Kamis, 27 Januari 2011

5 Billion US Dollar Gratis Turun Dari Langit

The Avenue Mall

Busyeeetttt ....!!!! (Baca keras keras 3 kali). Inilah ‘Busyet’ ketiga kalinya yang saya ucapkan dalam dua minggu terakhir ini. Sejak menjadi penduduk  Kuwait, saya sering terkejut dengan hal hal yang mustahil terjadi di Indonesia seperti berita dibawah ini. Namanya saja 'wong ndeso', jadi sering terheran heran ada hujan duit. Kuwait memang bukan negara terkaya nomor 1 didunia, tetapi bagi saya kebijakan bagi bagi duitnya sudah bisa membuktikan bagaimana kemampuan ekonomi Kuwait yang sebenarnya. Bacalah berita terakhir dari Arab Times tanggal 27 Jan 11 dibawah ini. Perhitungan saya, tambahan uang tunai untuk sembako setahun yang akan diterima per orang sekitar Rp 30 Juta termasuk bayi baru lahir diluar uang tunai hadiah Amir Kuwait sebelumnya. Inilah dia profile Negara kaya yang sebenar benarnya. Jumlah penduduk sedikit (sekitar 1.5 Juta nasional plus expatriate sekitar 2 Juta) dan jumlah cadangan minyak besar apalagi ditunjang harga minyak yang membumbung tinggi mendekati USD 100 per barrel. Dirgahayu Kemerdekaan Kuwait.........

Baca Juga :
·         Hujan Duit Di Kuwait



KUWAIT CITY, Jan 26: Kuwait’s National Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed legislation to grant cash and free food to Kuwait citizens totalling over $5 billion to mark national occasions.
The grants, made last week by HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, stipulate paying 1,000 dinars ($3,580) to each Kuwaiti citizen plus free distribution of essential food items for 14 months.
The cash grant will be paid to 1.155 million Kuwaiti citizens on February 24 while distribution of food will start February 1 and last until March 31 next year.

All 53 MPs present approved the law, which does not apply to the 2.4 million foreign residents in the country.
Kuwait, with financial assets of over $300 billion, will next month mark the golden jubilee of independence, 20th anniversary of liberation from Iraqi occupation and the five years of the Amir’s ascendance to power.
Several MPs called on the government to take necessary measures to prevent merchants from exploiting the grant by raising prices which have been increasing over the past few months.

Independent MP Saleh Ashour said the prices of some food products had increased in that time by more than 35 percent.

Commerce and Industry Minister Ahmad al-Harun told the house that the ministry “will not allow merchants to exploit paying the grant to increase prices.”

Inflation in Kuwait soared to 5.9 percent in November, the highest in 20 months on the back of high food prices which rose by 12.3 percent.

The fifth-largest producer in the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Kuwait has posted budget surpluses in each of the past 11 fiscal years, totalling more than $140 billion. It is also headed for another healthy surplus this year thanks to rising oil price.

The government has made similar but smaller grants in the past.
The grant includes new-born babies provided they are born latest by Feb 1, 2011. In addition to the monetary grant, Kuwaitis will get free food supplements for 14 months. All those holding ration cards are eligible for this grant.

The Parliament has also approved some recommendations from MPs regarding the Amiri grant.
According to the recommendations the Ministry of Commerce must monitor the prices of food to prevent merchants taking advantage of the grant by increase prices of commodities...

The Kuwait Audit Bureau must ensure the Amiri grant and food ration is distributed fairly - the grant should also be paid to children of Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaitis because their children are part of this country.

The grant must be paid to every Kuwaiti who was alive when the grant was announced. This grant must be paid to their inheritors during this period...

The grant should also be given to children of martyrs whose fathers sacrificed their lives for Kuwait...
The grant should be given to every army personnel who took part in national wars in appreciation of their heroic role...

And also the non-Kuwaiti military personnel for the role they played to protect Kuwait.
The MPs have expressed their gratitude to HH the Amir for his generosity saying the grant has come at the right time when Kuwaiti families are in dire need of financial help.

However the MPs have warned the government to keep track of some unscrupulous merchants who may take advantage of the grant to hike prices of commodities.

MP Yousef Al-Zalzalah said the Amiri grant came at a right time. He said such a grant from the Amir is not new but every time a grant is given we witness a strange phenomenon - the prices of commodities shoot up and blamed the Ministry of Commerce for failing to play its role.

MP Khaled Al-Sultan lamented “We all know that this Amiri grant will be deducted from the state fund but it is unfortunate that instead of using this money for investment it is being ‘consumed’.

MP Hussein Mezyad stated this grant will not be complete unless the Commerce Ministry and the Consumer Protection Department keep a watchful eye so that the citizen may benefit from it and not the greedy traders.
MP Saleh Ashour stated the grant comes at the right time in the wake of the economic crisis and high cost of living facing the citizens of this country. He added more than 86 percent of Kuwaiti families are indebted to banks, so the grant will help them settle these debts.

On the Amiri grant MP Dr. Rola Dashti said “if our economy and infrastructure are not developed for a sustainable future, the Amiri grant will be worthless.”

She added, “We need to be happy not only in Amiri grant, but also in education, health, accommodation and development. We will spend more than a billion dinars on Amiri grant but until now the government has spent only five million dinars on development projects.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Commerce ensured the ministry will closely monitor the prices of commodities. He added, “We will never allow any manipulation in prices. We are taking legal action against price manipulators.
In other news the Parliament unanimously approved the salary raise bill for Kuwait military personnel in its first and second reading. The bill has been referred to the government. Meanwhile, the Parliament approved a recommendation to include bedoun, retirees and Gulf military personnel in the increment. Those benefiting will be the police force, Army and the National Guard.

This was followed by approval of women’s civil rights and the amendment of bill of Women Committee Law 17/1959 of Residence of Foreigners in its second reading and referred to the government.
Article (1) of the bill states the Kuwaiti woman shall have the right to obtain residence for her non-Kuwaiti husband and children on condition none of them works for a public authority in his country.
Also the non-Kuwait widow will have the right to obtain residence. The bill has been referred to the government. Article 2 states the husband and children of Kuwaiti women shall be exempted from paying residence fees.

The Parliament also unanimously elected MP Dr Aseel Al-Awadhi as member of Women’s Affairs Committee to replace MP Khalid Al-Tahous who has resigned from the committee.
The Parliament has been adjourned and will resume its activities in March 2011. During Tuesday’s session the Speaker announced that the session of February will be pushed to March. The suggestion was approved by the Parliament.

Jumat, 21 Januari 2011

Hujan Duit Di Kuwait

Bukan Sedang Ngantri JPS
(Jaring Pengaman Sosial)

Busyet....., ini negara kaya sekali.  Baru beberapa hari lalu bagi bagi duit KD 1000 (sekitar Rp 30 Juta) per orang plus Sembako untuk setahun (Baca : Bagi Bagi Duit .... I Love Kuwait), kali ini sudah akan memberi penghargaan untuk semua expatriate yang bekerja di Kuwait. Kemeriahan Independence & Liberation Day memang masih sebulan lagi (25 - 26 Feb 2011), tapi kegembiraan seluruh warga sudah terasa. Kalau seperti ini terus, tidak ada kata lain selain mendoakan semoga keluarga Amir Kuwait diberi kesehatan, keselamatan dan panjang umur. Semoga sedekah dan amal kebaikannya dapat diterima Allah dan juga saya terima secepatnya. Amin

Firms challenged

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 19: Islamist MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei requested private sector companies on Wednesday to grant all non-Kuwaitis under their employment a bonus amounting to one month’s salary on the occasion of the national and liberation day anniversaries.

The bonus should coincide with His Highness the Amir’s grant of KD 1,000 to all Kuwaiti nationals, Al-Tabtabaei said, adding that the Kuwaiti people, especially merchants and businessmen, are known for their kindness and charity locally and abroad.

“His Highness the Amir’s graciousness has greatly pleased the Kuwaiti people and, in turn, as a social duty, it is necessary for businessmen and traders to grant all non-Kuwaitis an extra one month’s salary to mark the national and liberation day and Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah’s 5th year anniversary,” he explained.

The Amiri grant is said to increase the prices of basic commodities and members of parliament have urged the Ministry of Trade and Commerce to ensure that prices remain stable and punish those who commit excesses.

Meanwhile, a grilling request against the Minister of Interior, Sheikh Jaber Al-Khaled Al-Sabah may be submitted on Sunday, according to a parliament source, who spoke to the Arab Times on the condition of anonymity.

The source said that the request will be submitted when opposition MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri returns from the UAE. Al-Muwaizri, the source added, is part of the Kuwaiti delegation of the Extraordinary Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Members.

Opposition MPs are adamant to question the Interior Minister after cases of abuse and torture within his ministry surfaced recently. The two-week parliamentary panel assigned to investigate the torture and death of Kuwaiti citizen, Mohammed Al-Mutairi, is due to complete its report and submit it to the National Assembly next Monday, so that it can be included on the agenda of Jan 25th’s parliamentary session.

NA Secretary, MP Ali Al-Rashid, said that questioning ministers without concrete evidence and ignoring the opinions of the majority, in order to overthrow the government, is a blow to the Constitution and to democracy.

Al-Rashid requested all MPs to wait for the investigative panel’s report on the issue as well as the reforms that the Interior Minister’s planning to implement. “The minister has referred all those who have committed the crime against Al-Mutairi to the prosecution and we are now waiting for him to clean the ministry of its prevalent corruption,” he said.

Furthermore, MP Dr Masouma Al-Mubarak urged the government to perform regular inspections on all projects concerning the state developmental plan. She said that the plan is worth billions; however, there are weak individuals rampant in Kuwait who are willing to break laws.

“We should put a stop to those who seek to overcome the law using the Tenders Committee and the Audit Bureau. Therefore the government should abide by all the reports issued by these protective organizations,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Health and Social Affairs Committee met with the Municipality Minister, Fadhel Al-Safar, on Wednesday to discuss the issue of spoilt food. The minister discussed his ministry’s latest seizures of rotten food and companies who are practicing commercial fraud.

Senin, 17 Januari 2011

Bagi Bagi Duit...., I Love Kuwait

Independence & Liberation Day Kuwait masih sebulan lagi (25 & 26 Feb 2011). Tetapi, dimana mana sudah terlihat kemeriahan Kuwait. Apalagi kalau bukan discount besar besaran, mulai dari toko pakaian di mall, barang barang boutique dari perancang terkenal sampai showroom mobil. Kalau cuma discount sih sudah biasa setiap tahun selalu ada. Tahun ini agak sedikit luar biasa, yaitu bagi bagi duit. Apa yang kurang ….. Maaak, Bapaaak …. !!!! ane tak mau pulang lagi ke Indonesia !!!!!!

By AFP

KUWAIT CITY - Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah on Monday ordered the distribution of $4 billion and free food for 14 months to citizens as the oil-rich emirate prepares to mark national occasions.
Each of the 1.12 million native citizens will get 1,000 dinars ($3,572) in cash as well as free essential food items until March 31, 2012, the KUNA news agency cited state minister for cabinet affairs Rudhan al-Rudhan as saying.
The Gulf state, whose financial assets top $300 billion, will next month mark the 50th anniversary of independence, 20th anniversary of liberation from Iraqi occupation and the fifth anniversary of the emir's ascendance to power.
The announcement was made following an overnight meeting of the cabinet. The 2.4 million foreign residents of Kuwait are excluded from the grant and the free food.
Inflation in Kuwait soared to 5.9 percent in November, the highest in 20 months on the back of high food prices which rose by 12.3 percent.
The fifth largest OPEC producer has posted budget surpluses in each of the past 11 fiscal years, totalling more than $140 billion, and is also headed for another healthy surplus this year thanks to rising oil price.
The government has made similar but smaller grants in the past.
The Gulf Arab state provides a cradle-to-grave welfare system to its citizens who receive most public services and petrol at heavily subsidised prices and pay no income tax.
Some 80 percent of Kuwait's 360,000-strong national workforce are employed in government jobs, where the average monthly wage is more than $3,500.


Baca Juga :


Jumat, 14 Januari 2011

Chicken 69

Kalau ditanya, apa makanan Khas Kuwait terus terang saya akan kesulitan menjawab. Semua makanan Kuwait yang saya jumpai di restoran restoran di seluruh pelosok Kuwait dengan mudah juga bisa kita temukan di restoran negara negara Arab sekitarnya. Sebut saja Kebab, Shish Tawook, Tikka atau yang lainnya semuanya ada di restoran restoran Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Saudi, Lebanon, Syria bahkan Turki. Tetapi, restoran yang paling banyak dan laris manis umumnya adalah Indian Restaurant yang sudah tidak murni masakan India tetapi sudah berasimilasi dengan masakan Arab. Restoran semacam ini daftar menunya banyak sekali sampai ratusan karena semua masakan India, Arab dan China bisa kita pesan. Dan saking banyaknya makanan,maka nama nama masakan yang ditampilkan dalam menu sering asal asalan dan seperti nama yang tiba tiba muncul karena sudah kehabisan akal dan ide.


Sebut saja Chicken 69. Kalau anda mengunjungi Indian Restaurant seperti ini, jangan lupa menu andalan Chicken 69 ini karena benar benar belum pernah saya jumpai dimanapun juga. Nggak usah tanya kenapa namanya Chicken 69, anda akan tersipu sipu malu kalau mendengar riwayatnya. Inilah dia Ayam Panggang paling sexy didunia, disajikan panas dengan posisi menantang diatas piring dengan aroma yang merangsang selera. Ayam dipanggang dalam alat panggang yang disebut Tandoori dengan bumbu bumbu khusus perpaduan antara bumbu India dan Arab dan beraroma khas berselera. Begitu disajikan didepan kita, beribu ribu imajinasi langsung muncul mengalahkan bau harum ayam panggang di meja. Ayam utuh disajikan dengan posisi menantang didepan mata dan rasa deg degan luar biasa benar benar sangat terasa saat menyentuh paha ayam yang masih tertangkup rapat atau mengangkang dengan sayap keatas tanda pasrah bulat bulat. Mas Ardi kalau makan selalu berkomentar, ‘Bismillah, rapet seperti kamu ya dik waktu pengantin baru dulu.

Kamis, 06 Januari 2011

Pindah Sekolah Amerika, British, Pakistan, India, Philipina Atau Arab

Indah - American International School Concert 29 Nov 2010

Mencari sekolah buat anak anak seringkali cukup memusingkan. Di Kuwait, tidak ada sekolah Indonesia, yang ada adalah sekolah Amerika, British, India, Pakistan, Philipina, Arab dan sekolah lain dari negara tertentu. System pendidikan dan jenjang kelas masing masing sekolah diatas sudah jelas berbeda. Lebih celaka lagi kalau staff sekolah yang kita tuju tidak tahu sama sekali dengan system pendidikan Indonesia. Yang paling parah adalah kalau staff sekolah dan orang tua yang mau mendaftarkan anak semuanya tidak tahu. Yang terjadi adalah tawar menawar, kalau anak kita kelas 6 SD pihak sekolah cenderung menawar agar dimasukkan ke kelas 5 (downgrade) dengan alasan perlu transisi setahun agar bahasa Inggris si anak bagus.


Indah - Lead Singer AIS
Orang tua yang 'tidak tahu' juga tidak mau kalah, dengan berbagai alasan minta sianak diupgrade ke kelas diatasnya. Test masuk sekolah bukan menjadi kendala utama karena yang ditest cuma bahasa Inggris dan Matematika untuk memindahkan anak di sekolah sekolah di Kuwait. Hasil test bahasa Inggris jelek bisa minta dimaklumi karena baru datang dan kalau matematika yang jelek bisa debat kusir bahwa anak kita bakatnya bukan di eksakta tapi art, sosial, humanities atau lingkungan hidup. Tergantung dari kita saja saat berjuang mendaftarkan anak sekolah. Yang celaka kalau di Indonesia kelas 6 SD dan didaftarkan di British School atau Pakistan School kelas 6 juga. Rasanya nggak ada yang salah tetapi sebenarnya downgrade 1 tingkat. Lihat tabel konversi kelas pada sekolah sekolah dibawah.


Indah - AIS Concert 2010
Tabel tabel dibawah bisa anda gunakan sebagai acuan sebelum anda berdebat di sekolah saat mendaftarkan anak dan bisa juga anda gunakan sebagai acuan agar anak anda tidak turun kelas hanya karena 'kalah' debat menghadapi staff sekolah yang tidak memiliki pengetahuan luas tentang system pendidikan dari negara lain. Manfaatkan sebaik baiknya kebodohan orang lain untuk kebaikan anak anda, percayalah hanya di Kuwait ini anak anda bisa loncat kelas atau malah turun kelas hanya karena menang atau kalah debat soal system pendidikan negara kita.
Semoga bermanfaat, dan lain kali saya jelaskan sedikit tentang pengalaman saya menyekolahkan anak di Australia, UK dan Singapore.

Dari Sekolah Indonesia Ke American School
Tidak ada masalah, kelas 6 SD di Indonesia akan dihargai sama dengan kelas 6 Middle School di American School
.
AGE
INDONESIAN SCHOOL
AMERICAN SCHOOL

Name
KELAS
Name
US GRADE
17-18
SMU
3 (12) - UN
High School
12
16-17
SMU
2 (11)
High School
11
15-16
SMU
1 (10)
High School
10
14-15
SMP
3 (9)
High School
9
13-14
SMP
2 (8)
Middle School
8
12-13
SMP
1 (7)
Middle School
7
11-12
SD
6
Middle School
6
10-11
SD
5
Elementary
5
9-10
SD
4
Elementary
4
8-9
SD
3
Elementary
3
7-8
SD
2
Elementary
2
6-7
SD
1
Elementary
1
5-6
TK Besar
0
KG
0
4-5
TK Kecil
o
Pre-K

3-4
Play Grp

Head Start

Dari Sekolah Indonesia Ke British School
Awas, Kelas 6 SD di Indonesia sama dengan kelas 7 di British School (England & Wales). Seandainya tidak ingin melanjutkan A Level, murid bisa berhenti di O Level saja. Lulus O Level bisa langsung masuk College (Foundation – Certificate IV setahun). Lulus Certificate IV bisa memilih masuk Diploma atau University
.
AGE
INDONESIAN SCHOOL
BRITISH SCHOOL

Name
KELAS
Name
BSA YEAR GROUP
17-18
SMU
3 (12) - UN
A Level
13 (IGCSE)
16-17
SMU
2 (11)
A Level
12 (IGCSE)
15-16
SMU
1 (10)
O Level
11 (IGCSE)
14-15
SMP
3 (9)
Secondary School
10 (IGCSE)
13-14
SMP
2 (8)
Secondary School
9
12-13
SMP
1 (7)
Secondary School
8
11-12
SD
6
Secondary School
7
10-11
SD
5
Primary
6
9-10
SD
4
Primary
5
8-9
SD
3
Primary
4
7-8
SD
2
Primary
3
6-7
SD
1
Primary
2
5-6
TK Besar
0
Primary
1
4-5
TK Kecil
o
Reception

3-4
Play Grp

Nursery

Dari Sekolah Indonesia Ke Pakistan School
Awas, Kelas 6 SD di Indonesia akan sama dengan kelas 7 di Pakistan School. Pemerintah Pakistan 100 % memakai British System (England & Wales).
.
AGE
INDONESIAN SCHOOL
PAKISTAN SCHOOL

Name
KELAS
Name
YEAR GROUP
17-18
SMU
3 (12) - UN
High Secondary School
13
16-17
SMU
2 (11)
High Secondary School
12
15-16
SMU
1 (10)
High Secondary School
11
14-15
SMP
3 (9)
Secondary School
10
13-14
SMP
2 (8)
Secondary School
9
12-13
SMP
1 (7)
Elementary
8
11-12
SD
6
Elementary
7
10-11
SD
5
Elementary
6
9-10
SD
4
Elementary
5
8-9
SD
3
Elementary
4
7-8
SD
2
Elementary
3
6-7
SD
1
Elementary
2
5-6
TK Besar
0
Elementary
1
4-5
TK Kecil
o
Upper Kindergarten
UKG
3-4
Play Grp

Lower Kindergarten
LKG
Dari Sekolah Indonesia Ke Philipine School
Awas, Sekolah berhenti sampai Fourth Year (setara dengan kelas 1 SMU. Anda akan sibuk memindahkan sekolah di Kuwait kalau tidak punya rencana menyekolahkan anak di College Philipine. Fourth Year memang setara dengan O Level di British School, tetapi umumnya College/University dimanapun mensyaratkan IGCSE certificate kalau murid putus di O Level.
.
AGE
INDONESIAN SCHOOL
PHILIPINE SCHOOL

Name
KELAS
Name
YEAR GROUP
17-18
SMU
3 (12) - UN
16-17
SMU
2 (11)
College
Tidak Ada Di Kuwait
15-16
SMU
1 (10)
High School
Fourth Year
14-15
SMP
3 (9)
High School
Third Year
13-14
SMP
2 (8)
High School
Second Year
12-13
SMP
1 (7)
High School
First Year
11-12
SD
6
Elementary
6
10-11
SD
5
Elementary
5
9-10
SD
4
Elementary
4
8-9
SD
3
Elementary
3
7-8
SD
2
Elementary
2
6-7
SD
1
Elementary
1
5-6
TK Besar
0
Preparatory
0
4-5
TK Kecil
o
KG

3-4
Play Grp

Nursery

Dari Sekolah Indonesia Ke Arabic School
Tidak ada masalah, cuma umumnya bahasa pengantar utamanya adalah Arab dan beberapa sekolah saja yang bi-lingual.
.
AGE
INDONESIAN SCHOOL
ARABIC SCHOOL

Name
KELAS
Name
YEAR GROUP
17-18
SMU
3 (12) - UN
Tsanawiya
3 (12)
16-17
SMU
2 (11)
Tsanawiya
2 (11)
15-16
SMU
1 (10)
Tsanawiya
1 (10)
14-15
SMP
3 (9)
Etateya
3 (9)
13-14
SMP
2 (8)
Etateya
2 (8)
12-13
SMP
1 (7)
Etateya
1 (7)
11-12
SD
6
Ibtidaiya
6
10-11
SD
5
Ibtidaiya
5
9-10
SD
4
Ibtidaiya
4
8-9
SD
3
Ibtidaiya
3
7-8
SD
2
Ibtidaiya
2
6-7
SD
1
Ibtidaiya
1
5-6
TK Besar
0
Hadana 2
KG 2
4-5
TK Kecil
o
Hadana 1
KG 1
3-4
Play Grp



Dari Sekolah Indonesia Ke Indian  School
Awas, Sekolah India banyak variasinya, tetapi karena termasuk negara Commonwealth sudah tentu lebih banyak yang mengacu ke British System (England & Wales). Setiap State di India mempunyai Education Board sendiri sendiri dan independent dalam menentukan system pendidikannya. Yang paling beken adalah CBSE (Central Board Of Secondary Education), CISCE (Council Of The Indian School Certificate Examination) atau NIOS (National Institute Of Open Schooling). System dari state yang lain sangat banyak. Ada state yang memakai standard seperti Philipine, High School adalah kelas 7 sampai 10. Tetapi state yang lain menamakan grade 6,7,8,9 dan 10 sebagai Secondary School dan grade 11 dan 12 sebagai Senior Secondary School. Semua tergantung dari education board msing masing. Dibawah ini contoh yang mirip Indonesia. Awas, ada yang British System !
.
AGE
INDONESIAN SCHOOL
INDIAN SCHOOL *

Name
KELAS
Name
YEAR GROUP
17-18
SMU
3 (12) - UN
Higher School
12 (CBSE)
16-17
SMU
2 (11)
Higher School
11
15-16
SMU
1 (10)
Middle School
10
14-15
SMP
3 (9)
Middle School
9
13-14
SMP
2 (8)
Middle School
8
12-13
SMP
1 (7)
Middle School
7
11-12
SD
6
Middle School
6
10-11
SD
5
Elementary
5
9-10
SD
4
Elementary
4
8-9
SD
3
Elementary
3
7-8
SD
2
Elementary
2
6-7
SD
1
Elementary
1
5-6
TK Besar
0
Upper Kindergarten
UKG
4-5
TK Kecil
o
Lower Kindergarten
LKG
3-4
Play Grp

Nursery