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Between Takjil and Tarawih: A Reflection of Gratitude in Ramadan

Alhamdulillah, this year I am once again reunited with Ramadan. There is an emotion that is difficult to put into words. Not merely because age continues to advance, but because we never truly know whether last year’s Ramadan was our final one. So when the Maghrib call to prayer echoed on the first evening, my heart could only whisper: Thank You Allah, for granting me another chance. Around 5:00 PM, just before breaking the fast, there is always a moving atmosphere in the air. The streets are filled with people. Takjil vendors line the sidewalks. People queue for simple foods: dates, sweet porridge, fried snacks, sugary drinks in clear plastic bags. Lively. Vibrant. Warm. Yet behind the bustle, I see something deeper than mere buying and selling. I see hope. I see small efforts struggling to endure. I see hands seeking lawful sustenance before the Maghrib call to prayer. In another corner, I witness moments of quiet generosity. Some set aside their time and wealth to give. No cameras. ...
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Selamat Menyambut Ramadhan 1447 H

Alhamdulillah, kembali dipertemukan dengan bulan suci Ramadhan 1447 H. Setiap Ramadhan selalu membawa suasana yang berbeda. Tahun ini terasa lebih santai, namun tetap hangat dan ramai—bukan hanya di masjid dan ruang-ruang ibadah, tetapi juga di hati yang kembali belajar tentang sabar, disiplin, dan empati. Ramadhan bukan sekadar menahan lapar dan dahaga. Ia adalah momentum memperbaiki diri, memperhalus akhlak, dan menata ulang niat dalam setiap langkah—baik dalam kehidupan pribadi, sosial, maupun profesional. Sebagai insan yang terus belajar dan bertumbuh, saya memaknai Ramadhan sebagai ruang evaluasi: Apakah kita sudah cukup jujur dalam bekerja? Sudah cukup amanah dalam tanggung jawab? Sudah cukup peduli terhadap sesama? Ya Allah, terima kasih telah mempertemukan kami dengan Ramadhan kali ini. Semoga Ramadhan 1447 H menjadi Ramadhan yang lebih baik dari sebelumnya—lebih khusyuk ibadahnya, lebih luas manfaatnya, dan lebih bersih hatinya. Selamat menunaikan ibadah puasa. Semoga setiap l...
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I read a simple story, yet its meaning runs deep.

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I read a simple story, yet its meaning runs deep. A new employee began work without guidance from a senior colleague. Everyone was busy. No one truly had the time to teach. In such circumstances, many people would feel isolated, anxious, even tempted to give up. But inside the drawer of the desk, there was a file. The file had been left behind by a senior employee who had resigned. It was not merely a collection of work documents. Inside were handwritten notes—step by step instructions on “how to do this and that”—carefully typed, printed, and even annotated by hand. Sixty percent of the employee’s competence today, she said, came from that file. She never knew the senior. She never even knew what they looked like. Yet after every prayer, she offers a prayer for them in return. *** In today’s fast-paced professional world, we often speak about targets, KPIs, performance, and efficiency. But we rarely speak about legacy. We forget that true professionalism is not only about ...
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Isu Perbatasan Sabah–Kalimantan: Meluruskan Fakta di Tengah Riuh Narasi Kehilangan Kedaulatan

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Sejak semalam, ruang publik—khususnya media sosial—diramaikan oleh narasi bahwa kedaulatan negara “tergadai”. Isunya terdengar serius: disebutkan bahwa Malaysia telah “menyerahkan” sekitar 5.207 hektare tanah di kawasan perbatasan Sabah–Kalimantan (Nunukan) kepada Indonesia. Bagi masyarakat awam, angka ribuan hektare tentu terdengar besar. Narasi kehilangan wilayah pun mudah memicu emosi, kecurigaan, bahkan kemarahan. Namun, sebelum kesimpulan ditarik terlalu jauh, penting untuk berhenti sejenak, menarik napas, dan melihat persoalan ini secara utuh dan jernih. Apa sebenarnya yang terjadi? Isu ini bukan soal jual beli tanah, bukan pula hadiah wilayah antarnegara. Persoalan yang dimaksud adalah Outstanding Boundary Problems (OBP), yakni persoalan batas wilayah yang sejak masa kolonial belum memiliki penegasan garis perbatasan yang jelas di lapangan. Perjanjian-perjanjian lama antara Inggris dan Belanda—khususnya perjanjian tahun 1915 dan 1928—memang telah menetapkan prinsip batas wilayah...
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The Epstein Files, Conspiracy Theories, and the Limits of Elite Power

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Over the past two to three days, a single sentiment has appeared to dominate the global public sphere. Since the United States Department of Justice (DOJ)—the rough equivalent of an Attorney General’s Office in many countries—released the Epstein Files to the public, social media timelines seem to have found a momentum of their own. Phrases such as “I told you so,” “this was always dismissed as conspiracy theory,” and “now everything has been proven” have circulated widely. For some, this is not merely news, but a moment of validation: long-held beliefs once ridiculed now appear to have received official confirmation. For those who have not followed the case closely, the Epstein Files refer to a collection of documents, email correspondence, photographs, victim testimonies, and internal records related to Jeffrey Epstein—an American billionaire with extensive connections to political elites, major business figures, royalty, celebrities, and global power brokers. In 2019, Epstein was ar...
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Politics of Pity and Jokowi’s Residual Power

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Frankly, I have never seen Joko Widodo deliver a speech like the one he gave at the PSI National Working Meeting (Rakernas) in Makassar. For years, the public has known him as a calm, composed, and controlled figure. Even when angry, his voice rarely rises. His gaze is flat. His emotions are almost unreadable. Many observers associate this style with Jokowi’s cultural background as a Javanese—more specifically, a Javanese from Solo, the heartland of the Islamic Mataram cultural tradition. Indonesia has had two presidents from this region: Soeharto and Jokowi. Soeharto was famously known as “the smiling general.” He smiled in almost every situation. It was difficult to read his mood, let alone predict his political direction. Legend has it that the smile remained even when he made the most brutal decisions. Jokowi is different. He does not rely on smiles, but on a flat, almost expressionless demeanor. His slender body and distinctive gestures have often made him the target of mockery, l...
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The Mystery of Ringgit at 3.92:Coincidence, or an Economic Strategy Finally Taking Shape?

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On the morning of January 28, 2026, global currency charts turned red. But this time, red did not signal danger. It signaled a quiet victory. 1 USD = RM3.92. After years of the Ringgit being “bullied” beyond the 4.70 level, this figure surprised many. Social media buzzed with speculation. Some began to wonder, “Are we returning to the golden era of RM2.50 or RM2.90?” Emotionally, a stronger Ringgit is something to be proud of. But in economics, emotion is not a compass. What truly matters is structure and reality. This appreciation did not happen by accident. It is the result of a convergence between global economic forces and domestic policies whose investments are now beginning to mature. Let us examine this rationally. 1. When the “King Currency” Begins to Waver – The U.S. Factor To understand why the Ringgit is strengthening, we must first understand why the U.S. dollar is weakening. Between 2023 and 2025, the United States offered exceptionally high interest rates. Global capital—...
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