By Marsha Amalia Aniq (IN-4)
Many years I
have spent in this country, Indonesia, a country – where my great mother give
birth to me and I grow up. And because of those two facts, my feeling of pride
and love bloom for this country. Yet, I cannot deny that – like a coin with its
head and tail – I also have several disappointments about this natural-resource-rich
country. However, it is not the time to speak about the ‘dark’ side of this
nation, but the ‘bright’ things I hope Indonesia is going to have for the
future.
Some time ago, several friends of
mine had a chance to to to Singapore. And from their stories, there are some
new things that I cannot find in Indonesia. Yes, it is true that Singapore is a
great country and I want Indonesia to be like that. I do want to see Indonesia
as a nation who cares about cleanliness, health, and dicipline, and filled with
people of great self-restrain by always following rules and regulation. So that
we will never see heavy traffic jams or even rubbish dumped on the streets.
Other than that, I hope that
Indonesians will be known as educated people who can build great cities with
wonderful buildings, make new innovations, and discover useful things. Hence,
we will no longer be known as a nation that can only follow others. I want
Indonesia to be independent. Meaning that the goverment can run the country and
manage its people without foreign intervension, develop its own energy
infrastructure, and the like.
The last thing I want to see is that
typical questions like “Who are you?” and “Where do you come from?” referring
to people from the Eastern part of Indonesia are no longer heard. I was born in
Eastern Indonesia (although no direct descendence from any tribe there),
therefore this kind of divisions make me sad. And there has been to much blood
spilled for this wasteful concept.
I do hope that Indonesia will be
better than this time. So there will no more ‘dark’ sides that Indonesia wil
have, but more and more ‘bright’ sides to come. I am lookinng forward to the
time when I can see that brightness.