Anyone Up For ‘A Refreshing Jihad Tour?’
Many Indonesians ( especially my former students!) are good English-speakers, but there are a handful of words that are commonly misused.
’Refreshing’ is one.
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‘I’m going to the Botanical Gardens this weekend for refreshing,’ they’ll say.
A nice day out in the open air, is a fair approximation. Easy to get the meaning.
But I had to grimace at a report in detik.com, as this unpredictable Indonesian weekend began.
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‘Coordinator Of Jakarta Jihad Tour Says Only Going For Refreshing.’
Not many people, of either the sectarian jihadist persuasion or in European countries which have been on the receiving end of jihadist terror…
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…..will find this credible, given what’s planned for Jakarta tomorrow.
As we related recently, thousands of Jakartans may opt for not going into work on the 22nd….
Be Cool, Jakarta! Densus 88 Have Caught The ISIS Scum!
…anxious that many more thousands of nasty nutjobs plan to show up for the declaration of the outcome of the presidential election.
I was downtown yesterday, and the main streets are full of police and troops.
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My bus passed the venue of tomorrow’s announcement, more stalwart men in uniform and rolls and rolls of sharp-looking anti-savage wire out front.
Refreshing?
Not to my way of thinking.
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Repentant Roni, on the left
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However, the Jihad Tour coordinator, Mr. Muhammad Roni, has said it’s all a big misunderstanding.
His apology came along with a written statement made at East Java Regional Police HQ on Sunday.
It’s just a trip for ‘refreshing’ to see Jakarta!!
Sure!
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Jakarta is a city not without allure!
Who wouldn’t want a fun walk-about in a capital city awash with rumours of mob mayhem – arriving on demo day?
‘Jihad?’
“When asked the reason for using the word jihad, Roni claimed that the word jihad does not always mean war...
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‘…it is not meant as war, it’s about our struggle to get by, making a living, to support our wives and children, so the word jihad is about being ready to die…”
Well of course!
Why not take Roni’s word for it, that it’s just a lovely little outing planned for tomorrow, to ease the stesses and strains of daily life?
EXCEPT…detik.com, like many other Indonesians, had previously learned from another part of the media here, that –
…Roni had said that the jihad he was doing was a jihad in defending the nation.
He considered that action demanding justice for the administration of elections also included jihad, especially in saving the country from depravity…
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Well, given my own die-hard depravity, it’s probably just as well that the Indonesian friends I had arranged to meet for lunch tomorrow have cancelled, because of the risk of turmoil or at least traffic chaos…
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Pito Jatim, 
Deriq, 
Kezia, and 2 others are discussing. 
rossrightangle 
JazPen 08:52 on May 21, 2019 Permalink |
Hilarious!
A day out to refresh the anti-depravity impulses?
Howabout a night out in Blok M tor reverse the process?
None of us here will be coming into the office on Wednesday. About 3 or 4 hours to get into work, same again for going home? Pushing past a mob of wild men?
Gila!
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Prita 13:32 on May 21, 2019 Permalink |
I will not say refreshing again. Relaxing or recreation is better English for what it means.
Very clever to stay home tomorrow. Already there is a big crowd there and bus cannot pass usual roads.
Tomorrow many more dangerous people coming into Jakarta so working at home is better.
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Kezia 14:22 on May 21, 2019 Permalink |
The police are trying to stop the fanatics coming to Jakarta but there are too many here already.
I do not know anybody who will go to the office tomorrow.
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Deriq 16:42 on May 21, 2019 Permalink |
Hi Ross.
I commented a lot when I wrote my name as Derek but now I use different spelling.
This is because a derek means a crane in Indonesian.
Many jokes about me lifting broken cars.
Long time now I was too busy to read blogs but now I have time.
You are still writing about the problem here in Indonesia and also about British Brexit I see. I remember you telling how bad the EU is, not a free friendship group like ASEAN.
I too will be at home tomorrow watching tv and hope Jakarta is not put in much trouble by People Power demo. I hope to write again tomorrow at home.
Keep up your good work.
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Pito Jatim 09:15 on May 22, 2019 Permalink |
Is it true the Jihad Tur man has been arrested.
I hope so. If he is true to belief, he should not change what he tell media.
Who will trust him?
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