The Women of Indonesian Prominent Figures : NYONYA MENEER

The history of national herbs industry of Indonesia cannot stand apart from role of the oldest and the biggest company of Javanese herbs PT Nyonya Meneer. This company pioneered by Nyonya Meneer who of inherited skills and knowledge to compound herbal tonic. Born in Sidoarjo in 1895 and named Menir, she used to be called Nonie Menir in her child time.

 

She was grown up and taught household managing skill by her mother. Housekeeping and herbs nurturing was her daily routine job. Education planted by her parents has built a disciplined  and creative character on her. At seventeenth, Nonie Menir got married by Ong Bian Wan, a young merchant from Semarang. And she was called Nyonya Meneer since then.  Nyonya Meneer entrepreneurship in herbs industry was preceded by the sickness of her beloved husband. His suffering was hardly cured, though various remedial measures had been taken. Finally, she tried to heal him by her own herbs recipe and it was succeeded. The first recipe produced by Nyonya Meneer was jamu Jampi Usus that prescribed for dysentery. After this success, the existence of Nyonya Meneer herbs started to be known by people.

Equipped of ordinary cooking wares, this family business grew nad expanded the sales to  the cities around. And in 1919, Nyonya Meneer made her dreams come true by establishing original Javanese herbs company branded the portrait of Nyonya Meneer in Semarang. In the beginning, she struggled  with her family procuring,compounding and selling the products by themselves. Value, that always be stressed to her sons and daughters in business was disciplinary, hardworking and familial relationship. Along with times, her business grew, the customer increased, and it  marketing branches were established several towns and even in Jakarta. Aimed at facilitating the customer, the first Nyonya Meneer shop was opened in Jalan Pedamaran 92 Semarang.

 

Her daughter Nonnie moved to Jakarta in 1940, she opened the firs Nyonya Meneer herbs shop in Jakarta located at Jalan Juanda, Pasar Baru. Initially came from limits and comprehensions, the herbs product entered capital city and spread nationwide. As the business growing, Nyonya Meneer got an idea of depicting of her portrait on the pact. This busted it sales and peaked at high record. Nyonya Meneer legalized its business in a form of family form and in 1952 and changed into limited company in 1977. The size of Nyonya Meneer herbs business was hardly undertaken by themselves, for it needed more workers as well as professional management to cope with its growth.Accordingly, she started promoting her descendants as cadres and sent them business school. After her passing on 23 April 1978, the company was run by her progenies. Since 1991, the CEO of PT Nyonya Meneer was Dr Charles Saerang, the third generation of Meneer family. In recent, PT Nyonya Meneer had been developed in various product innovation, instead of powder, including pill, oil, cream, capsule, and extract capsule. Nyonya Menner herbs products  have contributed significantly to people, the nations, and the country as well. The product has been exported to countries such as Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, Australia, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,Hong Kong, USA, Netherlands, and New Zealand. The inherited spirit of life of Mrs Meneer, has proven that woman could successfully set and guide a business that never though before becomes so big.

The Woman of Indonesian Prominent Figures : BU KASUR ( SANDIAH)

Sandiah also known by Bu Kasur, was born in Jakarta in 1926. She is the eldest of the fifth of Santoso family. She finished her formal education in high school. Soon after graduated, she worked in residency office of  Bandung. There, she met Suryono, known as Pak Kasur who became her lifetime couple later.

Following her husband pathway, Bu Kasur spent most of her lifetime education field. She got involved in activities on teaching, composing songs for children, writing articles for several mass media in capital city, as well as arranging programs on public broadcasting radio and television.The name of Bu Kasur emerged and was known as mother that deeply concern with children development affair. The experiences is teaching children had broadened her understanding in psychological development of children. Children loved her most and even their parents came to her consulting on its development. The experiences of caring the children had brought Bu Kasur with enjoyment and loving on her job. She was getting involved in arranging art performance programs specialized for children and public broadcasting radio as well as conducting small kindergarten that launched in 1967. Located in Jalan Cikini V / 3  Jakarta,this kindergarten had been altered into Yayasan Setia Balita and recently it has develop six branches in Jakarta, Bekasi and Tangerang. Later, Bu Kasur remarkable endeavor in children development affairs was formally acknowledged. On 27 october 1992, she was granted a medal of Honor Bintang Budaya Parama Dharma from The Government of Republic of Indonesia delivered by Minister of Education and Cultural. Besides that, she was declared as one of the 21 Kartini. She has passed in 22 October 2002 in Jakarta, but her rendered services and works will remain in the heart of Indonesian people.

The Women Of Indonesian Prominent Figures : GEDONG BAGOES OKA

                                                                                                                                                  Gedong Bagoes Oka is an adherent of Gandhi's anti violence movement from Balinese Hinduism society Born in 3 October 1921. This Balinese women who married I Goesti Oka shall be an ideal figure of Indonesian women. She ran her live with the modesty of Hinduism philosophy. she had a great concern on religion pluralism, education, women as well as environmental affairs. in the field of religion pluralism, she tended to adopt Mahatma Gandhi's way of thinking rooted from Hinduism that emphasizing on modesty and wisdom.

 

Spending her lifetime, she was raised by an orthodox, religious and firm figure of mother. Oppositely, his father was an open mind and moderate person that welcoming spirit of the brand new world. Owing to her father way of thinking, she got an opportunity to study at HIS in Yogyakarta. Gedong Bagoes Oka concern on education was evident. In 1961, she had ever been a principle of high school in Singaraja. Finished her study at Udayana University  in 1964 , she taught English. Her deep concern on education was reflected in her apprehension on educational realm of that time. She viewed education had failed to create generation with steady character, so it had to be changed. As a base of education, character building should be put into curriculum of school. According to her, education should take note of Mahatma Gandhi’s message :” education is purposely to explore a goodness of human being”. Committed to her beheld values, she refused bestowal of degree from abroad university, such as United Nations, University of Tokyo and Oxford University UK. Her involvement at woman affairs marked by the establishment of Yayasan Kosala Wanita  and Yayasan Kesejahteraan Perempuan. These foundations carry out a task of empowering the woman with regard to its status that was dominated by men. She stressed that woman should be literate and educated, unless they would be a target of deception, manipulation and exploitation. Woman also took responsibility of advancing their nation. Besides that,  Gedong Bagus Oka has a great concern on environment, especially in relation with society. She held the view that public that public health was an important part of human life, for public health was a life extension of human bodies. Gedong Bagus Oka had set an example to be followed, for her reflection and actualization of vales in religion, woman education,environment and peace become a historical necessity that flown in daily life. She had passed on 14 November 2002, but the fond of her will always be memorized.

The Women Of Indonesian Prominent Figures : ANI IDRUS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                        Ani Idrus, born in Sawahlunto West Sumatra on 25 November 1918, is one of prominent women in journalism and printed medium. A long time occupation as a journalist had built her experience in news reporting business. She lived that profession through bad and good times until reached what she ever wanted. In 1936, she had gotten  a good reputation in press arena. She worked at Sinar Deli daily Medan. Together with her husband Haji Mohammad Said, she published political magazine Seruan Kita in 11 January 1947.  They also published Pewarta Deli , Majalah Wanita, and Harian Waspada. In 1969, Ani Idrus headed several publication, such as Waspada, Dunia Wanita magazine, and edition of Koran Masuk Desa as well as Koran Masuk Sekolah.

 

 

 

In 1955, she got a chance to cover negotiation between Tengku Abdul Rahman and Malay Communist leader Chin Peng at Baling, Malaysia.

 

In 1974, she joined Adam Malik delegation attending Non Alignment Summit at Ceylon. She had brought up women affairs in her journalism. On a discussion week at Centre of French Culture Jakarta, she presented paper titled Women Position in Press Management. While a symposium held by Association of Student at Faculty of Communication USU , her paper was the Prospect of Women Press in Indonesia Press Industry. In 1991 she received award from Minister for Woman Affairs on behalf of Harian Waspada that was elected as the as the best newspaper covering in national development. Involvement in various activities had brought her nem experiences and it finally attracted her more in doing so. She founded many educational institutions from Taman Indria which consisting of children day care house, kindergarten and preliminary school to Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Komunikasi Pembangunan at Medan. In the occasion of Kartini Day 1978, she established Perguruan ERIA which consisting of kindergarten, preliminary school and secondary school located at Jalan Sisingamangaraja195 Medan. In 1984, she opened Islamic preliminary school Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Rohamah at Selaman Ujung Simpang Lima Medan. She entered political arena at the early years ago. In 1937, she joined Gerakan Indonesia in Medan. Previously in 1934, she chaired Vice Presient of Indonesia Muda Organization as a proponent of youth movement. In 1949, she became a cadre of PNI. Several times, she was appointed as The Head of Information as well as a member of PNI central beureu at Jakarta. In 1950 she founded and chaired Front Wanita Sumatra Utara. At national election 1955, she refused Konstituante council membership.

 

She was a member of DPRGR Sumatra Utara Province representing woman fraction in the period 1960-1967 as well as Golongan Karya in the next period. And in 1992, she was elected as a member of MPR representing regional delegation. Due to her prominent roles in development of Indonesia, she received several award from The Goverment of The Republic of Indonesia, such as Satya Lencana Penegak Pers Pancasila, Anugerah Citra Wanita Pembangunan Indonesia, Anugerah Bintang Jasa Nararya, delivered by Minister of Women Affairs Mien Sugandhi, Putra Penerus Pembangunan Bangsa award, Lencana Emas, Tokoh Masyarakat Teladan Sumatra Utara, Srikandi award, Who of the year 1995 award, Citra Abadi Pembangunan award and Anugerah Peniti Emas 50 Tahun SPS Nort Sumatra. After passing, she was awarded Bintang Mahaputra Utama delivered by Vice President Megawati. Elderliness was not a handicap to work. She ran her lifetime profession with never bored principle. She kept on working until the end of her live. Passed in 9 January 1999, she left the fond memory that remains in the heart of the nations.

ATHENA 2004: THE 28th OLYMPIC GAMES

A Brief History of Ancient Olympic Games

The decision

to select Athens as the host city of the 2004 Olympic Games

has brought the Olympiads back to their ancient birthplace. It is recorded that the sporting festival dedicated to Zeus every four years began to take place in Olympia in 776 B.C. The Olympic Games were celebrated almost 1,200 years continuously. Situated in the northern part of Greece, Olympia was not actually a town but a grouping of temples and arenas in the fields.

Known as the most important Panhellenic festival, the

Olympic Games were attended not only by athletes but also by leaders, politicians, artists, poets and dealers from every part of Greece. In praise of the glory of the festival Pindar, a Greece poet living in 518-438 B.C., fervently wrote a poem.

“ No celestial body is warmer and brighter than the sun during daylight, as no sporting event is greater than the Olympic Games.”

In ancient Greece the athletes competed as individuals, not as teams, on amateur basis. They competed in boxing, wrestling, jump, disc and spear throwing, running and four-horse chariot race. The winners received only garlands of wild olive leaves put on their heads as crowns and were glorified as heroes for life. Besides, they deserved some privileges such as exemption from taxation and front row seats to all public spectacles. In their hometowns statues were erected in honor of the victors. Unfortunately in 393 A.D. the Roman Empire Theodosius declared the Olympic Games corrupt and put an end to them.

Modern Olympic Games

Until German excavation of the 1870’s Olympia was buried owing to earthquakes and floods. Fascinated by the cultural beauty of Greek found in the sacred ground of Olympia, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, a young Frenchman , conceived the idea of Modern Olympic Games as the world’s greatest sporting event that would be held in different capital cities throughout the word every four years. In 1896 the first modern Olympic Games were staged in Athens ruled by new regulations in accordance with the need of modern time. The motto of the modern Olympic Games is “Citius-Altius-Fortius” which means “Faster-Higher

-Stronger”. Due to two World Wars the Olympic Movement failed to stage the greatest world sporting event in 1916, 1940 and 1944. From time to time the number of countries participating in the Olympic Games is growing steadily. In 1952 for the first time Indonesia took part in the Fifteenth held in Helsinki where 69different countries joined the sporting event. Mr.Coubertin and his colleagues like their heirs in the Modern Olympic Movement believed that global sport could become a global platform for peace.

Athena 2004

The 28th Olympic Games will be held on August 13-29,2004 in the Panathinaic Marble Stadium in Athens where the first Olympiads took place. The reconstruction of the historic bilding has been done under the control of Ministry of Ecology and Public Work. More than 200 countries, including Iraq and Afghanistan, will take part in the world sporting competition.