There's no such thing as a free lunch...Or is there?

Image
It's official. The next president of Indonesia is former army general Prabowo Subianto. Quite how the next five years will pan out is anyone's guess but hopefully the foreign pundits who always bring up his dodgy human rights record will be proven wrong. Nonetheless, on policy making, Prabowo's popularist move to literally offer the poor 'a free lunch' every day of the week does not augur well for the future. Such a policy - if it ever came to fruition - would cost a phenomenal amount of money and likely lead to huge inefficiencies (food waste) and poor incentives (make people lazy). Another concern is Prabowo's strong nationalist bent. Thus, in the possible event that he finds himself with his back against the proverbial wall in the face of stern economic challenges, there is a big chance that he will simply scapegoat foreigners. But he will have to be careful. Construction of the new capital city, Nusantara, for example, is highly dependent on foreign in
Post a Comment

It started with a kiss… I never thought it would come to this…

Oh my God! This can’t be happening! Horrific reports are coming in of yet another shocking incident in the strife-ridden province of Aceh. 

Despite the peace deal reached between the Achenese rebels and the Indonesian government, it seems that this region will never be free of the barbaric practices of the Indonesian #####. 

It may be difficult to believe, but in an act of despicable waywardness, an Indonesian soldier actually had the effrontery to kiss his Acehnese girlfriend in public!!! And unlike in the past, when only minor misdemeanors like summary executions and torture were committed, this time the relevant authorities have felt it only right to apologize for such a blatant violation of human rights.

According to the local press in Indonesia: 

The incident occurred when about 2,500 troops were about to board a ship at Lhokseumawe to leave Aceh under the terms of a government peace pact with separatist rebels. A soldier from the country's main island of Java was kissed on the lips by his Acehnese girlfriend minutes before he was about to board. (how can that be possible in a country like Indonesia? Good God, even in violence-ridden Iraq, such incidents are unheard of.) 

North Aceh military spokesman Erie Sutiko said Major General Supiadin Adisaputra apologised to Acehnese immediately after the incident. 

 "It was a spontaneous act committed by two lovers. The ship was about to leave the port. The soldier has been scolded by the commander," Mr Sutiko said. 

Earlier yesterday scores of students from the Indonesian Muslim Student Union picketed the governor's office in Banda Aceh, demanding the soldier be flogged for what they termed an adulterous act. (flogged?!!! Are they kidding? Surely such barbarity warrants the death penalty!) 

The students held aloft pictures of the couple's kiss. (I scanned the pic from the Jakarta Post. You can see it below, but be warned it’s not for the squeamish!)

 But thank God all is not lost. The Indonesian government appears to have given its utmost attention to such a serious issue and put minor problems like poverty alleviation, healthcare and job creation on the backburner: 

Members of parliament in the world's most populous Muslim country have proposed an anti-pornography bill that includes a ban on kissing on the mouth in public. Heavy kissing could carry a maximum penalty of five years in jail or a $29,000 fine. Anyone caught flashing would face similar penalties. 

 Right on!! In a country where a typical worker makes only around one million rupiah (US$100) per month, it would take an offender somewhere in the region of 24 years to pay off the fine. 

 Good. I’m glad I got that off my chest. Must dash though: I’m off to ########

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The 10 best plus plus massage spas in Jakarta

Image
UPDATE 12/10/2018: due to the large number of hits this page has been receiving of late, readers should note that two of the spas on the list are, alas, no longer with us. They are: 1) Hotel Alexis , which was closed down for political reasons by the new Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan and 2) Illigals , which was "closed" and promptly reopened with a new name due to its reputation as a drugs den. In place of Hotel Alexis, therefore, I would instead put Classic Hotel on the list - a real humdinger of a joint in this madcap city! A list of the top ten plus plus spas in Jakarta? Okay, without further ado (or should that be aduh!!!) here it is: 10. Malioboro Spa . Over cynical and commercial yet fun if you stick with it – a bit like watching Chelsea on one of their better days. Hey that’s a point – even Torres could score here! Hahaha! Wallet damage: Rp1million ++ 9. Emporium Spa . Overpriced but the facilities are pretty good. Go for the “one hour special package” if yo
Read more

20 things you should know about Indonesian women

Image
1. Unlike Western women who can’t drive to save their lives, Indonesian women are the best drivers in the world. I know this because my woman overtakes other cars at 130kms/hr on the inside safety lane of the Jakarta-Bandung toll road while, at the same time, keying in SMS text messages. 2. Indonesian woman love shopping. Indonesian woman love shopping. Indonesian woman love shopping. 3. According to the Indonesia Bureau of Statistics, 43 percent of 18- to 34-year-old Indonesian women live with their parents. So be very very careful if she invites you back to her place or you might get much more than you bargained for. 4. Indonesian women think dark skin is bad, but they still adore Anggun . 5. Thirty-two percent of women in Jakarta now color their hair, according to Estee Lauder (who are obviously hoping they can peer-pressure the other 68 percent). 6. Jakarta women can't live without tension. Every once in a while she's gonna pick a nasty fight with you for no reason whatsoev
Read more

The comfort zone (Jakarta hotel and spa)

Image
Yet another Indonesia WTF moment. And this time on the net. What are these girls employed as? - “Guest relations” officers - Tour guides - Personal financial advisors - Therapists - Security consultants Well, I’d have put my house on “guest relations” officers myself, but I’d be wrong. Cos these girls are, in fact, therapists . So if you fancy a difficult afternoon with one of these girls - who will undoubtedly do her utmost to delve deeply into the furthermost recesses of your mind - then you might like to pay a visit to one of the spas owned by the Comfort Group . But why the hell they have 65 therapists on their payroll is way beyond me! Services offered include both traditional and Shiatsu Massage, refleksi (foot massage), a hot and cold water pool, sauna and steam room and a mini bar and lounge. So why not finish your tiring day with a happy ending?!!!   Also see: The 10 best plus plus spas in Jakarta Contact details for the spas managed by the Comfort Group, undoubtedly some
Read more