The Happy Indonesian Policeman

A recent report on Indonesia’s Detik.com News Portal created quite a stir among the Indonesian police officials. It all began when two Canadian Tourists riding a motorcycle in Bali was stopped by a police officer. One of them managed to record the whole thing on his video recorder and then posted it on Youtube, dated October 24th, 2007.

Somehow, Detik’s journalist found out about the video and tried to confirm it with the Chief Public Relations Officer of The Indonesian Police Headquarters, Inspector General Sisno Adiwinoto.

“Pictures can be manipulated,” he answered. Mr. Adiwinoto suspected that whoever posted the pictures must have a certain intention to discredit Indonesia’s tourism. “Balinese are so aware that tourism is important for them, and they believe in Karma,” he added.

Mr. Adiwinoto also regretted the two Canadians for not being “a good foreigner” and reported the whole incident.

“If we found any bad police, we will hang him if necessary,” he said.

Well, Pak Sisno must have learn a lot from Mr. Roy Suryo whom at many occasions helped the Police in any IT related crime cases. But perhaps, sir, you can start by finding out who was the smiling officer on the video, right?

Here’s a transcript of the dialogue between the two Canadians (C) and the police officer (P). (I just love the officers effort to speak English)

(P): Where’re you from?

(C): Canada..

(P): Wah Kanada (laugh-wonder what’s so funny)

(C): Yeah, long way..

(P): Until when your stay finish?

(C): Two days

(P): Two days more?

(C): Yeah, we leave the day after tomorrow. 29th.

(The officer stood for a moment and mumbles in Balinese to someone else..)

(P): Where you stay, sir?

(C): Agung Villa in Seminyak

(P): You no driving license?

(C): Off course I have driving license. It’s not with me.

(P): Where?

(C): At hotel

(P): The big or small? (showing a blue card). Why you not bring? (laugh-still don’t understand why)

(C): I’m not very smart uh? Not very smart.

(P): (Laugh again-gosh he’s full of laughter)

(P): Okay, now we give you two options ya. The first, because you not bring, in Indonesian law traffic you must be prenalize ya. Because you not bring, you broken traffic law. We give you two option. The first you pay fine. Alone you pay fine there, in Denpasar. And the second..

(C): I pay fine here

(P): Yeaah.. Because me warning tomorrow you bring. Otherwise, many-many accident, tourist.

(C): Understand the problem..

(P): Sir, because any accident not good for you.

(C): No.. no. Sure.. sure..

(P): Many accident, the tourist and local people boom.. (gesturing a crash -or something- with his clinched fist). Identitiy not. Just identity motor cycle. Where? Me call, where? (gesturing a phone call) Tourist people identity not..

(C): No idea. Understand understand

(P): I warning, because tomorrow you bring, ya. (I think he was referring to the license)

(C): Okay.. okay..

(P): Now you pay fine there or here?

(C): Pay here..

(P): In Denpasar not good for you because you entry for the justice again

(C): Yeah, no problem. I live in Vietnam. I pay many fines in Vietnam..

(P): (laugh-again?) Okay.. okay.. Now you pay fine here, I help you, just 50 thousand..

(C): I got it.. I got it..

(P): Tomorrow you bring ya… (the license)

(C): I’m not very smart, uh? I don’t think..

(P): Many many tourist forget maybe..

(C): Uluwatu? Just straight? (the other canadian asked for direction)

(P): Seven.. Seven.. (accepting the money)

(C): Seven minutes..

(P): Yeah

(C): and so if I go Uluwatu and come back is it no problem?

(P): Come back just one way.. (laugh-gosh he’s a joker)

(C): Tomorrow I bring, uh?

(P): Okay, and tomorrow you bring ya

(C): Okay, thank you sir..

(P): Thank you (politely opening door for the two guys)

They went out, climbed on the motorcycle, asked for direction, and off they go. The guy on the back then took a shot of himself saying :

“That was Indonesian justice..”

Bridge Blogging

Bridge Blogging. I first heard about the term when I was at Pesta Blogger 2007, but I never really paid any attention to it. My brain is too overwhelmed with all the heavy term during the event (National Blogger Day, Celebrity Blogger, citizen journalism bla bla bla) and cant barely take another.

However an encounter with a dear old friend whom I just found out also blogs, brought me to an interesting discussion on bridge blogging at Pak Ong’s blog. It’s interesting to read about what Pak Ong, Jakartass, Jennie, Marisa, Rebecca, Pak Fatih and some other guy debating about a bridge (and also about ‘mutual masturbation among unattractive expat men’ ha ha ha).

A Bloody Lovely Morning

Look at that bloody bright blue sky. It always scares the bloody hell out of me. You know, with all the natural disaster, the bloody global warming and all those bloody thing..

Why?

..and you know what? I never understand why does the bloody sun is always depicted as smiling cheerfully. Have you seen the sun on those bloody Telletubbies movie? It’s bloody horrible isn’t it?

I think its just a . . .

Warm As A Chicken’s Shit!

Almost a month ago, I was so eager to write in English that I decided to open another wordpress blog account (it’s my fifth one, BTW). I’ve even listed down several topics which I’m quite sure would be an interest to my english reader. But, so much for eagerness. The last time I updated this blog was almost a month ago.

No.. no.. I’m not complaining here. I just want to introduce you to a famous Indonesian proverb: “Hangat-hangat Tahi (Tai) Ayam” or literally translated as “Warm as a chicken’s shit!”

Iwan Fals Matters

“It’s Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and John Lennon put together!” That’s what I usually told my non Indonesian friend when I have to explain to them who Iwan Fals is. I may sound exagerating, but I think so did Time Magazine when they crowned Iwan as one of the so-called Asian Heroes. Even Iwan himself refused to be given such an honourable title. “I’m just an ordinary human being,” he said one day to a major newspaper in Indonesia.

Well he is telling the truth. He is an ordinary human after all. The past few days, I’ve been stuffing my poor old MP3 player with quite a variety of Iwan Fals’ old song, and this is just a few days after he released his latest album “50:50“. Why?

Kartini Day

Today Indonesian’s celebrate Kartini Day. Kartini or Raden Ayu Kartini, is one of Indonesia’s national heroine. She is considered an icon for the movement of women’s right in Indonesia.

To many Indonesian’s, Kartini Day means showing up at schools or office in traditional attire, especially kebaya dress for the ladies. Kebaya is a traditional Javanese dress where Kartini is always depicted wearing them. Even the women street cleaners and bus drivers showed up in their kebaya’s and I’m quite sure it’s not easy to work in such attire.

We Need More Senior Bloggers

“Why only now?” That’s what my dad use to say everytime I showed him how everyone can actually self publish through blogging. Luckily he didn’t give me the “I’m too old for this” thing. He actually went on and creates his own blog no matter how difficult it is to him. His notebook is filled with step by step instruction on how to publish his writing on the blog. He even contributes quite regularly to panyingkul.com a citizen journalism website in Makassar Indonesia and now also eyeing to take part as a citizen journalist in ohmynews international.