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.

INACRAFT 2015: A MELTING POT OF INDONESIA'S CULTURE AND TRADITION

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/04/24/citizen-journalism-from-villages-global-market.html

Rows of Javanese traditional handicrafts welcomed us as we made our way for the first time to The INACRAFT 2015 exhibition. The more we explore, the more we discovered the vibrant ornaments and rich artistic traditions of various ethnic groups spawning across our archipelago. Various brooches, silverwares, sandals, kilts, bags, cloths, paintings and many other gifts sat invitingly, surrounded by eager visitors. From affordable to crazily expensives prices, these diverse etnic crafts and housewares were displayed in grace. They represent Indonesia's rich culture heritage of art and handicrafts.

Coming from Java, I am proud to see the highly developed art forms of Javanese artisans reflected in the distinctive batik designs, silver, wayang, handicrafts and other art objects.  Batik textiles ranged  from hand drawn to stamped batik, took intricate design of which takes months to create. The Surakarta and Yogyakarta royal batik designs merged with  traditional colors of navy blue, cream, brown and black have given way to a myriad of colors utilizing modern imported dyes.

There were also some antique housewares that reminded me of home. The old charcoal iron brought back my childhood memories of my grandmother ironing our clothes with the heavy metal filled with coal. Immediately, I could smell the burning sensation of the ironing process in which my grandma would sweat and fan herself after such a tiring labor. This smell stayed with me when I went home.

Digging further into the packed exhibition stands, visitors were spoiled with stunning textiles of diverse culture, double weave ikat from Nusa Tenggara, silk Bugis sarong from Sulawesi, gold-painted Balinese endek fabric; shimmering songket from Palembang utilizing silver and gold metallic threads weft in woven cotton or silk ikat; and Tapis weavings from Lampung. All of which have showcased Indonesia's rich culture and tradition, known for its outstanding array of traditional crafts.

Domestic visitors as well as foreigners flocked to this annual event. In its final day, more people come. The snaking queue to enter the compound was frustrating. Yet, acknowledged as one of the biggest and the most complete handicraft exhibition in Indonesia has made the show a rare event to miss,  a melting pot of Indonesia's culture and tradition.

The exhibition offered possibilities both for traders and potential buyers. Transactions and deals were sealed and new business contracts drafted. 

With INACRAFT 2015 main theme of From Smart Village to Global Market, the show helps to promote and facilitate distinctive Indonesia’s unique crafts products to the higher level of commerciality and artistic aesthetic. 

Still Waters Despite Stormy Weather

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/05/18/your-letters-the-media-isn-t-always-mirror-society.html

My phone rang. I was too busy preparing my course material that I ignored the noisy sound. It beeped with text message. Finishing packing, I read the still glowing text from my brother "Hey, are you OK? They just executed the duo Bali Nine this morning. Just be careful, Ok!"

My heart raced. I immediately switched on the local news channel. Australia's response to the executions of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran has been swift and unprecedented. It caught me off guard that I just realized the state I was in, being in the country where the two drug offenders came from. I had mixed feelings that made me jittery and clammy. It gave me goose bumps.

The way the local Medias framed their articles and coverage on the case days and nights seemed way too emotional and reactionary. They disproportionately paraded the agonizing and excruciating wait of the two families’ to touch the heart strings of their viewers. With due respect, it’s too much to see such raw exploitation.

Then, politicians jumped in to offer sympathy, commentary or just condemnation in an apparent move to win the hearts of the potential future voters. There’s even a hint to immortalize the drama by naming a certain scholarship under the two convicts’ names. It made me think whether the case has been turned into political commodity which distorted the basic issue of the abolishment of the so called inhuman capital punishment. Some colleagues of mine who have been studying in Australia even labeled them as "lebay" (adj. has the quality of being excessive).

What’s more, It's rather odd to think that the Australian Government is considering cutting its aid to Indonesia this year. It's like a déjàvu all over again. Remembering the statement fumed by Minister Abbot related to the Australia's previous humanitarian aid to Aceh which drew ire of Indonesian citizens. It’s a shared universal value that any humanitarian assistance should be without any strings attached.

Surprisingly, in spite of this stormy weather, I saw still waters in the Melbourne’s urban community at large.

As I joined my class, it’s quite unexpected to see this ‘unaffected’ classroom. The brouhaha failed to infect respectful Australian citizens neither in my class nor people on the streets. No one actually raised this issue. No staged protests and public outrage displayed on the streets. Everything seemed to run normal as business as usual.

Being the only Indonesians in the class, we felt vulnerable yet we met no significant intrusion due to the case. Nor we suffered any growing sentiments among our fellow Australian classmates. Instead, when we went to Sydney afterwards, we met a group of students who held fund raising for victims of the devastating earthquake in Nepal on our way back to the hotel.

What's on the news seemed did not mirror the factual atmosphere in the society at large. In fact, we encountered people who were so helpful despite our nationality. Yet, we kept our guard on and extra cautious just in case.

As for the death penalty, I have conflicting opinions. For grim brutal and heinous crimes such as sadistic mass murder or serial killers, I would say I support capital punishment. I would feel so unsafe knowing that such sadistic killers would only be locked somewhere without the presence of capital punishment. What about the feelings of families of the victims who pursue justice for their loved ones? And I've never heard of sadistic serial killers could reform themselves as the sickness is innate, plaguing the souls.

As for drug dealers, I should take into consideration the feelings of the families of the victims of the addictive substances as well. Drug traffickers bring misery and harms to society. They import deaths and ceaseless social problems. It just seems inappropriate to portray them as martyrs and heroes.

However, I believe in second chances as well. When former convicts expressed repents and reformed themselves for the greater good of the people by helping others and serving community services with good will and faith while they are waiting for the death penalty, it seems a waste of good asset to kill them. A lifetime sentence without any parole might be suit better so that these reformed convicts might continue their services.

In dealing with drug problem, first and foremost the government should focus on education and treatment. Drug users/addicts (victims) can be sentenced to community work or send to a rehabilitation program rather than prison. While, the drug traffickers should be given harsher sanction depending on the scale of their crimes that mirror the weight of their destruction toward the community including capital punishment if the offenders keep repeating their same illegal activities and bring massive harms to the society at large.

Last not least, it is imperative to enforce the law and apply equality before it. Whoever breaks the law, including engaging in drug trafficking, should be punished regardless of their status, creed, or wealth.

Tjokroaminoto Guru Bangsa

“A great nation is one that truly appreciates its history”

Once again, the award-winning Garin Nugroho, gave birth to a historical epic movie entitle "Tjokroaminoto Guru Bangsa" (Tjokroaminoto Teacher of the Nation). The name Tjokroaminoto is instantly recognizable to most Indonesians, yet few know about the man and his pivotal role in shaping Indonesia’s long journey to independence. Today, the name graces streets, schools and universities all over the country, but only a few know that without Tjokroaminoto, there would have been no Sukarno as Indonesia’s first President. Garin brings the story of this extraordinary man into the screen for us to know this man better.

As always, Garin’s masterpiece presents a breath of fresh air into Indonesia’s film industries which have long been dominated by ghost and love story. Taking the story of the Indonesian national hero Hadji Omar Said Tjokroaminoto to life, Garin managed to recreate the figure who has shaped the history of this nation into a charismatic intellectual figure, skillful strategist, critical writer and editor as well as great orator who could spellbind thousands of people. Tjokroaminoto whom we know only through his black and white images in our history text books as the founder of Sarekat Islam (Islamic Association, the first nationalist political party in Indonesia originated as an association of those Muslim merchants who wanted to advance their economic interests in relation to Chinese merchants in Jave) has found his voice through this movie.

Running for two and a half hours, the film Tjokroaminoto Guru Bangsa tried to portray the long road taken by Tjokroaminoto in building Sarekat Islam to uplift the economic standing of his people and to eradicate poverty and illiteracy as a result of Dutch colonialization. The film took setting in regions where Tjokroaminoto spent his childhood up to his activities as the prominent leader of Sarekat Islam ranging from Bandung, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Pasuruan to Surabaya. This struggle becomes the seeds of the national movement.

Against the historical background after the end of the cultuurstelsel or enforcement planting imposed by the Dutch in the late 1800s, the Dutch Colonial government promoted an Ethical Politics aiming to improve the welfare of Indonesian people as recompense for centuries of occupation and oppression. The Dutch colonial government provided access to education for the children of the nobility in Java. However, the new policy rang hollow as most people still suffered from forced labor and illiteracy. As a result, poverty and injustice was still rampant. Social disparity between ethnic groups was still clearly visible. In the midst of this political and social turmoil, Tjokroaminoto stood up against these injustices. He preached self-reliance, unity and education for all.

The film opened with a scene in which little Tjokroaminoto witnessed the atrocities imposed by a Dutch landlord to the indigenous workers. The workers were treated like slaves, robbed of dignity and self-esteem. One scrawny worker was tortured until his blood soaked the whitish cotton like fiber as one of the main crops of the plantation. This blood-stained cotton with a  word 'hijrah' (a migration or a journey to a better place) instilled by his religious teacher etched in little Tjokroaminoto, becoming the spirit of his struggle. The white cotton and hijrah became the symbol of Tjokroaminoto’s journey to bring back the dignity and self esteem of his people.

Disillusioned with the bureaucracy, Tjokroaminoto cast off his royal status and worked as a menial labor in Semarang as his first hijrah. The more he interacted with his people, the more he felt the pain and suffering endured by them. Soon, he was encouraged to go to Surabaya as he would flourish more in this busier city. He actively wrote in Bintang Soerabaja daily newspaper, criticizing the Dutch colonial policies. Eventually, he joined the country’s biggest Islamic trade union, Sarekat Dagang Islam. Soon, his Intelligence and leadership rewarded with respect.

Later, he built Sarekat Islam (SI). He started to preach young Indonesians to rise up against colonial rule through movements without violence, building education, health and economic development centers.

Tjokroaminoto’s house in Gang Peneleh, Surabaya, became the centre of young leaders of Indonesia. He used his home as a boardinghouse that hosted several eager young men such as Koesno (Sukarno), Semaoen, Muso and Kartosuwiryo. At this simple home, they held a lot discussions on politics, ideology and the nation and these spirited tenants began to Tjokroaminto as their mentor. These young leaders would continue the ideals of Tjokroaminoto to have a dignified, educated and prosperous nation.

Decades later, Tjokroaminoto’s former tenants began developing their own political ideas and views who gave birth to the country’s independence in 1945. Sukarno became a nationalist and married Tjokroaminoto’s daughter, Utari, Semaoen and Muso became communists Kartosuwiryo developed Islamic political ideas.

What’s more in this film is Garin's remarkable attention to details related to the setting, ranging from the traditional batik and kebaya dress of characters, home furnishings, and transport of carriage, tram, train cars and chores-drawn carriage as an old-fashioned mode of transportation. The audience experienced the time-machine travel like through time back in the late 19^th century.

However, a good script and director is helpless without their actors and actresses. Standing ovation should be given to Reza Rahadian who has successfully brought back Tjokroaminoto alive with his remarkable acting. On the other hand, it is such a waste that Christine Hakim’s superb act is not supported by an adequate role as she only gets the role as the caring Simbok for Tjokroaminoto’s family. The long duration of the film with lengthy dialogue laden with symbols also make this film feels tedious and a bit heavy to follow, especially if the target audience is students.

On other note, we can see an irony in this history of our nation. After independence, these idealistic leaders who befriended one another in the boarding house killed each other due to their different ideological. How fragile politics is when ideology and group’s interest are put above the people and the nation. It is something our nation should always keep learn as often we repeat the same mistakes as in the phrase ‘history repeats itself.’

Yet, overall this film is masterpiece. It’s not easy to bring the historical figure to life, especially when the only source of animated means is only through the black and white old photographs. What’s more challenging is on how to give the character a voice in delivering his ideals and dreams. It is a must see film for all Indonesians.

Showcasing Indonesia’s Rich Culture in World’s Shariah Forum

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/04/11/citizen-journalism-showcasing-indonesia-s-rich-culture.html

As the lights in the Grand Ballroom of Kempinski Hotel Indonesia dimmed, a number of dancers entered the front stage, sitting in tight row.  Starting with slow movements, almost like child’s play, they accelerated into fast elaborative and cohesive movements. The dancers clapped their hands, slapped their chests, thighs and the ground, clicked their fingers, and swayed and twisted their bodies and heads in time with the shifting rhythm in unison or alternating with the moves of opposing dancers, resulting in percussive sounds that added into the performance. The cultural performance that showcased the transcultural blending of Islamic and Indonesian culture was well-received and applauded.

Following the pre-dinner drinks and greetings, all delegates were seated at their tables and were soon watching this beautiful Aceh Saman dance or the dance of thousand hands. The delegates had the unique opportunity to experience this colorful Indonesian culture which UNESCO has officially recognized as an intangible element of world cultural heritage.The welcoming dinner was sealed by another cultural performance of Rantak Dance which was dominated by Pencak Silat, the traditional martial art of West Sumatra, with movements such as taping, hand movements, waving and jumping. As with the former, this cultural expression has been applauded with enthusiasm. 

Hosted this prestigious event is Bank Indonesia which also became the host of  the 2014 Meeting of the Central Banks and Monetary Authorities of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Member Countries last November in Surabaya. As chairman of the IFSB, Bank Indonesia has been sucessful in bringing the culturally rich Indonesia to the fore which is intertwined with religion and age-old traditions.

Whereas the audience attending The Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) Annual Meetings and Side Events which was held on 31 March to 2 April, 2015 represented 17 countries worldwide comprising of seven central bank governors, heads of regulatory and supervisory authorities, as well as 13 senior representatives from the Council and Full  members of the IFSB.

The three-day forum event was filled with a series of meetings and seminars to enhance financial inclusion through Islamic finance with speakers from central bankers, researchers and practitioners alike. Islamic banking may be one of the fastest-growing segments in international finance today, yet the challenge remains on how Islamic finance might help to alleviate poverty in most muslim countries and contribute towards sustainable economic growth since the Muslim-majority countries overall are among the world’s poorest

On this seminar, IFSB member countries tried to formulate policies and strategies in exploring the role of the Islamic finance in supporting financial inclusion, the building blocks necessary for the development and promotion of financial inclusion.

As for Indonesia, Islamic banking industry can be one of the tools to deepen the country’s financial markets as it has a large untapped potential in Indonesia, a country where about 13 percent of the total global Muslim population live. Having the world’s largest Muslim population with sustained moderate economic growth implies that Indonesia harbours great potential for Islamic finance. Developing this potential will help to make the country more resilient to global economic turmoil. However, with nearly 90 percent of the 250 million people in Indonesia adhering to Islam, the market share of sharia finance is remarkably low.

According to the Financial Services Authority (OJK), the market share of sharia bank in Indonesia only reached 4.85 percent of the country’s total banking assets in 2013, just miss by the margin from the five percent target set by the regulator. This is small compared to Malaysia where Islamic banking holds a 20 percent market share.

In this manner, hosting two major international events adressing the greater role of Islamic banking industries on financial inclusion should gain Indonesia full momentum to develop its Islamic banking industry. Indonesia should strenghten the ministerial-level coordination in this sector, improve highly qualified human capital with innovation and creativity as well as create legal business certainty environment.

As is Aceh Saman Dance, Indonesia has a great challenge ahead to bring this industry to the fore, transforming the region into the ‘Mecca’ of global Islamic banking.

When The Law Becomes Impotent

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/26/your-letters-when-law-becomes-impotent.html

Our hearts mourned with deep anguish to see the 63-year-old Asyani, an elderly woman from Situbondo, East Java wailed in tears at the courtroom, begging for  mercy not to be put in jail. The idea of the fragile hunched elderly could even lift a teak wood she was accused of stealing from the state forestry company PT Perhutani, looked ludicrous. Even walking straight seemed a struggle for her, let alone carrying a piece of log on hear arched back. Yet, if anything being accused of proved true, we still find the vulgar spectacle irksome for our sense of justice.

Onanother public display, graft suspects from the law enforcers corp and politicians get away from trial. They can easily bend the rule. Smiling venomously, they defy the court order and make justice as a game of power. They manipulate the system and use any loopholes the judicial system for their advantage. They walk free with their privileges still intact.

This two contrasting dramashave our heart boiled with rage. There’s no such thing of equality before the law. We bitterly come to realize that the basic principle that no man is above the law and no man is below it, is nothing but eloquent words nailed on the wall. This rule of law does not apply to the poor and powerless. They screamed at the top of their lung to demand justice only to come on deaf ears. Our legal system is impotent in the face of grave injustice, leading to an unacceptable erosion of people's faith in the justice delivery system and the rule of law itself.

Too often we hear cases how the court and law enforcers treat the poor differently from the rich and the powerful. The court with its system profoundly discriminative, goes after the weak sooner and harder than the have and powerful, metes out harsher punishment to weak defendants and never, ever brings the same measure of mercy to them as to the strong and powerful.They pursue minor criminal charges committed by the elderly all out and indiscriminately and force them to stand on trial despite their failing health. Yet, the same law becomes impotent to bring criminal charges committed by high ranking profiles into court. Graft suspects with immense power walk free with big smile. Convicted corruptors who have emptied the state coffers for their own selfish interest will soon receive clemency.

It is suffice to say that money buys justice and power holds it as hostage. It follows the natural common law that the strong will have the inclination to prey on the weak, the rich on the poor, survival of the fittest.Only a few has courage to defy this 'new normal' and stand firm to uphold justice regardless of wealth, color, gender or creed.

The justice system becomes the prey of hostile powers to accumulate wealth and privilige. It is so frustrating to see this vicious circle.

We feel so exasperated as we become passive spectators of the injustice. We become numb to it since it’s so systematic.  When we think that something can be bought and sold, we end up treating it like a commodity.  Indeed, justice has become a profitable commodity for the rich and powerful. They are above the law in our country, because decisions on prosecuting them are made by politicians, or by prosecutors who have an eye on a political career, and do not want to piss off potential donors to their future campaigns. They enjoy near-absolute impunity. Corruption wasn’t just rampant, it was also almost never investigated or acted upon among these sharks.

Our hope is high when in recent years, a string of high-profile public prosecutions at KPK have targeted the elites, leaving us hopeful that the country’s finally getting serious about targeting graft in the higher echelons of society. Sadly, the flame dwindled away as these sharks are fighting back tooth and nail. One by one, the anti graft profiles are pursued and brought down.

Yet, no matter how bleak and cold the future of corruption fight might be, we must not lose hope. There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest. In the case of Asyani, mounting public outcries amplified by the media has been successful to wake up the government to follow up the case closely.

When injustice is displayed so obscenely, people will react. They can not change the law. But in the information and technology era like today, people take to social media to initiate change, to put pressures on the court and law enforcers to uphold justice. Not even seasoned politicians nor public figures want to deal with fiery netizens. Just take a look at the tragic fate of Abraham Lunggana, the city councilor, who is constantly bullied by the netizens! His reputation is ruined, razed to the ground by the fiery flame of the people who resort to the social media.

When our three pillars of democracy fail us, we still have the fourth pillar, the media, as our last resort. It is by far the most effective arsenal to fight injustice, inequality and corrupt practices in this country.

Now the trumpet summons the citizen again -- not as a call to bear arms to seize our freedom from colonialism-- not as a call to battle, though embattled we are -- but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation, a struggle against our common enemies:  tyranny,injustice, and corruption.

The strong should protect the weak, the powerful should govern with sense of  justice and morality and the wealthy should help to empower the poor.The efficacy of the judicial system depends on its capacity to deliver justice to all irrespective of their social or economic standing in the society.