*This piece was published in Indonesiamatters.com, 25 April 2008
If you are an Indonesian like me, or a foreigner living in Indonesia, or someone who has been following Indonesian current events, you might agree with me when I say that Barry Levinson’s “Wag the Dog” rings a familiar bell. It is somewhat similar to what has been happening lately in Indonesia.
The government knows the people is much more aware of the situation around them nowadays, the people can see right through them, and the people can see their impotence. So what do they (the government) do to take control of the situation? They create decoys as a weapon of mass distraction. They throw bait at the Indonesian media who in turn almost always turn the bait into a giant media circus, distracting the people’s attention from the real, much more urgent problems at hand.
The Indonesian government’s incapability in the eradication of poverty and improvement of the current economy, monetary and socio-political problems have inflicted what seems to be irreparable damage to the country, the keyword here being “seems”. It is pre-conditioned that way, and while nothing is impossible or irreparable, this situation is continuously yet implicitly portrayed in the media. A clever tactic by the government to throw the people off course and a cruel move by the money-hungry media that has resulted in the general feeling of despair and hopelessness across the nation.
The following media hoolabaloos are among some of the government’s attempts to make sure the public is forever misinformed of the truth; a sure fire diversion:
- Bill against Pornography and Porno-action (an Indonesian made-up word best translated as pornography acts)
- RUU ITE Indonesia’s newest law, the infamous Cyber Law;, and the latest,
- The blocking of several websites following the release of the Dutch film “FITNA“.
Media circuses are certainly not against the law. It isn’t even all that evil. It is neither, only when it happens in a place with a higher number of educated people, or at least higher number of sanity. Sadly, Indonesia is not. The majority of the Indonesian people are uneducated people whose opinions are very easily formed by bombardments of information, much like what the media has been doing lately.
The fact shows the media’s prominent role in shaping the general consensus and I think it plays a big part in the rise of fall of the country’s future as well. It is time for the media industry to up their game and not take the government’s bait and fall into the lure of big sales and advertisement prospectives for the sake of profits only.
They must realize the chances of stimulating the people’s mind and making profit off hard journalism is also feasible. They need to start being serious; employ serious, credible and dignified journalists; focus on serious issues; stop exaggerating and over-blowing silly situations; and they need to put more effort into educating the nation with factual and hard truth. The Indonesian people deserve more than what they got, they need the media’s faith that they are able to digest real news.
While light and entertaining news should not be banned, I think the media should refrain from paying too much attention and merit to the actions of the morally and financially corrupt, those who are passing laws or building business that would only benefit a particular group of people while disadvantaging the majority of the Indonesian people.
Indonesia’s Problems du jour
At the present time, Indonesia has so many problems that, if not treated well, will be a threat to the country. We have environmental problems, three of which that are quite urgent are:
- deforestation
- pollution
- floods
We have been hit with bad regular floods so often that it is starting to affect the economy, health and the well-being of the people. The fact of the matter is, the flood problem is something Indonesians cannot afford to put off any longer.
We have a shortage of food supply which has led to soaring food prices. This is also the culprit of many malnutrition cases across the country, some of which have even resulted in hunger related deaths. Something unthinkable and unheard of just a decade ago.
We are in a deep hole when it comes to labor and human rights issues. We have never had a transparent government and believing strongly in eastern taboos doesn’t help us get out of the top 10 most corrupt governments list either. Besides that, we also have an increasing growth in poverty and gap between the rich and poor, not to mention a mess of government bureaucracy, infrastructure and working system which it is imperative to improve.
One of our biggest problems yet, as you may already known from the reporting of the various local and international media, is that we have an alarming increase of intolerance among people of different groups and religions which could be the beginning of Indonesia’s journey into medieval times. It may as well be the start of the demise of the so-called world’s third biggest democracy. This is probably the deadliest poison, one that could kill this great nation of diverse people from all walks of life and different cultural, religious and racial backgrounds.
Problems in these areas are so serious and incessant that the government should and must re-evaluate its priorities and start doing something about it. They must stop doing nothing but create situations, laws and regulations that will further distract the general attention of the public from their impotence. They should have some kind of a dialogue with (competent) representatives of the people to brainstorm for solution ideas and to get the people’s aspirations on the table. They must stop hiding behind excuses and apologies of how hard it is to “clean up the mess” left by Suharto Inc. and his legacy of chaos. While it is true that time heals wounds and is important in the progress of change for the better, the decade that has passed by has not really showed significant improvement. On the contrary, many feel that we are now in a state of decline, further backwards than when we started 10 years ago.
Now, will the media wake up and start doing intelligent journalism? Will the government realize they are officials entrusted by the people to guide them to a better place? Will tolerance resurrect and save the people from doom?
As always, we shall wait and see.
Very well written Rima ! I read again and again incl. long debate in Indonesia Matters (wish I had your writing talent LOL). Most concern me is religious intolerance, people easily judged as infidels simply because they have different interpretation of the text. Ahmadiyah case is blunt example how what so called ulema along with dumb officials will impose a Nazi style law to ban their practices. I hate people when they are playing God. My best.
What to say about this entry but “I love it”. And, I guess, you really deserves all the compliments you received for your analysis on IM (regardless of the inevitable achmad).
wow! great stuff…
but too depressing to take at the moment. will return to give a better head later.
you’re forgetting Dewi Persik! She is too being used by the government as a decoy to get the attention away from the REAL problems.
@toni: I share your exact sentiment. Thanks for taking the time to read this boring piece
@colson: Thanks colson! I don’t mind the Achmads, cukurungans and purbo negoros in IM, they actually make me want to write more stuff. lol
@treespotter: haven’t heard that in a while, usually they just come and get it over with .. lol
@therry: yes, along with inul vs. rhoma, the divorce of maia/dhani, sukma/bejah’s cellphone photos, anjas/isabel artsy nude pics and sooooo many other ‘hot’ news items (read:gossips) that are the perfect decoys for the people’s attention..
Don’t tell me Achmad the IM terrorist is still wandering around there, waiting for your next comment?
Does the man have any life at all? What does he do, sit in fronf of the computer all day and think of chauvinistic, stupid comments to piss people off?
In my opinion there’s just too many Indonesians on the internet nowadays moaning and whining about the state of their country.
And that’s all they do, moan and whine, while compounding the problems with their bitching by painting the wrong pictures around the world, while patting each other in the back how smart they look virtually, and how good their English is.
Do you think the media haven’t paint the picture bleak enough already? Do something real about it will you, for once. Oops wait, you’re not there.
Anonymous:
Does doing something mean painting a fake picture about our country? I do not work in the government and do not live in Indonesia at the moment. All I have are my opinions and thoughts, so jotting them down is all I can do. Some of the greatest things in the word were based on opinions and thoughts so I believe I am doing something. I am not bad mouthing the country. The country’s great. I am simply criticizing the government. I have a strong feeling you might be in the government, if you take such offense to my writing.
and by the way, how can being concerned to what is happening to my country be perceived as moaning and whining? I guess your English is amazingly advanced to be able to summarize my writing in such a way.
But thanks for taking the time to visit and comment, don’t be a stranger!
@Anon:
The media doesn’t have to paint anything bleak – it’s already bleak enough without it having to be painted anything on it. Why don’t you step outside of your little bubble for a while and look a little bit closer to what’s happening with our country?
And what is your definition, may I ask, of something “real”? Slandering other people’s blog and going by an anonymous name about how much of a whinger they are and that they’re snobs for using English?
Be honest here – you’re just jealous because you have limited English are you not? lol
All I’m saying is, of all the things that’s been happening in Indonesia, surely you can pick two or three that could paint a better picture as a balancing act against all the horrible pictures the media and some bules have been portraying all around about your and my country. Did you know that Indonesia batters ze German to storm into the Uber Cup finals? Gita Gutawa wins the 6th International Singing Competition and the great achievement of Indonesia’s team in International Physics Olympics?
Do you think any good could’ve come out of you putting some indonesian engrish, for all the world to see how illiterate Indonesians are? Is that amusing and make you proud of yourself, look in the mirror while staring at your self proclaimed ‘good looking’ face?
And most of all, by reading your blog people would think living in Indonesia is like living in some barbaric state where all people is killing and cheating each other, while in truth, most of us here live moderately peaceful. Tell that to some 60 years old who wakes up in the earliest of dawn shouldering heavy bucket to sell in the local market, some honest working fishermen, and millions other honest day to day labor.
We are in a learning process of course, all the time. It’s a curve and not gonna be easy.
Please remember that this beautiful country consists of hundreds of tribes, multiple languages, and has been under 350 years of severe colonization. As I said, it’s not easy and will not be easier if a lot of Her so called citizens moan and whine in the internet albeit with excellent English. Imagine some future investors reading your writings, this would invariably deter them to follow up their intention which in turn could have helped making this country better.
And just for your information, I’m a mere worker who just love Indonesia so much. I pay my taxes diligently to the country. Do my round of neighborhood night watch. Allocate some to the poor and the orphans in here Indonesia. Oh and your accusation about me being a government workers, says a little bit about yourself. You said and I quote: “It is very nice to live in a place where people accept you for who you are inside rather than see who you are from outside (color, passport, etc) I like living sans label”. How’s that Mislabeling me into the stereotypes, working out for you?
You said about how journalism in Indonesia have to “stop exaggerating and over-blowing silly situations”, but here you are doing exactly the same. And let’s face it, with you living outside, you probably got your info from second hand sources, hearsays from doom mongers with their own personal agenda, such as what happened in your “Is Indonesia/Bali This Bad?” post. Also your insinuation that there are state administrator element mastermind behind the media spotlight (the Robert de Niro character) is again merely a random accusation without any substantial truth or backed up evidences. Name and specific events please, then you can talk about hard journalism.
Know your audience. Seriously this article is not exactly groundbreaking thoughts. It’s always there, ever since the Suharto’s regime there has been talk about tactic of news media misdirection. By writing it in English, what is it exactly are you trying to achieve? You seems to be aspiring to become a Jakarta Post writer. If media have portray our country to be that bleak, what say you, we give a counter balance, just a little bit of perspective that hey Indonesia is not that bad, please visit us and please don’t hesitate to invest here.
Anyway, that is all my two cents for you Ms. Rima, hopefully no hard feelings harbored. Some of your ‘other’ stuff is just great by the way. I really like your piece about ‘catching a bule’ thingie. Have a good and fun life for you and family.
And @ therry therry, do you even deserve a response
Tell you what, how about you just move to America like you said you would the first chance you get (Altho’ I doubt a country would ever give space for leeches like you and your ilk such an embarrassment you are). You probably would have to fabricate lies to get a green card like these cases. That won’t surprise me at all 
Don’t you feel ashamed you are still breathing Indonesia’s air.
@Anonymous: If that is all you’re saying then by God say it like so.
And by the way, I am not a journalist, and this is not a news site, it’s a personal blog, and I will fill it with my personal opinions, whatever it is. So no need for hard journalism here.
As for this post, it is my opinion, and it is what’s happening. Many people can see what’s happening, they’re not blind. Stating the obvious doesn’t make me love Indonesia less.
The reason I don’t write the ‘good’ things about Indonesia that often is because there are enough ‘good write ups’ about Indonesia in the Indonesian media (and other blogs). Surely my blog would not make its 9 readers become Indonesia haters, how could it? its 9 readers are hard core Indonesia lovers already.
As for the Indonesian engrish, well, again, with 9 readers it’s hardly the world who sees it. Spelling/grammatical mistakes happen not only in Indonesia but anywhere, and it is funny, otherwise nobody would have posted it in the internet in the first place (I was not the one going around Indonesia/Jakarta taking pictures of them in case you’re wondering). To be fair, I did post engrish from other countries as well (in the cocks/cum entry). Why aren’t you complaining about that?
It seems you are trying to find bits of things in my blog to attack me with, it’s your right, but I have the right not to take it seriously too (I’m laughing right now).
I am proud of myself because of many reasons, none of which are the ones you implied though. But I wont get into my awesomeness here, there are enough about that already in this blog (and btw: the good looking part, it’s not self proclaimed, my mom and dad has always said that long since I was a little girl :p).
You said “by reading your blog people would think living in Indonesia is like living in some barbaric state where all people is killing and cheating each other”
Wow.. my 9 readers would think so? You obviously think I am influential and the mere existence of my blog would make ‘the world’ think Indonesia is a hell-hole (well Jakarta is, but the rest of Indonesia is quite nice). Sadly, you are mistaken, mon ami. I am a nobody who is just spilling my mind vomit here, in my PERSONAL blog. I won’t change the minds of anybody. Even that (legitimate looking) website trashing bali/Indonesia does not change many people’s mind about Indonesia, and if you read until the end, I was genuinely puzzled about that site and was requesting the truth about the site. Through all the comments, we found out a deranged person who got kicked out of Indonesia was the person responsible for all the lies. At the end, I finally can rest easy knowing the site is not credible but just a bunch of BS.
You said, “We are in a learning process of course, all the time. It’s a curve and not gonna be easy.” – I agree with you, which is why I sometimes write about our incompetent government. I am not writing about Indonesia in general, just the corrupt government, I think most people would agree with me on that (unless you think they’re not corrupt but all angels).
I am well aware what this country consists of, although I wasn’t there under the ‘350 years of severe colonization’. I don’t think any ‘future investors’ are going to read my blog as a reference in their decision-making process whether to invest or not in Indonesia.
For your information too, I am also a mere worker who pay taxes, share my fortune with the unfortunate in Indonesia, although I don’t real;ly brag about which charity or orphanage I give to, but I do (I don’t do night watches though, my husband wouldn’t let me).
As for my remark about living in a place where people accept me for what I am, what is wrong about that? I do enjoy it very much here, and I didn’t have that privilege whilst living in Indo. I was merely sharing my experience, and it turns out I was not the only one with that experience. Many Indonesians also share my experience. I was not labeling you, let’s not get in over our heads here. It was just stating the facts, based on personal experience.
Of course, not ALL Indonesians are like that (labels people), especially 10 years ago and before, but nowadays intolerance is starting to be unbearable up to a point where some Indonesians don’t feel at home anymore living there, which is a shame, because as I recall (from history books), after the ‘350 years of severe colonization’ the country became independent and SHOULD be a safe haven for any Indonesian, regardless of race heritage and/or religion. The fact is, it’s no longer so.
I never claimed this article is a groundbreaking thought. As you said, it had always been there. Which makes me wonder why you are making such a fuss about it. It’s very peculiar.
I wrote it for IM, and the site is a predominantly English site. I am not trying to achieve anything, I was just thinking, and wrote it down, and Patung decided it’s good enough to feature there. What is wrong with that? I do aspire to be a writer, in any media, not only IM/JP, (where there is an opinion column and I have opinions just as the other opinion writers does). If at the end of the day I can only write in my blog because all the other medias don’t like my stuff, it’s fine too. It’s not like I don’t have a job/life or anything.
Your two cents is much appreciated, although I don’t fully agree with it. Like you said, no hard feelings. If you like my other pieces, don’t be a stranger and stop by if you want. I think I have an idea of who you are, or at least, who you are friends with. But if you become my regular reader, I would be happy to finally have 10 readers to even up the number.
Cheers anon, and thanks for taking the time to write all this stuff, it’s a pity you don’t have a link to your blog, I imagine you might have tons of worth reading things there.
@Anon:
You dislike being labelled as a government official, and yet you label me as a leech and a liar?
Is that what you always do, “an eye for an eye” thing? You label me wrongly, therefore I will do the same?
By the way, the air is free to breathe. You don’t own the Indonesian air, not even the government officials.
All of us pay taxes, all of us donate (though we don’t brag about it like SOME people do), so what’s your point? Where did all that tax money go?
I’m proud to say that Indonesian has the best sunsets, climate and natural resources, but are the people looking after it? If the government don’t even give a rat’s ass, then how do the small people like myself can contribute to anything? The Indonesian government seems uncaring about the country and its people – all they think about is how to leech more money out of the tax-payers and innocent low and middle-class fisherman and 60-years old bucket toilers.
Perhaps you are content enough to hear our badminton athletes doing so well in the Uber Cup, and that Gita Gutawa (personally I think she sounds really annoying) became internationally known sopran etc., but I don’t think that’s enough to bring Indonesia’s reputation as a decent country to live in.
What about Lumpur Lapindo? Do you seriously believe the government is doing something about it? And the fact that countries like Malaysia is slowly claiming things that belong to ours as theirs, and yet nobody give’s a damn? Indonesia is just as great, if not greater, than Thailand, so why are we so left behind?
How long should this “learning process” go on for? If China with its many different dialect-speakers could do better, how difficult is it to manage a country like Indonesia? The riot in May 98 would have made more sense if it happened hundreds of years ago, because other countries have experience the same thing, but ten years ago? We are so, so left behind in terms of morality, compassion and awareness to build this country to be a better place to live in.
I don’t think it needs a blog like Rima’s for foreigners to assume that living in Indonesia IS like living in some barbaric state where all the people are killing and cheating each other – they should only see what images of the victims and terrors of May 98 to find it out for themselves.
Ms. Rima,
A dozen pralines if you can guess who I really am, but that shouldn’t matter really. The important thing is the points I’m sending across, even if it made you condescendingly ‘rofl’. One advantage of being anonymous is that people could talk about certain things they’ve done without even an ounce of smugness or being all magnanimous, as it has no particular boost to their on line credibility.
Us Indonesians might want to realize that we can start the change from the simplest of things, a blog, a random chat, the tiniest of act.
Whenever I get sent out of my country, or meet people from abroad, I always want to show the best of my nation to my colleagues at work. Showing books about Jakarta, Lombok, and Sulawesi for them to read. Talking about the many wonderful and different things than the ones they usually doused from their local news. So far I’m so glad, a number of them are very well taken by it, and repeatedly visit Indonesia during their long holidays. One managed to persuade the big bosses to sent him and family from UK, here to work and stay in Jakarta. Several in Italy, so impressed with what they saw during their travel are planning to open pasta business somewhere in the archipelago. The change of perspective about us, our way of life, the vast variety of our culture is outstanding. In fairness, they have been blasted with rather biased and very one sided information, or often myths about Indonesia. An American colleague once ‘jokingly’ booing me when he first learned about my religion, however we managed to see past that and be a good acquaintance when he visited till now.
Hopefully these individuals will tell their family and friends, and so on, and so forth. The once very little thing can gather pace into something a lot bigger. I know this sounds naively cliché and utopia, but I would imagine 100 random positive interactions with foreigners and their ‘pay it forward’ effect would really be helpful for the likes of Bang Komang, my high school senior in Bali who opens a car rental service for tourists since 1999.
Bunaken, Raja Empat, Senggigi, and Tanjung Bira, are some of the world’s most breathtaking place anybody could ever witness. Even the more unheralded Tangkuban Perahu was so unexpectedly beautiful the last time I went with colleagues from Oz and Aberdeen. A more frequent writings and chats about these sort of places, especially with your excellent English and good story telling, certainly would be much more effective than the run of the mill brochures from the Tourism Ministry. As I was saying, people could start the change from the seemingly most insignificant. As also with the opposite.
I know, who am I to tell you what to write in your own blog, but that’s what the comment field was made, no? If I’ve come a touch pedantic and patronizing, it is merely a variation of the usual ‘omg, ur writings is totally and utterly inspiring’ comments. When I use my own name and I fancy the women who wrote the blog, than I can get back to the ‘nice read’ pat in the back routine.
I made an observation that generally blogs contain entries about what the owner love so much, or hate so much.You can scream bloody murder towards those clueless ulamas making clueless fatwas and any other (insert favorite religion) atrocities of your choosing to vent your anger, or instead write something that you could really help alter the outcome. It’s just imho there’s far too many blogs around us that’s on and on about things they hate and despise. Maybe it’s true that misery does love company. However one could hope there’s a remote possibility the trends could change amongst Indonesian blogger specifically the ones in English language.
But hey, maybe I’m preaching to the choir here. I suspect you’ve done your bit in bringing dollars and euros to our homeland and or helping the Visit Indonesian Year 2008 campaign. If that’s the case then my mistake, I apologize sincerely.
OK, it’s been too long, so this will be my last post to your personal blog. Sorry for some harsh words in the earlier reply. I didn’t know better.
Again, have a fun life
@Anonynous: I laugh, but not condescendingly. Was just amused to see a patriot fussing over my little article.
I really don’t care about anonymous blogs, but anonymous attack comments, well.. that’s one thing I won’t do. I put my name, comment about whatever, and still be responsible about what I have said. That shows the difference between us.
I know we can change from the simplest of things, I do my part. Thanks for reminding me that us Indonesians might want to realize it – not condescending at all, see?
I am actually tired of saying this, but I let people (non Indonesians) know how beautiful our country is all the time. Do not assume just because I dislike our corrupt government I trash talk the country. I tell you once I tell you again, I love the country, it’s the people in the government that I can’t stand.
I also said before, I don’t mind your comments, I welcome love and hate letters, critique and praise. Both are equally important. Oh and yeah, you can use whatever name you want and trash then critique then admire then praise me, I won’t object, at least it will make me think I have 3 or 4 more readers when in fact I only have one. It’s good for my ego
My blog consists of many things, but not all hate letters to our government, there are some other stuff as well. I think I do well to balance things out here. So I don’t see why I should not post some articles like this. I think the trends will change (among bloggers) when the government changes and starts caring about the people instead of caring about their own agenda.
And yes, you are preaching to the choir here. I have done my bit but I don’t see the need to say anything about it. The people close to me know what I am doing and that is enough. No apologies necessary.
Why the last post? Like I said, you can post anytime. I do welcome any kind of comments and it’s a nice change to be able to do this in my own blog as oppose to do so in others.
But in any case, you have a nice one too. cheers!
this thread is getting exciting. Why is it that all anons share a common trait of being utterly annoying?
mr. anon, i totally get your wounded patriotism since i have often been accused of the same.
On and on with the olympics physics and stuff, i mean, some people care, some people don’t. I don’t. I care that human rights are abused and a morally bankrupt nation.
what you’re advocating is for everyone to keep their mouth shut and pretended like they weren’t there. Just tell the good story, right?
that sort of attitude, is precisely what is most wrong about this country. you can’t pretend that shit don’t happen. you need to tackle them head on, and fix things if you can. If you can’t, then maybe you can at least sit back and pray.
if you can’t do both, heck, go online and post anon comments on random places and hope to appear anonymously smart.
Ohohoho.
Treespotter was harsh. I like. Generally speaking, Indonesians are proud of their nation, culture and heritage. Except for certain people, specifically the government, who are trying to ruin us all.
This country is not filled with idiots – it’s run by idiots.