Proceed with caution: Why I Care
Warning: The contents of this post may shock some readers. Proceed with caution.
I've been involved with a volunteer movement for the last few months. Oops let me rephrase that.
I've been leading a movement supporting one of the candidates for the upcoming governor election for Jakarta. It's a long story on how I got deeply involved so suddenly.
I haven't been public about it; frankly only two of my eight housemates knew and two of my twenty-ish work buddies knew. I tried to stay under the radar for most times, occasionally sharing the things our Facebook page posts and trying not to make a big deal out of it. Yet I recently realized that staying quiet would not do me or anyone else anything good.
Recently, I started noticing how corrupt Indonesia's system is-- particularly in its understanding of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, which means "Unity in Diversity." Ironically, this so-called unity in diversity is the driving force of systemic racism that thrives so well in Indonesia. To the majority, "Bhinekka Tunggal Ika" means unity against the minority. To put it in simpler words, it provides equal opportunity for all except non-Muslims and non-ethnic Chinese. So if a qualified, non-Muslim, ethnic Chinese person runs for candidacy, he is likely to lose to an underqualified, Muslim, non-Chinese person who just so happens to personally know one of the president's assistants. It subjects Indonesia to be led by leaders easily manipulated by the mob, blinding them from seeing the bigger picture in terms of the nation's future.
And don't get me started on systemic corruption.
Thankfully, though, that's changing rapidly.
This movement, called the 10x5x5 (pronounced ten-five-five), is originally an effort to get more donations to a candidate's campaign for the upcoming governmental election in Jakarta. This movement is meant to raise awareness among Indonesians living in the United States on the current events happening in Jakarta with the election and what it implies for Indonesia's future. So far we managed to collect a few hundred dollars for the second rotation, but even now we're holding on to the hope we have in this election.
You might be asking me, whether out loud or in your head: so why do you care so much about a movement like the 10x5x5?
I care because I believe meager things such as a blog post can make a difference. I care because I believe in providing platforms for people to speak their mind. I care because I believe, when a handful of people start speaking up and stepping out of their comfort zones, others will do the same.
The 10x5x5 is led by a group of Indonesian college students and young professionals who are residing in the United States and have a passion to see change in the current system. If there's a common ground among my coworkers and I, it's the awareness that the systemic racism and corruption in Indonesia is a real, but we can do something about it.
Our long-term goal and hope is that we can provide a platform for others like us who see the problem as well. We hope we can expand our presence to reach those who feel the need for change in Indonesia, but this time with a renewed love and hope.
The 10x5x5 isn't just a way to measure how long, tall, or wide a cardboard box is. It's also a movement dedicated to see change in Indonesia. We're real, we're moving, and we're recruiting.
Don't believe me? Here's the link to the website and you can see for yourself:
http://ten5x5.wixsite.com/dukungahokdjarotusa
I've been involved with a volunteer movement for the last few months. Oops let me rephrase that.
I've been leading a movement supporting one of the candidates for the upcoming governor election for Jakarta. It's a long story on how I got deeply involved so suddenly.
I haven't been public about it; frankly only two of my eight housemates knew and two of my twenty-ish work buddies knew. I tried to stay under the radar for most times, occasionally sharing the things our Facebook page posts and trying not to make a big deal out of it. Yet I recently realized that staying quiet would not do me or anyone else anything good.
Recently, I started noticing how corrupt Indonesia's system is-- particularly in its understanding of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, which means "Unity in Diversity." Ironically, this so-called unity in diversity is the driving force of systemic racism that thrives so well in Indonesia. To the majority, "Bhinekka Tunggal Ika" means unity against the minority. To put it in simpler words, it provides equal opportunity for all except non-Muslims and non-ethnic Chinese. So if a qualified, non-Muslim, ethnic Chinese person runs for candidacy, he is likely to lose to an underqualified, Muslim, non-Chinese person who just so happens to personally know one of the president's assistants. It subjects Indonesia to be led by leaders easily manipulated by the mob, blinding them from seeing the bigger picture in terms of the nation's future.
And don't get me started on systemic corruption.
Thankfully, though, that's changing rapidly.
This movement, called the 10x5x5 (pronounced ten-five-five), is originally an effort to get more donations to a candidate's campaign for the upcoming governmental election in Jakarta. This movement is meant to raise awareness among Indonesians living in the United States on the current events happening in Jakarta with the election and what it implies for Indonesia's future. So far we managed to collect a few hundred dollars for the second rotation, but even now we're holding on to the hope we have in this election.
You might be asking me, whether out loud or in your head: so why do you care so much about a movement like the 10x5x5?
I care because I believe meager things such as a blog post can make a difference. I care because I believe in providing platforms for people to speak their mind. I care because I believe, when a handful of people start speaking up and stepping out of their comfort zones, others will do the same.
The 10x5x5 is led by a group of Indonesian college students and young professionals who are residing in the United States and have a passion to see change in the current system. If there's a common ground among my coworkers and I, it's the awareness that the systemic racism and corruption in Indonesia is a real, but we can do something about it.
Our long-term goal and hope is that we can provide a platform for others like us who see the problem as well. We hope we can expand our presence to reach those who feel the need for change in Indonesia, but this time with a renewed love and hope.
The 10x5x5 isn't just a way to measure how long, tall, or wide a cardboard box is. It's also a movement dedicated to see change in Indonesia. We're real, we're moving, and we're recruiting.
Don't believe me? Here's the link to the website and you can see for yourself:
http://ten5x5.wixsite.com/dukungahokdjarotusa
Comments
Post a Comment