VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Welcome to Miscellany, a regular segment featuring various aspects of Indonesian life. Including art and culture, customs and tradition , technology and environment, even life style. Today’s edition will be about Tenganan Festival 2018. A tourism festival organized by the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism in cooperation with the Government of Karangasem Regency through the Tourism Office of Karangasem Regency.

This festival is part of 100 Calendar Events that will take place in various corners of Indonesia throughout 2018 which is Visit Wonderful Indonesia Year. Tenganan Festival will be very special because it is held simultaneously with Usaba Sambah Ceremony in Tenganan Pegringsingan Village, Karangasem Regency, Bali. Local residents referred these as mekare-kare and megeret pandan.

Tenganan Festival actually is an event with is mainly featuring \ the tradition of " Perang Pandan” or Pandaus War. Of course this is not a real battle. However, philosophically, mekare-kare means worshiping Indra who is the god of war for Hindus.

This ritual is a form of dexterity practice for the soldiers of Lord Indra, also to commemorate the freedom of the people from the grip of cruelty of King Maya Denawa. With the theme of "Old Village", Tenganan Festival 2018 will lift the tradition of old villages in Karangasem regency which is a high cultural heritage.

This year, the festival will be held on 7-8 June 2018 in front of Bale Patemu (meeting hall), Tenganan Village, Manggis District, Karangasem regency, Bali Province. It is alled Pandan War because the weapon used for this so-called "war" is several thorny pandanus leaves (Pandanus amaryillifolius), tied together to resemble a mace.

This ritual is open to all Tenganan men, young and old. Even visitors can participate by first attending a prayer session led by traditional elders or priests. With pandanus weapons in one hand and a wicker shield in the other hand, two fighters wearing Balinese sarongs and bare-chested come forward to fight , beat and fend off each other.

After a pair finish fighting, another pair will follow, and so on until the fighters run out. Hittings are only allowed to the back, chest and neck of the opponent, and not to be directed to the face.

Wounds all over the fighters’ bodies, sometimes bleeding, do not make them carry any grudge towards each other. After the "war" is over, the participants actually look amicable even quite friendly. They would help each other by applying herbs to the injured parts of the body. The event is ended by eating together or megibung.

In Bali, only Hindus in Tenganan perform the Pandan War ritual. Tenganan is known as an old village inhabited by Bali Aga people. This village in general is different from other villages on the Island of Gods, especially in performing rituals.

Tenganan consists of two hamlets, Dauh Tukad (roughly translated as 'west river'), and Pegringsingan. The latter is famous for its Geringsing 'double tied' woven cloth which is a precious heritage, worn or used   during important rituals. You can watch the making process of this special woven cloth while traveling to Tenganan anytime of the year.

During the Tenganan festival, a special dueling arena is established, the houses are gracefully decorated, and the girls would board a large wooden swing as part of the celebration.

That was Miscellany today with the topic “Tenganan Festival 2018".

Here are the Headlines of several national newspapers published today, May 24 2018.

Kompas  : "Wild Interpretation on TNI Involvement Prevented".

The meeting on anti-terrorism draft bill at Parliamentary Complex, Jakarta, Wednesday (23/5) decided to rephrase "threat against national security" in the definition of terrorism into "security disturbances". That move is aimed to avoid overly wild interpretation on Indonesian National Army -TNI involvement in counterterrorist actions. However, the decision is not final yet. Three of ten factions at the House of Representatives –DPR namely Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), National Awakening Party (PKB), and Golkar Party did not agree with such phrase in the definition on terrorism. They still agreed the terrorism definition proposed by the government, namely all acts with violence or threat which cause expanding terror or fear, which causes mass victims and/or damage or destruction of strategic vital objects. Meanwhile, seven other factions asked for the definition proposed by the government to be added with "with ideological, political, or security disturbances motives".

Media Indonesia  : "Terrorism Definition Still Not Final".

Media Indonesia wrote, majority of factions of the House of Representatives -DPR pushed the phrase "ideological or political motives, or security disturbances" to be included in the terrorism definition when discussing the revision of Act No. 15/2003 on terrorism eradication with the government at the House's building in Jakarta yesterday. On the contrary, the government persisted not to include the phrase into the definition, but only in the description. National Mandate Party -PAN faction member, Muslim Ayub questioned the intention of the government that persisted not to include the phrase. He is worried that the regulation will be multi-interpretative and unclear without the phrase. Law and Human Rights Ministry's National Legal Guidance Division Head, Enny Nurbaningsih said that in the previous formulation, the government agreed with the definition of terrorism. However, the parliament offered second alternative to accommodate the development in the meeting. Today, the anti-terrorism bill legislator team will discuss the two alternative definitions with Minister of Law and Human Rights, Yasonna Laoly.

Republika  : Civil Servants are Encouraged to Shop.

President Joko Widodo had signed the government regulation (PP) on holiday allowance and 13th salary to civil servants, National Army soldiers, National Police personnel, and retired state civil apparatus (ASN). The policy is expected to move the real and economic sector. The President, in a press release at the State Palace on Wednesday afternoon said that something is special this year. In 2018, the holiday allowance is also given to the retired state civil apparatus. The holiday allowance is aimed to face Idul Fitri. It will be given in June 2018. Meanwhile, the 13th salary that will be given in July 2018 is aimed to help the state apparatus face the new school academic year.

In Indonesia, there have been repeated acts of terrorism that killed not only the perpetrators, but also other people around the scene. The acts make the community angry, and why these deadly actions continue to happen and finally pose conflict.

The suicide bombing was carried out by a family of six in Surabaya and Sidoarjo, East Java on May 13, 2018 with the target of operating three churches. It’s a pity to witness kids being involved in the suicide bombing.

At a limited meeting of terrorism prevention and countermeasures in Jakarta on May 22, 2018, President Joko Widodo insisted that the eradication of terrorism is not enough just by enforcing the law and dismantling terrorist networks to the roots. The eradication of terrorism must be balanced with soft power approach.

President Joko Widodo views that the de-radicalization program must be optimized, not only to clean the ex-terrorists, but also to clean up educational institutions at all levels and the general stages of the misleading understanding of terrorism.

Consciously or not, terrorists are everywhere. There are a lot of suspected terrorists who have been arrested by security apparatus. However, is it possible that legal action against terrorists can finish them to the root?

Although many terrorists have been caught and sentenced, their acts take place again and again with new perpetrators. So in fact, what should be done so that terrorism really does not exist anymore in this country?

It’s terrifying to know that radicalism has entered the world of education, from an early age to college. Based on the survey results of Indonesian Institute of Sciences -LIPI in 2016, 25% of students and 21% of teachers claimed that Pancasila, which is known as the ideology of the Indonesian nation that is plural, is no longer relevant. Meanwhile, the survey of the National Agency for Counter-Terrorism in 2017 also shows that 39% of students in 15 provinces in Indonesia indicated to be interested in radical understanding.

Rector of Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Dwia Tina Palubuhu in a limited meeting with President Joko Widodo, said that the de-radicalization program can be carried out by encouraging students to be proud as a peaceful and tolerant Indonesian people. They should be proud to have Pancasila with humanity values. In the forum, Head of National Agency for Counter-Terrorism, Suhardi Alius proposed to restore nationalism through the school curriculum. Minister of Education and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy requires all teachers to teach the real strengthening of character education, not just theory.

Most importantly, Indonesian people must always be watchful not to be influenced by misleading and unreasonable teachings. They must be fortified with a correct understanding of their religion that loves peace, because there is no religion teaching its followers to pose conflict, let alone to kill humans' lives.

Bali province did sudden inspection towards Galungan celebration

Trade and Industry Office of Bali province held inspection to a number of modern markets in Denpasar and Badung regency on Wednesday related to supervision of goods towards Galungan. Head of Consumer Protection and Commerce Department of Trade and Industry Office, Bali province, Ketut Raka Armaja said that the event is routinely conducted to guarantee and to give protection for consumers on various foods and beverages products which circulate at markets, especially at supermarkets. In additional to targeting modern markets, the supervision is also conducted at traditional markets so that feasibility of goods which circulate at the markets can be guaranteed. Ketut Raka Armaja also said that his office also conducted inspection on several samples of goods and checking, either from the packages, expiration period and product distribution permit from the National Agency of Drug and Food Control.

The government of East Nusa Tenggara province announces the number of foreign tourist visit to the province

At least, 13,000 foreign tourists visited Kupang, the capital city of East  Nusa Tenggara province -NTT during 2017 for business and events of the local government. Head of Tourism Industry Department of Tourism Office, Kupang, Eustakhius Matheus stated that the number of all tourists who visited East Nusa Tenggara reached as many as  250,000 people, but 237,000 people were domestic ones. According to Eustakhius, the tourist visit to Kupang in 2017 increased compared in 2016, which only reached around 197,000 people. He also said that the tourists’ purpose to Kupang was for business, tourism affairs and the government’s events. Meanwhile, the foreign tourist visit increased, although Kupang does not have many tourism destinations. The number of foreign tourist to Kupang also increased compared the visit in  2016 which only reached 6,500 people. He further said that during in Kupang, the tourists from various countries such as  Australia and Europe came to some locations of natural  tourism in Kupang, such as Lasiana beach and natural caves of Japanese heritages. Those Japanese heritages can become interesting tourism objects.

Jakarta is Ready as host of Asian Games 2018

Jakarta Governor, Anies Baswedan pointed out that Jakarta is ready to hold the 18th Asian Games in August 2018. He said that the readiness can be seen from the development process of a number of venues which will be completed immediately. Governor Anies also said that in late May 2018, the development of BMX venue will be completed. Then, Velodrome and Equestrian  in June 2018 and baseball square in July 2018. Furthermore, the Governor said that in the implementation of Asian Games, the farthest venue from athletes’ guesthouse in Kemayoran is golf field in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta.