FAITH IN INDONESIA

FAITH IN INDONESIA
The shape of the world a generation from now will be influenced far more by how we communicate the values of our society to others than by military or diplomatic superiority. William Fulbright, 1964

Sunday, February 22, 2009

INDONESIA'S FEMINISTS ON THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Damsels of democracy seduce your vote Duncan Graham

Returning after a few months abroad certainly sharpens appreciation of the community-order shifts underway in modern Indonesia.

They’re minor and marginal, tremors rather than shakes, just quivers on the societal seismograph. No tsunami will follow but it seems the tide is surely, slowly and imperceptibly rising, unnoticed by stay put locals.

The first indicator was a giant poster at the end of our block promoting a hopeful for the upcoming election. So what? The streets have become tunnels flanked, topped and tailed by billowing silk-screened cotton advertising scores of candidates on the principle that quantity beats quality.

At previous elections the protocols were clear; candidates had to be male, ageing, plump and wear a peci, the Javanese rimless black cap. A black moustache was also de rigueur, indicating masculine vigor plus a finger thrust skyward, a la the Republic’s first president.

All academic qualifications, whether bought, borrowed or MM (Mickey Mouse) had to be listed, while the title Haji, indicating a visit to Mecca, was another important vote-catcher.

The few women who dared put their names forward as supporting acts were grizzled grannies cocooned like Egyptian mummies in mourning black or virgin white.

Slightly out of focus, and hovering like Banquo’s ghost over the candidate’s shoulder, must be a more recognisable face, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono or a previous holder of the nation’s top job, like Gus Dur or Megawati Soekarnoputri – though never Habibie.

During her time as the most powerful woman leader in the world I watched her age under the burdens of office. Then she was dethroned and vanished for the next half decade.

Now she’s back and .. what a miracle! The former First Lady is younger, slimmer and more graceful, at least on the posters. If this is what five years in political limbo can do to a woman, then forget Omega 3 – just keep out of the public eye.

But there’s no phantom endorsing the candidature of Nanik, the lady whose portrait graces our suburb gateway for she’s a real stand-alone, a flawless knock-em-down beauty who should be pushing perfume, not politics.

She probably spent a week in a cream-bath before the photo was taken and another week getting each eyelash to turn heavenwards. She’s a Christian – surprising because followers of the Nazarene in this area are rare as honest cops.

For every surreptitious prayer meeting above a motorcycle workshop there are 20 magnificent Saudi-funded mosques, so the result will probably be No, No, Nanik.

It would be impolite and sexist to comment on this candidate’s other robust attributes. Enough to note that her jewel-encrusted crucifix doesn’t dangle vertically but nestles horizontally.

Not 200 metres further on Nanik is seriously challenged by auburn-tinted Siti whose chandelier earrings sparkle through tumbling locks. Siti dares show her glistening teeth. One is clearly a fang – so she’ll do well in politics.

Across the road is Golkar’s favorite, Endang who has apparently been to Mecca where she must have mislaid her headscarf. She seems a thoroughly modern matron, even backing the local football team, though unlike Nanik and Sita she keeps her blouse well buttoned.

Nearby is Tineka who forgot to visit a salon before the photo shoot so has had to rely on Photoshop. She has so few face lines her nose has almost vanished; the effect is like Sailor Moon having a bad-hair day. This must be for the teenage vote.

Only hot Farida thought a headscarf necessary to advertise her piety as a substitute for policy. She chose flame red and matched it with her lipstick, a far more volatile effect than some of her rivals.

In the long-standing and allegedly mature liberal Western democracy where I retreat from Java’s smog and noise, defacing, chain-sawing and even burning the posters of rival political parties is a pastime for inarticulate youth who think the ballot a bore.

Here in Indonesia, where hard-won democracy is still fumbling her way towards the light, the billboards remain intact.

Though only Neanderthals would vandalise pioneering Nanik and her courageous pioneering sisters, selflessly offering their splendid talents to the electorate. If they don’t get into parliament at least they’ll be able to sell skin-whiteners and wrinkle-removers.

Good luck to them all. I just wish I could vote.

(First published in The Sunday Post 22 February 09)

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1 comment:

Unknown said...

現在來談談
台中搬家公司的未來展望,買新房子想從北屯搬到台中七期,當然要找台中搬家公司來執行台中搬家,明年台中縣市就要合併升格,到時候就無所謂台中縣搬家公司了,就只剩下台中市搬家公司。一搬來說大台中地區包括台中縣市,也包含彰化及南投,所以網路上找中部地區搬家公司,就會用南投搬家公司或者彰化搬家公司


再來談行的問題,景氣不是很好很多人買不起新車只好買中古車囉!中古車買賣是需要技巧的,胡亂買中古車可能會吃大虧的,消費者可要睜大眼睛看清楚,免得買了後悔不已。如果買新車的話,就沒有剛剛的問題,新車業務員在交車時一般都會幫車主貼隔熱紙,就是我們所說的汽車隔熱紙,不過他們貼的隔熱紙品質都不是挺好的,相信很多車主有許多不愉快經驗吧!有了車之後免不了要學開車吧!一般學開車是要到駕訓班,當然也可以叫做汽車駕訓班,聽說學費不便宜喔!還是省一點好,不要亂花錢。

經濟不景氣,討論借錢的話題很多人應開有興趣,在台北想借錢或者汽車借款可以到台北當舖或者是台北市當舖台北縣當舖當然也可以,如果是住在台北火車站到台北市當舖借錢比較方便。那我住在內湖就可以到內湖區當舖借錢融資囉!住在東區就找信義區當舖借錢,以此類推。一般支票貼現也有辦理,銀行有辦理票貼當舖也有阿,而且比銀行更方便,利息雖然高一點不過時效性卻非常好,一般工商人士短期借款就很喜歡到當舖的原因。我家現在住在桃園想融資票貼就得到桃園當舖,住新竹的人往新竹當舖借貸是比較方便。來到台中手頭不方便,想週轉借貸一下台中當舖是有這樣的服務,報紙或者網路上隨時都可以查到台中
縣當舖
的資訊,因為台中當舖是非常有名的,服務也相當好。往台灣南部走先碰到的是嘉義當舖,借錢票貼一樣容易,聽說嘉義還蠻好玩的,火雞肉飯不錯吃喔!再往南走將會遇到高雄當舖,高雄人是很熱情的,借錢當然也不囉唆,依據話就搞定。鳳山再過一點點就到達台灣最南邊的屏東,一樣有屏東當舖可以服務缺錢的人,住在台灣真方便,哪裡都可以週轉融資。

有錢之後男人花樣變多了,想輕鬆一下,台中大大有名的就是台中護膚台中指油壓,不去體驗一下怎麼可以呢!食色性也這是孔老夫子講的,想找一些網路上情色消遣,只要關鍵字打上一夜情,視訊聊天,免費視訊聊天,免費視訊,視訊交友,情色貼圖,讓你看的眼花撩亂,爽快不已,E時代就是這麼方便,彈指可取情色
資訊。找女朋友到motel去休息,要挑好一點有情趣的汽車旅館,這種錢是一定不能省的,燈光美氣氛佳才能辦好事。

身體要強、要勇,買花旗蔘來補身一定有用,不過要用加拿大來的西洋蔘功效比較好,不信可以問一下專家的意見,相信他所給的答案就是粉光蔘。