Archive for the 'Thoughts' Category

Checking the Envelope; What’s your Opinion??!?!?!

Thea May 14th, 2008

To avoid tye possibility of gratification, the Anti Corruption Commission checkec each of submitted envelope in the wedding of the People’s Consultative Speaker, Hidayat Nur Wahid. What a movement!!

As the host, Hidayat was welcomed to the action and maybe he wished it can be a good figure reflecting his support toward the corruption eradication. However, to some people, such action is too much, quoting the statement of the Speaker of Partai Indonesia Sejahtera of North Sumatera. According to him, to give gifts for groom and bride is a vested culture of Indonesian.

Any other opinion? Do u think  it’s too much or not???

Debate over Smoking in Public Sphere

Thea February 29th, 2008

Last night I caught my friend smoking in dining room by surprise. She looked clumsy while apologizing to me for smoking in the dining room.

Some friends in my office are also smokers. Of course, in the office room, employees are not allowed to smoke. But they often do it in the pantry which is definetely a public sphere. Sometimes, I also smell scent left from somebody smoking in the restroom. For latter, our service cleaning officer prepares a airspray to get rid of the odour.

Smoking in the public room is a classic problem. There is still an on-going debate over right or not one smokes in the public sphere. The separation of smoking room from public sphere is still not effective. The regulation issued by DKI Jakarta on smoking prohibition doesn’t effect well. In Sukarno-Hatta, a place providing special room for smokers, often I see visitors show carelessness with smoking in the inappropriate place, to be precise not in the special room.

When I was in college, some friends conducted a survey about the smoking prohibition in campus area. One of the questions was : Do you think it’s appropriate to put the smoking prohibition annoouncement in the ampus area. The majority answer showed that such announcement wasn’t appropriate as it wasn’t democratic. They thought that banning people to smoke was as equal as violating their rights. But how about others’ right to get clean air? Or our right to be healthy if we talk in sense of right and equality?

What do you think? It’s democratic or not?

Everlasting Power

Thea February 18th, 2008

There’s something I want to share with you, about a moral story I found when watching Stardust yesterday.

The movie is about the struggle of a young man, Tristan, to obtain a stardust and bring it in front of Victoria, her lover. He wishes he can find her heart by bringing the stardust, which turns to be a beautiful-spirited woman, Yvaine. Then, in his journey, Tristan finds many obstacles as it turns out that Yvaine is also sought by a witch, called Lamia.

Lamia is looking for the heart of Yvaine, which is believed will give an eternal beauty for her and her other sisters. Then, Tristan forges his task to save Yvaine from the malignant Lamia.

Once Yvaine asks Tristan if he’s tempted. What Yvaine means tempted is if Tristan is also lured to kill her and eat her heart to get the everlasting life.

Then, I remember how a temptation to be everlasting can trigger humankind to do anything to get it. Let’s see the story of dictators we know. Hitler, Idi Amin, Pol Pot, Kim Jong-il and many others who were very dare to do crimes against humanity to be the number one. Only them who could be the one.

Let’s hope we won’t have like one of them.

Perspective; Refresh Our Appreciation of Friends

Thea February 12th, 2008

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with purpose of showing him how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, ‘How was the trip?’

‘It was great, Dad.’

‘Did you see how poor people live?’ the father asked.

‘Oh yeah,’ said the son.

‘So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?’ asked the father.

The son answered:

‘I saw that we have one dog and they have four.

We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.

We have lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.

Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs.

We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.’

The boy’s father was speechless.

Then his son added, ‘Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.’

Isn’t this perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all give thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don’t have.

Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends!

‘Life is too short and friends are too few.’

Knowledge and Luxury in a piece of Soybean Cake

Thea January 25th, 2008

Lately my favorite fried tempe turns a luxurious food. The side-dish which I usually take with fresh chili nowadays becomes a hot topic in most of news headline. Why? The cause lies at the price of soybean which doubles and tempe, also known as soybean cake, is made of soybean.
It’s very saddening. We know that tahu and tempe can’t be deprived from Indonesian ever-day life. It’s everywhere. Rarely do we know any food vendors don’t offer tempe or tahu for their customers. Tahu and tempe are manifested in many kind of forms. Fried, filled with stuffing, or cooked with other ingredients. In short, tempe and tahu are “ubiquitous” in Indonesia. They go in every layer of Indonesian social class. The tempe and tahu entrepreneurs, mostly of them are small entrepreneurs, face difficulties. The expensive-soybean price has put them in a trouble. They don’t have a choice but increasing the price of tempe and tahu. Nevertheless, the price increment can’t compensate the profit they lose.
Suddenly, this case opens our eyes that soybean isn’t merely about the agriculture commodity that is cultivated, harvested, stored and traded. We know how hard the negotiation on the elite stage to decide if we should import more soybean, from where and how much. We know that our government imposes customs for the imported soybean to protect the uncompetitive local soybean. And now, the customs should be waived temporarily to decrease the imported soybean and the demand can be fulfilled immediately.
Maybe some of us know that Indonesia experienced golden-age of soybean self-sufficiency. It was 1992. The soybean trade was regulated by our government and protected from the liberal world trade system. The local soybean’s price was still promising that our farmers were competing to cultivate it. As result, we could fulfill our own soybean demand. Then when we plunged in to the system of market liberation, the local soybean had to be in line with the world trade system and price. Soybean with the best quality is the most expensive one (soybean from USA in this case), while our local soybean is valued less that those from USA, Brazil and Argentina. That explains why soybean is no longer likely to succeed in the eyes of our farmers. They plant another commodity which promises great gain. Suddenly I wander when we can be in era just like our previous golden age.
Should this problem remains unsolved, I am afraid tempe and tahu will be another luxury for my descendants. I wish this non-cholesterol side-dish still can be affordable for all of Indonesian in many coming years ahead.

Bribery oh Bribery

Thea December 7th, 2007

A release from Transparency International which i read on Tempointeraktif this morning stated that 3 of 10 Indonesia commit bribery related on obtaining service from public institution. That figure is higher than global average number. What a saddening fact.

Together with other countries such as Cameroon, Senegal, Cambodia, Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia, Indonesia shares position in the stage of the highest bribery case in the world. The bribery case is mostly practiced in institution such as police office, judicial office, and other institutions which are directly connected with permission.

To be honest, I ever involved in bribery when I was pulled over by the police. The bribery itself is the classic problem in developing countries such as Indonesia. The weak and corruptive system like what have been existing in Indonesia for a long time, has caused this problem growing like a mushrooms. Even worse, the appparatus who should eradicate this corruptive actions doesn’t keep a distance from the vicious circle. Thus, the such mentality grow its root even deeper in Indonesia.

I am sure that many times we try to be an idealist who want to follow all procedures. However, it also often happens the system and people in that system don’t allow us to act in line with the rule. Seeing that fact, I imagine when Indonesia can be in the top ten cleanest countries with Japan, South Korea, Austria, France, Iceland, Sweden, Switzerland, and New Zealand and say good bye to the corruptive system.

It’s not Ludruk that We Watched!!!!

Thea August 2nd, 2007

In my office, we always turn on television when we are getting bored with our tasks. Sometimes, it keeps turning on even we never watch it (what a shame!! It is energy-consuming guys!). The load in our head usually reaches its peak when the time approaches 12 PM and around 3-4 PM. That’s when we spend little time to watch the television. The shows vary as we have TV cable connection.
Just like this morning. Our vice president killed his time by changing the menu of the shows in the TV. Suddenly, he laughed. Spontaneously we looked him and asked him why he did. It turned out that a local TV from Surabaya broadcasted an Indian movie. Nothing’s funny right? But, when we listened to the dialog, we found out why our Vice President laughed. The dialog was dubbed in the mother tongue of where that television located. The dialog was dubbed in Surabaya-accent. It sounded like Ludruk, a local art performance, if just we didn’t watch the picture. However, when we looked at the television, it’s totally different. It’s not Ludruk that we saw, but a movie imported from India.
Such a breakthrough!! A clever way to preserve local language as well! However, I think we need a thing. Why should India-imported movie that was played? Why didn’t Indonesia movies?  From my point of view, film is proven as an effective media to convey message to the watchers. If just a movie can be produced to capture and reveal the problem and economic-social situation in society, I believe it can raise public awareness of the current conditions. It won’t be only an entertainment product but also be an agent of raising everyone’s consciousness. Local movie revealing local problem and situation, conveyed in local language, when will it be realized?!?

Cheap Medicine vs. Expensive Medicine

Thea June 29th, 2007

Last week, due to the cough i had, i wen to a doctor. Having diganosed my malade, the doctor gave me a prescription which i had to buy in a drugstore in the same clinic. My name was called by the cashier to pay the drugs i bought. For the cough i had and the doctor fee, i must pay 360.000. Geez…it’s very expenisve just for the cough. For me it’s not realy burdensome as fortunatley my company will reimburse all medical cost i paid. I imagine what if that amount should be afforded by people who are not lucky like me. If to be healthy is such expensive, how this country can improve its people quality?

Uuughhh…i just can hope the cheap medicine launched recently by Ministry of Health may assist most of people in Indonesia. I am convinced the quality of cheap medicine is as a good as the expensive one. And one thing, as a patient i must have asked the doctor the kind of drugs and why he gave me that. In short, i must have been aware about my right as a patient. It’s the lesson-learned i get.  

 

Let’s Go Honeymooning

Thea May 25th, 2007

Yesterday, when supervising a vendor performing simulation in Sukarno-Hatta airport, my colleague, Wulan, asked me to accompany her to take tickets. I asked her where she wants to go. She just smiled at me without replying anything. As I knew that she’s going to marry this July, I guessed that she bought tickets for honeymoon. I was right:)
Honeymoon, can be said ‘a-must’ ritual a new couple has after they marry. Usually, they go to special place which hopefully will be memorable all the times. However, it depends on the couple themselves whether they want to go or not. The place is kind of “sanctuary” where the couples may hide from any disturbance…hehehehe
Then, I remember a friend who is now furthering her study in Oz. In between her activity working with her thesis, she works in a department store where she can earn more money than usual graduate student. She concedes that she wants to earn money as many as possible. For what?? So, when she marry, she has enough money to go honeymooning.
Another colleague, who’s going to marry this early of June, has planned his honeymoon as well. He chooses Malaysia instead of my recommendation to go to Bali or Lombok. I don’t know his considerations choosing Malaysia. I think Bali and Lombok are much better than Malaysia. After all, it depends on him and his wife-to-be.
Back to Wulan. I asked her how she managed the honeymoon. After telling me many things, she asked me, ’When will your turn Thea?” and I just smiled toward her.
Have you planned anyway?

May Day..May Day!! A Call for Unity

Thea May 1st, 2007

Today, a thousand of labors gather to do massive rallies to mark the International Labor day. In several big cities, such as Jakarta, Surabaya and Bandung, the rallies occur in several spots.

This year, the rallies protest the contract system, an amendment to a 2003 labor law and a severance pay scheme that does not compensate workers enough.

In Indonesia, the condition of labor is saddening. In addition to the small payment they receive, the work condition itself to some extent is bad. Moreover, the labor law mostly defends the big entrepreneurs’ interests. It’s very saddening to know that many labors only can earn money for their own lives. They hardly afford their families’ needs.

This morning, I was invited to join the rallies representing the workers alliance of my company. Too bad, due to my tight schedules, I couldn’t join them. But surely, I will always support all efforts for a better condition of labor in Indonesia. Regardless our background, our professional occupation, our salary or our company, I am convinced we should be united to support the interests our friends urge in this May Day Celebration. Thus, a win-win solution for labors and entrepreneurs will emerge.

One more issue. As Indonesia is a country who hasn’t recognized 1 May as national holiday, most workers alliances urge government to recognize it as national holiday. Meanwhile, many countries in the rest of the world have done.