About Ibu Gendut

Posted on February 1, 2009 by Alist

A physical and gender-related words: “Ibu Gendut” (translated: F*t Lady) ever mentioned by Cinta Laura on her case against her old production company MD Entertainment, referring to a lawyer named Elza Syarief, mainly because Cinta Laura didn’t remember the lawyer name at the time of conversation.

And today on Kompas (1-Feb-09), Sukribo comic strip also mentions about the other “Ibu Gendut”, that I dare not to write her name since this is a hot and sensitive issue in Indonesia politics season. Just look into this comic strip especially drawn figures in the banner to understand who I am referring to.

The story is quite fun and satir, clearly describe our Jakarta city condition in recent months. I don’t have any position to this condition, just afraid that it will raise bigger issues in future.

Just enjoy it!

Singapore Banks in Indonesia (a.k.a Who owns Indonesian Banks?)

Posted on December 25, 2008 by Alist

When Singaporean travelling around Jakarta these days, they will be feeling like at home country Singapore. Easily can they find Singapore bank’s logo in every corner of the city. As information, only 6 locally-incorporated full banks are operated in Singapore, each has strong fundamentals. But banks live in that tiny country must expand in order to keep growing.

After some mergers and acquisitions in Indonesia banks since 2000, some local banks have been acquired by foreign capital investors (read as Singapore’s). Before 2007, those acquisitions were still on paper-based and management levels. But you can see in recent years that those banks one by one is changing their logos to inline with their motherships.

Bank Buana, taken by United Overseas Bank, now become UOB Buana.
Bank NISP, taken by Overseas-Chinese Banking Corporation, now become OCBC NISP
.
Bank Mitsubishi Buana, taken by Development Bank of Singapore (DBS Bank), now become DBS Indonesia
Bank Danamon, taken by Asia Financial Indonesia (Deutche Bank + Temasek Singapore), still named Danamon.

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Singapore F1 Night GP: Boring and Lots of Accidents

Posted on September 28, 2008 by Alist

Watching from tv currently, seeing F. Massa started from pole position but out of point, Kimi Raikkonen also misses 4 points, what else can be said.

At last, we only see Fernando Alonso finish as first place, followed by Nikki Rosberg. In the last scene before trophy, you can see that a line of Singapore sexy girls are greeting the champions in their waiting lounge (what is not said is they speak Singlish lorr).

Singapore Night F1 GP is just a marketing hip. The first ever night race of F1 apparently causes some troubles. Some part of road are bumpy, bottom part of cars were splitting fire. Lots of tree leaves were torn and flown on the road. And one last thing, I think it is not bright enough?

Sure it attracts lots of tourist. Visiting Singapore, finding Merlion, Singapore Eye, Sentosa, and of course its Orchard Road will definitely an experience for first-time tourist. But for Indonesian people trying hard to get that F1 ticket and flew there, I think it is not worthed.

Better find a Shanghai F1 ticket!

or Just wait A1 Grand prix in Lippo Karawaci, Tangerang on 6 – 8 February 2009. Lippo Karawaci will be modifying parts of the town near the famous Pelita Harapan University (UPH). The track is being designed by Tilke Gmbh, the company responsible for other circuits where A1GP has raced, such as Shanghai and Sepang.

Pertamina to Launch BioPremium on August 17th 2008

Posted on August 13, 2008 by Alist

Although it has been a while available at certain gas stations in Jakarta, BioPremium hasn’t found its place in drivers’ mind. The main cause is It has been difficult to find.

So next week, Aug 17th, along with Indonesia Independece Day Pertamina will lauch BioPremium in a greater size and impact. This oil product is said will boost octan number to 90 from normal 88 in Premium but I could not found this fact from Pertamina website.
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TVRI is Indonesia Official TV Broadcaster for Beijing Olympic 2008

Posted on August 8, 2008 by Alist

Hey, see these cutes figures in Google Doodle image today. They are Beijing 2008 Olympic Mascott.

Finally, TVRI – Indonesian state-owned and oldest TV channel, stood up and took responsible of airing Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games. So it can claim as “Indonesia Official TV Beijing 2008 Olympic” or “Stasiun TV resmi Olimpiade Beijing 2008″, and it is always be a FREE channel.

When all other public TV stations couldn’t find commercial advantage in bidding and airing olympic games since they might be thinking about rating would be low and hard to get sponsors, this is the time for TVRI to show off as a subsidized TV station and serve for Indonesian people.

I think sponsors and advertising spots would be very few, but this is called government-subsidized and TV as social mission, isn’t it? When was the last time you watch TVRI channel? it might be a looong time ago. So this is the time for it to be back into public attention.

TVRI plans to air 132 hours worth of games, from morning, afternoon, and recap on night (I think around 9.30 after ‘Dunia Dalam Berita’). Some of them will be live broadcasted such as Boxing and Badminton games.

To see complete list of games to be aired by TVRI, you can download it from here –> Jadwal Siaran Olimpiade Beijing TVRI (PDF from tvri.co.id).

Tonight Olympic Opening Ceremony, will be held on 08-08-2008, time is 08:08 PM, will be broadcasted live by TVRI starting from 07.30PM. Don’t miss it!

Note: If you have satellite dish, you can turn into Chine state-owned channels: CCTV-1 and CCTV-2 for 24-hour olympic coverage, another one is CCTV-Olympic in which dedicated channel for it but I don’t know its frequency.

Movie Review: The X-Files 2008 – I Want to Believe

Posted on August 1, 2008 by Alist

My Rating: 8 of 10

For X-Files fans out there, I strongly recommend this movie. Don’t bother with other reviews and critics. This movie is realy an X-Files, bring back your memory of watching X-Files TV episodes, but this time in longer format. I cannot tell more about movie synopsis cause it will ruin your expectation, just sit and follow the plot.

This is a standalone plot apart from conspiracy and alien abduction, telling a story about pursuing an FBI agent that was kidnapped misteriously with help of a Catholic Father. Fox Mulder continues his quest for the truth, and Dana Scully, an intelligent physician, remains tied to Mulder’s pursuits.

It will satisfy your old school dream about Fox and Scully relationship, also suspense in its investigation as well as enough time to introduce Fox and Scully to younger generation of non X-Files tv series watchers.

Unlike the first movie in 1998 about conspiracy and some confusing plots, this movie only bring back Fox, Scully and Skinner in a simpler story, like a detective movie with mistery and suspense but starred by X-Files casts. No Cigarette-Smoking man and no Well-manicured man appeared in this movie. I guess after six year of putting this movie project in the shelf, 20th Century Fox didn’t give enough big budget for creator and director Chris Carter to shoot.

And again, just watch it.

Om Farhan back to radio, now in Delta FM

Posted on February 13, 2008 by Alist

It’s been a while I missed Farhan, tv and radio host. Since his late night show ‘Om Farhan’ losts it grip and attention from Empat Mata show (hosted by Tukul Arwana), we don’t see Farhan much. Since his career rose from Prambors to Cosmopolitan FM, then his tv appearance made him busy, current morning radio talk show in Cosmopolitan FM seems dull for me.

Then advertisement in Kompas several days ago got my attention. A nice advertisement Delta FM with a picture of Farhan helping elderly mother. It didn’t mention about Farhan movement, but I could understand that this is movement advertisment. So I turned my radio this morning to Delta FM 99.1 and quite surprise with his ‘old and lovely’ voice.

Welcome back, uncle!