This 14 minute video does an outstanding job of painting a comprehensive picture or country profile on Indonesia. There are, of course, many things he left out about life in Indonesia which I would have put in; but... having lived in Indonesia myself for several years, what he says or points out his piece are indeed true and valid.
Monday, August 27, 2018
Indonesia Country Profile
Here is a great video from YouTube channel Geography Now host "Barby" which really captures the essence and subtleties of Indonesian culture, "geo-political" characteristics and attributes, linguistics, cuisine and life in the archipelago nation of Indonesia with an air of humor.
This 14 minute video does an outstanding job of painting a comprehensive picture or country profile on Indonesia. There are, of course, many things he left out about life in Indonesia which I would have put in; but... having lived in Indonesia myself for several years, what he says or points out his piece are indeed true and valid.
This 14 minute video does an outstanding job of painting a comprehensive picture or country profile on Indonesia. There are, of course, many things he left out about life in Indonesia which I would have put in; but... having lived in Indonesia myself for several years, what he says or points out his piece are indeed true and valid.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Why Do Asian Women Invariably Flash the V Sign in Photos ??
This is something I have always wondered and been perplexed about living in South East Asia and having been exposed to Asian culture. Why do Asian women invariably flash the V or peace sign in photos?? Why?? I just don't get it!
Well.... now I finally have my answer!
Here's an article from Time Magazine below which sheds much need understanding about this:
Some say it began with Janet Lynn. The American figure skater was favored to take home gold in the 1972 Olympics in Japan. But the 18-year-old’s dream came crashing down when she fell during her performance. The gold medal was gone. She knew it, and Japan knew it.
But instead of grimacing, the shaggy-haired blonde simply smiled. Lynn’s behavior ran charmingly counter to the Japanese norm of saving face, and in doing so earned her legions of Japanese fans.
“They could not understand how I could smile knowing that I could not win anything,” said Lynn, who eventually went home with a bronze, in a telephone interview. “I couldn’t go anywhere the next day without mobs of people. It was like I was a rock star, people giving me things, trying to shake my hands.”
Lynn became a media sensation in Japan and the recipient of thousands of fan letters. During media tours around Japan in the years following the Olympics, she habitually flashed the V-sign. A cultural phenomenon was born.
Or rather, it was consolidated — because the V-sign was already entering mainstream consciousness through manga. In the 1968 baseball comic Kyojin no Hoshi (Star of the Giants), a protagonist struggling with father issues, and the pressure of competition, gets his dad’s tacit approval when the elder throws him a “V” before a big game. The volleyball manga Sain wa V! (V Is the Sign) was created shortly after and was adapted into a television series with an infectious earworm of a theme that features the chant “V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!”
It was probably advertising that gave the gesture its biggest boost, however. Though Lynn had some influence on the widespread use of the V-sign in photos, Japanese media attribute the biggest role to Jun Inoue, singer with the popular band the Spiders. Inoue happened to be a celebrity spokesperson for Konica cameras, and supposedly flashed a spontaneous V-sign during the filming of a Konica commercial.
“In Japan, I have seen the Inoue Jun theory advanced most often as an explanation for the origin of this practice,” Jason Karlin, an associate professor at the University of Tokyo and an expert on Japanese media culture, tells TIME. “I think the practice is a testament to the power of the media, especially television, in postwar Japan for propagating new tastes and practices.”
With the mass production of cameras, and a sudden surge in women’s and girls’ magazines in the 1980s, the aesthetics of kawaii — a visual culture superficially based on cuteness — took off. Suddenly, more women were posing for more shots, and more shots of women were being shared. V-signs proliferated much like today’s “duck face” pouts on Instagram and Facebook.
“The V-sign was (and still is) often recommended as a technique to make girls’ faces appear smaller and cuter,” says Karlin.
Laura Miller, a professor of Japanese studies and anthropology at the University of Missouri at St. Louis, stresses the role played by women in popularizing the gesture in photos. She recalls hearing girls say piisu, or peace, while making the sign in the early 1970s. “Like so much else in Japanese culture, the creative agents in Japan are often young women, but they are rarely recognized for their cultural innovations,” she wrote in an email to TIME.
When Japanese pop culture began to spread around East Asia in the 1980s (prior to the emergence of K-pop in this century), the fashionable V-sign found itself exported to mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea (where it already enjoyed some recognition because of the decades-long presence of the U.S. military).
These days, the habit is everywhere that Asians are. However, most young Asians who make the gesture in photos do so without thinking and are baffled when asked why they do it. Some say they’re aping celebrities, while others say it’s a mannerism that alleviates awkwardness when posing. “I need something to do with my hands,” says Suhiyuh Seo, a young student from Busan, South Korea. Little children do it without even being taught.
“I don’t know why,” says 4-year-old Imma Liu of Hong Kong — but she says she feels “happy” when she does it. Perhaps that’s all that matters.
Well.... now I finally have my answer!
Here's an article from Time Magazine below which sheds much need understanding about this:
Some say it began with Janet Lynn. The American figure skater was favored to take home gold in the 1972 Olympics in Japan. But the 18-year-old’s dream came crashing down when she fell during her performance. The gold medal was gone. She knew it, and Japan knew it.
But instead of grimacing, the shaggy-haired blonde simply smiled. Lynn’s behavior ran charmingly counter to the Japanese norm of saving face, and in doing so earned her legions of Japanese fans.
“They could not understand how I could smile knowing that I could not win anything,” said Lynn, who eventually went home with a bronze, in a telephone interview. “I couldn’t go anywhere the next day without mobs of people. It was like I was a rock star, people giving me things, trying to shake my hands.”
Lynn became a media sensation in Japan and the recipient of thousands of fan letters. During media tours around Japan in the years following the Olympics, she habitually flashed the V-sign. A cultural phenomenon was born.
Or rather, it was consolidated — because the V-sign was already entering mainstream consciousness through manga. In the 1968 baseball comic Kyojin no Hoshi (Star of the Giants), a protagonist struggling with father issues, and the pressure of competition, gets his dad’s tacit approval when the elder throws him a “V” before a big game. The volleyball manga Sain wa V! (V Is the Sign) was created shortly after and was adapted into a television series with an infectious earworm of a theme that features the chant “V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!”
It was probably advertising that gave the gesture its biggest boost, however. Though Lynn had some influence on the widespread use of the V-sign in photos, Japanese media attribute the biggest role to Jun Inoue, singer with the popular band the Spiders. Inoue happened to be a celebrity spokesperson for Konica cameras, and supposedly flashed a spontaneous V-sign during the filming of a Konica commercial.
“In Japan, I have seen the Inoue Jun theory advanced most often as an explanation for the origin of this practice,” Jason Karlin, an associate professor at the University of Tokyo and an expert on Japanese media culture, tells TIME. “I think the practice is a testament to the power of the media, especially television, in postwar Japan for propagating new tastes and practices.”
With the mass production of cameras, and a sudden surge in women’s and girls’ magazines in the 1980s, the aesthetics of kawaii — a visual culture superficially based on cuteness — took off. Suddenly, more women were posing for more shots, and more shots of women were being shared. V-signs proliferated much like today’s “duck face” pouts on Instagram and Facebook.
“The V-sign was (and still is) often recommended as a technique to make girls’ faces appear smaller and cuter,” says Karlin.
Laura Miller, a professor of Japanese studies and anthropology at the University of Missouri at St. Louis, stresses the role played by women in popularizing the gesture in photos. She recalls hearing girls say piisu, or peace, while making the sign in the early 1970s. “Like so much else in Japanese culture, the creative agents in Japan are often young women, but they are rarely recognized for their cultural innovations,” she wrote in an email to TIME.
When Japanese pop culture began to spread around East Asia in the 1980s (prior to the emergence of K-pop in this century), the fashionable V-sign found itself exported to mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea (where it already enjoyed some recognition because of the decades-long presence of the U.S. military).
These days, the habit is everywhere that Asians are. However, most young Asians who make the gesture in photos do so without thinking and are baffled when asked why they do it. Some say they’re aping celebrities, while others say it’s a mannerism that alleviates awkwardness when posing. “I need something to do with my hands,” says Suhiyuh Seo, a young student from Busan, South Korea. Little children do it without even being taught.
“I don’t know why,” says 4-year-old Imma Liu of Hong Kong — but she says she feels “happy” when she does it. Perhaps that’s all that matters.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Foreign Workers in Indonesia Required to Know Bahasa Language?
Legislation is being proposed to require foreign workers in Indonesia to demonstrate proficiency in the national Indonesian language (Bahasa). This is an issue that should definitely be tracked and monitored by any foreign national who is either already working in Indonesia now with a working permit (KITAS) or who plans to come to Indonesia for work in the near future. Are the Indonesians cutting off their noses to spite their faces with this proposed move?!
The idea of requiring foreign workers (or their employers) to "upload their working permit documents though an on-line system" is a great one; however, categorically requiring every foreign worker, without exception or exemption, to demonstrate proficiency in the Indonesian Bahasa language would mean that highly skilled technical, medical, engineering, aviation, or consultant type of professionals would only come from either the local labor force or pool and would exclude or effectively bar from employment foreign nationals who have expertise in certain areas (besides linguistics or Bahasa). Only those foreign nationals who have lived in Indonesia for quite some time or who have previously studied Bahasa or who have such bi-lingual language proficiency would be eligible to fill those positions or roles.
If this does get implemented, there should be a cross-country "reciprocity matrix" whereby another country will treat Indonesian diaspora or immigrants the same as a foreign national is treated in Indonesia. In other words, if a foreign national is required to demonstrate proficiency in Indonesian Bahasa language as a requisite to obtaining a working permit KITAS, then conversely Indonesians should be required to take the same test or be held to the same exact standard to be able to live (or work) in another country too. Fair is fair....
The idea of requiring foreign workers (or their employers) to "upload their working permit documents though an on-line system" is a great one; however, categorically requiring every foreign worker, without exception or exemption, to demonstrate proficiency in the Indonesian Bahasa language would mean that highly skilled technical, medical, engineering, aviation, or consultant type of professionals would only come from either the local labor force or pool and would exclude or effectively bar from employment foreign nationals who have expertise in certain areas (besides linguistics or Bahasa). Only those foreign nationals who have lived in Indonesia for quite some time or who have previously studied Bahasa or who have such bi-lingual language proficiency would be eligible to fill those positions or roles.
If this does get implemented, there should be a cross-country "reciprocity matrix" whereby another country will treat Indonesian diaspora or immigrants the same as a foreign national is treated in Indonesia. In other words, if a foreign national is required to demonstrate proficiency in Indonesian Bahasa language as a requisite to obtaining a working permit KITAS, then conversely Indonesians should be required to take the same test or be held to the same exact standard to be able to live (or work) in another country too. Fair is fair....
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Indonesian Media Needs to Cover Religion, Not Radicals
Here is an excellent article from the Jakarta Globe copied below which really makes an excellent point about covering the topic of religion in Indonesia in an objective and non-biased manner and in accordance to widely accepted journalistic norms or standards.
Indonesian media need to work together to ensure that religious extremists don’t have a voice in print, the International Association of Religion Journalists said on Wednesday.
“Don’t give any room to the hard-liners,” said Endy Bayuni, of the steering committee of IARJ. “Please cover them when they’re violating the law, but don’t give space to small group of people when they rally against something absurd. They used the media effectively and deceive the media to suit their own means.”
Journalists’ objectivity — which is usually present in business and political news — often gets forgotten when covering religion, Endy said before listing off examples of bias in coverage of religious conflicts with Shiites and Ahmadiyah.
“Islamophobia in the West in the past could not be set aside from the media,” Endy said. “The growing hatred among Muslims toward people of different religions is also influenced by the media.
When Indonesian media covered attacks against Ahmadiyah and Shia, many in the media called them heretics.”
The media should staff a religion beat with reporters committed to providing balanced and objective coverage, Endy said. Senior staffers need to remind young journalists of their responsibility to pluralism, he said.
“In most of [Indonesian] media, religion is not a prioritized beat,” he said. “There’s rarely news about religion on the front page or at the top of the news on TV unless it is a scandal or it involves violence. Even if the media does cover religion, they fail to do it according to good journalism standard.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Indonesian media need to work together to ensure that religious extremists don’t have a voice in print, the International Association of Religion Journalists said on Wednesday.
“Don’t give any room to the hard-liners,” said Endy Bayuni, of the steering committee of IARJ. “Please cover them when they’re violating the law, but don’t give space to small group of people when they rally against something absurd. They used the media effectively and deceive the media to suit their own means.”
Journalists’ objectivity — which is usually present in business and political news — often gets forgotten when covering religion, Endy said before listing off examples of bias in coverage of religious conflicts with Shiites and Ahmadiyah.
“Islamophobia in the West in the past could not be set aside from the media,” Endy said. “The growing hatred among Muslims toward people of different religions is also influenced by the media.
When Indonesian media covered attacks against Ahmadiyah and Shia, many in the media called them heretics.”
The media should staff a religion beat with reporters committed to providing balanced and objective coverage, Endy said. Senior staffers need to remind young journalists of their responsibility to pluralism, he said.
“In most of [Indonesian] media, religion is not a prioritized beat,” he said. “There’s rarely news about religion on the front page or at the top of the news on TV unless it is a scandal or it involves violence. Even if the media does cover religion, they fail to do it according to good journalism standard.”
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Mixed-Nationality Marriages (UU 6/2011)
Below is an article appearing in the Jakarta Post which gives an update on implementation of the new immigration law which affects foreign nationals living in Indonesia who are married to an Indonesian citizen with regard to obtaining either a temporary visit Visa (KITAS), or a permanent residency status or "PR" (KITAP), and also the right of a foreign national who is married to an Indonesian to work in Indonesia.
For a digest of other articles and background relating to this issue, please see my previous articles:
For a digest of other articles and background relating to this issue, please see my previous articles:
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Friday, April 5, 2013
United States - Indonesian Trade Relations
This article below appearing in the Jakarta Globe compounds my previous assertions that Indonesia will accept foreign aide from the United States (mainly in the form of contributions through the United States Agency on International Development or "USAID") and pay mere lip service to the U.S. in its foreign diplomatic relations; but then turns right around and blocks the U.S. from any meaningful or substantial bi-lateral trade agreements or commerce or military hardware or technologies purchases from the U.S.
Indonesia does do some marginal trade with the U.S.; however there is a big gap or trade deficit between the two countries. For further data on this, please see my previous article: "Indonesia Export / Import Trade Facts Summary"
It is very clear and obvious that Indonesia does not appreciate nor value the $200 +/- Million USD it receives from the U.S. !! The United States needs to wake up quickly and re-prioritize its foreign policies with regard to Indonesia. There are clearly no mutually beneficial or rewarding bi-lateral agreements between the two countries with regard to trade, commerce, or other "strategic" benefits or initiatives.
- Indonesia is one of USAID's "Top 20 Benefiting Countries" for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 - Indonesian is ranked number 16 in line to hold out their hands and receive $171,036,145 (one hundred seventy one MILLION, 36 thousand, one hundred forty five) U.S. Dollars (USD) from the United States through USAID alone in humanitarian and economic assistance.
- For FY2011, Indonesia received $252.3 MILLION in total Economic & Military Assistance from the United States.
Indonesia does do some marginal trade with the U.S.; however there is a big gap or trade deficit between the two countries. For further data on this, please see my previous article: "Indonesia Export / Import Trade Facts Summary"
It is very clear and obvious that Indonesia does not appreciate nor value the $200 +/- Million USD it receives from the U.S. !! The United States needs to wake up quickly and re-prioritize its foreign policies with regard to Indonesia. There are clearly no mutually beneficial or rewarding bi-lateral agreements between the two countries with regard to trade, commerce, or other "strategic" benefits or initiatives.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Indonesia Blocks US Request for WTO to Proble Farm Import Rules
Indonesia blocked a US request for World Trade Organization judges to
probe Indonesian curbs on imports of horticultural goods, animals and
animal products ranging from beef and vegetables to fruits and dried
flowers.
The US, which challenged Indonesia on Jan. 10, said non- automatic import licenses and quotas hinder trade and break global commerce rules. Indonesia won’t be able to block a second US request for the Geneva-based WTO to set up a panel of judges to rule on the complaint.
“Indonesia has created a complex web of import-licensing requirements that, along with quotas, have the effect of unfairly restricting US exports,” the US Trade Representative’s Office said in a March 14 statement from Washington.
“These measures appear to be designed to protect Indonesia’s domestic agriculture industry.” Indonesia adopted the rules in late 2011 and tightened them last September to include what the US called even more onerous requirements for horticultural imports.
In December, Indonesia announced “drastic reductions in quotas for beef and other animal product imports, further restricting access to the Indonesian market,” the USTR said.
The WTO challenge is the second initiated by the US against Indonesia. In 1998, judges backed a joint complaint by the US, the European Union and Japan over Indonesian measures favoring domestic automobile producers.
Indonesia has eased restrictions on some agricultural imports after the United States complained to the World Trade Organization over Jakarta's "opaque and complex" rules, the trade ministry said.
The US first raised the issue with the trade body in January, citing Indonesia's "broad use of import licensing measures that restrict imports" on a range of agricultural products.
It criticised the licensing system, which came into force last year, as "opaque and complex", saying it was inconsistent with Indonesia's WTO obligations and was having an impact on US exports to the country.
Last month Indonesia rejected a US request for the creation of a WTO panel to settle the dispute but late Wednesday the trade ministry said it had eased the restrictions.
The number of horticultural products regulated has been reduced by 18, the trade ministry said in a statement, adding that the new rules came into force on Monday. It made no mention of the WTO dispute.
The import of only 39 products would now be regulated, the ministry said. Products that are no longer regulated include garlic, garlic powder, chili powder and cabbage.
For those that are still regulated, the process to apply for import permits had been simplified and could now be done online.
"We want the permit process to be simpler and administration of imports to be more orderly so that a higher degree of business certainty can be achieved," said ministry official Bachrul Chairi.
The case has put Indonesia under the spotlight at a time that former trade minister Mari Pangestu is in the running to lead the WTO, and as the country gears up to host the trade body's ministerial meeting later this year.
The US, which challenged Indonesia on Jan. 10, said non- automatic import licenses and quotas hinder trade and break global commerce rules. Indonesia won’t be able to block a second US request for the Geneva-based WTO to set up a panel of judges to rule on the complaint.
“Indonesia has created a complex web of import-licensing requirements that, along with quotas, have the effect of unfairly restricting US exports,” the US Trade Representative’s Office said in a March 14 statement from Washington.
“These measures appear to be designed to protect Indonesia’s domestic agriculture industry.” Indonesia adopted the rules in late 2011 and tightened them last September to include what the US called even more onerous requirements for horticultural imports.
In December, Indonesia announced “drastic reductions in quotas for beef and other animal product imports, further restricting access to the Indonesian market,” the USTR said.
The WTO challenge is the second initiated by the US against Indonesia. In 1998, judges backed a joint complaint by the US, the European Union and Japan over Indonesian measures favoring domestic automobile producers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Indonesia Relaxes Import Rules After U.S. Goes to WTO
The US first raised the issue with the trade body in January, citing Indonesia's "broad use of import licensing measures that restrict imports" on a range of agricultural products.
It criticised the licensing system, which came into force last year, as "opaque and complex", saying it was inconsistent with Indonesia's WTO obligations and was having an impact on US exports to the country.
Last month Indonesia rejected a US request for the creation of a WTO panel to settle the dispute but late Wednesday the trade ministry said it had eased the restrictions.
The number of horticultural products regulated has been reduced by 18, the trade ministry said in a statement, adding that the new rules came into force on Monday. It made no mention of the WTO dispute.
The import of only 39 products would now be regulated, the ministry said. Products that are no longer regulated include garlic, garlic powder, chili powder and cabbage.
For those that are still regulated, the process to apply for import permits had been simplified and could now be done online.
"We want the permit process to be simpler and administration of imports to be more orderly so that a higher degree of business certainty can be achieved," said ministry official Bachrul Chairi.
The case has put Indonesia under the spotlight at a time that former trade minister Mari Pangestu is in the running to lead the WTO, and as the country gears up to host the trade body's ministerial meeting later this year.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
U.S. Immigration Reform Proposal from Barack Obama's Administration
U.S. President Barack Obama (the Indonesian "prodigal son") has laid out a new proposal or plan for U.S. immigration reform. Be careful who you vote for or support, as that political candidate can and does turn into a wolf in sheep's clothing.
The proposals will make it even more difficult for Indonesians to emigrate out from Indonesia and immigrate into the United States; and for any Indonesian Visa over-stays or illegal immigrants, don't expect lenient or blanket "amnesty" to be granted to you.
Here is a summary of President Obama's proposals below. Full story here.
The proposals will make it even more difficult for Indonesians to emigrate out from Indonesia and immigrate into the United States; and for any Indonesian Visa over-stays or illegal immigrants, don't expect lenient or blanket "amnesty" to be granted to you.
Here is a summary of President Obama's proposals below. Full story here.
"Gang Of
Eight"
A bipartisan
group of senators have come together to address the issue of immigration
reform. The group consists of four members of each party -- Democratic Sens.
Chuck Schumer of New York, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Bob Menendez of New Jersey
and Michael Bennet of Colorado, plus Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South
Carolina, Marco Rubio of Florida, John McCain of Arizona and Jeff Flake of
Arizona. Their framework was announced Monday.
Pathway To
Citizenship
A "tough
but fair" road to citizenship is the main tenet of the bipartisan
immigrant plan. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is the most significant supporter of
this idea, giving hope to those who doubt Republicans will support the plan.
The New Process
The new process of
obtaining citizenship would be just that -- a process. Probationary citizens would be required to pass an
additional background check, learn English, pay taxes and show that they have a
history of employment to apply for permanent residence and a green card.
Undocumented immigrants will receive green cards after all probationary citizens have been processed, ensuring that documented immigrants are addressed first.
Separate processes would be designed for young undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children and agricultural workers.
Undocumented immigrants will receive green cards after all probationary citizens have been processed, ensuring that documented immigrants are addressed first.
Separate processes would be designed for young undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children and agricultural workers.
Enforcement, Then
Green Cards
The first goal,
before any green cards are handed out, is to "demonstrate our commitment
to securing our borders and combating visa overstays," the senators say in
their framework.
Enhance Border
Security And Drones
Emphasizing
enforcement measures, the framework calls for increased boarder control,
including more border agents and aerial surveillance and drones. A new system
would be added to ensure visa stays are being adhered to, along with a
commission of border lawmakers to aid legislation.
Increase
Employment Verification
The senators have
proposed to create an "effective employment verification system" that
would help prevent identity theft while allowing employers to feel secure in
hiring documented immigrants.
No Benefits For
Probationary Immigrants
Immigrants who are in the probationary category would not
be eligible for federal benefits in the senators'
framework. This addresses
the concern that public benefits, particularly health-related ones, are being
spent on undocumented immigrants.
An Easier Path For
'The Best And Brightest'
The framework
recognizes that a different sort of process would be needed for "the best
and brightest," including highly-skilled workers and those with higher
education. This has been previously addressed in the STEM
Act which was ultimately vetoed by the White House.
Friday, January 11, 2013
How Muslims Are Treated in the USA vs. How Christians are Treated in Indonesia
I received a comment on one my articles that is so preposterous that it deserves it's own article. The comment was posted on my previous article below:
http://brianindonesiaexpat.blogspot.com/2012/05/indonesia-most-intollerant-country-in.html
I would not want this reader's comment (and my rebuttal) to be hidden in the original article above so I have devoted and dedicated a separate stand alone article (and web page) devoted to this issue.
Before I delve more into this issue, I want to thank the reader, Ms. Miranty Lestari in all sincerity for sending me her comments and remarks. The purpose of this rebuttal is not to harangue and berate Ms. Lestari, but to give a brief factual discussion and let the you the reader make their own independent conclusion(s). This open (and respectful) dialogue is EXACTLY what I set out to do and accomplish by this website; that is, to foster greater understanding between the people and government of the Republic of Indonesia and the people and government of the United States to foster better and more harmonious bilateral relationships between the two countries.
Here is the comment that I received:
First of all understand that this video was a "staged" or contrived experiment conducted by ABC News. It is a "what would happen if we did .X.." type of experiment. It is not representative of all of America nor provides a sole basis in and of itself upon which to drawn factual conclusions about how Muslims are treated in the United States. Trust me, a cashier would not be speaking like this (if he wanted to keep his job and not get fired) and if it were the owner, he would likely only care about how much his sales at the register are going, regardless who the paying customer was.
The only participants in this video clip who are not "actors" are the bystanders who witness this exchange between what appears to be a "Muslim" woman customer and the bakery store clerk or cashier. This was all staged and set up. The video camera angle taken of the cashier makes it look like this was a "sting" under-cover "hidden-camera" operation; but take a look at the camera angles taken of the "Muslim" woman customer which appears to be a POV (point of view) angle from the cashier's standpoint. Did they put a hidden camera on the unsuspecting cashier also or trespass in the store or break in at night the previous day to hide cameras behind the counter? Highly unlikely. As they admit, in this video clip, the producers staged all this. What you should watch this video clip for and focus on is not the commentary or analysis of the ABC News correspondents but the reactions of the non-participant actor bystanders.
You will note the follwoing of this video clip:
While racial or cultural or religious discrimination does take place in the United States it is the exception rather than the rule. We have protections against such injustices in America and we actively (and proactively) work to eradicate (and prosecute) such injustices.
We also do not have a social caste system or require (such as in Indonesia) for persons of the same faith only to be married; a practice known as endogamy. Even a man with the name of Barack [Obama] who has Muslim proclivities and is an African American black or negro can be President of the United States.
All of these FREEDOMS and LIBERTIES and RIGHTS of the citizens (and non-citizen immigrants) are what make the United States such a great nation and why so many immigrants from oppressed nations or societies want to flock to the U.S. in droves. Our Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. Flag states in part,
There cannot be true "religious freedom" when a particular faith is so regulated as stipulated above. Moreover, how can a government declare true "religious freedom" when it only recognizes 6 of the nearly 42 or more basic belief systems in the world?! Furthermore, true "religious freedom" would include the right to worship, or not to worship or be subject to any religion or have any religion imposed on you, as the case may be.
http://brianindonesiaexpat.blogspot.com/2012/05/indonesia-most-intollerant-country-in.html
I would not want this reader's comment (and my rebuttal) to be hidden in the original article above so I have devoted and dedicated a separate stand alone article (and web page) devoted to this issue.
Before I delve more into this issue, I want to thank the reader, Ms. Miranty Lestari in all sincerity for sending me her comments and remarks. The purpose of this rebuttal is not to harangue and berate Ms. Lestari, but to give a brief factual discussion and let the you the reader make their own independent conclusion(s). This open (and respectful) dialogue is EXACTLY what I set out to do and accomplish by this website; that is, to foster greater understanding between the people and government of the Republic of Indonesia and the people and government of the United States to foster better and more harmonious bilateral relationships between the two countries.
Here is the comment that I received:
"Seems like you have forgotten about your country America. Their intolerant for a Muslim is very high. Have you seen YouTube and how Muslim is treated in there? Here is an example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHCIVzG1dUEFirst let's all watch the video clip together that Ms. Lestari puts forward as a premise for her assumption and for her point of view. The video clip is originally a broadcast of the ABC News series "What Would You Do?" with John Quinones.
At least in Indonesia, every non-Muslim still can pray and have their religion attribute.
Just want to remind you to see from 2 different side :)"
First of all understand that this video was a "staged" or contrived experiment conducted by ABC News. It is a "what would happen if we did .X.." type of experiment. It is not representative of all of America nor provides a sole basis in and of itself upon which to drawn factual conclusions about how Muslims are treated in the United States. Trust me, a cashier would not be speaking like this (if he wanted to keep his job and not get fired) and if it were the owner, he would likely only care about how much his sales at the register are going, regardless who the paying customer was.
The only participants in this video clip who are not "actors" are the bystanders who witness this exchange between what appears to be a "Muslim" woman customer and the bakery store clerk or cashier. This was all staged and set up. The video camera angle taken of the cashier makes it look like this was a "sting" under-cover "hidden-camera" operation; but take a look at the camera angles taken of the "Muslim" woman customer which appears to be a POV (point of view) angle from the cashier's standpoint. Did they put a hidden camera on the unsuspecting cashier also or trespass in the store or break in at night the previous day to hide cameras behind the counter? Highly unlikely. As they admit, in this video clip, the producers staged all this. What you should watch this video clip for and focus on is not the commentary or analysis of the ABC News correspondents but the reactions of the non-participant actor bystanders.
You will note the follwoing of this video clip:
- There were only two people in this experiment who condoned or gave approval of the cashiers treatment of the "Muslim" woman; a man who gives the "thumbs up" and exits the store and gets in the passenger side of a red SUV, and another older man in a floral or "batik" looking shirt.
- Nearly ALL of the other customers were so outraged over the injustice that they actually came to the "Muslim" woman's defense including a very patriotic gentleman who says his son is in the military and just returned from Iraq/Afghanistan (he is later in tears about the incident when interviewed). He steps forward and confronts the cashier in support of the "Muslim" woman and tells the cashier that he has violated her rights and tells the cashier how "deeply offended" he was.
- The professor's commentary analysis at the 5:14 mark in the video states that the bystanders who came to the Muslim woman's defense were actually "Defending America" for a "just and fair society"!
- The bystanders who witnessed this were even moved to tears over this [staged] injustice.
- at the 5:45 mark in the video the "results" of this experiment are revealed where they state that "at the end of the day, 13 people stood up for the Muslim woman, while 6 sided with the clerk"
- they say or claim at the 6:08 mark in the video that the majority (22 people) "did or said nothing". Actually ABC news does not know that they in fact "did nothing" and cannot make that claim as some of these 22 people, while not confronting the cashier directly as the others, may have in fact been so outraged that they filed a complaint against the bakery over the actions and comments of the cashier and the bakery.
- notwithstanding these others who appeared to "not want to get involved" there were MANY store patrons WHO DID STEP FORWARD to say something and confront the cashier in support of the Muslim woman vowing never to return to the bakery again because they were so outraged.
While racial or cultural or religious discrimination does take place in the United States it is the exception rather than the rule. We have protections against such injustices in America and we actively (and proactively) work to eradicate (and prosecute) such injustices.
- Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Hate Crimes that are investigated by the FBI.
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
- Fair Housing - Equal Opportunity
- Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC)
We also do not have a social caste system or require (such as in Indonesia) for persons of the same faith only to be married; a practice known as endogamy. Even a man with the name of Barack [Obama] who has Muslim proclivities and is an African American black or negro can be President of the United States.
All of these FREEDOMS and LIBERTIES and RIGHTS of the citizens (and non-citizen immigrants) are what make the United States such a great nation and why so many immigrants from oppressed nations or societies want to flock to the U.S. in droves. Our Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. Flag states in part,
"One Nation Under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice FOR ALL" [emphasis added]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now let's take a juxtapositioned look at Indonesia:
If we were to conduct this same experiment in Jakarta or elsewhere in Indonesia, would Muslims come to the defense of a Christian??!! Hell NO is the answer! I lived in Indonesia for several years by the way so I speak from first hand experience. I would volunteer to be the video experiment subject in Indonesia but chances are very high (and probable) that I would be severely beaten or even killed.
Ms. Lestari opines that, "At least in
Indonesia, every non-Muslim still can pray and have their religion attribute."
Oh really??!! Not true at all! Just ask the beleaguered GKI Yasmin Christian church congregation in Bogor whether they agree with you, Ms. Lesatri! If what you said was true we would not find articles in the news commonplace such as this:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/gki-yasmin-denied-christmas-service-in-bogor-church-again/563498
Nor would Indonesia rank so very low in the list of most tolerant countries in the world. Indonesia however ranks very high on the list of countries with the worst Human Rights issues and lack of transparency in government administration and accountability.
There is even a "Minister of Religious Affairs" in Indonesia whose job it is to quash Christianity in Indonesia. The Minister did not want to get involved by the way in the appeals of the GKI Yasmin Christian congregation in Indonesia whose church was forcibly shut down. Shouldn't he in fact be upholding justice and the Indonesian Constitution?
Notwithstanding any such declaration of "religious freedom" in
the Indonesian Constitution, one can clearly see where Christianity is
being quashed, repressed or "controlled" in Indonesia through official
government and bureaucratic processes which aim to clearly restrict
Christianity in Indonesia. There is in fact a government agency, The Ministry of Religious Affairs,
whose objective is to do just that; quash, suppress or "control"
Christianity in Indonesia. Their website states, with regard to
Christian "Guidance" and official government policy, that their
objective is to:
- formulate and define the vision, mission, policy and technical guidance in the field of Christian community based on the implementation of policies established by the Minister and based on Regulation of legislation that applies;
- formulation of standardization, norms, guidelines, criteria, procedures and guidance in the field of Christian community;
- implementation of policy guidance in the field of Christian community;
- provision of technical evaluation and implementation tasks;
- implementation of the directorate-general administration.
There cannot be true "religious freedom" when a particular faith is so regulated as stipulated above. Moreover, how can a government declare true "religious freedom" when it only recognizes 6 of the nearly 42 or more basic belief systems in the world?! Furthermore, true "religious freedom" would include the right to worship, or not to worship or be subject to any religion or have any religion imposed on you, as the case may be.
While I lived in Jakarta I witnessed the very few stand alone Christian church buildings. The few that I did see were either closed or boarded up and with hatred graffiti spray painted
all over the exterior walls. Very disturbing and sickening indeed! :''
(
Also, with so many few building permits being granted for stand alone Christian church buildings, most Christian churches are forced to locate in commercial buildings hidden from view for the most part from and by the majority Muslim public.
Now I ask you, Ms. Lesatari; can "every non-Muslim still can pray and have their religion attribute." as you so confidently proclaim ?
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Indonesian Rupiah to be Re-Denominated (3 zeros at end to be cut off)
Some of my articles tend to be critical of life in Indonesia, but I also believe in giving positive and encouraging feedback as well.
Bank of Indonesia will re-denominate the Rupiah (IDR) by cutting off 3 zeros
behind the denominational bills starting in 2013.
For example:
Rp 50.000 will become Rp 50 (approximtely $5 USD)
Rp 100.000 will become. Rp 100 (approximately $10 USD)
The current exchange rate as of the time this article was written is: $1 USD = 9,635 IDR
This will make things so much easier! Kudos to Bank of Indonesia for doing this!
Vehicular Travel Restrictions Into Jakarta
The newly elected Governor of Jakarta, Ir. Joko Widodo (a/k/a "Jokowi"), has enacted a new government regulation that will go into effect March 2013.
Effective in March of the New Year:
Already, you can spot a huge injustice. Those who were fortunate, by fate or other means, to already have been issued an odd number license plate will be allowed ingress to Jakarta 3 days of the week; while people who have been issued even number plates will only be allowed ingress 2 days of the week - assuming a traditional work week schedule of Monday through Friday.
For the rich and affluent (Indonesians or expats) who live in areas of Jakarta like Pondok Indah or Kemang, they can just buy another car or use another car that has the alternate odd/even license plate number as a way of circumventing this new regulation. But those people live and/or work in Jakarta already.
But what about the less affluent people who live in outlying areas of Jakarta (such as Bekasi, Bogor, Cibubur, Citeureup, etc) and rely on vehicular transportation to work in Jakarta because there is no reliable, safe and clean public transportation system as we know it in the United States?
As in most major metropolitan areas in the U.S., people work in the cities for the higher salaries and better job opportunities (but often cannot afford the higher rents or housing prices in the city) and must therefore live outside the city to find affordable housing.
Those people who live outside the city and must commute into Jakarta on a daily basis (and who are unfortunate to have been issued an even number license plate) will be affected and hurt the most, as they will only be allowed into Jakarta 2 days of the normal work week (Tuesday & Thursday). You can see where this is leading....
This new ruling, like many I have seen in Indonesia, is counter intuitive and not clearly thought out. This is going to be an absolute disaster if fully implemented in March 2013. Expect to see even further police corruption as a result of this; chaos, mass protests, demonstrations and ensuing violence erupting on the streets of Jakarta like Gunung Merapi as a result of this most ill-conceived plan.
This is like putting a Band-Aid on a wound that requires a tourniquet. The solution is to address and fix the GROSSLY inadequate infra-structure in and around Jakarta!
National Geographic (NatGeo) did a great piece called "MegaCities" which featured a segment on Jakarta and documented some of these woefully inadequate infra-structure issues. The Jakarta "MegaCities" segment can be seen if you click here.
For an idea what driving in and around Jakarta is like, click here.
The United States did do this odd/even license plate type of restriction in the late 1970's during the Carter administration; however, the restriction was on getting gasoline at the pumps and not on driving per se.
Effective in March of the New Year:
- vehicles with even number license plates will only be allowed into Jakarta on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
- vehicles with odd number license plates will only be allowed into Jakarta on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- Sunday is free unrestricted travel for all vehicles.
Already, you can spot a huge injustice. Those who were fortunate, by fate or other means, to already have been issued an odd number license plate will be allowed ingress to Jakarta 3 days of the week; while people who have been issued even number plates will only be allowed ingress 2 days of the week - assuming a traditional work week schedule of Monday through Friday.
For the rich and affluent (Indonesians or expats) who live in areas of Jakarta like Pondok Indah or Kemang, they can just buy another car or use another car that has the alternate odd/even license plate number as a way of circumventing this new regulation. But those people live and/or work in Jakarta already.
But what about the less affluent people who live in outlying areas of Jakarta (such as Bekasi, Bogor, Cibubur, Citeureup, etc) and rely on vehicular transportation to work in Jakarta because there is no reliable, safe and clean public transportation system as we know it in the United States?
As in most major metropolitan areas in the U.S., people work in the cities for the higher salaries and better job opportunities (but often cannot afford the higher rents or housing prices in the city) and must therefore live outside the city to find affordable housing.
Those people who live outside the city and must commute into Jakarta on a daily basis (and who are unfortunate to have been issued an even number license plate) will be affected and hurt the most, as they will only be allowed into Jakarta 2 days of the normal work week (Tuesday & Thursday). You can see where this is leading....
This new ruling, like many I have seen in Indonesia, is counter intuitive and not clearly thought out. This is going to be an absolute disaster if fully implemented in March 2013. Expect to see even further police corruption as a result of this; chaos, mass protests, demonstrations and ensuing violence erupting on the streets of Jakarta like Gunung Merapi as a result of this most ill-conceived plan.
This is like putting a Band-Aid on a wound that requires a tourniquet. The solution is to address and fix the GROSSLY inadequate infra-structure in and around Jakarta!
National Geographic (NatGeo) did a great piece called "MegaCities" which featured a segment on Jakarta and documented some of these woefully inadequate infra-structure issues. The Jakarta "MegaCities" segment can be seen if you click here.
For an idea what driving in and around Jakarta is like, click here.
The United States did do this odd/even license plate type of restriction in the late 1970's during the Carter administration; however, the restriction was on getting gasoline at the pumps and not on driving per se.
When is the Best Time to Buy Your Airline Ticket?
The best time to book your flight is on a Tuesday, at least 8 weeks (2 months) before your intended trip; however, there are also last minute travel deals as well if you are prepared to up and go within days of booking your flight.
The days of the week that you depart and arrive on also make a big difference. Generally speaking, try to avoid leaving out and returning home on a weekend day.
The time of day can also be a factor as well. You might find that a "red-eye flight" (leaving at night and arriving in the morning - or conversely leaving at the crack of dawn and arriving at night) may give you a better fare than leaving during the middle of the day. Be flexible with your days and times if at all possible.
Unless you're booking some last minute travel deal, booking a flight less than 2 full weeks prior to departure will be the most expensive. Also, remember the "Goldilocks Rule" of air travel; don't book too early and definitely don't book to late.
(this does not constitute an endorsement for Bank of America)
Here are some other tips:
Travel Midweek
International travel deals are entirely based on availability and since most people travel over the weekend (Friday & Saturday); you will find the cheapest international airfare deals if you travel midweek, usually departing and returning on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
Spend Saturday night
Business travelers fly home on the weekend, so most discounted international airfare deals require a Saturday night stay. So be prepared to spend Saturday at your destination (party time!)
Don’t book too Early or Too Late
When it comes to cheap international airfares, you have to follow the Goldilocks rule: Don’t book too early or too late. We all know that an international ticket booked with less than 3 days notice will be very expensive, but it will also be pricy if you book too far in advance. Most airlines start competing for passengers around three to four months before departure; this is known as the “Goldilocks Zone”. Search for your international airfare about three to five months out and you will be in the best position to hit the international airfare deal jackpot.
Fly Trough the Side Door
If your desired destination is sold out (too expensive), try flying out of a secondary international airport (Boston vs JFK or San Francisco vs Los Angeles). The same works with your destination airports; If London is sold out (expensive), try Brussels, Amsterdam or even Stuttgart. You can use the savings to book a low cost inter Europe flight to London or you can jump on the Eurostar train from Paris or Brussels.
Fly Seasonally
Most budget travelers never fly during high season. They take advantage of the lower airfares and decent weather during the ‘shoulder season’. Europe’s fall shoulder season starts around September 15th and extends until the middle of November. It’s spring shoulder season starts in mid February and extends until the end of April. For the cheapest deals to New Zealand and Australia, fly in mid August, their fall and winters are quite mild and still allow you to enjoy the many outdoor adventures available Down Under. For Asia, fly from late September through November to get the lowest airfare deals. South America’s low season is anytime it’s not Christmas, New Year’s, Carnival or a school holiday.
Use the Multiple Flights Function
Vayama has a ‘multiple flights’ function on it’s ‘find a flight’ box. It’s a good idea to use it because it may be cheaper to fly into one city and return from another (for example; New York to London, returning from Amsterdam). Play around with different combinations and save.
Add a Stopover and Save
Direct flights (those with one stop) are also cheaper than nonstop flights, particularly when you fly long haul. For example the fares for a New York to Johannesburg flight will be cheaper on airlines that add a stopover (usually in Europe, Africa or the Middle East) versus the nonstop option from New York. The same applies to long haul flights to Asia. One stop in Seoul or Taipei could shave hundreds of dollars off an India trip when compared to nonstop flights.
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