Asia's Best Restaurants

KuDeTa and Mozaic Ranked Among Bali’s Top 20 Eateries by Miele Guide.

The prestigious Miele Guide has recognized two Bali restaurants among its list of the top 20 Asian Restaurants.

In an award ceremony held in Macau, October 20, 2010, Ubud’s Mozaic Gastronomique was ranked 6th best while Kuta’s KuDeTa came in at the 18th slot.

The Miele Guide was created in 2008 in order to recognize Asia’s best chefs and restaurants. This annual publication evaluates restaurants across the region and releases an annual ranking and profiling of Asia’s Top 20 restaurants. The rankings are based on the opinions of restaurant critics and food writers, a popular public vote, and the votes of The Miele Guide’s invited jury, as well as anonymous tastings conducted by The Miele Guide’s contributing editors and editorial team.

 

The 2010/2011 edition of The Miele Guide features 450 restaurants across 17 Asian countries : Brunei, Cambodia, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

The Winners:

The top 20 eateries in the latest edition of the Miele Restaurant Guide for Asia: Iggy’s (Singapore), L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Hong Kong), Robuchon a Galera (Macau), Jaan (Singapore), Antonio’s (Cavite, Philippines), Mozaic Grastonomique (Bali), Cilantro (Malaysia), L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Tokyo), Caprice (Hong Kong), Les Amis (Singapore), Yung Kee (Singapore), Yung Kee (Hong Kong), Gunther’s Modern French Cuisine (Singapore), Bukhara(New Delhi), Tippling Club (Singapore), Nobu (Hong Kong), Dum Pukht (Mumbai), Ku De Ta (Bali), Bo Innovation (Hong Kong) and Beijing Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant (Beijing).

Source: Balidiscovery.com

World’s Most Beautiful Undersea : Derawan Islands

If you like marine tourism, visit the Marine Conservation Area (MPA) Derawan Islands, Berau, East Kalimantan, newsworthy event. Although only developed into tourist attractions, the potential and beauty of the waters is not inferior to other regions. This region is the sea and mangrove areas are arranged for purposes of sustainable fisheries activities, marine tourism, research, and socio-economic development of society, and the utilization of other marine resources sustainably. There are currently no direct flights to get to this area. 

The flight from Jakarta to Balikpapan only to replace the small plane to Cape Redeb, the capital of Berau District. From Cape Redeb using the speedboat to the island Derawan. It took an hour down the river to reach the estuary. Do not be surprised if you see so many step on the chart. This chart is owned by the local population and the number could be thousands. On the island there are several cottages Derawan. Sea water in this area clean and clear with white sand that stretch. Derawan Islands located in the Celebes Sea, on the coast of Berau, East Kalimantan, overlooking the mouth of the estuary of the River known as Kelai and Berau Delta. This archipelago consists of six large group of islands, namely Pulau Derawan, Sangalaki Island, Kakaban, Maratua Island, Long Island, Pulau Samama, and several small islands and coral clusters.

There are 21 islands in the archipelago. Derawan Islands group is only a fraction of the hundreds of islands in the east coast of East Kalimantan islands totaling 248. Of these, 138 did not have the name of the island, two islands of Sipadan and Ligitan lost, belonging to Malaysia. Waters in this island known as one of the diving spot or the best dive sites in the world. Marine tourism and conservation be developed into tourist submarine is famous for coral reefs are very beautiful. By using a snorkel you can enjoy the beauty of coral reefs under the sea because the water is very clear.

Do not need all the way out to sea, about 100 meters from shore, fish and colorful coral reefs can be enjoyed by renting snorkel Rp 50,000 per day. As for scuba equipment rental (self containing breathing underwater apparatus) approximately USD400,000. Series of islands stretching Derawan more than 100mil along the coast of East Kalimantan, is one of the region’s most biologically rich in Indonesia. On the islands of the River Berau water mixes with water from the Celebes Sea to create a unique landscape with the characteristics of a broad river delta toward the scattered reef, the coral reefs and atolls.

Derawan Islands there are more than 460 species of coral. This makes Derawan Islands as areas with the highest diversity of hard coral in the world number two after the Raja Ampat Islands in Eastern Indonesia. The study also notes that there is more than 870 species of fish, ranging from Pygmy seahorses are very small to giant manta rays. Very often found in a large group of manta rays, amounting to 50 tail was visible were foraging in the waters Derawan. Variety of flora and fauna are also found in this area include: 347 species of reef fish; 222 types of mollusks (including 5 types of chemicals); 27 types of crustaceans, 183 species of coral; 7 seagrass species; and other biota such as rare green turtles (Chelonia mydas) , hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), dugongs (Dugong dugori), fish belebele / Napoleon (Cheilinus undulatus], shell clam (Tridacna sp.), and crab crab (Birgus latrd).

Several types of biota significant economic value that exists between different shrimp lobsters, grouper, red fish, kurisi fish, sharks, sea cucumbers, and oysters. Some rock groups, like the Moras, latitude, Malalangun, Gasongan, Baliulin and also in Masimbung Derawan Islands. Waters around this reef ecosystems under the sea has a very amazing. The beauty of coral reefs, the diversity of different types of coral, fish and biota of reefs and white sandy beaches clean the charm of this place. A number of rare animals in Indonesia now East of snail species found in some of these coral islands. This area is also famous for its habitat for green turtle (Chelonia mydas) are rare and the largest in Indonesia. Derawan Islands as one of the richest and most unique in the world could be your next destination. Make sure you schedule it on the next vacation.

Source: Daydaily.com

Unearthing Papua

Baliem Valley and the Dani tribe waited a long time to be discovered. Papuan highland belongs to one the most recently explored New Guinea areas. The tall mountains in west Papua (Irian Jaya) were generally considered as uninhabited. No sooner than 1398 did the pilot Richard Archbold notice that there was something special about the deep, and large valley situated among the four-thousand meter tall mountains. In the valley there were clearly recognizable fields, similar to those he knew from Europe. The Baliem valley and Dani tribe were discovered by pure luck.

Baliem Valley, inhabited by the Dani tribe, is the most fertile part of the highland covering the west of the New Guinea Island – Papua (Irian Jaya). Baliem Valley lies about 1800 m above the sea level, and it is surrounded by a crest of mountians some of which reach up to 4500 m. There are even some fish in the Baliem River which flows through the valley. The area covered by the Baliem valley is not large, roughly 60×30 km.

The first missionary, Loyd van Stone, parachuted there as late as 1954. Only then did the civilization of the Baliem valley, and Dani and Lani tribes, begin. Since then, the Baliem valley has become a gate for discovering the west of the Papua highland. No road has been built there yet, but in Wamana a large airport was built, and supplies are now transported by large freight airplanes. American Hercules planes brought vans and construction machinery. Thanks to this, a large network of asphalt roads could emerge, brick houses were built, etc. Despite all these developments, the Baliem valley is still dominated by the straw roofs of the Dani tribe.

Dani Tribe – West Papua Head-hunters

Danis are an indigenous tribe, which dwelled in the Baliem valley in the time of its discovery. Danis belong to some the “most decorative” tribes in the west Papua.

Their fondness for “dressing up” shows the most during the time of war. You have probably seen the famous photos of Dani tribe members with boar tusks in their noses, and headdresses made of Paradise birds feathers. Dani men only wear long and thin kotekas. The women Danis wear short skirts woven from orchid fibers, decorated with straw, and with indispensable woven bags called “noken” across their backs. Similar to the women of the Yali tribe, the Dani women wear short skirts below their butts.

Despite the fact that Danis were discovered quite late – in 1938, they became one of the best known tribes in New Guinea. Dani occupied one of the most fertile parts of Papua. As a result they often had to fight for their territory. There were also frequent wars among the Danis themselves. They were the most dreaded head-hunting tribe on the island, which is even more remarkable if we consider that they did not eat their enemies, like the majority of other Papuan tribes did.

Dani build round or oval huts, and their villages are enclosed by fences. They are farmers, and their small fields are distinctly bordered. This is what helped Richard Archbold spot them from the plane. The Dani tribe’s customs and culture are very rich and interesting. Several pages could be written on these topics.

The main reason that the Dani tribe is so well known, is that the Baliem valley where they live, is relatively easy to reach these days. Wamena was a point of departure for many expeditions. The Dani villages are visited by virtually every tourist who sets out in west Papua. Some villages even show their original customs and hold mock wars.

Another thing which brought fame to the Dani tribe are the several hundred years old ”smoked” mummies of famous tribesmen. Two of them can be seen in the Baliem valley – in Akima and Jiwika villages.

Extracting salt by immersing banana stems in salt lakes is another relatively well known custom. The Dani tribe is also notorious for the following custom that if someone dies in the village, then each of his female relatives will have a segment of their finger cut off. The mutilated hands of women can still be seen in Dani villages, despite the fact that missionaries tried to purge them of this custom.

Source : http://www.papuatrekking.com

Wild Wilder Wildest

Guys udah nonton the latest series on Animal Planet, aptly named “Wild Indonesia”? Easily one of my favorite TV show now,that show ia mind blowing for me...it shows how great Indoneisa is. Follow them as they take you on the road less travelled, as they open your eyes to fantastic stories and mysteries of our beloved Indonesia.

below are  the press release by Animal Planet on what the show is all about:

The Indonesian archipelago is a bizarre mix of hidden unperturbed nature and traffic-clogged cities. Though her cities grapple with seething urban evolution and religious tension, most of Indonesia’s territory remains unexplored, concealing a bounty of cultures, wildlife, and myriad of landscapes. Featuring a special line-up of four popular adventure-packed programmes, Animal Planet’s INDONESIA UNDISCOVERED goes on a journey through the archipelago – from the heart of the rainforest to the tops of the volcanoes, from a primate power struggle to the plight of the great Mola-Mola.

With more than 17,000 islands straddling the equator across nearly 5,000 km, the Indonesian archipelago is teeming with weird and wonderful flora and fauna. Animal Planet’s INDONESIA UNDISCOVERED takes you on an eye-opening journey with WILD INDONESIA: ISLAND CASTAWAYS, EQUATOR: BATTLES FOR THE LIGHT, THE ORANGUTAN KING and GREAT OCEAN ADVENTURES 2: THE GIANT SUNFISH.

There are 155 active volcanoes in Indonesia today. With an eruption rate of one per day, it is the most violent volcanic region on Earth. What happens to the wildlife when these volcanoes erupt? WILD INDONESIA: ISLAND CASTAWAY chronicles the survival instincts of castaways, which have been isolated on the distant islands of Komodo, Sulawesi and Borneo.

Seemingly calm to outsiders, the rainforests of Southeast Asia are a vicious battleground as the hundreds and thousands of species that inhabit it fight for light, food and life. In EQUATOR: BATTLES FOR THE LIGHT, witness how rapid evolution encourages cunning strategies that help plants and animals stake their claims in this complex environment.

Meet Kusasi, The Orangutan King, who is faced with a crisis. After 15 years as the unchallenged alpha male of Camp Leakey, a new rival enters the game. Unlike Kusasi, Win is in his prime – with time on his side. Is the young pretender powerful enough to overthrow the old ruler?

Go on a mission on GREAT OCEAN ADVENTURES 2: THE GIANT SUNFISH as a trail of tantalising clue leads host Monty Halls to Bali’s most remote locations for a heart stopping encounter with the largest bony fish in the sea: the Giant Sunfish, or Mola-Mola.

INDONESIA UNCOVERED leaves no stone unturned. Come along and uncover the magic and mystery of Indonesia on Animal Planet.

And I can’t help smiling when I read a comment made by Laura Humpreys, one of the crew members who shot this tv series. She said, and I quote,

“When it came to filming “Wild Indonesia,” the hardest challenge was deciding exactly what to include. With 17,000 islands that support over 2,000 species of birds and mammals, more living forms than in the whole continent of Africa, we were spoiled for choice.”

Now, isn’t that something we should be proud of?

AND HERE IS ONE OF THE VIDEO : Wild Indonesia

Source: Animal Planet , GNFI

Tim Severin’s Heaven on Earth

Guys...pada tau gak Tim Severin itu siapa?? he's a very famous British explorer, historian and writer. Severin is noted for his work in retracing the legendary journeys of historical figures. Udah banyak banget karyanya yang dipublish dan dapet penghargaan International. Nah salah satu tulisannya ada yang tentang Pulau Banda. wanna know about it?? this is another good news for you :)

I fell in love with the Banda Islands, a group of 10 lush volcanic islands in Indonesia, when I visited them a few years ago. I sailed down there on a prahu – a small native sailing boat with a rectangular sail – and discovered a rare part of the world that was absolutely unspoilt and idyllic.

The islands were colonised by the Dutch, who grew nutmeg there, and for a long time they were virtually the world’s only source of the spice. It’s estimated that the Dutch sold more than a million guilders worth of nutmeg – all from these tiny islands.

As a result of the Dutch connection, the islands are dotted with these lovely Dutch colonial houses, many of which have survived thanks to the islands’ remoteness. What’s more, they are blessed with the most stunning scenery, most notably a volcano called Gunung Api (Fire Mountain), which has a wonderful interior lagoon.

I’ve also flown to the islands from a little place called Ambon and travelled through the archipelago as part of a five-man expedition. We cooked and slept on the boat. However, if you’re looking for accommodation, I can recommend the Hotel Maulana (0062 910 21022). The local cuisine is very good. It’s reasonably hot, the fish is delicious and the tropical fruits – bananas, durian, mangoes, paw paw, you name it – are delicious.

The weather is best from September to April, when the seas are calm, and while some parts of the Far East have a reputation for piracy, in my experience the Banda Islands are pretty safe. If you go, sail around the islands, admire the amazing local wildlife, visit a nutmeg plantation and go diving – the islands have the most beautiful reefs, not to mention the clearest waters where you can bathe.

Getting there might take some planning but this really is an earthly paradise – there are likely to be few, if any, other tourists and yet it’s one of the most dramatic and beautiful places on the planet.

Source : Telegraph.co.uk

Progo River Bridge, 1 Of Only 2 Of Its Kind In The World

Indonesia is host to various (even countless) uniqueness, sites or things you can visit and admire.

A railway bridge spanning over Progo river, in Kutoarjo, Yogyakarta is one among many. What so unique about the bridge which is originally called Bijlaard Bent is that this bridge doesn’t have pillar in the center. There are only two bridges of this kind in the world, one in Kutoarjo, other is in Netherlands which is not used anymore.

This bridge has been used since 1957, and it still stands firmly even though many trains pass by everyday. It was designed by CD Mausart on 1930 and considered saver than any conventional railway bridge, because there is no pillar standing in the center of the bridge, obstructing the river flows. Progo Railway bridge holds on a roller under it and was constructed using the finest frame steel. That’s why the bridge is earthquake resistant.

Every year, many tourists from Netherlands visit this bridge to study its unique design construction. The same bridge in Netherlands is no longer in use. So, curious?









News Source: Website Informasi Online
Photo Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/agung_ajunks/3406678102/

World’s Most Beautiful And Preserved Lake

Representatives of 157 countries which have lakes will visit Paniai Lake in Papua Province which they consider to be the world’s most beautiful and preserved lake, a local official said.

The interest to visit Paniai Lake was expressed during the 12th World Lake Conference in India last November 2007, Paniai District Head Naftali Yogi, who attended the conference.

The conference’s participants considered Paniai Lake in Papua to be the world’s most beautiful and best preserved lake. Situated 7,500 meters above sea-level, Paniai Lake still had pristine natural beauty and its water was still unpolluted.

Therefore, the conference’s participants were interested in visiting the lake and agreed to jointly help preserve Paniai Lake as the world’s best and beautiful lake, he said without mentioning when they would make the visit.

The Paniai administration was currently constructing roads surrounding the lake and a number of inns as part of preparations to receive the foreign visitors, he said.

In addition to infrastructure development, the local administration had also been making efforts to preserve the traditional culture and arts of the Mee and Moni tribes which constitute Paniai region’s indigenous population, Yogi said.

Source: Indonesian Embassy in Bucharest website

Interesting Facts about Indonesia

A famous mass media in England, Telegraph, recently published an article about some quite interesting facts in Indonesia . The article was written by Molly Oldfield and John Mitchinson, and posted on October 15, 2010. According to this article, there are 6 interesting facts about Indonesia that we should admire. Most of which are facts that we already knew, but it’s still worth to read. Wonder what they are? Here you go!

Diversity

Indonesia is comprised of 17,508 islands of which only a third are inhabited; some are shared with other countries. With a population of 238?million, it is the fourth most populous country on Earth and the largest Muslim country (86 per cent of Indonesians are Muslim). More than half the population lives on Java, making it the world’s most densely populated island. The other big population centres are Sumatra, Borneo (shared with Malaysia and Brunei) and West Papua (shared with Papua New Guinea). Indonesia is home to more than 300 ethnic groups but most speak Indonesian, a variant of Malay developed in the Twenties by nationalists and adopted as the official language after independence.

Name

“Indonesia” was first used by the British in the mid-19th century. It comes from the Greek nesos (island) and Indus, the Latin name for the land beyond the Indus river, which was derived from the Sanskrit name for that river: Sindhu. Dutch colonists didn’t like “Indonesia”, preferring Dutch East Indies or Malayan Archipelago. As a result, it was adopted by the anti-colonial movement in the early 20th century.

Oil and frogs

Despite being one of the G20 group of leading economies, half of Indonesia’s population live on less than $2 a day. Its oil reserves mean it is the only south-east Asian member of OPEC.

It is the world’s largest producer of palm oil, 40 per cent of which is set aside for use as biofuel. It also exports 3,000 tons of frogs’ legs to France each year. For each pair of boxer shorts costing £8 in a shop in Britain, the Indonesians who make them get 4p. It has been reported that sweatshop workers can put in shifts as long as 36 hours.

Babies’ feet and teeth

The small Indonesian Hindu population mostly lives on the western island of Bali. Balinese Hinduism is steeped in ancient superstitions. They never let a baby’s feet touch the ground for the first six months, to prevent the devil entering the child. This means that babies are continually passed around like hot potatoes by relatives.

Almost everyone in Bali has their teeth filed down. They believe that the essence of the six vices (jealousy, anger, confusion, drunkenness, desire, greed) enters the body through the top six teeth, so by filing away their “demonic” ends, the vices are thwarted and entry to heaven is guaranteed.

The Wallace Line

As well as being ethnically diverse, Indonesia has the second highest level of biodiversity in the world after Brazil, with more endemic species than anywhere else except Australia. The British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) described a dividing line between the distribution of Indonesia’s Asian and Australasian species, now known as the Wallace Line. The line runs north-south between Lombok and Bali and was caused by a deep oceanic trench that prevented the formation of any land bridge, even during the Ice Age.

West of the line there are orangutans, monkeys, tigers, rhinos, tapirs, bears and the world’s only lungless frog. Meanwhile in the east there are no mammals except rodents, bats and marsupials. It was Wallace’s work in Indonesia that helped him develop a theory of evolution due to natural selection, the evidence of which finally prompted Charles Darwin into publishing On the Origin of Species in 1859. Wallace’s masterpiece on his Indonesian travels, The Malay Archipelago (1869), is dedicated to Darwin.

Weasel coffee

One of the strangest products of Indonesian agriculture involves the farming of the Asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus). These small, cat-sized mammals are fed coffee berries and their faeces are collected and washed to make kopi luwak (civet coffee). The action of their stomach enzymes lends the resulting drink an unmatched richness of flavour that has none of coffee’s usual bitterness. As a result it is the world’s most expensive beverage, fetching up to £500 per pound.

In 2008 an espresso made from kopi luwak went on sale at Peter Jones department store in Sloane Square, London, for £50 per cup. Apparently a similar coffee can be made by feeding coffee berries to muntjac deer, a south-east Asian species now naturalised in southern England. Home-grown English kopi muncak has yet to be reported.

News  Source: Telegraph , goodnewsfromindonesia.org

5 Most Romantic Places In Indonesia

Bintan Island, Riau

Bintan Island is located in Riau Islands province, the atmosphere on this island is so enchanting . Sparkling white sand, blue water, and trees are the combination that makes this island so worth-visiting. On this island there are many resorts available for rent for your honeymoon, private beach, diving tours, as well as culinary tourism can be an alternative during their honeymoon.

Ubud Village, Bali

The village is famous for its culture and natural beauty. Here, you and your partner will feel the peace of soul and body with a view of green mountains and beautiful fields storey. The village is also believed to deliver inspirations to its visitors

Sampireun Village, Garut, West Java

The villages are located in Ciparay Sampireun, Sukakarya village, Garut, West Java. Sampireun ward offers all simplicity and convenience features you need for your honeymoon. To me, blend of Sundanese natural beauty, music, and cool weather is priceless.  Beautiful scenery and peaceful environment, clean and fresh air that make it the perfect place for honeymoon couples.

Umang Island, Banten

Umang Island located in Sumur Village, Pandeglang district, Banten. This place is suitable to escape the city noise and enjoy the beautiful honeymoon moments. On this island, there is a resort that is set up with an artistic touch of natural beauty surrounded by mountainous seas added more romance during their honeymoon.

Kaliurang, Yogyakarta (best site to view Mt. Merapi)

Kaliurang is 28 kilometers north of Yogyakarta city, exactly in the hamlet of Kaliurang, Hargobinangun, Pakem, Sleman. Take the hike to the top of Plawangan hill, and you will see splendid eye-teaser around you.

Ada Yang Salah Dengan Pancasila??

HHmmm...Pancasila...masih pada hapal gk?? some might yes...some might no...
Menurut loe kita masih menjaga nilai-nilai dan mengamalkan Pancasila gak sih??
kalo menurut gw, yes, kita masih dan akan selalu...
Bicara tentang Pancasila, on of my idol, Pandji Pragiwaksono pernah ngepost about Pancasila, lets read it guys, cause i found it very interesting...

Ada yang salah?

Tidak?

Kenapa kalau gitu media menulis seakan akan ada yang salah dengan Pancasila?

Pada tanggal 1 Juni yang disepakati sebagai hari lahirnya Pancasila, media rata rata menulis opini mereka dengan nada yang sama:

Pancasila sudah mulai ditinggalkan di Indonesia.

Ada yang bilang, Pancasila kurang membumi, ada yang bilang anak muda sudah meninggalkan nilai nilai Pancasila, ada yang bilang Pancasila hanya sekedar slogan…

Aneh..

Karena gue merasa sebaliknya.

Berikut ini adalah alasan gue kenapa menurut gue JUSTRU kita semua sukses menjaga nilai nilai Pancasila dalam kehidupan sehari hari.

PANCASILA

1. KETUHANAN YANG MAHA ESA

Indonesia adalah negara ketuhanan, negara beragama, tapi bukan negara SATU agama saja. Sebagai negara dengan pemeluk agama Islam terbesar di dunia, ajaib sekali bahwa Indonesia tetap mengakui dan menerima perbedaan dan tidak menjadikan Indonesia sebagai negara Islam.

Gandhi, pasca kemerdekaan dari Inggris berharap bahwa India tetap bersatu. Baik yang Hindu sebagai mayoritas, maupun Islam yang minoritas. Berhasilkan Gandhi? Tidak, yang Islam akhirnya keluar dari India membentuk Pakistan.

Hari ini, banyak hasutan soal sweeping gereja, gosip Islamisasi, Kristenisasi, dan lain lain .. berita tersebut menghiasi TV dan koran. Pertanyaanya, berhasilkan usaha pemecahan itu? Apakah Indonesia kini terpecah? Apakah Indonesia jadi negara agama?

TIDAK

Itu terjadi karena mayoritas bangsa Indonesia menghargai keragaman.

Terbukti, SILA PERTAMA masih kita jaga

2. KEMANUSIAAN YANG ADIL DAN BERADAB

Lihat negara tetangga kita Malaysia yang (sungguh sangat aneh) dianggap banyak orang lebih maju dari pada kita.

Di negara itu, Undang Undangnya di desain untuk menguntungkan yang pribumi. Suku minoritas seperti keturunan India dan keturunan Tionghoa, non muslim tidak akan pernah dapat posisi/ jabatan strategis.

Adilkah itu?

Di China, anak anak perempuan cenderung tidak disukai, karena tidak bisa banyak berdikari dibandingkan laki laki.

Sementara, pemerintah China hanya membolehkan sebuah keluarga memiliki anak 1. Terutama yang suku Han (mayoritas). Jadi, ketika seorang perempuan mengandung dan ternyata ketauan anaknya perempuan, pemerinta menyediakan jasa aborsi. Legal. dan (ini yang gila) GRATIS. Begitu dimudahkan membunuh bayi dalam perut seorang Ibu. Gosip tentang makan daging bayi juga benar adanya (karena waktu saya ke Shanghai dibenarkan oleh teman teman disana) Pemerinta tahu, tapi pura pura tidak tahu.

Beradabkah itu?

Pertanyaan selanjutnya, apakah Indonesia seperti diatas?

Tidak.

Dalam banyak hal, kita masih lebih adil dan jauh lebih beradab daripada negara negara lain.

Tentu, kita belum mendapatkan keadilan yang sempurna, tapi kita semua tahu bahwa keadilan adalah sesuatu yang bisa kita perjuangkan. Sementara di negara lain, tidak.

SILA KEDUA, terbukti masih terjaga oleh kita

3. PERSATUAN INDONESIA

Tidak perlu saya jelaskan lagi, kalau ada orang yang masih menganggap kita tidak bersatu, harus lebih sering baca koran dan TV.

Dari persatuan di IndonesiaUnite, persatuan di 1 juta facebookers dukung Bibit-Chandra, persatuan di koin prita, persatuan di koin bilqis, bangsa Indonesia telah buktikan bahwa kita bukanlah bangsa yang terpecah belah.

Kita bangsa yang lebih kuat. Lebih bersatu.

Kita semakin sadar bahwa Indonesia itu tidak seharusnya dijadikan SATU. Tapi dijadikan BERSATU.

SILA KETIGA, juga masih kita jaga utuh.

4. KERAKYATAN YANG DIPIMPIN OLEH HIKMAT KEBIJAKSANAAN DALAM PERMUSYAWARATAN PERWAKILAN

Banyak orang mengalami kesulitan dalam memahami sila ke 4 ini.

Tapi saya, justru melihat kejelasan praktek dari sila ke 4 ini, terutama di era media sosial.

Pernah dengar “Community Driven Control”?

Kurang lebihnya, adalah kontrol sosial oleh pelaku dalam satu lingkup sosial itu sendiri.

Contoh paling sederhana adalah Kaskus.

Sistem kontrol sosial di Kaskus sederhana, mereka hanya memberikan alat berupa “cendol” dan “bata”

Kaskuser sendiri yang akan melakukan kontrol sosial. Kalau sebuah thread dinilai jelek, berbau sara, kepalsuan, repost, sekedar copy-paste, maka kaskuser akan lakukan kontrol dengan memberikan bata.

Sebaliknya kalau threadnya bagus, bermanfaat, asli akan diberikan cendol.

Ini adalah contoh yg cukup ekstrim tapi bagus soal kontrol sosial oleh pelaku sosialnya sendiri.

Di twitter juga kalau kita perhatikan baik baik, berlaku hal yang sama. Kalau ada hal kurang baik tersebar, biasanya sesama pengguna twitter akan saling mengingatkan.

Inilah kerakyatan yang dipimpin oleh hikmat kebijaksanaan para perwakilan musyawarah pelaku sosialnya.

SILA KE EMPAT, juga masih dihidupi dalam keseharian kita

5. KEADILAN SOSIAL BAGI SELURUH RAKYAT INDONESIA

Sudahkan keadilan sosial terjadi dalam kehidupan bermasyarakat di Indonesia?

Jawabannya sebenarnya belum.

Keadilan dalam hak mendapatkan pendidikan

Keadilan dalam hak akses kesehatan

Keadilan dalam kesempatan mendapatkan penghidupan.

Tapi perlu diingat, diantara rakyat Indonesia, ada banyak sekali yang aktif mengusahakan keadilan sosial itu terjadi.

Bukan oleh pemerintahnya. Oleh rakyatnya.

Yayasan seperti Yayasan Pita Kuning Anak Indonesia, YCAB, YKAKI, YOAI untuk akses kesehatan, kemudian Sampoerna Foundation untuk pendidikan, Yayasan KDM untuk rehabilitasi anak anak jalanan, Satoe Indonesia untuk pemberdayaan masyarakat, Bloof For Life untuk ketersediaan darah, Coin A Chance untuk pendidikan, semuanya penuh berisikan anak anak muda yang peduli dan berusaha untuk mencapai keadilan sosial.

Pantaskah kita anggap kita gagal meraih sila ke 5?

Sebaliknya, nilai nilai sila ke 5 ada dalam hati setiap pemuda Indonesia. Nilai itu tidak hilang, tapi diperjuangkan.

SILA KE LIMA, masih dijaga oleh kita semua.

Jadi? Siapa bilang PANCASILA tidak lagi diamalkan?

Siapa bilang kita sudah meninggalkan?

Siapa bilang hanya sekedar slogan?

Yang bilang seperti itu, rasanya justru tidak bisa memahami arti PANCASILA lebih dari yang tertera.

Atau

Tidak bisa mengaplikasikan PANCASILA dalam kehidupan nyata yang modern.

Kita patut bangga, karena kita punya…

PANCASILA

source : pandji.com

Mudahnya Menghakimi Indonesia

Guys, coba deh kita bertanya pada diri kita sendiri...pernah gak kita tuh ketika there's sumthing bad about Indonesia, we once said " ahhh...emang tuh kebiasaan orang Indonesia..." atau " yaaahhh...namanya juga orang Indonesia...' or even worse " Indonesia...malu gue..." pernah gk?? hmmm.... i bet u do... :). when i was googleing, i found this very interesting post about that...nahhh...setelah gw baca, tulisan ini bener-bener ngebuka mata gw banget, and this is became one of my favorite posts in my blog...read it, and think about it... who's or what's wrong really... :)

Mudahnya Menghakimi Indonesia

Beberapa saat yang lalu kita dihebohkan dengan peristiwa kerusuhan di Jl. Ampera, setelah sebelumnya disuguhi oleh drama kekerasan yang sama di Tarakan. Terus terang saya baru mengetahuinya melalui twitter yang terus-menerus memberitakan kejadian ini. Beberapa di antara kicauan ini ada yang sampai mengupload gambar korban kerusuhan Ampera yang sedang terkapar dengan lengan yang terputus.

Namun saya tertarik melihat suatu fenomena lain di twitter, mengenai bagaimana orang-orang mengekspresikan reaksinya terhadap peristiwa ini melalui 140 karakter.

Banyak yang mengungkapkan ketakutan, kecemasan, peringatan, maupun update dari peristiwa ini. Namun tak sedikit juga yang melontarkan “kesimpulannya” terhadap negara Indonesia melalui kejadian ini. Ini yang menarik.

One said we’re so fucked up. One other refers this country as Republic of Demon (RI–Republik Iblis). Banyak juga yang menyimpulkan bahwa negara ini sudah tidak tertolong lagi. Intinya pesimisme begitu menghiasi timeline saya ketika itu. Disamping itu, lucu juga melihat negativitas yang menghiasi timeline  sambil sesekali menyaksikan tweet-tweet dari Good News From Indonesia dan Great Indonesia yang seperti menandingi negativity mayhem ini dengan berita-berita positifnya mengenai Indonesia.

Anyway, saya melihat banyak sekali orang yang cenderung (by I mean “banyak” is in almost in every people I met when talking about this country)  mengutuk, mengkritik, dan mengeluhkan negara ini. Ya yang dikutuk, dikritik, dan dikeluhkan, dan disalahkan adalah negaranya. Beberapa orang menyalahkan pemerintah. Beberapa yang lain lebih suka menyalahkan “birokrasi”. Dan beberapa yang lain cenderung menyalahkan sistem. Apapun itu, seringnya, menurut pandangan dan pengalaman saya, mau itu pemerintah, birokrasi, dan sistem, kita akan selalu melekatkan ketiganya ke dalam satu istilah yang sama NEGARA INI.

Mungkin manusia memiliki kecenderungan otomatis untuk menunjuk dan mencari kambing hitam, so, ketika ingin mengutuk apapun yang tidak baik yang terjadi, memang lebih generik dan efisien (dan lebih mudah serta tidak perlu berlelah-lelah menganalisa) apabila langsung mengarahkan kutukan ini ke subjek pastif besar global yang bernama NEGARA atau BANGSA. Ketika kita mengarahkannya ke NEGARA. Done. Tujuan kita tercapai karena something wrong yg kita ingin tuju ada di negara ini. Sama seperti hendak membunuh babi hutan dengan membakar keseluruhan hutannya.

Dengan demikian, kadang yang ingin saya tanyakan hanyalah ini :

“Ketika kita sedang mengeluhkan dan mengkritik negara ini, SIAPA/APA sesungguhnya yang sedang kita keluhkan atau sedang kita kritik ?” Pemerintah ? Birokrat ? Teroris ? Aparat keamanan ? Perusuh ? Provokator ? Siapa ?

Ketika kita sedang melontarkan kalimat seperti “Ah, susah negeri ini mah”, “Gimana mau maju bangsa kita ini ?” “Payah Indonesia, ngga akan pernah bener deh ini negara”,  maka sebetulnya POSISI KITA SEDANG MENJADI SIAPA ? Menjadi orang DI LUAR Indonesia ?

Ketika kita sedang menggerutu atau mengujarkan sinisme seperti “Ck ck ck, tipikal orang Indonesia ya gitu,” “Orang-orang kita mah emang dasar kampungan, payah, bloon”, maka sesungguhnya KITA sedang jadi SIAPA ? Orang Amerika ? Orang Jepang ? Apakah ada yang sadar bahwa ketika bicara seperti itu maka sesungguhnya kita sedang mengkritik dan mencela diri kita sendiri sebagai orang Indonesia ?

Saya heran, ketika memang tujuan dari sinisme dan celaan ini adalah kepada orang atau pihak tertentu, mengapa harus mengganti objek kritik dan celaan ini menjadi NEGARA ? Jika menurut kita INI ADALAH NEGARA YANG KAMPUNGAN, PAYAH, BLOON, etc, in my opinion, kita pun sedang mencap hal yang sama kepada anak-anak bangsa kita yang telah meraih medali emas pada Olimpiade Fisika dan Matematika di manca-negara.. Hey, mereka juga orang Indonesia khan ? Are they sucks and stupid as we accuse ? Of course not. Dan tentu saja kita tidak bermaksud demikian.

You know what is the problem ? In my opinion, some people just LOVE to OVER-GENERALIZE. Beberapa orang mungkin senang menggeneralisir hingga ketingkatan super-makro seperti negara ketika dirinya kesal karena dijahili polisi lalu-lintas yang tidak jujur. Beberapa orang lebih suka mengutuk negara ini ketika dirinya sebal dengan birokrasi yang berbelit-belit dan UUD (ujung-ujungnya duit) ketika sedang mengurus perpanjangan KTP. Beberapa orang lebih suka menyalahkan NEGARA ketika dirinya tidak tahu lagi mengapa banyak sekali kekacauan dan hal-hal aneh yang terjadi melalui layar kacanya.

Beberapa orang lebih suka meng-generalisir. Mengapa ? Karena lebih mudah. Semudah melincinkan umpatan dan makian itu diatas lidah tanpa melewati gerbang pertimbangan otak dan nurani. Mengapa ? Karena beberapa orang sudah terbiasa meng-generalisir something wrong yang ada di sekitarnya langsung ke negara. Hal ini kemudian menjadi respon otomatis, yang merupakan hasil dari peneguhan terus-menerus selama hidup mereka. Dimulai dari ketika mereka mendengar ungkapan dan ekspresi generalisir ini dari orang tuanya. Diulang-ulang. Melalui temannya. Diulang-ulang. Melalui guru-gurunya. Diulang-ulang. Dan jadilah beberapa orang ini tak jauh berbeda dengan apa yang selama ini mengelilinginya. Dan jadilah beberapa orang ini siap menularkan dan mewariskan sikap yang sama ke anak-anaknya. And the cycle just keep on and on.. Dan sialnya, biasanya siklus ini terjadi di alam bawah sadar.

So mengakhiri tulisan ini.. In my opinion, there’s nothing wrong with this country. Tuhan menciptakan Indonesia dengan sedemikian luar biasanya.. We’re all knew it already.

So what is wrong actually ? In my opinion, yang salah bisa jadi pemerintahannya yang korup, sistemnya yang carut-marut, atau birokratnya yang tidak capable dan profesional..

Tetapi sama salahnya juga.. Orang-orang yang cepat berubah menjadi HAKIM AGUNG yang senantiasa mencap negeri ini dengan penghakiman-penghakiman spontannya ketika terjadi sesuatu. They provide nothing but judgment.

That whats wrong. Really.