Siapa yang layak dipilih umat Katolik Indonesia?

Infografis ini menampilkan sebagian isi Surat Gembala Konferensi Waligereja Indonesia (KWI) Menyambut Pemilihan Presiden 9 Juli 2014. Untuk saya, sifatnya sebagai pedoman moral bagi umat Katolik Indonesia yang hendak menggunakan hak pilihnya. Yang ditekankan adalah kepribadian dan komitmen para calon presiden/wakil presiden dalam integritas moral dan nilai-nilai yang sesuai dengan Ajaran Sosial Gereja.

Happy Songkran New Year 2014

Now, this isn't really an infographic. It's a message to our friends in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand, who are celebrating New Year this weekend. Enjoy the festivities, folks!

What you need to know about SSEAYP

I love doing this! Perhaps it's because I've got some emotional attachment. Perhaps it's because I'm eager to let more and more people know about the programme. The Ship for Southeast Asian (and Japanese) Youth Programme, or SSEAYP, has been around for 40 years, and I've become part of its unique history. I hope this infographic will help people out there understand about the nature of the programme and thus become interested in trying to join.

Nyepi, Hindu Day of Silence

Long before the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) initiated the Earth Hour, Balinese Hindus had been observing a religious ritual that is extremely friendly to the environment, namely Nyepi, the Day of Silence. It is estimated that a 24-hour period with almost no human activity in Bali contributes to a 30,000-tonne reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. One can only imagine if more countries were participating in this day of silence. This infographic introduces you to the sacred day of Hindus, especially on Bali Island, which is celebrated this year on 31 March.

Road to Indonesian Legislative Election

2014 is the year of politics in Indonesia as we have two (or three) general elections: one to elect legislators and the other to elect the president. The first election will be held on 9 April. We know from the media that political parties are infamous for their ineffectiveness and corrupt practices, leading to voter abstention in Indonesia. However, the only way for us ordinary citizens to get rid of bad-performing legislators is through not voting for them in the very election.

Indonesian provinces I have visited

This particular infographic takes a different size and shape. I'm trying to make it more compact, hence the square shape. As for the content, the message is simple: I want to encourage more Indonesians (and foreigners as well) to have the mission of visiting all provinces in Indonesia, so that they can know better their compatriots and appreciate cultures that may be different from their own. These days, middle-class Indonesians are increasingly taking a flight to other countries. Even some are already too familiar with European countries or the US. Of course, there is nothing wrong with travelling abroad. What is important here, however, is that as Indonesian citizens, are we not supposed to acquire good knowledge and extensive experience of our own country as well? Travelling broadens horizons and no human interaction can be more influential than people-to-people communication. So, let's travel Indonesia!

National Symbols of Indonesia

Pretty much like other countries in the world, Indonesia has created some objects as its national symbols. Among these symbols are the national emblem, motto, flag, anthem, and language. In addition to these man-made symbols, Indonesia has also designated a number of plants and animals as its national flora and fauna. Unlike most countries, however, Indonesia has got not only one species of plant and animal to represent the country--it's got three under the titles 'national' (satwa nasional), 'of charm' (satwa pesona), and 'rare' (satwa langka) respectively. In fact, each province in Indonesia has designated one plant and one animal as its provincial identities (here and here). Hopefully, this symbolic expression would bring an effective preservation of the said species. 

PS: This infographic was made using images gathered from the Internet.

How diverse is Indonesia?

To talk about Indonesia is to talk about diversity. It is of little wonder that the idea of diversity is the first topic an Indonesian points out when presenting their country before the public. Indonesia is diverse, both naturally and culturally. And that's why I decided to make this infographic.

Along the process, I realised that the cultural diversity of Indonesia implies something wonderful: these different groups of people living on scattered islands for generations, who have developed their own distinct cultural identities, customs, and languages, can be united in a single political entity called Indonesia. Similarly, the extremely high biodiversity of Indonesia is something one can't help but be grateful for. The flora and fauna, both on land and under water, make up an immense ecosystem that these people have been trying to learn and live in harmony with.

And yet such diversity is now put in danger. A number of languages are predicted to be extinct in the future, and so are some species of animals. Human activities are to blame for the loss of Indonesia's rainforest and for the damaged fluvial and marine life. I am wondering if the best service an Indonesian can do for their country is to preserve natural and cultural diversity; since diversity is the identity of the country.

PS: This infographic was made using images gathered from the Internet.

How large is Indonesia?

I often take for granted the extent of Indonesian archipelago, partly because of its maritime feature, which makes Indonesia look dominated by water, rather than land. And map projection does create some distortion so that Indonesia, which is located along the equator, seems tinier than countries far to the north or to the south, such as China or the US.

However, upon Internet research, I found that the flight distance from the westernmost to easternmost towns of the country (popularly called 'dari Sabang sampai Merauke', from Sabang to Merauke) is longer than that in China, the US, or even the whole Europe. Travelling by flight from Banda Aceh in Aceh to Jayapura in Papua takes a longer time than from Lisbon to Moscow, or from San Fransisco to New York city.

I created this infographics as a light reminder and, hopefully, an eye-opener that our homeland is indeed large. And such vast territory consequently brings a demand for an effective government. We should be reminded that Indonesia is unlike China or the US, the territory of which is mostly land area. Indonesia is a huge maritime nation, which poses a challenge of maintaining security over the archipelago, especially in the areas close to the borders.

PS: I gathered the images from various websites since I don't know yet how to work with Photoshop, Corel Draw, and the like. Many thanks to the creators.