfunny joke. Yet, I setting my eyes on my country.

This is an alarming sign about the growing conservatism in Indonesia. After local governments throughout the country have been influenced into making deviant Sharia-inspired laws, and most recently the House passed the draconian Pornography Law, we cannot afford this kind of stupidity anymore. When I heard that the Council was going to ape its Malaysian counterpart, it was all blurgh, blurgh, and blurgh. How messed up must they be to prioritize this matter over a pedophile cleric and the worrying glorification of the Bali bombers? Those wackolamas should have known better to meddle into Indonesians' private lives.

Seriously, when was the last time their fatwa made as much as a ripple in our real life? I firmly believe that we, the majority of Indonesian muslims, are more than just a herd of animals that blindly obey what our ulamas spit out. This is where critical thinking plays a crucial part in keeping our faith stay true and avoiding the blind obedience that has wrapped women in restrictive hijabs and sent suicide bombers to wreak havoc on Earth. Keep in mind that Islam doesn't rely on any kind of hierarchy, which means that we don't need the approval of anyone to be a muslim and reach spiritual peace.

Our faith, our religion, and how we live our lives accordingly are strictly a private matter. No ulama can have the power forcing us to follow his/her fatwa. This is time that we stop such ridiculous trend in the country. I'm not saying that the ulama should just stay in their pesantrens or Qur'an recital groups, but they must place themselves in the community appropriately. If unfortunately this yoga fatwa actually comes out in Indonesia, don't blame us if people see Islam as a backward, isolated religion.

Wacky Facebook Groups

2008-11-27T09:13:00.001+07:00

The massively popular Facebook, with millions and millions of users, now boasts a wide array of groups, formed by members for members. As nature goes, along with the same old normal groups of hobbies and collections, there's bound to be some wacky -thus funny- groups that actually make you realize something more about everyday life. Well, this trend shouldn't come as a surprise in a place where you can zombie-bite your friend and throw Oprah at him/her. In fact, I've joined quite a few that are surprisingly suitable to my thoughts or habits. Here are some of those groups I've found while browsing for a very short time; there's got to be a lot more:

1. "No, I Don't Care If I Die At 12 AM, I Refuse to Pass On Your Chain Letter" If you're constanly bugged by chain letters telling you to find an organ donor for a random guy who's dying from a disease you've never heard before, or telling you to pass on some cursed message to 10 or 20 friends if you don't want to lose your job; then this is the group to join! FYI, apparently one of those donor message was true and it saved someone's life, according to Yahoo! News. I tried to look for the link, but can't find it.

2. "I Secretly Want to Punch Slow Walking People In the Back Of the Head" Whoa! God must know what I'm feeling (duh!) when I'm walking between TransJakarta corridors. Ugh, this kind of people keeps getting in your way and they don't realize it, not even after you struggled to pass them.

3. "I Judge You When You Use Poor Grammar" This group may sound too judgmental, but really it is judgmental. In this group you can find mistakes people do when using English. Keep in mind that not only foreigners whose first tongue isn't English that make grammar mistakes, but also native users of the language.

4. "Mint Slice Addicts Anonymous" and other F&B products "appreciation" groups. Not actually wacky, but I was somewhat surprised to find people who have the same problem. Me want Mint Slice!!

5. "You Might Be in <<somewhere>> If..." or "You Might Be a Hardcore <<something>> If..." These groups are good in catching the perceived reality of what we do. Common victims include law school, med school (Ha!), and various sport players and fans. Oh yeah, you can never forget "You Might Be Indonesian If.../You Might Be Living in Indonesia Too Long If..."

6. "When I Was Your Age, ..." These ones will surely make you feel old in a few years. A quick search on Facebook yields these: Pluto was a planet, the first African American was elected president, there were only 151 Pokemon (I once memorized all of them, including their numbers. Nerd alert!), we solved Blue's Clues with Steve, not Joe, and Dumbledore was straight. When I have small kids, I'm gonna tell them that when I was their age, there was no such thing called Facebook, or internet for that matter.

7. "Keep Your Fucking Hand Down in Lecture and Shut Up. No One Cares." This is a bit bad, but acceptable in many cases. You know you want to say it when your friend starts a question with "according to my experience..."

Still interested? Go to your Facebook account -you have one, right?- and just browse around. I'm done with this post: You know you're in med school when you find it difficult to find time to blog.

Hello, Again

2008-11-24T17:25:00.002+07:00

It's been too long since I last posted something on this blog. Perhaps, you've been asking "why is this blog so quiet?". Well, at least I have. Life has been somewhat unkind to this new university student and time is a privilege I can no longer have. Assignments, facebook, papers, facebook, presentations, facebook-what's a guy to do? I rarely have spare time, and the little I had was spent on the internet's newest guilty pleasure. I mentioned it, three times: Facebook! It's extremely and stealthily time-consuming. Hours simply pass by when you comment on your friends' "scandalous" high school photos or play its many fun, yet pointless games. That and I have like a million tasks to do. Please, I haven't even started the real med school stuff. Seriously!

Anyway...here I am! With nothing to write about. Actually, there has been lots of stuff going on and some ideas did spark on my head to be typed here. However, those ideas weren't lucky enough to make it into cyberspace. So, now I'm just letting you know that this blog is still alive. Expect a new post soon, after my end-of-semester exams.

Oh yeah, I'm participating in the next Bloggers Unite event on World AIDS Day. Are you?

And I'll get some real med school shebang next week, yay! (Or no yay?)

Movie Chitchat: High School Musical 3

2008-11-11T20:55:00.001+07:00

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players"

That can be very true, especially if you live in a High School Musical world. The whole world, i.e. East High School, is a huge world where you can say anything, dream anything, or simply be an annoying narcissist, all in a song or two. Hey, where else can you find a basketball game with more choreography than the average dangdut singer? "And all the men and women are merely players". Well, they're mere players who rocketed into worldwide fame in a snap and has certainly earned big bucks, really really big bucks, for all three HSM movies plus their tie-ins.

Yesterday, my inner-child's curiosity got the best of me, and also to cherish my now-rare free time, I went to see the latest installment of High School Musical. For those of you who somehow haven't heard about it, ~~I pray that God have mercy on you~~ it's a world-famous Disney phenomenon about a group of your typical TV-beautiful high schoolers, living a high-school (love) life, that sings and dances throughout the movie. That's why it's called musical, duh! Perhaps, it's the current generation's answer to their parents', or grandparents', Mamma Mia!. The world went crazy over High School Musical, buzzed for High School Musical 2, and now it has to face High School Musical 3: Senior Year on the theatre screen.

Before we begin, I realize that I don't have an adequate level of Artistic Quotient -if it exists- which constantly makes me wonder why do I keep on reviewing stuffs and posting them on my blog. But men, assisted with a dose of boldness, can do unpredictable works. So, here goes nothing.

Basically, HSM3 is, well, very very HSM-ish in a good way. The Wildcats (that's the stars) are so close to the end of high school and must face the reality that they'll go separate ways in the future. Before that happens, however, they decided to stage another musical about none other but their own high school experience. I don't want to spoil the movie for you; thus, let's go straight to what I think about this record-breaking musical. Compared to the previous HSMs, this one is bigger, better, more cheerful, and more colorful; like Speed Racer but without the cars, the hallucinations, and the tacky outfits. Honestly, after seeing the step from HSM to HSM2, I lowered my expectations to this movie. Oh boy, I was totally wrong. Everything was wonderful and very fitting for a theatrical release. The storyline is a lot more acceptable than HSM2, which was more like a dreamland. The songs and choreography brilliantly follow the path of the previous movies. Maybe Disney has found the exact formula to lure every potential audience and to commercial success.

Now about the spoiled star of East High, Sharpay Evans played by Ashley Tisdale. I seriously have questions about her mental health. She was evil at the beginning of the first movie, and turned good at the end after losing the lead role in the school's musical. In the second, she started out as evil again, with a suitable blond hairdo, ditzy outfits and wicked ambition, only to turn good -again- after failing to get the boy of her dreams. *who else?* Well, (un)surprisingly, she became evil again in this third movie, although with a much better wardrobe and brain...and as (un)surprisingly, she decided to be nice and respectable at the end. I guess that's what you get for being the sole antagonist in the series.

Another thing, the drama teacher Ms. Darbus grew more likeable in this movie. In a dramatic turn from the first movie, she became some kind of a guardian angel, especially to the basketball/drama star Troy. HSM3 certainly showed the better side of her, similar to those wise old people who has gone through so much that they seem to know everything, like Yoda perhaps. (OMGosh, did I just do a Star Wars analogy? Curse you, Dark Side!!)

Well, I don't think it will do any good to recommend this movie to any of you because either you're a big fan of HSM and have seen it or you're the kind of person who lets your pride dictate your actions ;p Anyway, do take my word for it: it's a good option when you're looking for something to kill time and to simply have sheer good fun -that won't throw you in jail under the ridiculous Porn Law.

Strange Things #1

2008-11-06T19:46:00.001+07:00

I used to think that my formal Bahasa Indonesia is near-abysmal, especially compared to my fluency in its everchanging spoken informal form, which is actually the form that's used most frequently in normal life -and by normal, I exclude Cinta Laura. It's not that I'm bad at it, it's just that I find myself unable to conform to what others (i.e. my teacher and national exam maker) want. Honestly, I was somewhat frustrated with exam-style Bahasa Indonesia. At that time, I really wanted to face the Bahasa bigwigs and give them a piece of my mind. Our current Bahasa Indonesia education is simply not working.

Look at that banner in the picture above and read what it says. "Kejahatan jalanan, penggembos ban, menunjuk-nunjuk ban, asap-asap...Mereka adalah pencuri, waspadalah" Before we proceed, let my take a shot at translating it: "Street crimes, tire deflators, pointing at tires, smokes...they're robbers, beware". Now that's abysmal. Seriously, I'm no language purist but this wicked sentences really set my alarms off.

That public service banner by the local police makes my 3-years old cousin's story of his fun holiday sound like Shakespeare. First, it starts out with "street crimes"; then, it jumps to those criminal "tire deflators". All of a sudden, the list continues with "pointing at tires". To top the wackiness, it's then closed with "smokes". Moreover, the last sentence means that street crimes are robbers, tire deflators are robbers, pointing at tires are robbers, and smokes are robbers. What the *beep*!? Grammatically speaking, only the "tire deflators" part is forgivable, the rest is sentenced to third-degree stupidity and would have to suffer in Grammar Hell. Ya burnt!

Yes HE Can!

2008-11-06T10:56:00.001+07:00

The world must have had a long, sleepless night; but finally, it has come to this wonderful end. American voters made history by electing their new president, Barack Obama of the Democratic Party. The junior senator from Illinois beat Republican war veteran John McCain after months of rigorous campaigning - and a Saturday Night Live appearance by Palin. Affectionately dubbed by Indonesians as the Menteng Kid (due to spending his younger years in the Menteng area in Jakarta), Obama becomes the first African American to be elected chief of the powerful nation. Moreover, the Democratic Party also succeeded in expanding its majority in both houses of the Congress, which will be of great benefit when he starts his job.

Yes HE really can! That's the first thing to strike me after getting the news of his victory. I knew that November 4 (November 5 in Jakarta) is election day, but I don't expect the results to pop out this fast. Despite everything, I have to admit that I still had doubts whether Obama will actually come out as a winner in this election. Something kept whispering to me that things could go wrong and the really old guy would continue Bush's legacy/mess. However, at the end of the day, Obama's win is a loud and firm answer to those doubts as well as to the questions of millions of Americans.

This historic moment is for the whole world to celebrate: papers, internet sites, personal blogs, radio stations, and all kinds of media are going wild with the news; foreign leaders congratulated him with hopes of a better future together; and it's not too much to say that people all over the world is united in extreme joy. Apart from the US itself, the citizens of Kenya -where his father was born- and Indonesia -where he spent four of his elementary school years- are swept in a wave of elation. Jakarta's attention was centered on SDN Menteng 01 where lil' Barry studied; the current students of the school instantly celebrated Obama's victory when the news got there. At last, we got a break from those streaks of bad news.

Well, I originally planned only a very short post, so I'm gonna wrap this up. Here's hoping that the new era brought about by American voters will get the United States back on track, to be the great nation it can be and also usher in a new era of mutual cooperation for every nation in the world. The road that lie ahead will certainly be rough, but this victory is a sign that Obama can lead his nation through that road. Ultimately, I'd like to quote Oz PM Kevin Rudd, "Forty-five years ago Martin Luther King had a dream of an America where men and women would be judged not on the colour of their skin but on the content of their character...Today what America has done is turn that dream into a reality."

Good luck!

Lust, Caution (Part 1)

2008-11-04T23:11:00.001+07:00

Dear honorable members of the House, what were you thinking!? If you were thinking, that is.

Despite strong opposition, with official protests from several provinces, the Porn Bill was finally passed by the DPR in a session marked by massive walk-outs. On October 30, eight out of ten factions agreed to make the contentious bill into law. This pro-side surprisingly includes what's supposed to be 'nationalist' parties like Golkar and Partai Demokrat, plus parties that has only recently took a more nationalist stance like Partai Amanat Nasional. Anyway, by this time I think it's unnecessary to inform you that PKS lawmakers blindly gave their 'yes' to the bill. Shame on them all. It was reported that during the session, bill supporters shouted 'Allahu Akbar' each time a legislator voiced their support for the bill, as if God wanted them to bring to life such abominable law. Or, sarcastically speaking, was that a cry for extreme forgiveness for letting this monster get passed by the House?

On the contrary, I openly applaud the brains and bravery of PDI-P and PDS lawmakers for walking out of the ridiculous session as a sign that they are against the law until the very end of the day, from the very beginning of all this hubbub. Apparently, two Golkar legislators from Bali voting district also walked out on the session, a move that should've been followed by their party-mates. Another legislator, a prominent activist Nursjahbani Katjasungkana from Islamic-based PKB joined in the protest against the bill, although she didn't leave the session. Note to self: with only two choices left, now you really know which party to vote for.

Let's take a look at the bill-turned-law, shall we?

Article 1 defines pornography as "drawings, sketches, illustrations, photographs, texts, voices, sound, moving pictures, animations, cartoons, poetry, conversations, gestures, or other forms of communicative messages through various kinds of media; and/or performances in front of the public, which may incite obscenity, sexual exploitation and/or violate moral ethics in the community." Well, that's the nice translation from Bahasa Indonesia. The translation that best suits the Indonesian meaning would actually say "..., which may arouse lust/sexual desire...". Believe me or not.

This is a reckless definition that's been one of the hottest topic in the debate. In there, porn includes every and any thing that gets you 'up and wanting', even if it is a wrinkly old woman minding her own business or a bra-less cow. Perhaps if we see it in a different way, Indonesians are terribly lucky since all of us get to be a 'porn' star in such an easy way. You may draw, sketch, illustrate, take a picture, write, say, sing, dance, move, mendesah, and anything else; as long as you can 'excite' someone, voila, you're an instant porn star. Lucky you, a religious nation of porn stars!

Article 3 states the goals of the law, two of which are to improve the people's morality (that's something we love to debate on, isn't it?) and to prevent the spread of pornography in the society. Take a deep breath, count to 3, and laugh histerically at those points. To those lawmakers, good luck on preventing the spread of porn. Seriously, you'll need like a gazillion tons of luck to do it -although it only took a pinch of political-gain dreams to start this whole kerfuffle.

Articles 4 to 15 contain the actual prohibitions and exceptions. No one is allowed to produce, make, copy, air, export, import, rent out or provide materials that have these things: intercourse, including 'deviant' intercourses (e.g. homosexuality, bisexuality), sexual violence, masturbation, nudity, an impression of nudity, or sexual organs. Furthermore, no one can lend out, borrow, or download the defined porn materials. Yada, yada, yada. According to Article 42, after one month, you have to burn down your secret porn drawer/cupboard/harddisk; otherwise, you will be prosecuted. Well, unless you can prove that those manga girls in flowery bikinis don't turn you on.

Where should I start? It is blatantly a restriction against our freedom of expression. Just because those lawmakers don't like to watch porn -really?- doesn't mean that they should ban people from making or enjoying it. Such freedom, along with many others at risk from this law, is protected under the Constitution. So, these articles are simply unconstitutional. Additionally, it is also a breach to our private lives, which are our private domain (duh!) not to be groped obscenely by the government. Why would anyone feel that she/he has the power over the personal choices that other people make? The download part of the law reeks of internet censorship. In fact, another article actually give regional govts the power to block internet sites, bringing back ugly memories of the Fitna spat. Despite the imminent ignorance about this law (we're talking about Indonesia, dear), we cannot let this unfunny joke by the DPR to continue.

Article 14 makes the exception to the bans which only includes anything that has to do with a) arts and culture, b) tradition, and c) traditional rites. What strikes me first is that obviously this is an attempt to appease the opposition from many cultural groups and then to push on with this law. This is never a sincere gesture to keep the nation's culture, pluralism, and most of all, identity. Who can classify whether something is art or porn or maybe they overlap? Surely more open-minded people say that porn can be another form of art; after all, it is made for the sake of enjoyment. Or will we be forced to chip out the groin of Michelangelo's David? If someone makes a porn movie with skimpy batik bikinis, will they be exempt?

Oh my, this post is getting extra long...hence the (Part 1) in the title. Frankly, I'm not quite sure if Part 2 will actually come into being later, but at least let it serve as a sign that there's more to question and debate on this law. A last say, "I can't define porn, but I know it when I see it."

Rude Awakening

2008-11-03T17:20:00.001+07:00

This enlightening misadventure started with a simple text message from my friend that asked me to take part in an English debate competition held by my university today. That's really nice to be chosen, isn't it? Well, to tell you the truth, we had to be substitutes for the original team; we were informed -and informed is clearly an overstatement, it was more like a yes/no question without the question- yesterday afternoon. Setting bad thoughts aside, I innocently thought this would be, let's say, a way to relive my ~~exhausting and stressful~~ debating past and also to respark my curiosity on all things debatable. I wanted to pick up from where I left off in high school, which wasn't that far. No drum roll, please. So, I ~~absentmindedly~~ happily said "Yeah, let's go."

Everything went fine: we assembled a team of three, gained clues on the motion (Welcome back to THW and THBT! Such memorable abbreviations.), went to Depok, and got to the debating room. And that's precisely where fine flies away, replaced by miserable. The motion for my debate was "THBT poverty in Indonesia is caused by foreign countries" with my team being the government side. Basically, it means we had to blame any random country besides our own for all the hardships most Indonesians have to face. The opposition? Uber debaters from the uni's debating society. Sarcastically, woohoo! So much for resparking my curiosity.

From the very first moment, the motion had me terribly dumbstruck. It was utterly surprising, like finding a clean public restroom outside the malls in Jakarta. In a previous post, I've already told you that I don't do so well in economics, let alone debate about it. I can bitch about abortion rights, freedom of expression, free condoms, and almost anything else except economics. The last time I argued acceptably was on free trade because the sacred well of knowledge, popularly known as Wikipedia, had a long page containing comprehensive arguments for and against it. Unfortunately, my team mates were also in the dark, although they had a better idea on the issue. In the fifteen minutes for case building, we scrambled to make a case blaming the spectres of unfair trade, protectionist policies, and the hidden agendas of evil developed countries for total world domination. *insert sinister laugh here*. To frankly summarize, it was a spectacular babblefest with a dash of subsidy here, a pinch of economic dependency there, and a whole mix of wicked jargons sprinkled everywhere to give the debate an exotic clueless taste. (The cooking analogy ends there, thank you).

As the third speaker, I had to make a grand rebuttal, hacking off at the opponent's arguments. What I did instead was a shameful act of treason against the meaning of grand. I virtually had no rebuttal against their case and I made up things about the "power and influence of the developed countries we depend on to make us go into bad trade/aid agreements". It originally lasted about two-and-a-half minutes, and I couldn't think of any other way to refute their claims. To make sure I survive the day, I didn't allow any of their POIs out of fear of being even worse. At such time of crisis, a little advice from my senior in high school kicked in: "whenever you are at a loss of words and you're stuck, just repeat everything you've said until you can safely close the speech". Repeat everything I certainly did. Blurgh.

After the debate, the adjudicator's comments didn't even need to be translated as a win for the opponent. He blatantly praised them for bringing strong points into the debate and elaborating those points well. On the other hand, I couldn't bring myself to writing what he said about our case; I just can't humiliate myself that badly. I'll tell you what he said about my speech, though. He told me that it lacked substance and I tend to repeat everything again and again. You know, saying the same stuffs over and over, blurting out things I've already said. Basically, using the same stuff for so many times. Just like this. For your information, dear adjudicator, I know that: I'm clueless, not stupid.

In the end, I realize that this is some kind of a rude awakening, if not an outright slap in the face, that I still have tons to learn and many sides to discover. I'm trying to be ~~creepily~~ positive and see this as a reminder, and perhaps a boost, to my future in debating. A bad experience is an experience nonetheless, and people say that experience is the best teacher -apart from the teachers who always give easy tasks and extra recess time. One more thing, kudos to my teammates for being the best impromptu debate team ever.

When Things Get Weird

2008-10-24T22:27:00.001+07:00

In Indonesia, things tend to follow the path of least expectations, rather than of least resistance. Weird stuffs pop up in the media each and everyday without any sign of its stopping; in fact, I feel that we're currently in some kind of mystical renaissance. But no, I'm not talking -at least for now- about what the guys in DPR are doing. Frankly, there's plenty of weirdness to go around without involving Senayan. I'm talking about the growing popularity of bogus mysticism (pardon the pleonasm) in the society.

In the telly we have these disturbing REG PRIMBON and REG WETON guys, offering dubious advices based on the clients birthday in Javanese calendar. If they think that it's working...apparently it's true. These ads haven't stopped haunting the holy box, so it must be making mountains of money. In fact, we're getting more of similar stuffs. Oh man, those genies must be paid millions for this. Additionally, we are treated to an unhealthy dose of the infamous Indosiar sinetrons that jumps the evil snake the moment it starts. For one, the sinetron uses dubbing for some unknown reason, perhaps to distract us from the wooden acting. Or the questionable dialogue. Or the surreal storyline. It also has an endless array of poorly-rendered "horrifying" creatures to choose from: giant cobras, dragons, eagles, devils, and the whole lot. Expect Caribou Barbie to drop in soon. The funny thing is, most episodes are set in an imaginary Less-than-Lalaland, while the cars cruising around clearly sports Jakarta's "B" license plate. Here's hoping that Indosiar is actually desperate, not stupid.

Furthermore, a quick glance at any roadside magazine vendor will also reflect this otherworldly trend. Chances are you will have plenty of newspapers and magazines to satisfy your inner hunger for wicked "news" (mind the quotes). I've actually got the chance to see what's inside. Once, and only once. In that edition, a loyal reader gladly shares his encounter with your typical (dead) lady-in-white, while another expounds on the "science of ghosts". Wait, there's more. It also contains ads from quite a selection of dukuns/shamans/magicians/"smart people" who are ready to help you anytime, whether it's for seducing the next door pair-of-boobs, making you emit an irresistible aura, piling up the bucks, or giving Pfizer a run for its money. It seems that they can make all kinds of magical charms and amulets for any intention.

Now you won't be surprised by this particular mystical case in Bali that will make SBY's "Blue Energy" and "Supertoy Rice" tomfooleries sound like science and Donna Sheridan's sexual adventure in Mamma Mia! seem tame. A while ago, an elderly man in the famous Island of the Gods was caught red-handed having a little fling with a female cow. You know what I mean, right? I can't describe it too well here; I have no intention get this blog blocked by our self-righteous government. The poor guy, reports say 70-years old, was so strongly attracted to the cow that he didn't hesitate to do some nasty things; he just couldn't help it. If you think this story ends there, boy, are you so wrong. Later, people found out that the (un)lucky cow was pregnant with what's supposed to be a half-man, half-cow creature. (I know what you're thinking, just hold off those thoughts for a while.) Locals were enraged by this disgraceful action and said that the old guy practically cursed them all. Different doomsayers have their own doomsday scenarios, for example the Porn Bill being passed into law, but as far as I'm concerned, the guy messed up big time. Thus, to keep Hell from raining inferno upon their heads, the villagers decided to conduct a purification ritual to wash off the curse.

Funny enough, the ritual was as sensational as the cow-affair itself. The pregnant cow was tied to a motor boat, dragged for about 3 km into the ocean, and finally they let her drown -bringin with her the whole set of bad luck. At this point, I felt quite sorry for the elderly man because he hasn't got the buzz he deserves. Hello, he was the one who acted wildly, so for the sake of fairness he should get more exposure. Sadly, until today he's not half as popular as the now-drowned cow/victim. Meanwhile, this piece of story's 15 minutes of fame is stealthily fading away.

I rarely mess with other people's cultural practices, but this one is so wrong on so many levels. First of all, the rapist is a poor man, yet the cost of this ritual is quite steep. The punishment will surely send him further down the spiral of poverty. Second, it promotes an illogical way of thinking. Seriously, how can a cow be knocked up by a man, they simply don't match. Maybe the cow has been cheating on somebody else before being impregnated - again, seriously? Lastly, it is an unnecessary killing of animal. The drowning of the criminal cow can only mean that some people prioritize mysticism over logic and science, even in this so-called modern Indonesia, where one can access the internet from a roadside coffee shack.

Stay tuned in for the next weird things!!

A Sad Story and A New Hope

2008-10-16T12:00:00.001+07:00

Before I begin anything, I'd like to say that I'm very sorry to have put this blog on hold for almost two weeks. Things have been happening so fast around me that sometimes I just can't get a grip on myself. Lebaran holiday, assignments, stuffs, other stuffs, surprise sickness, Trans-freakin'-Jakarta, and a whole lot of stuffs. Don't wanna sound sentimental, but I wholeheartedly miss my blog. Anyway, I'm glad to be back here -yay!- and I happened to remember that I pledged to join the Blog Action Day 2008 about Poverty, which is scheduled for October 15. I know it's a bit late, but I'll still do this post. (I don't quote Star Wars for nothing, you know).

Poverty. As an Indonesian, I hear the news everyday, I read about it, and most importantly, I see it with my own eyes. Unlike those who instantly associate poverty with bones-and-skin children of Africa and all those publicity stunts with Hollywood stars, it doesn't take more than a trip to the nearest mall, with all its glory, to really see how a considerable part of Indonesians actually live their life. Another mile will give anyone a knock on the car window, with all kinds of people begging them for money.

In the last days of Ramadan, lives were lost in a depressing, yet disgusting parade of poverty. Twenty-three people were crushed to death while struggling to receive Rp30,000 ($3) zakat money from a local businessman. Similar accidents from all around the country also made it into the media. The capital city was invaded by yearly beggars and whatever their intention may be. During Eid festival, more people line up in the governor's and president's houses for a chance to meet their leaders, and get an envelope of money. After the annual Eid homecoming, many unskilled workers -most of them armed only with dreams of a better life- try their luck in the cities with gold-paved streets.

Honestly, this post won't offer much solution because I myself am in a lost of words about this matter. Poverty isn't as simple as running out of money. There are a lot of things that play their part in this phenomenon: education, culture, government, politics, public services, environment, finance, law, just to pop out a few. Furthermore, poverty is like an evil spider that spins its web tangling all nations on this planet, from America to Africa, Indonesia to Israel, Paris to Papua; including you. Addressing this issue is never an easy task; otherwise, it won't be as bad as it is now.

In Indonesia, it is too easy to yell at the government, especially since they somewhat deserve such yelling for choosing to prioritize dividing this nation with draconian bills rather than to fulfill the citizens' basic rights. Our lawmakers have been living in luxury for too long while people don't have access to the most basic housing and schools are literally collapsing on students. They've been flying all around the world for dubious political trips when their constituents have to walk kilometers for a bucket of water.

Opportunities are wide open to contribute to the fight against poverty through many channels. Foreign aid agencies have set up branches here, and local ones are also sprouting everywhere. Additionally, the call to zakat (alms) has grown louder each year with organizers that grow more professional. Somehow, people see such organizations as the best way to help the noble cause.

Nevertheless, I still firmly believe that the government should maximize their role in this global fight. It is too bad for anyone to lose faith in our country's systems and its ability to eradicate poverty because only the government has control over all fields related to poverty and thus, they should be able to come up with a comprehensive plan. We need a government with a clear vision and goodwill to spearhead efforts to lift people from poverty. The people of this proud nation can no longer afford to have a feeble-minded government leading Indonesia to nowhere.

Therefore, I urge each and every fellow Indonesians eligible to vote in the upcoming 2009 elections to bring the best candidates to Senayan and to the Istana Negara. How our future government handles poverty depends on our choice; the power to bring a massive positive change upon this country lies in our very hands. Going golput is a choice, but it is not an answer: how can you look at anyone else after you decide not to help this country build a stronger government? We have been given a chance to help fight poverty through the polling booths, why give it up?

In the end, it is up to you. Just remember, DON'T VOTE UNLESS YOU CARE.

This post is part of Blog Action Day 08 - Poverty

Can't Buy Me Love, Even With 700 Billion Dollars

2008-10-04T20:57:00.001+07:00

...but it will buy me a lot of everything else.

As long as I can remember, economics has never been my forte. Well, unless you count extorting money from my parents as an economic activity, then I'm skilled at a part of economics. Otherwise, I don't really understand how money could support or strangle a country with all its consequences. I rarely read the business part in the newspaper, and when I do scan an article out of curiosity, I don't have any idea what it's talking about. Taxes, stocks, commodities - they're as alien to me as the internet is to McCain.

However, these days I just can't escape from the news about the US economy meltdown and the possibility of a subsequent worldwide depression. Freddie and Fannie Mac; Lehman Bros; AIG; Washington Mutual. These names are competing for the most tragic story in every channel of news with tales of bankruptcy and all that jazz. Then, the issue has become one of the main points in the US Presidential race with both candidates trying to gain the confidence of voters in this matter. Honestly, I don't know how this whole thing started except about the fact that Americans are borrowing more money than they can afford and the banks were too glad to lend as much money as possible. The cause also has something to do with the housing industry bubble, which eventually burst due to oversupply of homes in the country.

I just updated myself (read: opened Wikipedia) and apparently, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 -or simply the bailout plan- was passed by the Congress and signed by Dubya. What is this Act? From what I can gather, it will give the US Treasury US$700 billion to go on a distressed-assets shopping spree. It is an attempt to rescue the US economy, and possibly the world's too. I don't know how they're going to throw the lifesaving 700 billion dollars to help the drowning economy. Nevertheless, with the help of some basic math, we can figure out many things we can buy with that ginormous sum of money. (Seven hundred billion dollars, that's a '7' with eleven zeroes following it: 700,000,000,000; just in case you're wondering.) I have traversed the net to compile many stats about this 700 billion, especially for you guys. This will be a silly post; you have been warned.

If you have that kind of money with you, you can give about $2300 to each person in the United States or $6200 per household. Or maybe you want to treat each American to 4500 McDonald's Apple Pie, that's fine. You can also jolt every Brazilian with 2 cups of Starbucks coffee everyday in a year, unless you want to buy a brand new Hummer for each of the 11 million living in Cuba. Why stop there? You can also literally buy Coca-Cola for the whole world, 2-litre bottle every week for a year. Are you game enough? With such money, you can buy 10 Monopoly games for each of the world's 6.7 billion human beings. Last but not least, you can help Alaskans (including Mrs Sarah "Tina-Fey-glasses" Palin) see Russia a lot more clearly from their houses by buying each of them 10.5 million lightbulbs.

If you are more of an individualistic person, you don't have to spend all that money on being Santa Claus. You can run your own country, or buy one for fun. For example, you can buy the Netherlands, which isn't too bad, or two Denmarks. Definitely a great bargain. That $700 billion dollars will also give you the right to humiliate Bill Gates: twelve Bill Gateses to be exact. Feeling devilish? Start your own war: the US govt has spent only a little bit over $600 billion in Iraq so far. Then again, if you somehow think that this monster cannot be stopped, you can prepare yourself and buy 400 space shuttles to launch yourself away to colonize another planet.

I'm trying to put it in local perspective -this is an original work, mind you. In rupiah, $700 billion sounds even scarier: '7' with 11 zeroes, multiply with '9' with 3 zeroes (that's taking the lower estimate). Say your prayers, honey; it's 63 with 14 zeroes. Rp6,300,000,000,000,000. You can give each of Indonesia's 235 million citizens about Rp26,800,000 which is 27.5 times the official minimum wage in Jakarta. Get your abang gorengan, then every Indonesian can get 53,600 of those 500-rupiahs fried snacks. If you'd rather go to the movies, you can spend your life there with 180,000,000,000 tickets on your hand -taking the price in Pondok Indah XXI (Rp35,000). Well, it's not so fun to go see a movie alone, right? Take along the whole country everyday for two years.

I don't know where to look for the fancy statistics, but I'm totally sure that 63-with-14-zeroes rupiahs can educate millions of underprivileged Indonesian children, give them proper nutrition, provide adequate healthcare for the whole country, build decent infrastructure in every province, and be put to good use in helping people get themselves out of poverty. I'm not a fan of the military; however, I'm sure that Indonesian military will appreciate even just a part of the money to bring their equipments to the 21st century. Indonesia can also channel the money to its talented researchers and artists to discover the riches our nature and culture can offer: alternative energy, arts, biology, medicine, music, and many more.

The problem is...Rp6,300,000,000,000,000 doesn't grow on trees and neither does it lie around free for the taking.

Celebrate the Eid!

2008-10-01T00:24:00.001+07:00

Jakarta is left by millions of its inhabitants, shops are offering extra discounts, and special foods are springing up everywhere. In television, the wicked have repented and the b*tches have traded their hot skirts for head scarves. It can only mean one thing: Ramadan is over and Idul Fitri (or Lebaran) is just around the corner. If you, like millions of other muslims, go to more religious services during the fasting month, you've probably heard something like "Good muslims grieve at the end of Ramadan, for it means the month of infinite blessing will be over soon". However, I proudly beg to differ. There is no good in weeping for a passing month, right?

Personally, this Ramadan felt like only a snap with all the stuffs I had to do while starting at the university. It ends as suddenly as it came. The fasting was surprisingly not as hard as I had expected, although some scorching days really did test my faith and I had to suppress my anger at the nearly-inhumane TransJakarta. I did enjoy the month since it's even better without all the brouhaha I used to endure in high school. I also appreciate the fact that my life kept going as usual while I was fasting. Previously, I felt like I have to lives: normal life and Ramadan life, which is ridiculous. I believe that Ramadan is a moment to improve our lives for the whole year, not a month of pious alter ego.

Anyway, Ramadan ended today at magrib (dusk) and tomorrow we'll celebrate the Eid. The date is mostly uniform throughout Indonesia after all major Islamic organizations agreed that Eid will fall on October 1. That's another good news because there won't be any confusion like last year when Muhammadiyah ends Ramadan a day early. It was like "Minal aidin wal faizin. When did you celebrate eid?". Not nice at all. As every year, my schedule for the day stays unchanged. Eid prayer in the morning, dad's side of the family gathering, and then my mom's. It's a law set just after the universe was born.

Eid is one huge celebration after fasting for the whole Ramadan. Don't get me wrong guys, I don't do "new Lebaran clothes" and neither do I "fantabulously overdress" for the occasion like some clueless Indonesians. Nevertheless, Lebaran is undoubtedly a fun day that can never be replaced. Precisely what God made it to be -or at least what I think God made it to be. I simply love the whole festive atmosphere everywhere as if the whole world were a party. For one, there will be plenty of the promised ketupat and opor ayam, along with other wonderful food. Oh yeah, it's so close, I can taste it already. I also get to meet my relatives -some of them I never knew I had- and apologize for whatever wrong I might have done him/her. It makes me smile all day, even at my "Lebaran relatives" (most of them from my dad's extended family. Sorry dad!)

Furthermore, I admit that I am quite behind in sending out Lebaran greetings via SMS. Looking back, it was an SMS near-disaster last year because of capacity overload in almost every, if not all, mobile operators. Piles of text messages -if you want to call it so- got stuck the whole day and somehow, the overload somehow tells you how much profit these telecommunication giants make each Lebaran. Perhaps that's why I've already been receiving Lebaran SMS's from about half of everyone. Basically, they're trying to outspeed the trouble; SMS now when it's "quiet" and don't burden the cellphone network anymore.

What about me? I am pleased to announce that I haven't even composed my message yet. Making the Lebaran greeting is no easy matter because it has to reflect the wonderful spirit of the day, be fun enough to read and remember, and not sound so pretentious. It means no weird Arabic chants and no faux-poetic regretful expressions. In my previous SMS's, the main ingredients are the all-important apology ("minal aidin..., mohon maaf..."), a prayer for the future, and also a "happy holidays" remark. Then, to choose the appropriate words and sentences, I have to thread the thin line between being creepily rigid and being annoyingly perky very very carefully. In Grey's Anatomy terms, maybe right between Preston Burke and Sydney Heron with a little nudge toward Sydney. Well, just wait for it.

So, let's have tons of fun tomorrow, because having fun is never a sin. Start a whole new page in your life, strengthen your family ties, and eat like there's no tomorrow. I was moved by a Lebaran ad by Pertamina, in which a Pertamina gas station helper (yes guys, you don't fill your own gas in Indonesia) shows a customer that the counter starts from zero. It has two meanings: that the station is one of the few reliable stations in the city and also that after Lebaran, we get over our mistakes and start from zero again. Anyway,... .

EID MUBARAK 1429 H. HAPPY EID FITR. SELAMAT HARI RAYA IDUL FITRI. HAVE A BLESSED LEBARAN. MINAL AIDIN WAL FAIZIN. MOHON MAAF LAHIR & BATIN. PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF MY BLOG HAS EVER OFFENDED YOU. HAVE FUN and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

And that would be my cellphone ringing with another SMS...

Hear No (Indonesian Music) Evil

2008-09-26T15:05:00.001+07:00

As a proud Indonesian, I just don't get it why people are so amazed by our neighbour across the strait, Malaysia. Malaysia this, Malaysia that, and whatever Malaysia, oooooh... Oh puh-leeze, just because they're airing fancy tourism advertisments doesn't mean that they're really all that. Frankly, it only shows that they are more than ready to sweeten up their otherwise mediocre stuffs. Indonesia has a lot more than that; it's just that we haven't mastered the art of extorting money from gullible tourists who will pay for anything we label as "unique" or "exotic". If we realize it, Indonesia has so many things to brag about. Maybe that's why Malaysia relentlessly tries to be Indonesia's 34th province -if I counted that correctly anyway: they love our exquisite batik, glorify our reog Ponorogo, and sing our traditional songs. They will do anything to make everyone believe that they're a part of Indonesia. However, as far as I'm concerned, Indonesia is the more developed of the two countries.

Take one thing (which is actually the topic of this post): music. It is a well-known fact that Indonesian music is conquering its neighbours, especially Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam. Citizens of those countries are big fans of Indonesian bands such as Nidji, Gigi, Ungu, and even Radja. What's that I hear just now? Kangen Band? Well, I won't be surprised to know that it has found some followers there too. Songs from Indonesia are dominating radio airplay in Malaysia, day after day, year after year. To quote a Malaysian artist, "KL in the night feels like Jakarta" with all the Indonesian songs playing everywhere. Malaysians are craving for Indonesian music.

On the other hand, Malaysian music hasn't gained much ground in the archipelago. I, for one, feel that they're music is too "dangdut"esque and is so not on the same level with our music. At times, they're not trying hard enough to sound -and look- good, while at other times, they're trying a wee bit too hard. Some songs did create a minor buzz, like the weird "Angguk Angguk Geleng Geleng" but most of them failed miserably. Siti Nurhaliza might be an exception...because she upgraded herself by collaborating heavily with Indonesian musicians. For example, many of her songs are written by Dewiq, and her more recent video clips are made by a famous Indonesian director (forgot his name, but he's really good). See it for yourself, this is her back then before all the collabs; feel sorry for her.

Nevertheless, some people aren't happy with the way things are. Unable to compete, Malaysian artists are struggling to gain followers in their own territory. There has been many reports that a group of Malaysian artists are trying to block Indonesian music from being the ruler of their world. The latest news said that the group even met with the Malaysian Minister of something and Communications to pass the message. They proposed that Malaysian radio station must fill 90% of their airtimes with local (Malaysian) music, leaving only 10% for Indonesian. It seems that they already knew the plan's too wacky because they are ready to negotiate for 80%:20% ratio, if the proposal is deemed to heavy.

One thing: the plan is utterly ridiculous. First of all, it simply tells everyone that those artists cannot learn from the competition and therefore, they always lag behind. They should've realized that they need to develop if they want to survive the Indonesian invasion. Frankly, it is not Indonesia's fault if they can't or don't want to learn from us and keep making all those lame dangdut songs. Second, it's too much intervention. Radio playlists are determined from many factors, one of them is how popular it is among the audience. If Indonesian songs are so wanted there, they automatically top all the charts. The limitation will only violate the supply and demand relationship; it puts radio stations at risk of being left by their listeners. Furthermore, the plan will not have any effect to business there. It can't break the wave of Indonesian music's popularity among Malaysians. When they can't listen to Indonesian songs on radio, they'll simply go to a music store and buy the CD. As simple as that. Ultimately, it is unfair for the Malaysian people. They need good music and they have the full freedom to choose what they listen to. Apparently, our music can fulfill the need better. So please let them enjoy it. Why would those Malaysian artist sacrifice their own people by forcing them to listen to unwanted music?

A "Quickie" with God

2008-09-24T17:19:00.001+07:00

Aaaah...Ramadan, the month of selfless sacrifice and pure devotion. Heaven breaks loose and everybody becomes an angel. Mosques are packed with people hoping to gain everything Ramadan has to offer. They go to Qur'an recitals and maybe try to finish all 114 surahs in 30 days (Kind late, but good luck!). Some participate in religious discussion groups to enrich their knowledge about Islam. In the last 10 days of the month, people go to their favorite mosques to do i'tikaf -devoting the night for God, only God, and nothing but God. Although I haven't quite reached that level, I believe that these practices are beneficial to us, like all religious practices are.

But those are not what I'm going to blog about. Instead, I'm writing about a practice unique to the fasting month (apart from watching those horrible Ramadan sinetrons or Islamic talkshows hosted by overpaid ustads): the tarawih prayer/salat. According to everyone else, this is a very recommended sunnah. It's not compulsory, but it earns you a giant truckload of good deeds - if you really want to count your blessings. Basically, tarawih is done like the plain ol' salat, only the number of rakaats differ. The "rule" states that it is performed in even number of rakaats, starting from two. In practice, people also differ: most people do 8 rakaats, 20 is also common, although 30 or 40 is not unheard of. Me? I personally prefer 8, if I'm in a mood to do tarawih at all. (I'm not that bad, but now you know that I don't walk with a halo over my head).

Now, that brings us to my annual experience at one of my relative's house. The family hosts a breaking-the-fast gathering every year, inviting extended families plus children and an ustad from an orphanage. It starts from more than an hour before magrib, and they (emphasis on they) do Qur'an recitals waiting for the azan magrib to be heard. No story to tell there...until tarawih. This particular ustad, who is the always the same year after year, does the tarawih in 20 rakaats, divided into 10 sets of 2 rakaats. Obviously, those 20 rakaats take more time than my preferred 8-rakaat prayer does; however, that's not the source of my agony.

The ustad, as the imam (leader of the congregation), loves to speed up all the prayers, surahs, and moves. Probably, he's trying to minimize the time required to perform all 20 rakaats, but his speed is somewhat untolerable. Coming from me, you just have to believe that he is obscenely fast. For one, his surah reading speed will humble any fast-talking gossiper you meet. Some may say that he's blessed with an agile tongue; I say he's ridiculous. Furthermore, he completes his salat moves (e.g. ruku' and sujud) faster than you can say "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" or "hidup adalah perbuatan". When doing the sujud, my head hardly touches the prayer mat when he's starting the next move. And he left nothing unaccelerated, even the after-salat zikir sounds like random chants to the ~~infidel~~ untrained ears.

What's the point of all those 20 rakaats if their only meaning is a "quickie" with God, instead of a deep and full devotion to the Almighty. I don't know if the imam actually recites all the salat prayers, let alone if he does that correctly. For God's sake, he's the imam! He should show utmost piety to his congregation, not show off that he can finish the whole thing in a jiffy. Even I know that in salat, there's a principle called tuma'ninah which requires us to do every move and say every prayer with serenity, calmness, tranquility. These qualities are needed to help us understand what we're saying. The prayers won't mean anything if they just flew off like a bullet because after all, what we can gain from salat depends on how we take in its wonderful essences.

So please, spare us from your meaningless salat...It's far better to do 8 rakaat with your full, undivided attention than 20 without any benefit. Finally, I'd like to quote Bree from Desperate Housewives: "I go for worship, not for a workout."

Porn Bill: Back From the Dead

2008-09-18T14:14:00.001+07:00

If you're an Indonesian political party, how do you woo "muslim" voters to pick your party in next year's election? To some factions in the DPR (Indonesia's lower house), the answer is wickedly simple: you revive a controversial law that will ban whatever things deemed pornographic by those lawmakers. It was gloriously struck down about three or four years ago, after being the subject of many heated debates. As far as the "debate" went, it was more like a one-sided debate since the pro-side basically just made pointless show-of-force rallies without any real argument. The discussion went on and on for so long...

...and somehow, deliberations were finally stopped and the law was left to rot. Or so we thought.

Earlier this month, the media caught our honorable lawmakers rekindling their lost love. It is now renamed as Pornography Bill, dropping the infamous pornoaction part which is actually a made-up word by the former committee. (Who's had the stupidity to coin that word? What a dumb joke, and I'm laughing.) It is supported by all but two factions, giving it an easy pass if the House is (dys)functional enough to do so. The pair of factions opposing the bill are PDI-P (Indonesian Democratic Party - Struggle) and PDS (Prosperous Peace Party) with 122 seats combined out of 550. They have shown a firm stance against anything that might compromise the identity of our great nation and its Bhinneka Tunggal Ika. In the process, they also defended the people's rights to freedom of expression and the freedom to choose.

On the other hand, the supporting factions want to haste the deliberation of the bill and make it into a law as soon as possible. This group includes ruling Golkar and Demokrat parties, and an array of other parties: PAN, PKB, PPP, PPP, PBR, and of course, PKS. Surprise, surprise...not. The latter wants the law so badly that they're pushing for its endorsement before Lebaran as a "Ramadan present". It's so "sweet", your tummy will hurt. Other than revealing that PKS is a lousy present-giver, this law shows what these parties are craving: votes from Indonesia's muslim majority in the 2009 elections. If not for that, why would Golkar, which boasts itself as a centrist-nationalist party, pitch in on this laughable bill?

They are trying to fool people into believing that this bill is about saving the moral of Indonesians, claimed to be ruined by porn, among other things. "Thou shalt accept porn bill, for it is salvation...and millions of precious votes." People are made to think that this bill will develop religious (i.e. Islamic) values in the society by banning anything related to sexualism. Thus, the good-for-nothing MUI (Indonesian Council of Ulama) happily threw their weight behind this bill.

I believe that you are smarter than that. The unclear definition of pornography in the bill is very prone to be abused. Seriously, I'd like to ask how can those lawmakers believe that they can fairly define what pornography is. Besides, the conservative nature of Islamist parties in the House will certainly take things to even worse direction. In fact, the law is more likely to hurt whom it should protect. A law should be made as carefully as possible, since it will be applied to all parts of the country and it will affect people's lives. We must not take any risk by enacting a law with such vagueness. Last but not least, this law is blatantly based on Islamic law which should be applied, as a religious obligation, only personally. This proud nation stands firmly on its core principles of Pancasila and no one is allowed take that away from us.

Fool Me Twice, Shame on Me

2008-09-13T23:06:00.001+07:00

First, he wanted to turn water into fuel. As it progressed, the project generated more ridicule than electricity through its dubious processes invented by a mysterious, if not fake, inventor. Then, he promoted a newly-developed high-productivity rice plant dubbed Supertoy, a variety that can be harvested multiple times without replanting. It is now revealed to be another hoax. Next time we see him in the news, he'll be turning water into wine or send a feast down from the sky.

Who is this certain "he" are we talking about? Boy, I don't expect him to be a government big shot, let alone be a president. He'd be one ridiculous president, if you ask me. So, once again, who is this "he"?

It hurts me to say this (believe me, I'm crying on the inside), but the "he" is our very own President of the Republic of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. I think he totally beat the paranormal out of those creepy "reg weton" and "reg primbon" guys. He's only another step away from claiming himself to be a prophet sent down to fix this nation and clean my room. Seriously, I don't get it how he could simply fall into the same hole twice. Is he trying to get an instant popularity boost before the election or is he just plain gullible?

So, Mister Miracle Worker here quickly denied any link to the project-turned-hoax, but what can he do? The media has been feeding on this story like crazy and now, everybody knows that the Supertoy is indeed a toy. In affected area Purworejo, enraged farmers burned their unproducing fields, fueling further media circus. Panicky SBY camp tried to clear up the mess, saying that the prez was only fulfilling an invitation to promote the toy. They blamed the company that developed the rice variety for not conducting thorough tests and also for cutting so many corners to release the seeds. "Coincidentally" (mind the quotes), the company is led by none other than Heru Lelono, the presidential staff who also goaded SBY into the Blue Energy fiasco. Anyway, the die is cast and now everybody openly questions the professionalism of RI-1.

Aaargh, I don't know where to start or what to write! This is so stupid on so many levels. SBY was duped by his own staff member into shameful schemes, twice, as if once is not enough. There are allegations that Mr. HL was involved in the hoax with a big neon sign saying "nepotism": previously, he was already close to SBY from some sorta organization. He should take the responsibility to somehow clean up this mess, but you can see that Heru is still here, safe and sound. Oh please, how can you pull a presidential prank twice and get away with it?

Then, how could the company release the rice seeds before its being certified by the Ministry of Agriculture? News sources said that the new variety hasn't been properly tested, although there are strict rules and a long road before a rice variety can be used for commercial purposes. I guess it is not so wrong to say that there must've been some "play" in the process. Presidential play much? I'm not so surprised.

Next, how can he not know about what he's promoting? His being a president is reason enough to be extra careful in endorsing anything, especially before facing an election. He made the mistake once when endorsing the Blue Energy, now he's more than glad to repeat it. Ugh, he could've simply waved his hand and his aides will happily research into the Supertoy. Maybe he wouldn't have to deal with all this brouhaha had he done his tiny bit of homework...

And he wants to run for president again next year? Blurgh. I hope he will at least think twice before choosing to promote his next solution-to-all-life's-problems rather than to watch Rihanna's latest video. Come on, everybody knows that Disturbia is much better than hectares of empty rice plants. (Well, duh!)

I Offended the Busway, and I Paid for It

2008-09-11T14:39:00.001+07:00

When I was writing my last post, I didn't expect any retaliation from TransJakarta. Honestly, it didn't even occur to me to diss the bus. That time, I was innocently sharing all my experiences in being a busway regular: the long walk between shelters under the sweltering heat, the mysterious delays of the buses. It's kinda fun because I believe that some of you haven't tried it. And I had a lot to say about TransJakarta anyway.

Call it a divine punishment or anything you want, but the busway successfully made me suffer this week. On Monday, I couldn't go home until 6 o'clock-something. I proceeded to the Salemba UI shelter as usual with a happy, unsuspecting heart. Well, the fun ended there. The shelter was already quite packed, but it turns out that most of the crowd were lining for the bus to Matraman like I. Just my wonderful luck! To allow us more time to let in the bustling busway shelter atmosphere, no bus came for almost fifteen minutes...only on my side. The other side, heading to Ancol, got rows of mostly-empty buses in a tight conga line.

When a bus finally came, the passengers inside were packed more tightly than Dewi Persik's bum in her jeans. No-no, I didn't pay Rp 3500 to get squeezed in a bus of many smells, so I gladly let it go. Then another bus came, not so full, but the holy guardian of busway doors only allowed half of the line to board it. If you notice this post's pattern, you can guess what's coming: yeah, the guy in front of me got on the promised bus, but I can only ~~curse him~~ wave him goodbye. Another ten minutes, another grey bus finally approached the shelter with enough space to let this humble man in. Finally I could start the journey home...although I couldn't say that it's a fun journey.

The pattern prevails; the busway god hadn't forgiven me yet. I had to make full use of my hands and feet during the ride, i.e. I had to stand in the narrow aisle, hands holding fast to the grippie-thingy. (If you have the heart to help me expand my vocab, help me change that "grippie-thingy".) Salemba to Matraman, standing tall; Matraman to Dukuh Atas, standing and surviving; Dukuh Atas to Al-Azhar; hardly even standing. I should really ask for a partial refund of my 3500 rupiahs since I didn't use any seating facility on the bus. Blurgh.

The next day, I had to ride the bus again and I think the busway still held some grudge. I had to wait for ages before a bus came, without any empty seat. Then, from Salemba to Dukuh, the faux-scheduling system intervened. At one point before Manggarai, the bus suddenly stopped for nothing. It just stayed in the middle of the lane, which was actually empty. You cannot call me impatient: I had waited for a considerable time before my trip resumed at full speed.

Fortunately, the remainder of the trip wasn't as torturous. I finally got a seat because after one particular shelter the bus became empty like a mosque after Ramadan. The mighty busway had been appeased. Hurray!

Twice the Ride

2008-09-05T14:39:00.003+07:00

Oh yeah. It didn't take too long before I finally used the TransJakarta busway service from my university in Salemba to my high school Al-Azhar 1. In fact, I've already done the route twice in three days, with another test-ride to measure the time required. The best thing about it is that both ends of my public transport journey are right where I need them to be. The bus shelter in Salemba is right in front of my campus, hence the name "Salemba UI", while the one in Al-Azhar is, well, right in front of the mosque, hence "Masjid Agung". From Salemba UI, I go to Matraman I shelter to transfer to another route, which takes me to Dukuh Atas. Then, I change routes once again to reach my beloved Al-Azhar campus. Actually, I've already known that I can do the route on Bang Yos' legacy project, but that knowledge didn't help me withstand all the shocks from the unpredictable adventure.

First of all, when I told you about changing routes, I really mean it. Don't imagine that route transfer is simply strolling to another door in the same ~~kaleng kerupuk~~ bus shelter. Click on the image above, look for Matraman I and Dukuh Atas 2. You'll notice that both of them are connected by a long oval to another shelter. If there were a legend for the map, the explanation for the oval would be "a hellish walk on a ridiculously long bridge through the city's heat and pollution, plus beggars if you're lucky enough". Basically, they're separate stops which are close enough to each other to make people walk far enough between them. Or perhaps the bridges are built-in jogging tracks to keep Jakartans healthy.

Next, I was dumbfounded by how the faux-scheduling system works. If, in any case, there are buses that goes too closely between each other, the one at the back will go ultra-slowly to let the bus in front gain an acceptable distance. It is a way to avoid rows of buses in one shelter and to have some time between buses. That won't bother you at all, unless you're riding the second bus and have a short temper. You paid the same price for your ticket like the passengers of the first bus, so why do you have to be delayed just for the freakin' system to look great? It's not even our fault that the buses often clump together.

In conclusion, I now understand why so many people still hesitate to ride TransJakarta. Well, frankly, I'm not so satisfied with it either. If it wasn't for the traffic jam-free portions of the route, I'd rather not use it. The city council has tons of stuffs to improve so that the city's first real pulic transportation system can do what it's supposed to do the from the very first place. It has taken so much of already-rare road spaces, so it'd better be worth it, soon.

Happy Ramadan for Everyone

2008-09-01T22:45:00.001+07:00

It's here and it's staying for the whole month, and it's not your in-laws. Although I might seem a wee bit unwelcoming to Ramadan in the previous post, I do look forward to the festive month. This is the moment when it's OK to be so freaking pious without any "tobat loe?" ("look who's repenting?") comment and this is also the moment when you can go out till waay late at night without being interrogated...err, I should stop before I ruin the Ramadan magic.

Today, we performed the first day of self-control. Many of us (read: I) are still in mental confusion due to the fact that this year's Ramadan came right after the start of university activities. It simply began before I had known it would come soon. Frankly, I had so many thoughts like "where to go for lunch?" or "a cold drink will be totally nice" earlier, especially because now I don't live in an exclusively muslim community. It felt quite comfortable actually; there's no more ridiculous Ramadan myths from sources as reliable as Paris Hilton and it's not like the nonmuslims show off what they're eating for lunch. I just need to constantly remind myself that I'm fasting, that's all.

Undeniably, this is only the start of Ramadan. There are millions of opportunities to grab in this holy month to get to know God better and essentially be a better person to everyone, including yourself. That's what Islam rahmatan lil 'alamin means, right? Ramadan is no Ramadan unless it motivates you to do good each and everyday in all facet of life. We don't need bearded religiofakers who can only spread hatred among the people in the name of religion; we need people with a functioning conscience who can make their lives be of benefit to mankind.

To start things off, I humbly apologize for any mistake I might have done, any words that might've hurt (sorry to Malaysians), and also any typo since I'm doing my blog with my eyes half-shut after 10 PM. Happy Ramadan for Everyone!

Now you can go back to watching your favorite gossip shows, Ramadan style!

Fasting Comes (Too) Fast (Enough)?

2008-08-29T22:29:00.001+07:00

It's that time of the year again, the fasting month of Ramadan. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, "Lebaran was just over, wasn't it?...What, it's been a year already?!" I don't know why, but Ramadan has successfully caught me by surprise each year. I guess I was deceived by the false sense of security after Idul Fitri. (Wait, for the sake of being not-so-formal, I'll use Lebaran to refer to Idul Fitri hereafter)

It is totally normal, if not enjoyable, to experience some kind of "Lebaran hangover" after each occasion: you say sorry to anyone you meet during the hangover, including your best frenemies; you happily ~~struggle to~~ chat with your "Lebaran relatives" (the err-what's-his-name extended family you only see once a year during Lebaran feast); and you eat like there's no tomorrow -I can smell the Ketupat & Opor Ayam already. After you recover from the hangover, all you think is "I'm done, no more fasting. Viva la kaki lima! Let's live to eat." The world becomes one ginormous foodcourt. Then, as you gorge yourself on anything for almost a year, ads for Ramadan programs -including Ramadan editions of gossip shows- start to invade the television, again.

As the next Ramadan approaches, you begin to feel left behind, while everybody else is so gung-ho welcoming the blessed month. The one thing that assures you that Ramadan is coming is the media's covering skyrocketing food prices. In my case, I would only realize that the holy month's coming when people start apologizing to each other to "cleanse" themselves before entering Ramadan. My cellphone would start to ring continuously as my contacts begin to spread the love, and mobile operators can start amassing the "grace" early: for those who are still skeptical about Ramadan's being a bountiful month, just ask Telkomsel. Yet, I wouldn't really grasp the urgency until my mom wakes me so freakin' early in the morning for the sahur meal. Blurgh. No, not blurgh for Ramadan; but blurgh for my being so oblivious.

At this point, I question myself for using the pronoun you to describe my personal experiences related to Ramadan since my Ramadan and Lebaran traditions are somewhat off-the-beaten-track. I was writing as if all of you were so un-gung-ho about the fasting month, or as if all of you have got "Lebaran relatives" (oh God, just admit it already that you have such relative). Anyway, let's welcome Ramadan the Blessed Month with embracing arms and get the most out of it.

A Historical Time for Bloggers

2008-08-27T19:09:00.001+07:00

...and it's not about my coming back here. First things first, hiya everyone! Totally sorry for my first long absence: 3 weeks. I really miss ~~ranting wildly about whatever stuffs~~ writing about everything going on in my life, which may also concern you -or it may not, I don't care anyway. During that period, a lot of things transpired, like Paris Hilton's joining the US presidential race, Indonesia's cointinuing badminton legacy, Phelps' breaking records, Indonesia's 63rd Independence Day celebration, and whatever you can find in Yahoo! News.

Anyhoo, let's move on to the main topic. Bloggers - their (or perhaps our) voice counts. The Democratic National Committee realizes that it can reach a broader audience by recruiting bloggers into their publicity legion since blogs cater to a more specific group of people. Each state is represented by a blogger, and so are other demographic, if not made-up, groups. (An Argentinian cattle rancher, for example, serves the US expat community in Buenos Aires). There are 120 blogs with credentials from the Democratic Party; their bloggers have access to the convention floor in Pepsi Center, Denver, and they have the chance to follow the state delegations. Another 500 set up a huge tent outside as their own media center. Let's see the GOP use the "series of tubes" for their advantage.

Coming home to Indonesia, I think it is imperative that bloggers are empowered to stimulate Indonesian politics, develop thoughts, and give a boost to the coming elections. Of course, we can't really expect blogs flaunting their political stances outright like right- or left-leaning; liberal, conservative, or even centrist. Our political constellation doesn't really set those lines, which should make any person in his/her right mind to question the necessity of thirty-four parties. Oh wait, thirty-eight parties; forty four if you're in Aceh. Then again, we'll just have to make do with this outrageous situation. Blogs can participate in educating the public and in advancing political ideas because they are gaining more and more popularity among Indonesian net-goers. Furthermore, it will also promote tolerance between different views and political camps. No longer will there be useless uneducated debates with sentences more offensive than Habib Rizieq.

Viva Bloggers!

Go Team Indonesia!

2008-08-11T22:08:00.001+07:00

The Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics was one heluva party with tons of fireworks and thousands of contemporary performers ~~who left me clueless~~. I was in total awe...due to the fact that I couldn't watch it. I had hundreds of channels on my TV, yet none of them aired the glorious ceremony. Well, TVRI aired the whole thing -minus a lot for suckish ads. It is the sole local broadcaster of the Games in Indonesia because no other channel wanted to spend so much money on something that virtually no Indonesian care to watch. The state channel chose to air the Games due to its role in "serving the nation", and sources say that they get the airing rights for free. So surprising, not!

However, the lovely FirstMedia, my cable provider, swapped TVRI for some random European sport programs since it doesn't have the broadcasting rights; therefore, no Olympics whatsoever in my idiot box. Blurgh. Maybe some foreign sports channels are airing it, I should check them out. Right?

Oh wait, not necessarily. Or to quote Friends' Phoebe: "I wish I could, but I really don't want to".

Anyway, I am ~~blindly~~ proudly rooting for Team Indonesia, despite not knowing who's in it. Taufik Hidayat should be there, shouldn't he? I mean, he's like the only one we can really hope to grab a medal. According to a paper, lifter Lisa Rumbewas is there, although she failed to get a medal. Let's see, who's there too...No idea. But it doesn't mean that I'm apathetic. I always wish the whole team good luck. Heck, they're in the land of feng shui, auspicious days, and undying superstitions; they'd better be lucky.

Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia, Oi Oi Oi! Errr....that's not right. Which could only mean that I have a question to ask to my compatriots: how does the crowd cheer for Team Indonesia? Honestly, I'm not the sporting-crowd type of guy, so I don't have the slightest clue about this stuff. And please, none of those lame chants with changeable lyrics for whatever the crowd's supporting. Otherwise, the "tacky patrol" will arrest you.

Enjoy Jakarta (?)

2008-08-07T10:30:00.001+07:00

As a Jakartan, I've been "enjoying Jakarta" because this is where I live, and I've learnt to deal with most of its problems. I believe I'm speaking for most Jakartans when I say that the chaotic traffic, obnoxious people, questionable roadside food, and ginormous malls have become an inseparable part of every citizen of this bustling capital. Obviously, the city council needn't attract us with fancy billboards or cheesy TV ad; we're stuck here whether we like it or not and ultimately, we've come to loving our own messy city.

Now, the govt is trying to lure more people into the city, and of course, extort as much money as possible from ~~gullible~~ tourists. The central govt came up with "Visit Indonesia Year 2008", which features an interesting TV ad that will surely leave any potential tourist -with his/her money- clueless. The ad is beautiful, but I'm not sure if some weird chants is going to attract any tourist. Next, the city council popped out the "Enjoy Jakarta" slogan, which can be found in any kind of events.

Quite frankly, we are not so ready to be a real tourist destination like the "Malaysia Truly Indonesia" or Singapore. We do have many wonderful tourist spots, but the city has not yet transformed them into tourist traps. I hate to say this, but it is a way to know if the govt really supports tourism. Just see Europe, the continent of rip-off tourist traps; millions and millions of people visit its countries every year. We are more suited for the adventurous and surely not for the faint-hearted. Jakarta is a place for tourists who want to seek the thrill of travelling and who is ready to toughen up. That's why I came up with slogans that are more apt for our condition. If I see any of these in a billboard, I'd better receive some money soon.

"Survive Jakarta"

"Don't Be A Wuss, Go to Jakarta"

"Jakarta is Gonna Kick Your A** "

"Why the Bloody Hell Are You in Oz? Come to Jakarta!"

"Feel the Thrill...of Our Traffic -We Saved You A Seat"

"Freakin' Crazy Jakarta Welcomes You, Freakin' Crazy Tourists"

"You Ain't Tough Till You Do Jakarta"

"Screw KL, Escape Singapore, and Don't Even Ask About Brunei -Just Visit Jakarta"

I'm Sooo Happy

2008-08-06T23:05:00.001+07:00

I am now officially so happy that I will make your stomach hurt. My English-course teacher loved my latest work, and she didn't hesitate, not even a bit, to say so. The work was to make a descriptive essay about an interesting place, and I chose the previously-mentioned Kawah Putih. You may ask: "Why Kawah Putih? I thought you said that it has been molested by obnoxious tourists?" Well, I am the writer, and it was completely up to me to choose which ones go into the writing and which ones are better forgotten. So, I took the liberty to omit the current ugliness and crowdedness of the crater from the masterpiece. I blindly described it according to my very first visit there a couple of years ago, before throngs of Jakartans swarm the place.

Because we were working on compositions, she told us to make a formal outline. The outline part is helpful, while the formal part is a major burden. We had to make the outline grammatically correct -parallel and everything- and painfully detailed that in the end, it took more effort to make the outline than to make the actual writing. But I have to admit that by doing much of the brainstorming in the beginning, I could put more effort into "beautifying" the whole half-truth writing.

Anyway, some of the credit should also go to all computer geeks that made typing on my laptop possible, and anyone who suggested putting thesaurus in Microsoft Office Word. I love writing on the computer, because after each work, I genuinely feel like editing. I always scroll up again and read everything to make sure the flow's good, the choice of words attractive, and the spelling correct -OK, it's the computer's job. If a word became too repetitious, I could always open up the thesaurus and change it. If that's not satisfying enough, there's always the internet. I love this "age of technology". If I had chosen to write naturally, i.e. by hand, I wouldn't have even dreamt of checking anything, because it would be a pain in the ass, and the wrist, obviously.

On my laptop, it doesn't matter if I mess up a whole paragraph. I could always write the replacement, and just delete the ugly paragraph into oblivion. Kinda like performing a surgery without any stitches, or torturing your frenemy without leaving any mark. By hand, don't even ask. First, I would have to erase all of it. If I succeeded in not tearing the paper apart, I'd have to squeeze the new paragraph into the former's space. Some words would be squished together, while some would have huge spaces like Bugs Bunny's teeth. Naah, it will never feel right.

Buh-bye, it's quite late already, and I don't want to offend any old lady who thinks that sending an SMS for holidays, instead of a greeting card, is a crime. Hey, I ~~used to~~ have one of the best penmanship in my ~~elementary school~~ class. Btw, I plan to blog the work I did.

Movie Chit-Chat: Smart People

2008-08-04T23:11:00.001+07:00

Who knew that an unwanted pregnancy can cure all life's problems? Even the horrifyingly intelligent Prof. Lawrence Whetherhold didn't see that coming. The movie Smart People is a nice movie about a rather dysfunctional family, the Whetherholds, that consists of an arrogant depressed professor-slash-dad (Dennis Quaid), an overachieving no-fun daughter (Juno's Ellen Page), and a good-for-nothing uncle (Thomas Haden Church). Throughout the movie, these characters dealt with their complicated problems, strained their relationships, yet in the end, they all came together. To me, it was like watching Little Miss Sunshine: no fights, no explosions, no scantily-clad female villains; just pure tender story of a family trying to be, well, a family. It simply makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

However, I found that it's not so easy to praise. There's something missing that deprives this movie of being a great movie. I struggled to put together the story together in my head because it felt somewhat choppy. There wasn't enough room for really bringing out the character of these people, to really know their story. Suddenly Sarah Jessica Parker got knocked up, and they all unite for the baby.

As far as I'm concerned, it is an entertaining movie, although definitely not a "must see". Especially if you're in the mood for some serious action or you'd rather watch terracotta soldiers rise from the dead.

Don't Forget The "17an" Lyrics

2008-08-04T00:44:00.001+07:00

Unless you're a freak who exclusively uses the lunar calendar, you should've realized that it's August already. Before you know it, we'll once again celebrate the independence of Indonesia on August 17 or tujuhbelasan, colloquially. Uh-huh, it's that time of the year when you can go nuts with red and white everywhere. Don't forget to throw in some "nationalism" and "patriotism", bring back memories of the good ol' days, and open the great tujuhbelasan songbook -OK, Cokelat's album is fine if you don't feel like being old and tacky. Well, this is the first tujuhbelasan in my blog, and it's a nice season to write anything about Indonesia.

This first 17an post is most probably more suitable for fellow Indonesians, who make up the majority of this blog's readership. I just watched a game show called Missing Lyrics in TransTV: Indonesian version of Don't Forget the Lyrics. It inspired me to write this post. I put down some lyrics with blanks and let's see if you can complete them. The twist is that I'm giving you both 17an songs and some recent hits. Which one is easier for you?

(all taken from the beginning except numbers 4, 6, and 9)
1. Indonesia tanah air beta, _____ ____ nan ______.
2. To the left, to the left. Everything you own in the _____ ___ ___ _____.
3. Dari Sabang sampai Merauke berjajar pulau-pulau. Sambung-menyambung ______ ______, itulah _______.
4. Now that it's raining more than ever, now that we'll still have each other. You can ____ _____ __ ______ (2x) (ella, ella, eh, eh, eh) This one's a total no brainer
5. Maju tak gentar, membela yang benar. Maju tak gentar, _____ _____ _______.
6. You tell me that you're sorry, didn't think I'd turn around and say, that it's too _____ to ______
7. Bangun pemudi pemuda Indonesia, _____ ______ _______ untuk negara.
8. Hey, hey! You, you! I don't like ____ _______. No way, no way. I think you need __ _____ _____.
9. Kita tetap ______, tetap ______, mempertahankan Indonesia.
10. I just want you close, where you can stay forever. You can be sure, that it will _____ ____ ______.

I'm Free! and Other Stuffs 010808

2008-08-01T21:00:00.001+07:00

Finally! The matriculation program just ended today after a month of pointless learning and getting-out-of-the-class schemes. My performance report: I managed to stay awake during all of the English classes and most of the sciences, ditched only one session for each subject, and survived three "scientific" debates -one of which I have gloriously re-enacted here before.

Actually, the English program had already ended on a high note three days ago. During the whole month, we had been working on a final project that consisted of a magazine and a wall bulettin, both covering the need to save energy. Then, on the last day of the program, all the classes had an exhibition which turned out to be wilder than kindergarteners on caffeine. At the very end of the day, we were shown a touching picture slideshow of the exhibition. Aaaaw, that's nice! I am quite fond of my English matriculation class, actually.

On the other hand, the evil alliance of physics and math ended with our presentation on some stuffs about the physical and mathematical aspects of the body's circulation system. Thank me because I'm not going deeper on that, otherwise it'll give you nightmares -unless you're a French guy named Poiseuille. If you click that, you'll see an equation, which we had to derive from a completely different equation. Who knew that your veins and arteries can send integration and derivatives all over the place? Frankly, in this case, I am so glad that it's over.

Now, for the "other stuffs". This afternoon, a little bird lost its way into my house and crashed into its pitiful death. I didn't see anything, when suddenly the window "BANG!"ed and bird feathers were raining down inside. It then flew for another exit at the back of my house. I guess it was extremely disoriented, because it cluelessly slammed into the window once more and then spiraled down powerlessly. I had expected it to just scramble to the door, as it was so close; but no, it simply lay there as if nothing were happening. Apparently, it had already joined the line to the pearly gates. I knew, because I rolled it over on its stomach and nothing happened.

Second stuff, I am very eager to watch the whole "Last Lecture" by the late Randy Pausch of Carnegie Mellon University. His popular speech has skyrocketed into fame, thanks to YouTube, and I had known about it for quite a while. Yet, I only thought about really watching it today. I had seen the first ten minutes: one of the most inspirational ten minutes of my life. Gotta see more.

Quick Bandung Jaunt

2008-07-30T23:03:00.001+07:00

Hooraay, today is a holiday! I looked perhaps too forward to this well-deserved free day that I only realized what this holiday is for just now. Honestly, I couldn't care less about it. I just knew that in the matriculation calendar, this day is marked in red- as if holidays were hell. Anyway, today turned out to be the Islamic holiday Isra Mi'raj, celebrating the Prophet's lightspeed trip to the Heavens to sort some stuffs out with God.

Without any intention to imitate him, I also had a quick jaunt upwards today with my family. Plus my grandpa. We abducted him under my grandma's order to get him out of the house. No, don't get me wrong; she's in Balikpapan right now and she wanted my grandpa to get a nice trip somewhere other than his dream land. The destination couldn't be more obvious, as it has become some kinda backyard playground for many Jakartans. If you haven't got the slightest clue, turn off your computer and get a life. Really. Back to the topic, the answer is Bandung. Yes, that Bandung with all its eagerness to rival the chaos of Jakarta.

But, the best thing about my family trips to Bandung is that we don't really go to Bandung. We proudly bypassed all the mess in the city, and went straight to the mountains in the, err....., south? We don't even want to dip our toes in Bandung's traffic jam. I got somewhat traumatized after one afternoon when I was trapped in the street with actually-unnecessary giant superhero figures. Again, pardon my Jakarta-centricity: I've never really paid any attention to other city's street names, save some important ones. Was that Cihampelas? That's the only thing I could come up with.

We started the trip around 6 A.M. Rather unnatural to rise up so early on a holiday, but we're going to (the south of) Bandung. We did that to outrace the holiday traffic jam attack. That's a good enough reason to cut my beauty sleep -and believe me, there's another story about the reason. The journey was smooth and just-like-that. Then again, what can you expect in the highway?

First thing, we chose Situ Patenggang over Kawah Putih since the latter has become too Indonesian-ly touristy (I'm not sure if those are real words) for our taste, compared to what we experienced a couple of years before. Back then, Kawah Putih was virtually unknown. My family was the only visitor, apart from a Chinese shop-calendar photography team. We had the chance to really take it all in. Today, it's sadly not too different from Tangkuban Perahu the Invaded. So, to Situ Patenggang we went.

Fortunately, it's not too commercialized yet. Frankly, I doubt that it will reach the same level as Kawah Putih or Tangkuban Perahu. I didn't see any uniqueness to the lake. It's a gorgeous place, true; but not something I could, let alone would, brag about to others. Not knowing what to do, we agreed to some guy's advice to ride a boat around the lake. In the middle of the voyage, the boat's operator took us for a stop at a spot called Batu Cinta - Love Stone, but not Lovestoned. Unsurprisingly, we didn't have, or get, any clue how the place got its name. Heck, we didn't even know which stone is the mythical Batu Cinta.

When lunchtime came, the real reason for this so-called quick jaunt was officially revealed. Well, it was never a secret, just a familial understanding. Going to the Situ was too noble a reason to spend hours and hours on the road. We actually wanted to have lunch at a great place named <fill name here>. It's not my fault that I don't know its name, because they put up so many Sundanese words there and I don't have any idea which one says the name of the place. What I know is that they serve one of the best nasi liwet I've ever had.

When lunch was over, we still held firmly to our belief that we don't need to go to Bandung proper to have some one-day fun. And we went home with a relaxed body, peaceful mind, and a full stomach. Oh God, this post is long! I guess I have a reason to ~~not post~~ think deeper about my next post.

Movie Chit-Chat: The Dark Knight

2008-07-29T21:22:00.001+07:00

The dark tights have successfully transformed into The Dark Knight, the latest incarnation of Gotham City's superhero Batman. The movie's title couldn't be more suitable, as many reviews noted it as "dark", "toxic", and "haunting". Well, I'd like to add another one: "awesomely long" as in "it's so long your ass will hurt" long. Those red seats must be really warm after each show.

Gotham city got a strong new DA, Harvey Dent, whose career has seen a huge number of criminals sent to jail. He has become some kinda bright light of law enforcement for the citizens, while Batman still did his usual crime-fighting away from the spotlight. The White Knight and the Dark Knight, you might say that. Then came the anarchic villain Joker with all his ingenious evil plans which ranges from your plain ol' robbery to provoking the whole city into murder. Hence, Batman, along with his pal Jim Gordon, teamed up with Dent to end Joker's reign of terror. Inbetween the exhilarating action scenes, they talked stuffs about darkness, evil, and all that jazz which are so not in my area of expertise; but still, the whole story is thought-provoking.

The highlight of the movie is simply Joker. The late Heath Ledger brought the evil clown into a totally new level. We can see Joker's eccentric thoughts through his acting, and also through the tons of makeup. His character was very strong and consistently crazy just like his astounding plots. His last plan involved talking the passengers of two ferries -one filled with civilians, the other with criminals- into blowing each other up. Maybe his line is the best way to describe himself: "this city deserves a better class of criminal" and apparently, he is that better criminal.

This movie undeniably lived up to the hype surrounding it. If at this time you haven't seen it, go to a confession and repent.