Bank Indonesia Supports the Empowerment of Tanimbar Fabric Weavers

TUMBUR, LELEMUKU.COM - Head of Representative Office of Bank Indonesia Bank Indonesia (BI) in Maluku Province, Bambang Pramasudi said that BI is concerned with the traditions and culture in the Maluku Islands.

One of their concerns is to provide empowerment assistance to weavers of Tanimbar fabrics.

"Since a few years ago Bank Indonesia has been concerned with the development of weaving fabric Tanimbar, especially in the framework of economic empowerment of people for the sake of society, women's economy" said Bambang to Lelemuku.com, in Tumbur Village, Wertamrian District, West Southeast Maluku regency, Monday (20/11)

He considered the fabric weavers currently supported by their businesses, has great potential in developing their sales.

"Although currently constrained marketing, we will continue to encourage them to engage in fashion shows or exhibitions in Jakarta or abroad," he said.

Bambang admitted that BI has also collaborated with Inpex Company.

"Inpex from the beginning has paid attention to them. By inviting the weavers with the local government to attend the exhibition in Japan, "he admitted.

He stated, although not as much as Inpex, Bambang admitted to involve weavers studio in MTB which is still active, one of them is Satar Natar Sere in Tumbur Village managed by Olifa Reresi Silolone and her husband, Modestu Silolone.

He said, support to these entrepreneurs will be done optimally. Because of the monitoring during this studio is experiencing progress, although done with all the shortcomings. (Laura Sobuber)

Nepalese Election Commision Claim Succesfully in First Phase

KATHMANDU, LELEMUKU.COM - Elections for the parliament and provincial assemblies were held successfully in 32 mountainous and hilly districts in the first phase, Nepal's Election Commission (EC) said on Sunday.
   
The Himalayan country is scheduled to the second phase of polls on Dec. 7 in the remaining 45 districts.
   
These elections are being held to implement Nepal's new constitution promulgated in September 2015 which has envisioned creating three layers of governance structure - federal, provincial and local.
   
The Himalayan country has already held local elections this year electing local assemblies and governments.
   
The EC said on Sunday that except sporadic incidents, the polls were held peacefully in all the districts where elections were held in the first phase.
   
There were concerns over security during the polls after recent incidents of bomb attacks targeting senior leaders of political parties, candidates and their poll campaigns.
   
In the recent bomb attacks, former speaker of Nepal's parliament Ram Chandra Poudel, former Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat, another former Finance Minister Barsaman Pun, former Home Minister Janardan Sharma and former Information and Communication Minister Sher Dhan Rai were targeted but not harmed.
   
"Elections were held peacefully due effective security measures taken by the Nepali government," Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav told a press conference.
   
As per the early estimate of Nepal's election body, voter turnout stood at 65 percent which might go up once the final turnout figure is available.
   
Voter turnout in constituent assembly elections held in 2013 was 78.74 percent and 74.16 percent in recently held local elections, according to the EC.
   
The elections in the first phase were held for 37 parliamentary seats and 74 provincial assembly seats under the first-past-the-post system while elections for the remaining seats at both the parliament and provincial assemblies will be held in the second phase. (ANT)

Tanimbar Weaving Fabrics Should Be Promoted

SAUMLAKI, LELEMUKU.COM - Indonesia is known as a country that has a variety of traditions and culture. One of them is through weaving fabric that comes from the Regency of West Southeast Maluku (MTB) in Mollucas Province.

According to Chairman of the union branch of police wives in MTB or Bhayangkari, Mrs. Hery Dian Dwiharto, Tanimbar Islands has beautiful woven fabric with various motifs namely Sair, Tunis,  Matantur, Orchid Flower, Wulan Lihir, Eman Matan Lihir and Ulerati.

"The motives of woven fabric in Tanimbar are very numerous and various types, ranging from Selaru to the island of Fordata" said Mrs. Hery in Sanggar Natar Sere, Tumbur Village, Wertamrian District on Monday (20/11).

She asked the people of Tanimbar should be proud of this tradition, because the woven tanimbar fabric has been promoted overseas, one of them is the Wastra Nusantara at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Tokyo, Japan in early April 2017.

"Wastra Indonesia through designers Wignyo Rahadi and Chossy have introduced the beauty of Tanimbar's weaving to the world," she explained.

She said the woven studio like this are hard to find. So there should be support from all parties, especially from local governments to empowering the potential of this tradition.

"Studio like this should be improved even more, because to find a studio that led by Mrs. Olifa Reresi is very difficult. Because she is the most skilled weave and hardly to get people like her, "she added.

In addition to the already rare start of weaving studios, she also considered the younger generation Tanimbar in MTB less interested in the art of weaving.

"Maybe because most people think weaving is an outdated habit. And if you can mix with the current trend, it will become a modern woven fabric. While the overseas people are a classic-classic," she said.

She hopes the local government in this case the Department of Tourism and the Creative Economy has a big responsibility to further promote this Tanimbar weaving.

"My hope this studio will be great because the government assistance that cooperates in promoting this potential, because the thing that the weavers are most concerned about is the marketing problem" she said. (Laura Sobuber)

Hong Kong Turns to Virtual Reality to Honour Ancestors

HONGKONG, LELEMUKU.COM - A lack of space for cemeteries in crowded Hong Kong clashes with the age-old Chinese tradition of reverence for one's ancestors.

But one entrepreneur uses virtual reality software to reconcile the two, allowing people to honour Confucian traditions of filial obligation in the territory where it can cost up to $130,000 to store the ashes of loved ones.

Anthony Yau's firm, iVeneration.com, offers users the ability to create virtual headstones anywhere in an augmented reality landscape of Hong Kong, including such unlikely places as a downtown park.

Apart from the cost savings, Yau expects his business model to appeal to more eco-conscious young residents.

"The dead are taking so much more space than those who are still alive, as those buried use that piece of land for many years," said Yau, as he manipulated his mobile telephone to correctly position a candle in front of a virtual headstone.

"For those who are still alive, they won't stay on the same piece of land forever."

Yau, who hopes to launch the website to the public in the first quarter of 2018, has already attracted 300 users.
   
Filial piety, or respect for parents and older people, is a paramount virtue in the Confucian tradition.
 
"We need to educate the next generation on filial piety, no matter how you show it, as long as it comes from the heart," Yau added. "We think the next generation might use these services for their parents.

Alex Lee, a 46-year-old employee of a technology company, uses iVeneration to pay his respects to his departed grandfather.

"Everyone is aware the lack of land is a problem in Hong Kong and the government has been encouraging green burial," said Lee, as he leafed through an album of family photographs.

"For me, you dont have to go to a thing to remember those passed away, its all in your heart." (Antara)

Police and Journalists Played a Major Role in Warding Hoax

SAUMLAKI, LELEMUKU.COM - Local police held a meeting to strengthen professional relationships with journalists in the West Southeast Mollucas (MTB) Regency on Mollucas Province on Thursday (16/9).The meeting aimed to synergize against the news of this hoax was attended by dozens of journalists.

In his speech, Deputy Chief of Police of MTB, Kompol Sebastian Melsasail stated that the mass media has a big role in determining the face of the police.

"The current police paradigm has changed, so we really hope you can all help the police in fighting against false news either through electronic media or print media," said Deputy Police Commander when giving a speech.

According to Melsasail, an effort to build common ground in the fight against false news and rumors reported through social media and irresponsible parties could be increased, so that various attempts used to tamper and divide the unity of the state can be avoided.

"We have to build a synergy in warding off the hoax. Because people today can provoke something through electronic media, print media to create a turbid atmosphere, "he hoped.

The two-hour discussion was filled with a similar perception of media and police cooperation efforts to counteract unverified information, as well as the ideal approach used by the police to provide socialization of the agency's services.

So that citizens who still do not understand the bureaucracy within the police, can know it and no longer think of the police as a rigid and frightening state institutions. (Albert Batlayeri)