At one time, Henrik – my current partner, asked me, ”Why don´t you just become a Politician?” I mused quietly, asking myself – “perhaps not, or not at this particular moment”. Being a politician itself need an extra courage toward every action and reaction will give a big influence, mainly for supporter as well as proponent of a party. All these things must be handled responsibly, and chosen wisely. I don’t think I’ll be ready now, regarding my limited experiences and frankly I hate bureaucracy, I really do.
As an outsider of politics and government, all of us I consider have rights and thoughts in every aspects of policy and government’s legitimacy. In this way, we move through the social conscience. When there is untrustworthy or sneaky on the government, every citizen spontaneously have the same dream I guess – living at ease with each other, and they may react to the arrogance of government.
Don’t get me wrong, however a conflict on government seems inevitable. But, at least we know how this would work in harmony. For whatsoever, our life actually facing almost 100 % problems, and we’re simply forced to get the solution.
At the end, ready or not ready yet, we must learn to live with it!
Just read the news from dailymail.co.uk. about two million asylum seekers from Arab spring countries going to Europe, I literally think this can be a nightmare for Europe if we might see in the future some kind of an oppressive tradition, such as slavery, women with niqab, and shallow-minded to force somebody else to be like what they would believe to. That is clearly boomerang, I am afraid!
Remember my previous written, “most greatest women in the middle east” had significantly viewers I noticed who searching related to Asma Al-Assad, as one of women I described on my blog. Despite Asma’s issue popped up to mass media, apparently these women are very fashionable without hijab as well as women in Europe. Do they have the same perspectives or brave enough to speak out about homosexuality, women slavery, and human dignity? I do not think so. How impress I wrote about that because their popularity and high-style appearance.
Back to hometown, Indonesia, a long time ago, when I was kid, in Soeharto’s regime, I didn’t even know about Arab things, it was rare to see women with headscarf or caftan, as opposed to nowadays, many habib “cleric” from Arab who easily declare as an ancestry of holy prophet, and a lot of religion organization they have been built based on their belief, preaching attracted millions of followers.
What is the problem then?
For certain matters, what Arab tradition carry out to others is tend to be likely classified privilege, example, friend of mine who allegedly prophet’s ancestry cannot marry as easy as people whom not having relative from prophet blood. Also, in many cases I saw Indonesian maid tortured by Arab’s foreman, for example Ruyati execution, Sumiati’s case, and barely in Jakarta, alleged child sexual abuse case of cleric Habib Hasan Assegaf, or Arab’s chief who seems that holding some of fundamentalist organizations, the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), Habib Rizieq as an example. Never heard about them since I was young, until recently they become pretty popular in Indonesia, as so much advertising on street.
Do you hate Arab people?
“Go back to your country, you terrorist” a note after brutal attack an Iraqi-American woman, Shaima Al Awadi, this case regarding hate crime over Arab people. In my own opinion, where is smoke, there is fire, what did happen to that woman, obviously connected with what we always face on media.
Define of hate crime like the Criminal Code of Canada said on CBC news, it is committed to intimidate, harm or terrify not only a person, but an entire group of people to which the victim belongs. The victims are targeted for who they are, not because of anything they have done.
Just a simple thing, I guess, treat people what you want to be treated! Everybody has the right to life, but do not force somebody else like what you thought. For example, throw a bomb and shout “kafir – heathen” because they drink alcohol, women without headscarf, and living together without marriage, and all of those forbidden to you. You are not God! So, how dare you judge and threatening other people with your mindset? No wonder, Ayaan Hirsi Magan Ali, utters, “Islam is not an European religion” . Perhaps, she might find heavy of violence on the wrong perception about Islam.
As far as I am concerned, every religion has the same moral message, either you are Christian, Catholic, Muslim, Hinduism, Jewish, and Budhism. All of us are sinners, no body is perfect! There is something beyond us must be a greatest creator, but unluckily we tend likely switch as a predominant author (hopefully, excluded me) to punish others. I mean, that is fine, if you have a different perspective on life, but shouldn’t be sort of a terrorist to anybody.
After all, just be respectful and do not think you are better than other, so handily want to change them, like Indonesian proverb says, “milk is repaid with poison” means a good deed that is repaid by a bad deed. So, don’t do it!
P.S. curious, why do asylum seekers from Arab spring tend to go to Europe and Australia? Why they don’t just move to Saudi Arabia or Qatar? Interesting.
To debunk inside someone’s head and motive is not easy as you listen to what the word goes through, everybody could talk otherwise, most politician do as well. In society, it happens starting early age, while we were just born into the world, where you would be able for the first stage to say “mama” and “dada” to the right parents.
However, adult’s world has been grown to the reality as opposed to flawless baby. Being an adult person should be able to keep his/her mouth in certain way, not just talking, but think firstly. That’s mature people live. It’s complicated, everybody potentially use their mask to face the world.
Religion, gender roles, and cultural values as parts of grown-up people have to deal with, that comes in our society, how skin colour you have, or your religion, your sexual preference, or anything has responsibility to make the environment works.
No wonder, those value tend to be a great trigger for politician in order to get more public attention, believe it or not, just take a look some of example, barely head of Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Khalil Ridwan claims “Haram – Forbidden” to see Lady Gaga Concert, obviously what did he say would make significant impact to public, becomes trending topic on Twitter immediately. Another example, few weeks ago, President Obama’s former transgender nanny, Evi (Turdi) flew up to the public, and becoming controversial story, or fuel prices issue recently run over the world, including Indonesia, that many people think fuel hike could be worst to them, especially poor people, despite the government will consider direct cash assistance (BLT). As for previous experience, some people think BLT is not the right solution.
To sum up, who you are, or what is on your head actually, every policy must be based on TRUSTWORTHY! As a citizen of Indonesia, I mean it. Just tired to see many cruelty in this country. Peace…
Ketika mata kita melangkah ke gedung-gedung bertingkat di area perkotaan, dan keindahan kerlap-kerlip lampu kota seperti Jakarta, kita sudah pasti berdecak kagum atas semua tampilan tersebut.
Sebagai ibukota di Indonesia, wajah Jakarta diubah secara progresif dengan banyaknya pengadaan apartemen berkelas dan pusat perbelanjaan yang menjanjikan. Seolah-olah kemiskinan, kesederhanaan, lingkungan ramah lingkungan itu tidak pernah ada, yang ada telah berganti menjadi potret kemewahan dan gudangnya konsumerisme.
Lalu kemana atmospher kesederhanaan dan kemiskinan itu? Apa mereka eksis?
Tentu saja eksis, jika berminat, lihat saja pinggiran kota Jakarta. Rumah berhimpit dengan sanitasi yang buruk, dan jauh dari kelayakan untuk tinggal sebenarnya.
Merujuk pada fenomena kebobrokan di negeri ini seperti korupsi, inkompeten di berbagi sektor birokrasi sangat melelahkan ketika publik dihadapkan pada polemik tersebut.
Seperti isu bahan bakar minyak yang akan naik April mendatang, anggota Komisi XI DPR Arif Budimanta (Dalam Neraca, 8 Maret 2012) menegaskan bahwa akan terjadi kenaikan angka kemiskinan sekitar 33.69 juta jiwa, dari data Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS) sebelumnya, tercatat 28.897 juta jiwa.
Akan lebih bijak pemerintah Indonesia meninjau ulang kenaikan BBM yang seharusnya tak perlu dilakukan, karena sudah barang tentu semakin memperburuk rakyat Indonesia yang rata-rata miskin.
Jikalau dulu ada yang menyerukan bahwa perempuan itu adalah ‘makhluk kelas dua’ di jagat bumi ini, sehingga kelahirannya masih dipergunjingkan. Bukan tidak mungkin jika di otak manusia abad sekarang masih ada yang memiliki pemahaman seperti itu.
Kita lihat saja perbudakan, perdagangan, bahkan kekerasan seksual yang terjadi pada perempuan kerap tertayang dalam pandangan kita. Secara geografis, perempuan-perempuan di negara berkembang, seperti Indonesia saja, misalkan. Telah cukup banyak kasus yang terkuak mengenai kekerasan dan pelecehan terhadap pekerja rumah tangga perempuan di luar negeri, seperti di Arab Saudi.
Harga seorang perempuan itu sungguh memilukan, bahkan terkadang sesama perempuan pun terlibat untuk menjebak dan mengkhianati perempuan lain dengan alasan; kebutuhan hidup.
Semoga peringatan hari perempuan sedunia yang jatuh pada hari ini menjadi momentum untuk bergerak lebih baik lagi dalam mengadvokasi dan memaksimalkan kebutuhan-kebutuhan para perempuan, terutama perempuan yang hidup di Indonesia.
Masih banyak saya rasa perempuan yang berjuang sendiri, hidup dalam keprihatinan, membanting tulang menafkahi anak-anak tanpa suami. Potret pejuang perempuan-perempuan itu kiranya menjadi pemicu perempuan lain agar saling memajukan dan melahirkan generasi-generasi berikutnya yang penuh budi pekerti yang luhur dan berjiwa nasionalisme.
Segera – memulai dari diri sendiri, dalam lingkungan kecil dan hal-hal kecil.
Ironis, para elite politik dengan langkah tegap masih saja ada berebut kursi kekuasaan di gedung megah sana dan dengan iming-iming janji manis ‘mensejahterahkan rakyat’ yang tak pernah kesampaian. Dada dibusungkan, sumpel telinga kanan-kiri, lalu berseru dalam hati, “MAMPUS! Penting congor dan buntutku makmur selamanya…”
Di sisi lain, ada rakyat dengan sangat masygul mendiami nasib mereka yang semakin terhimpit, antara mati kelaparan dihimpit roda perekonomian yang menyesakkan pinggang, atau dibui karena terdesak menjarah milik orang lain.
Seberang sana masih berkumandang rencana agar periode depan Bahan Bakar Minyak (BBM) akan dinaikkan.
Hajat hidup orang banyak yang rata-rata telah dimiskinkan dengan merajalelanya korupsi semakin menjerit, karena sudah barang tentu kenaikan BBM akan berdampak melonjaknya listrik dan kebutuhan sembako lainnya, seperti beras, ikan, telur, dan sebagainya.
Sebuah statistik memang, entah valid atau tidak menyuarakan bahwa angka-angka manusia miskin itu sudah berkurang kok dari masa ke masa. Pun lengkap dengan rentetan angka-angka fantastis merunyamkan otak sebagai penguatan data. Oleh karena itu, suara sumbang yang lain mengamini bahwa kenaikan BBM itu wajarlah. Toh, nanti yang miskin diberi bantuan langsung tunai (BLT). Menjadi masalah dalam hati saya sebagai rakyat kecil, benar gak itu prosedur bisa berjalan dengan semestinya. Jangan-jangan malah ada pemotongan kesamping kanan-kiri, dan ujungnya ‘NOL BESAR’.
Sejatinya golongan rakyat jelata bisa hidup tenteram tanpa direcoki dan dipolitisi untuk memperkaya sebahagian penguasa yang haus harta benda dan kedudukan. Tambahan lagi, pelaku itu katanya sebangsa dan setanah air. Mana buktinya?
Kanibalisme, tepatnya.
Penilaian saya, ketika apa yang di depan mata telah benar-benar terlihat mensejahterakan rakyat, seperti biaya rumah sakit terjangkau, menggratiskan pendidikan, kemudian infrastruktur di masyarakat, seperti transportasi dan sarana prasarana di berbagai sektor masyarakat terstruktur dengan baik, maka saya baru yakin benar adanya segala kebijakan-kebijakan sang penguasa itu berpihak untuk rakyat, bukan untuk mengisi kantong sendiri.
Mungkin rakyat pun kan berkomentar, “Yah, gak apa-apalah naik, toh, kita jadi rakyat sejahtera. Sekolah gratis, biaya hidup terjangkau!”
Sebaliknya, kenyataan berkata tidak.
Telah begitu banyak kebijakan-kebijakan yang dikeluarkan oleh sang penguasa sebelumnya, namun saya perhatikan kondisi di lapangan dan rentetan laporan oleh media 180 derajat beda. Terlalu banyak penyimpangan.
Mau dibawa kemana jadinya nasib bangsa ini jika terus-menerus sang penguasa ber-mottokan, “bersenang-senang, diatas penderitaan rakyat!”
Most likely just as we ever heard or read the news what is going on in the Middle East, like Egypt or Syria, our thought was struck by frightening, empathy, or in all likelihood do not want the unfairness happens sustainably over citizen, as what Indonesia also has. Hence, it needs more time actually to learn towards equity and prosperity.
Here, I’m not going to report those chaos actually, but there is quote might be pretty popular to say, “Behind the great man, obviously there is great woman”. Being a leader of the country in the Middle East where is patriarchal system has strictly adhered, however there is a spouse, or in counterpart of the aristocracy, they are not just physically beautiful, but they are also smart, and have full of dedication to the public.
For some people who do not know yet, would think that every woman in the Middle East cover up their body and hair with ‘Niqaab’ or ‘Burqa’ and very conservative. On the contrary, seeing to some of the leader’s wives in the Middle East build up their image and evolving the new perspective to all over the world that they can behave properly, with modesty and politeness without unleashed their identity part of Middle East. Truly inspirational, isn’t?
Started the first one who’s likely noted not only in the Mideast, but also around the world is Queen Rania of Jordan, as wife of King Abdullah II of Jordan, beautifully charismatic, has many roles and position upon International event, such as UNICEF, United Nation Girl’s Education Initiative (UNGEI).
1.)
The second rank, I’m considered in, is Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco, as wife of King Mohammed VI of Morocco. For me, she’s not only down to earth but also her enthusiastic to prevent the cancer disease, becoming a good role model to society.
2.)
Third one, is Princess Al-Taweel of Saudi Arabia, well-known called Princess Amira Al-Taweel, as wife of global tycoon Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talaal of Saudi Arabia. Her activities as a Philanthropist and action towards women’s rights in order to get equal position in the workforce, in the legal system, and in education, given an obvious affect to others.
3.)
Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, is the second of the three wives of Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani of Qatar. The way she performs in the public, you would realize how brave and unique she is, especially her turban where she put on nicely matching with her outfit. Many social activities she has been dealing, such as in UNESCO, to pay tribute to her outstanding commitment to the promotion of education in Qatar.
4.)
Last but not least, is Asma Al-Assad, the First Lady of Syria, as wife of President Bashar Al-Assad. In 2009, Elle magazine listed her as the most stylish woman in world politics. Of course, it’s not easy for her regarding the chaos in Syria recently, where Vogue magazine has called her “rose in the desert”.
5.)
Based on what I’ve described above, these greatest woman are not just stop belong my own list. There are abundance woman out there I’d think have capability and opportunity to take a part of social action, loyal supporters, and being good partners of beloved husbands, and families.
Now for further question is, Do women in Middle East generally progressing in the right direction? As compared, what about some Indonesian women who highly have such great positions in the parliament?
This is one of the reason why I still venture myself being Muslim which was taken for granted from my parent. Literally I’m not Atheist either. As we ever heard the news few days ago, a guy in West Sumatera, has arrested by policeman because he briefly announced himself as an atheist on Facebook (read from here). For me, it was terribly inequity, while most likely in every bureaucratic process is quite far actually to define what practical of religion is. Since the corruption has becoming common issue and how people in certain way have not get decent amenities like GKI Yasmin’s case.
In contrary, the hard-line Muslim group, Islam Defenders Front (FPI) is now time by time blooming. No wonder, if one day this country will convert in Islamic Sharia Law, which is frighten me as you can read this news on The Guardian, Boko Haram in Nigeria who convinces to establish Sharia Law. One of his statement, “There are no exceptions. Even if you are a Muslim and you don’t abide by Sharia, we will kill you. Even if you are my own father, we will kill you”. Personally my question is right now, “Did I really choose the wrong religion? Because I mean this is not about just theory or what was taken in Alqur’an, but seems to me in practical doesn’t make sense and most likely disrespectful. But, I don’t know, I still dig for it”
I think the song from John Lennon, “Imagine” perfectly suitable for me as a dreamer to see this World in peaceful without war, disrespectful, and discrimination.
Writing on my Blog about Politic, it doesn’t mean myself as a political expert, otherwise might be an ordinary bystander as a part of citizen where we live in the real world, watching the folded drama of politics through social media, and realizing how difficult itself. Greedy of authority and power in the governments, betrayal of public trust, and many ruthless episode has been happening.
Let’s lead our own conscience to see an unfairness fact around us, sometimes might not realize it would be like a time bomb. Widening gap between rich and poor, or either unhealthy relationship between stakeholder and public, are as an example of bad management. But it seems sometimes like nothing ever moves forward.
However, come out with that statement because I noticed over and over again the government which is not only in Indonesia, but almost half of country’s government have similar problem, especially due to rampant corruption and expansion of authority. The protest riot in Libya, or in London several months ago for example, are a result of unsatisfied citizens to their government.
Since the worst tragedy of May 1998, where downfall of Suharto’s regime, Indonesian government actually should learn from that tragic events, on the other hand, I simply as a part of public do not get the way the current government works.
Barely this morning for example, I just read the Newspaper about The President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would likely re-arrange the cabinet, and then the next page I found he gave an honorary medal to the Malaysia King Mizan Zainal Abidin. I wonder why he did that when we have known; firstly, reshuffle of cabinet tend to use lot of money from the state budget (APBN), secondly, Malaysia and Indonesia recently have confrontation toward the territory edge and migrant workers (TKI) issues.
I hope what the president did, that was not just an amazing drama, because we are not great performer, we just need a decent life and prosperity as human beings, as Indonesian citizen.
Yeah, we keep watching it! Even though, in deep inside feel painful. So be it!
At one time, Henrik – my current partner, asked me, ”Why don´t you just become a Politician?” I mused quietly, asking myself – “perhaps not, or not at this particular moment”. Being a politician itself need an extra courage toward every action and reaction will give a big influence, mainly for supporter as well as proponent of a party. All these things must be handled responsibly, and chosen wisely. I don’t think I’ll be ready now, regarding my limited experiences and frankly I hate bureaucracy, I really do.
