Books From Bapak

My parents plan to move to a smaller house in Cirendeu, Ciputat. Facing small rooms in his future house, my father decides not to carry all his books with him. So, he let his children have some of them.

I've got bundles of "National Geographic" year 1961-1962 and 1964-1966 and some old books, such as:
• Perdjoeangan Kita - Sutan Sjahrir (in Indonesian)
• Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
• War And Peace (2 volumes) - Leo Tolstoy
• Of Human Bondage - W. Somerset Maugham
• Bung Karno Penyambung Lidah Rakyat Indonesia - Cindy Adams
• Selamat Berpisah - J.C. Bijkerk (in Indonesian; Dad has the original Dutch version "Vaarwel Tot Betere Tijden", but I don't understand Dutch)
• Empat Kumpulan Sajak - WS. Rendra (in Indonesian)
• Perjalanan Marco Polo - Louise Andrews Kent (in Indonesian, translated from "He Went With Marco Polo")
• and some more.

Endra also brought some books, among others are:
• Sejarah Umat Islam (4 volumes) - Hamka (in Indonesian)
• Islam Dan Sosialisme - HOS Tjokroaminoto (in Indonesian)
• etcera.

I have read some of those books during my youth. For me, they are all invaluable books. They are all very precious. And they are from Bapak. Thank you very much, Pak, for letting me having these. I know they are all very precious for you, too.

Governor Election in Jakarta

For the first time ever, yesterday, Jakarta conducted a governor election. Adang Daradjatun - Dani Anwar vs. Fauzi Bowo - Prijanto.

It's the first time of Jakarta's governor election for me. And probably, for my big family, it's also the last time. My parents' moving plan to Bali View, Cirendeu-Ciputat, makes us soon no longer residents of Jakarta. Dad has to renew the family identity card (Kartu Keluarga) with card from Kabupaten Tangerang. That means, I have to renew my citizenship id card (Kartu Tanda Penduduk) as well.

De facto, I am a resident of Kabupaten Tangerang. De jure, I still hold Jakarta's citizenship identity card. And most of us who hold Jakarta's identity card but live in the surrounding areas, decline to give over the identity card.

And so, while I still have the right to participate in Jakarta's governor election, I choose to vote. As reported in news media, participation rate in this governor election was only about 65%. In Pejompongan, where my parents live now, participation rate was between 65% and 75%. Even my younger sisters did not use their rights to vote.

May the elected governor can bring Jakarta into a nice living city, better than ever.