Train schedule from Serpong train station 1 August 2007

Yesterday (31 July 2007) there's an announcement in every train station in Jakarta that in 1 August 2007 the train schedule will be change. The new schedule put in the announcement board and a smaller version was sold to the passenger about 500-1000 rupiah (I do think the new schedule should be given free or lower the price because we know in Indonesia the price for photo copy is just about 100 rupiah per page).

Today in 1 August 2007 we expect the new schedule will be running. And there is no announcement that there will be another change. But what happen is different from what we expect, in Serpong station the new schedule (the one that has been announcement before) said that the economy train using air conditioning (KRL economy AC train with the ticketing price of 5000 rupiah) will be departing from Serpong on 6.00 am, meanwhile the one without air conditioning (KRL economy non AC with ticketing price 1500 rupiah) will be departing from serpong on 5.45 am.

Many people who have to go to work early choose the economy non AC train because it scheduled to departing first. But....then without any explanation of changing the economy AC train departing sooner on 5.45 meanwhile the non AC one suddenly change to 6.00.WHAT HAPPENED?? Why didn't they tell us (the passengers) that the schedule once again being change??. If this is the new schedule (AC on 5.45 and non AC on 6.00) then there isn’t any change from the old schedule before 1 August 2007 this is just the same. Then why do they (PT KAI) bother to make a changing in the schedule but then returning again to the old one before even using the new one? They should have just save their money instead of making the new timetable that they don’t use anyway. Or at least they can tell us so we know that the one in the new timetable has change again before the train departed. It wont be to hard isn't it??

So what happen is, today many of the passengers in the Serpong station feel disappointment for PT KAI. Many of them get late because they are tricked by the new schedule (that doesn't work anyway).

The government in Indonesia always urges the people to use public transportation. But if the public transportation doesn’t have a good management and the people can not trust the public transportation even for a simple one like the timetable, then how do they expect us (the people of Indonesia) to trust them (the government) meanwhile they can not arrange a simple problems like the public transportation timetable???

Final of AFC

Last night was the final of AFC 2007 and it takes place in Gelora Bung Karno Senayan, Jakarta-Indonesia. The final match was between Iraq vs. Arab team. Although Indonesian team didn't make it to final but in the final match the stadium fills with a lot of Indonesian supporters who backing up for the Iraq supporters. Maybe it is because lots of Indonesian supporters still have a hurt feeling because the Arab team defeats Indonesian team (you can read it in AFC: Indonesia vs. Arab match).

And the result really makes the hurting feeling paid away, because Iraq won the final and becomes the winner of AFC 2007. Congratulation to the Iraq people, although their country is in war situation they still can give their best performance and bring a little bit of good news to their country. Iraq win by the score of 1 - 0. With the goal from Younis Mahmoud (also the captain of the team) in the minuets of 72. Younis chosen to be the best player of the tournament. Well congratulation :).

Now the AFC tournament comes to an end. And I'm really glad that we (Indonesia) can prove our self to be a good country which not only famous by bad news from our country but we can also held an international event like the AFC tournament successfully. Congratulation should be mention too to the Indonesian supporters for the good behavior that they show through the AFC tournament :)

Gold from Biology

Indonesia won gold medal in IBO (international Biology Olympiad) 2007 in Saskatoon, Canada. This is the first gold medal for Indonesia in IBO. The gold medal presented by Stephanie Senna (third grade student from SMAK IPEKA Bilingual Jakarta). The other participant Prayudi Utomo (student from SMAK I BPK Penabur Jakarta) presented silver medal, and Roswitha Muntiyarso (student from MAN Insan Cendekia Tangerang) presented bronze medal.

The IBO followed by 50 countries from the whole world. Indonesia sends 4 participants they are: Stephanie Senna, Prayudi Utomo, Saifurrizal (student from SMAN 2 Pare Kediri) and Roswitha Muntiyarso. Under guidance from Dr. Agus Dana Permana, chairman of Tim Olympiad Biology Indonesia (Indonesian Biology Olympiad Team).

Two of the team members Stephanie Senna and Prayudi Utomo was an alumni from last year 2006 IBO in Argentina). All of them have tightly following team selection since December 2006 in Indonesia.

From 38th International Physic Olympiad (IPhO) in Isfahan, Iran. We also got a good news that Indonesian team got 1 gold presented by Muhammad Firmansyah Kasim, 3 silver presented by Rudi Handoko Tanin, Musawwadah Mukhtar and Yosua Michael Maranatha, and 1 bronze presented by David Halim

This is a very good new for Indonesia, after all bad new that gave bad name for Indonesia was put in the world headline, at least now we can be proud of our country thanks to these brilliant student.

Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter Fever also effecting Indonesia. In 21 July 2007 the Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows book Published at once in all over the world including Indonesia. Although the Indonesian edition will not be launch until 6 month again. Lots of fan in Indonesia has indent the English edition several month before the launching to avoid queue.

According to Gramedia book store (a famous book store in Indonesia) until now they have sell the book over 300 exemplars in just the first day of launching!! Wow who said the reading interest people in Indonesia are low if they so excited to read the thick book like Harry Potter!!

The 7th edition of Harry Potter comes in 2 cover design, blue cover for adult reader, and for kids the cover will be a cartoon draw of Harry Potter, I don't know if in Indonesia comes in two different design too or not because I only see the cartoon design one.

Hope Harry Potter can bring magic to increase Indonesian reading interest :)

PILKADA DKI (DKI Governor election)

(Picture taken from : http://www.perspektif.net/article/article.php?article_id=641)

The DKI Jakarta governor election will be on 8 August 2007. There are 2 governor candidate, that is Adang Daradjatun (former vice head of POLRI), and Fauzi Bowo (currently the vice governor of DKI). All the citizen of Jakarta (you must have DKI citizen ID card for at least the past 6 month to prove it) can use their right to vote one of the 2 candidates.

PILKADA DKI is a domestic election but the effect can be felt through the nation. Maybe because DKI Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia who ever the governor will have big influence in the nation politics too.

I'm not a citizen of Jakarta but I love to know what’s going on around the PILKADA. All I know is the 2 candidate have their one plus and minus in their attitude. For examples:

1. Adang Darajatun: He is very down to earth person, he even try the KRL economy train to see what it like and without any special treatment is. But some people think he is too devoted to the party that back him up to be the governor candidate
2. Fauzi Bowo: he is the vice governor in Jakarta now so he must be have so many experience with Jakarta problematic. But he is known to have lack of patient when confronting a problem.

This is not part of a campaign for neither of them, but I myself if I can choose I would pick Adang Darajatun. Because when you pick a person who have a heart for the people like him, he would know what's good for the people because he experiencing it his self and put his heart on it. But unfortunately as I told you before I can't choose because I am not a Jakarta Citizen.

Hope the Jakarta people can choose their governor with all their true heart, and hope who ever that chosen to be the governor will do their best for Jakarta and of course for Indonesia.

First day to school

(Picture taken from :masfaiz.multiply.com/journal/item/18)

Yesterday, Monday 16 July 2007 was first day to school for student in Indonesia after long vacation of class graduation. The funny thing of first day to school is maybe the orientation days. In Indonesia there's a culture that every fresh year student in SLTP (junior high school), and SMU (high school) have to get pass the orientation day.

Orientation days aims to make the fresh year student knows their school better, but in the reality it is often use as a tools for the senior to play tricks on their junior. Although the orientation days that given by the senior from junior high or even in the high school aren't dangerous (sometimes it is even funny) but it still make the parent feels like it is a heavy obligation.

Because after the parents have to pay a large amount of money to make their children get in school (the government of Indonesia already gave free school fee, but several school still ask for money) they also have to buy things for their children orientation day. For examples in some school they have to buy a basket made from rammy or they have to buy lots of ribbon, and a bag of flour sack.

Orientation days could make happy and funny memories after we graduated from the school. But it will be much better if orientation days didn't gave the parents another heavy duty to fulfill for their children.

AFC : Indonesia vs Arab match

Last Saturday 14 July 2008. The match between Indonesia vs. Arab take place on Gelora Bung Karno in Senayan, Jakarta. The match went well but....there is one big question about the referee of the match. The referee was from Uni Emirate Arab...Can't you see my point. The game was among Indonesia vs. Arab then why was the referee pick from Emirate Arab??? It is from one ethnic of Arabian...if the referee was fair then it is ok. but....in some several occasion we could see that he was a little bit unfair and siding with the Arab group.

As an example, several times an Arab player hold and pull Bambang Pamungkas shirt and the referee do nothing about it, but when it comes to Indonesian player doing minor violation he immediately gave yellow card. In one match he gave 8 yellow cards to Indonesian player.

This is not just from my point of view. Even the president of Indonesia who was also watching the match from the stadium feels that the referee was a lit bit unfair. After the match the president contact the chairman of PSSI (Indonesian football association) to contact AFC and tell them that next time when they choose a referee they should be more careful so it wont bring any bad prejudice among the supporters.

Even so the Indonesian team plays very good at that match, and everyone who see it feel proud that they can handle the Arab team very well.

Like the president comment "This lose is just a delay for a bigger winning"
Keep on fighting Indonesian football team. And just do the best. All of us still praying and hoping for the best of you :)