Indonesian Magic

This country is amazing. As often as I have wondering why I chose stay, I found the best of reasons to stay. Most often, they’re not the most rational but always fun.

In the court proceedings of Munir murder, witnesses testified to certain meetings designed to find the most efficient way to dispatch the human rights activist. Among the methods considered was black magic. The national intelligence agency considered a black op using black magic. How fascinating.

In a riot in East Java, the officials were made to swear on “Sumpah Pocong”* And this was reported on television. It seems to carry some sort of commitment – legal or otherwise. From what I gather, Sumpah Pocong is to swear on a living dead (Indonesian version is draped in white cotton). If you break the oath then the said Living Dead would come and collect your debt.

The third President of the Republic once spoke of an army of supernatural being to be assembled “to tame the military if necessary”. Two ex Presidents (one blind and the other one mad and both voted out) are participating in next year’s election. This is a political atmosphere charged with sinister beings.

On a popular talk show the other night were three ‘alternative healing’ experts (three different men with quirky laughs and distinguishing fashion sense). The first guy used an iron to heal his patients (victims?). He in fact carried with him a white iron (product sponsor of some sort, I’m sure). I missed the part where he explained what he does so I’m not sure what that was all about. The other two guys similarly use electricity – either AC or DC and literally zap their patients for the better. There were sparks and all. The last guy poured fuel on the back of a patient and lit it, then rubbing the flame while providing some comfort. The patient was then interviewed on the spot and reported himself, “feeling undoubtedly better”.

Sometimes, it’s a wonder how Indonesia got to wherever it is right now in the first place. Some of these guys believe in an entirely different world. They still believe in dreams and was yet fazed by the science of future. At the core Indonesia hold very different value system to the West. They haven’t seen the numbers yet.

Indonesia - like much of Asia –has its quirks where the western world has most trouble understanding.

Japan has a 99% conviction rate in their penal court – something is just fundamentally different over there (read – or watch - Minority Report). They also have anime and all sorts of other weird shit on YouTube. The Japanese have the highest return among its expats – their executives are worth less overseas than they are at home. They worship the company they work for in a feudal zeal that resembles bad old movies.

India and China, well, you wouldn’t want a list of how they are also weird in their own ways. The elephants, the scent, the colours, the herbs, the flags and the ancient characters, there are literally too many of them to list.

In Thailand, people stopped whatever they were doing for the Emperor – the longest serving monarch in the world. The elephants again, appeared everywhere. Lee Kwan You - the Obi Wan Kenobi of Corporate Tyrants – had largely ran Singapore as such for many years. Now the wife and the kid run the place. Strangely enough, it’s also the best workplace in the region – Singapore feels a lot like going to work.

People just hold different values everywhere. The one or two things you fail to understand don’t necessarily reflect their overall values. They could be just different.
I find it wildly fascinating.

I find people fascinating, and they’re the same everywhere.