Indonesia Hari Ini....

Rusuh dan kacau menyelimuti beberapa kota di Indonesia. Seorang kawan dari India yang saya temui tempo hari pun menunjukkan rasa kagetnya dengan apa yang terjadi di Indonesia. Meskipun obrolan kecil kami diselipi tawa dan canda, di dalam hati ini tetap ada kesedihan. Mengapa Indonesia dikenal melalui berita buruk.

Menyusuri sekilas berita-berita mainstream dan sosial media, topik kerusuhan, penjarahan, siapa dalang di balik penjarahan dan tindakan represif aparat menggunakan gas air mata kelihatannya akan terus jadi headline. Sosok Ferry Irwandi jadi sorotan. Dengan gaya bicara dan kritikan yang tajam namun khas anak muda mendapatkan perhatian sekaligus pujian. Sepertinya, tahun ini adalah milik Ferry Irwandi. Di atas semua itu, kepiawaiannya berkomunikasi telah membawa perubahan trend aktivisme di kalangan anak muda dan mahasiswa. Sampai mana ini semua akan membawa perubahan, masih kita tunggu. Untuk saat ini cukup kita berterima kasih, dia telah menjadi satu batu pijakan kultur pergerakan dan aktivisme masa kini.

Kembali ke masalah yang diderita bangsa ini, trigger dari erupsi protest dan kekecewaan, tidaklah tunggal. Pertama, persoalan ekonomi menjadi satu penyebab yang cukup kuat, meskipun pemerintah merilis capaian pertumbuhan ekonomi yang cukup tinggi. Ini yang menjadi pendorong keresahan dan akhirnya erupsi kemarahan dan protest sebulan belakangan ini. Lalu, persoalan komunikasi publik pemerintah secara umum dan kompetensi (komunikasi dan kinerja) anggota dewan secara khusus juga tidak bisa dilewatkan. Apalagi kalau kita bicarakan juga kinerja penegak hukum dan menurunnya kepercayaan masyarakat, bahkan sejak beberapa tahun belakangan.

Tentu, permasalahan ini bukan sekadar tentang siapa dalang dari penjarahan dan tindakan represif, tapi lebih dari itu ini adalah pucuk dari gunung es yang bisa jadi kita sendiri yang sedikit demi sedikit ikut menimbunnya.

Permasalah kompetensi anggota dewan berkaitan dengan lemahnya kepercayaan dan popularitas partai-partai di mata masyarakat, ditambah dengan impotensi mereka turun dan mendengar aspirasi masyarakat. Secara struktur, penyaringan anggota-anggota dewan diperparah dengan proses pemilihan berbiaya tinggi yang membuat "hubungan terlarang" politisi-pengusaha-pejabat publik semakin kabur tapi mesra. Korbannya adalah kepentingan publik dan mereka yang secara suara (saat pemilu) tidak menarik dan populer.

Tentu korupsi (keuangan dan kekuasaan) harus diberantas segera, karena itu yang kentara saat ini dan paling menguras air mata dan emosi masyarakat. Namun, saat tensi semakin menurun, semangat menuju perbaikan akan mengalami ujian dahsyat. Maka, proses politik pemilihan pemimpin (pemilihan anggota dewan, pemimpin daerah dan pemimpin nasional) haruslah semurah dan seterbuka mungkin. Saat ini "suara" pemilih mungkin memang dijual murah, tapi apabila dikalikan ratusan juta orang, angkanya jadi fantastis bahkan untuk ukuran seorang pengusaha kelas nasional sekalipun. 

Roda dan siklus mahalnya proses pemilihan ini juga harus dibawa ke proses pemilihan aparatur sipil dan keamanan negara, terutama kepolisian. Kompetensi anggota kepolisian harus dikawal oleh kompetisi dan keterbukaan pemilihan calon polisi. Semua ini perlu untuk menjamin proses seleksi berlangsung efektif, efisien dan pastinya semurah mungkin. Ini harus dilakukan dengan terencana tapi pasti, karena retorika perubahan sudah biasa terdengar dari mulut pejabat publik dan politisi. 

Ini secuplik pandangan dari mata dan jiwa yang jauh terpisah dengan tanah air. Mungkin bukan solusi yang diimpikan semua orang, tetapi sebuah perubahan harus berawal dari pemikiran yang mendalam dan perubahan struktur-struktur yang selama ini tidak terlihat tapi sangat berpengaruh.

Terima kasih.

Birmingham, 04/09/2025

 

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Bright or Dark?

Indonesia is in the middle of an emergency situation. By this, I don't mean bad things such as war or military coups. I mean, there are communication issues among citizens that make a healthy discussion impossible. Health is, of course, a broad term. 

Lately, students, academics, and think tanks have expressed their concerns over the political-economic situation. Their critical sentiment is enshrined in the popular colloquial term "Indonesia Gelap," which means "dark Indonesia." Not until recently did the government, via one of the ministers, commence a counter-campaign entitled "Indonesia terang" (Bright Indonesia).

As an Indonesian citizen living abroad, I couldn't do anything except observe. All problems should be treated in detail and using a pragmatic and technocratic approach. I see that political bias and partisan sentiment dominate the underlying intentions. 

Indonesian problems have been in place for decades. Not only does it need a comprehensive solution but also a long-term plan. These problems are, among others, political party dominance, high-cost elections and businesses, infrastructure and human development gaps, income gaps, corruption, and ineffective bureaucracy. 

This writing does not seek a solution or provide one. I try to give a broad overview of what has happened in Indonesia. Hopefully, it is a good beginning to discuss more about the current situation in Indonesia. 

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Good Morning, Indonesia

Good morning, Indonesia. This is a greeting from an Indonesian living in Birmingham, UK. 

I live in a distant country that many people long for. I used to dream of living and being a student in Europe or, at least, in East Asian countries. This was my dream, and I'm lucky enough to have finally experienced it. I have lived in this city since 2021. It is a big city, just like Jakarta, Indonesia. Yet, this city does not have the same situation as Jakarta. I mean, the crowd and traffic are less disorganized of a town as big as Birmingham.  

This is a little note from me. The above paragraph does not capture all my views about this country and Birmingham in particular. The background for comparing Birmingham and Jakarta is contextual and situational, even cultural and political. I will unpack and discuss these in future writings. 

Thank you.

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Englishmen Versus American

I have just read a passage about the cultural differences between two old countries – the USA and the UK. Mind-set and behavioral differences, such as responses to failure and success, are discussed in the article, as well as financial openness. It is not a robust and large-scale research supported by extensive surveys. So, it attracts various challenges and criticism. For the same reason, you can not find a genuine response from a straightforward, well-designed research framework.

In the above paragraph, I differentiated between individual observation and extensive scientific research, which is usually equipped with sophisticated methods, ground-breaking approaches and theories, and mass observation. I do not try to imply that personal experience does not deserve equal respect and scientific recognition. How an idea is expressed and structured will attract similar expressions and structures of communication. In other words, a scientific approach will likely trigger similar scientific works, and colloquial expressions will attract rebuttal or agreement conveyed in the same expressions. 

A comparison rings our bell about similar comparisons between Indonesia and Malaysia, Malaysia and Singapore, India and Pakistan, or Japan and the Korean Republic. You can add the list. Proximity countries, be it geographically, historically, or politically, will likely have 'love and hate' relationships. Like siblings whose interactions are characterized by heated conflicts but secretly admire and protect each other, Englishmen and Americans are no exception. 

However, differences between people may not be advantageous in practical matters. The more relevant matter is their political relationship and infrastructure differences. Both aspects are important for global citizens. For example, their seemingly bonded interests can affect how the Asian economy and politics run. This is due to the cold conflict between the US and China (Russia). Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia, for example, treat China in a very different and opportunistic way relative to what has been done by the US and its allies. For the citizens of these Asian countries, like me, this political and economic stance must be maintained in an orchestrated manner among Global South countries or Southeast Asian countries.

Birmingham, 11 December 2024

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The Dead of Expertise

I finally realized that expertise is not solely about the expert—an individual. Gradually, a new horizon emerged, revealing an unprecedented understanding, at least from my perspective. I mean, a mental framework and habitual patterns underlie expertise. In other words, expertise is not a product. The products, such as theories, statements, arguments, theses, or conclusions, are merely signposts of expertise. One cannot be labeled an expert simply for producing these "outputs." 

Therefore, academic work often adheres to fixed or rigid rules, such as writing styles, structures, and specific terms or definitions. It is not about institutional or teacher dominance, but rather about established structures and representations of human thought and understanding. While this system is not perfect, any alternative must offer a comparable level of complexity and a comprehensive worldview.

Birmingham, 12 November 2024

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November in Birmingham

I have been in Birmingham, England, for two and a half years. This is a city that I frequently heard of during my childhood and teens. A far way city unknown to me and my childhood to university friends. If I looked back to those years, it was almost unbelievable and near magic that I was going to pursue my PhD in this lovely city. At that time, in Purwokerto, a small city in Central Java, Indonesia, I was struggling to finish my undergraduate thesis, not to mention thinking about doing doctoral research abroad. Yet, I'm here. Cruising through the ups and downs. Responding and trying to solve challenges and issues. Now, I live with my wife and our cute but intelligent daughter. 

November in Birmingham is cold. It's technically in the winter. Snow is supposed to be expected but none has been spotted. The temperature is already under 5 degrees Celcius in the last 7 days. Looking at how people dresses, they have put on thicker and thicker outfit. I have put on Long John when I go out and at home. This morning, we - the Indonesian community, welcomed a delegation from West Java Province that joined an important event (English for Ulama) in London a few days ago. Today they had a chance to visit the Multi-faith Chaiplance at the University of Birmingham and had a warm discussion with the Muslim Chaiplance and us. In this meeting, I can see how the cold weather was unbearable to those who are not used to it. One of them had to cover his ears with a winter hoodie. 

That's the weather. November is a month when people start to make a plan for Christmas and the New Year celebration. It's similar to Ramadhan in Indonesia. We started to prepare for a short return to our kampung (usually a place where we were born or raised). November is also a month of discounted sales. Ladies usually storm factory outlets to purchase branded products for a cheaper price. We - husbands, must devout few hours to accompany our wives visiting these outlet counters. In Birmingham, this famous shopping spot in November and December is located in Cannock. It is a small town in the sub-urban. 

November in Birmingham is not special if you expect a celebration or party.

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Menjalani Hidup Gaya Masa Kini

Hidupku berbeda dengan orang pada umumnya. Aku sering muncul di media-media sosial (medsos) utama dan populer. Bahkan kalau ada media sosial baru, aku akan menganalisa medsos itu, melakukan ekstrapolasi ke masa 5 sampai 10 tahun mendatang. Dengan begitu aku mampu memprediksi tingkat popularitas, kemudahan pemakaian sekaligus potensi bisnisnya. Sehingga aku mampu memutuskan sekarang untuk membuat atau tidak membuat akun di medsos yang baru muncul itu. Aku tidak hanya sering muncul, tetapi juga muncul secara rutin, periodik dan berkala. Bisa dikatakan aku mampu mengupdate kegiatanku sehari-hari di medsos dalam hitungan jam. Pengikutku tidak akan kekurangan bahan untuk dibahas mengenai kehidupanku. Pengikutku tidak perlu ragu akan akan kehilangan tren. Justru akulah pembuat tren-tren. Aku pelopor bukan pengekor. Aku aktor bukan penonton drakor.

Hidup adalah tentang mengekspos momen-momen indah dalam hidupku. Tidak ada ekspos tidak ada memori dan momen, tidak ada memori dan tidak momen sama saja dengan tidak ada kehidupan. Aku selalu menyebarkan dokumentasi tentang Ulang tahunku, ulang tahun temanku, ulang tahun ibuku, ulang tahun ayahku, ulang tahun tetanggaku, ulang tahun ikan koi-ku, ulang tahun ikan koi peliharaan kakakku, ulang tahun ikan koi peliharaan ibu ku, ulang tahun satu tahun aku memelihara ikan koi, ulang tahun ulang tahun dan ulang tahun lain-lainnya. Aku tidak akan mampu membuat daftar ulang tahun dan momen yang bersejarah itu. Semua harus dirayakan, diingat dan diabadikan. Bukankah yang abadi itu momen - bukan sekadar gambar dan foto? Kalau aku boleh merubah syair lagu, maka syair lagu Noah yang terkenal itu adalah "tidak ada yang abadi selain momen". Maka pekerjaanku mengupdate sosial media adalah mengabadikan keabadian. Pekerjaanku adalah pekerjaan keabadian. Tak lekang oleh waktu. Tak lekang oleh zaman.

Apa artinya hidup tanpa eksposure dan eksis di medsos? Mereka yang nama dan mukanya tidak pernah muncul di media sosial; apa arti hidup mereka? Tidak ada yang mengenal. Tidak ada yang mengenang mereka. Mereka tidak punya gambar dan foto untuk di-share, apalagi momen indah yang membuat iri semua orang. Mereka adalag makhluk-makhluk yang tertelan zaman. Zaman tidak mengenal mereka. Mereka pun tak mengenal zaman. Mungkin yang dipahami dan dikenal orang-orang macam ini adalah matahari dan hujan. Hhmmm.... apa istimewanya matahari? Matahari terbit di pagi hari dan tenggelam di sore hari. Itu sudah terjadi sejak lama. Mungkin sejak bumi ini ada. Untuk apa mengenal kejadian-kejadian yang sudah pasti dan sudah ada sejak lama (baca: kuno)?  Apa istimewanya hujan? Ya seperti itulah hujan. Air yang mengucur dari atas sana. Sesuatu yang sudah pasti dan sudah terjadi sejak lama (baca:kuno).

Hidup adalah kebaruan, perhatian dan antisipasi. Selalu mengikuti berita dan tren terbaru. Mampu menarik perhatian khalayak ramai, kalau perlu menjadi perhatian mereka yang lebih terkenal dan lebih "selebriti" dari kita. Mampu mengantisipasi sesuatu yang akan jadi populer lebih dahulu dari yang lain. Itu agar menunjukkan aku mampu membaca zama lebih baik dari yang lain. Itu aku lakukan untuk menunjukkan aku lebih keren daripada yang lain.

Itulah hidupku. Hidup yang bahagia dan sesuai dengan tren-tren masa kini. Sampai jumpa di medsos. Sampai jumpa di puncak tertinggi eksposure medsos.

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Random - Stay Abroad (part 1)

Many Indonesian students and intellectuals who reap promising and prestigious position abroad are rarely going back to the country. One of them is a computer expert residing in Singapore, Ainun Najib. A well-known story has been viral on the internet as he was asked directly by the President of Indonesia to leave Singapore and relocated to Indonesia in order to build the nation and share his knowledge for domestic audience. Looking farther, back to the time when President Yudhoyono selected and then announced his cabinet, an appointed minister was drawn controversy because he has spent a quite lengthy period in the US and been granted citizenship. Although the citizenship was then confirmed untrue, the story told us that intellectuals outflux is not uncommon in Indonesia.

Looking broadly, intellectual drain is not endemically Indonesia's problem. Many countries suffer from the same problem. Several factors seem to induce this wide-spreading trend. First, better remuneration scheme is not available domestically. Second, better career development is found abroad. Third, staying and working abroad is seen as inevitable before back home and build the home country because there is no opportunity to develop further ones' competence.

University of Birmingham is a red brick university in the UK
where many Indonesian students study. 

There is another type of diaspora who studies abroad. These are students who are already working and whose position are already secured. They are usually sent by the governing ministry of their institution. This means if someone worked in a university under the ministry of education, his/her studentship/scholarship is a contractual agreement between them and the ministry. Hence, regardless of his/her institution location, once he/she completed the respected doctorate or master degree they must return as soon as possible. In this case, their fiduciary rights and obligation are not negotiable unless clearly stipulated in the contract.

Still, the controversy carries on. There is a time when the government vis-a-vis the ministry-sponsor fails to meet awardee's right and vice versa. Despite each party's good intention, the agreement seemed a formality in nature. There is a nuance of lack of self-discipline and communication. 

On top of this, the controversy is not the main story. As Indonesian, the main issue is how far Indonesians, from the most eastern to the western part, being exposed to high quality education which will further their live and well-being - not merely intellectual per se. This eternal vision has already been mentioned about a century ago by a former education ministry, Ki Hajar Dewantara. Understandably, this might not be realized in less than 10 years. Yet, several steps are not incomprehensible and un-identified. These easily defined steps are supposedly easier to deal with. The number of Indonesian students actively study in the world's top 100 universities, for instance, is left behind neighboring countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore not to mention China and Korea. Interestingly, the so-called world's level university in developed countries is less in the number than that in Indonesia. Why is that? I believe it is related to culture and political decision - among others. 

to be continue

 

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Having a Baby While Doing Post-Grad Study - Departure

We knew we're going to be parents about 3 months before departure. Setting and packing everything up for a long flight is daunting task. Coming to know that I have to make sure my wife and our baby safe is an extra responsible, yet we don't see it as an extra problem. As soon as we knew there was a baby in my wife's tummy, we rang a women and children hospital to have our daughter checked. We're fortunate to had already visited the hospital a few times beforehand. Several months in advance, We visited a gynecologist in the hospital to plan a pregnancy program. It was a several simple medical treatment to help us having a baby as we're already married 3 years and my wife have not been pregnant.

The first concern was the pregnancy age eligible for a flight. Some say that we should have no problem once the pregnancy reaches 3 months. Other say it is preferably 5 months old. The earlier was confirmed by the doctor, however, he stressed that it was his own opinion and put no pressure on us. 

In the end, we departed from Indonesia for Birmingham, UK on the 25th of July, 2021. This was quite long flight. The plane took off from Jakarta at 11.30 PM Indonesia time and touched down in Birmingham International Airport on the 26th of July at 17.00 PM. 

Having a pregnant wife in a long flight was a fun experience for me. Having a baby is such a great news and everyone who knew it during the flight extended good wishes, congratulations and other nice words. In the first airplane, Emirates, the stewardess provided an extra mineral water for my wife without being asked. And two stewardess in the last airplane, KLM, gave my wife a pack of extra full snack, souvenirs and a sweet greeting and wishes on a post card. 

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Mandalika

I'm not a dead fans of MotoGP but the first event of the year that held in Indonesia catches my attention. Today is a day away from the main race. Many other Indonesia folks are just as excited as I am. The last motogp race hold in the country was about 15 years ago. At that time, as far as I can remember, Valentino Rossi was still in his prime and he was still in his 20's I guess. What makes this particular event feels special is the circumstance that is the pandemic is still going on.  In this difficult situation the government of Indonesia and all related partners manage to organize a world class event.

For your information, a motogp race is a series of four race. The first three race are practice riding. Racers are learning the circuit and get use with every curve. On the fourth they will struggle to die for being the champion. Overall, motogp series is a competition where racers collect points from every race they completed. In other words, the world champion motogp 2022 is the one who has the highest accumulated points of all.

Picture source: @motogp instagram

The circuit is located in Mandalika, Lombok. Lombok is a small island next to Bali. It is so close to Bali. That's why traveling to Lombok from Bali takes much less time than travelling to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. Like Bali, Lombok has rich culture and many exotic beaches. In fact, the circuit is just about 20 minutes walking to the nearby beach.   

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Indonesian Student in Birmingham: Places I've Visited

My first impression in England was quite boring. Arriving in the United Kingdom during pandemic, I had to spend 10 days in quarantine hotel. I was not allowed to leave the hotel except for small walk for about 15 minutes in the hotel car park. It was not a wonderful situation but it was not awful either. In spite of this, at least I was with my wife. That way I had someone to talk to. Another thing that made the quarantine less miserable was food. We brought many Indonesian food. So, to kill the time and wierd-tasted food which served by the hotel, we ate the food earlier. I mean, the food was supposed to consume once we arrived at our home. But "emergency" situation made us to change the plan.

After 10 days, we managed to leave the hotel and the first interesting place we visited was Birmingham City Centre and Bullring Market. The later is familiar since I watched several video about this market on youtube. What makes this market outstanding is the way people sell the goods which is mostly veggies and fruits. They, the sellers, offer the goods in such a way people from Asia selling their products. The market is crowded and loud. The sellers who are mainly immigrant in my view, yell and shout to catch visitors attention. Exactly they share the same passion and enthusiasm as the sellers in Indonesia. Regarding the prices, they are affordable and when it is approaching 5 PM, it is the time when the market closed, the prices go down. In the morning you can get a bowl of apple for 1 pound but late in the afternoon you can get three bowls of them for 2 pound. Next, the city centre. In the surrounding you can find big malls and many big stores, banks, restaurants, hotels and tourist destinations such as museum (Baskerville house), Gas Street Canal, Victoria Square and city library. In short, the city centre is a one stop destination where you can visit places in one day walking.

Gas Street Basin, The Canal Side, Birmingham

I want to talk about Birmingham Arena separately. Why? Because the Birmingham Arena has close connection with Indonesia. As the venue of one of major badminton event, many Indonesian athletes have won the championships for numerous times. The last event, the all England 2021, that's how the championship officially named, our male-double athletes was undefeated and became the champion. The arena is right on the side of the canal. It's the opposite of sea world. If you take a bus from the city centre using bus number 23 or 24, you will see it on your left after 7/8 stops. On the other side of the arena, the one closer to the canal, Lego Land is waiting for you and your family to be explored. I had a chance to take a photograph on the site (see picture). The building is very active. Every now and then, music concerts, exhibitions or conferences are held.

Lego Land. Right behind the Birmingham Arena
where the All England is annually held.

I think that's it. In conclusion, there are many places to enjoy in this West Midland region. And the city centre is the best place to start as many interesting places are scattered around and accessible by foot in less than one day. Highly recommended. See you later.    

Does anyone know Ozzy Ozbourne of Black Sabbath
is from Birmingham? You can find the Black Sabbath Bridge built
to honor the singer right on the Gas Street Canal. 

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Snow

Being foreigner in a four-season country has made me striving for first-hand experience of touching snow.

This would be wonderful experience for me. I imagined I would running around like a little child, playing with snow chunk or building snow man. But thinking that I'm a grown-up man, I would be more behave. staying calm and take picture. 

Coming from Indonesia, a popular tropical country, I was struggling keeping myself warm during winter. I used to warm, damp and hot air. Spending time in a cold England makes me unbelievably fortunate being born in a tropical country. I was playing with mud and earthy-smell soil. You can say that those are equal to white cold snow.   

As a tropical man, I know inside and out the process of rain manufactured. So, I'd love to learn how snow come into being. I have never seen a simple picture portraying the mechanic behind the creation of snow. I thought I have read about that long time ago, but I'm not sure.

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Having a Baby While Doing Post-Grad Study (part 1)

I'm not a woman. If you assume I myself is pregnant and have the baby born then you're wrong. What I mean by the title is that my wife is pregnant when she is coming with me in the UK.

As a PhD candidate, taking care my family and manage PhD project properly is a challenge. I know, some doesn't see family involvement during studying abroad is a good option. Yet, I challenge the idea. I perceive family as a motivator factor. Having more tasks is absolutely demanding and may be tiring physically and mentally. On the other side, when you face problems and have no idea to solve it, you have somebody to talk to. They may not respond you straight away with brilliant solution but you'll be relieved provided you have taken an action to deal with your burden. On the best scenario, your family is an alien to your area of study that let them giving you honest and direct comments or criticisms. This may not help you immediately unless after some reflection and contemplation. In the end, unsurprisingly you thank them for their unexpected help conveyed in a very subtle way.

Black Sabbath Bridge, an iconic spot in Birmingham. I lived 5 minutes from the bridge in the first 3 months after my arrival in the UK.

I arrived in the country in July 27th.

[read the second part]

 

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Indonesian in Birmingham

Being a foreigner in Birmingham is a new think for me. I learn how Englishman talks. They casually speak faster than what I learned at English classes. I didn’t know that elderlies are more than the youths or at least the same. Also, I didn’t expect so many immigrants have come to the UK and that being a PR (permanent resident) has become a life time dream. I haven’t seen all but I believe I’ll get used to all of these alien culture.

I’ve just stayed in this city for less than 2 months. There many Indonesians who have been living here for 2 or 3 years. A few of them are already PR’s. Based on my study program which is PhD study-by-project, I’ll have to stay for at least three years. Papers and documents have been approved which means I don’t have worries about legal requirements. As we all know, any illegal actions against immigration law are subject to fines or even deportation. 

Being a student in Birmingham is like a dream for most Indonesian. A friend of mine said that she had a friend who are happy to die for being able to study in the city. Of course, I’m exaggerating. Birmingham, the second biggest city in the UK after London and located in West Midland, has many old shaped buildings which is so iconic and unique for a person like who comes from Indonesia. In Indonesia, we can hardly find houses which retain its original and traditional architecture.  The more modern-shaped your house is the more people look up at you. Being seen as “the haves” is like a unwritten rule. In Jakarta, you can have a look at Dutch-style houses near Stasiun Kota. But, that’s it. Keeping colonial buildings in their original shape is costly and the city council rarely has both financial sources and managerial-capacity to support them. 

Old Joe, a tallest clock tower in campus, is my favorite. During graduations parents and graduates take a selfie or family photograph showing Old Joe as the background. The city library is also beautiful. It’s the first library of that kind of shape in Europe. I haven’t visited it yet but I plan to do so soon. Another fascinating spot is the Black Sabbath bridge near city center. It’s an honor for the lead vocalist of hard-rock metal band Black Sabbat, Ozzy Osbourne. Before I visited the bridge, I didn’t know he is from Birmingham. About 10 minutes walking from the bridge, the Victoria Museum stands gracefully. This magnificent tourist destination and photographic scene is located near city train station providing easy access for non-Birmingham visitors.

 

10 September 2021

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Pengalaman Sekolah di Inggris: Tertunda Karena Pandemi

Tahun 2019 saya mendapatkan beasiswa dari Kementrian Agama RI melalui program 5000 Doktor yang diinisiasi dan dikelola oleh Dirjen Pendis. Program ini dikhususkan untuk dosen yang mengajar di Perguruan Tinggi Keagamaan Islam atau Fakultas Agama Islam yang berada di perguruan tinggi umum. Beasiswa ini adalah beasiswa pendanaan sehingga saya masih harus mencari kampus sendiri. Dengan kata lain Dirjen Pendis adalah berlaku sebagai sponsor. Bagi yang belum familiar, beasiswa itu dapat berupa pendanaan saja bisa juga berupa pendanaan dan posisi di kampus sekaligus (diterima). Beasiswa jenis pertama ini harus hati-hati karena ada kedaluarsanya. Artinya, apabila dalam dua tahun tidak mendapat kampus - dibuktikan dengan LoA (Letter of Acceptance), maka hak beasiswa kita hangus. Ngga mau kan keluarga sudah syukuran ternyata ngga jadi berangkat.

Saya ingat waktu itu SK pengumuman awardee keluar di bulan Ramadhan. Saya ingat karena waktu itu saya sedang bersiap-siap i'tikaf ke Masjid Ad Dzikra di Sentul. Sesampai di sana, kebetulan istri sudah di lokasi terlebih dahulu, saya kabarkan sebagai kejutan untuk istri. Alhamdulillah... Cita-cita studi ke luar negeri bareng istri Allah berikan jalan.

Setelah SK beasiswa keluar diikuti undangan pembekalan. Jadi, Project Management Unit (PMU) 5000 Doktor dari Dirjen Pendis sebagai pengelola beasiswa 5000 Doktor menyiapkan pembekalan akademik selama 3 (Juni - Agustus) bulan penuh di UIN Sunan Kalijaga di Yogyakarta. Peserta Academic Preparation (AP) ini berasal dari Riau, Makasar, Solo, Surabaya, Jakarta, Ponorogo dan Bogor. Tentu saja sebagian besar dari peserta AP adalah dosen perguruan tinggi negeri seperti UIN Riau, UIN Jakarta dan UIN Surabaya. AP ini ada di dua lokasi. Di Yogyakarta berlangsung selama 3 bulan dan fokus persiapan akademik, sementara di Jakarta berlangsung selama 6 bulan dan fokus ke persiapan bahasa dan akademik. Jadi, kami di Yogya kadang suka jatuh ke "kesombongan" karena "tidak ada masalah" dengan persoalan bahasa. Kata tim PMU katanya kita yang IELTS/TOEFL-nya sudah memenuhi syarat. ;)

Menurut saya, AP ini merupakan kelebihan dari program 5000 Doktor. AP ini memberikan kita gambaran bagaimana tips, suasana dan kondisi kuliah S3 di luar negeri. Para pemateri sebagian besar sharing S3 di bidang sosial humaniora di Belanda dan Australia. Beberapa awardee yang tujuannya ke fakultas sains atau keuangan merasa materi yang ada sedikit berbeda dengan kebutuhan mereka. Tetapi tidak apa-apa. Kami, berdua-belas, menikmati kebersamaan dan yang paling penting - persahabatan dengan orang-orang baru.

Untuk persiapan keberangkatan ini saya harus cuti. Mencari kos-kosan yang cocok di daerah UIN Yogya dan memastikan urusan keuangan rumah tangga aman, karena 3 bulan income harus berkurang karena mengikuti AP ini. Alhamdulillah, selama AP ini kami diberi kompensasi untuk penginapan selama 3 bulan plus uang saku. Suatu kebetulan, saya dengan mudah mendapatkan kos-kosan karena ada teman dosen yang baru saja pindah ke UIN Yogya. Begitu ada berita untuk ikut AP, saya langsung menghubungi beliau ini dan akhirnya jadi teman satu kost. Jaraknya tidak terlalu jauh, hanya sekitar 5 menit jalan kaki.

Tertunda Karena Pandemi 

Oktober 2019 saya mendapatkan LoA dari University of  Birmingham. Saat itu, LoA saya masih conditional karena IELTS certificate sudah expired. Singkat cerita, Maret 2020  unconditional LoA saya keluar tetapi Indonesia saat itu sudah ramai PSBB. Dan dengan berat hati saya harus menerima surat edaran dari PMU bahwa seluruh awardee harus menunda keberangkatan selama setahun hingga bulan September 2021. Bayangkan, LoA sudah di tangan tapi harus menunda keberangkatan lebih dari 1,5 tahun. Saya bicara dengan istri dan keluarlah keputusan untuk menunda keberangkatan ke bulan Mei 2021 saja dengan segala risiko. Tentu saja ini berisiko karena bisa saja sponsor tidak merestui dan kalau pun merestui bulan Mei uang beasiswa belum cair. Ini yang paling dikhawatirkan. Kalau belum cair kami berdua harus menyiapkan fresh money kurang lebih Rp 100 juta untuk visa dan asuransi belum termasuk biaya hidup dan SPP di awal-awal bulan berada di Inggris.

Bulan Januari 2021 sampai bulan Maret saya terus intens komunikasi dengan supervisor mengenai penundaan ini dan otomatis saya juga harus komunikasi dengan kampus untuk merubah LoA. LoA yang lama masih menyatakan permulaan studi di bulan September 2020 dan saya harus minta dirubah jadi Mei 2021. Tanggal LoA ini penting dirubah karena berpengaruh dalam pembuatan Surat Izin dari kampus, izin Setneg, CAS dan visa. Intinya, tanggal studi yang salah bisa jadi masalah pelik dikemudian hari. Di bulan-bulan ini saya juga monitor terus kasus Covid-19 di Inggris karena pasti berpengaruh mode studi di UoB.

Izin Setneg saya proses kurang lebih tiga bulan. Saya mulai memproses syarat-syarat di kampus mulai bulan Desember 2020 dan akhirnya jadi di bulan Februari 2021. Rekomendasi Kaprodi, dekan dan izin dari Rektor hanya memakan waktu satu minggu. Izin setneg saya urus dengan membawa berkasnya langsung dari Bogor ke Jakarta. Sempat bolak-balik beberapa kali tapi alhamdulillah selesai 2 bulan. Setelah Setneg keluar saya coba urus paspor dinas, tetapi urung saya lakukan karena ternyata paspor dinas hanya untuk mereka yang berstatus PNS.

Syarat-syarat SP Setneg:

1. Rekomendasi Kaprodi dan Dekan
2. Izin belajar
3. LoA
4. SK kelulusan awardee
5. FGL (Financial Guarantee Letter)
6. Fotocopy KTP
7. SK Pengangkatan pegawai
8. Karpeg (untuk PNS)
9. Foto 4x6 berwarna dua lembar
10. Surat Pertanggung-Jawaban Mutlak (SPTJM) bermaterai
11. Kontrak Belajar bermaterai rangkap dua

Catatan: Kalau mau dikirim via pos atau paket, pastikan tujuannya adalah Biro Hukum dan Kerjasama Luar Negeri (HKLN), Dirjen Pendis Kemenag

Alhamdulillah akhir April, dana beasiswa keluar. Uang ini bisa dipakai untuk mulai urus visa, bayar asuransi dan bayar SPP yang invoice-nya datang selalu tepat waktu... hue hue... Khusus untuk akomodasi, uang deposit sangatlah penting. Tanpa uang deposit kita tidak bisa booking flat/rumah. Saya sudah searching akomodasi dari bulan Januari 2021, harus menunda sampai bulan April karena tanpa uang deposit kita tidak bisa reserved akomodasi, tanpa di reserved sudah pasti unit nya akan diambil/ditawarkan orang lain. 

Untuk akomodasi saya mendapatkannya sekitar 1 minggu sebelum keberangkatan (26 Juli 2021). Bagaimana persiapan keberangkatan di bulan Juli, bagaimana kami menghadapi kenyataan harus karantina 10 hari di hotel, bagaimana kami pontang-panting booking hotel karentina dan bagaimana suka-duka karantina di hotel yang mayoritas menunya makanan india akan saya bagi di posting berikutnya.

See you.

Solihul, 3 Agustus 2021

(Masa Karantina)

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Analisis Laporan Keuangan

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Ideology - A Hip

A heated debate has been seen in Indonesia for the last 2 months. A newly-proposed act is under a spot-light. What is it about? Why does it attract so many opinions and comments?

The act or rule is called HIP or Haluan Ideology Pancasila (the Guide for Pancasila Ideology). The advocates of this rule argue that without such legislation the country is under lurking threats of anti-Pancasila's group who want to change the constitutional ideology of the nation i.e. Pancasila. In doing so, many activists of human rights and democracy and academicians project and highly aware that the legislation may possibly be used abusively for political interests like it used to be during the new order era (Orde Baru) which was led by Soeharto reigned from 1966 to 1998.   

Is Pancasila barely an ideology? I've never heard that previously, said some non-Indonesians. 

Stanford University online encyclopedia describes ideology as "ideas whose purpose is not epistemic, but political. Thus an ideology exists to confirm a certain political viewpoint, serve the interests of certain people, or to perform a functional role in relation to social, economic, political and legal institutions."

This definition is political. It is fruitfully useful to illustrate the politician's actions. Either in a positive or negative sense, ideology is, maybe, the main driver of politics. In addition, ideology in this circumstance lies in a pathway of governmental buildings. I think, ideology, from a narrower perspective, must be projected as much in the definition or at least in the polarized discourse among Indonesians. 

When ideology becomes a popular consumption as does happen to a bunch of fast foods or a few music genres, that is when ideology reveals its truest objective and familiar characters. Indeed, Pancasila was and is said by the founding fathers as locally and nationally constructed and natively and originally extracted from the very nature of people in Indonesia archipelago. All Indonesian must be feeling strongly connected to Pancasila. At all Indonesian's ups and downs, Pancasila should be the deep elementary foundation as well as fiery fuel of perseverance and persistence.

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Butuh Beasiswa? Minta ke Pak Gita Wirjayawan ?

 Sebelum menjawab pertanyaan di atas, mari kita lihat siapa yang terhormat bapak Gita Wirjayawan yang baru-baru ini mengikuti politisi-selebriti dan public figure lain membuat channel youtube.

Nama lengkap beliau adalah Gita Irawan Wirjayawan. Suami dari Yasmin Stamboel ini lahir Jakarta, 21 September 1965. Mantan menteri perdagangan dan kepala BKPM ini lahir dari kalangan darah biru. Ayahnya bernama Wirjawan Djojosoegito adalah seorang profesor kedokteran di Jogja. Garis keturunan penggemar jazz ini berasal dari keluarga santri, ningrat, dan terdidik. Kakek Gita Wirjawan, Raden Ngabehi Hadji Minhadjurrahman Djojosoegitoadalah ketua Muhammadiyah Cabang Purwokerto, yang masih memiliki hubungan kekerabatan dengan KH. Abdurrahman Wahid alias Gus Dur melalui isteri Rois Akbar, yakni Mbah Hasyim Putri dan pendiri Nahdatul Ulama, KH. Hasyim Asyhari.

Dari latar belakang ini tak heran, Gita Wirjawan mengenyam pendidikan yang tidak kaleng-keleng. S1 jurusan Business Administration didapatkan dari University of Texas, Austin pada tahun 1988. Setahun kemudian, pada jenjang master, beliau mendapatkan MBA (Master Business Administration) dari Baylor University. Kemudian di tahun 2000 Gita Wirjayawan mendapatkan a master's degree in Public Administration dari Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Untuk bidang akuntansi, beliau merupakan orang yang qualified mengotak-atik neraca dan laporan laba rugi. Hal ini dibuktikan dengan sertifikat akuntan atau CPA (Certified Public Accountant) yang ia dapatkan di negara bagian Texas, Amerika Serikat.

 Karirnya terbilang cemerlang. Pada 11 November 2009, Gita bergabung dengan Kabinet Indonesia Bersatu jilid II sebagai Kepala Badan Koordinasi dan Penanaman Modal (BKPM). Prestasinya sebagai kepala BKPM adalah meningkatnya FDI ke Indonesia menjadi hampir dua kali lipat dari US$11 miliar pada tahun 2009 menjadi US$19 miliar pada tahun 2011. Dua tahun kemudian, Gita Wirjawan diangkat menjadi Menteri Perdagangan RI. Sebagai Menteri Perdagangan, prestatsi Gita Wirjayawan yang menonjol adalah menjadi Ketua Sidang dalam World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference of 2013 ke Sembilan di Bali tanggal 3-7 Desember, 2013. Dalam even internasioanl itu, Gita memimpin 159 anggota WTO untuk menyepakati paket kebijakan deregulasi perdagangan internasional.

 Kembali ke pertanyaan awal, apakah bisa dalam tanda kutip minta beasiswa dari beliau?

Bila melihat Ancora Foundation, wadah filantropis Gita Wirjayawan dibawah Ancora grup, lembaga ini masih concern dengan dunia pendidikan. Dengan motto “building a nation through education”, website ancora foundation terdiri dari satu halaman dengan tampilan simple dan elegan. Menu-menu yang ada menunjukkan perhatian besar ancora kepada dunia pendidikan di Indonesia. Ada tiga menu utama dalam website tersebut, yaitu Scholarship Management, Teacher Empowerment dan Community Learning. Sayangnya, tidak ada atau pun belum ada informasi kapan dan bagaimana kesempatan mendapatkan bantuan beasiswa pendidikan bisa diberikan. Yang ada hanya alamat email yayasan Ancora Foundation. Jadi, kalua anda, rekan-rekan semua ingin punya kemampuan dan keinginan untuk studi di Harvard kontak saja email yang ada di website tersebut. Kalau tembus, kabar-kabar ya… biar semakin banyak putra/putri Indonesia yang bisa sekolah di Harvard.

Dalam satu kesempatan, di ITB, Gita Wirjayawan menyatakan sedikit dari mahasiswa Indonesia yang sekolah di Harvard, ia yang membiayai. Pertama kali saya mendengar ini, saya kira beliau menyekolahkan anaknya di Harvard, tetapi ternyata beliau memberikan beasiswa melalui Ancora Foundation.

 Seperti kita tahu, sektor pendidikan Indonesia dalam masa-masa sulit di era pandemic ini. Banyak sekolah diliburkan dan para siswa di daerah-daerah kesulitan mengakses sarana daring atau online karena terbatasnya sarana komunikasi. Tidak hanya itu, banyak orang tua mengeluhkan kualitas belajar via media daring. Di sisi lain, para orang tua terbatas untuk membantu anak atau guru menyelesaikan tugas dan pelajaran yang diberikan. Rasanya, Menteri Nadiem Makarim perlu mendapatkan simpati karena sulitnya masalah yang dihadapi.

Di sisi lain, pendidikan tinggi Indonesia semakin tertinggal secara global. Menurut laporan THE (Times Higher Education) Universitas terbaik Indonesia, yaitu Universitas Indonesia, berada di ranking 800 besar dunia. Fakta ini memprihatinkan mengingat banyak diaspora Indonesia, termasuk menteri pendidikan RI yang jebolan Harvard University. Mampukah jebolah-jebolan luar negeri ini mengangkat pendidikan Indonesia.

Sebuah working paper berjudul “Poverty, Education, and Health in Indonesia: Who Benefits from Public Spending?”, menyimpulkan bahwa efek ketersedian pendidikan dasar dan menengah lebih mengena untuk kalangan miskin ke bawah, daripada pendidikan tinggi. Mungkin ini yang harus dipikirkan oleh lembaga-lembaga amal pendidikan seperti Ancora foundation dan – tentu saja – oleh pemerintah. Ketersedian bantuan pendidikan dan beasiswa yang jor-joran selama ini lebih banyak diperuntukan untuk pendidikan tinggi melalui LPDP, Program 5000 doktor dan beasiswa-beasiswa khusus dari masing-masing kementrian.

Mengejar kompetensi lulusan PT dengan kampus merdeka memang ide cemerlang. Lulusan PT akan menjadi manusia berkualitas dan tanggung bersaing di pasar global. Pertanyaannya: Lalu bagaimana  dengan mereka yang hanya lulus SD? Bagaimana dengan remaja-remaja tanggung yang berangkat sekolah tanpa bekal serupiah pun? Mereka yang tak yakin bulan depan bisa bayar SPP? Bagaimana juga dengan para lulusan SMA yang rela jadi buruh kasar sambal melamun dan iri melihat tetangganya yang kaya pergi kuliah?

Adakah yang mau bantu jawab?

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Jakarta under siege

 Jakarta as the capital and front yard of 250-millions-populations of Indonesia faces probable floods[1]. For the past 2 months, dozens uninviting floods have roamed the area wildly. Bad sewage system and highly un-manageable garbage disposal have been blamed though real responses are not in the proximity yet. Nearby cities whose rivers cross the capital exactly through the downtown, contribute to this water problem. For example, Ciliwung River, the most famous and longest river in the area, passes several business districts such as Thamrin City, Rasuna Said and Gambir. This river’s length can be tracked from Gunung Salak in West Java to Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta for as long as 332 km.

 Though the mega-city is about to lose its throne due to its notorious traffic-jams and unending floods, many people still believe that the city's status as the economic epicenter unlikely be replaced. Growing in rapid pace since the 17^th century, Jakarta attracts talented and wealthy businessmen from every corner of Indonesia. Hence, several trades and business areas are spotted in almost every part of the city whilst Tana Abang remains the busiest one. The oldest University in the country, the fancy University of Indonesia, is also located in the town along with many other elite private universities such as Pelita Harapan and Bina Nusantara which also have  triggered more urbanization. While education and business have put Jakarta in spot-light since colonials era, politics has propelled the city’s population for no more than 20 years.

The flood issue in Jakarta is a prevailing task which has been tried to solve since Bang Yos era in 1990’s. A copycat design to polder pond in the Netherland had been proposed in 1990 before other ideas came up in 2000’s such as river re-vitalization, re-planting water absorber areas in Puncak, Bogor and imposing a severe penalty on river-littering. None of these proposals was implemented. Some said it was due to budget-in-availability. Other said it was because the project was object of political dominance in either municipality parliament or national parliament.            

March 1^st, 2020

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[1] Worthy of belief

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Beasiswa

Saya mendapatkan beasiswa dari Kementrian Agama Republik Indonesia di tahun 2019 kemarin. Fasilitas ini saya dapatkan melalui skema 5000 doktor. Skema ini, konon, dalam usaha menigkatkan kualitas perguruan tinggi di bawah kemenag. Selain dari itu, dilihat dari nama program ini, Dirjen Pendidikan Tinggi Islam (Pendis Islam) berkeinginan menambah jumlah doktor di PTKI yang belum bergelar doktor sebanyak 88% (sumber).

Tulisan ini akan sangat membosankan apabila berbicara seluk beluk Program 5000 doktor. Karena informasi ini dapat diakses dengan mudah melalui website PMU 5000 doktor. Oleh karean itu, saya ingin bicara tentang beasiswa dari sisi lain. 

Pendidikan itu mahal. Apalagi untuk jenjang lanjut S2 dan S3. Tak heran di luar negeri, ada skema pinjaman khusus untuk mahasiswa (student loan). Itu di luar negeri, di Indonesia ada ungkapan Jawa "Jer Basuki Mawa Bea". Yang pada intinya, mengenyam pendidikan memerlukan biaya (bea). Apakah ini bukti nenek moyang kita telah berhasil memprediksi kapitalisasi pendidikan? Sebagaimana Ranggawarsita konon mampu memprediksi tahun kemerdekaan Indonesia, tahap-tahap pemerintahan Jawa hingga kematiannya sendiri?

Say kira, pendidikan sebagai privilege bukanlah efek dari mahalnya biaya tetapi dari kualitas diri (diri peserta didik) yang hendak dibangun. Mahalnya biaya tidak selalu berkorelasi dengan kualitas hasil pendidikan yang baik, tetapi hasil pendidikan yang baik sering kali berkorelasi dengan "bea hidup" yang harus dikeluarkan oleh peserta didik yang kadang-kadang bisa berupa uang juga. Kalau Sunan Kalijaga "berkontemplasi" di tepi sungai 40 hari 40 malam sambil berpuasa dan menahan diri dari aktivitas duniawi sebelum mendapat karamah kewalian, Habibie harus hidup "pas-pasan" agar jadi ahli pesawat terbang di Jerman. Kalau Nabi Muhammad melewati puluhan malam sendirian di gua Hira sebelum mendapatkan wahyu dan pencerahan, mahasiswa-mahasiswa kita - dalam level berbeda mirip seperti Rasulullah, menghabiskan malam-malamnya penuh stres dan tekanan batin sebelum akhirnya sekian puluh malam lagi bangkit dengan sisa-sisa tenaga menyelesaikan disertasi dan berjibaku di sidang akhir. 

Yang ingin saya katakan adalah menjadi orang yang terdidik dan berilmu mesti melalui proses. Ada yang memilih menjadi mahasiswa perantauan di negeri orang. Susah senang dengan lika-liku kehidupan negeri sebrang. Ada yang memilih menjadi pegawai negeri di negeri Pancasila. Susah-senang dengan atmosfer kantor pemerintahan yang khas dan harus siap "menderita" dengan uang pensiunan yang meski "cukup" tapi harus "dicukup-cukupkan". Ada yang menjadi petani. Dengan ketekunannya berangkat pagi pulang sore. Bertaruh dengan harga pupuk, harga hasil panen dan hama yang bisa membuat mereka jadi raja hari ini tapi tiba-tiba jadi budak bulan depan. Semua menikmati bentuk kesulitannya sendiri dan bentuk keberhasilannya sendiri. Semua harus membayar. Sebelum akhirnya menjadi "basuki". Mereka yang berilmu. Mereka yang tercerahkan dan mencerahkan. 

Dan akhirnya, beasiswa bukanlah semacam tiket bioskop twenty-one, melainkan semacam tiket ke kawah panas candradimuka.

Bogor, 29-01-2020

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