LAST Thursday ought to have been a historic moment for Nur Alam. The governor was to have announced his successful his doctoral presentation at the State University of Jakarta and would henceforth be awarded a doctorate in management.

A sad aspect of history is when there are no longer any innocent people. If it is true that an imam in Queens, New York, was shot in the head at close range merely because he was a Muslim or in Middle Eastern dress, then he was seen as someone implicated in crime, even cruelty, in another place, in another time, carried out in the name of Islam. Maulana Akonjee was an imam, a gentle man, but the man who shot him decided he was part of a political force of evil people. The label was fixed. Revenge could be wreaked upon him.

THE Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation named the philanthropic organization Dompet Dhuafa as one of the recipients of its renown award this year. The foundation based in Manila, the Philippines is convinced that Dompet Dhuafa's management of alms and donations constitutes a big contribution towards public service.

Berlinda Mawane sat on the porch in front of her house in Pigapu Village, Mimika Regency, Papua. She had a bowlful of dried leaves on the table next to her, with a tea pot and two small cups. She took a handful of the dried leaves, put it inside the pot with hot water.

At the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, slated for September 6-8, Indonesia will emphasize security and ASEAN's relevance as a body.

Iste korsang yo kere intra
Buska filu yo kere kaja

Gatu Matu, Keroncong Tugu Cafrinho

OVER 200 spectators gave a thundering applause in the yard of the Bank Indonesia Museum in the Old Town zone of West Jakarta when the Tugu Cafrinho keroncong group finished the opening song Gatu Matu at the end of July. That afternoon, love songs in the Tugu creole language were presented with violin and cello, macina (four-stringed guitar), jiteira (six-stringed guitar), prounga (smaller six-stringed guitar) and contrabass accompaniment. The lyrics were indeed unfamiliar but the audience seemed to enjoy the show.

As a law enforcement agency, the National Police is no stranger to pressure. The commotion over bribes paid to extend the on-arrival visas of a ship's crew at Tual, Maluku is the latest example. The investigation was seen as going too far, such that it prompted a strong protest from Artha Graha Group boss Tomy Winata. Conversely, the police, in this particular case Budi Waseso, believes there was a third-party intervention in the investigation. Budi was the crime investigation unit chief at the National Police at the time.

On Arcandra Tahar

ARCANDRA Tahar's double nationality has caused quite a commotion. It is a pity a person with two passports was able to become a minister. I believe the President has deviated from general principles of good governance because he has not been careful in the selection of his ministers.

Never in history has there been an economic phenomenon this confusing. In Europe and Japan, negative interest rates are in effect. The world has turned upside down, with creditors 'paying' interest to borrowers. This absurd phenomenon breaks down all theory and makes mathematical formulas powerless.

This year, Indonesia and India mark 75 years of diplomatic relations. However, the ties between the two nations have existed much longer, predating the establishment of the Republic of Indonesia and the Republic of India. These connections span social, cultural, religious, economic, and trade aspects. But do those close ties of the past have any bearing on the present relationship? Why is there no direct flight between the capitals of the two countries?

Indian Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor-Leste, Sandeep Chakravorty, shares his views on this matter at TEMPO TALKS.