Muhammadiyah declares smoking to be haram

writer:Arghea Desafti Hapsari

In 2008, for instance, 240 billion cigarettes were sold in Indonesia, according to official statistics. The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) previously issued a similar edict, which bans children and pregnant women from smoking. Even then, a part of society felt that the religious statement did not sit well with them. Muhammadiyah deputy chairman Yunahar Ilyas said that it was imperative that smoking be banned as Indonesian people had become more exposed to the dangers of smoking over the last few years. Muhammadiyah, the country’s second-largest Muslim group, based its argument on the Koran, which bans Muslims from taking their own lives. Smoking, Yunahar said, has been proven to kill.
The organization’s health council also cited that smoking posed a threat to not only to smokers’ lives but also the lives of others. Yunahar said money spent on cigarettes was money wasted. Yunahar said Muhammadiyah was also preparing to assist tobacco farmers in shifting to other “more beneficial and healthier” crops. He urged the government to limit the country’s tobacco imports as they hurt small farmers. “The argument that farmers and the country’s economy will suffer under smoking bans can be easily countered. “The fact is, those that benefit most are the industry owners, not the farmers. If the government maintains that the economy benefits from the industry, why not legalize the narcotics industry also?”
Muhammadiyah urged the government and the House of Representatives to ratify the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and formulate related laws in order to curb the health impacts of cigarette smoking. Indonesia is the only ASEAN member that is not-party to the WHO FCTC.
The edict gains great support from the National Commission for Child Protection, which has been voicing concerns on child smokers.
Commission chairman Seto Mulyadi said tobacco advertising was enticing to children. According to him, there are cases of five-year-old smokers. A survey conducted by the Tobacco Control Support Center, which was established by the Indonesian Mass Health Expert Association (IAKMI), shows that the prevalence of child smokers between five and nine years old grew more than fourfold from 0.4 percent in 2001 to 1.8 percent in 2004. “This will ruin the younger generation,” Seto said.

References:
Hapsari, D.A. (2010). Muhammadiyah declares smoking to be haram. Retrieved March 10, 2010. from The Jakarta Post: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/03/10/muhammadiyah-declares-smoking-be-haram.html

Kisah-kisah Menakjubkan dari Tanah Suci

Penulis: Annas Nurfahmi

“Labbaik allahumma labbaik. Labbaika la syarika laka labbaik. Inna al-hamda wa al-ni’mata laka wa al-mulk, la syarika laka labbaik.” Inilah talbiyah yang dipekikkan jutaan jamaah haji dari seluruh pelosok dunia, yang menjadi bukti konkret ketakwaan sejati kepada Allah SWT. Tanpa membedakan warna kulit, status sosial, pangkat, jabatan. Talbiyah haji mengukuhkan kembali makna dan kekuasaan syahadat dalam diri setiap muslim, bahwa kita telah terikat perjanjian dengan Allah yang Maha Esa jauh saat di alam ruh.
Namun, tidak setiap jamaah haji mereguk semesta hikmah yang dijanjikan Allah. Tidak setiap orang mendapatkan kebaikan yang ingin diraih sejak berangkat dari tanah air. Keajaiban, kisah menarik, bahkan kisah-kisah yang sukar dinalar sering kali menyertai pengalaman para jamaah haji.
Kisah-kisah yang dirangkai secara kreatif oleh saudara Annas dalam buku ini, semakin mengobarkan gelora kerinduan untuk menjalankan ibadah haji ditanah suci.

Referensi:
Nurfahmi, A. (2008). Kisah-kisah Menakjubkan dari Tanah Suci. Jakarta Selatan: PT Mizan Publika.

Nasabah dan Bank Optimalisasi Fasilitas Perbankan

Penulis: Stephen Liestyo

Dengan kemajuan teknologi, para nasabah bank kini dapat menikmati berbagai kemudahan dan kenyamanan bertransaksi. Nasabah tidak lagi terikat pada tempat dan waktu untuk melakukan transaksi perbankan. Di mana saja dan kapan saja, nasabah dapat melakukan transfer, cek saldo, maupun membayar tagihan sehari-hari melalui sarana-sarana yang disediakan. Misalnya ATM, komputer(internet bankiing), dan telepon seluler(mobile banking), dan telepon seluler (mobile banking).
Namun, masih ada orang yang meragukan sarana-sarana itu. Apakah melakukan transaksi melalui sarana-sarana itu aman? Apa saja jenis fasilitas yang dapat dinikmati? Dan lain-lain. Hal itu yang sering diungkapkan oleh para nasabah. Buku ini berisi tentang jawaban atas pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang ditanyakan pada rubrik konsultasi perbankan di surat kabar SINAR HARAPAN pada tahun 2004.
Buku ini menarik untuk dibaca akan tetapi isi bukunya tentang keadaan yang terjadi pada tahun lalu. Semua orang terus mengupdate informasi yang ada pada saat ini. Jadi buku ini kurang berguna.

Referensi:
Liestyo, S. (2005). Nasabah dan Bank Optimalisasi Fasilitas Perbankan. Jakarta: Percetakan PT Gramedia.

Beijing on alert as annual political session opens

writer: Christopher Bodeen

The actual legislature, a largely ceremonial body known as the National People's Congress, begins its nearly two-week session Friday. As is routine during the session, the highlight of the Chinese political calendar, dissidents and groups working on sensitive social issues were coming under increased pressure. AIDS activist Wan Yanhai, founder of the Beijing-based Aizhixing Institute, said police had ordered him to cancel a seminar planned for Wednesday to mark International Sex Worker Rights Day.

"The seminar is a perfectly normal activity; we're not opposing anything," Wan said in a telephone interview. "It's a meeting of the people's government, so they should let the people express themselves." The legislative advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, opens with a speech broadly outlining issues of national concern delivered by its chairman, the Communist Party's No. 4 ranking leader, Jia Qinglin.

This year's legislative session is expected to focus on economic policy, while many of the hot-button issues like soaring real estate prices in many Chinese cities are expected to get a full airing. The government, which releases a budget and work plan for the year, is expected to boost spending on education, pensions and medical care yet again, continuing a push begun over the past decade to repair a tattered social safety net. The congress is also expected to pass legislation on safeguarding state secrets and amend a law on how deputies are selected, correcting a disparity that gave urban Chinese greater representation over their more numerous rural neighbors.

References:
Bodeen, C. (2010). Beijing on alert as annual political session opens. Retrieved March 3, 2010. from Associated Press: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/03/03/beijing-alert-annual-political-session-opens.html

Disparity: disparitas/perbedaan
correcting a disparity that gave urban Chinese greater representation over their more numerous rural neighbors.

Anti-government students rally in Makassar

writer: Andi Hajramuni

Students from several universities held demonstrations at a number of locations in Makassar, including at the Regional Legislative Council building and on the main road connecting Makassar city and Gowa regency.
Protesters blocked the road by taking over two trucks and parking them in the middle of the road. Separately in Banten, at least five protesters were injured in a clash between dozens of students and police officers at a similar rally.

I so did not have the view that Indonesia will become a developed country, if the younger generation like this in response to a problem. for example in the case of bank century.

References:.
Hajramuni, A. (2010). Anti-government students rally in Makassar. Retrieved March 3, 2010. from the jakarta post: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/03/03/antigovernment-rally-turns-ugly-makassar.html


protesters: pemerotes/ unjuk rasa
at least five protesters were injured in a clash between dozens of students and police officers at a similar rally

Corporate Social Responsibility

Penulis: Hendrik Budi Untung
Tanggung jawab sosial perusahaan atau Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) merupakan komitmen perusahaan atau dunia bisnis untuk berkontribusi dalam pengembangan ekonomi yang berkelanjutan dengan memperhatikan tanggung jawab sosial peusahaan dan menitikberatkan pada keseimbangan antara perhatian terhadap ekonomi, sosial, dan lingkungan.
Kompleksitas permasalahan sosial (social problems) yang semakin rumit dalam dekade terakhir dan implementasi desentralisasi telah menempatkan Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) sebagai suatu konsep yang diharapkan mampu memberikan alternatif terobosan baru dalam pemberdayaan masyarakat miskin.
Dalam pengembangan bisnis berkelanjutan dan memperhatikan tanggung jawab sosial perusahaan, perusahaan harus menitikberatkan pada keseimbangan antara ekonomi, sosial, dan lingkungan. Serta memberikan terobosan alternatif dalam pemberdayaan masyarakat.

Referensi:
Untung, B.H. (2008). Corporate Social Responsibility. Yogyakarta: Sinar Grafika.

Kursus Komputer Home Page & Hosting Serba Gratis

Penulis: Fienso F.A. & Endang Agustina
Seiring pesatnya kemajuan teknologi informasi, perusahaan kecil, perusahaan besar, perorangan, lembaga, dll. Merasa belum afdol kalau belum memiliki homepage atau website pribadi.
Kendala yang muncul, biasanya seputar SDM, biaya pengadaan dan maintenance website. Isu masalah itu ditepis oleh buku ini. Dengan adanya buku ini, kita sudah bisa membuat website dan hosting serba gratis. Dengan sedikit kreatif atau langsung mencontek contoh latihan dalam buku ini, kita sudah mempunyai homepage hanya dalam beberapa menit.
Dengan memiliki website, kita tidak perlu lagi mencetak katalog produk atau jasa. Update perubahan harga atau pruduk/jasa baru, langsung bisa dilakukan dalam sekejap. Tidak perlu cetak ulang katalog lagi. Dalam sekejap, pelanggan bisa mengakses katalog produk/jasa online. Kita tidak perlu lagi mengirim via kurir/pos.
Setelah membaca buku ini saya jadi tertarik untuk mencoba membuat wbsite, akan tetapi saat ini masih belum merasa penting untuk memiliki website.

Referensi:
Fienso, F.A. & Agustina, E. (2006). Kursus Komputer Home Page & Hosting Serba Gratis. Jakarta: Edsa Mahkota.