Latest news with #BahasaIndonesia
GMA Network
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
SB19, Indonesian singer Aruma team up for Bahasa version of 'MAPA'
SB19 and Indonesian singer Aruma are joining forces for a Bahasa version of "MAPA!" On Instagram, Aruma confirmed the collaboration with photos of her at the recording studio and a printout of the lyrics. "The song MaPa has touched so many hearts in the Philippines, and now I have the chance to rewrite it and sing it in Bahasa Indonesia," she said in Bahasa Indonesia, as translated in English. "This song is for Ma. For Pa. For the hugs that are always a place to come home to, thank you SB19, and thank you to all the MaPa in this world." "Mapa" is one of the tracks in SB19's 2021 EP, "Pagsibol." An anthem for parents, it has been played in graduation ceremonies and was used in the Metro Manila Film Festival 2024 film "And the Breadwinner Is..." SB19 is composed of Pablo, Stell, Ken, Josh, and Justin. The group is fresh from their two-night concert at the Philippine Arena to kickoff their Simula at Wakas world tour. Meanwhile, Aruma is a rising pop-folk artist in Indonesia. Her popular songs include "Muak" and "Ekspektasi." —MGP, GMA Integrated News
CNA
01-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
From domestic worker to hotel manager: How a Singapore non-profit helps Indonesian migrants start new lives
SINGAPORE: Karlina, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, dreams of opening a facial salon when she returns to her hometown. Each Sunday, after a long week of working as a domestic worker in Singapore, she heads to an inconspicuous building in the central business district, where she and dozens other migrants receive training in new skills. 'I'm very interested in skincare. I want to have my own business someday,' said the 43-year-old woman in an interview with CNA. After 18 years working in Singapore, where there are around 200,000 Indonesian migrants, Karlina is now taking the next step to fulfilling her dream by taking up courses at Development Singapore, a non-profit organisation. Nurul Aida, 26, another student at Development Singapore, shares a similar dream of opening a salon back home. 'I won't work in Singapore forever,' said Nurul. Both Nurul and Karlina look forward to eventually returning home to build new lives with their families. They are among around 3,000 Indonesian domestic workers who have received training at Development Singapore. Many of them have returned home to start new careers or businesses and also created jobs for others in their communities. Development Singapore co-founders Harun Lie and Josanti Cornelius Huwae Kaidoen, who are proud of their former students' achievements today, never thought the organisation would be this successful when they founded it in 2007. Their story is part of a series on everyday heroes on CNA's Bahasa Indonesia site. Others who have been featured include a woman who's helping other women wise up to swindlers on dating apps and a man who rescues abandoned babies and set up a welfare home. CONCERN FOR FELLOW INDONESIANS Harun, 52, said the movement began after he felt concerned reading a newspaper article about the impact of migration on the communities left behind. 'Many mothers in rural areas who didn't have educational opportunities were forced to work abroad—in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and other countries,' Harun recalled. 'This created problems in their hometowns. Crime rates rose because their children were left behind without a maternal figure.' Harun, a pastor at Bethany Church Singapore, was also disturbed after hearing about the plight of his neighbour's domestic worker who had then recently come from Indonesia. "The domestic worker cried constantly for two weeks," Harun recounted. It turned out she had recently given birth and had to leave her four-month-old baby to work in Singapore. Josanti, a 58-year-old member at the same church, shared similar concerns. With a teaching background, Josanti and Harun decided to found Development Singapore. Although the founders are affiliated with the church, Harun sought to emphasise that Development Singapore's activities are secular and open to all faiths. 'Many of them haven't returned to Indonesia for a long time. We wondered how we could help upgrade their skills so they wouldn't return home empty-handed,' Harun said. They embarked on a mission to overcome educational barriers facing Indonesian migrant workers. Development Singapore began by securing classroom spaces, recruiting volunteer teachers, and developing a curriculum to award school certifications up to high-school level in partnership with an institution in Batam. 'I was surprised that one of our students was illiterate,' said Harun, who is now a Singapore citizen. Despite having only Sundays free, many migrants eagerly participated. In 2010, Harun pioneered a diploma programme in collaboration with a private college in Singapore. Fifty migrant workers showed interest in pursuing higher education. 'We collaborated with the institution that generously provided free classrooms and teachers for a business course,' Harun explained. The tuition fee, costing about S$12,000 per year, was waived by the college. Two cohorts successfully completed the programme. One graduate is now a hotel manager in Central Java; another is an assistant manager in Batam. 'During the interviews, they were immediately hired because they graduated in Singapore,' Harun proudly stated. However, the programme was halted after several private colleges in Singapore were involved in fraud scandals, making it difficult for many institutions to keep their licences. Faced with this challenge, Development Singapore began partnering with Ciputra Entrepreneurship Center, an Indonesian philanthropic organisation that aims to create two million entrepreneurs in Indonesia. This partnership led to more practical, flexible and impactful training in entrepreneurship and skills development, beyond formal education. Participants learned basic financial management. They were encouraged to plan how long they wished to work in Singapore and taught how to calculate how much capital they needed to save for their future business back home. 'They aren't just learning skills, but (are) learning to dream again,' said Sri Redjeki Widjaja, Development Singapore's current coordinator. Development Singapore then expanded its offerings to cover entrepreneurship, English, makeup, social media, digital marketing, computer skills, as well as creativity and innovation. 'We hope that when they return to Indonesia, they won't just bring suitcases, but also knowledge, ideas and the courage to start new lives,' said Sri Redjeki, 57. 'We focus on skills. Without credentials or skills, how will they survive in Indonesia?' she added. DRIVEN BY VOLUNTEERS Development Singapore's growth was initially supported by funding from a United States-based non-profit organisation, which has enabled it to keep all the lessons free till today. It costs about S$1,000 to run each week's training sessions, including for the renting of classrooms and logistics. Volunteers from diverse backgrounds also stepped up to provide training both offline and online free of charge. 'Our volunteers include entrepreneurs, professionals and students,' Harun said. Elda Lasmauli Hotmaway, 42, a volunteer who has travelled from Batam to Singapore every two weeks since April 2024, teaches makeup and facial treatments. 'Initially, only five students attended the makeup class,' Elda told CNA. 'Now, there are 21.' The makeup class, lasting about one hour, attracts significant interest from the migrants, including Karlina and Nurul. 'The teachers are very friendly. The lessons are incredibly interesting and eye-opening,' said Karlina. Another volunteer, Yobel Gracio Sirait, 27, a graphic designer and video editor from Padang in West Sumatra who has lived in Singapore for four years, teaches video and photo editing using the CapCut and Canva applications. 'What inspires me are the students. Despite being separated from their families, they still have tremendous enthusiasm to learn,' said Yobel, who has taught at Development Singapore for three years. He was happy to learn that some of his former students are using the knowledge for their businesses back home. Sherlyn Dcuka, a 34-year-old domestic worker who is a current student, dreams of opening a coffee shop and is learning the relevant digital marketing skills to realise her goal. Fellow classmate Aster, 42, has even opened her own remote business while still working in Singapore. 'With Canva and CapCut, I can promote my own business,' she said. SUCCESS STORIES Each module offered by Development Singapore spans about three months, with around 30 students per class. New students often pursue additional classes after completing their first. 'After three months, they usually join other courses, enrolling into an open university which offers remote learning, while some alumni have become English teachers at high schools in Indonesia,' Harun said. Some are even pursuing master's degrees or starting successful businesses back home. Nurul Fatimah, 34, for instance, successfully runs a motorcycle rental business in Nusa Dua, Bali, after working in Singapore for nine years. Starting with two motorcycles, Nurul now owns 34 units for rent. Another proud alumnus, Sulit Sukesi, 43, became a village chief in Central Java after returning from Singapore in 2018. Selamet Gunawan Satriyo, who heads the Forum for the Indonesian Diaspora in Singapore (FKMIS), said Development Singapore's efforts in providing inclusive education have been a boon to the community. "FKMIS fully supports collaborative efforts that go beyond borders in building a more inclusive and adaptive educational ecosystem that empowers each individual based on their potential," he said. Development Singapore's co-founder Josanti is pleased with what it has achieved since its founding 17 years ago. 'At that time, they shared their personal stories … that they didn't come here by choice but … out of necessity,' said the former teacher who now works as a clinic assistant. 'We felt compassion (for them). We knew that if we wanted to improve our lives, education is one way to do it.' And through Development Singapore, thousands of Indonesians have been empowered to become teachers, entrepreneurs, village leaders and be inspiration for the next generation.
The Star
29-04-2025
- The Star
Hong Kong police to use drones for urban patrols later this year, source says
Drones will patrol areas with concentration of old tenement buildings, where scaffolding is common, in bid to prevent burglaries, insider says. — SCMP Hong Kong police will introduce drone patrols in urban areas in the second half of the year in a bid to prevent burglaries, the Post has learned. A source revealed that the drones would be used to patrol areas with a concentration of old tenement buildings, such as Yau Tsim Mong and Sham Shui Po districts in Kowloon. 'One of the purposes will be to tackle burglaries, targeting buildings covered with scaffolding,' the insider said. 'That's why the patrols will be launched in areas with more tenement buildings, as renovation works for ageing buildings require the use of scaffolding, and that is an easy spot for burglars.' The source added the force would also carry out trials of drone patrols at the city's border police district in the northern New Territories for security purposes. In December of last year, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung told lawmakers police would use drones for patrols should regulations allow it. The patrols would take place on set routes planned ahead of operations to avoid residential areas. Tang said during the meeting that police drones would feature flashing red and blue lights to 'show that they are on a mission', as well as display reflective labels or symbols for identification. The source said the drones were expected to fly around tenement buildings to monitor them for any suspicious people climbing scaffolding, but officers watching the drone footage would also be able to recognise authorised repair works. 'Officers can also have discussions with the owners of the building. If we see people climbing the scaffolding, we can ask them if they have repair works going on,' the insider explained. The source added that the urban drone patrol operations would comply with the city's privacy laws. The force has been using drones to broadcast messages in Sheung Sze Wan in Sai Kung and residential areas in Clear Water Bay to ask residents to remain vigilant against burglaries and report any suspicious activity in nearby bushland and forests since July of last year. The messages were broadcasted in Cantonese, English and Bahasa Indonesia. Police have also been using drones at remote sites to detect suspicious people hiding in rough terrain and at busy large-scale events to monitor crowds and traffic flows. A separate source said drones had already been deployed in seasonal anti-burglary patrols in some rural areas in the city. There were 1,220 burglary cases last year, a drop of 9.9% over the 1,354 cases in 2023 and the second-lowest figure since records began in 1969. The force said the detection rate of burglary cases last year stood at 38%, the second-highest since records began in 1977. Security minister Tang also revealed last year that about 800 members of the disciplined services were qualified to handle sophisticated drone operations, holding an advanced rating from the Civil Aviation Department. Drones are also used in daily police operations in mainland China. Shenzhen's Public Security Bureau said the city had 1,667 drone pilots working for authorities, conducting 149 air patrols each day on average last year. Police Commissioner Joe Chow Yat-ming, who assumed the top job on April 2, earlier revealed the force would study using robots and robot dogs to reduce manpower. He said the force was researching whether robots could be used to catch thieves, perform other types of work or go out on patrol. Several mainland provinces currently deploy robot dogs for policing purposes to enhance efficiency. Chow said the force was in discussion with mainland authorities to explore how robot dogs could be deployed. The United States also uses robot dogs for policing. – South China Morning Post
CNA
24-04-2025
- CNA
After nearly falling prey to a love scam, this tech-savvy Indonesian built a ‘sisterhood' safe space for survivors
Asia Helinsa Kaban started the Safe Dating Space network to help women wise up to swindlers on dating apps, and support love scam victims. The WhatsApp community has grown to over 500 members across Indonesia. JAKARTA: In hopes of finding her soulmate, Helinsa Kaban turned to a dating app three years ago and soon found a match. Their conversation shifted to WhatsApp, but Helinsa 'immediately felt something was off with this guy'. The man readily sent her a copy of his identity card – which she said was likely fake – in an effort to gain her trust. He also shared sob stories about his life, claiming to have been abandoned by his wife. 'It's impossible to just meet someone and immediately give your identity card. He was also dwelling on his sob story, saying that he was just divorced,' reasoned Helinsa, 30, who is also known as Elin. She conducted an image analysis of the man's profile photo and found out that it was likely stolen from a male model from the Philippines. A phone number search revealed the man was actually from Malaysia and had a completely different name. 'I immediately decided to end the relationship,' said Elin, a marketing manager at a tech company. While she was fortunate enough to avoid falling prey to a love scam, many other women in Indonesia have lost hundreds of millions in rupiah to such deceptive schemes. Determined to raise awareness about the issue, Elin established the Safe Dating Space community in November last year. The group has grown to over 500 members across the country, with the women ranging in age from 25 to 47. Operating through WhatsApp, the community provides a safe space to share tips on staying vigilant while fostering a sisterhood of love scam survivors. Her story is part of a series on everyday heroes on CNA's Bahasa Indonesia site. Others who have been featured include a man who rescues abandoned babies and set up a welfare home, as well as an animal lover who feeds and looks out for stray cats. Elin began exploring dating apps in 2022 after she decided to move on from her previous relationship, which lasted about 4.5 years. She soon realised that not everyone on these apps was truthful; some were outright scammers. After learning about various tactics employed in romance scams, Elin began sharing her experience on TikTok last year. Her posts drew a wave of comments, with many asking whether the men they had met on dating apps might be scammers. 'I received a lot of private messages asking 'is this guy a scammer or not?' I responded to some but I'm not on TikTok all the time. A few also shared that they had already fallen victim,' Elin said. The Safe Dating Space community offers a better platform to respond to these questions, she said. 'All the members are women, but not all are scam victims. Many of them joined just to learn about common scams and how to avoid them,' she said. Helinsa Kaban began exploring dating apps in 2022 after she decided to move on from her previous relationship, which lasted about 4.5 years. (Photo: Helinsa Kaban) Those interested can sign up through Instagram, but not all applicants will be immediately added to the WhatsApp channel as it takes time to verify each request. 'We also have to make sure the anti-scam group is not infiltrated by scammers themselves,' Elin explained. In the WhatsApp group, members regularly share about the scams they have encountered on dating apps and some report having lost substantial sums of money. 'Based on what I've gathered, total losses reported by members could be as high as 3 billion rupiah (US$178,014). Some women lost 250 million or even 300 million rupiah each. It's worrying,' said Elin. The group has helped save some of its members from being fleeced. For instance, a woman from Papua said she would have lost about two million rupiah had she not learned about scam tactics through the community. The woman thanked Elin for helping her avoid the loss, but to Elin, 'it's not about the amount (but) the fact that what I'm doing is making a difference to someone else'. While most interactions within the Safe Dating Space community happen online, the group has organised physical gatherings that have drawn dozens of participants. At least four in-person gatherings have been held, twice in Jakarta and once in Bandung and Palembang. Helinsa Kaban (second from left) with some members of the Safe Dating Space community at a physical meeting in Bandung. (Photo: Helinsa Kaban) While scammers tailor their tactics to each potential victim, often conducting profiling to determine the most effective method to use, Elin has observed some common ploys. One such method is what she calls the 'Lisbon and Macau' tactic, where perpetrators claim to have encountered trouble while on a work assignment in Lisbon or Macau, and say they urgently need money transfers. Another common scam tactic, she said, involves individuals impersonating military doctors allegedly assigned by the United Nations to conflict zones, or claiming to be professionals in industries like mining and oil. These scammers would claim they have bought something for the victims and request that funds be transferred to pay for taxes on the purchase. There are also many scammers who invite their victims to join online gambling games as well as business investments involving stocks and cryptocurrencies. 'They invite them to join trading and claim to be insiders who know when the prices (of stocks and crypto) are low,' said Elin. She and other members of the community have tried tracking a victim's transactions, which led to a scammer's crypto wallet. With experience in crypto sales, Elin said cryptocurrency transactions, such as for Bitcoin or Ethereum, are permanently stored on the blockchain and can be viewed by anyone with the crypto wallet address, although the owner's identity remains unknown. Elin's efforts to track down some perpetrators have led to the discovery that they are in Cambodia, a country in which online scam syndicates perpetrating love scams, online gambling operations and money laundering are known to operate. 'Based on the data we tracked, love scam operators are prevalent there (in Cambodia),' she said. With the combined experience of the community, Elin has become well-versed in ways to investigate whether one's match on dating apps is a scammer. One of the most effective ways, she said, is to analyse their profile pictures. 'We can do a reverse image search to find out who they really are,' Elin said, adding that community members would also help one another by doing online photo searches using various apps. In one instance, they discovered that a photo used was not of an Indonesian but someone from another country. Some would-be Romeos even used artificial intelligence (AI) during video calls. 'If you want to know if they are using AI or not, pay attention to how they sit (during the call). If they sit stiffly like they are staring at a laptop, it means they are using AI,' advised Elin. In such situations, Elin said 'being suspicious is necessary', especially if the photos and videos are 'too good to be true'. 'The world is not like a Cinderella story, we must be able to control ourselves and manage our expectations,' she said. Another scam tactic involves perpetrators sending photos of their daily activities, she said. Interestingly, photos of dragon fruit are commonly sent by scammers to their victims. Elin first learned about this after a member of the Safe Dating Space network shared a 'daily life' photo sent by a man on a dating app. One of the photos was of dragon fruit – presumably to give the impression that the sender leads a healthy lifestyle, she said. Screenshots of WhatsApp conversations in which scammers shared photos of dragon fruit. (Source: Helinsa Kaban) 'Other members (in the network) claimed that they had received the same photo and after I posted (about this trend) on my TikTok, many people started commenting that they received similar photos too.' Besides dragon fruit, scammers also commonly send photos taken at airports or in cars. 'It seems like although the scammers may be different, they have one shared database of photos and videos,' Elin said. Another tip, she said, is to pay attention to the pace of how a relationship develops. If the person appears to be rushing and excessively dwelling on their sadness, it is a 'red flag'. 'If you start seeing these signs, don't brush it off, just leave (the conversation) immediately. Don't be afraid, the heartbreak can heal in two or three days,' she said. 'SISTERHOOD' IN THE AGE OF DATING APPS The community has evolved into a support network, 'a sisterhood for single women navigating love and relationships, especially in the age of dating apps', said Elin. Through conversations with members, Elin has learnt that it is often older individuals who are most vulnerable to dating app scams. They could be single, previously married or single mothers. Many of them are longing for companionship or facing social pressure to settle down, and scammers are highly aware of their potential victims' emotional state, she said. The women are often financially stable, making them even more appealing as victims. '(The women) are more likely to be swayed by sweet talk,' Elin said, adding that the scammers would often use fake or AI-generated photos to appear more convincing. 'Some even go as far as sending flowers, buying coffee or surprising them with breakfast in an effort to win their trust,' she said. Scam victims are often blamed by the people around them, she said. 'They're shamed with words like 'You are old enough to know better' or blamed by their families. So many of them suffer in silence and some have even attempted suicide." This trend prompted her to create a separate support group for women who have been previously married or have survived domestic violence. Called Rise and Heal, it is a space for the women to offer one another emotional support, she said. While some of these victims have reported their cases to the police, Elin said there has been little or no follow-up. Looking ahead, Elin hopes the Safe Dating Space community will continue to grow and expand its efforts in educating people about love scams. She hopes to one day create a mobile application that serves as a safe space for women to share their experiences without judgment, and for mutual support as they search for a life partner, especially online. 'We are on this journey together. Stay cautious and stay positive,' Elin said. There have certainly been moments of joy in the community. 'When someone finds their soulmate, we all get very happy, the whole group gets emotional,' said Elin.
South China Morning Post
19-02-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Indonesia aims to create its version of DeepSeek in bid to become AI hub
Published: 5:35pm, 19 Feb 2025 An ambitious project to develop an inexpensive version of Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek in Indonesia has gained momentum as the country seeks a leg up in the race to become a tech powerhouse in Southeast Asia. President Prabowo Subianto 's senior economic adviser expressed optimism about the delivery of the open-source, large language model (LLM) being built by a group of 'smart people'. 'We have set up a team to establish our own DeepSeek. … If we don't try, how will we know [the outcome]?' Luhut Pandjaitan told the Indonesia Economic Summit in Jakarta on Tuesday. The former minister said the unnamed chatbot, which would be presented to Prabowo early next month, could respond to prompts in Bahasa Indonesia and English. 'This sort of digital transformation is set to improve Indonesia's efficiency,' Luhut added, without revealing how much was spent on the app, only saying that it was 'not costly'. DeepSeek launched its R1 chatbot last month, saying the platform matched the capacity of its American rival OpenAI's ChatGPT for a fraction of the investment. 05:00 Does the arrival of China's low-cost DeepSeek mean the end of Nvidia's chip dominance? Does the arrival of China's low-cost DeepSeek mean the end of Nvidia's chip dominance?
