IBeNimages & Words

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Archive for Current Affairs

There Goes the Positive Sentiment (..and Manchester United)

There goes the bomb... and my favourite team

There goes the bomb... and my favourite team

*Boom*

There goes the positive sentiment of this country. On Friday morning, 17 July 2009, two bombs blasted on J.W. Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotel in Mega Kuningan, Jakarta.

The coward terrorists did it again. The innocent people died again.

The nation, especially the capital city Jakarta, was left in shock. The stock index is plummeting. The Rupiah is weakening. Travel ban to this country is re-enacted. Our country credit risk will get higher. Many plans are cancelled. Including the coming of my favourite football team, Manchester United, which is scheduled to play against Indonesia football team this coming Monday.

Well, if I don’t feel safe walking around the street of Jakarta right now, how can we expect Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick feel comfortable coming here?

Great job, terrorist. May you rot in hell.

Apa Yang Bisa Kita Pelajari Dari Pemilu Presiden 2009?

Pemilu 2009 logo

Apakah Anda Memilih?

Pemilihan Umum Presiden 2009 baru saja berlalu. Terlepas dari berbagai macam drama, seperti kekisruhan DPT, atau pisah-pilih calon presiden dan wapres, tetap saja Pilpres 2009 berakhir dengan hasil yang banyak diramalkan semua pihak: SBY, the incumbent, memenangkan Pilpres 2009 dalam satu putaran. Memang ini masih berdasarkan quick count, tapi menilik dari pengalaman pada pileg atau pilpres sebelumnya, biasanya hasil penghitungan akhir versi KPU tidak akan berbeda jauh.

Begitu banyak hal menarik yang bisa dikemukakan dari “pesta demokrasi” setiap 5 tahun ini. Berikut beberapa hal yang menarik perhatian saya:

  1. Masih dominannya preferensi pemilih Indonesia pada sosok “figur” teladan. Di tengah-tengah maraknya kampanye Pilpres 2009, saya sempat mengkritisi strategi kampanye SBY yang terlihat “basi” dan “normatif”. Iklan kampanye yang hanya menampilkan sosok SBY sebagai seorang manusia yang “baik, jujur dan memiliki keluarga yang harmonis” saya rasa akan tertinggal dengan kampanya dua capres lain yang terlihat lebih progresif dan lebih berorientasi program. Ambil saja contoh, program JK-Win yang menelurkan program “Pinjaman untuk Pemuda 3-20 juta”,  yang saya rasa konkrit dan menarik (kendati implementasinya bagaimana, saya meragukan). Tapi kenyataannya, JK-Win dalam Pilpres 2009 ini hanya mandapat nomor buncit.Sebetulnya, yang sebetulnya telah dipahami oleh tim sukses SBY adalah masih dominannya preferensi pemilih untuk memilih presidennya berdasarkan persepsi akan figur presiden tersebut. Sahabat saya, yang kebetulan punya root dari desa, mengatakan kepada saya saat saya mengkritisi iklan SBY di atas. Dia mengatakan, “Ben, kalau orang desa itu memang kalau milih pemimpin, pasti milih orang karena ‘ ketoke iki wong apik, jujur’, bukan program-programnya”. Terbukti mungkin hal tersebut benar. Read the rest of this entry »

Money Talks and Masters 08

Money, money, money

 

My passionate coverage of Master 08 ends prematurely. My satellite TV provider (Astro) was suspended due to “operation inspection” from Ministry of Information and Communication Indonesia.

This sudden action really pissed me off. Why do they do this on the weekend (when all the primetime shows are aired)? Why do they do this now? Why was there no prior explanation to the customers?

Learning from Indonesia experience in the past, the motive behind all of this may not be far off from Money. Nothing else. Maybe Astro did not pay enough “royalties” to the government? Probably. Maybe Astro’s direct competitor sponsors the ministry to do this? Possibly. Maybe the ministry would like to protect the people of Indonesia? Bah! In your wildest dream. Ok, maybe Astro does not comply to several regulations, but please, can you please do this on better timing? With proper explanation. This way, the customers are the ones who suffer most.

Sorry for the “passionate” whining. I was too mad to realize I can’t watch the live telecast of Masters last night.

Oh, by the way, Tiger is 7 shots back. Trevor Immelman shots another 68 that made him on the top of leaderboard. Phil Mickelson will be one of the worthy contender this time around, with 68 of his own made him only three shots back. Tiger will need miraculous charge to get his Grand Slam bid stay intact.

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