I took two days off and I could find the time to observe people and their lifestyles – a thing that I do from time to time to make me in sync with the consumers. This time I was accompanied by an accomplice, my friend Wenda – who has a solid background in consumers’ qualitative research.
Around half past five in the afternoon we sat in Canton Bay – waiting to break the fasting (buka puasa). The restaurant was not really full yet. But, all seats and tables in Bakmi GM and Bakso Malang nearby Canton Bay were already occupied. We placed the order immediately so she could break her fast when the time for buka puasa came.
While we’re waiting for buka puasa we had this discussion – why bother to be a mother if you don’t want to take the responsibility as a mother? This issue came into discussion after we spot a number of young mothers with babies and babysitters on their entourage. It’s sad to see these good-looking young mothers eating and giggling and laughing and smoking and having their good time while the babysitters had their sleeping babies on a sling.
Couple hours after dinner we moved to Bakerzin to have coffee. We waited for Christi who had just arrived to this get-together. Well, to our surprise the entourage of young mothers that we saw couple hours ago were having coffee and smoking cigarette in this place too. We watched the babies and felt sorry for them. They should be tucked in bed couple hours ago not in this place waiting for their mothers having fun! Emak-emak, apa ente kagak kasian ama anak-anak bayi ente? Kalo masih pingin senang-senang ya jangan brojolin anak dulu lah. *sigh*
I think it’s very common to see affluent young mothers in Jakarta go to malls or restaurants or places to meet with their small entourage (their babysitters and children) on their tails. While they’re shopping or talking on their stylish cell phones, the babysitters run after their little kids to feed them…. or, while they’re eating with their husbands or friends, their babysitters feeding their children on separate tables. Emak-emak, itu anak-anak ente atawa anak babysitter ente sih? *sigh*
When I spent my weekend in Bogor’s Novotel Coralia couple months ago, I saw twin babies with five – I repeated, FIVE – babysitters took care of the twin while the twin’s young mother stood by!
I’m not against babysitters, but I think you better spend more time with your children when they’re small. (Go find the books that would tell you that the tender age is the best time for you to instill good values and educate your children.) Kids nowadays grow up quickly – you’ll miss the time when they still want to go for family-gathering with you.
A friend of mine from a well-to-do family was once said that she wished her mother was with her when she’s little to teen age, she wished her parents could be a bit hard on her, she wished her mother could teach her how to socialize among people from all walk of life… and many more unfulfilling wishes. She said she felt so helpless and such a dumb-ass when she left home to study – she didn’t know how to iron her clothes, she didn’t know how to mop (she threw a bucket of water in her room and then mopped the muddy floor), she didn’t even know how to cook instant noodle.
I think if you’re not ready with the responsibility as a mother why bother to be a mother?! I hate to imagine what their children are going to be when they’re ready to enter working life… Sometimes I’m wondering... am I too old fashioned on this? (Thank you, Mom. I know you traded your dream for us your children.)
Showing posts with label The Indonesia's Way. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Indonesia's Way. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Independence Day Sensations
The country experiences some sensations as the 62th Independence Day approach. The following are just two that ‘worth’ to mention. *smile*
On August 4, 2007, Roy Suryo – the self-proclaimed information technology expert – yet again created sensation, this time around the original version of the country’s national anthem. He claimed that he found the original, complete version of Indonesia's national anthem “Indonesia Raya” (Great Indonesia) at a museum linked to Leiden University in the Netherlands. This is the three-stanza version, in the form of a black-and-white film clip. The footage was filmed in 1944 and it has duration of 3 minutes and 49 seconds and a tempo quicker than what is currently sung. Roy said that he tried to trace it for years and he finally found it via Air Putih, a group of volunteers in information and technology. (Is it true, Roy? Did you ‘find’ it in YouTube?)
The national anthem was written and composed by Indonesian songwriter Wage Rudolf Supratman in the 1920s. Indonesia Raya’s text and film clip as appeared on YouTube (posted on December 19, 2006 by one of its users).
Indonesia tanah airkoe, tanah toempah darahkoe.
Disanalah akoe berdiri, djadi pandoe iboekoe.
Indonesia kebangsaankoe, Bangsa dan Tanah Airkoe.
Marilah kita berseroe "Indonesia bersatoe."
Hidoeplah tanahkoe, hidoeplah negrikoe,
Bangsakoe, Rakjatkoe, semoeanja.
Bangoenlah djiwanja, bangoenlah badannja
Oentoek Indonesia Raja.
Refr:
Indonesia Raja,
Merdeka, Merdeka
Tanahkoe, negrikoe yang koecinta.
Indonesia Raja,
Merdeka, Merdeka
Hidoeplah Indonesia Raja.
Indonesia! Tanah yang moelia, tanah kita jang kaja.
Di sanalah akoe berada oentoek slama-lamanja.
Indonesia, Tanah poesaka, poesaka kita semoeanja.
Marilah kita mendoa, "Indonesia bahagia!"
Soeboerlah tanahnja, soeboerlah djiwanja,
Bangsanja, rakjatnya semoeanja.
Sadarlah hatinja, sadarlah boedinja
Oentoek Indonesia Raja.
Refr (1x)
Indonesia! Tanah yang soeci, tanah kita jang sakti.
Disanalah akoe berdiri mendjaga iboe sedjati.
Indonesia! Tanah berseri, tanah yang akoe sajangi.
Marilah kita berdjandji: "Indonesia abadi!"
Slamatlah rakjatnya, slamatlah poetranja,
Poelaoenja, laoetnja semoeanja.
Madjoelah negrinja, madjoelah pandoenja
Oentoek Indonesia Raja.
Refr (2×)
Today, most Indonesians only know and sing the first stanza of “Indonesia Raya”. Few know the second stanza and the third stanza that had been missing until it was ‘found’ recently. It certainly stirs public debate: which version of the national anthem is most appropriate. And, most definitely it creates publicity and media coverage for Roy and Air Putih. (Emang pinter deh si Roy ini dalam hal-hal begini.)
The news media also have different take on Roy’s source – museum in the Netherlands and server in the Netherlands. Mana yang bener? Furthermore, the timing is so amazingly coincidence to the commemoration of the country 62th independence day, in just about a week from today.
What’s silly is that the People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Hidayat Nurwahid urged the president to issue a decree on the matter. (Alamak! Selidiki dulu ah… kan udah ada tuh peraturannya.) The then President Soekarno issued a government decree No. 44 on July 10, 1958 declaring that the national anthem only contains the first stanza and would not use the other two stanzas. (Kesian bener jadi presiden diminta ngurusin hal-hal yang nggak perlu dia urusin. Kena dikerjain Roy katro deh. *smile*)
Roy, are you going to entertain us with more sensations? Pastinya, ya… abis seperti kata beberapa blogger, “RS katro, dan katronya permanen.” *smile*
Follow this link (Rekaman Lagu “Indonesia Raya” Bukan Hal Baru)
for another angle of the national anthem sensation by Kompas Daily Newspaper.
OK, let’s move on to the second sensation…
Prof. Dr. Yusril Ihza Mahendra and Saifullah Yusuf – both are former ministers that served SBY - make a smooth career change to become movie stars. Yusril plays Admiral Zheng He and Saifullah plays Majapahit King in a movie produced in collaboration with Kantana Ltd. – a Thai’s movie firm.
I quoted a posting by Indra Subagja in Detikcom news site: Yusril Ihza Mahendra dan Saifullah Yusuf kini jadi bintang film. Kedua mantan menteri kabinet SBY ini akan bermain dalam dalam film Admiral Zheng He atau Laksamana Cheng Ho. Menurut Yusril film ini dipersiapkan sejak lama dan menelan biaya US$ 3 juta.
"Film ini sudah direncanakan sejak 2 tahun lalu, sejak saya menjadi menteri," kata Yusril saat memperkenalkan filmnya itu di NAM Centre, Jl Angkasa, Kemayoran, Jakarta Pusat, Senin (6/8/2007). Dalam jumpa pers ini, Yusril didampingi Saifullah Yusuf alias Gus Ipul.
Yusril berperan sebagai tokoh utama yakni Laksamana Cheng Ho, sedang Gus Ipul kebagian peran sebagai Raja Majapahit Wikramawardana. "Saya tertarik bermain di film ini karena ada unsur pendidikan dan tema film ini mengenai kemanusiaan juga politik," ujar Yusril.
Yusril menjelaskan film ini dibuat bekerja sama dengan perusahaan film Thailand bernama Kantana Ltd. Dan nantinya akan dibuat sebanyak 26 episode dan ditayangkan di TV. "Oktober akan mulai syuting di Indonesia di daerah Kemayoran dan Pangandaran dan melibatkan 850 pemain," urai Yusril.
Dia mengaku film ini menghabiskan biaya yang cukup besar sekitar US$ 3 juta. Syuting film ini pun dilakukan di 6 negara yakni Cina, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kamboja, dan Vietnam. "Biaya paling besar dihabiskan di Cina karena melibatkan 4 ribu pemain dan militer Cina dan memakan waktu 1 bulan," jelas Yusril.
Film yang melibatkan total 6 ribu pemain ini khususnya berkisah mengenai perjalanan Cheng Ho menuju Asia Tenggara. "Sebenarnya ini kisah Islami," tandas Yusril. (ndr/asy)
Well,… no further comments other than, “Bapak-Bapak mau ngikutin jejak Ronald Reagan dan Arnold Schwarzenegger ya?”
On August 4, 2007, Roy Suryo – the self-proclaimed information technology expert – yet again created sensation, this time around the original version of the country’s national anthem. He claimed that he found the original, complete version of Indonesia's national anthem “Indonesia Raya” (Great Indonesia) at a museum linked to Leiden University in the Netherlands. This is the three-stanza version, in the form of a black-and-white film clip. The footage was filmed in 1944 and it has duration of 3 minutes and 49 seconds and a tempo quicker than what is currently sung. Roy said that he tried to trace it for years and he finally found it via Air Putih, a group of volunteers in information and technology. (Is it true, Roy? Did you ‘find’ it in YouTube?)
The national anthem was written and composed by Indonesian songwriter Wage Rudolf Supratman in the 1920s. Indonesia Raya’s text and film clip as appeared on YouTube (posted on December 19, 2006 by one of its users).
Indonesia tanah airkoe, tanah toempah darahkoe.
Disanalah akoe berdiri, djadi pandoe iboekoe.
Indonesia kebangsaankoe, Bangsa dan Tanah Airkoe.
Marilah kita berseroe "Indonesia bersatoe."
Hidoeplah tanahkoe, hidoeplah negrikoe,
Bangsakoe, Rakjatkoe, semoeanja.
Bangoenlah djiwanja, bangoenlah badannja
Oentoek Indonesia Raja.
Refr:
Indonesia Raja,
Merdeka, Merdeka
Tanahkoe, negrikoe yang koecinta.
Indonesia Raja,
Merdeka, Merdeka
Hidoeplah Indonesia Raja.
Indonesia! Tanah yang moelia, tanah kita jang kaja.
Di sanalah akoe berada oentoek slama-lamanja.
Indonesia, Tanah poesaka, poesaka kita semoeanja.
Marilah kita mendoa, "Indonesia bahagia!"
Soeboerlah tanahnja, soeboerlah djiwanja,
Bangsanja, rakjatnya semoeanja.
Sadarlah hatinja, sadarlah boedinja
Oentoek Indonesia Raja.
Refr (1x)
Indonesia! Tanah yang soeci, tanah kita jang sakti.
Disanalah akoe berdiri mendjaga iboe sedjati.
Indonesia! Tanah berseri, tanah yang akoe sajangi.
Marilah kita berdjandji: "Indonesia abadi!"
Slamatlah rakjatnya, slamatlah poetranja,
Poelaoenja, laoetnja semoeanja.
Madjoelah negrinja, madjoelah pandoenja
Oentoek Indonesia Raja.
Refr (2×)
Today, most Indonesians only know and sing the first stanza of “Indonesia Raya”. Few know the second stanza and the third stanza that had been missing until it was ‘found’ recently. It certainly stirs public debate: which version of the national anthem is most appropriate. And, most definitely it creates publicity and media coverage for Roy and Air Putih. (Emang pinter deh si Roy ini dalam hal-hal begini.)
The news media also have different take on Roy’s source – museum in the Netherlands and server in the Netherlands. Mana yang bener? Furthermore, the timing is so amazingly coincidence to the commemoration of the country 62th independence day, in just about a week from today.
What’s silly is that the People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Hidayat Nurwahid urged the president to issue a decree on the matter. (Alamak! Selidiki dulu ah… kan udah ada tuh peraturannya.) The then President Soekarno issued a government decree No. 44 on July 10, 1958 declaring that the national anthem only contains the first stanza and would not use the other two stanzas. (Kesian bener jadi presiden diminta ngurusin hal-hal yang nggak perlu dia urusin. Kena dikerjain Roy katro deh. *smile*)
Roy, are you going to entertain us with more sensations? Pastinya, ya… abis seperti kata beberapa blogger, “RS katro, dan katronya permanen.” *smile*
Follow this link (Rekaman Lagu “Indonesia Raya” Bukan Hal Baru)
for another angle of the national anthem sensation by Kompas Daily Newspaper.
OK, let’s move on to the second sensation…
Prof. Dr. Yusril Ihza Mahendra and Saifullah Yusuf – both are former ministers that served SBY - make a smooth career change to become movie stars. Yusril plays Admiral Zheng He and Saifullah plays Majapahit King in a movie produced in collaboration with Kantana Ltd. – a Thai’s movie firm.
I quoted a posting by Indra Subagja in Detikcom news site: Yusril Ihza Mahendra dan Saifullah Yusuf kini jadi bintang film. Kedua mantan menteri kabinet SBY ini akan bermain dalam dalam film Admiral Zheng He atau Laksamana Cheng Ho. Menurut Yusril film ini dipersiapkan sejak lama dan menelan biaya US$ 3 juta.
"Film ini sudah direncanakan sejak 2 tahun lalu, sejak saya menjadi menteri," kata Yusril saat memperkenalkan filmnya itu di NAM Centre, Jl Angkasa, Kemayoran, Jakarta Pusat, Senin (6/8/2007). Dalam jumpa pers ini, Yusril didampingi Saifullah Yusuf alias Gus Ipul.
Yusril berperan sebagai tokoh utama yakni Laksamana Cheng Ho, sedang Gus Ipul kebagian peran sebagai Raja Majapahit Wikramawardana. "Saya tertarik bermain di film ini karena ada unsur pendidikan dan tema film ini mengenai kemanusiaan juga politik," ujar Yusril.
Yusril menjelaskan film ini dibuat bekerja sama dengan perusahaan film Thailand bernama Kantana Ltd. Dan nantinya akan dibuat sebanyak 26 episode dan ditayangkan di TV. "Oktober akan mulai syuting di Indonesia di daerah Kemayoran dan Pangandaran dan melibatkan 850 pemain," urai Yusril.
Dia mengaku film ini menghabiskan biaya yang cukup besar sekitar US$ 3 juta. Syuting film ini pun dilakukan di 6 negara yakni Cina, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kamboja, dan Vietnam. "Biaya paling besar dihabiskan di Cina karena melibatkan 4 ribu pemain dan militer Cina dan memakan waktu 1 bulan," jelas Yusril.
Film yang melibatkan total 6 ribu pemain ini khususnya berkisah mengenai perjalanan Cheng Ho menuju Asia Tenggara. "Sebenarnya ini kisah Islami," tandas Yusril. (ndr/asy)
Well,… no further comments other than, “Bapak-Bapak mau ngikutin jejak Ronald Reagan dan Arnold Schwarzenegger ya?”
Friday, August 03, 2007
Pilkada DKI Jakarta
Banyak yang pada ribut mempertanyakan apakah tanggal 8 Agustus kantor-kantor diliburkan sesuai dengan anjuran Gubernur DKI Jakarta, Bapak "Bang Yos" Sutiyoso.
Bagi yang nggak tinggal di Jakarta, tanggal 8 Agustus tuh adalah hari kita, warga Jakarta, diminta untuk aktif berpartisipasi dalam Pilkada (Pemilihan Kepala Daerah) DKI Jakarta dengan nyoblos No. 1 (Adang Daradjatun & Dani Anwar) atawa No. 2 (Fauzi Bowo & Prijanto). Katanya sih the day off is expected to have a significant impact on the voter turnout. Ini kali pertama Pilkada di Indonesia diselenggarakan pas hari kerja, mustinya kan pas hari libur atau akhir pekan. Kata Bang Yos sih kantor-kantor di Jakarta dianjurkan untuk mengijinkan pegawainya untuk libur atau datang telat itu hari supaya bisa menggunakan hak pilihnya. Terus para warga yang megang KTP Tangerang, Bekasi, Depok, Bogor tapi kerja di Jakarta ikutan libur nggak? Pan katanya kantor diliburin?
Ya, siapa sih yang nggak seneng bisa libur. Tapi negara dengan produktivitas rendah kayak gini bukannya kudu mikir-mikir dulu kalo mo ngasih libur. Tujuannya sih mulia, supaya semua warga Jakarta (yang katanya berjumlah sekitar 5,75 juta orang itu) dapat menggunakan hak pilihnya. Nenek-nenek ompong juga tau kalo nyoblos, dengan segala antriannya, kagak butuh waktu 8 jam. Lha kok liburnya sehari? Kalo gini apa bukan ngajarin warganya jadi pemalas? Lagian apa mau tuh para warga ikut nyoblos? Abis rasanya nyoblos atau kagak hasilnya sama aja... ini kota tetep aja macet, banjir, penuh polusi, kagak tertib, kurang aman buat perempuan kalo pulang naik kendaraan umum waktu malem, mahal & sombong buat orang kebanyakan, nggak ada ruang publik...
Salah satu kandidat janji bahwa kalo dia yang jadi Gubernur DKI Jakarta mendatang maka Jakarta nggak akan macet. Hmmm... gitu ya? Lha, Jumat ini aja udah bikin macet seantero Jakarta gara-gara kampanye hari terakhir. Gue kejebak macet dari Slipi ke kantor di Sudirman pas para supporter mulai keluar kandang, sekitar jam 11.30 siang. Terus pas pulang kantor jam 8 malem juga tuh jalan dimana-mana kesumbet macet. Aduh! Apa bener Pak, kalo milih Bapak nih macet bakal menghilang - seperti angin lalu - dari Jakarta?? Bapak dukun kali ya? Kalo dukun sih, saya nggak jadi milih deh... ini udah bukan jaman klenik, Pak.
Kalo saya sampe nggak sempet nyoblos, maap aja deh, Pak. Saya mah mendingan kerja deh, keliatan hasilnya...
Bagi yang nggak tinggal di Jakarta, tanggal 8 Agustus tuh adalah hari kita, warga Jakarta, diminta untuk aktif berpartisipasi dalam Pilkada (Pemilihan Kepala Daerah) DKI Jakarta dengan nyoblos No. 1 (Adang Daradjatun & Dani Anwar) atawa No. 2 (Fauzi Bowo & Prijanto). Katanya sih the day off is expected to have a significant impact on the voter turnout. Ini kali pertama Pilkada di Indonesia diselenggarakan pas hari kerja, mustinya kan pas hari libur atau akhir pekan. Kata Bang Yos sih kantor-kantor di Jakarta dianjurkan untuk mengijinkan pegawainya untuk libur atau datang telat itu hari supaya bisa menggunakan hak pilihnya. Terus para warga yang megang KTP Tangerang, Bekasi, Depok, Bogor tapi kerja di Jakarta ikutan libur nggak? Pan katanya kantor diliburin?
Ya, siapa sih yang nggak seneng bisa libur. Tapi negara dengan produktivitas rendah kayak gini bukannya kudu mikir-mikir dulu kalo mo ngasih libur. Tujuannya sih mulia, supaya semua warga Jakarta (yang katanya berjumlah sekitar 5,75 juta orang itu) dapat menggunakan hak pilihnya. Nenek-nenek ompong juga tau kalo nyoblos, dengan segala antriannya, kagak butuh waktu 8 jam. Lha kok liburnya sehari? Kalo gini apa bukan ngajarin warganya jadi pemalas? Lagian apa mau tuh para warga ikut nyoblos? Abis rasanya nyoblos atau kagak hasilnya sama aja... ini kota tetep aja macet, banjir, penuh polusi, kagak tertib, kurang aman buat perempuan kalo pulang naik kendaraan umum waktu malem, mahal & sombong buat orang kebanyakan, nggak ada ruang publik...
Salah satu kandidat janji bahwa kalo dia yang jadi Gubernur DKI Jakarta mendatang maka Jakarta nggak akan macet. Hmmm... gitu ya? Lha, Jumat ini aja udah bikin macet seantero Jakarta gara-gara kampanye hari terakhir. Gue kejebak macet dari Slipi ke kantor di Sudirman pas para supporter mulai keluar kandang, sekitar jam 11.30 siang. Terus pas pulang kantor jam 8 malem juga tuh jalan dimana-mana kesumbet macet. Aduh! Apa bener Pak, kalo milih Bapak nih macet bakal menghilang - seperti angin lalu - dari Jakarta?? Bapak dukun kali ya? Kalo dukun sih, saya nggak jadi milih deh... ini udah bukan jaman klenik, Pak.
Kalo saya sampe nggak sempet nyoblos, maap aja deh, Pak. Saya mah mendingan kerja deh, keliatan hasilnya...
Sunday, February 04, 2007
2007 Flood in Jakarta
On February 2nd I got an SMS from a dear friend that told me about this flood disaster happened again throughout greater Jakarta. At first, I thought it’s flood as usual – well, Jakarta always experiences annual flood during the rainy season. However, a number of SMS coming in continuously afterwards has made me realized that it’s bad, really bad. The media in Singapore and Malaysia covers this flood news too. I called my parent’s and texted my team in Jakarta and was relieved when I knew that they’re OK.
When I asked the lady at Garuda’s check-in counter in Changi International Airport about the condition on the flight to Jakarta, she said that the flight would be on time. (I heard that yesterday Garuda had to re-schedule some of its flights to and from Jakarta due to the flood – their crews and passengers couldn’t reach the airport. Also, the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was closed for couple of hours.) Yeah, the flight was on time and I landed around 4:05PM in Jakarta. The airport seemed less crowded than usual. My adventure was just to begin…. I’d like to share what I experienced during my “unique” trip from the airport to my house today.
All the cars, buses, trucks and motorcycles were slowing down when they reached the first toll gates outside the airport. The radio kept repeating to avoid toll road in front of Tarumanegara University. So, I took Tanjung Priok – Cawang – Kebon Jeruk route instead of Grogol – Kebon Jeruk route. As expected, long lines already congested the toll road in Tanjung Priok – Cawang – Kebon Jeruk direction. The grey cloud covered the city and it looked threatening. Would a heavy rain coming down tonight? I could see some young guys standing on the flooded toll road asking for money (bahasa Indonesia-nya malakin).
The traffic moved at about 20 to 30 km/hour. On the other side of the toll road I saw motorcycles ran in the toll road (prohibited during normal condition) and the one way toll road became two way traffics.
By the time I was tired of sitting in the car and wondered when I could reach home I saw many cars (even the Beemer) parked on the side of the toll road and their passengers were looking down and around the flooded area. Despite this grave situation, Jakartans could still have fun – by being tourists to flooded areas. Hmm, yes, I was in Kelapa Gading and Sunter areas – some areas worst hit by the flood. I also saw some street vendors offered bottled water, cigarette, etc. to these situational tourists *smile*. Well, I also witnessed the open pick-ups with volunteers ready to distribute aids.
Then the majestic six, or probably eight, apartment and business towers belong to either Summarecon Agung or Agung Podomoro Group came into sight and boasted their concrete and steel structures on the flooded Kelapa Gading area. Sad… it’s so sad to see the impact of greed and ignorance to the living environment. I checked my watch… an hour already passed.
I texted all my friends that I thought reside in the affected areas to check on their condition. Wenda who lives in Bekasi are still staying at home because the water already flooded her house. She said it could reach adult chest. Eltje's residence experienced blackout since January 31. My aunt had to take refuge to her son's house in Bogor because of this flood. I called my mom but couldn’t go through… It seemed the line was not working well *sigh*.
I got home around seven at night. Yes, it took me about two and half hours to reach home from the airport – a trip that only lasts about 30 to 45 minutes in ordinary days.
I’m praying for those who are still in the flooded areas. I do hope the water could recede soon and condition returns to normal earlier than expected.
I bet you already watched a much wider coverage about this big flood on TV, newspapers, and radio. I don’t think I have to re-broadcast it. Follow this link if you have to: Floods hit some 75% of Jakarta, 25 killed.
News from Urban Poor Consortium
Jakarta is Paralyzed: the Failure of Jakarta's Government on Overcome the Flood
Jakarta is flooded. Due to the heavy rain since Thursday, February 1st 2007, Jakarta now is paralyzed. Almost all infrastructures in Jakarta are flooded and it blocked most activities of Jakarta's citizen. Up to February 4th 2007, 33 districts (spread in Jakarta's areas) are flooded with high of water reached to 2 metres and forced 53,354 people to refuge into temporary shelters i.e., local district offices, mosques, schools, public cemeteries, etc. They are now in terrible condition and suffered from diseases like cold, fever, cough, and skin diseases. The worst hit area that also forced many people to refuge is in East Jakarta where 5,000 people are now refuge to Santa Maria's school.
It is noted that 1,499 schools were closed, 15 of train station are flooded, and electricity, phone and internet line in some areas are disconnected. Flood has also taken victims where 12 people are dead due to the stream of flood and for being shock by the electricity.
Up to now, Jakarta's government has not, maximally, conduct actions to overcome the situation caused by flood. There are so many areas and people who were not, yet, being evacuated and have not received any of aids.
What happen now in Jakarta is contrary with previous statement stated by Jakarta's Governor, Sutiyoso. In his statement, Sutiyoso claimed that his government has already prepared on dealing and overcome the flood, which is a five years cycle of flood after big flood occurred in 2002. He stated that the government are equipped with flood emergency equipment that allocated from Jakarta's Local budget amount of IDR 255 billion and a back up fund amount of IDR 500 billion.
Even with that fund, Jakarta's Government are proved to be failed on anticipating the flood. The five years cycle of flood should have been anticipated since Jakarta experienced a pervious big flood in 2002. Compared with the flood in 2002, today's flood is even worse where water not only flooded area that considered near the river but spread, averagely, throughout all areas.
Toward the disaster, UPC and UPLINK, together with kampong's people are collaborating on giving the first aid. Together we formulate a team who start the activities by identifying all affected areas, especially on urban poor communities that have not received assistances, i.e., East Jakarta (Cipinang Besar Selatan, Prumpung and Pulogadung's riverbank), North Jakarta ( Semper, Kolong Tol Warakas, Kolong Tol Sungai Bambu, Pademangan, Teluk Gong), and West Jakarta (Blok Asin, Pekojan, Rawa Buaya).
Up to now, we have identified nine kampongs which spread in all areas: Cipinang Besar Selatan, Pulogadung, Bojong Pulo, Kebun Bayam, Kampung Sawah, Semper, Sungai Bambu, Warakas, and Rawa Buaya. Their basic and urgent necessities are ranging from logistic (medicine, blanket, clothes, sanitary napkins, baby diapers, instant food, and milk) to temporary shelters (tent, light, generator set, and mattress). Aside distributing those logistic aids, the team also will build a public kitchen in some areas to supply refugee's necessities.
In the next few days, basic necessities fulfillment is a priority but we will move on advocating the issue especially on city planning policy and allocation of local budget as main factors for causing the flood.
A Paper titled Flooding in Jakarta presented during the 1st International Conference on Urban History (August 23-25, 2004).
Conclusion (from the above paper)
From its beginnings Jakarta has been prone to flooding due to its unfavourably low location on the coast of the Java Sea. It is situated within the river basin of several rivers transporting large amounts of water during the rainy season. Although technically speaking solutions for the banjir problem may be envisaged, these will require enormous, unrealistic amounts of funding, while the technical specialists in this field are more and more inclined to think in remaining chances and probabilities of flooding instead of complete cures.
The engineers agree that the key to flood prevention lays in a risk management approach taking into account both probabilities and consequences, and that the focus in Jakarta should initially be on the rehabilitation of the existing infrastructure. The problem is aggravated by the rapid urbanization along with severe water extraction leading to steady sinking of the ground level. To raise the level by means of addition of sand leads to the reduction of part of the benefit from the heavy load causing further sinking. That is why measures on spatial planning and the directions of urbanization should be tied in with the rehabilitation envisaged.
Future policies to reduce the risk of banjir in Jakarta should be based on comprehensive water catchment area policy and inclusive urbanization planning. As the past colonial and post colonial anti-flooding measures were often strongly lacking behind the rapid growth of the city – parts of them being implemented when the city population and built area were extended already two to three times – comprehensive water and urbanization planning should be aimed for.
Perhaps the main solution has to be found in an elaborate system of polders. Such polders already exist in Jakarta and in the colonial period additional proposals for polder extension were launched. A sinking city probably should be turned into a polder city. It is expected that Jakarta will count over twenty million people in 2015. Without doubt this future development will require large flood control and flood risk management investments.
As history shows that government agencies are often too late in implementing flood control measures, it is clear that the cultural aspect can not be considered a strong incentive for improvement. During the centuries the inhabitants and government officials of Jakarta have become acquainted with the inconveniences, which are likely been forgotten all too soon with the beginning of the dry season.
Moreover, they do not affect all parts of the city to the same extent, although in the more severe cases of banjir also richer areas are not able to escape, particularly when the city comes to a virtual standstill as we have seen earlier for the year 2002. Notwithstanding the fact that at this very moment many small and large water infrastructure improvements are in the course of being implemented in Jakarta, the overall aim should be to tackle the problem on the basis of one comprehensive cultural, water catchment area and urbanization plan. But even then the specialists will point out that what can be aimed at is just risk reduction.
We heard a lot about the above conclusion to solve banjir in Jakarta – and yet years went by and no strategic and directive measures are taken to address this chronic issue. The Indonesian's way of coping with disasters is very unique – a lot of brouhaha when any disaster happens (critiques, recommendation, task forces, volunteers) but then the people could easily forget... And yet when these things happen again we’re all back to square one – blaming, critiquing, etc…. over and over again. Isn’t it called stupidity?
When I asked the lady at Garuda’s check-in counter in Changi International Airport about the condition on the flight to Jakarta, she said that the flight would be on time. (I heard that yesterday Garuda had to re-schedule some of its flights to and from Jakarta due to the flood – their crews and passengers couldn’t reach the airport. Also, the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was closed for couple of hours.) Yeah, the flight was on time and I landed around 4:05PM in Jakarta. The airport seemed less crowded than usual. My adventure was just to begin…. I’d like to share what I experienced during my “unique” trip from the airport to my house today.
All the cars, buses, trucks and motorcycles were slowing down when they reached the first toll gates outside the airport. The radio kept repeating to avoid toll road in front of Tarumanegara University. So, I took Tanjung Priok – Cawang – Kebon Jeruk route instead of Grogol – Kebon Jeruk route. As expected, long lines already congested the toll road in Tanjung Priok – Cawang – Kebon Jeruk direction. The grey cloud covered the city and it looked threatening. Would a heavy rain coming down tonight? I could see some young guys standing on the flooded toll road asking for money (bahasa Indonesia-nya malakin).
The traffic moved at about 20 to 30 km/hour. On the other side of the toll road I saw motorcycles ran in the toll road (prohibited during normal condition) and the one way toll road became two way traffics.
By the time I was tired of sitting in the car and wondered when I could reach home I saw many cars (even the Beemer) parked on the side of the toll road and their passengers were looking down and around the flooded area. Despite this grave situation, Jakartans could still have fun – by being tourists to flooded areas. Hmm, yes, I was in Kelapa Gading and Sunter areas – some areas worst hit by the flood. I also saw some street vendors offered bottled water, cigarette, etc. to these situational tourists *smile*. Well, I also witnessed the open pick-ups with volunteers ready to distribute aids.
Then the majestic six, or probably eight, apartment and business towers belong to either Summarecon Agung or Agung Podomoro Group came into sight and boasted their concrete and steel structures on the flooded Kelapa Gading area. Sad… it’s so sad to see the impact of greed and ignorance to the living environment. I checked my watch… an hour already passed.
I texted all my friends that I thought reside in the affected areas to check on their condition. Wenda who lives in Bekasi are still staying at home because the water already flooded her house. She said it could reach adult chest. Eltje's residence experienced blackout since January 31. My aunt had to take refuge to her son's house in Bogor because of this flood. I called my mom but couldn’t go through… It seemed the line was not working well *sigh*.
I got home around seven at night. Yes, it took me about two and half hours to reach home from the airport – a trip that only lasts about 30 to 45 minutes in ordinary days.
I’m praying for those who are still in the flooded areas. I do hope the water could recede soon and condition returns to normal earlier than expected.
I bet you already watched a much wider coverage about this big flood on TV, newspapers, and radio. I don’t think I have to re-broadcast it. Follow this link if you have to: Floods hit some 75% of Jakarta, 25 killed.
News from Urban Poor Consortium
Jakarta is Paralyzed: the Failure of Jakarta's Government on Overcome the Flood
Jakarta is flooded. Due to the heavy rain since Thursday, February 1st 2007, Jakarta now is paralyzed. Almost all infrastructures in Jakarta are flooded and it blocked most activities of Jakarta's citizen. Up to February 4th 2007, 33 districts (spread in Jakarta's areas) are flooded with high of water reached to 2 metres and forced 53,354 people to refuge into temporary shelters i.e., local district offices, mosques, schools, public cemeteries, etc. They are now in terrible condition and suffered from diseases like cold, fever, cough, and skin diseases. The worst hit area that also forced many people to refuge is in East Jakarta where 5,000 people are now refuge to Santa Maria's school.
It is noted that 1,499 schools were closed, 15 of train station are flooded, and electricity, phone and internet line in some areas are disconnected. Flood has also taken victims where 12 people are dead due to the stream of flood and for being shock by the electricity.
Up to now, Jakarta's government has not, maximally, conduct actions to overcome the situation caused by flood. There are so many areas and people who were not, yet, being evacuated and have not received any of aids.
What happen now in Jakarta is contrary with previous statement stated by Jakarta's Governor, Sutiyoso. In his statement, Sutiyoso claimed that his government has already prepared on dealing and overcome the flood, which is a five years cycle of flood after big flood occurred in 2002. He stated that the government are equipped with flood emergency equipment that allocated from Jakarta's Local budget amount of IDR 255 billion and a back up fund amount of IDR 500 billion.
Even with that fund, Jakarta's Government are proved to be failed on anticipating the flood. The five years cycle of flood should have been anticipated since Jakarta experienced a pervious big flood in 2002. Compared with the flood in 2002, today's flood is even worse where water not only flooded area that considered near the river but spread, averagely, throughout all areas.
Toward the disaster, UPC and UPLINK, together with kampong's people are collaborating on giving the first aid. Together we formulate a team who start the activities by identifying all affected areas, especially on urban poor communities that have not received assistances, i.e., East Jakarta (Cipinang Besar Selatan, Prumpung and Pulogadung's riverbank), North Jakarta ( Semper, Kolong Tol Warakas, Kolong Tol Sungai Bambu, Pademangan, Teluk Gong), and West Jakarta (Blok Asin, Pekojan, Rawa Buaya).
Up to now, we have identified nine kampongs which spread in all areas: Cipinang Besar Selatan, Pulogadung, Bojong Pulo, Kebun Bayam, Kampung Sawah, Semper, Sungai Bambu, Warakas, and Rawa Buaya. Their basic and urgent necessities are ranging from logistic (medicine, blanket, clothes, sanitary napkins, baby diapers, instant food, and milk) to temporary shelters (tent, light, generator set, and mattress). Aside distributing those logistic aids, the team also will build a public kitchen in some areas to supply refugee's necessities.
In the next few days, basic necessities fulfillment is a priority but we will move on advocating the issue especially on city planning policy and allocation of local budget as main factors for causing the flood.
A Paper titled Flooding in Jakarta presented during the 1st International Conference on Urban History (August 23-25, 2004).
Conclusion (from the above paper)
From its beginnings Jakarta has been prone to flooding due to its unfavourably low location on the coast of the Java Sea. It is situated within the river basin of several rivers transporting large amounts of water during the rainy season. Although technically speaking solutions for the banjir problem may be envisaged, these will require enormous, unrealistic amounts of funding, while the technical specialists in this field are more and more inclined to think in remaining chances and probabilities of flooding instead of complete cures.
The engineers agree that the key to flood prevention lays in a risk management approach taking into account both probabilities and consequences, and that the focus in Jakarta should initially be on the rehabilitation of the existing infrastructure. The problem is aggravated by the rapid urbanization along with severe water extraction leading to steady sinking of the ground level. To raise the level by means of addition of sand leads to the reduction of part of the benefit from the heavy load causing further sinking. That is why measures on spatial planning and the directions of urbanization should be tied in with the rehabilitation envisaged.
Future policies to reduce the risk of banjir in Jakarta should be based on comprehensive water catchment area policy and inclusive urbanization planning. As the past colonial and post colonial anti-flooding measures were often strongly lacking behind the rapid growth of the city – parts of them being implemented when the city population and built area were extended already two to three times – comprehensive water and urbanization planning should be aimed for.
Perhaps the main solution has to be found in an elaborate system of polders. Such polders already exist in Jakarta and in the colonial period additional proposals for polder extension were launched. A sinking city probably should be turned into a polder city. It is expected that Jakarta will count over twenty million people in 2015. Without doubt this future development will require large flood control and flood risk management investments.
As history shows that government agencies are often too late in implementing flood control measures, it is clear that the cultural aspect can not be considered a strong incentive for improvement. During the centuries the inhabitants and government officials of Jakarta have become acquainted with the inconveniences, which are likely been forgotten all too soon with the beginning of the dry season.
Moreover, they do not affect all parts of the city to the same extent, although in the more severe cases of banjir also richer areas are not able to escape, particularly when the city comes to a virtual standstill as we have seen earlier for the year 2002. Notwithstanding the fact that at this very moment many small and large water infrastructure improvements are in the course of being implemented in Jakarta, the overall aim should be to tackle the problem on the basis of one comprehensive cultural, water catchment area and urbanization plan. But even then the specialists will point out that what can be aimed at is just risk reduction.
We heard a lot about the above conclusion to solve banjir in Jakarta – and yet years went by and no strategic and directive measures are taken to address this chronic issue. The Indonesian's way of coping with disasters is very unique – a lot of brouhaha when any disaster happens (critiques, recommendation, task forces, volunteers) but then the people could easily forget... And yet when these things happen again we’re all back to square one – blaming, critiquing, etc…. over and over again. Isn’t it called stupidity?
Friday, January 26, 2007
Poso on the Edge
I read this news from ICG (International Crisis Group) on Poso. The conflict that started in 2000 (a year after similar conflict erupted in Ambon) doesn't seem to end. Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva and Marinus Riwu accused of masterminding the 2000 riot between Muslims and Christians in Indonesia were executed by firing squad at an undisclosed location in the island nation’s Central Sulawesi province September 22, The Jakarta Post reported. And, yet, the vicious circle of violence has not stopped with the death penalty execution of these three men. It is strange in a small city where everybody knows each other and the concentration of policemen and army has been so heavy after the prolonged violent conflict can't bring the "real" perpetrator to the court.
My friend Ulla, who experienced the impact of the third Poso incident said that nobody seemed to anticipate that the violent incident would come their way - since the community bonding was so tight and close. It's sad that there is some power behind this never-ending conflict that has taken so many lives and has robbed the peaceful future of its local people.
INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP - NEW REPORT
Jihadism in Indonesia: Poso on the Edge
Jakarta/Brussels, 24 January 2007: Recent police raids in Poso with high casualties may have just given Indonesia’s weakened jihadi movement a new boost.
Jihadism in Indonesia: Poso on the Edge,* the latest report from the International Crisis Group, follows the 22 January police action in the Central Sulawesi city that left sixteen people dead, including one policeman. The paper examines how a neighbourhood in Poso became a stronghold of the terrorist organisation, Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), and how a small group of men managed to terrorise the city for three years before their identities became known. The government’s new determination to crack down on violent jihadi networks in Poso is welcome, but Poso must not become the new cause celebre for the country’s mujahidin.
“There were already indications that the suspects and their sympathisers were portraying police operations as a fight against thoghut – anti-Islamic forces – in an effort to enlist other mujahidin from outside their own group”, says Sidney Jones, Crisis Group’s South East Asia Project Director. “From Monday’s raid alone, they now have at least fifteen men they will almost certainly claim as martyrs”.
Just after dawn on 22 January, Indonesian police moved in on a quiet residential street in Poso to arrest a group of men, most of them local members of JI wanted for a range of bombings, beheadings, and drive-by shootings. At the end of the day, one policeman and fifteen others – most but not all of them mujahidin – were dead, and several more on both sides wounded. Some two dozen men were arrested as they tried to flee, and police operations are continuing.
These events, following eight months of efforts to persuade the suspects to surrender and a similar but less lethal 11 January raid, suggest several new risks. One is that jihadis will try to take the anti-thoghut war beyond Poso, targeting police elsewhere. Another danger is that the JI faction that considers bombings of Western targets wrong and Noordin Mohammed Top, South East Asia’s most wanted terrorist and the man believed to be behind some of Indonesia’s deadliest bombings, a deviant, will see this jihad as legitimate. Finally, it is possible some of the fugitives might try to join forces with Noordin in Java.
The Indonesian government should step back and look at how to address the broader causes of ongoing violence in Poso. The government needs to set up an independent fact-finding body composed of civilian officials, military, police, NGOs and religious leaders to examine grievances left over from Poso’s communal conflict that reached its height in 2000-2001. It should also set up a body to document the needs of those still displaced and work out an employment program to absorb the local mujahidin.
“The long-running jihad in Poso has changed, it seems, from revenge attacks against local Christians to a war against the police”, says Robert Templer, Director of Crisis Group’s Asia Program. “Even if the remaining suspects are arrested, no one should be complacent that the violence in Poso is over.”
Just after dawn on 22 January, Indonesian police moved in on a quiet residential street in Poso to arrest a group of men, most of them local members of JI wanted for a range of bombings, beheadings, and drive-by shootings. At the end of the day, one policeman and fifteen others – most but not all of them mujahidin – were dead, and several more on both sides wounded. Some two dozen men were arrested as they tried to flee, and police operations are continuing.
These events, following eight months of efforts to persuade the suspects to surrender and a similar but less lethal 11 January raid, suggest several new risks. One is that jihadis will try to take the anti-thoghut war beyond Poso, targeting police elsewhere. Another danger is that the JI faction that considers bombings of Western targets wrong and Noordin Mohammed Top, South East Asia’s most wanted terrorist and the man believed to be behind some of Indonesia’s deadliest bombings, a deviant, will see this jihad as legitimate. Finally, it is possible some of the fugitives might try to join forces with Noordin in Java.
The Indonesian government should step back and look at how to address the broader causes of ongoing violence in Poso. The government needs to set up an independent fact-finding body composed of civilian officials, military, police, NGOs and religious leaders to examine grievances left over from Poso’s communal conflict that reached its height in 2000-2001. It should also set up a body to document the needs of those still displaced and work out an employment program to absorb the local mujahidin.
“The long-running jihad in Poso has changed, it seems, from revenge attacks against local Christians to a war against the police”, says Robert Templer, Director of Crisis Group’s Asia Program. “Even if the remaining suspects are arrested, no one should be complacent that the violence in Poso is over”.
Contacts:
Andrew Stroehlein (Brussels) 32 (0) 2 541 1635
Kimberly Abbott (Washington) 1 202 785 1601
To contact Crisis Group media please click here
*Read the full Crisis Group report on our website: http://www.crisisgroup.org
The International Crisis Group (Crisis Group) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation covering over 50 crisis-affected countries and territories across four continents, working through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy to prevent and resolve deadly conflict.
Other links on Poso:
My friend Ulla, who experienced the impact of the third Poso incident said that nobody seemed to anticipate that the violent incident would come their way - since the community bonding was so tight and close. It's sad that there is some power behind this never-ending conflict that has taken so many lives and has robbed the peaceful future of its local people.
INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP - NEW REPORT
Jihadism in Indonesia: Poso on the Edge
Jakarta/Brussels, 24 January 2007: Recent police raids in Poso with high casualties may have just given Indonesia’s weakened jihadi movement a new boost.
Jihadism in Indonesia: Poso on the Edge,* the latest report from the International Crisis Group, follows the 22 January police action in the Central Sulawesi city that left sixteen people dead, including one policeman. The paper examines how a neighbourhood in Poso became a stronghold of the terrorist organisation, Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), and how a small group of men managed to terrorise the city for three years before their identities became known. The government’s new determination to crack down on violent jihadi networks in Poso is welcome, but Poso must not become the new cause celebre for the country’s mujahidin.
“There were already indications that the suspects and their sympathisers were portraying police operations as a fight against thoghut – anti-Islamic forces – in an effort to enlist other mujahidin from outside their own group”, says Sidney Jones, Crisis Group’s South East Asia Project Director. “From Monday’s raid alone, they now have at least fifteen men they will almost certainly claim as martyrs”.
Just after dawn on 22 January, Indonesian police moved in on a quiet residential street in Poso to arrest a group of men, most of them local members of JI wanted for a range of bombings, beheadings, and drive-by shootings. At the end of the day, one policeman and fifteen others – most but not all of them mujahidin – were dead, and several more on both sides wounded. Some two dozen men were arrested as they tried to flee, and police operations are continuing.
These events, following eight months of efforts to persuade the suspects to surrender and a similar but less lethal 11 January raid, suggest several new risks. One is that jihadis will try to take the anti-thoghut war beyond Poso, targeting police elsewhere. Another danger is that the JI faction that considers bombings of Western targets wrong and Noordin Mohammed Top, South East Asia’s most wanted terrorist and the man believed to be behind some of Indonesia’s deadliest bombings, a deviant, will see this jihad as legitimate. Finally, it is possible some of the fugitives might try to join forces with Noordin in Java.
The Indonesian government should step back and look at how to address the broader causes of ongoing violence in Poso. The government needs to set up an independent fact-finding body composed of civilian officials, military, police, NGOs and religious leaders to examine grievances left over from Poso’s communal conflict that reached its height in 2000-2001. It should also set up a body to document the needs of those still displaced and work out an employment program to absorb the local mujahidin.
“The long-running jihad in Poso has changed, it seems, from revenge attacks against local Christians to a war against the police”, says Robert Templer, Director of Crisis Group’s Asia Program. “Even if the remaining suspects are arrested, no one should be complacent that the violence in Poso is over.”
Just after dawn on 22 January, Indonesian police moved in on a quiet residential street in Poso to arrest a group of men, most of them local members of JI wanted for a range of bombings, beheadings, and drive-by shootings. At the end of the day, one policeman and fifteen others – most but not all of them mujahidin – were dead, and several more on both sides wounded. Some two dozen men were arrested as they tried to flee, and police operations are continuing.
These events, following eight months of efforts to persuade the suspects to surrender and a similar but less lethal 11 January raid, suggest several new risks. One is that jihadis will try to take the anti-thoghut war beyond Poso, targeting police elsewhere. Another danger is that the JI faction that considers bombings of Western targets wrong and Noordin Mohammed Top, South East Asia’s most wanted terrorist and the man believed to be behind some of Indonesia’s deadliest bombings, a deviant, will see this jihad as legitimate. Finally, it is possible some of the fugitives might try to join forces with Noordin in Java.
The Indonesian government should step back and look at how to address the broader causes of ongoing violence in Poso. The government needs to set up an independent fact-finding body composed of civilian officials, military, police, NGOs and religious leaders to examine grievances left over from Poso’s communal conflict that reached its height in 2000-2001. It should also set up a body to document the needs of those still displaced and work out an employment program to absorb the local mujahidin.
“The long-running jihad in Poso has changed, it seems, from revenge attacks against local Christians to a war against the police”, says Robert Templer, Director of Crisis Group’s Asia Program. “Even if the remaining suspects are arrested, no one should be complacent that the violence in Poso is over”.
Contacts:
Andrew Stroehlein (Brussels) 32 (0) 2 541 1635
Kimberly Abbott (Washington) 1 202 785 1601
To contact Crisis Group media please click here
*Read the full Crisis Group report on our website: http://www.crisisgroup.org
The International Crisis Group (Crisis Group) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation covering over 50 crisis-affected countries and territories across four continents, working through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy to prevent and resolve deadly conflict.
Other links on Poso:
- The Facts & Truth of the Poso Conflict from Indonesia Watch
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Care to Read "The Indonesian Way" Series?
9 months 1 week. That's how long I've been in Indonesia. I thought I wouldn't survive the chaos and ruthless post-reformation Indonesia. But, here I am - still standing.
Since the minute I stepped out of the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, I felt the urge to write down my experience, feelings, and mixed emotion. There are so many things swirling in my mind and asked to be funneled down the lines.
Do I still love the country I left 6 years ago?
Do I really like living and want to continue my life here?
Do I really miss anything here?
If 1998 is a milestone in the country's history...
What is its significance?
Is it for the better or worse?
It's my journey... Do you care to read "The Indonesia's Way" series?
Since the minute I stepped out of the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, I felt the urge to write down my experience, feelings, and mixed emotion. There are so many things swirling in my mind and asked to be funneled down the lines.
Do I still love the country I left 6 years ago?
Do I really like living and want to continue my life here?
Do I really miss anything here?
If 1998 is a milestone in the country's history...
What is its significance?
Is it for the better or worse?
It's my journey... Do you care to read "The Indonesia's Way" series?
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