Opini

By Julkipli Wadi The painting with green color of Jose Rizal`s historic house in Calamba, Laguna, by the National Historical Institute (NHI) brings to fore an issue about the name of the Filipino national hero, particularly his surname. According to the NHI, green was chosen as the color because “the surname `Rizal` is derived from the ...

By Dr. Edilberto c. De Jesus Some brochures claim the ferry ride from Singapore to the island of Batam takes only 45 minutes. The prudent traveler should allow for an hour and 15 minutes and on weekends during the high season even for an hour-and-a-half, from the time the ferry pushes off the Singapore pier to the time passengers can ...

By Franki Raden It might be an old story, but it still has resonance now. A few years ago, I met with the newly appointed Indonesian consulate general for a region in North America. During the conversation, the diplomat pointed out that Indonesian diplomacy placed a strong emphasis on culture. This was surprising, but pleasant ...

By Tony Wright Choy Lan Seet‘s eyes flash her indignation. “Is there a plan for this island? Tourism? Refugees? If there is a plan, and if it is not to be mining, then someone should tell us so we can decide what to do with our lives. There seems to be no plan,” she says. Choy Lan knows something about uncertainty on Christmas ...

By Dr. Florangel Rosario Braid I had the privilege of being guest speaker at the 62nd anniversary of the City of Dagupan last month. It was a week-long celebration starting with “Labi ya Panangidayew tan Panligliwa” (A Night of Recognition and Entertainment) which showcased the city`s proud heritage in culture and the arts, and ...

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee A multi-faith and multicultural society is something that really exists in Thailand but Thais are unaware of it because, since the era of democracy, the Thai elite has implanted and imposed a monoculture to make all citizens of the kingdom Thai, rather than allowing them to be as they are. The idea of a ...

By Farish A. Noor “Takkan Melayu hilang di dunia” (Never shall the Malays cease to be): Hang Tuah`s legendary call to arms rings a note of defiance laced with anxiety and speaks volumes about the perennial angst of a people whose place and standing in the world were never something to be taken for granted. Read in its proper context, ...

By Johami Abdullah The Education Ministry has just announced its plans for a reduction in the time allocated for Music Education in the primary school curriculum. The Malaysian Association for Music Education (MAME) is strongly opposed to such a move. Ever since its inception in 2002, MAME had always spoken up without fear or ...

By Eka Budianta The leading Indonesian poet and playwright, W.S. Rendra was buried in his very own backyard in Citayam, a relatively poor hamlet, near the town of Depok, West Java on Friday afternoon, Aug. 6, 2009. He is survived by his third wife, Ken Zuraida, 11 children and 10 grand children. Thousands of his friends, including ...

Putera Satria Sambijantoro It is a reasonable thing to say that younger generations of Indonesians are having difficulties in defining the real meaning of nationalism. “I can`t find any reason why I should be proud of Indonesia,” said one friend in a not-so-serious discussion. “If I am presented with a chance to live abroad and ...

By Johannes Nugroho On July 23, 2009, Parangkusumo Beach, south of Yogyakarta, was witness to the Labuhan Alit ceremony of the sultan of Yogyakarta. The yearly ritual is a tribute to the mystical Nyai Roro Kidul, goddess of the South Seas. The sultan sends a myriad of offerings to the sea to symbolically affirm the link between himself ...

By Rivandra Royono I started fasting at a very young age. Not necessarily out of extreme piousness, but rather because I wasn`t much of an eater and was only too grateful to be allowed not to have lunch for an entire month. On top of that, by a 5-year-old`s logic, I believed I was doing my parents a big favor by cutting down on expenses ...