Church's role throughout Betawi history

Friday, January 05, 2007

Most stories and histories of the Betawi people, who are native to Jakarta, are devoted entirely to aspects of Chinese and Islamic culture.

However, in a village in Pondok Gede, Christianity has entered into almost every facet of the lives of the Betawi.

In 1851, Dutch priest Meester Anthing brought Christianity to Jatinegara, East Jakarta, and its surrounding areas.

A local kyai, who had converted to Christianity, Ibrahim Tunggul Wulung, served as Anthing's assistant. They began preaching the Gospel in places as far afield as Kampung Sawah in Pondok Gede and Gunung Putri in Bogor.

The following is the history of Christianity in Kampung Sawah and its surrounding areas:

In 1892, a Protestant church, led by local teachers Natanael and Matias, was built in Pondok Melati, not far from Pondok Gede.

Three years later, however, the parishioners split into three groups. The group under Natanael chose Catholicism over Protestantism.

On Oct. 6, 1896, the Reverend Bernardus Schweitz baptized 18 natives of Kampung Sawah. At that time, six people had already been baptized by Schweitz: Nathanael, Tarub Noron, Markus Ibrahim Kaiin, Yosef Baiin and Sem Napiun.

When the church's membership grew to 57 a year later, the Reverend Bernardus, who lived in Jatinegara, bought a small house for worship. Engku (Betawi for teacher) Natanael and Markus Ibrahim Kaiin led the congregation.

The congregation had grown even bigger by the early 1900s.

In 1921, Methodism spread to Kampung Sawah, and the churches in this small kampong began to compete for followers.

In 1922, the Reverend Yoanes van der Loo, who led the congregation, built a small church in the village.

In 1935, Father Oscar Cremers became the first priest to live in Kampung Sawah. He built a health clinic called Melania, which still operates today.

On Oct. 23, 1936, Cremers opened a school, Rooms Katholieke Vervolgschool. In the same year, Batavia's apostolic vicar, Monseigneur Petrus Willekens, established the fifth parochial church in Kampung Sawah under the name of St. Antonio from Padua.

Over the years, many parochial churches were founded in Jakarta, including the Jakarta Cathedral (1808), Matraman church (1909), Kramat church (1920) and Theresia church (1930).

Father Cremers introduced the tradition of celebrating the Harvest Festival to the parish. Until now, Sedekah Bumi, or the Bounty of the Earth festival, is celebrated every May 13.

World War II had an immediate impact on the European community in Jakarta. The priests, who were nearly all non-nationals, returned to their home countries, where they were obliged to perform military service, leaving their congregations behind.

In 1942, the remaining Dutch and local priests were arrested by Japanese soldiers. Indonesians Poesposoepadma and Benjamin Kadiman then took over the leadership of the churches.

Weeks after Indonesia proclaimed its independence on Aug. 17, 1945, the churches, which were associated with the Dutch, were burned down on Oct. 7, 1945.

At the end of 1946, 90 people came together in Kampung Sawah to rebuild their churches.

After almost 20 years (1951-1970) without a permanent priest, in 1971 the archbishop of Jakarta, Monseigneur Leo Soekoto, ordained a teacher and former religious brother, Marius Mariaatmaja, who became a priest at the age of 60. He died a year after he was ordained.

After Marius' death, the church lost its parochial status from 1972-1993.

In 1998, Aloysius Yus Noron became Kampung Sawah's first parish priest. The year after Father Rudolf Kurris took charge of the congregation in 1993, the church decided to change its patron saint to St. Servatius, a missionary from Armenia. A new Roman Catholic church was also built that year.

On Sept. 30, 1996, a relic of the saint was brought to Kampung Sawah by three priests from St. Servatius in Maastricht, the Netherlands. A week later, Cardinal Darmaatmadja blessed the church. (02)

Religious tolerance prevails in Kampung Sawah

Friday, January 05, 2007
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jacobus Napiun, a Betawi with a Catholic upbringing, considers himself blessed to have experienced such a rich, religious life in his birthplace of Kampung Sawah in Pondok Gede, Bekasi.

Kampung Sawah, some two hours drive from Jakarta, is home to St. Servatius Catholic Church, which has 6,500 parishioners and four Protestant churches, which have a combined membership of 2,600.

The village has offered considerable scope for the proliferation of churches, which stand side-by-side with mosques and pesantren (Islamic boarding schools).

Fifty-year-old Jacobus said the Catholic parish of Kampung Sawah dated back to Oct. 6, 1896, when Father Bernardus Schweitz baptized 18 residents, most of whom were Betawi.

The village's Catholic community has had its ups and downs, its good times and bad; witnessing many milestones in history.

On Oct. 7, 1945, St. Servatius was torched and looted by a group of nationalists who associated churches with the Dutch.

The incident, known as gedoran, caused the parishioners to scatter.

Jacobus said that during the long absence of a Catholic priest in the area, Protestant and Methodist church pews began filling up.

The Muslim community at that time was relatively small.

"As far as I remember, until the early sixties, when I was about eight years old, there was only one mosque here in Pasar Kecapi," Jacobus said.

However, there is a history of religious tolerance in Kampung Sawah.

"For us, natives to Kampung Sawah, brotherhood is more important than which religion we follow," said Jacobus, whose younger sister married a Muslim and whose younger brother is a Protestant.

"When she wanted to marry a Muslim, I said to her 'if you promise to be better than when you were a Catholic, my heart will let you marry without any regrets',"

Jacobus said.

The key to maintaining religious tolerance, he said, was to respect people's different characteristics and cultural backgrounds.

"Culture knows no limits and is not always based on religion. Preserving culture preserves diversity and creates bonds between the people of different religions," Jacobus said.

Established in 1878, Pasundan Protestant Church is situated about 50 meters away from St. Servatius.

During the gedoran, the house of the Reverend Mika Rikin was looted.

"Though the people here follow a number of religions, many of them are related to each other. It is not uncommon to find more than one faith being practiced within a single family," said Pasundan's minister, Anna Marjani Sarniem.

"This is, perhaps, why the people here are more tolerant than in other parts of the country," she added.

It is relatively easy to establish houses of worship in Kampung Sawah, despite the growing religious intolerance elsewhere.

"Many Muslims and Christians in Kampung Sawah are in one way or another related to one another. We are the descendants of several big families.

"However, there are some outsiders, who, unaware of the reason and tolerance that has prevailed in this village for many years, try to destroy our customs. We have always greeted our neighbors on holy days, but now, some people don't like it," Jacobus said.

The Reverend Anna, who has led the congregation of the Protestant church for the last eight years, shares Jacobus' view.

She said they had received multiple threats related to the establishment of churches in Kampung Sawah.

"We are really welcoming and do not fear for our safety, or worry about losing members, because people know we have been here (Christianity in Indonesia) for hundreds of years,"

the minister said.

"Here we can breathe easily and carry out our activities, healing the trauma of being cast out several times," said the Reverend Pieter Napitupulu of GPI Petra, a Pentecostal Church in Kampung Sawah that has more than 300 members.

Pieter said they had been evicted more than once from their place of worship before building a permanent church in June 2005 on a block of land in Kampung Sawah.

Not far away from GPI Petra, the Protestant Church of Java, which also has 300 parishioners, recently held its first Christmas service in its new building,

Established 15 years ago, it moved to Kampung Sawah in August, where it will start holding regular services this month.

Gunadi, a member of the church council, said they had received many threats when they applied for a license from their neighborhood unit, but thanks to some neighbors, they eventually secured a license from the district authority.

The strong tolerance that exists in Kampung Sawah is partly the legacy of a previous village head, known as Haji Encip or Haji Gocep.

He had allowed Christmas services to be held in the village hall long before a church had been built.

"He knew how to bridge the gap between Muslims and Christians," Jacobus said. (02)

Indonesia sangat kejam terhadap orang cacat

Hari itu PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) bersama Komunitas Peduli Tuna Daksa Indonesia (Kopentuda) menyelenggarakan uji coba penggunaan kereta api bekas yang baru diimpor dari Jepang (lihat http://www.thejakartapost.com/Archives/ArchivesDet2.asp?FileID=20061228.C06) untuk para penyandang cacat.

Uji coba yang diikuti puluhan penyandang cacat itu dimulai dari stasiun Gambir ke stasiun Bogor pergi pulang. Pihak penyelenggara menyebutnya “wisata teknologi”. (lihat http://www.thejakartapost.com/Archives/ArchivesDet2.asp?FileID=20061229.C02 atau http://matheosmessakh.blogspot.com )

Ada satu peristiwa kecil yang mengganggu perasaan saya saat rombongan wisata itu tiba di stasiun Bogor. Para penyandang cacat ternyata tidak bisa turun di stasiun itu dan harus dibantu karena ternyata platform stasiun lebih rendah sekitar 50 cm dari lantai gerbong dan berjarak sekitar 50 cm. Sejumlah penyandang cacat tetap turun juga, -tentu dengn bantuan banyak orang- hanya untuk memastikan bahwa stasiun itu memang tidak bersahabat bagi penyandang cacat. Suatu show yang menarik apalagi hadir para wartawan cetak, radio, online maupun TV.

Orang banyak di stasiun segera berkerumum menyasikkan ‘pertunjukkan’ ini. Sekilas saya melihat ada seorang pemuda kurus duduk memeluk lututnya di sekitar kerumuman masa. Ia berbaju kaos merah memegang kantong plastik. Mungkin seluruh barang-barangnya di dalam kantong itu. Ia nampaknya seorang gelandangan.

Karena seorang penyandang cacat di atas kursi roda segera diturunkan dan crew sebuah TV swasta akan mengambil gambar, ia disuruh minggir. Seorang petugas satpam bahkan membentaknya. Saat ia beranjak, barulah saya sadar kalau ia ternyata cacat. Ia pun minggir dengan susah payah. Kemungkinan ia sudah sejak tadi duduk di situ dank arena akan ada ‘pertunjukkan’ itu diusir.

Perhatian saya akhirnya tidak pada uji coba itu lagi. Padahal itulah tujuan liputan saya hari itu. Terlintas di pikiran saya betapa kejamnya negara ini dan masyarakatnya. Menjadi cacat di Indonesia sudah merupakan suatu penderitaan tersendiri. Apalagi menjadi cacat dan miskin di Indonesia. Kekejaman dan penderitaan berlapis-lapis.
Ada orang cacat yang masih mendapat perhatian yang luar biasa dari keluarga, masih punya tongkat, masih duduk di atas roda. Tapi bagaimana dengan mereka yang catat dan miskin? Mereka tersingkir dua kali dari masyarakat kita.

Pemuda berbaju merah itu, dia bukan saja cacat tapi juga miskin dan gembel, karena itulah dia bukan bagian dari “wisata teknologi” itu. Ia tidak layak masuk layar TV atau halaman Koran, sehingga ia harus disuruh minggir. Betapa malangnya. Ia cuma bisa jadi penonton, padahal ia juga punya derita yang sama dengan orang cacat lain yang sejenak menjadi perhatian massa.

Mungkin ia tak butuh publikasi ataupun popularitas sejenak. Ia juga mungkin tak butuh kursi roda atau tongkat. Ia di sana, di stasiun kereta api itu, mungkin karena ia tak punya rumah. Ia di sana karena ia butuh makan. Bisa makan saja itu sudah cukup baginya.

Itulah sebabnya ia mendekat ketika melihat kereta berhenti dan orang berkerumun.
Sebelum berangkat bersama rombongan, saya mewanwancarai Sartono Mukadis, sang dokter yang sekarang duduk di kursi roda karena kakinya dioperasi itu.

Ia bilang menjadi orang cacat di Negara ini seperti tiba-tiba dilempar ke dalam sebuah kelompok yang harus menerima segala keadaan apa adanya.

“Bukan hanya kepada tuna daksa, kepada banyak marginal juga kita masih belum adil. Misalnya kepada minoritas agama dan etnis. Saya egois kalau mengatakan ketidakadilan itu hanya pada tuna daksa seperti saya. Ketidakdilan itu masih berlaku kepada banyak pihak. Benar bahwa masih banyak perlakukan di bawah standar, tapi perlakukan di bawah standar itu tidak hanya kepada tuna daksa,” kata Sartono.

Menurut Sartono, selain alasan klasik bahwa kita adalah negara yang sedang membangun, ada alasan lain yang sebenarnya berbahaya.

“Ada alasan yang lebih prinsipil, lebih struktural, dan menurut saya lebih berbahaya yaitu kita memang miskin dalam empati. Kita cuma katanya bangsa yang gotong-royong, kita begitu mayoritas bahkan cenderung korup. Maaf saya muslim, tapi korup itu datang dari yang muslim. Jawa, saya jawa, tapi Jawa mayoritas cenderung korup. Setiap kekuasaan, setiap kelebihan dimaanfaatkan untuk korupsi,” tambah Sartono.

“Kalau dibilang negara beragama, Cina itu apakah kurang atheisnya. Mereka sangat athies, tetapi mereka mampu mempunyai perhatian yang luar biasa pada tuna daksa. Kita yang katanya Pancasilais ini, sebenarnya kejam. Itu karena kita miskin dalam empathi. Coba lihat Cina yang kita sebut cina loleng, yang ngak pernah belajar P4 yang ngak pernah bilang alhamdulilah tiap detik, dia takut betul kalau ada lambang orang cacat,”kata Sartono.

“Kalau yang besar, diperhatikan, yang bombastis, kita bukan main. Setiap bulan puasa kasih ke yatim piatu. Waduh bukan main. Apalagi muncul di televisi. Agama saya mengatakan, kita harus melindungi anak yatim piatu. Tidak ada kata-kata dalam Quran yang menyatakan anak yatim piatu muslim. Kenapa acara berbuka bersama selalu kita pilih anak yatim piatu muslim? Kan non-sense. Nanti kalau sudah terjadi seperti di Ambon, di Poso baru itu pendeta-pendeta dan haji dikumpulin. Kita bangsa yang suka show-off,” tambah Sartono.

Adanya undang-undang tentang orang cacat, menurut Sartono, tidak menjamin adanya perhatian yang wajar kepada orang cacat.
“Kalau perkara undang-undang, banyak sekali hal yang sudah ada undang-undangnya, tertulis, tertulis, tapi kita kan membaut undang-undang untuk dilanggar. Depsos sendiri menggunakan berbagai cara untuk menjadikan kita (orang cacat) sebagai proyek. Contohnya dalam pemberian penghargaan segala macam. Itu diperjual belikan. Walaupun kita harus katakan oknum-oknum Depsos, tapi Depsos sendiri tidak mempunyai program dalam pengertian mendasar yang betul-betul berusaha mengubah paradigma banyak orang tentang kecacatan. Yang mereka lakukan adalah proyek yang charity, seolah-olah memberikan sesuatu. Atau menolong kalau sudah ada masalah seperti pemadam kebakaran. Pemadam kebarannya pun mesti ditonton oleh orang banyak.”

Orang cacat di Indonesia tidak menuntut lebih selain pemenuhan hak-hak mereka, katanya.
“Setiap hari kita cuma bisa mengetuk, bahwa kita ini ada. Kita cuma menuntut hak kita. Charity ya boleh lah, terima kasih deh. Tapi asal kita jangan dijadikan obyek. Diberikan kesempatan yang sama sudah cukup. Saya melihat orang cacat itu, ketika kamu cacat tiba-tiba kamu masuk ke suatu domain tersendiri. Tidak boleh nakal, tidak boleh macam-macam. Lu musti dongo. Musti jujur. Padahal kita cuma manusia. Kita punya keinginan, kadang piunya niat jahat.”

Bahkan di antara sesama Negara berkembang, Indonesia terhitung sangat rendah perlakuannya terhadap orang cacat.

“Jangankan disbanding dengan negara maju. Terlalu jauh membandingkan Indonesia dengan Negara maju. Bandingan dengan Singapore saja kita kalah jauh. Di Indonesia, orang lebih takut pada fengshui daripada undang-undang tentang orang cacat. Dia bikin tangga tiga, tangga empat, dia ngak mau bikin lantai, karena lantai feng shuinya jelek. Di Singapore kan ngak begitu. Di Indonesia, di semua terminal, di bandara, dipenuhi sama mobil-mobil pejabat, meskipun ada tanda penyandang cacat.

Sartono mengaku pernah meminta ajudan Wakil Presiden Yusuf Kalla, untuk memindahkan mobil wapres yang diparkir di tempat parkir yang diperuntukkan untuk orang cacat.

“Setelah saling ngotot, akhirnya dia minggirin juga, mungkin dia pikir ini orang tua gila. Saya kan sudah nothing to lose kan? Tapi setelah itu saya takut sendiri. Coba bayangin kalau orang biasa,” kata Sartono.

Group sees the environment as election issue

Friday, January 05, 2007
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi Jakarta) says the next governor should have a keen understanding of the current issues that are key to the enforcement of environmental law.

In its year-end report, made public Wednesday, the organization said weak law enforcement had led to the development of environmental problems in the city.

"Moreover, the administration's development policies deny public participation, which has resulted in human-caused environmental damage over the years," Walhi Jakarta chairman Selamet Daroyni said.

The report notes the major problems in Jakarta's environmental history, including air, water and land pollution, floods, droughts, the inadequate waste management system and poor energy choices.

"Up to 70 percent of air pollution in Jakarta comes from vehicle emissions. This figure alone is enough to show that if the city government does not introduce a good macro-transportation system, we will continue to breath in polluted air," Selamet said.

The report says the city is at a critical juncture with losses due to air pollution estimated at Rp 4.3 trillion in 2015, compared to Rp 1.8 trillion in 1998.

Atmospheric pollutants and irritants have been linked to chronic respiratory problems.

The group predicts that in 2007, the concentration of particles in the air will change as the energy crisis has forced the government to push some regulations that pursue the use of coal in industry.

Although the city's water management is contracted out to two private companies, the quality of water is not getting better.

"Many people drink groundwater, which is 75 to 85 percent contaminated by E-coli and other fecal coliform, as the waterworks' pumping and purifying equipment is only sufficient to supply 45 percent of Jakartans," Selamet added.

Whereas water shortages are experienced in the dry season, floods leave 370,000 families homeless in the rainy season, with total losses estimated at Rp 92.5 billion per day.

Data from the city public works agency shows that Jakarta has 78 flood-prone areas, while data from the Central Statistics Agency says the city has about 500 flood-prone areas.

The city administration has allocated about Rp 500 billion to prevent this annual disaster, but Walhi Jakarta says most of the money has been spent on dredging waterways and buying pumps, which will not significantly help in controlling floods.

The city's poor waste management system is also putting residents at risk of disaster.

"Jakarta produces 6,000 tons of garbage daily but the administration can only manage 88 percent," Selamet said. "The government's master plan for waste-management until 2015 clearly shows they are merely reliant on the technology of private institutions to solve the problem."

The conversion of conservation areas to commercial areas is also blamed for environmental hazards.

"In 1965, about 27 percent of Jakarta was green open space. In 2000, it dropped to 13 percent and now it is only 9 percent. This is a serious problem. The administration has been inconsistent in enforcing the environmental impact analysis requirements for development projects. It accommodates business interests while ignoring the environment," Selamet said.

So far, the group said, none of the gubernatorial candidates seemed to have a good grasp of current environmental issues.

"This will simply lead to the mobilization of resources for gaining power and the neglect of the people and environmental issues," Selamet said.

Indonesia has ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which requires the state to respect and observe human rights and freedoms, including the right to a clean environment.

The group expressed hope for a new perspective in policy-making that did not discriminate against the poor or ignore environmental hazards and their abatement.

"These changes include the revision of the city's spatial plan and the provision of a low-cost, safe public transportation system, as well as an end to the eviction of the poor," Selamet said. (02)

Bikers unhappy with road restrictions, peak hour ban

Monday, January 08, 2007
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Motorcyclists are opposed to the decision to limit them to the left lanes of designated streets, with more plans to ban motorcycles from main roads during peak hours ahead.

"The decision won't work if there is no special lane for motorcyclists. Clearly, bikers are not the only problem; buses and bajaj, which usually stop wherever they like and sometimes without any warning, also contribute to the chaotic traffic," Suharto, a courier for a travel agent in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Muslim, who works at an advertising firm in Warung Buncit, South Jakarta, said that many of his clients' offices were located along the city's main thoroughfares.

"It's easier to get to my clients with my motorcycle. Would there be alternative route for motorcyclists?"

Indonesia Transportation Society (MTI) chairman Bambang Susantono said that any policies to limit the number of motorcycles in the city should be accompanied by an improvement of public transportation.

"The basic idea is to provide a specific lane for motorcyclists. In theory, a moving motorcycle will take as much space as a car if the lanes are not clearly separated," he explained.

"The more special lanes that are provided, the better the traffic will flow. There might be traffic, but it will still be moving."

Besides driver behavior, he said, an imbalance between the number of vehicles and the availability of infrastructure was also one of the main roots of traffic jams. MTI says the growth in the number of vehicles in the city is 10 to 12 percent a year, while road expansion is only 2 to 3 percent a year.

Therefore, Bambang said, every public transportation policy must classify different kinds of vehicles according to their function and other factors, in order to reduce traffic jams and traffic accidents.

"Basically, motorcycles are not for long distance traveling. In theory, there are backbone, collector and feeder vehicles. The backbone vehicles, such as busway buses, commuter trains and subway cars, are for long distance; the collector vehicles, such as minibuses, are for middle distance; and the feeder vehicles such as motorcycles, are for short distance," he explained.

He said Jakarta could learn from countries in East Asia that faced the same problem of an imbalance between the number of motorcycles and street space.

In Taiwan, he said, the government provided special lanes and special parking lots for motorcyclists, and also imposed a heavy tax on motorcycles.

Towns in mainland China have developed another approach to the problem, banning motorcycles from main roads at peak hours, while providing good public transportation.

Bambang said that if the government really wanted to address the problem, the busway project and the rejuvenation of the railways, which would provide good and affordable transportation, must be finished in two or three years. (02)

Pasar Baru vendors refuse to make way for trade center

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Thursday, January 4, 2007

Hundreds of street vendors evicted from the outskirts of Pasar Baru market in Sawah Besar, Central Jakarta, have refused to move to an alternative marketplace in National Monument (Monas) park.

The vendors are insisting on running their businesses in Pasar Baru, even though their tables and tents have been taken away and a second eviction is inevitable.

"No one wants to go there (Monas). What are we going to sell in Monas? People go to Monas for sports and recreation, not to buy things. Besides, most people only go there on Sundays," the secretary of the street vendors' union, Irwan Monginsidi, said Tuesday.

He hoped the city administration would amend its decision, allowing the hawkers to continue trading in Pasar Baru, though that might require some adjustments to the placement of their kiosks.

On Monday, dozens of public order officers cleared the main entrance to Pasar Baru market and along Jl. Pasar Baru from the tables, tents and chairs used by the 244 street vendors.

Officials said the vendors had ignored the three notices that had been issued by the administration since late November.

"We are not seeking compensation, we know only too well we are only street vendors. If we are creating disorder, work out a way to get us in line, but don't isolate us in Monas," said Elhan who has been trading in the area for 15 years.

Suprihatin, the subdistrict head of Sawah Besar, said the presence of the vendors was the main obstacle for the city administration in its plan to make Pasar Baru an international trade center.

"The street vendors are uncontrollable. It's the old 'give them an inch and they'll take a mile' story. What of the traders who pay for spaces in Pasar Baru market but barely have room to move because of the street vendors?" Suprihatin said.

Azas Tigor Nainggolan, who chairs nonprofit group the Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta), said the government's efforts to evict street vendors would never achieve lasting results.

The designated area in Monas park is also not a strategic one for the vendors.

"Many vendors who were previously evicted from around the city and forced to trade in Monas park have already gone bust. They couldn't make any money there, and rents are high," he said.

He added that the fence around the park made it "unfriendly" and would drive away prospective buyers.

"It is not like a public space, but more like the governor's private park. The very idea of moving the vendors there is ridiculous.

"This is only going to create more problems. Ironically, this is happening to people who have been able to solve their own problems. They have created their own jobs with their own money and have never relied on the government for anything. They also pay what they have to in taxes and fees. They are not part of the problem but the government makes them the problem," Azas said.

The city administration, he said, should first listen to the vendors' ideas. If they wanted to continue working in Pasar Baru, the officials and the vendors should come together to discuss possible options.

He said the street vendors were willing to cooperate with the city administration if clear guidelines were established to ensure effective localization.(02)

Josh dan Teknologi Masa Depan

Kompas cetak, 2 Januari 2007

DAHONO FITRIANTO

Sungguh menyenangkan berbincang-bincang dengan Josaphat Tetuko Sri Sumantyo PhD (35). Orangnya ramah, terbuka, rendah hati, dan setiap kata darinya bagaikan kisah fiksi sains: menakjubkan dan sulit dipercaya.

Pertama dia bercerita tentang antena tembus pandang yang bisa ditempel di kaca jendela rumah, kantor, mobil, hingga pesawat. Kemudian tentang antena satelit setebal 1,6 milimeter. Terakhir, tentang pencarian abu vulkanik sisa letusan Gunung Toba di Sumatera 78.000 tahun silam di Kutub Utara.

Hanya saja, itu bukan fiksi. Semua nyata, terbukti secara ilmiah, dan merupakan karya pria yang akrab dipanggil Josh. Dia berhasil menciptakan antena tembus pandang yang dibuat dari bahan dasar pasta tembaga pada 2004.

Tempelkan antena berbentuk lembaran film itu di kaca jendela rumah, mobil, atau gedung perkantoran, dan kita bebas menerima siaran televisi, berkoneksi internet, mengaktifkan perangkat GPS, dan melakukan panggilan telepon satelit dari dan ke seluruh tempat di dunia ini.

Karya Josh lainnya adalah antena microstrip untuk berkomunikasi langsung dengan satelit. Jika selama ini antena satelit berbentuk antena parabola berukuran besar, Josh merevolusinya dengan membuat antena berbentuk cakram berdiameter 12 sentimeter dan tebal 1,6 milimeter.

Dipatenkan

Antena berkemampuan dual band sehingga bisa berfungsi sebagai pemancar dan penerima ini telah dipatenkan secara internasional. "Antena hanya perangkat dasar. Pemakaiannya bermacam-macam, dari antena komunikasi biasa seperti pada telepon genggam hingga sistem radar militer," papar Kepala Microwave Remote Sensing Laboratory di Universitas Chiba, Jepang, ini.

Antena bisa dipasang pada setiap laptop sehingga bisa langsung berkomunikasi dengan satelit atau diselipkan di balik atap mobil sehingga ke mana pun mobil itu pergi akan bisa berkomunikasi. Tiada lagi blank spot.

"Sebuah produsen mobil di Jepang sudah membayar hak paten untuk memproduksi antena itu sebagai perangkat komunikasi standar di setiap mobil buatannya," ujar Josh yang enggan menyebut nama produsen mobil itu.

Berangkat dari penemuan antena mikro ini, Josh mengembangkan sistem radar masa depan, circularly polarized synthetic aperture radar(CP-SAR). Seluruh sistem radar yang saat ini dipakai, termasuk yang tercanggih, masih menggunakan mode polarisasi linear yang kurang akurat.

"Dengan polarisasi circular, pembacaan radar akan lebih akurat karena tidak terganggu gerakan pesawat pembawa radar itu dan bentuknya juga lebih kecil," paparnya.

Di luar radar, bersama koleganya di Chiba, Josh sedang melakukan proyek ambisius memetakan penyebaran abu vulkanik gunung api seluruh dunia yang meletus sejak ribuan tahun lalu.

"Abu vulkanik dari gunung meletus, begitu mencapai stratosfer akan bergerak ke arah dua kutub bumi. Di kutub, abu tersebut menumpuk dan terawetkan. Dari situ, kita bisa memetakan periodisasi letusan gunung tertentu untuk mengantisipasi letusan berikutnya," kata ayah dari Johannes Pandhito Panji Herdento (7) ini.

Dari riset tersebut Josh mendapat bukti apa yang kita kenal sebagai Danau Toba di Sumatera saat ini dulunya adalah kawah gunung api raksasa. "Sewaktu-waktu bisa meletus kembali," tuturnya.

Tidak bisa membaca

Josh bukanlah anak ajaib yang jenius sejak lahir. "Sampai kelas III SD saya tak bisa membaca. Saya peringkat ke-23 dari 23 siswa. Saya dulu main terus, tidak pernah belajar," tutur pria kelahiran 25 Juni 1970.

"Saya terpukul melihat ibu menangis karena saya akan dikeluarkan. Sejak itu saya berjanji tak bermain lagi dan hanya belajar, belajar, dan belajar," kenang Josh. Sejak itu, Josh selalu meraih peringkat pertama.

Lulus dari SMA Negeri 1 Solo, Josh lolos seleksi program beasiswa Science and Technology Manpower Development Program yang digelar Kementerian Riset dan Teknologi. Ia kuliah S-1 dan S-2 di Fakultas Teknik Elektro dan Komputer Universitas Kanazawa, Jepang, sejak 1991.

Di Kanazawa itulah ia bertemu dengan Innes Indreswari Soekanto, seniman pematung yang kelak menjadi istrinya.

Ke-"gila"-an belajar Josh membuat dia menguasai berbagai cabang ilmu lain, mulai dari geologi, geografi, geodesi, sampai fisika material.

Tahun 1999, dengan biaya sendiri, putra kedua instruktur Pasukan Khas TNI AU ini menyelesaikan studi S-3 di Universitas Chiba. Hanya dalam waktu tiga tahun, gelar PhD ia raih. Kemampuannya dianggap istimewa dan tidak dimiliki orang Jepang sehingga ia ditawari posisi staf pengajar tetap di Universitas Chiba.

"Sesuatu yang sangat jarang terjadi karena saya masih warga negara Indonesia sampai hari ini," tuturnya.

Tahun 2004, saat usianya baru 34 tahun, universitas mengangkatnya menjadi associate professor atau setingkat di bawah profesor penuh. Sebuah loncatan langka, mengingat di Chiba seorang dosen baru diangkat menjadi associate professor pada usia rata-rata 45 tahun.

Dengan segala kesempatan, penghargaan, dan fasilitas yang diberikan Pemerintah Jepang kepada Josh (dia pernah bilang, gaji pokoknya setara dengan gaji presiden di negara berkembang), Josh tidak pernah lupa pada Tanah Airnya.

Selain untuk menengok istri dan anaknya yang tinggal di Bandung, Josh rutin pulang ke Indonesia 2-3 kali setahun untuk memberi kuliah di berbagai universitas dan mempresentasikan teknologi baru temuannya kepada Mabes TNI. Semua dilakukan dengan biaya sendiri.

Poor 'sold short' on day of sacrifice

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
January 2, 2007

Thousands of the city's poorest people left dissatisfied Monday after queuing since early morning for free meat at Istiqal Grand Mosque.

They were promised two kilograms of meat each, but received less than half a kg.

The majority of Muslims here celebrated Idul Adha on Sunday.

The distribution of meat to the poor traditionally follows Idul Adha prayers, but was delayed to allow for extra preparation time.

"We give coupon holders first priority. So far the distribution process is running smoothly," said mosque spokesman Didi Hadian as quoted by Detikcom.

Didi did not say why the packages of meat were smaller than expected.

The meat was distributed at counters, which served five people at a time.

"Forget the two kilograms. We didn't get any meat at all -- it's all bone," said Nur Effendi who had traveled from Cililitan in East Jakarta to the mosque in Central Jakarta.

Sutijah, a street vendor, was similarly displeased.

"Last year, I got two or three kilograms," she said.

In previous years, the mosque gave the task of slaughtering the cows and goats to traders and butchers, who also distributed the meat. This year, a team from the mosque handled the process.

Dozens of animals were sacrificed and the meat distributed among 5,000 people. (02)

Sacrificial animal avoids the murder of the other

One can always interpret the monotheisms as sacrificial archaisms, but the texts don't prove that they are such. It's said that the Psalms of the Bible are violent, but who speak up in the psalms if not the victims of the violence of the myths: "The bulls of Balaam encircle me and are about to lynch me"? The Psalms are like a magnificent lining on the outside, but when turned inside out they show a bloody skin. They are typical of the violence that weighs on humans and on the refuge that they find in their God.

Our intellectual fashions don't want to see anything but violence in these texts, but where does the danger really come from? Today, we live in a dangerous world where all the mob movements are violent. This crowd or mob was already violent in the Psalms. Likewise in the story of Job. It – the "friends" – demanded of Job to acknowledge his guilt; they put him through a real Moscow trial. His is a prophetic trial. Is it not that of Christ, adulated by the crowds, then rejected at the moment of his Passion? These narratives announce the cross, the death of the innocent victim, the victory over all the sacrificial myths of antiquity.

Is it so different in Islam? Islam has also formidable prophetic insights about the relation between the crowd, the myths, victims, and sacrifice. In the Muslim tradition, the ram Abel sacrificed is the same as the one God sent to Abraham so that he could spare his son. Because Abel sacrificed rams, he did not kill his brother. Because Cain did not sacrifice animals, he killed his brother. In other words, the sacrificial animal avoids the murder of the brother and the son. That is, it furnishes an outlet for violence. Thus Mohammed had insights which are on the plane of certain great Jewish prophets, but at the same time we find a concern for antagonism and separation from Judaism and Christianity that may negate our interpretation.

'Rain, traffic jams are hell for the children'

City News - Heard on the Street - December 28, 2006

Governor Sutiyoso recently called on the public to spend less on holiday parties and entertainment.The Jakarta Post asked some people about their plans for New Year's Eve.

Mira Damayanti Pirous, 34, is an architect who lives with her parents, husband and son in Duren Tiga, South Jakarta:

We will spend New Year's Eve at a villa in Puncak. We like to come together as a family to see in the new year, and one of my relatives offered us the use of his villa.

We usually have a barbecue. Actually, I'd like to go to Bali or Lombok, but that's a lot more expensive.

This is the first time I've ever gone to Puncak for New Year's Eve. I usually avoid going there during holidays because of the bad traffic, but it seems I've got no choice in the matter.

Other than staying in a hotel and enjoying whatever it has on offer, I think going to Puncak is the easiest way for Jakartans to celebrate.

Pantoro Try, 32, is an environmentalist who live in Mampang Prapatan, South Jakarta, with his wife and 3-year-old daughter:

For families with toddlers, like mine, its better to stay at home or get together with family than go out.

Rain and traffic jams are hell for the children and, as parents, we can't fully relax either. Staying at home is a lot more worthwhile.

--The Jakarta Post

New railroad cars offer little benefit for disabled

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Friday, Dec 29, 2006

A tryout of newly imported used railroad cars from Japan on Thursday resulted in frustration for about 200 disabled persons and their relatives.

"Four people had to help me to get into the car, so I think I am not going to use this train," said Endang Purwaningsih from Bukit Duri, South Jakarta.

"We don't want people to have to carry us onto the train every time. What we need are proper facilities so that we can help ourselves," she added.

The tryout -- a round trip from Gambir to Bogor station and back again -- was organized by the Handicapped Care Community (Kopetunda) and state railway company PT Kereta Api for disabled people from Greater Jakarta.

The company's Greater Jakarta region spokesman, Akhmad Sujadi, promised to improve the facilities for disabled people next year.

He said the government was replacing all the railroad cars in Greater Jakarta with 160 used cars from Japan. Each car costs Rp 800 million. To date, 44 coaches have arrived in Jakarta.

Of the 68 railroad stations in Jakarta, he said, only Gambir, Pasar Senen in Central Jakarta and Kota in West Jakarta were accessible to the disabled.

"We need to figure out the number of disabled who regularly use train services and then arrange facilities for them. For the time being, our officers will help disabled people anytime they need it," said Akhmad.

Meanwhile, Indrayant from Kopetunda said that the government's lack of awareness of disabled people's rights seemed to be never ending. He said he doubted the veracity of the pledge made by the railroad company to improve access for the disabled at railroad stations in Jakarta.

Even Gambir station, Indrayant pointed out, lacked minimum standards for the disabled, such as special toilets, escalators, ticket booths and special parking spaces for the disabled.

"It's not about the number of disabled that need the service, it's about their rights as human beings," said Indrayant.

Abdul Rauf, a disabled man who participated in the trial run, doubted whether the campaign would be successful.

"I have participated in campaigns like this before and nothing happened afterwards," he said.

A frequent traveler to Bandung, West Java and Surabaya, East Java, Abdul said that only the main stations in the two cities were relatively accessible to the disabled as their platforms were level with train floors.

Noted psychologist Sartono Mukadis, who is confined to a wheelchair due to illness, said that the lack of equal access to public facilities clearly demonstrated the nation's lack of empathy.

"As a nation we are so cruel to our minorities, not only the disabled but also other kinds of minorities such as ethnic and religious minorities. We say we are religious nation. But China is not a religious nation, so why are they so concerned about people with disabilities," asked Sartono.

Data from the World Health Organization shows that 10 to 12 percent of the world's population, or more than 600 million people, have some form of disability. Some 80 percent of them are living in poor countries. It is estimated that only two percent of people with disabilities enjoy adequate access to basic needs. (02)

Firms awarded for waste management

Headline News
Thursday, December 21, 2006
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Eighty-five private firms were given awards Wednesday for properly treating their liquid waste by the Jakarta municipal administration.

The firms were shortlisted from 746 industries, hospitals, hotels, apartments, offices, shopping malls, supermarkets and shops in Jakarta, which routinely send their waste to the city environmental management board's laboratory.

Criteria for the award -- best performance in liquid waste management -- is based on compliance tests of the firms' waste undertaken every three months at the agency's laboratory, the levels of waste water produced, and daily waste monitoring reports sent to the agency.

"We need serious treatment to maintain water quality in Jakarta, because the water conditions here are getting worse, while groundwater remains the dominant resource for drinking water," Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said at the event.

The award was presented for the first time and the event is expected to be be held annually.

Sutiyoso estimated about 22,500 industrial establishments in Jakarta posed a risk to groundwater because they did not have any waste water treatment facilities.

"Some might do it on purpose. They just don't want to be responsible and don't care about the environment," he said.

He said that the administration would soon start a get-tough policy on such negligence. It would send warning letters to uncooperative companies and revoke their licenses if they did not improve their liquid waste management, he said.

Budirama Natakusumah, the head of city's environmental management board, said the gubernatorial decree on domestic waste management required every house and public building to install a wastewater treatment facility to reduce the risk of groundwater contamination.

"It is necessary to always remind enterprises and industries to treat their liquid waste before dumping it into rivers or other waterways," Budirama said.

He hoped a bylaw on liquid waste treatment would be produced soon to reduce pollution in the capital. (02)

Foundations encourage schools to go green

Thursday, December 21, 2006
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Four high schools in Greater Jakarta have integrated green and energy-efficient practices into their learning and teaching processes, thanks to the support of two foundations concerned about environmental issues.

Islamic vocational high school SMK Al Muslim in Bekasi, private vocational high school SMK Wikrama in Bogor, state high school No. 13 in South Jakarta, and state high school No. 69 in Kepulauan Seribu have each received Rp 25 million from the Indonesian Biodiversity Foundation (KEHATI) and the Coca-Cola Foundation (CCF) to run their environmental programs.

"We hope that environmental issues, which are becoming increasingly more complex, also become a youth concern," Christien Ismuranty from KEHATI said Tuesday.

"We hope schools adopt a perspective on the environment and approach their management and curriculum from that perspective," she added.

KEHATI and CCF held in 2005 a competition to select high schools that were models in their communities for healthy, safe and environmentally sound practices. The four schools beat out 16 other competitors.

Under the Go Green School program, KEHATI and CCF, along with a number of other NGOs, help schools integrate a range of issues like energy conservation and recycling into their curriculum.

After a year, SMK Wikrama Bogor was selected as the best model and received another Rp 10 million to finance its green program.

The emphasis on environmental friendliness spurred SMK Wikrama to stock nutritious food in its canteen -- including vegetables grown in the schoolyard -- save money by reducing consumption and energy costs, increase the protection of natural resources and better manage its garbage.

The other three model schools practiced pollution prevention, recycling, energy efficiency and waste reduction, as well as introducing modules on coral transplantation and seaweed cultivation.

Christien said the schools were selected because of their commitment and creativity in internalizing environmental values in their management. Schools with different advantages and facilities were selected. For example, SMK Al Muslim is a private school with great facilities, while the one in Kepulauan Seribu is a state school with limited facilities.

"Being a green school does not necessarily depend on facilities and location. Wherever you are, however limited your resources, you can do something. That is our message," Christien said.

Titie Sadarini, CCF chief executive, said the foundation had given Rp 500 million to the KEHATI foundation, which will coordinate the program for four years beginning in 2004.

The Go Green School program has also encouraged the National Education Ministry and the State Ministry for the Environment to bring in an award scheme for green schools called Andiwiyata. (02)

Acer enters fray in LCD TV market

Tuesday, December 05, 2006
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The country's growing digital home entertainment market has become too hard to resist for Acer, with the top computer maker having just launched its first LCD TV in Indonesia.

Unlike conventional LCD, TVs which combine audio and visual modes only, the new product, known as the Acer Total Experience, brings combines the audio, visual and IT worlds into one experience.

Jason Lim, president director of Acer Indonesia, said Monday that the launch of the new product was designed to meet the growing demand for convergence between the information technology (IT) industry and consumer electronics (CE) industry.

"There is a growing trend now to combine IT and CE technology. As a leading PC and notebook manufacturer around the world for 30 years, we decided to bring our expertise to bear in developing this multifunction LCD TV," Jason said at the official launch.

The product is equipped with similar technology to that used in the LCD monitors in Acer's personal computers and notebooks.

Acer's product marketing manager, Daniel H. Rustandi, said that the company was very optimistic about the prospects for the new product due to the growing demand for high technology in the digital home entertainment market.

Daniel said that the new LCD TV product would be one of his company's main products in 2007, besides its notebook and PC products.

According to figures from the International Data Corporation (IDC), an independent research firm, Acer's notebooks hold a more than 30 percent domestic market share.

Daniel said the new LCD TV product was aimed at users who valued affordable cinema-like entertainment, people who needed to replace their conventional TVs and those who were technology-savvy.

The new product comes on the market this month, with prices ranging from Rp 7 million to Rp 19 million. (02)

Jakarta to host 1st international agriculture expo

Saturday, December 16, 2006

The Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) and the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI) will host Indonesia's first international agricultural expo in March 2007 to promote local agricultural products on both the national and international markets.

The expo, which is also intended to support government programs for the revitalizing of the agriculture sector and increasing national food stocks, will feature farm machinery, and processed and unprocessed farm products, as well as presentations on agricultural research projects.

Djoko Said Darmadjati, the director general of agricultural product processing and marketing, said the expo was part of the effort to create and promote a better image for local products in the minds of consumers by disseminating information and providing transaction venues.

The expo will be held on March 16-18, 2007, at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) and will be hosted and mainly funded by the Bogor Institute of Agricultural (IPB), the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI), and event organizer Performax.

Apart from the expo, there will also be a conference, workshops, field visits, one-on-one business meetings, and export, tax and trade counseling.

Rifda Ammarina, director of Performax, said that the expo would provide opportunities for all stakeholders involved in agriculture to establish ties with prospective clients. She expressed the hope that the event would gain the attention of the international business community.

HIPMI chairman Sandiaga Uno, who co-initiated the expo, said that based on a recent study, agriculture was an important entrepreneurial sector. Chastened by the 1998 economic crisis, 80 per cent of the 25,000 members of HIPMI around the country have been shifting their business focuses away from the construction sector to the agriculture sector.

"My short-term goal in initiating this expo is to create networking and to speed up the business repositioning of HIPMI's members. By 2008, we should see 10 percent of them already fully involved in the agricultural business," said Sandiaga.(02)