Comments

  1. pearshaped says:

    Ken. Jokowi also sent his son for education here at UTS. Perhaps there was an incident in the dorms. In any case there seems not to have been enough goodwill generated to be useful when needed. It probably says that our citizens’ lives were never going to be amenable to soft power, hence Jakarta’s obsession with military security to prevent escape/rescue. Unwisely, the media laughed this off as as showmanship. Anyway thanks to Ms Bishop’s emasculation of Ausaid we probably won’t have to worry about soft power ever again.

  2. Nick Nostitz says:

    Most “ordinary Buddhist folk” here in Thailand drinks, eats, f&@ks, fights – like ordinary and less ordinary folks everywhere does – and visits monks to get auspicious lottery numbers, makes donations to temples with the hope to balance the sin sheet, wears amulets for protection against both worldly perils and the every present malevolent spirits – i would quite clearly state that Buddhism is a religion – as an organization and in individual faith.

    And no, of course i am not Thai, and i am not particularly religious either, but half of my life i have been surrounded by “ordinary Buddhist folks”.

  3. neptunian says:

    Hidayat,

    I beg to differ – most Indonesian Moslems are actually quietly trying to put food on the table and better than a cardboard box over their heads. Geopolitics is as far from their minds as the next galaxy!

  4. Chris Beale says:

    Tom Huckster – my comment can not honestly be described as “tepid, almost meaningless, pedestrian”, given that Thaksin’s wealth from that monopoly led to a vast, violent socio-political division which has been far from “tepid,meaningless, or pedestrian”. Though some “mere” pedestrians died as a result of it.

  5. Frank Niti says:

    There nothing particularly Thai in the use of the dogs. Dogs are lower than humans in every culture. It’s the same principle as Caligula’s appointing a horse to the senate: the more arbitrary the use of power the more effectively it shows how much power the ruler has.

    Charging Thanet Anantawong with lese majeste for offending the king’s dog is drawing a very clear boundary that no challenge at all to the underpinings of the elite’s power will be tolerated. Prayut’s having the police investigate Glyn Davies for lese majeste sends the same message to the Americans.

    The Americans, by the way, will accept it since civil liberties for the Thais pales in importance compared to competition for influence in the region.

  6. Ken Ward says:

    Jokowi’s transition from a log-cabin in Solo to Indonesia’s equivalent of the White House is a stirring tale that doesn’t pall, no matter how often it is repeated. Somewhere along the way, however, the nationalist Jokowi acquired the means to have his sons educated abroad. One of Jokowi’s first overseas visits as president was indeed occasioned by his second son’s graduation from his school in Singapore. Abe Lincoln, Jokowi’s distant American predecessor, never had it so good.

    Despite his humble origins and his attendance at a ‘working-class school’, Jokowi attracted the eye of Luhut Panjaitan, who has abundantly confirmed Max Weber’s thesis on the link between the Protestant ethic and capitalism. That is, at least since the Protestant Luhut hung up his TNI uniform in the wardrobe and moved into the extractive business in a big way. He had smoothed the path to wealth through his successive appointments as ambassador to Singapore and Trade Minister. As an iconic example of a rich Soeharto-era TNI careerist general, Luhut has been a great ally for Jokowi, the rank outsider to the wicked world of the Indonesian national elite. He is probably now the second most powerful figure in Indonesian politics. Luhut has no doubt always had a soft spot for Indonesians of humble origins.

    Jokowi visited Sumatra shortly after his inauguration in October 2014 and issued various instructions intended to combat forest fires and haze. 2013 had been a very bad year when outspoken Singaporean reactions to the haze had infuriated various Indonesian big-wigs. For one, Marty Natalegawa, SBY’s ever-urbane foreign minister, hinted that Singapore’s obstreperousness was even undermining ASEAN solidarity.

    Presumably Jokowi knew about the gravity of the haze question even before becoming president. Yet, fully twelve months later, Jokowi chose to cut short his visit to the United States, one of the most important bilateral visits of his first year in office, allegedly to confront the forest fire/haze issue. Was this really a token of ‘political will’, as this author suggests, or did it simply show that he had achieved nothing on this front?

  7. R. N. England says:

    So says the dependent of one corrupt patronage system about people he thinks might serve another, or about anything that might undermine the crooks he serves.

  8. R. N. England says:

    It is the poor fringe-dwellers on the edges of the forests that are employed in their destruction by mainly city-based capital. The quickest profits come from exploiting local poor people, who demand less pay and can quickly learn how to operate chain saws, bulldozers, and trucks. It also pays to keep their existing patronage systems in place, with the local patrons becoming middle-men. Something like it happens in Tasmania too.

    The best way to snuff out this kind of capital is to talk the most influential people out of backing projects that destroy the earth’s ecosystems, and into backing laws that prevent their destruction.

  9. neptunian says:

    I wonder if this comment was translated using Google?
    First, let me say, I have seen this diatribe being repeated over and over again by the Ultras Perkasa, Islamic Youth, and every other “Bumi” and Islamic groups.

    Just for everyone’s info – The country, from Malaya and then Malaysia has been governed by the Malays (thru Alliance, then BN) with token participation from Chinese and Indian malaysians since 1957.

    All policies and “loaded” contracts”, business rules, licences etc etc are managed and approved by the Malays – How is then the non Malays are racists and depriving the Malays?? Is En’ Nik calling himself and his brethren idiots, with a capital “I”??

  10. William Tanudjaja says:

    Yet, almost all indonesian live in grinding poverty. So who benefits?

  11. Mythai says:

    Then why do you wear rose coloured glasses Nick? Perhaps you should discard them and get some prescription glasses. It may help you see.

    Or is it a case you can twist my words, but I cannot twist yours.

    At no point have I either eluded to the “Sangha” and it’s agenda or “political” agendas, associated (unfortunately) with ordinary Buddhist folk.

    Are you Thai Nick? Are you Buddhist?

    Unfortunately I cannot answer those as social networks, “in some parts of the world” result in death, disappearance or LONG jail terms. But I will leave you to guess…

  12. Hidayat Ditipuarab says:

    Most Indonesia moslems quietly support the creation of Islamic powerhouse to challenge the West. Whether in non-violent form or otherwise.

    Moslems in general have an indoctrinated sense of victimization by the West. Just ask them who do they think is behind isis, and they will gladly tell you that it is a creation of Israel nd America to discredit their belief.

    It is time for Islam to look upon itself in the mirror and accept that going back to 7th century is NOT a pinnacle of human race civilization. Then wake up frm the ponzy scheme the Arabs are exporting to afford their private jets and rolls royces.

  13. Moe Aung says:

    Looks like a meeting with the organ grinder in some people’s mind led to a role reversal in the good cop bad cop show.

  14. Pak Paderi says:

    Indonesian needs to be reminded of how things gets to this mess. From a bunch of sumatran visited mecca century ago and wanting to turn the indies into a desert caliphate upon return. Thus the Paderi war which basically tried to eliminate indigenous cultures.

    Indonesia is too frightened to question the very concept imposed by their Arab overlord. Too scared to realize that just like communism, it is basically a failed but violent ideology. Which will render their whole life as a lie.

  15. […] Traduction : Aliénor Simon Source Yulia (Indri) Sari* / New Mandala Papuas Time Bomb […]

  16. Wallaceaningsih says:

    And you’re a pot calling the kettle black.

  17. hrk says:

    And the Malay will stop using Islamism as a means of discremination of Chinese and Indians!

  18. Nick Nostitz says:

    It’s mindfulness, by the way, not single-mindedness 😉

    Buddhism as practiced by the vast majority of Buddhists (in Thailand, and other predominantly Buddhist societies) is a religion – an amalgam of Buddhist philosophy and preexisting religions (as with any other religion).
    Temples and monasteries are like churches, with all the good and bad you can see in Christianity (and any other religion).

    And as any other organized form of religion, on the organizational level the Sangha here in Thailand is deeply involved in politics, and so are individual monks as well, being part of communities, or simply having agendas beyond religious matters.

    Carrying rose colored glasses does not equate open eyes. Accepting reality might help though.

  19. vichai n says:

    Buddhism is vulnerable to the same feculent vulnerabilities as the Catholic, Islam or other spiritual beliefs: the opportunistic unholy (the misfits, the criminally-inclined, the deviants of varying perversions and the morally decayed) are by their “appetites” drawn to be spiritually cloaked as priests or monks; their appetites could be thus sated and sated infinitely with divine certitude and sacrosanctity. Unlimited untouchable wickedness sanctified!

    In the case Phra Dhammachayo of wat Dhammakaya, to be corrupt is not only cool but divine.

  20. Nik Kelate says:

    Chinese stop their hidden agenda, stop treating Malays badly,stop cheating in busines,give the same opportunity in business and work without racist centiment. Then the Malays will stop their worried towards Chinese and Malaysian will live happy and unity.
    Main reason for the Racism is
    1)Vernacullar School,why do they need a separate education from 4years to University(this school also receive help from Govt). Why do Chinese and Indian want to be as Chinese etc as they could be in a country name Malay sia
    2)Chinese union, some of them bring the ideology from comunist some bring the ideology to take controll of the Chinese. and do they best to avoid the next generation to assimilate with Malay culture.
    3) Chinese racist economy policies,all malaysian know that Chinese sell higher to malay compare to their own races,even sell higher house to Malay outside the doccument..it had been reported many times.

    Chinese is far more strong than a Malays in Malaysia because they control the economy and finance. they gain this power from British that give them opportunity to do business and control the market 100 years erlier than Malays. Govt should stop all the gap and border.
    To be a Malaysian this foreigner child should stop being a Chinaman or Indianman. but be Malaysian,adopt the culture adopt the education, and be friends with Malays.
    This is Malays Archipelago that residents by Anglo Malayo people for more than 10 thousands years,many sumatrans from Tanah Melayu and also The Malays.. Stop the Malays worried and give the rightfully respect to all Bumiputra’s is the key for beter Malaysians succes.
    BTW Govt do a good job,USA need 100 years to calm the racism betwen white and black that share same culture,language,religion and education but Malaysia only have one riots in almost 60years,and can control racism betwen so many races thattotally differens in colour,cuture,religion,education, and all ways..to beter Malaysians.. Please read whithut hatred.