Truly, Asia is Indonesia

2008?

It is coming soon. You can have plenty of things to do. But, travelling to Indonesia may be one of best choices there is.

Yes, I am saying this because I am an Indonesian. But, if you have visited the country, you know what I mean. Even if you haven't, this is a valid invitation.

The thing is, 2008 is also a good timing since the Department of Tourism and Culture set it as the Visit Indonesia Year. You can always access its website for updates.

In fact, this coming year is also pledged as the Visit West Sumatera Year. I have been visiting to many countries before, seeing the beauty of many cities, but stopping by in Bukittingi or Maninjau Lake in West Sumatera is always my opted preference. You can explore the possibilities there.

What about security? In case you ask, that is so much a cliche rather than a fact. It is safe. Than again, the world is

People should avoid New York if 9/11 is the barometer. Or London, Madrid, Jerusalem, Bombay, Bangkok and what not.

Bali? Just recently the US Embassy in Jakarta released a confirmation that the Ngurah Rai airport in Bali is safe and comply to international security aviation standard.

What I am saying is that it is due for any world citizen to retake the joy of exotic Indonesia anytime.

Truly, it is Indonesia that is Asia. Others, you say?

You will find out yourself that what is wrapped and sold with a price elsewhere may just be a tiny cultural parcel abundantly available in Indonesia.

I tell you this, if someone sell you another person's treasures, what else you can make of it except...?

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. It is a very big country, very diverse and colorful. Saying just that already a proof of so many good things.

2008 is the Visit Indonesia Year.

LA/Nov/07

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Award for Ridiculing A Country

The job ridiculing a country can pay handsomely. More than that, you can even get a trophy of an international commendation. So far, a Golden Globe award, that is. We will still wait and see about Oscar.

This may not work for everyone though. But, at least, it works for Borat Sagdiyev, or, to be precise, Sacha Baron Cohen. Movie goers from all over the world must have all known him by now. Some may laugh out loud just by remembering Borat’s journalistic 'mockumentary' in America.

Sacha successfully badmouthed a sovereign country, Kazakhstan, down to the lowest level four screenwriters could possibly imagined. It was about a full portrayal of such backwardness.

The film, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan released in 2006, hit the world with a very high profit. Sacha is now one of the highly paid actor for his harsh and sarcastic jokes.

This is one movie where Jews are ridiculed badly (throw the Jews down the well) and not one knee-jerk commentators came forward shouting antisemitism. Knowingly, people just laughed---even Jon Stewart of the Comedy Central. Sacha Baron Cohen himself, who also take the role as Ali G in a hilarious British TV comedy, is a Jew and nothing to do with Kazakhstan. The joke is on the Kazakh people, of course.

When President Nursultan Nazarbayev visited President Bush in September 2006, Sacha used it for free advertisement by having a press conference in front of Kazakh Embassy in Washington DC. The Kazakh government even felt the need to launch a tourism campaign to counter the bad image caused by Borat. Though Kazakhstan's reactions divided and tactic changed, it is understandable that in the country people could just run berserk. It is not Kazakhstan the country Sacha representing, said a Kaszakh senior diplomat, but "Boratistan".

Of course, this is no longer news, since time always moves on. Sacha himself is now on a new project, Bruno. People go to theater to see newer movies and, sure, there are plenty of them. All are more civilized.

Unfortunately for the country and the people of Kazakhstan, the news is not yet over. Borat also made it into the more prestigious film festival nomination, the Academy Award, which is due this mid February. The short list of nominees for Oscar includes Borat as a nominee for writing (adapted screen play) category.

Inasmuch that some movie goers considered the Kazakh people need to develop a sense of humor, it seems only fair to kindly spare the country from more of such insulting gag. Borat is surely far more painful than that of the fondly funny, country-mate Crocodile Dundee for Australia.

International relations-wise, I think globalization should not have to also mean a free ride to humiliate a country and get more award for it. Even for a laugh, the dictum should read that if it is too much it is too much. When it is enough already, the category applied now should be 'poor taste'.

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