Arisan, Batagor, and Father's Confessions

Tangerang, 27 April 2025 - Sunday afternoons are usually a quiet time in my house. But last weekend, there was an unexpected incident that made the atmosphere a little tense—because of batagor and an unfulfilled hope.

That afternoon, my parents went to a social gathering with their friends. I was left alone at home to look after the house. Nothing strange happened—until hunger started to come in the evening.

Because there was no heavy food at home, I started to have high hopes: maybe, when they came home, my parents would bring delicious food. Padang rice, grilled chicken, or anything that could fill my stomach. But unfortunately, all they brought was a pack of batagor and cake from the social gathering. There was no heavy food like I had imagined.

With a little disappointment, I asked, “Why didn’t you buy some food, Dad?” From there our conversation became serious.

“Your mother never wants to be taken out to eat,” said my father, this time in a cold tone. He continued his complaints that had always been the same about how his mother always refused to eat out with various reasons, from thinking about the children at home, to feeling too old to eat at restaurants.

That small incident that night was the culmination of something that had been held back all this time. Father felt disappointed because his desire to just eat out with his wife was always met with rejection.

For me, this was a moment of reflection: it turns out, simple things like eating out can be important in a husband and wife relationship.

Who would have thought, from the hope of Padang rice, I actually witnessed how communication and small attentions can have a big impact on a family. Maybe, next week, I will invite Mother and Father to eat out—so there will be no more batagor wars at home.

Satire Style? Dynamics Freedom of Expression with Broadcasting Ethics

 Valentinus Resa, a Metro TV announcer, has recently become the focus of Indonesian news due to his humorous and sarcastic style of reporting that has managed to attract public attention. However, some parties disagree with this method. Perisai Fakta Nasional, a community organization, sent a warning letter to Metro TV requesting that Valentinus be removed from the program. They argued that Valentinus' way of conveying information was not in accordance with journalistic standards and could mislead the public.

Valentinus Resa is a relaxed and humorous news announcer. To illustrate, he stated, "In this country, the ones who rise in rank the fastest are not ordinary people but the mayor... the majority of basic food prices" when delivering news about the inauguration of ASN which was postponed until October 2025. This style of delivery was considered refreshing by some viewers, but also drew criticism from others because it was considered to violate convention.

The warning letter issued by the Perisai Fakta Nasional mass organization shows that some people disagree with the way satire is used in the serious news industry. They argue that the media should follow moral standards and avoid misinterpretation. However, many netizens defended Valentinus on the grounds that his previous broadcasts were too rigid and did not pay attention to the feelings of the public.

A dilemma between two important things arises in this situation: freedom of expression, which is protected by democracy, and broadcasting ethics, which are important to prevent media abuse. The main question is to what extent can freedom of speech be used in the mass media? Can a presenter use any style during his message delivery? Are there boundaries that must not be crossed?

This case provides an important lesson that the delivery of information in the digital era is not only judged by the content, but also by the way it is delivered. Innovation in speaking style or broadcast format can indeed make news more lively and easier to accept, but it must still be done responsibly. At the same time, the public also needs to be more careful in assessing—that the presentation style does not always reflect the quality or truth of the content.

Ultimately, the mass media has an important role as a conduit for public information. Creativity in delivery is natural and even needed, but ethics and professionalism must still be upheld. This dynamic shows that in a democracy, the space for expression is wide open, but it must still be balanced with moral and social responsibility.