Titus Jonathan's Stories

(published by The Jakarta Post on 23 Feb 2010. Click here ) Is it true Indonesians are courteous and respect etiquette when in public? A friend of mine shared her story of riding in a public minivan to her office one morning. As usual, the driver thought he was in a Formula One race, careening through heavy traffic. At one stop, a man climbed on and promptly squeezed himself into the already-packed minivan. A minute later, he lit up a cigarette. Eyes half closed, he then blew straight into everyone else’s face. Most of the passengers that morning were young women going to work, including my friend. These young ladies had, of course, spritzed on their finest perfume before leaving home, only to have it drowned in the stench of tobacco. None of the passengers complained, but their frowning faces said it all. The man kept puffing away. Finally my friend ran out of patience. “Pak, could you put out your cigarette, please?” The man looked a bit surprise, smirked, then replied, “Why?” “Beca...

(published by The Jakarta Post on 16 Feb 2010. Click here ) Our justice system again created a mystery when the judges at the South Jakarta District Court sentenced former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Antasari Azhar to 18 years in prison. The verdict was handed down to Antasari for his role in the premeditated assassination of Nasruddin Zulkarnaen, a director of state company PT Putra Rajawali Banjaran, in 2009. From the beginning, when the case that enmeshed Antasari showed up in public, during the trial, and until today when the chief judge banged his gavel, the public have kept asking whether Antasari is guilty or not. A similar case was the assassination of human right activist Munir Said Thalib, when the court acquitted former deputy head of state intelligence (BIN) Muchdi Purwopranjono: the case remains a mystery until today. This proves that our justice system never ends with total finality but mystery that makes us always question our claim as a legal state ...

(published in The Jakarta Post on 8 Feb 2010. Click here ) Former president B.J. Habibie made an interesting statement on Jan. 30, when he was honored by University of Indonesia (UI) with an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy Technology, when he was asked about the issue of the impeachment of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono or Vice President Boediono over the Bank Century scandal: “ People should not jump to the conclusion of impeachment every time they felt disappointed with their leaders. We should consider the financial, social and political costs of taking such a step .” The statement was interesting because it came from Habibie, who took over the reins from the late president Soeharto in May 1998. He led the country only for the months of transition and preparation for the general election in 1999. His accountability report before the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) was rejected. In fact, the rejection was not addressed to Habibie but to the New Order’s administration. Habib...