Self Promotion Strategies

… antara

If he wants to be a national figure don't do it like this, follow the example of Amien Rais [another PAN leader], earn your reputation through hard work and concrete contributions to the nation.

Soetrisno himself, who is from Pekalongan, Central Java, said on 26th July that the adverts were only intended to uplift people and encourage them to work hard, and he had not decided whether to compete in 2009 - because his wife hadn't yet given her permission. okezone

Two …

My Friend the Fanatic

… preferred General Wiranto, because at least his wife covered herself head to toe, unlike, say, Amien Rais' spouse, who only wore a headscarf, and a colourful one at that.)

Sadanand Dhume

But, and it is an important but, Dhume's portrait of Herry is told with some empathy and there clearly developed a friendship between the two of them, the devout Muslim and Islamist, and the atheist son of polytheists. Herry does not come across, usually, as the raving lunatic that the foregoing …

Comment by timdog: … just trying to raise the concept of something uniquely …

Insiden Monas, FPI & AKKBB

Video tindak kekerasan Front Pembela Islam saat parade kebebasan beragama di Jakarta, dan tanggapan Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Video pemberitaan serangan Front Pembela Islam (FPI) terhadap Aliansi Kebangsaan Kebebasan Beragama dan Berkeyakinan (AKKBB) yang berkumpul di Silang Monas, Jakarta menandai peringatan hari Kesaktian Pancasila tanggal 1 Juni. Sekitar 200 orang anggota FPI …

Comment by M. Sejuki: … sesembahan kafir Quraisy di dalam Baitullah sebanyak 360 …

Barongsai, & Cultural Assimilation

The assimilation of Chinese into Indonesian society, and rules for celebrating Chinese New Year.

Chinese New Year/Imlek and Cap Go Meh 2559

Since the year 2000 public celebrations of Chinese New Year in Indonesia have been legally permitted however in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, the mayor of the town issued a special decree, No 127/2008, forbidding any staging of barongsai and …

Comment by dragonwall: … May 98 to see if Amien Rais kept his promise which he …

2007 Investment

A big increase in foreign direct investment in 2007, with Singapore leading the way.

Foreign Investment

According to the National Investment Coordinating Board, (Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal, BKPM) realised foreign direct investment (FDI) in Indonesia rose by 72% on 2006 , reaching $10.34 billion.

The countries investing the most in Indonesia:

Singapore - $3.75 …

Comment by Dragonwall: … bet you that. Amien Rais may instigate the long …

Forgiveness

… but outstanding legal case against Suharto concerning stolen national assets has been repeatedly raised.

Hidayat Nur Wahid

Some, such as parliament speaker Hidayat Nurwahid, insist that Suharto continue to be prosecuted, given that Indonesia is a country based on law. tempo

Many others however, such as former "Reformasi" firebrand Amien Rais, recommend that the government and people forgive Suharto entirely, and end investigation and prosecution of him.

Amien Rais. …

Comment by Pena Budaya: … who was born and raised during Suharto’s regime and I …

Pengampunan Pak Harto

… Negara [Indonesia sebagai] Negara hukum."

Lain lagi dengan mantan jawara 'Reformasi' Amien Rais, beliau menganjurkan sebaiknya pemerintah dan masyarakat memaafkan Soeharto sepenuhnya, sekaligus mengakhiri segala kasus pidana maupun perdata terhadapnya.

Amien Rais.

Sambil membacakan pernyataannya di Yogyakarta pada tanggal 14 Januari, Amien berpendapat bahwa kebanyakan masyarakat tidak mengambil sikap terhadap Soeharto sejak awal, sampai akhirnya ia memiliki kekuasaan …

Comment by asmawi: … Bahkan Bapak AMIN RAIS mendapat gelar sebagai Bapak …

Banning Islamic Sects

… as demos in a number of other cities, calling on the state to defend religious freedom. detik

Comment by raden: … democracy … amien. And I never heard Ahmadiyah …

Aburizal Bakrie

Aburizal Bakrie is Indonesia's richest man.

Forbes Asia list of Indonesia's richest men and families, the top ten: forbes

Aburizal Bakrie and family (Bakrie Group): $5.4 billion

Sukanto Tanoto (April and Asian Agri): $4.7 billion

R. Budi Hartono: $3.14 billion

Michael Hartono (Budi and Michael Hartono, part owners of Djarum and BCA): $3.08 billion

Eka …

Comment by raden: … is getting richer, amien good to him, then ‘bayar …

Military Coup

Little chance of a military coup in Indonesia.

Alfred C. Stepan, Professor of Government from Columbia University in New York, said in Jakarta on 29th October that the TNI, the Indonesian military, would not follow the "trend" in south east Asia of staging a military coup d'etat, like in Thailand, or previously in Burma.

I've been to several south east Asian countries and their …

Comment by Dragonwall: … and a short lived praise by this guy stephan. This is the …

Smelly Armpits

Achmad says Indonesians have a body odor problem.

Achmad says Indonesians have a body odor problem.

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Smelliness

As I stepped out of Sukarno-Hatta airport one balmy night after a recent trip to Thailand, I was welcomed by the familiar scents of Indonesia: Kretek cigarettes, a touch of Kamboja flower, and the crushing, …

Comment by Achmad Sudarsono: … picked up again, Amien Rais and Gus Dur turned out to be …

Grand Mufti

… Mufti, the MUI is enough.

Chairman of Indonesian Ulema Council, (Majelis Ulama, MUI) Ma'ruf Amien says the country does not need a middle eastern style Mufti Council of Muslim clerics, with a Grand Mufti at the head of it, to issue binding rulings on Islamic law.

Maruf Amin, not a mufti.

Maruf says the MUI already does the job of issuing fatwas, and it is an independent body, whereas a Mufti Council would be under the government. In any case he says the government already uses …

Nationalization

… and Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI), echoed the oft-heard sentiments of his party's leader, Amien Rais of Partai Amanat Nasional (PAN), in saying that the current government did not have the courage to take back the natural resources wealth of the country from foreigners.

A.M. Fatwa.

Foreigners had had control of the wealth of Indonesia for dozens of years now and Fatwa hoped that president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would soon summon the courage to return these assets to the …

Comment by Naga: … his flunky Amein Rais are only playing lowest common …

Muhammadiyah

… schools, SBY said. antara

Later in the conference two former leaders of the organisation, Amien Rais and Syafii Ma'arif, both gave their own advice and criticisms for Muhammadiyah.

Old firebrand Amien Rais, in perhaps one of his classic speeches, said Muhammadiyah, and Indonesia as a whole, did not understand that globalization was just a form of economic imperialism. The only person who understood this was Mahathir Mohamad, former prime minister of Malaysia.

What was worse, …

Comment by Andrew: … comments from Amin Rais - not exactly what I expect from a …

Dita Indah Sari

… Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to be a weak failure, beholden to big (foreign) business.

Dita, like Amien Rais, believes that the examples of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, and Bolivian leader Evo Morales, should be followed by Indonesia, specifically their nationalisation programs of key industries.

The government is also too weak in defending the rights of citizens attacked by militant groups such as Front Pembela Islam, she says: adnki

The FPI attack against us is one example …

Comment by Odinius: I’m all for raising the minimum wage in Indonesia, …

UN Resolution 1747

… for blood being shed. antara

Former chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Amien Rais has joined the protest but has said he does not believe the House is serious in its plans to bring the President to account.

Merry Christmas

… the god-head of Jesus. In support of this Shofan claimed that Muhammadiyah figures such as Amien Rais, Syafii Ma'arif and Din Syamsudin were known to sometimes wish Christians "Merry Christmas".

Muhammadiyah Logo.

The local leadership of Muhammadiyah in Gresik took a different view saying that Shofan had upset the Muslims of the town and that saying "Merry Christmas" did in fact mean one accepted that Jesus was God. They demanded that he be dismissed from the university and …

Beware America

Indonesia should avoid being too close to the United States, say Zaenal Maarif and Amien Rais.

Zaenal Maarif, who is one of the chairmen of the Indonesian parliament and the leader of the Islamic party Partai Bintang Reformasi (PBR), Reform Star Party, says that the American economy is heading towards recession, and the dollar keeps weakening. As Indonesia's second biggest non oil and gas export destination, after Japan, America remained vital to Indonesian interests …

Comment by Dragonwall: … over in cricle. Amien Rais of the Partai Amanat …

Partai Hanura

Army pensioners, including General Wiranto, declare a new political party, Partai Hati Nurani Rakyat (Hanura).

Retired military commander General Wiranto and a number of retired generals yesterday formed a new political party in preparation for the general elections in 2009, the Partai Hati Nurani Rakyat (Hanura), or People's Conscience Party.

Besides Wiranto other former military …

Comment by Observer Too: … that it alone will raise Hanura among the top three …

Partai Matahari Bangsa

… Lebaran of this year some of the PMB founders asked for the blessing of former Muhammadiyah leader Amien Rais but it is unclear if any such blessing were given.

Despite the fact that members of his group founded the party Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin says the PMB is nothing to do with his organisation. If members want to form political parties on their own that is their right as citizens, he says. antara

The leader of the South Sumatra branch of Muhammadiyah, Novrizal, agrees …

Population Growth & Family Planning

… 2,605 men, or 1.6%, had had vasectomies.

The head of the fatwa commission of the MUI, Ma'ruf Amien, went on to say that his body supported the government's family planning program provided its measures were within the bounds of sharia law. antara

Meanwhile in Malang it is said that the low participation rate of couples in family planning programs in the East Java provincial town is due to womens' fears that their husbands will become unfaithful if they have easy access to condoms, …

Kleptocratic Lying Yudhoyono

Indonesia is a kleptocracy, says Amien Rais, and president Yudhoyono is a big liar, a leader of a republic of thieves.

The former leader of Muhammadiyah, and the National Mandate Party (PAN), in speaking at an Idul Fitri service in his home town of Yogyakarta, central Java, said that Indonesia suffered from all the symptoms of kleptocracy - its leaders were dishonest, arrogant, and did not uphold justice. An example …

Comment by Munafikbangetloepade: The voice inside rais’ head: “If you can’t be the …

Rev. Irianto Kongkoli

Reverend Irianto Kongkoli, murdered in Palu, Sulawesi, on Monday, was buried today.

Reverend Kongkoli, the head of the Protestant Gereja Kristen Sulawesi Tengah (GKST) synod, was shot in the back of the head in Palu on the 16th as he, his wife, and and their four-year old daughter Gea, were shopping for ceramic tiles at Sinar Sakti construction materials shop on Jalan Mongonsidi. He was …

Comment by Mizzy: … you who did it….amien

2009 Presidential Election

… because of their poor track record when previously in office. Of a former presidential candidate, Amien Rais, Effendy said that his chances were better because the state of the country was still less than ideal, and Amien played on discontent.

He went on to say that the fact that old names like Gus Dur, Megawati, and Amien Rais were being mentioned for 2009 was proof that the major parties had failed to develop new talent, or cadres. Golkar, followed by the PKS, had been most successful in …

Comment by Chris Komari: … to do that. This raises questions whether these …

Papernas

… in Indonesia, and the roles of organisations like the IMF and World Bank. In a similar tone to Amien Rais Octavianus complains that the natural wealth of the country is being stolen by foreign corporations. To combat this Papernas advocates the nationalisation of most major industries in the country including banking, oil, power generation, gas, and heavy industries generally, as well as the repudiation of foreign debt. Free health and education services are also on the agenda, while …

Comment by Ross: … and sing its praises still. In Russia, with a …

Foreign Domination

Amien Rais and the anti-foreigner current in Indonesian politics.

There is a strong strain within the Indonesian political elites of hostility towards foreign involvement, or domination as it seen by some, in the economy, and Amien Rais, a leader of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Partai Amanat Nasional, is one of the most forthright in this niche.

Amien Rais, popular with the …

Comment by chacha: I dont think RAIS is very bright men. if he ever …

Governor Sutiyoso Speaketh

The Governor of Jakarta, Sutiyoso, says that radical groups in the city need to be reined in.

The police in Jakarta, says Media Indonesia , plan to hold a meeting with the leaders of some controversial groups such as the Islamic Defenders Front and the various Betawi "forum" associations, on July 1st.

Governor Sutiyoso says he is more than willing to attend the meeting and, according …

Comment by Dragonwall: … When Amien Rais threatened to led a million …

NU Mosques Subverted

A leader of the Nahdlatul Ulama says hundreds of his organisation's mosques have been taken over by fundamentalists.

Chairman of the Pengurus Besar Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU), or central committee of the NU, Masdar F Mas'udi, while speaking out against violence and intimidation done by radical Islamic groups, made the interesting statement:

Recently hundreds of mosques built by NU people …

Comment by Anonymous_aloy: … the leadership of Amien Rais and when the Islamist Din …

Muhammadiyah Makes Overtures to Islamists

… as an affront to the PAN and its relatively secular ethos, a PAN which under the leadership of Amien Rais has avoided "Islamic" issues, and interpreted as a boost for parties, such as PBB, which overtly associate themselves with Islam. It is another chapter in the story of the growing power of Islam in the country.

Comment by Anonymous_aloy: … But then Amien Rais is an Islamist too. PAN was …

Front Pembela Islam Raids

News on a recent mini epidemic of raids by the Islamic Defenders Front, FPI, Front Pembela Islam .

On the 20th of May in the town of Pamekasan, in Madura, East Java, one of the Front's few strong areas in that province, members conducted raids on a number of night spots and some roadside stalls which were thought to be selling alcohol. One hotel was also targeted and the owner of the …

Comment by Purba NEgoro: … Even crazy like Amien Rais dislike them as they damage …

China Defence Cooperation

Possibilities for defence industry cooperation with China are being explored.

Indonesia and China have agreed to draft a memorandum of understanding on defence and security cooperation as a follow up to their decision of April 25th, 2005 to establish a strategic partnership, a Defence Ministry spokesman said. antara

Until now Indonesia does not have any cooperation in the fields of …

Comment by Dragonwall: Amien Rais wants to get the Jews to …

PAN & The Big Picture

Amien Rais, the chairman of the Partai Amanat Nasional, PAN, says his party considers the porn issue to be an unimportant distraction. There are greater, nation defining issues at hand.

For a modern semi-religious party (which won 6.5% in the last election and has its roots in the Muhammadiyah organisation,), he says detik , there are more important problems:

We are committed to …

Comment by Ade Hardiana: What is Amin Rais solution to Cepu Oil Field? …

Attitudes to Australia

… Speaker of the parliament in Jakarta, and the leader of the PAN, National Mandate Party, Amien Rais claimed that the granting of visas to the Papuan asylum seekers was part of a dirty campaign being waged internationally that sought to paint Indonesia as a country that was unsafe for its own citizens.

He added:

To be precise I regard the Australian government as having soured the relations between us and as being a bad neighbour.... Why hasn't the Indonesian government …

Islam and The West

… deceive and offer platitudes on the problem of world Islamic terrorism.

Speakers included Amien Rais, the leader of the National Mandate Party, PAN, the regional police chief, Dody Sumantyawan, a representative from the US embassy, Bruce Lawrence, Daniel Petz, the ambassador for Austria, (the Danish Ambassador however was nowhere to be seen), somebody called Ribbi Awad who thinks he is the ambassador for Palestine, and the chairman of the Indonesian Mujahidin Council of Yogyakarta, …

Comment by Felis: … is beyond me. Rais went on to reject the perceived …

Solider Involvement in Mujahidin Council

A soldier today was sentenced to four years imprisonment for having involvement with a radical Islamic group.

Private Yuli Harsono had stockpiled ammunition since 2001 and had broken his military pledge of allegiance by actively supporting the aims and ideology of the Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI), Indonesian Mujahidin Council, a military court was told.

The man, who was …

Comment author: al amien ahmadi

Comment by al amien ahmadi: … what do you think?

2004 Election Results

… Wahid

26,286,788

22.2 %

4.
Amien Rais (PAN) - Siswono Yudho Husodo

17,392,931

14.6 %

5.
Hamzah Haz (PPP) - Agum Gumelar

3,569,861

3.0 %

Presidential Election, Second Round
September 20, 2004. Registered voters: 153,312,436. Votes cast 116,662,705, or 76.09%. Valid votes 114,257,054, or 97.93%. …

Offensive Cartoons on Websites

Website and blog owners scramble to delete offensive cartoons as the government, MUI and PKS bear down on them.

Faith Freedom Indonesia

The full bore anti-Islam forum site Faithfreedom, run by Ali Sina, has nine non English language versions, including an Indonesian one, or did until today.

The site has been shut down by its operators after it attracted the attention of various …

War on Poverty

Politicians waging war on poverty via billboards, and bus riding buskers in Jakarta.

A campaign billboard for General Wiranto:

"Poverty Must Be Ended", says General Wiranto, and "I swear to devote the rest of my life to improving the welfare of the Indonesian people".

On a similar theme:

"The People Must Not Be Allowed to Suffer", says somebody from the police faction, and …

Comment by Chris Komari: … question that I am raising. Does Indonesia treat the …

Dorce Gamalama & Imam Samudera

Transsexual television personality Dorce Gamalama pays her last respects to the executed Imam Samudera.

Dorce Gamalama, a "post-op" transsexual, and host of the Dorce Show , a celebrity talk show, was seen at the funeral of executed terrorist Imam Samudera/Samudra, at Serang, Banten on 9th November. okezone

Dorce Gamalama, loudly leading orphans in prayer for president Suharto …

Comment by Ross: … from somebody who praised a foul mass-murderer as a …

Amrozi Executed by Firing Squad

Amrozi, Muklas, and Imam Samudra are executed by firing squad.

Ali Amrozi bin Nurhasyim, Ali Ghufron aka Muklas/Mukhlas, and Abdul Aziz aka Imam Samudra aka Qudama were executed at Nusakambangan island prison, Cilacap, Central Java, some time after midnight on Sunday 9th November, for their roles in the 2002 Bali …

Comment by Peter: … really as someone raised Catholic you ought to at least …

Pro The Death Penalty

… to write more on Death as a subject in the future.

[rss]This is a post from the Indonesia Matters website.[/rss]

Comment by Fanglong: … to build. They praise violence, killing and death. …

Barack Hussein Obama Mania!

Indonesia can't get enough of the news that Barack Obama has won the US election.

Some of the reactions to Barack Hussein Obama's election to the US presidency:

Screaming Children

250 students at Obama's former school (SDN 01 Menteng) in Jakarta, shouted with glee:

Obama wins! McCain loses!

while watching television coverage of the results. Here they are:

…

Comment by Czeslaw: … Obama a Muslim raised or what have you, now will be …

Single Mothers in Yogya

… the whole Western Capitalist deal in one gulp; does it? Drink, drugs, promiscuity; are these all necessarily part of modernity?

Comment by fullmoonflower: … their children and raised them: hats off and CHAPEAU. …

Timor Leste Relations

… be on Australia's sour grapes colonial military aggression in Indonesia sovereign territory and affairs.

Comment by Aluang Anak Bayang: … had much praise for just about anyone, but this …

Pujiono Cahyo & Underage Lust

The controversy over a politician-cleric's marriage to an underage girl in Semarang.

43 year old Pujiono Cahyo Widayanto/Widianto, aka Syech/Syekh Puji, the head of an Islamic boarding school (Ponpes Miftahul Jannah) in Bedono, Jambu, Semarang, Central Java, in August 2008 informally married (nikah siri) Lutfiana Ulfa, 11 years and 10 months old, who had just begun studies at a local …

Comment by Carla: … that she was raised in a thick-cultured central …

Bali Culture

… if trouble erupts again?
Rayner.

[rss]This is a post from the Indonesia Matters website.[/rss]

Comment by timdog: … when they raised an eyebrow at your film-making …

Kidnapping Cases

Investigations into kidnapped and murdered activists of 1997/98, questioning of former generals like president Yudhoyono.

The parliamentary commission (Pansus Orang Hilang) into the disappearances and presumed murders of nine student and other activists opposed to the Suharto presidency in 1997/98 is expected to call some or all of the following former military and intelligence staff to …

Comment by Rob: … attempt to raise the issue in the lead up to the …

Chinese Muslims

A minority within a minority, organization and numbers of Chinese Muslims in Java and North Sumatra.

Masjid Lautze 1

In Pecinan, Pasar Baru, Jakarta is located the Masjid Lautze (or Lao Tze), the centre of the Chinese Muslim community in the city, built in 1991, and, perhaps not inappropriately, being located within a ruko commercial complex.

The mosque is run by the Yayasan …

Comment by timdog: … the Dalai Lama to raise their profile). But there are …

Interbank Credit Crisis

… indicates a belief that only 8.625 cents on the dollar will be recoverable on assets for Lehman’s bond holders.

Comment by dragonwall: … rating may even be raised. How did they fare in the US …

Monarchy-Sultanate Form of Government

Ross defends the monarchical principle and the Sultan of Yogyakarta's authority.

Sultans Rule!

The Jakarta Post on Friday 10th October published an articulate but virulent attack thejakartapost on the monarchical principle, centred on the position of the Sultan of Jogjakarta, HamengkuBuwono X . I took particular notice of this for two reasons, viz., I am a dyed-in-the-wool …

Comment by jaka: … that the sultanate raise again the position of “Patih” …

Atheist Threat

Young atheists on the internet, and eradicating atheism and communism in Indonesia.

Governor of North Sumatra, Syamsul Arifin , said on 8th October at an occasion marking Pancasila Day that all elements of the nation must continually fight against and eradicate atheist beliefs among the people.

Atheism, which seeks to erase Pancasila and which once threatened the nation in the guise …

Comment by Fanglong: … mine. I’ve been raised in the Catholic religion, & …

World Football Codes

As predicted by Andy, a "world football codes" topic, split off from US Financial Crisis , including stuff on the state of America, the Iraq war, references to ABBA songs, and a possibly blossoming cyber …

Comment by Marisa: … please, thank you* raised in a slightly bit dark-colored …

Popular Myths & Madura

… just seemed like a lot of fun.

On a final note however, before anyone asks, I must make it clear that I know nothing about their women…

[rss]This is a post from the Indonesia Matters website.[/rss]

Comment by Patrick: … way that would raise eyebrows in today’s more …

Perceptions of Current Threats

Purba Negoro on perceived threats to national unity.

Indonesians worried most about Nusantara

From Jakarta Post, Sun 14-9-08 thejakartapost

National unity remains a cause for concern in Indonesia, despite 63 years of existence as a nation state, a survey finds.

Roy Morgan Research polled the top 16 provinces in Indonesia in July.
Of 2031 respondents asked:

If [they] …

Comment by Andy: … why did cukurungan raise the issue of local women in this …

What is Racism?

… Just like their Tempo and Jakarta Post- self-serving or self-aggrandising pulp fictions.

Comment by dragonwall: … nanny”, don’t raise their children except doing …

Porn Laws in English

… or objects pertaining to that as defined by any single one or combination of Sections 4-6, 8-10.

Comment by Andy: … the way they are raised by their own leaders so it is …

Socially Inclusive

Two religion based political parties deciding to become more diverse and inclusive, or not.

PDS

The Partai Damai Sejahtera (PDS), Prosperous Peace Party, a Christian party with a small number of seats in the national parliament, recently decided to formally open itself up to non-Christian members and candidates.

Party chairman Denny Tewu announced last month that 20% of …

Comment by Marisa: … if you’re a born-raised Christian yourself. …

Wahidin Halim, Tangerang

… by the duty cops they protest to, then assaulted by fanatic hoodlums with not a police hand raised against the thugs) it appears that the powers that be in Indonesia are busily coming to terms with the worst elements in the national body politic.

Good guy statements about disallowing sharia bigot bye-laws are wonderful to hear, but they remain statements, not deeds, and deeds are what count when democracy is under threat.

Effeminate Men

… with only 0.6%. Trans TV and Trans 7 were said to be improving their performance, and were praised for largely having stopped using effeminate male performers, compared to last year.

However Trans7 had one slip-up, - on 1st September during Empat Mata Sahur Seru featuring Tukul Arwana, there were scenes of hugging between Ruben Onsu and Andhara Early, with an effeminate man.

Television personality Ivan Gunawan.

On this, Said Budairy of the MUI asked television …

The Perfect Woman

The perfect woman, and...other things, split from How to Get a Bule Man …

Comment by Rob: … you were born and raised in Australia. Perhaps your …

God is Dead

Indonesian students of Islam encountering western anti-orthodox religion philosophy.

In an article from August 2008, Ahmad Sahidin, a former student of the Aqidah & Filsafat (Islam & Philosophy) faculty at IAIN (Institut Agama Islam Negeri) Sunan Gunung Djati (SGD) Bandung and now a teacher of the same discipline at IAIN, makes some reference to controversies at IAIN in 2004, …

Comment by janma: … ya ’bout the raisin’ of the wrist. Socrates …

Key to Success

… time one prayed, these being:

In the name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful:

Praise be to God, the Lord of the Universe.

The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Master of the Day of Judgment.

You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help

Guide us to the straight path;

The path of those whom You have favoured, not of those who have deserved Your anger, nor of those who stray.

This could be formulated or summarised into the following, by some …

Comment by Geordie: … to the religion, raised in the West, educated at an …

Dutch War Crimes

… have constantly refused to express a full apology and recognition but were always quick to raise their finger and lecture its former colony on alleged human rights violations during the Soeharto reign.

I'm fully supportive of the Rawagede villagers and any future similar cases, seeking for Dutch responsibility, recognition and financial compensation. Evidence is clear, witnesses and next of kin are still alive, we're dealing with war crimes, gross violation of human rights and …

Comment by timdog: Jeezus f*ckin krais… Are you serious Andy? Did you …

Presidential Debates

… present a comprehensive plan and strategy to resolve those important issues. Because of this, I am raising the bar and taking a different approach. I open up a new chapter in presidential election in Indonesia by sending out public invitation to all of these presidential candidates to have series of public Presidential debates to discuss about those urgent and critical issues.

I believe so strongly that without resolving those critical issues, there is not much for any new President …

Comment by Chris Komari: … point that was raised with clarity. Healthy …

Expat Charitable Work

… former Soviet nations not receiving formerly free iodine-enriched table salt now seeing reverse in raised standards.

China has long been active with UNWHO to improve iodine intake of its majority very poor population and a very good model. The UNWHO has many articles one iodine deficiency in Africa alone and correlation to poverty etc.

Under-nutrition alone is an underlying cause of an estimated 53% of all under five year old deaths (UNICEF Report card on Nutrition May 2006).

The good …

Comment by Brett: … foundation that raises money for children/education …

Argument Topics

The next funny installment of Purba vs various people, Achmad's Oigal obsession, East Timor, Batam, plenty of other stuff...cut from Dating Girls …

Comment by Oigal: … verbal wank” you raise the odd intelligent point. …

Food & Energy Prices, & Climate Change

… atmosphere. As the CO² level increases more of the suns energy is trapped by the atmosphere raising the planets temperature.

Most of the CO² emissions globally are produced by power generation and industrial processes. As Indonesia’s economy develops, these will become a larger source of our emissions. Currently in Indonesia the biggest contributor is slash and burn farming methods used to clear land. It is such a large contributor that Indonesia is the world’s second largest …

Signs That Your Son is Gay

Ahmad Dhani's theories on how rock music can prevent your son becoming gay.

Rock musician Ahmad Dhani , or Dhani Ahmad, ex-husband of Maia , recently said that he was very concerned that his sons would one day become gay, particularly with the mass murderer Ryan case still on his mind, and because in Jakarta these days there were a lot of gays around, and:

Being gay is like being …

Comment by Purba Negoro: … wild- like male raising of offspring- the unique and …

Islam vs Liberal Democracy

Perseus on Francis Fukuyama and whether Islamism will derail Indonesia's new democracy.

In a recent article, writing in reaction to Russia's recent "clobbering" of Georgia, the noted American political theorist Francis Fukuyama, best known for his work The End of History , tells us smh that

US dominance is slipping.

and the

Russian and Chinese model of authoritarianism …

Comment by Cukurungan: … that I was appraised Australian too good than they …

Learning Javanese Words & Phrases

Purba Negoro on the future of Javanese language, and learning some easy words and phrases.

Hello all,

Being a foreigner in Indonesia is indeed hard - but new friends are made instantly when you speak to them in their language - Indonesian. To an Indonesian it means a highly respected white values them enough to bother learning, what many Indonesians truly believe is a backward, …

Feudal Ways & Culture

What Indonesia needs is to dump its old feudal ways and culture, says Soetrisno Bachir.

At a seminar discussing Indonesian culture in modern times Partai Amanat Nasional (PAN) politician Soetrisno Bachir attempted to answer the question:

Can Indonesia become a first rank country, able to compete with the world and provide prosperity for its people?

Bachir said this was unlikely …

Comment by sputjam: … think of ways to raise taxes. But assuming businesses …

Theological Controversy

People from East Nusa Tenggara continue to play out 16th century European theological battles.

Election

Journalist Lambertus L Hurek writes of the recent governor's election in the province of Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) that, unlike in similar elections on Java, "primordial", tribal forces dominated the campaign and voting patterns, with ethnicity, religious affiliation, and church …

Comment by Lairedion: … but my father wad raised Catholic by his Javanese mother …

Old Traditions & Customs

… a fine painting of Nyai Loro Kidul, the Goddess of the South Seas.

Nyai Loro Kidul

I praised it to my companion, then the perfectly normal-looking man sitting across from us interjected politely that it was a pity the current Sultan of Jogjakarta’s consort had not been willing for her man to take on the goddess as his junior wife.

His dad and granddad did so, but he won’t, hence the earthquakes etc. up that way.

My companion of course expressed her agreement with this …

Independence Day

Purba Negoro celebrates Indonesia's national independence day.

Our nation's birthday, 17th August, has just passed - a brief respite in our work-a-day lives. The Day of Proclamation, however, is not solely time for grandeur, pomp and ceremony, celebration and light-hearted games.

Chairil Anwar of the Angkatan Empatpuluh Lima:

"Better destruction than slavery
Better extermination …

Comment by Purba Negoro: … The issues raised are always regarding ulterior …

Maid Abuse

Discussion on abuse of Indonesian maids in Singapore and Malaysia, and elsewhere.

Comments split off from Dedi Mulyadi …

Comment by Enigmatic: … of death for raising their basic staples prices if …

Oil Exploration, Production & Consumption

… to increase the quality of Indonesia’s human capital. A better educated population is a key to raising people’s living standards. This will also allow Pertamina to become a market oriented oil company rather than an inefficient purveyor of state largess.

Create new incentives for exploration. The current system is failing Indonesia, more exploration activity is the only long term solution to Indonesia’s dwindling resource production. Exploring for oil is a capital intensive …

Dedi Mulyadi

The MUI attempts to chase the regent of Purwakarta out of town, for a musical analogy.

On 7th August the regent of Purwakarta district in West Java, Dedi Mulyadi, gave a speech in which he compared the Quran to a musical instrument, the flute. Dedi was also supposed to have said that he believes the Quran should be interpreted allegorically or metaphorically, not literally.

In response …

Comment by Purba Negoro: … is a systematic appraisal and plan for a tolerant and …

Subversive Groups & Patriotism

… who are not fanatics but are usually very nationalistic?

With elections next year, this deserves scrutiny.

People Not Voting

People not participating in elections, fit to be stripped of Indonesian nationality or sinful.

The proportion of registered voters not taking part in regional and city elections (Golput (golongan putih atau tidak memilih)) this year averages around 40% and the matter has created some controversy.

In early July leader of PDI Perjuangan, Megawati Soekarnoputri, said at a campaign rally …

Comment by janma: … we’ll just raise a few milyard and start a party! …

Indigenous Flag Raising

More flag raising deaths and controversy, this time in Papua.

On 9th August to celebrate "International Day of the World's Indigenous People" (Hari Internasional Bangsa Pribumi) a rally was staged in Wamena at which the "Bintang Kejora" (morning star) flag of the West Papuan independence movement was raised, side by side with the with the United Nations and Indonesian flags in Sinabuk square in …

Comment by Geordie: … context, Irians raising a flag is no more seditious …