The Exodus and The Shame of Our World

It was as if our heartsrings pulled in most gruesome ways to see the image of the tiny, lifeless body of a drowned Syrian toddler refugee washed up ashore. This humanity crisis did not stop here. Our heart ached to watch on screen as thousands of refugees have been soaked in open torrential rain across the border, hugry and cold with extreme fatigue. It was the children that captured us the most. Their eyes innocent, their faces tired, confused and scared, clutching at the arms of their parent. Crying and drenched in rain, they tugged along their  mothers or fathers who continued to stride ever forward.  They kept on marching only  to find their fellow refugees piled into European train stations and prevented to go further. A video published on Twitter shows how journalists were filming the scene as police officers were chasing refugees and trying to contain them. 

The plight of these refugees keep flooding our Twitter and Facebook feeds. We have the update on daily basis from our news channel day and night. And these images will keep on coming. This is an exodus! People torn by civil wars to find a safe haven for their families despite the uncertainty of their fate in the new land. We watch in horror and despair. Our heads bow down in shame to witness their suffering without being able to lend our hands.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has been overwhelmed with the biggest refugee influx in decades. It said the world is facing the biggest refugee crisis since World Ward II, as a staggering 60 million people displaced from their homes, four million from Syria alone. This crisis is a worldwide problem since refugees are fleeing countries from Afghanistan to Nigeria to Myanmar, to reach countries wealthy and poor alike they find safe from US and Europe to Turkey and Lebanon. On June 2015, UNHCR reported that the top 5 nationallities arriving by sea in Europe comprises of Syria (34%), Afghanistan (12%), Eritrea  (12%), Somalia (5%) and Nigeria (5%).

Ironically, the world  has been constantly failed to tackle this increasing humanity crisis. Our world are mired in a set of myopic, stingy and cruel politics that give birth to malicious policies towards refugees.  World leaders have been busy debating whether it's more proper to label them as migrants or refugees, playing human ping pong policies, reluctant to accept moral responsibilty to help these displaced people, around half of whom are children.

Certainly in the midst of prolonged global economic recession, insecurity gives rise to anti imigration sentiment. People feel economocially insecure as in many do in Western countries now that might bring a sense of zero-sum competition. More mouth to feed means a slice reduction from their ratio. Not to mention that people tend to get suspicious with others who have different color, language, culture and creed. They find their customs and values alien that might threaten theirs. It’s easy to love your neighbor but in practise it’s hard to love strangers. There is thus enormous political demand within these countries for keeping out migrants and refugees for the sake of the argument that they neither culturally nor financially are capable to take refugees. Fear is the sole reason to treat these refugees inhumanely. Fear drives hostile policies towards the unknown.

However, despite this bleak reality, we are heartened to see individuals build a solidarity movement, offering shelters for refugees, providing food, clothes, and temporary health aid. Regardless of their government’s stance, they volunteer to help people in dire needs because humanity does not know color, race, language or creed. Love and compassion is the only universal language they communicate with these unfortunate refugees. No-one with even an ordinary measure of compassion can fail to be moved by the plight of these poor Syrians. If you were in their position you’d try anything to get out too.

The sporadic acts of these myriad of volunteers offer a beacon of hope for the refugees. Their kindness generate warmth and chance for the world to live, setting an example for others to follow suit. This small movement has grown bigger and together they could put pressures on government to change their hostile policies.

In the end, Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, in a plea for European generosity towards the 500,000 who had entered the EU this year, said: “Europe is the baker in Kos who gives away his bread to hungry and weary souls. Europe is the students in Munich and in Passau who bring clothes for the new arrivals at the train station. Europe is the policeman in Austria who welcomes exhausted refugees upon crossing the border. This is the Europe I want to live in.”.

NO ‘ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL’ IN TACKLING GLOBAL RECESSION

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/09/16/your-letters-no-one-size-fits-all-tackling-recession.html

As Christine Lagarde took center stage, all eyes turned to her. Flashlights of cameras rained down at her. Journalists flocked like moths around her. Her words were gold, luring 'miners' to just dig up for more. It was her highly anticipated speech the audience loved to hear the most. Sitting in the back rows, I could tell that she was the star of Bank Indonesia-IMF joint conference "Future of Asia's Finance: Financing for Development 2015."

The extensive debate and controversy over policies exercised by the IMF over these past years, did not stop experts, academicians, policy makers and practitioners around the globe to hope for more. Pinning down their aspiration on this international financial institution for remedies to cure the ongoing global economic recession, the words of its Commander in Chief on any given event drew all ears. Initially designed to ensure the stability of the worldwide financial system after World War II, the IMF's policies has changed over time, allegedly nuanced with political agenda and vested interest of the world superpowers.

Nonetheless, from my personal observation during the session, there's nothing new on Lagarde’s remarks. It's like an old repetitive forgotten recipe cooked all over again. The aroma was somewhat familiar, the overall presentation was inviting and the taste was delectable, yet it did not jolt my taste buds to yearn for more.

The four "I" formulas namely: Innovation, Infrastructure, Integration and Inclusion are not new concepts among emerging markets policy makers particularly Indonesia. They have been chased and pursued with perseverance albeit without great success due to factors as have been highlighted by the Indonesia's Minister of Finance in the session i.e: legal battle and cultural hindrance. These four strategies are as elusive as the mythical creature.

Notwithstanding, policy makers in Indonesia has launched efforts to maintain its financial stability and resilience right after the 1997/1998 economic crisis. Bank Indonesia is an ardent campaigner to promote financial inclusion, strengthen Islamic banking role in financing, upgrade an integrated payment system gateway and so forth to tackle challenges ahead in achieving financial stability.

Yet, the sharp sell-off in China’s stock market, the main engine of global growth in recent years, has sent shockwaves among market players. China's continued economic slowdown has cast doubt over the future of this Asian Giant. Panic attacks drove market players to make irrational actions.

Further, the uncertainty over the Fed's plan to raise its benchmark rate, gave rise to more volatility. The Eurozone economy hasn't shown any significant improvement either as if time froze into a standstill. The world economy is getting more volatile.

What I find interesting is the refreshing remarks presented by Andrew Sheng, the distinguished Fellow of Asia Global Institute and Chief Advisor to China Banking Regulatory Commission. His was not too technical and basically jargon free. He was matter of factly offered incisive views and critiques on the problems and issues of the current global financial world. The unconventional monetary policies of zero interest rate policy has created oceans of liquidity. The global economy faced increased risk of inflated bubbles as investors easily acquired mountains of highly-leveraged debt that increased their excessive risk taker appetite.

Against this backdrop, Andrew Sheng mentioned the fifth "I" which was actually the driver of inclusive participation in the economy, namely "Incentive" to tackle the global imbalances. He elaborated that Future Finance needed incentives to act or to persuade society to act against disaster myopia in the face of growing evidence of rising risks.

The future is about incentive. It is about long term investment.  It is about risk sharing and it is about ownership. It is no longer about mere personal gain but it should be about social gain for the overall economy to survive together.

He argued that there was a distinctive trait in the analysis of the role of incentives in the current financial reforms.  The combination of excessive management compensation schemes and moral hazard were the two most important incentives that led to excess risk building up in the system. It drove investors to build up empires of wealth with any means necessary. Greed becomes the norms.

One noteworthy lesson from his overview is how he advised that the world economy should adopt the concept of risk sharing as practiced in Islamic Finance. The system in Islamic finance as in Sukuk is about equality. It is about bringing the social benefits of any investment instead of solely personal benefit that leads to greed and social injustice.

In the end, I should agree with Andrew Sheng that there can be no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution for global problems, because the world is too diverse and heterogenic. This also implies that we can only at best agree on major principles at the global level, with implementation differences for different countries.

Holy Cow and Chicken Fright

Stopping at the local supermarket nearby, I held my breath to see the meat prices! After the unfinished business of the skyrocketing beef prices, the poultry especially chicken meat follows suit within a few days. One whole chicken had a price tag of Rp. 42,000 tonight. I rolled my eyes in disbelief. This was definitely the highest price I have ever experienced so far. I left the groceries with only tomatoes and carrots! Gee, I think I might considering switch my mode into a herbivore. Being an eternal Tempeh and tofu lover prove to be an advantage for this mode switch!

So here's the conclusion of tonight's ramble in the market: omnivores like myself may want to consider the financial advantages of becoming vegetarians, especially since meat prices are skyrocketing!

First, out of the blue, the issue of imported beef reduction measure, as part of import curbs for food self-sufficiency plan, pushed up the price of beef. Combined with the allegedly insufficient domestic cattle supplies, the policy seemed always result in lower supply and surging prices. Related to this brouhaha, the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) is still investigating the possibility of a cartel being involved in the drop in beef supplies and the increase in its price.

Immediately, the beef scarcity compelled chicken lovers to pay higher prices to get their meat as well. As always some people are just love to fish in trouble waters! Taking the chaotic cattle and poultry management to accumulate profits with any means necessary. Increasing demand (combined with decreasing supplies) soon resulted in much higher prices for your favorite fowl. There’s companies perfectly poised to profit from the situation, to recoup the extra money!

What’s especially alarming for us is inflation rate is tame, but meat lovers see a different picture – prices for steaks and chops are soaring, just in time after the peak season for their demand, the Idul Fitri,  has just been over. Beef prices have continued on their upward trajectory through the early part of the year, a period that is traditionally a lull in the market in between two peak demand times, the Idul Fitri  and Idul Adha season. Analysts expect that it will be several years before Indonesia's cattle herds and poultry increase substantially in size provided there's a consistent and synchronized mixed of policies in related departments responsible to manage this issue for food self-sufficiency ideal: Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Trade, etc. Until then, we should get used to the idea that meat prices will keep soaring.  

Prices of volatile food apparently make ordinary living of housewives a hellish battle. They have to juggle in getting their kitchen works with the same amount of money they receive from their husband. Super mothers juggling with ingredients in the kitchen to make economic decisions similarly to men.

For housewife like myself, this moment is perfect timing to serve local dishes on my platter to save money. Indonesia has abundance of local food that are affordable and rich of nutrients. My favorites are Tempeh and Tofu which are right away replace meat in my household. Tempeh and Tofu are readily accessible in any market. What’s more, I was surprised to learn that tempeh has almost as much protein as fish, chicken, or beef. It’s healthier also because unlike animal-based proteins, tempeh does not have any cholesterol. If you have ever tried tempeh, you have probably noticed that it has a firm, almost mushroomy texture and a slightly earthy taste that sends immediately your taste buds to scream for more.

Campaigning to love Indonesia food perhaps might be one of the feasible ways to outsmart the soaring prices for meat. They are affordable and contains of natural proteins provided Indonesia does not rely on imported soya beans (the main ingredient of tempeh and Tahu) from overseas.

A grand plan for the world's fourth most populous nation to become self-sufficient in key food commodities is indeed vital. However, strategy to achieve this long term goal should be carefully formulated especially in regards on the import curbs which should be aligned with consistent and thorough trade regulations. In the meantime, I should switch to become a herbivore!

Independence Day: The Fate of Indonesian Farmers

As the band struck the National anthem, we saluted our red and white flag which was graciously hoisted by our Paskibra (flag hoisting squad). The patriotic atmosphere was thick in the air. We followed the procession solemnly in honor of our fallen heroes who sacrificed their life for a free Indonesia with full sovereignty. It was 70 years ago, our founding fathers, Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta, proclaimed the independence of Indonesia, politically and economically. One question however remains: are we as one nation truly free?

When the flag hoisting ceremony concluded, I rushed to the Ministry of Trade parking lot which was only a few kilometers away from my office. A blasting message on my social media invited netizens to participate in the movement to buy tomatoes from farmers which would be held in several places right after the flag hoisting ceremony, including the parking lot at this ministry. The campaign stole the spotlight in this independence day as micro tool to help tomato growers who were facing severe crisis in the district due to lack of good prices for their produce since there was drastic fall in price for tomatoes in these last three months.

For instance, on normal harvest year, 1 kg tomato was sold for Rp. 2,000 to 2,200 in market, but these few months it is priced as low as Rp. 200, indicating a 80% drop in rates, this season.  Excessive supplies combined with poor distribution and a surge of cheap imported produce in the domestic market are believed to be the cause for this huge price drop that affects the livelihood of farmers.

Setting my foot in the parking lot, I saw civil servants wearing Korpri (Indonesian Civil Service Corps) uniform have full bags of tomatoes and other produces such as dragon fruit, oranges, mangosteen (manggis), snake skin fruit (salak), and sour sop (sirsak). The place was not as crowded as I imagined. Less people from outside of the corps roamed around the area. To my disappointment, the three tons of tomatoes have been sold out a few hours earlier.

Out of curiosity, I asked one of the sellers when the exact time this unusual market was opened. He said right before the ceremony was held most civil servants have flooded the area to hunt the produce. I was lucky I still could grab some snake fruit and oranges as the side fruits to bring home. They tasted more juicy and delicious than the usual fruit I bought from my local supermarket. Their fresh quality was on par with imported fruits. One kilogram of snake fruit was priced at Rp. 15,000,-, orange at Rp. 30,000, mangosteen at Rp. 30,000, dragon fruit at Rp. 40,000 while tomatoes were sold at Rp. 20,000 for three kilograms. We did not haggle the price because this fair was intended to help farmers get good prices.

One of the staffs responsible to manage this fair said that this event was initiated by the Trade Ministry as one of quick responses in addressing the plunging price of tomatoes which have tomato growers suffered a great loss. She said the tomatoes sold in this fair were purchased directly from farmers at Tasikmalaya and Ciamis with price at Rp. 3,000/kg. They will continue to buy the produce from districts of tomatoes in West Java above the buying market price for farmers which are at Rp 2,000 – 2,200/kg. This price is expected to help farmers coped up with their production cost. This measure is a short term only. While the long term measures, she added, would include the restructuring of distribution chain, and building cooperation with local industries having tomatoes as their main ingredients as well as supermarkets.

This crisis as usual faced by most farmers in Indonesia becomes a recurring problem without any viable solution. Growing up in families where farming used to be our main source of income, I experienced such similar story. My grandparents were both farmers who used to have moderate income from their fertile soil. However, as time went by, their life became continuing daily struggle. It became worse when Indonesia has established a clove trading monopoly, the Clove Support and Trading Board (BPPC), controlled by then President Suharto's youngest son during 1990’s.
Under this monopoly, farmers were forced to sell their cloves at vastly reduced prices. Many farmers became bankrupt or destroyed their plantations in protest. My grandparent and uncles had their cloves unattended as the price did not cover the operational cost. From then on, they had difficulties to make ends meet.

Combined with their obsolete farming techniques and less diversification in crops as well as the lure of modern industries have made the work in the field harsh and less attractive. Their descendants turned their back from farming and opted to other profession which offered more stability. This trend has an increasing pattern as many youngsters are now reluctant to become farmers.

It’s off course disconcerting considering that farming has been part of life in Indonesia where Agricultural products played quite a big contribution to the gross domestic income. It came second after the manufacturing sector.  It’s kind of ironic when we hear the condition of agriculture in Indonesia now. The place that used to be an area of surplus agricultural products has became a hunger area. We have to import basic products to feed the nation. The facts indicate that the rise and fall of agriculture is closely linked to macro-economic policy.

It’s been 70 years, Indonesia gains its freedom, sadly its farmers whose blood flow through the veins of this nation are still marginalized as if second class citizen.

Having said so, I think it will be better for the government to focus on the young farmers, to have them trained on how to process the food and also taught on how to market the products. Farmers should not just be thinking about selling the product but marketing it. The government should educate farmers on the overall industry, ranging from fertilizers to techniques to make farming profitable. Agriculture is a dynamic field of knowledge where expertise needs to keep incessantly abreast.

In the end it's about who is more efficient. If we want to be free from those imports, the government needs to make agriculture a national priority.

“Now has come the moment when truly we take the fate of our actions and the fate of our country into our own hands. Only a nation bold enough to take its fate into its own hands will be able to stand in strength.” (Soekarno, Indonesian founding Father)

Does Polygamy Benefit Women or Men

Another incident, if not outright scandal, has arisen in the latest arrest of North Sumatra Governor Gatot Pujo Nugroho, a prosperous justice party politician along with his second wife, Evi Susanti, in relation to his alleged role as financial backer in a scheme to bribe three judges in Medan. The case has implicated one of the prominent senior lawyers, OC Kaligis as well whom to our utter disbelief an avid practitioner of polygamous marriage. This case highlights again the sensitive issue of polygamy that incessantly sparks fiery debate.

Instantly, my memory flashed an imagine of the ragged figure of a poor widow who happened to be one of my neighbors experiencing the horror of Polygamy. Drown in tears; she regretted her decision to be second wife when her husband died. Out of grief and uncertainty, she confided that being a second wife of a retired low rank officer in the armed forces, she did not entitled to any inheritance of his late husband, let alone financial support for her two young sons. She found herself not in good terms with the official wife as she was married in 'nikah siri' fashion or unregistered marriage. As a result, she lost her sole breadwinner and started from scratch to finance her shattered family.

On the other side of a coin, my close neighbor back at my hometown experienced similar nightmare. From scratch, she built a family with her husband. Coming from low income families, they both had to work nail to toe for their four children. As their household prospered, she had to face a bitter cold reality to find her husband having nikah siri with a much younger woman just because their religion allows men to have polygamous marriage. A fresh flesh with attractive appearance!

Truthfully, she felt betrayed and conflicted. She knew it was her husband's rights to have another wife at their bed. Yet, in return for the privilege, is it justified to rob her rights and peace? Her heart broke which resulted in her having miscarriage. She was forced to accept this situation due to her economic dependence to her husband. She succumbed in defeat while her husband kept flirting around with younger flesh.

Left to me if I was put in such situation, I would boil with rage as well!

Being a second wife without the consent of the official wife means you ruin one good family, hurting other's woman feeling and her children. Worse, you put yourself in dire situation legally and socially.

A good marriage is meant to guarantee security for the woman. Polygamy as practiced by our men simply does not offer this anymore because often time the first woman is abandoned or get lesser attention. No woman wants this. We are not sex toys men can replace with the new ones when they get tired of us! We are not merchandise for trade either!

Having said so, demanding a monogamous relationship does not make us, women, less pious or becoming ignorant! It does not make us evil either as claimed by the polygamous practitioners for shutting the doors close for women who have not yet found a suitable husband because the number of women exceeds men. There's not yet a legit statistics for such a claim! It is just a justification used by men who are too weak to keep their pants on! Why should their Achilles heel get women responsible to bear their pain? It does not make any sense at all!

Islam is beautiful and does not condone to justify an act that brings misery to any human being. Instead, Islam brings protection for women and put them in lofty place.

History has showed us that many pious Muslim leaders and clerics were able to stay in monogamous marriage and not swayed with their carnal desires. Respected Buya Hamka, Haji Agus Salim, HOS Tjokroaminoto, Mohammad Natsir, Abdurrahman Wahid, and  BJ Habibie are Muslim leaders and clerics as well as politicians who regarded women in their lofty place.

They know that it is almost impossible and there is hardly a case where a man can balance all the duties required in a polygamous situation, let alone distributing fairness which is prerequisite in Polygamy. It is permitted in Islam in the context of war to offer protection to war orphans and widows. Polygamy thus is a social provision for specific purpose and not just for the sake of lustful satisfaction. The Prophet did not practice polygamy while his beloved Khadijah (the first wife) was still alive. Then, many of the Prophet’s 11 wives were widows because he used polygamy as a social provision to protects widows due to wars.

Sadly, many rich Muslim businessmen and politicians advocate polygamy for the sake of satiating their primal instinct. Truth is that many of them are simply driven by lust and not any desire to fulfill any religious obligations.

Beautiful women at tender age become their prey. They do not register the union with the civil authorities, especially since polygamy in Indonesia is frown upon by the state. They treated women as objects of exploitation, sexual objects to take women through religion economics and status bargaining. As a result, these women become vulnerable to be victims of abuses and marginalisation. Because of the lack of legislation in the matter, the legal system cannot do much.

This phony reason to get more than one wife is what make polygamy stamped as oppressive and is ridiculed. While Islam liberates and highly regards women in high place, it is the actions of its followers that twist the initial noble goal of Polygamy. These men, instead of respecting women, they treat women as merchandise, a gift they can dispose of whenever they have new ones! Worse, they make their numerous wives as partners in crimes for money laundering and messengers of crimes to bribe judges. This is just outrageous!

If these men are truly champion of polygamy the way exactly practiced by the Prophet to protect the helpless widows, then I want to see them marry women who are really in great needs of help without the benefit of looks and tender age. If these men who claim to pious and respectable, only marry beautiful young women, then what would be the fate of women with plain face and poor financial background? Where's the noble goal in such phony polygamy? They are then no different with kings and tyrants in the old days when they take concubines and mistresses just because they have power and wealth!

Alas, the irony of men!

"The way to be at peace and free from the anxieties of unjust behavior is to have only one wife…. I have had plenty children with both of them. Day and night, I feel unrest since there is one thing I always think of: fairness. …. Never experiment with polygamy since we are dealing with humans. I myself am weak in this case, Abdulmalik.” 
— Hamka, Tafsir al-Azhar

Lack of Etiquette on the Streets

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/10/your-letters-lack-etiquette-streets.html

Buried in my paperwork routines, my cellphone rang noisily out of the blue. Reluctantly, I half-heartedly answered, annoyed for distracting me from work. At the end of the line, my husband's usual calm voice trembled. He asked me to immediately come to see him at the hospital nearby Depok, saying he got an accident and broke some bones.

My heart skipped a beat. The horror of the unruly street of the metropolis city sent me graphic images of fatal accidents. No matter how cautious we navigate our ways, due to reckless behavior of motorists in the capital city, who tend to ignore traffic signs, we have to bear increasing risk to end in fatal accidents by seconds. I cringed and rushed to hospital.

I breathed in a relief. Despite suffering from fractured bones in his left lower arm and wrist, my husband had no other internal injury. His helmet had saved him from suffering worse. It helped protect his fragile head from the impact of collision with the concrete road. He had to have two hours surgery to reposition his bones though that cost us millions! Thank God, we have an excellent scheme of health insurance.

Regardless of the health insurance coverage, it drives me mad to experience accident that cost us that much while it was caused by another motorist's recklessness! The unruly behaviors of motorists in the capital city is notorious to worsen the already congested traffic. Not only dodgy drivers put their life at risk on a daily basis but also the life of pedestrians. The accidents that are caused are devastating to the victims and their families are leaving to pick up the pieces.

Dozens of times, my colleagues and I got nearly grazed by either cars or motorcycles when we cross the street in front of our office gate. In spite of the red light as signal they have to stop to let us cross, they blithely ignore the sign. Often, I also have to jump out of the pedestrian lane because stupid motorists hijacked this area! A bunch of morons who act like a bunch of wild monkeys in the wood! 

It's so infuriating to see most motorists now tend to drive in the footstep the orange Bajaj drivers and metromini regardless of the cars they drive. There's a saying that only God knows which way they would maneuver! Their unpredictable maneuvers and disrespect of traffic rules and etiquette are so frustrating. Too many motorists are engaged in a deadly game that not only put their life at jeopardy but also the innocents' life.

Their poor etiquette is obscenely displayed in locations with a high risk of traffic accidents including areas near entrance lanes, U-turns, roundabouts, traffic lights and intersections. They think nothing but their own self-interest. They think the street is their private personal domain. They can drive in whatever fashion they want! 

Perhaps if those motorists reflected on the possible impact of their selfish actions, they might decide to behave responsibly. To put so many lives at risk is unacceptable and must be tackled.

It has been a public knowledge that lack of discipline on the part of road users is an acute problem which drive the city administration and other local authorities across the country frustrated. Traffic congestion in many parts of big cities is partly resulted from the public transportation unruly drivers who stop at will to wait for passengers, blocking other vehicles. Poor driving and a lack of law enforcement on the roads therefore contribute to the worsening traffic gridlock in Jakarta. It becomes an endemic.

It is therefore an urgent call to crack down the unruly behaviors of motorists and how changes in the law and its enforcement can play a role in combating this menace. Tougher penalties and consistent law enforcement should be promoted to give a deterrent effects for such behaviors. 

Let us also support the community movement to get our rights back to have a safe and comfortable pedestrian lanes. Community group like “Koalisi Pejalan Kaki” is a good start to mobilize public to seize our street back from irresponsible motorists!

Supermoon: The Eye of God

Supermoon: The Eye of God

Rays of soft light flooded the room, pulling me from slumber. Its splendor illuminated this small space, casting away the dark in the middle of the night. The lights were still out as the electricity went dead since half past nine. Surprisingly, devoid of any lamp lights, every corner beamed with soft glow.

I opened the door, to find the source of this unnatural phenomenon. I gaped in wonder to find the night glowed in splendor even without any single electricity. It bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight. It was serene and beautiful.

I stared up at the sky, it was so clear and bright. The moon shone down like a pure beam of light, flooding over the earth. A supermoon rode the skies in its fullest. A ring of halo encircled it, bright in silver and gold. A patch of soft white clouds formed a line of dazzling necklace around the pretty moon. It was so big and close as if I could kiss the moon in one swift movement. I was transfixed, stood in wonder. It's a picture perfect. I gazed in perfect silence.

Last Saturday's night, the supermoon was close to Earth. It looked bigger and brighter than normal. I wish I was somewhere at the summit of a mountain so I could reach the moon from that proximity. Imagining standing there with the super moon and stars, while the nature chants with the most remarkable lullaby. What a night!

Alas! A creepy thought crossed my feeble mind. A full moon means werewolves. The skin changers with their bestial instinct to tear us apart, feasting on our flesh and absorb the full energy of the moon!

Yet, nothing happened! It was just me corrupted by imagination from movies and legends!

I stood alone in my front yard. To see the blue moon soaring up in the skies, among the vast galaxies around us was so amazing.

Getting a decent picture on my smartphone was pretty much impossible unless I was going to rig it up to a telescope and some special filters.

All in all, I felt so blessed to bear witness of such remarkable natural beauty. I slept with sweetest sense of peacefulness afterwards. Knowing that despite the wars and agonies of the world, God keeps showing me that life is filled with many love and wonders.

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OSPEK AND THE CULTURE OF SENIORITY

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/04/your-letters-the-culture-seniority.html

My nine year old nephew beamed with joy to return to school after such a long holiday. He was enthusiastic to get reunited with his classmates in their new fourth grade. I was happy for him, relief not to suffer worrisome like my senior colleagues who have their children enrolled in school as freshers.

This is understandable as July marks the repeated nightmarish new student orientation, often encapsulated into an Orientation week, Welcome Week or Freshers' Week. It is a period of time at the beginning of the academic year at a university or other tertiary institution during which a variety of events are held to orient and welcome new students.

The name of the period varies by country. In Indonesia it is called Ospek in college or MOS in high school. The orientation initially is aimed to help new students to organize their classes, acclimate to student life, and introduce themselves to other new student. It consists of programs and activities such as outbound, leadership training, organizational management, and other positive activities.

Unfortunately, this noble goal has lost its significance, replaced by primitive tradition of abuse of power, bullying and violence. The common main aspect in OSPEK and MOS is hazing. It may consist of verbal harassment as well as initiation leading to humiliation.

The event organizer of Ospek consists of seniors, instead of an educational board run event. With the absence of the board, seniors tend to turn this activity into a carnival of horror and terror. They often seek for revenge of similar past abuse they have endured from their seniors. Ospek thus transforms into dreadful activities for freshers. Many parents also criticized the orientation for being economically inconvenient.

How can not they be scared? The gruesome images displayed on the news on the Ospek negativity are enough to get us skeptical of its benefit. Mass media continues to report inhumane activities during those orientations that led to a few cases of death.

New students are required to go through rites of initiation including marching, dressing up in stupid costumes, and even push-ups or suffering physical reprimands that sometimes leads to violence and dead. It always sparks a controversy and long debate on how misguided Ospek benefits the students and school.

Annual tragedies resulted from such initiation rituals have led to a clamping down on school and university initiations in recent years. Sadly, the measure is not effective enough to promote more positive activities for freshers.

Therefore, It is commonplace to see initiation rituals or ‘hazings’ at schools. This practices have been around as long as schools and universities themselves. Upon entry into a school or university, freshers undergo a series of tasks or challenges designed to foster group camaraderie. These are often unpleasant and occasionally degrading in the extreme. New students are forced to accept degradation and embarrassment to show their allegiance or as proof of their fervor. As a rule, seniors can shock, excite and intimidate the new and innocent in equal measure.

Students who do not stand out as being too loud to too beautiful, or just attracting too much attention, they might escape being targeted. While those who demonstrate otherwise might suffer constant bullying, often leading to brutal punishment by older students. Reprimands can involve extreme forms of hazing, sometimes down-right cruel, such as being forced to eat mud to receive physical blows.

This is without a doubt a big irony! Orientation should aim as a bridge for character building. It is not an activity filled with non sense craps and degrading treatment. 

Worse, the concept of seniority is very much reinforced. The military style like Ospek is adopted to instill discipline so they argue albeit its transgression of basic human rights.  Several cases of dead IPDN (School for civil servants) freshers due to brutal initiation rite is not surprising. In Indonesia, seniority is very much embedded into local education culture. This perpetuates itself into the working environment in Indonesia. It is common that seniors in the office have more authority in making decision, just because they're older.

Having said that I personally agree with the action taken by the Education Minister and some regional heads to stop degrading OSPEK or MOS. School and college are supposed the place to build good character. These are places where knowledge thrives and common sense prevails. Schools are the beacon of the enlightened minds that nurture character. 

If school authorities failed to stop Ospek negativity, then their integrity should be questioned! 

Ramadan Rush

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/06/20/your-letters-ramadhan-rush.html

It’s a bright afternoon. Taking a motorcycle taxi, I could still smell the after taste of the sun baking the earth. The notorious orange Bajaj and Metromini belched, coughing thick black smokes that choked me. I cringed. The skies were cheesy, hugged closely by the polluted air. A ray on crimson appeared in the far horizon, a signal for the sun to disrobe and got ready for a slumber. As with the past few days, I waited in the train platform amongst a throng of shoppers laden with one, two or even more shopping bags full of all sorts of goodies, from clothes to shoes. Yes, it's a frenzy shopping spree approaching the Ramadan. Consumerism is thick in the air.

I look to my right, there’s a giant billboard seductively displaying artist advertising mobile phones, on my left another billboard is blaring about Jakarta Great Sale offering price reduction up to 70%. Another ads lures consumers to experience the annual midnight great sale. Get dress and show off your best apparel for Eid al-Fitr, so these ads say beguilingly! Shop till you drop!

Getting off the train, at another corner of the city, the supermarket at the mall nearby was packed with shoppers. People rush to pile up on all types of food stuffs and beverages, leaving shop shelves empty by the early afternoon, to prepare for Ramadan. Everything becomes too much while we are supposed to consume less by fasting. I sighed as I was part of this shopping feast.

It’s a graphic head-on collision between Ramadan and the consumerism and materialism that have unfortunately engulfed our societies. While the holy month of Ramadan is a period for self-restraint and spiritual reflection, the dawn-to-dusk fasting month is also a time for a lucrative business and making money.

Ramadan is coming within a few hours to Muslims all over the world, with their varied customs and lifestyles. This holy month is the month of patience, waiting, restraining one's appetites from eating, drinking or pursuing worldly pleasures. In its simple form: it is an abstinence from food, drink and sexual activities from dawn until dusk. 

In its greater essence, Ramadan is a divinely ordained antidote to the lax, free, pleasure seeking way of life. In fasting, we are trained to sharpen our social solidarity, be compassionate with the less fortunate, endure trials and tribulations with patience as well as promote humble lifestyle.

Unfortunately, as with any other religious events, this sacred moment has been turned into a commodity for consumerism. An abstinence from food and drink during the day is replaced with lavish family dinner and extravagant buffet companies' iftars, featuring restaurant specialties and culinary delights created especially for the Holy month. Instead of turning our attention to Allah, we turn to the exquisite setting and culinary delights to gain a status or symbol.

A solidarity for the poor is vulgarly drowned by the appetite to buy new clothes, bags, shoes, smart phones and any other items that is believed to supposedly upgrade our social standing during Eid celebration. This is how the agents of rampant consumerism counter Ramadan’s message of simplicity, sacrifice and self-discipline.

Unsurprisingly, the capitalist industries are keen to make the most of the opportunities. They see this religious festival as a lucrative business. What's more effective than flooding the media with ads and lifestyle in an integrated pop culture that worship consumerism? These ads have spurred and goaded us with their subtle and seductive ways into self-indulgence. Our subliminal recesses of the brain is gradually infected with the blaring message that says “eat, drink and be happy, for tomorrow we die“, the hallmark of a liberal consumer society. 

As a result, bazaars, games and gossip sessions go on during Ramadan nights live on TV— festive social gatherings featuring artists, politicians and any other public figures as well as other activities that work not to reinforce but counter the purpose and spirit of Ramadan.

Alas, we are but mere mortals with fickle hearts! We are more than happy to follow up the trend!

Ours is truly a consumer society! We have become preoccupied with consumer goods and their acquisition. Notwithstanding during Ramadan, we become more and more absorbed in acquiring goods and merchandises to satiate our needs for a status or symbol.

We are indeed a flesh and blood with many weaknesses!

We still have anger to conquer, envy to vanquish, hatred to quell, gluttony to quench and lust to restraint. We keep saying words that we do not mean out of anger. We keep harboring disgruntles and discontents at heart. We keep throwing jibes and taking pleasure in gossips.

Good Gracious! What a waste. Too many excuses for our follies. Too many justification for our errors! 

Taking this moment, let’s resolve to spend the remaining days of Ramadan in as much devotion, study and service to Allah as possible. Let not consumerism cast its net and get us trapped inside.

Original Sin: Should Women Always Take The Blame?

 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/05/25/your-letters-should-women-always-take-blame.html

Jakarta rocks to celebrity sex scandal. An illegal prostitution that was selling sex with celebrities has been all the Indonesians media seems to talk about after the Police lifts the veil of such scandal. The recent arrest of Robbie Abbas a.k.a Obbie or R.A., the ringleader of a prostitution ring involving several celebrities, have confirmed the public secret that some celebrities participate in illegal prostitution service as side job. The so-called high class prostitution racket reportedly offered clients models, soap stars and other celebrities. The news spread like wild fire, it becomes trending topic in social media.

Many of us aware of the secretive world of high-class celebrity prostitutes when the work of Sinar Harapan journalist, Yuyu AN Krisna, uncovered the in-depth research into prostitution in Jakarta throughout the 1970s. Such illegal business is nothing new, yet it always gets the fuel from such coverage.

As always, the butt of the jokes always center on the actresses, instead of the regular clients. Circulated initials of the allegedly actresses taking part in the business have turned into a commodity for prank and insensitive humors. My colleague knit her eyebrows, a little annoyed that this humors although directed at the supposed actresses participating in the high class prostitution network, bring along the silent stamp that women always take the blame for the ancient trade.

I have to agree with her on this point. We do not take pleasures in such banal jokes. It's offending! It’s time to shift the focus on the clients instead of the supplier!

Starting in the garden, Eve is deemed responsible for the original sin and since that time women have been blamed for many of men's shortcomings and as a source of men's downfall. The cultural root of male dominance and supremacy is a universal occurrence, including Indonesia. It's irritating that the men (regular clients) always escape the mockery and targeted jest, not liable to become the laughingstock. They could just hide behind their anonymity, like a Godfather, fearless of the degraded public stamp on their infidelity!

C'mon, it takes two to tango! There's demand before there's a supply. Where demand exists, supply will emerge – and it is a fact that men’s demand for sex fuels prostitution. And yet again, the blame game centers on the sex workers. The law rarely touches the clients, especially those with power and wealth. What an irony!

Prostitution is the oldest profession in the world. It has existed thousands of years ago and perhaps it would never cease so long men glorify their libido. It is an ancient trade of profitable business. The victims of such cartel in prostitution network are helpless children and women who are forced intodepravity mostly due to economic reason.It cast an eerie and bleak reality.

With advanced development in technology, the industry has a “liberating” power for cash and sex work is “more and more like a normal service industry”. The two recent cases of sex service commercialized through social media, the first is the murder of sex worker in Tebet area, South Jakarta and now the rigged high class prostitution among our celebrities, have sent us a cardiac arrest symptom like. The private affairs of love which should be sanctified by the bond of marriage has now become a raw financial transaction. The carnal desire holds men above the bounds of morality and thus animal instinct takes over.

The crucial question is: can it be stopped? Well...reality has proved that thousands of years efforts to eradicate prostitution is in fact in futile. So long the demand exists, supply will remain staple.

Therefore, extreme approach in tackling the problem should be introduced instead of using the traditional ways of combating prostitution by involving criminal punishment that leads to cycle of sustained vulnerability for sex workers. Different actions to reduce demand and help women who are exploited should be taken into consideration. It’s about following the money and reducing the demand. It’s time to target MEN who buy sex instead of punishing the women who provide it. It’s time to criminalizing the customers.It is a criminal offense to buy sex!

These so called clients (men) are usually more affluent, have jobs, careers, and families and they’re definitely risking by being involved and fueling this primal industry. They help to make the industry flourish. Without them, this industry will diminish. Logically speaking, it’s much more effective to get them accountable for their role in this industry. It’s time to cut off the rope. The focus should be on the male. It’s time to take prostitution as a male violence against women and children, officially acknowledging it as a form of exploitation that is a barrier to gender equality.

Cut the demand! Expose the clients! Get them punished. They too should bear the consequences. They too should know how it feels to be a laughingstock! They should also be liable to be shamed but their illegal acts.