Zulkifliemansyah

The image of strict and cold politician disappeared when we had the chance to meet Dr. Zulkieflimansyah at his residence in BSD, Tangerang (6/6). He wore a white t-shirt with brown trousers. He put down his smartphone when he saw us, then he smiled as he greeted us warmly. However, beside the his relaxed attitude, Pak Zul, that is how we address him, said that he is more happy if people do not talk about his privacy. He state that with serious expression.

Pak Zul was born in Sumbawa Besar, May 18 1972. He got Bachelor of Economics degree from Faculty of Economi, University of Indonesia. He also finished his postgraduate in Strathclyde Business School, University of Strathclyde in United Kingdom.  On 1997, he got MSc degree in International Marketing from Department of Marketing, while on 1998 Pak Zul also followed postgraduate program in Industrialization, Trade, and Economic Policy in Department of Economics. Pak Zul finally finished his doctoral studies in the same department on 2001. Up until now, while becoming the politician in People’s Consultative Assembly and People’s Representative Council (MPR/DPR) in Senayan, Pak Zul also still teaches in University of Indonesia for under graduate, postgraduate, and doctoral studies. Pak Zul comes from Prosperous Justice Party (Partai Keadilan Sejahtera/PKS) and he is in Comission of VII for energy and mineral.

Even though Pak Zul stated that he does not like if his privacy is being exposed, but his website already becomes the appropriate and complete source about him. On this website, the visitors can find some news related with Pak Zul, video, and even his schedule as the politican in MPR/DPR. Furthermore, Pak Zul also stated that he taught students overseas because at the same time he also studied there, but it can be seen that education becomes his main attention.

Surprisingly, Pak Zul allowed us to visit one of his schools in BSD, Sinar Cendekia. However, he admitted that Sinar Cendekia is the result of collaboration from many parties.  Besides Sinar Cendekia, Pak Zul also becomes the rector for Sumbawa University of Technique (Universitas Teknik Sumbawa/UTS). When we got there, the combination between Arab and modern decorations became our main attraction.  

“Let’s go to my office,” he said. Do not imagine an ordinary office room with the desk and stacks of paper because Pak Zul’s office is “only” a gazebo made from bamboo with the bookshelves with many English books surrounding inside the gazebo. In front of the Pak Zul’s office, there is the overlay of land filled with cornfield and horses.

Horses?

Yes. One of students’ in Sinar Cendekia’s extracurricular is riding the horse. Not only that, there are cows, hens, and even rabbits. There is also a river that limits between Pak Zul’s office and the land. “All of the horses are from Sumbawa,” he explained. At first he had the stable in Ciputat, but because of the traffic in Tangerang, he then moved all of his horses to the land behind the school. The air in this school is so fresh; it seems that we are in the village.

Education seems to be the other side of Pak Zul. We admit that Sinar Cendekia has different approach on enriching the nation, because besides the international curriculum, all of the students in this school also have to have good relationship with the nature. That is something that only certain schools in Indonesia can have.

Speaking of credibility of being the member of People’s Consultative Assembly and People’s Representative Council (MPR/DPR), Pak Zul is very credible of being that. It shows from the degrees that he owns. Base on what degrees that he held, we could tell that Pak Zul is a very intelligent and smart man. To be a representative in People’s Consultative Assembly and People’s Representative Council (MPR/DPR) who represents the people who will solve this country’s problems, it’s a must for the member of the People’s Consultative Assembly and People’s Representative Council (MPR/DPR) to be as Intelligent as possible

Another Reason why Pak Zul is a very credible man of being the member of People’s Consultative Assembly and People’s Representative Council (MPR/DPR) is how he answered my question regarding on how member of People’s Consultative Assembly and People’s Representative Council (MPR/DPR) should be like. He stated, “to be in the member of People’s Consultative Assembly and People’s Representative Council (MPR/DPR), one must be filled with content. Without contents, how can they solve this country’s problems? That is why I studied hard; I studied abroad to get that content which I can use now to help solving this country’s problem. Now can you imagine if the member of People’s Consultative Assembly and People’s Representative Council (MPR/DPR) who doesn’t have that contents that are required to solve this country’s problem? They will be all sleeping inside the building without helping anything. The country’s problem is not a light problem. “

By seeing the answer that Pak Zul gave to us, we can easily say that Pak Zul is a capable person to help the country’s solve its problem. With that being said, Pak Zul is definitely considered as the person who has the contents and is the right person to sit in the building of People’s Consultative Assembly and People’s Representative Council (MPR/DPR) as the member of it.

The Conspiracy Behind Cebongan Killing?

 Recently, there were Kopassus that allegedly were shooting four men in the cell. That four men was thugs that being accused of killing the colleague of the Kopassus themselves. The killing was suspected as the motive of ‘Indonesia free of thugs’ that being repercussion by the TNI. These four thugs are supposedly to undergo their trial before entering the court, but unfortunately for them, the Kopassus were ended their life before they set their feet in the courtroom.

Did someone legitimately plan this killing? Why was the guards at the prison did not notice the Kopassus appearance? Didn’t they bring their guns? Is this a conspiration? Whatever this is, this causes an issue in our country recently. This issue is being connected with the next 2014 election. The former Kopassus chief Prabowo Subianto, who will run for the presidential election is being connected with the issue since he was with the Kopassus which means he still have a good connection in the institution.

Back there in the New Order with Soeharto as the president, Indonesia was literally in below of an iron hand leader. There is no such freedom as we had now because the government was controlling the information. Also, back then there was no such thing as thugs because there were petrus (penembak misterius) that ready to kill them who caused trouble in the country. Yes we cannot deny that back in Soeharto’s regime, the country security is undoubtedly was the most secure since Indonesia’s proclamation. Our beloved country Indonesia was a military country back then, military was the one who take control of this national security. Now all of that job were given to the POLRI (Polisi Republik Indonesia) who actually it is TNI’s job to defend the country not the police.

And now Prabowo Subianto who dubbed to be become the next Soeharto (if he get elected) is rising to the surface. He predicted to bring this country back like Soeharto’s New Order but in a more modern way. If ever Prabowo bring back the New Order era back into Indonesia now, of course we will have no reason to feel insecure, to be afraid when we walked alone at night but, also a lot of people will feel locked up with these type of governmental. There will be no such freedom in this country like we are having now. Our country is slowly being ‘militarionized’ or trying to be a military country again.

This raised the issue of the Cebongan Killing, where it seems to be the military wanted to take control over the nation again. We could say this as one of Petrus’s form. How could I say that Military wanted or trying to take control the country again? Have you ever see a sing that says ‘bebaskan Indonesia dari premanisme’ or ‘let us free the country from thugs’? Usually this sign were easily spotted in the bridge to cross the road. Some issue said that this sign were donated by the TNI, but they were denial that they did this. These signs that decorates several cities in our country left a big question mark in our head, who sponsored all of these signs?

I guess its just not rationally acceptable if the TNI deny to say that they were donated the signs, because why would some random people or lets say a political party who wanted this to be happen, what are their motives? As long as I know, thugs were usually being used to collect money on several places in Indonesia, for instance prostitution, parking freely in the shoulder of the roads, drug dealers etc. These thugs deliver a serious amount of money, and why would someone want to take them down, whereas thugs are also taking security of their particular territory.

These thugs that shot by the Kopassus was still under their trial before entering the court. It doesn’t matter if you are a thugs, a police or whatever it is, you still have rights in the country and it is their rights to undergo their trial before entering the court to be processed by the law later on. Kopassus were being vigilante on these thugs, they did not follow the law in Indonesia, just like back in the New Order Era where every criminality that happens in the road will be shot down dead by Petrus.

Do we want these to be taking control of our country? I guess it is better to have a country that runs by an ex military because they know how to defend and making sure that their country is secure. Not to mention that Prabowo will take us there, but let us hope that Indonesia can go back like Soeharto’s New Order Era where every thing is under control and no one is playing games with the country