It's Better to Light The Candle Than Cursing The Darkness

The atmosphere of heightened tension between the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the National Police in Jakarta has affected Indonesian people. Support for the efforts to eradicate corruption is continuing to pour in from people in various professions: from public officials to activists, and academics to garbage collectors.

All criticism is directed toward the National Police, it cannot harm the credibility of the country’s central law enforcement agency. The police are doing that job far better and more effectively than anyone else in destroying its reputation.

The late night visit by a number of officers to the headquarters of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Friday, 5 October 2012 was the latest in a series of clear displays of arrogance and an exercise in raw intimidation. We seem to be getting a lot of that lately.

Police claim they were seeking to apprehend Novel Baswedan, a police officer seconded to the KPK, in connection with a crime he allegedly committed eight years ago as a junior officer in Bengkulu. Whether or not there is any truth in the allegation against Novel is irrelevant. Police arrived for Novel only hours after he led a KPK team to investigate Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo, who is a suspect in a corruption scandal within the National Police. Djoko, who has been accused of taking massive kickbacks from the procurement of driving simulators when he headed the National Police Traffic Corps (Korlantas) in 2010, had twice defied KPK summons before he finally showed up for questioning on Friday.

Police failed to detain Novel as hundreds of civilians, activists and other prominent figures flocked to the KPK headquarters and defended him. Novel, who is leading the KPK investigation team on the driving simulator case, is one of five KPK investigators who have rejected the National Police’s order to leave the antigraft body and return to the police, their original institution.

The other problem comes when The House's Commission III overseeing legal and human rights affairs recently proposed the draft revision of the KPK law to the House's Legislation Body (Baleg) to be included in the 2012/2013 national legislation program (Prolegnas), a move that has been widely criticized as the revision comprised changes that would weaken the KPK's authority. Some changes include restricting the KPK's authority to wiretap phone conversations and abolishing of the KPK's prosecution authority

It was heartening to see the spontaneous, massive outpouring of public support for the commission when news of the visit broke. Activists immediately formed a human barricade to stop the police from forcing their way in to arrest Novel. Social media networks were abuzz with expressions of support and solidarity for the KPK, and condemnation of the police leadership.

Their slogan “Save the KPK, Save Indonesia” became a rallying cry on Twitter and Facebook. No one is suggesting disbanding the police, but President Yudhoyono should seriously consider replacing the leadership before the public loses complete trust in the institution.

In Yogyakarta, Universitas Gadjah Mada rector Pratikno, the college professors, lecturers and students signed a petition on a white cloth to express their support for the embattled antigraft commission. UGM rector Pratikno said during a declaration of support in Yogyakarta that the President should order the National Police to hand over the driving simulator graft case to the KPK.

After all that criticism President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has finally announced that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) should be the only law enforcement agency to handle the National Police driving simulator procurement graft case. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono also said that discussions regarding the revision of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law were not needed at the moment.

Well, we all know that Indonesia's condition isn't in a good condition. But the condition will never be changed if we don't do anything to change it. Vox populi, vox dei (the voice of the people is the voice of God), let everyone knows that we do care about our nation. Like Benjamin Franklin said, "Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle"

Save KPK!
Save Indonesia!

You....

You are the winter following spring

You are the sun that summertime brings

You are the stars in the night time sky

You got me all tied up in knots

You are as fresh as the morning air

You are cute as a cuddly bear

You are soft as a baby's sigh

BUT WHO THE HELL IS "YOU" ANYWAY??

You're Gone, But Not Forgotten

What's on your mind when you see the title? No, no, it's not about love, heartbreak, or something like that. That would be soooo cheesy...
Frankly, what I wanna write is about some people who did something precious, who gave everything they had for their nation and people around them, who being a role model for so many people, who was very influental. Kinda people who usually called... a hero.
In Greek and Roman mythology, the word hero was used to describe men whose courageous actions brought favor from the gods. Today, a hero can be just about anyone. Each day has its own hero, and everyone perhaps is a hero in his or her own way. Despite facing the difficult times, people still have possibilities to shape history.
There are so many Indonesian heroes, but at this time I would like to tell a lil' bit about Indonesian human right activist Munir Said Thalib.

He was born in Malang on 8 December 1965. Munir was a human rights activist who tirelessly worked for families who had been kidnapped or who had disappeared during the final years of former president Suharto’s ironclad rule. He was an optimist. Despite having faced verbal and physical intimidation, he fought on in the face of lies spread against him. He received numerous death threats, but still chose to stand for the families of unknown people in Indonesia who had been kidnapped. The intimidation he faced included a bomb being left outside his home. On 7 September 2004, Munir boarded a Garuda Airlines flight to Amsterdam, to study at a university there. But Munir became severely ill enroute, and was pronounced dead on arrival in the Netherlands. An autopsy subsequently performed by the Netherlands Forensic Institute found massive amounts of arsenic in Munir’s system. There are so many controversy on this case, and the problem haven't solved yet until this blog was posted. 

Too often, national heroes do not get the respect and recognition they deserve, but it is also good to be reminded that there are other heroes who also deserve our respect and honor. When we get to know our heroes, we will be infected by their courage and enthusiasm. Let's respect our heroes from now on and be a hero in your own way!

Born In The Wrong Era

Randomly I thought I was born in the wrong era. I really like classic vehicles, I love it when I see some classic and retro vehicles on the road. Recently I bought a vespa and I really love it!
I listen to some old school music too such as the beatles, the kinks, the who, bob dylan, nancy sinatra etc. They were brilliant.
I seriously feel I was born in the wrong era, but I enjoy my life nowadays too. Well, It's not important but sometimes that's what blogs are for :p

You Call It Life, They Call It Torture

"Being born is like being kidnapped. And then sold into slavery."

- Andy Warhol

Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat


Before you argue about your dirty house, someone didn't clean or sweep - Think of the people who are living in the streets


Before whining about the distance you drive - Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet


Like Andy Warhol said, being born is like being kidnapped and then sold into slavery. We just randomly birth, some people was born on better situation and some people unfortunately.... not. Never complain for what you have right now, there are so many people who wished they had your life.


You can't choose your childhood, but how you spend the rest of your life, it's your choice




*credits to my friend, Fadil Akbar for that amazing photo. You're awesome bro!

Well, here I am

Finally, I created my first blog. Having so many blogger friends around me made me want to create my own. Hopefully this one could be a new positive activity for me.
Hello blogworld! Well, here I am......