PRAKTEK CURANG SINAR MAS GROUP DI ITC, BSD, TANGGERANG: Menjadi Besar Dengan Menekan Usaha Kecil

PRAKTEK CURANG SINAR MAS GROUP DI ITC BSD TANGGERANG. MENEKAN USAHA KECIL UNTUK MENJADI BESAR

Bukan masalah uangnya, tetapi masalah jujur adilnya!

Saya, Neneng Tarigan adalah pemilik kios kecil di Upper Ground, Blok C8/5, ITC, BSD, Tanggerang, yang membeli cicil kios tersebut tahun 2004 dari Sinar Mas Group. Dalam perjanjian jual beli tersebut jelas tertulis bahwa lantai Upper Ground hanya dikhususkan untuk zona fashion, oleh karena itu saya membuka usaha fashion di tempat tersebut sejak tahun 2005.

Karena usaha saya yang sangat kecil, maka oleh Pengelola lama, saya diberikan keringanan/diskon pembayaran service charge mulai Rp 100.000,- s/d sekitar Rp 150.000,- perbulan. Keringanan tersebut juga mempertimbangkan keberatan saya sebagai pengusaha kecil dengan lokasi konter di badan gang yang sempit; serta pemakaian listrik dengan daya 1300 watt padahal yang saya butuhkan hanya 450 watt.Selain itu secara keras saya memprotes pengelola dengan adanya restoran siap saji AW di Upper Ground yang khusus untuk fashion; tempat pencucian foto, konter-konter penjualan seprei dan frame foto yang jelas melanggar kesepakatan pada waktu saya membeli kios di ITC, BSD!

Lebih kurang tiga bulan yang lalu, secara mengejutkan saya menerima surat dari Pengelola baru ITC, BSD, yang menagih dan menaikkan secara sepihak biaya service charge dan biaya parkir hampir 50% untuk semua tenant, tanpa ada musyawarah sebagaimana sebelumnya dengan para tenant sebagaimana selalu dilakukan oleh Pengelola yang lama. Saya juga tidak lagi mendapatkan keringanan service charge sebagaimana biasa.

Saya melakukan pendekatan resmi tertulis maupun melalui beberapa pertemuan agar tetap memperoleh keringanan tersebut apalagi mempertimbangkan bahwa pada waktu saya sempat bangkrut dan tutup pada tahun 2008 dan 2009 saya tetap membayar lunas service charge dan tagihan listrik kepada ITC BSD.

Bukannya mendapatkan keringanan, tetapi Pengelola melakukan intimidasi dan perbuatan tidak menyenangkan kepada saya dengan menyampaikan bahwa:

1. Seyogyanya saya menyewakan saja kios tersebut, karena seorang birokrat (saya pensiunan PNS) tidak bisa/tidak pandai berdagang!

2. Menagih service charge yang sudah saya bayarkan, dengan keji pertelpon serta tanpa bukti menuduh saya selama ini tidak pernah membayar service charge! Dan ketika saya meminta bukti tertulis mereka tidak dapat membuktikan.

3. Hari Jumat tanggal 17 Mei 2013 pihak pengelola mengirim petugas security ke kios saya, padahal saya tidak pernah melakukan pelanggaran batas penggelaran barang sebagaimana banyak pedagang lainnya.

4. Setelah mengetahui bahwa saya telah melunasi seluruh service charge dan listrik tepat waktu setiap bulan selama bertahun-tahun, Kepala Pengelola ITC yang baru, bukannya meminta maaf, tetapi saya malah menerima surat peringatan dari Bagian Keuangan ITC untuk membayar tagihan bulan April dan Mei 2013 dengan denda dan harga yang sudah dinaikkan, padahal saya sudah memperingatkan tertulis bahwa saya akan membayar, jika Pengelola menertibkan zona fashion di Upper Ground yang belakangan ini merajalela berubah menjadi tempat bermain mobilan dan seolah kebun binatang bagi anak-anak! Belum lagi meningkatnya konter/kios penjualan mainan anak-anak dan seprei yang tidak ada hubungannya dengan fashion sama sekali. Perparkiran yang semakin semrawut dls.

Saya menyampaikan bahwa akan membayar apabila pihak Pengelola juga segera menertibkan Upper Ground sesuai perjanjian tertulis antara saya dan Sinar Mas dalam surat perjanjian jual beli no 0649 tanggal 21 Mei 2004.

Sampai saat ini tidak ada tindak lanjut pihak Pengelola ITC tentang pelanggaran yang dilakukan yang menurut saya sama dengan penipuan terhadap perjanjian yang telah dibuat pada semua pemilik usaha fashion di Upper Ground ITC BSD.

Menjadi besar adalah keinginan bersama, tetapi menjadi besar dengan berbuat curang dan menekan usaha kecil adalah perbuatan memalukan yang seharusnya tidak dilakukan oleh Group besar seperti Sinar Mas! Semoga hal ini mendapat perhatian oleh pemilik Sinar Mas, karena Pengelola menyampaikan lisan bahwa seluruh tindakannya harus mendapat izin Pemilik Sinar Mas Group!

Saya sendiri sudah pernah menyampaikan keluhan ini melalui media Suara Pembaca pada www.detik.com tanggal 22 April 2013 dan juga menyampaikan pengaduan tertulis kepada KPPU (Komisi Pengawas Persaingan Usaha) melalui surat tercatat tertanggal 27 April 2013 dengan tembusan kepada Sinar Mas Group Pusat, tetapi sampai sekarang belum memperoleh tanggapan.

Kerugian yang saya alami bukan hanya kerugian saya pribadi, tetapi juga kerugian para pedagang fashion di Upper Ground, ITC BSD umumnya. Pada waktu yang lalu melalui koordinasi salah seorang pedagang fashion di ITC BSD, saya telah menandatangani surat keluhan bersama dengan sekitar 45 pedagang, tentang adanya taman bermain anak-anak yang sangat mengganggu tersebut. Tapi sampai sekarang saya tidak mengetahui keberadaan surat yang telah ditandatangani bersama tersebut dan tindak lanjutnya.

Saya memperoleh kesan bahwa Pengelola hendak menimba keuntungan sepihak dengan melakukan berbagai kecurangan. Saya bertanya didalam hati, apakah memang demikian cara-cara yang selama ini dilakukan Sinar Mas Group; yaitu menekan usaha kecil untuk menjadi besar? Jawabannya tentu ada pada benak mereka masing-masing!

ITC BSD, 14 Juni 2013. Neneng Tarigan

NAGASAKI: A City With Thousand Hills, Thousand Bays and Thousands Histories

NAGASAKI: A City With Thousand Hills, Thousand Bays and Thousands Histories – (by: Neneng Tarigan, Indonesia)

Part 1: NAGASAKI: the City I loved.

I first visited this city about 32 years ago in February 1980 as fellow participant of JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) in a program called: “Trade Promotion For ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) Countries”;  the program aimed at helping junior officials of ASEAN countries to improve their knowledge on Trade Promotion.

It was almost the end of the whole program and Nagasaki was the last city for us to visit. We were landed on the beautiful airport of Nagasaki on the man made island about 50 kilometers from Nagasaki City. There, we were welcomed by the beautiful Cherry trees (Sakura) in the early Spring time,  and cherished by the beauty of the Cherry blossoms.

I was very much impressed by the beauty and the long history of Nagasaki. The city, was the first and the only gate for foreign visitors and international trade in Japan in 1543 until the Tokugawa era, as agreed by all of the Japanese Rulers in that period.

As the single gate,  Nagasaki was the only entrance for Christian missionaries and traders from Europe, most particularly from Portugal and the Netherlands, the two countries that were having an intense trade with Japan that time. Regretfully however, the entering of Christian missionaries, had created a big resentment from the majority of the Japanese Buddhist people there, and that had driven these people into the battle against Christianity. Regardless of the battle, we still can see and read the true story about the Hidden Christian in Sotome, Nagasaki Prefecture, if we visit the libraries and the museums in Japan or looking at the remains of the influence of Christianity as indicated by the existence of some churches around the Sotome area as well as around Nagasaki City, up to these days.

The Modernization of Japan during the Meiji Restoration era had opened up the other cities in Japan as the entrance to foreign trade, and the role of Nagasaki as the single entrance was fading away with it. The name of Nagasaki came into the spotlight again after the involvement of Japan into the World War II that brought the city as the Atomic Bombing target on 9 August 1945. Now the city is slowly developed, as a quiet yet most beautiful panoramic city in Japan because of its thousand hills, thousand bays, thousands slopes and thousands histories. I was unable to count, how many tunnels and bridges they have there to connect the whole hills, but besides of the long history, the infra structure and the panoramic beauty as well the Mitsubishi shipbuilding factory, all of those and the friendly people have made Nagasaki as one of the most beautiful place on earth that really is worth visit!

Needless to elaborate about the history of Nagasaki. You can read the more complete version in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagasaki or other sources, more comprehensive and accurate than what I have written here, or you can also see the pictures of Nagasaki by visiting my you tube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/NenengTarigan

Part 2: THE PAIN AND THE SHAME TO BEAR, AS THE COSTS OF THE WAR !

There, 32 years ago in Nagasaki, I met with four gentlemen from the Municipality Office. They are the Atomic Bomb survivors, they knew very well the pain the war has made and the costs that they have to bear along their entire lives.

Noboru Tasaki who lived about 5 km from the hypo center, was only 1 year old during the atomic bombing on Nagasaki 9 August 1945. Masanori Kawakami, who lived about 5 km from the hypo center was 2 years old; and Kazutoshi Yamashita as well as Yoichiro Yamaguchi who were living in separated areas about 3 km from the hypo center; respectively 5 and 14 years old of age at that time. Those 4 boys were terrified by the roaring sound of a big explosion. All of the windows’ glass and housewares in their houses were broken apart, they had no idea what was happening at about 11:00 am that day, they only saw the smoke and the sky became darker, they felt the heat, then run with their moms into the nearest sand bunkers and wait until everything subsided.

Actually, Nagasaki was not as a primary target of the A bombing that time. As I fully quoted from: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/bombing_of_nagasaki.htm

” Nagasaki was not America’s primary target. This was Kokura. The three potential targets for a second bomb were Kokura, Kyoto and Niigata. Nagasaki was only added to a list of potential targets when Kyoto was withdrawn (it had been the secondary target for a second bomb) because of its religious associations. The third potential target was Niigata – but this was withdrawn from the list as the distance to it was considered to be too great. Therefore, the Americans were left with just two targets – Kokura and Nagasaki.

Nagasaki was a major shipbuilding city and a large military port. But it was not a favored target as it had been bombed five times in the previous twelve months and any damage caused by an atomic bomb would have been difficult to assess. Also, the way Nagasaki had grown as a port meant that the impact of a powerful bomb might be dissipated as the city had grown across hills and valleys. The city was also broken up with stretches of water. However, fate and the weather was to be Nagasaki’s undoing. “

About 40’000 people were killed by the A bombing on Nagasaki that day, most of them were children, women, elders and workers of Mitsubishi Shipyard, since most men were posted abroad, especially for the occupation of Japan in Indonesia.

I went to the Atomic bomb museum, watching the remains of the A bombing in my field study in 1980. Yes, the Atomic Bomb Museum is the only place to see the remains of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, since the Japanese government renovated and built the city soon after the bombing. The Samurai spirit; they admitted of being defeated, but with honor, that they can always rebuild!

Those four boys who became gentlemen then, were very kind to the participants of the Trade Promotion course, I was very much impressed by their friendly attitude and becoming their close friends and even as their families ever since. Here after 32 years, I visited them again, I visited Nagasaki, the city I loved.

“The four boys”, my four beloved brothers

‎”The four boys” and thousand others of the A bomb survivors have severely affected by the A bomb radiation until today. Few years ago, the eldest “boy” (Yamaguchi) had to pass an abdominal cancer operation, and the second eldest (Yamashita) had to endure 4 times cancer operations within his life, first in his rectum, secondly in his abdominal, thirdly in his malignant or chest and recently in his abdominal again; and that man, Yamashita, is a very devoted Christian! Many people in Nagasaki, who survived from the A bomb and lived nearby the hypo center that time, suffered by various kinds of cancer as they are growing older now. That is so sad to know about the consequences of the atomic bombing ········!!!!

In the next paragraph, I wanted to convince the world to say no to the use of the atomic bombing or all weapons of mass destruction, such as: chemical, missiles and nuclear! Beware, that, war would only advantage the greed leaders. The great leaders will say a “big no” to it!!!

Part 3: REMEMBERING THE ATOMIC BOMBING: Peace Messages from Nagasaki.

“The Boy Standing at the Crematory in Nagasaki 1945”
This picture tells us everything! The boy was biting his lower lip, to keep and hide all the pain he was bearing!!!
No more war please!!!!!!!
The picture and the words below, I quoted from Joe O’ Donell, a photographer of the American Military, 1945. From the collection of the Atomic Bomb Museum, NAGASAKI.

~ The boy about 10 years old, he was barefoot, he was carrying a baby slung on his back. The infant’s head was tipped back as if the baby was fast asleep; in fact, the baby was already dead. The boy came to the ground with serious purpose, to cremate his dead brother. ~
Nagasaki after the A bomb.

A school girl’s lunch box
The evident at the Atomic Bomb Museum, Nagasaki.
No more war in this world please ····
~ This is a memento of Satoko Tsutsumi (14 years old at the time of the bombing) who was exposed to the Atomic bomb explosion in Iwakawa-machi about 700 meters from the hypo center. The rice in the lunch box was charred by fires after the bombing. Satoko’s name and class number are written at the bottom of the lunch box~

Helmet with the remains of a skull.

No more war in this world please …. 😦

These two persons are sill alive until today and they are very active in promoting peace through out the world.

Read also the biography “The Postman from Nagasaki”, written by: Peter Townsend.

Here, I and my sister K. Tasaki (Noboru’s wife), in front of the house of Madame Butterfly with a family from Hiroshima, whose grand dad was also an atomic bomb survivor of Hiroshima.

A HIDDEN AGENDA?

A HIDDEN AGENDA?: The Questions of Domestic Oil Price Increase.
By: Neneng Tarigan.

The Indonesian government planned early of 2012 to increase the price of premium  oil, has received various reactions from number of political parties, students/activists and quite a number of people from all over Indonesia.

As usual, there is always pros and cons to every government policy. As an independent writer (note: I dare not call myself as an analyst) my opinion towards this policy is clear that I was not in favor of the policy, though the price of oil in international market that time was sky rocketing due to the political situation  in oil-producing country in Africa such as in Nigeria and most particularly in countries in the Middle East such as Libya, Iraq and Iran as the largest oil-producing countries in the world!

The rapid increase of international oil price is always inseparable with the interest of the developed countries like the United States of America and its allies towards the continues supply of oil. For the reason of getting and controlling a continued supply of oil, they sometimes put pressure among others by imposing the policy implementation on the “fight against terrorism”, “the ban on Weapon of Mass Destruction” and to “help develop of democracy” in various oil producing countries. The impact of the pressure is sometimes contra productive and just further create the insecurity in those target countries, and most likely would further increase the international oil price. The ones that suffered by the increase of international oil price, of course the developing nations especially the non oil producing ones!

Being an oil-producing country, and a country with Muslim majority that strategically located between two continents (Asia and Australia) and two oceans (Indian Ocean and the Pacific), have brought Indonesia under the microscope of the developed nations!

Actually Indonesia, might play an important role in the international forum by using its geopolitical advantages as a country with the largest Muslim population in the world and located between the two continents; but the capacity is not yet there. Indonesia has almost no power to influence the policy of international oil price, even from the international political side.

Therefore, the increase of international oil price would greatly affect the Indonesian government budget, because, although Indonesia is an oil producing country, Indonesia is also a net importer of refined oil. Beside of it, the subsidy to the price of oil and gas for the poor as tasked by the Indonesian Constitution 1945, is a big burden to the government budget!

Most unfortunately, if the price of oil in domestic market is too low, that would reduce the capability of the government to finance the development programs, and besides, that would also enlarge the opportunity for smuggling, especially if the price of oil in international market is higher.

In my point of view, there are many ways that the Indonesian government can take to revive the government budget despite of increasing the price of premium oil. Most probable policies among others are by: (1) reducing government spending, (2) postponing some unnecessary spending for example for the facilities of the members of the parliament and the government officials across the country, (3) introducing the use of non oil energy for vehicles and electricity, improve the use of energy conversion from oil and natural gas into the use of more environment friendly energy such as bio energy, hydro energy or solar energy, (4) increase the efficiency of all state owned companies most particularly those companies that involved in oil, gas and electricity business, and (5) increase law enforcement to fight the corruption, etc.

Nevertheless, everyone knows that the easiest way to revive the government budget, of course mainly by implementing the policy in increasing the price of oil; with hopes that it would also easily help recover the popularity of the ruling party (the Democratic Party/Partai Demokrat) which is now under the test because of the corruption cases that involved many of its members.

The majority of the ruling party members and its coalition parties’ members hoped that by increasing the price of domestic oils, that would allow a massive implementation of direct financial assistance up to the amount of IDR 25 trillion for 18 million Indonesian house holds who lives under poverty level. By increasing the price of oil it hopes that would help the poor a financial assistance of IDR 150,000.- per household per month or equal to USD 18.- per month  which is equal to 25 litter of premium oil/month, until 9 months long. As the result of this planned policy, it hopes that the ruling party may get back a full support from the people or at least from their former constituents.

The problem actually, every time when the discussion on the policy of increasing the price of oil and reducing the subsidy of oil appeared, that would trigger the increase of food prices and even become worse if the policy is taken because that would surely contributing to a multiplier effect to the price of electricity and transportation!

Subsidy is the most powerful issue and way in developing country like Indonesia to unstable the position of the government in power.

For the opposition, the subsidy issue is the most effective time to  organize a massive demonstration to stop the government from taking the unpopular policy which I also  believed will affect the cost of living of ordinary citizens in general!

The demonstrations against the increase of the price of oil, is always unstoppable and the tension between the government and the demonstrators might almost uncontrollable.

As always, students that stand in the very front line of the demonstrators have only one purpose; to protect the people interest with all consequences even with their own lives! A good reminder was the accident of 1998, where the most popular president of Indonesia (Suharto) with full backed-up of the arm forces and the parliament were unable to stop the demonstrators and was crippled by the people’s power!

I wish, history will not repeated and there will be mutual understanding between the policy makers and the people regarding the oil price policy.

People are tired living in poverty, but that does not allowed any policy makers to make use of people economic condition by pretending of helping them temporarily only to gain benefit to win the 2014 general election!

BSD City, 27 March 2012. By: Neneng Tarigan.

POLITICS: Why the National Democratic Party Developed Rapidly

POLITICS: Why the National Democratic Party Developed Rapidly

The existence and rapid development of the National Democratic Party (Partai Nasional Demokrat/Partai Nasdem) that is established in the end of 2011 is inseparable with the involvement of two media moguls: Surya Paloh from Media Group and Hary Tanoesoedibjo from MNC (PT Media Nusantara Citra Tbk) group; The two groups that respectively run: Metro TV and RCTI (Rajawali Citra Televisi Indonesia)

These private sector TV stations are broadly known in Indonesia as the largest TV media, and also as a clean media that forbid their journalists to accept envelopes (bribe) from any individuals or institutions. By this policy, the two TV stations appeared as the most trust-able,  factual and balance information resources that public can rely on

Surya Paloh with his Media Group is always in the very front line in helping the poor either in endemics or during natural disasters. It was him and his group who among others that firstly arrived when the Tsunami occurred in Aceh, Sumatra in December 2004, or when the social unrest that killed many people occurred in Moluccas, or in many other parts of Indonesia that suffered by natural calamities.

The MNC group with RCTI is also always in the front line in organizing helps for people who are affected by various diseases besides of many other programs they hold for helping the poor.  The two tycoons (Surya Paloh and Hary) are the men with the golden heart who love and dedicate their wealth for their nation and the people.

I do not know them in person, but as a writer I watch them both very closely, their movement, their passions for the advancement of their nation  as well as their rhetoric idealism for the restoration of the nation which they think is nowadays lack of nationalism and full with corruption.

I am not a partisan, but with the lack of trust from people towards political parties today, no wonder if National Democratic Party was able to take over the popularity of the already existing political parties, which based on the survey made by LSI (Lembaga Survey Indonesia) they even able to sit at number 4 most popular party in Indonesia after Golkar (Golongan Karya) number 1, PDIP (Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan) number 2 and Partai Demokrat (The ruling party) at number 3.

The National Democratic Party obtained their current achievements by hard works and continues dedication to the nation and the people. Many people especially the poor are benefiting from their works and their efforts to create clean environment in the law and justice in the country. They are against racism and they firmly committed to maintain equal right among religions, genders and tribe-ism and support the pluralism of Indonesia.

It is not easy for Indonesian people to trust any political parties anymore. It depends on the National Democratic Party itself. If they want to get trust, they should be like what they wanted to be as what they are now.

BSD City, 20 March 2012, Neneng Tarigan

HAPPY VALENTINE 2012

HAPPY VALENTINE 2012:

Valentine is still about two weeks to come, yet the feeling is already around the corner, maybe that is simply because I always miss my late parents, the two persons that I love the most.

In order to remembering their loves and affections toward their children and grand kids, I made a simple commemoration of their presence in a Smile Box crypt, so that readers who wanted to make and send the same message to their love ones, would be able to copy it from this Smile Box slides for free at least for 7 (seven) days.

I also quoted a poem, to make my smile box slides to be more meaningful. Here is the slide and the poem, as I dedicate it to my whole family.

Make your own free digital scrapbooking design

An Entrapment

My love, I have tried with all my being
to grasp a form comparable to thine own,
but nothing seems worthy;

I know now why Shakespeare could not
compare his love to a summer’s day.
It would be a crime to denounce the beauty
of such a creature as thee,
to simply cast away the precision
God had placed in forging you.

Each facet of your being
whether it physical or spiritual
is an ensnarement
from which there is no release.
But I do not wish release.
I wish to stay entrapped forever.
With you for all eternity.
Our hearts, always as one.

– Anthony Kolos –

BENANE FASHION BOOK ON LINE

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• Please check about our fashion tips at http://fashiontradeco.blogspot.com and http://nenengrtarigan.blogspot.com
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• Discount 5%, for purchase above IDR 500,000.- Price not included transportation cost. Free transportation cost for purchase above IDR 1,500,000.- (for all Indonesian area). Every Saturday and Sunday we give 30% discount for three first customer who booked on line. Diskon 5%, untuk pembelian diatas Rp 500.000,- Tidak termasuk ongkos kirim. Bebas ongkos kirim untuk pembelian diatas Rp 1.500.000,- (Untuk seluruh daerah di Indonesia). Setiap Sabtu dan Minggu kami memberikan diskon 30% bagi setiap 3 orang pembeli pertama.
  
• For Christmas 2012 and New Year 2013, all items in our shops are subject to additional 5% discount.

A HEAVENLY GARDEN ON EARTH: South Island New Zealand.

A HEAVENLY GARDEN ON EARTH: South Island New Zealand.

When the snowy mountains touches the sparkling beach

New Zealand is the 45^th country that I had been to. The first time when I was about landed in the International airport of Christ Church New Zealand, a parade of beautiful snowy mountains under a shiny blue sky and a dazzling white cotton cloud welcomed all passengers on-board the air plane who for the first time or many times would still be amazed by the beauty of the heavenly scenery.

Kaikoura , New Zealand.

Observing down from the air plane, the mountains seemed stand so solid and quiet; the tranquility that brings peace to all hearts especially those who for the first time landed in this heavenly garden country.

From the airport to the center of Christ Church, I can see still the effects of the earthquakes. Major parts of the city have been badly affected; many roads, bridges, churches, houses, sky scrapers were cracked, twisted, leaned and even collapsed. The re-construction and repairing of the public facilities have been put in place including the rebuild of the city’s wastewater networks, roads, public building etc. According to my local tour guides, about 900 buildings included sky scrapers, hotels, churches and some public buildings such as sport stadium in the center of the city alone will be demolished. The long-term plan is, only 5 stories building can be enacted in the center of the city and 4 stories in the out skirt.

Buildings that are totally collapsed or leaned

An old church in the city center that totally damaged by the February Earthquake

A twisted bridge

The affected houses that had been surveyed by the insurance company are marked with red, orange, and green placard; the red meant the houses are no longer safe to live in and the people should be moved to the temporary houses built by the government, until their houses have been fully repaired or totally re-built. Orange meant there should be a greater repair taken place than the green one, but in both kind of houses people are still safe to live in.

Another scary view is when looking at the houses in the hillside, most specifically those that are located nearby the coastline. Many of them are in critical condition and some already fallen down from the hill. In order to secure the underneath roads from the landslide, the hillsides along the coast line were fenced by hundreds of containers, so that the stones and the houses on top of the hills would not fall on the passers cars or any vehicles that pass on the roads beneath the hill-side.

The damage houses in the hill side of Christ Church

A house that has marked with orange placard.

A house that has marked with red placard.

Workers from local as well as international contractors in their efforts to repair the waste water drainage, water pipe and the cracking road.

During the February earth quake, hundreds of big volcanic stones with weight up to more than 100 kg rolled down the hill and hit the houses and the cattle below. Luckily, because the earthquake occurred at 1 o clock in the afternoon, most of the people were able to run for their life, except unfortunately the Christ Church TV building in the center of the city that had vertically collapsed like a pan cake and taken more than 100 of its staff dead.

This photo collage made with Smilebox

Christ Church was hardly hit by the earthquake in September 2010, since then, hundreds more earthquakes occurred, the biggest as recorded was in February and the June 2011. The February earth quake was the worst and had ruined major part of the city center and many buildings in the hills side. Since I arrived in the beginning of Spring in Christ Church New Zealand on 20^th September 2011 till I left on the 1 October 2011, I experienced several light tremors might be around 1 to 3 scale Richter magnitude earth quakes, however, coming from the islands country, Indonesia with the condition almost the same as New Zealand, that both countries are sitting on the Pacific Ring of Fire, it makes me a bit used to this kind of situation, so I just continue doing my activities, sleeping or traveling around the South Island even when the tremors occurred.

In spite of the earthquake, Christchurch is still the gateway to the South Island. As the second largest city in New Zealand after Auckland, this city still keeps its natural beauty as one of the most outstanding garden city in the world. The Citizen of Christ Church called their city as the “Munted “ city, which is correct, but it is not dangerous at all to live in Christ Church except in some parts of the city center.

I stayed in small accommodation nearby the North New Brighton beach; in a studio room that is fully equipped with a private kitchen and its utensils, shower, big flat TV, iron, hair dryer, freezer, heater, microwave which cost me about NZ$ 70.- per night. Foods (except fish) and clothes are expensive in South Island, these are reasonable because most of the consumer goods is imported, so do the vehicles and gasoline, and the lattest makes touring is quite expensive in this country. Another element that contributed to the higher price of consumer goods is the distance between places that is really huge. With  population only 4.5million of which around 450.000 lived in the second largest city, Christ Church; that makes this country seems inhibited.  However, public transportation such as bus and train are comfortably available in reasonably cheap fares and that makes my short stay in Christ Church was wonderful!

The only inconvenient I faced while in Christ Church was the fact that some tours that I had already booked and paid were unilaterally canceled by the local travel agent due to the lack of attendants. The earthquake had shrunk the tourism sector of Christ Church up to 90%. Nevertheless, I still had fun and enjoy my trips around; city touring, flying with a chopper looking for the whales in KaiKoura though we could not find one due to the breeding time of the whales, enjoying the panoramic view of Edoras where the Lord of the Ring was taken place for filming. 4X4 wheel driving off roading and jet boating in the Alpine and enjoying also traveled by the trans Alpine train. Overall, the tours were fantastic and the foods in Christ Church restaurants were all tasty.

In Christ Church I met with some tourists from USA, UK, Indonesia and Japan and we felt nothing but safe, peace and happy not only because New Zealand has no dangerous animals such as snakes, kangaroo, tigers or alike in its woods and the mountain, but also because of the breathtaking scenery of this heavenly garden country on earth!

Except for Air Asia bad service that the worst I had ever experience with international airlines, the rest of my trips around Christ Church was splendid! As a note I will never fly internationally with Air Asia again. Once is more than enough with this air line!

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OPEN LOVE LETTER TO MY DEAREST BELOVED

Love letter to my dearest beloved Komodos:
My dear ancient creature Komodos, I will not shy to promote u to the whole world…. to show them how dearest I love u all. I wish they will all vote for you as one of The World New 7 Wonders, so that your islands will be preserved only for you, so that you can grow your upbringing to be witnessed by many generations to come. So that people would believe that you ever exist in this beautiful world. I will put your link here for them all to easily vote for you. Together we pray for yr continued existence in the islands. I love you more and more every single day. I love you so much Komodos….. I wish you can remain live in this beautiful world. never leave this world Komodos. Never be like dinosaurs or the dragons that left the world remain be the legend of world history. Live with us Komodos forever, because I believe all human being love you back……..

With all my love,

Neneng Tarigan .

http://www.new7wonders.com/archives/wonder/komodo

Please vote for Komodo Island as one of the world New 7 Wonders so that we can protect the species or the komodo dragon, the largest ancient giant reptile from becoming extinct. There quite a lot of number of different kind of endanger specious living in the island such as various kind of snakes, turtles, fishes….So, we all have to preserve the place and let the island empty. Only limited number of people living there and a big no to build an airport in order to maintain the ecosystem for the komodos to be able to still living in this beautiful world. Tourists are allowed to come and stay and enjoyed the atmosphere and the adventure in the island

THE KOMODO ISLAND: Home for the Komodos.

Note: All of the pictures in this post are not belong to the author, but quoted from various sources in the internet, for non commercial purpose.

THE BENANE FASHION SHOP

THE BENANE FASHION SHOP

Upper Ground, Block C8/5, ITC, BSD City, Serpong, Tanggerang Indonesia. You can buy high quality fashion designed lady dresses, bags and accessories, from International as well as local well-known designers. Visit our shop or buy online at the following link:

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For the time being, we only serve Indonesian local market. Order now, we enjoyed to serve you to the best service we can offer to our fashion alert customers like you.

Here is some price information. Please check it out. We give 20% discount for all items on every Saturday and Sunday for the three first customer buying on line. Order now!!!

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THE NETLOG ROMANCE: Connecting Love and Investment

THE NETLOG ROMANCE: Connecting Love and Investment.

This romance begins when she started joining the Netlog accidentally about two months ago by the invitation of a friend. Several friends then have invited her too, so she joined the Netlog with several names but only used one name of her own, that is Nancy.

As a blogger, a writer and ex government official, she really would like to share her little knowledge with the world and make friends as much as possible so that her blogs would be worth readings.

Like what she did in the Facebook, she fulfilled the information about her complete profile then …walla… she is in the Netlog.

She had no idea at all that the Netlog is such a kind of match maker link for those who would like to meet their soul mate or the one that they would like to share their live with as a happy couple…wow…

First week in Netlog was the most enjoyable one, because those who joined her in her Netlog were from her Facebook friends list. Her activities in the Netlog just to exchange links, tagged new information or posts or what she thinks valuable for others to know.

The second and the third week, she knew nothing happened with her Netlog, because she was away for a holiday abroad, then returning home….surprised….number of unread messages appeared and all of the contents are not far from love letters.

Since what they looked is really a partner for a life time, then she considered she has to be honest about who she is and telling them that she is a retired government official who is much older than every man who had sent her the love letters and that she is just interested in having relationship as friends nonetheless. Surprisingly, most of those men who sent her the love letters deemed that age is just a number and they don not even mind if her age 20 years older and more eligible as their mother rather than their lover. Gosh, unbelievable, she is assure that all of these remarks are absurd, none of them telling her the truth, honestly! Nevertheless she tried to be nice; as a blogger, it is highly required to be friendly to whom that she expected to be the readers of her blogs. She thinks, why should she created a blog if there is no visitors and readers who can make use of the blog contents?
One of the love letter attracts her attention was from Marco Jade. Actually she already clarified to Marco that she joined the Netlog accidentally by the invitation of a friend, and she just wanted to make friend to every body and exchanging links. She mentioned that she is already 60 years old and made up her age 40 in FB and Netlog, so that people would be a friend with her otherwise if she put her real age 60, people would run away thinking what the hell this grandma is doing in FB and the Netlog.

To protect herself from any flirt then she put 4 of her nieces and nephews as her own children. So far she could escape the flirt at least in FB after they found out that she already has “4 children”, Clever! She mentioned these arguments to every body who sent her the love letters included to Marco.

But this Marco was so special and unique, because he kept on calling and sent her beautiful love letters. One could understand why she could easily in love with this guy, because, when some one  told you, he/she would love you no matter how, I bet, you might sometimes feel as if you were in heaven; and it happened to her when a man whose named Marco dropped by and told her how he cares so much and wanted to spend the rest of his live and his two children and mom with her.

The image that Marco has created about himself was so perfect, a man with a good look, mature, well experienced, wealthy and a manager of a storage company from London who is looking for a trustworthy partner. He offered her a business partnership that he was tired being under somebody and seeking the opportunity to invest in foreign country among others in her country as center of trade and investment.

She informed him all business opportunities she knows in her country, but she is not clear in which field that Marco is really interested in to invest. Nevertheless, the irresistible image of Marco, only a fool  would annul the opportunity to be with! For her, he  even became more attractive, because he was going to locate his business in her country. Meanwhile he had to finalized his transaction in Nigeria and claim for his USD 3.5 million payment that a company in Nigeria owe him. Hm of course… damn interesting.

But his name had reminded her to someone with the same name who year ago before her retirement recommended her to claim for USD 750,000.00 reward she could receive from Yahoo loterij. Sure, at that time  she gave that MJ her email address and office address, because she thought the loterij was real, but hey… her rational worked..who would be stupidly give someone 750 bugs for nothing? However the man from the “yahoo loterij” (MJ) was very convincing, he said she just has to confirm her bank account number, attached her ID (copy of her passport) and fill the form authorizing Chinese Merchant Bank in China via somebody (an agent named MJ) for the withdrawal of the USD 750,000.00 loterij she won in which USD 100,000.00 would be automatically deducted to pay MJ as an agent. She was really suspicious especially after thoroughly reading the form, she realized that if she sign and attached all of the necessary documents then she actually will owe him USD 100,000.00

She pretended, she didn’t know about that, instead she just told him to bring the money to her office, then all of the requirement + agent’s fee  will be given to the agent after everything is settled. Finally they reached “a tacit agreement”, he will bring her money and arrange the settlement  in her office, but she had to disburse USD 5000.00 to enable the Agent to come over to her office. She actually laughed to death knowing how dumb he was trying to fool her around. She supposed to tell him to collect the USD 5000.00 in hell, but she deemed that would be too rude, anyhow she had fun negotiating with him all those lies, so she just quiet and let him continuously asking her, the confirmation about the disbursement with a very big smile in her face. Ugh…she really enjoyed this joke.

Back to the Netlog Romance, this Marco Jade gives her a lot of comfort. He called her at least 3 to 4 times in a day asking about her health and promised her the moon and the stars. His attention and “love” have had killed her. After so many years elapsed, that was the first time again she got attentive flirt from a man really of her dream. She felt so much in love with MJ, to his emails, to his calls, she was longing for him every single day and just wanted to be with him nothing else. She cried a lot in fearing of loosing him, however he knows well how to sooth her back. In her life that was really the first time she spelled out how much she loved this man MJ! Never in her life before had she spelled out her word of love, even while she was in trans in bed with her former boyfriends.

What she felt to MJ was a truly love. She didn’t care whether he is rich or poor, what she cared was only him. However, what strange was he keep on telling her, how he fear being in Nigeria alone claiming for his money for their future. He was worried that the people there would harm him. Of course she couldn’t agree more that there would be no safe place on earth for USD 3.5 million deals, especially if someone do that alone far away from home from England. She said to him to put his life as the first priority because money is not everything in life though that can give people live in comfort. She said if he wanted to invest and do business partnership with her, all of the sources of the money should be clear, because she would like to avoid money laundering since her record as government official in Tax office and Corruption Agency is very clean. She never had any idea to involve in anything against law, nor when she was young let alone at the age of  her 60 today. She needs to give him encouragement so she sent him an email saying:

Marco my love, I always pray for your safety, knowing that u r very much alone there fighting for the future. I strongly believe u can successfully do that and u r capable doing that professionally because God protects u in all the way against any harms wherever u r.
Terrorists, gangsters and all sorts of criminals will watch your back with that amount of money, so, make the transaction via their Zenith Bank or even if possible Bank of England, so that u will be taken care in the good hands.
Don’t easily trust any single soul even she/he speaks like angel of God, one never know what kind of person she/he is behind the lips.
I’ll be very proud of u, if u born a winner by all God blessing and live in peace without any day of worrying.
May God always be with u and bless u all the way. I love u so much Marco and I miss u so dearly…..

He said he would take care of that and use lawyer to make the disbursement of his money a legal one and asked her, that since he will put part of his money on her name what shall she  give him in return if God lead them to a marriage one day. This is actually the scariest question she really dislike. she didn’t want to make any commitment before and prefer being single to avoid this nightmare from a man, that once she is married, she will lose her freedom and independence, she has to cook, clean the house, take care of the family, do the dishes,  wash the clothes and give birth to the children. Thanks God, it is impossible to deliver a baby at her age ever since she stopped menstruation 6 years ago, but the challenges remain exist, to cook, take care of the house and the family and the most is loosing her freedom. She cried because she has no knowledge nor experience in this field, what she knew was simply working in the office and running her little business in fashion garments as she does now. No man should ask this silly question she presumed, because if someone love each other she/he will do the utmost to the best of the family. MJ knows she dislikes this question when she told him in her weep that the question would scared her away. He promised he will not bring this up again and would accept her for whatever she is. She feel so peace in her heart and she love him even more though they were aggressively courting for two weeks only. She was wondering why this speeding process worked on her this time, God knows why.

As she predicted from the beginning, MJ then asked her for some money with the amount of USD 5,100. He said the lawyer asked him that amount to cover the certificate of disbursement of his USD 3.5 million and he has no money at the moment since his credit card does not work in Lagos Nigeria.

She really was furious and thinking: Hey, does he think I am dumb. Nigeria is the most advance country among the black African Countries, they have Zenith Bank, and for sure there are some British banks in that country and withdrawing money from the banks with credit cards is a piece of cake at this modern technology! So she sent him an email saying:

Marco,

The only way to prove, that u r the real Marco as u described in your emails to me now is only through your present in your British embassy in my country. I will meet u there before the head of the Consular, and I need them to make the statement black on white that u r really the person that u mentioned to me. Then u can decide, whether to like me as yr business partner or whatever as u like.
I will not fetch u at the airport or dare to receive u in my house, before I can prove u legally myself in front of the government authority of your country meaning yr embassy here in my country. I don’t need any lawyer for the start, what I need is yr embassy not more nor less
Whoever u r in real Marco, I just want u to be a good person. I always bring u in my prayers up to this date and I am sure God will guide me as ever.
Ladies in yr Netlog maybe just run after u for that amount of money and immediately open their account and their laps for u. I am not.
Tell the Nigerian syndicate whoever they are there not to play around with me, coz I can nail them down as well.
That word of love as I spelled out to u, yes the only word of love that I have ever spelled out to a man, however I live with my rational and logic, no love, no power no money can turn me down to become irrational. I am not rich, don’t expect me I am, so u better forget me forever Marco, but if u really wanted to know…yes I damn love u!

In respond to her letter, Marco send her a letter telling her what he feels so far about their relationship.

Dear Nancy.
Since we met my mind is telling me that you never believe and trust me while i open my heart and my self to you, being in a relationship with you  can sometimes feel like more work that play and there are someday when the good seems to overweight the bad and I’m not afraid to say somethings are wrong and some situation are so predictable. What you should know in me is that since i met you i have never talk about sex, promise you Heaven and earth or any material thing rather i tell you that i love you and indeed mean it.
I never mean to bring any misunderstanding is our relationship since we met but i don’t know if you easily angry and i have told you before that no amount of money you will ever give me will change my life because i am not such men that can control with money but the love i have with you is real and fair….
If it’s not what i am into here that my account is not accessing here, would i have ask you for anything although the money i need to complete the one i have here so that they can release my payment is not much and i thought you will help me even a little i will appreciate it because i know i will get my money and i will come there to meet you as i promise because i am not a Man of promise and fail.
I would like to do anything possible to prove to you that i love you and i am the real Marco i told you about, I have never finish what i am into here, If you like i will scan my Citizen passport or any vital information about me to you to prove to you that i am not here to wast your time for noting but lies as you think. I am a real man of God and i respect and fear God.
I love you so much and i am not shy to say it.
Marco.

She weeps reading his notes, how she really wishes that he is the man she wanted to be with. Nevertheless her rational as the then high-ranking official alarmed her, that it is very simple to send any fake passport or the passport maybe real but collected from the stolen passports as it happened internationally today.

He knew that she may not take his notes easily, so he tried to call her several times tried to clarify what really is going on with him in Nigeria. However this time he made the biggest mistake ever, because he was using a cellular phone with her country code number, so she responded to that:

Marco, how would it possible that u have so many cellular phone numbers with different country codes including my country code? U said u haven’t been to my country. Don’t hurt me Marco, I have done nothing wrong to u.

In responding to her letter, he sent another note:

Dear Nancy,
I have not been to your Country before, I called you with my real number i gave you, I have only one phone number which i gave you, I don’t like what you’re doing to me and the way you’re behaving, is it because i ask you for money? can’t you help me if you have? why are you so heartless in my? have i done you wrong since i met you? i told you i will pay you back as soon as i get to your Country, I have called my friend and you told me that he will help me with some little so what i need from you now to complete the one i have with me here is $1730 so that i can get all done and come over and meet you this week, I love you with all of my heart. I look forward in hearing from you. Marco.

Getting this letter, she affirmed, Marco is just an opportunist who is looking for lonely ladies whom he can make use of their money for his own good through selling beautiful word of loves from his mouth. Hence in her respond to him she said: “CONFIRM NO”

Marco really get furious with her note so he responded:

what are you talking about? Are you trying to know my faith of if i love you or what? You are making me upset with all this you are saying

In respond to him she said in her last letter to him:

Don’t be ridiculous Marco, I write down yr telephone number both in Nigeria and the last one u used was my country code number. I assumed the picture profile u used is somebody else picture which I damn in love with before. Are u Nigerian, because u have no British accent at all.
Hey, it is funny for me, somebody deals with that big amount of money have no money at all? I am so sorry Marco, I am not rich and I have no money, so u better forget me. Anyhow, Nigeria is the most advance country among black African countries, everybody knows that, so u can use yr credit card and withdraw yr money its a piece of cake doing that.
If u think that I am a hopeless lonely woman whom one can play and bullying me, then u r totally wrong. I am well experienced with this kind of trick. Please take note, I am now aware that the one I liked so much before was the image of a person u have created.
Be a good person Marco. I will publish our story soon. Just be good whoever you are.
I was watching u chatting the whole day, in your Netlog today. Who else u r going to trap now? Looking at yr Netlog record, I am sure u have a lot of victims before.
Marco, money is not everything in life. I worked like hell to fulfill my daily life and enjoy my travels. Don’t do anything bad my son!
If I hurt u with my words, I am so sorry I have to say it openly.
You still have plenty of time to enjoy your life, but I will leave this world much earlier, that is why I have to tell u this, whether u like it or not. I know I will not see u in person forever, that is the most impossible, however I treasure the moment I talk to u. Good bye my son and take care. Nancy

In fear that she would publish their love story, Marco wrote her back in his last letter too:

Dear Nancy,

I thank you for your letter to me,  I would like o tell you that Being in a relationship can sometimes feel like more work than play and there may be days when the bad seems to outweigh the good. But the most important element in a successful relationship is learning how to work through the tough spots which truly makes a strong healthy relationship. There is a fine line between being honest and being cruel .I am honest with kindness and use soft language to describe how much I do care for the people i allow into my life…So you have to know the kind of person i am to you and i am not here to wast your time for noting. I know why all this misunderstanding is coming out, it’s just because i ask you for just a help and you let me down and think i am lying to you, i keep telling you that no of money you will ever give me will change my life but all this i told you is just for a purpose. So bear it in your mind and let your conscience judge you. Once again thanks, for letting me down, Marco.

Her tears run down her cheek reading his last note. Of course he has to speak nice always,  to avoid negative impression towards him. How she wishes Marco is the real one she wanted to be though she is positive that he is not. In her prayers she wishes, whoever Marco really is, he will change into an honest man he has to be and stop making money by fooling around in the internet. In a way she feels relief, that she again could  escape from the trap that would lead her life into a misery. What she knows that all along her life time she always say BIG NO to any relationship and until now she does not understand why….

She looked at her ailing niece who lives with her and whom she treated as her own daughter, how this ailing angel live in fear these recent weeks, knowing that her aunt was in a wrong love with somebody they hardly know.

Nancy looked at her and hug her ailing niece tenderly, and promised in her heart not to leave her alone in her very risky health. Live is beautiful as ever, since they live under the protection of God the Almighty.

THE END

True love cannot be found where it does not exist, nor can it be denied where it does.

Forever is not a word…rather a place where two lovers go when true love takes them there.

Whenever you are in sadness, don’t go to a secluded place, instead go to the crowd, there you will get conscious that life is too short to be unhappy.