For Easier Reading: April 2009

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Every now and then, we bid farewell a year to welcome another. But what does it mean that a year passes away and another comes forth?
It is the evolution of time. But what is time? It is the fourth dynamic dimension of things. Any object must necessarily have three dimensions- length, breadth, and height. If such an object starts to move, time becomes a fourth dimension for it. Physicists go even further to say that if an object moves at the speed of light, time stops for it, and its mass becomes infinite. If, however, such an object exceeds the velocity of light, time moves back. If its speed becomes less than that of light, time is delayed. Allah, All high, says, “And the Sun-it turns to a fixed resting-place, that is the ordaining of the All-mighty, All-knowing.”(XXXVI; 38) The sun’s movement makes the days, months, years, as well as the day and night.

Now, the question is: where does the notion of time stand in the Islamic conception of the universe, life, and man? Where does it exist in the Holy Koran and Sunna? What is the relationship between time and man, the supreme and honored creature? Is it possible for such a relationship to be that of congruence? In other words, is it possible to say, “Man is virtually nothing but time?”

Contemplation on the creation of the heavens and earth inevitably leads to the crystal clear fact that the universe must necessarily have a Great Creator, a Merciful Lord, and a Wise Governor. It has been rightly said, “Footprints indicate movement as much as water denotes the existence of a spring. How come then that the heavens with constellations and earth with mountains and valleys do not bespeak the existence of Allah, the All-wise, the All-knowing”.

Such a Creator is All-Great in His creation, All-Perfect in His acts. His Being Perfect necessitates the fact that it is impossible that He neglects His servants and leaves them with no guidance, no enlightenment, no Divine law, no command, no interdiction, no excuse, no warning, no promise or threat. That is why He, All high, sent forth His Prophets and Messengers with warnings and good tidings and sent down with them His Books with the Truth, so that He judges between the people touching their differences. Such Divine Books are meant to acquaint people with their Creator and Lord and to define the reality of the present life and man’s role therein.

The Holy Koran shows beyond a shadow of doubt that man has been created for Paradise, as wide as the heavens and earth, beneath which there flow rivers, whose produce and shade are eternal, and therein believers shall be granted whatsoever they will and shall dwell forever. That is the great success.

Allah, All-wise, ordained that the eternal life in the Hereafter must necessarily be properly prepared for in the present world where man is supposed to purify his own original Self. And since such purification is the price of Paradise, man has been equipped with all the necessary abilities and elements that insure the attainment of such purification, namely a magnificent universe created for his guidance and honor, a highly intelligent mind whereby he acquires knowledge and is held responsible for the duties assigned for him, a pure human nature that warns him of his errors and deviations, an instinct whereby he goes up in rank (with Allah) either thankful or patient, a free will by which his deeds are evaluated, a power that seemingly brings such a free will into action, and a Divine Law that guides him onto the right way - all on an earthly stage and in a definite length of time, namely man’s lifetime, his only capital in this present life. Such equipment, if used properly, is sure to lead man to Paradise. To this effect Allah, All-high, says, “Surely the god-fearing shall be among gardens and fountains taking whatsoever their Lord has given them; they were good-doers before that. Little of the night would they slumber, and in the early mornings they would ask for forgiveness; and the beggar and the outcast had a share in their wealth.” [LI; 15-19], and “Then as for him who is given his book in his right hand, he shall say, ‘Here, take and read my book! Certainly I thought that I should encounter my reckoning’. So he shall be in a pleasing life in a lofty garden, its clusters nigh to gather. ‘Eat and drink with wholesome appetite for that you did long ago, in the days gone by’.” [LXIX; 19-27]

Investigation shows that the concept of time occupies a prominent place in Islamic ideology, which makes clear that time is the most important dimension of man’s life. It is his sole capital and the vessel that contains his righteous deeds that Allah has set as price for Paradise. Allah, All-high, says, “By the afternoon! Surely Man is in the way of loss, save those who believe, and do righteous deeds, and counsel each other unto the truth, and counsel each other to be steadfast.” The word “afternoon” here refers to Time, which has been created by Allah. He, All high, swears by time in order to affirm its importance and highlight the fact that man is nothing but time. Man is but a few days; whenever a day passes away, he loses some of his being. Therefore, time is the most valuable thing in man’s life. Nothing else can ever be so valuable. It has been rightly said, “What has been has been, what you hope for is of the unseen, and you only possess the hour you are in”.
The apodosis of the oath “By the afternoon!” comes to confirm, “Surely Man is in the way of loss”. The word “Man” in this verse means all human beings. But the question is: “how and why does Man lose?”
As above-mentioned, man is nothing but a few days. Hence, time is the most valuable thing in man’s life; it is his real capital. Is there a greater loss than losing one’s only capital? In other words, the constant movement of time will undoubtedly drive man to his inevitable end, death. Does not this movement of time consume man’s life? Hence comes the notion of “loss” as mentioned in the above-verses.

Allah, All-Wise, has ordained that death is an inevitable end for every living thing. Every living creature will inevitably die, and there will remain nothing save Allah, the All-Mighty, the Ever-Lasting. In other words, when movement of time consumes man’s life, he loses his only capital, and hence he is sure to be a loser. To the same effect, the Koranic verses go, “Say, ‘Surely the losers are those who lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection’ ” [XXXIX; 15], and “say, ‘shall we tell you who will be the greatest losers in the works? Those whose striving goes astray in the present life, while they think that they are working good deeds’.”[XVIII; 103, 104].

Real “loss” for man is to spend his lifetime, his only capital, on things he has not been created for. Abou Sa’eed Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, once quoted the Messenger of Allah as saying, “O People, life is no good save for a wise scholar endowed with reason, or a heeding listener. O people, verily you are now in a time of truce, but the march with you is verily fast, and you see that the day and night wear out every new thing, and bring forth every promised thing.” Al-Mickdad said, “O Messenger of Allah what is “truce”?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “An abode of trial and discontinuity; [so] if things get confused to you, like the dark watches of the night, stick to the Koran, for it is an approved intercessor and a credible witness, whosoever places it before him, it is sure to guide him to Paradise; and whosoever places it behind his back, it is sure to guide him to the Fire. It is the best guide to the best way; whosoever speaks by it says the truth; and whosoever abides by it will be surely rewarded; and whosoever judges by it is sure to be just.”

Not only does man need to avoid such a great loss, but also to achieve an abounding win provided that he spends his lifetime on the things he has been created for, such as knowing Allah, abiding by His laws, calling unto Him and enduring hardships for His sake. Allah, All-high, says, “By the afternoon! Surely Man is in the way of loss, save those who believe, and do righteous deeds, and counsel each other unto the truth, and counsel each other to be steadfast.” [CIII; 1-2]

To believe in Allah means to seek to know Him by virtue of His Signs, cosmic as well as Koranic, to believe in all that He revealed to His Messenger of both recited and non-recited Revelation and then to establish firm links with Him. This is the basis for a clear view of the ultimate truth, human perfection and spiritual bliss. Once based on proper knowledge, faith becomes the basis for all kinds of virtue, the shield against all types of vice, the stamina for good human conscience, the support for good will in times of hardship, the essence for endurance in case of disaster, the pillar for content with one’s lot and the ray of hope in one’s heart.

Righteous work is the natural fruit of belief, for belief is a dynamic positive thing. No sooner is it deeply rooted in man’s soul than it seeks to manifest itself in the form of righteous work. Should belief not bring forth movement and action, it is false and even void. This is because true belief is by no means introversion, passiveness or seclusion, neither is it mere impractical intentions, no matter how good such intentions might be.

Counsel unto the Truth is a must, simply because belief in the Truth and strife in its way is not at all easy, due to a great many difficulties and troubles on the way.

Counsel unto the Truth is a very important social duty as it leads to supremacy of Truth over Vanity. In the sight of Islam, no Muslim is too little to give counsel; none is too impeccable to accept it. However, common counsel unto steadfastness and endurance is by no means less important for protecting the Truth and safeguarding it from weakness and recession.

The Holy Koran comprises minute and delicate references to the great importance of time in man’s life. It encourages man to make the most of his lifetime and warns him of the danger of procrastination and heedlessness. Such Koranic terms as “hasten” and “hurry” do confirm this meaning. Allah, All high, says, “Every man has his direction to which he turns; so be you forward in good works. Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you all together.” [II; 148]
The above verse refers to the fact that the direction that every man takes, (whether right or wrong) his stances (honorable or dishonorable), and his deeds (righteous or iniquitous) are all the fruit of his own choice, and that he will inevitably be questioned, and recompensed, for his deeds. In confirmation of this, Allah, All high, says, “Now by your Lord, We shall surely question them all together concerning that they were doing.” [IV; 92-93]
Such freedom of behavior is the basis that gives meaning and value to man’s works and the essence of his happiness in the present life and the life to come. Such freedom is a non-recurring opportunity, for it is life-dependent and ends up with man’s death. That is why Allah, All-high, asserts: “be you forward in good works” and “wherever you may be, Allah will bring you all together.”

However, some of the most important qualities of Time are:
*It passes away rapidly whether in weal or woe, even though bad days seem to be slower than good ones. In other words, so long as death is an inevitable end for every living thing, life is too short, no matter how long it might tarry. Upon death, years and decades turn out to be seconds and instants. To this effect, the Holy Koran goes, “And on the day He shall muster them, as if they had not tarried but an hour of the day, mutually recognizing one another.” [X; 45]
*Another property of time is that once it passes away, it can never be reclaimed. Therefore, it is the most valuable thing man can ever possess. More importantly, it is the vessel that contains all man’s deeds and works from the cradle to the grave. Al-Hassan Al-Basri says, “Each new-born day calls out, ‘O son of Adam! I am a new creation and a witness of your work! Make the most of me, for I shall never return until the Resurrection Day’ ”. He also said, “O son of Adam! You are but a few days. Each day leaves away with one part of you!”
However, it should be noticed that those who fail to realize the great value of time will inevitably find out such value, but only after it is too late. To affirm this, the Holy Koran mentions two exemplary situations where man most sorrowfully regrets, when it is too late, the time he has wasted. The first situation is when man is dying and leaving away this present world for the Hereafter. He wishes he were granted a respite so as to remedy his wrong deeds and put things right. The Holy Koran goes, “O believers, let not your possessions neither your children divert you from remembering Allah; and whoso does that, they are the losers. And expend of what We have provided you before that death comes upon one of you and he says, ‘O my Lord, if only Thou wouldst defer me unto a near term, so that I may make freewill offering, and so I may become one of the righteous.’ But Allah will never defer any soul when its term has come. And Allah is aware of the things you do.” [LXIII; 9-10] The answer to such a void request for deferring comes decisively and conclusively from Allah, “But Allah will never defer any soul when its term has come. And Allah is aware of the things you do.” [LXIII; 11]

The second situation is in the Hereafter, when everyone is recompensed for what they have done and repaid for what they have earned, and when good people are allowed into Paradise and bad ones are forced into the Fire. People of the Fire vainly wish they could go back to the abode of labor haply they do righteous works. In confirmation of this, Allah, All-high, says, “As for the unbelievers, theirs shall be the fire of Hell; they shall neither be done with and die, nor shall its chastisement be lightened for them. Even so we recompense every ungrateful one. Therein they shall shout, ‘Our Lord, bring us forth, and we will do righteousness, other than what we have done.’ ‘What! Did We not give you long life enough to remember in, for him who would remember? To you the Warner came; so taste you now! The evildoers shall have no helper.’” [XXXV; 36-37]

The Holy Koran strongly warns of heedlessness. Allah, All high, says, “We have created for Hell many jinn and men; they have hearts, but understand not with them; they have eyes, but perceive not with them; they have ears, but hear not with them. They are like cattle; nay, rather they are further astray. Those are the heedless.” [VII; 179]

Another tragic flaw is postponement. Al-Hassan Al-Basri, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “Beware of postponement, because you live and work today, but perhaps not tomorrow. If tomorrow ever becomes yours, be then as you are today; if it is not yours, you shall not regret what you have neglected today.” Another venerable scholar was one day asked, “Counsel us!” He replied, “Beware of ‘WILL’! It is one of the soldiers of Iblis (Satan).
Get yourself equipped with piety, for you know not,
When night befalls, whether you shall stay alive till dawn.
Too many a healthy die with no illness;
Too many an ailing live a long span of time,
Too many a youth spend their lifetime heedlessly,
Yet their shrouds have been woven, but they know not.

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) says, “Avail yourself of five (things) before five: your life before your death, your health before your illness; your leisure before your, involvement in work, your youth before your old age, and your riches before your poverty.”

Most people invoke long life for the people they love or those who do them favors! But is man’s life really prolonged or shortened? Furthermore, if life is to be made longer, what makes it longer?
Every man is naturally disposed to seek a happy, safe, long, perfect life. Allah, All-high, says, “The one of them wishes if he might be spared alive a thousand years” [II; 96].
Religion itself considers long life as a Favor from Allah, particularly if such lifetime is spent righteously. The messenger of Allah (PBUH) was one day asked, “ Who are the best of all men?” He replied, “ He whose life is spared long and whose work is good”. Yet death quite often comes all of a sudden to spoil the pleasures of human life, stealing people in the prime of youth, brides on their wedding days, caressed only children from the hands of loving parents, happy men from their happiness, powerful men from amongst their guards and servants! That is why death has always been given such dreadful names as “defeater of enjoyments”, “divider of lovers”, and “disperser of companions”. The Prophetic Hadith goes to this effect, “Live as long as you wish, you shall (inevitably) die; love whomsoever you wish, you shall (inevitably) part; and do whatsoever you wish, you shall (inevitably) be recompensed for.”

Neither medical nor any other science, no matter how advanced or developed, has ever been able to prevent senility or bring an old man back to youth. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) says,“ Allah never sends down a disease unless He sends down a cure for it, except the Sam [i.e. death].”

If man’s life is so short, how can it be made longer? Is that at all possible?
In essence, man’s life is not the number of years he lives but rather the bulk of good deeds he does during his lifetime. The periodic aspect of man’s life is the most trivial of all. Ata’-ullah Assakandari, says, “Many a long life are void of good work; and many a short life are abundant with good work. He whose life is blessed achieves in a short time innumerable favors”.
Therefore, it has been rightly said, “It is not a blessed day that in which I am not increased in knowledge of Allah; and it is not a blessed day that in which I do not get nearer to Allah”.

However, man can make his life-span vaster so long as he serves Allah and does good things to His creatures. The more faithful and better done the work is, the better Allah recompenses it. The wider the range of good work is, the greater the number of the people served. The longer it lasts, the deeper it goes into the various aspects of human life, and the higher it goes up with human standards, the greater it is in the sight of Allah.

The best exemplar in this context is the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), who took humanity from the shadows to the light, and from lowness of ignorance to loftiness of utmost human honor and dignity. He changed the whole human history over a period of only 23 years. During that short time he was able to introduce to the world a new religion, a unique Islamic generation, an ideal Islamic nation, and a strong Islamic state despite all the difficulties he met.

The more the obstacles and distractions and the fewer the supporters and helpers are, the more heavily righteous work weighs and the greater value and esteem it gains, and the better reward it deserves with Allah. The more corrupt the communities are, the worse the conditions are, the more tyrannical and unfair the rulers and men in power are, the more sumptuous the rich are, the more unctuous the scholars are, the more monstrosity prevails, the more evil spreads out and good disappears, the more heavily righteous work weighs and the more it increases in value with Allah. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) reports his Lord as saying, “Worship at times of turmoil is like emigration unto Me.”

Man therefore, can prolong his life if he knows well how to spend his lifetime in such a way as to preserve for himself a good name and righteous works that remain long after his death. Even after he has passed away, he remains alive in the memories of his fellowmen through the good deeds and the noble message he offers to the world. To this effect, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) says, “When a son of Adam’s dies, his work ceases save three things: a running charity, beneficial knowledge or righteous offspring that invokes good for him”. In another Hadith he adds, “Of man’s work and good deeds, there remains after his death, knowledge that he has taught and caused to spread, righteous offspring he has left behind, a copy of the Holy Koran he has bequeathed, a mosque or a domicile for travelers he has built, a river he has caused to run, or a charity he has given out of his own property when healthy and alive.” Imam Muslim, the well-known scholar of Hadith, narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) also said, “Whosoever initiates in Islam a good norm, he shall have its recompense as well as the recompense of those who act thereby after him until the Resurrection Day, yet they lose none of their recompenses.”

Damned are those who pass away leaving evil deeds behind; and blessed are those who pass away leaving good deeds that bring people happiness and guidance!

Imam Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, says, “Nothing is more evil than the Evil itself except punishment [i.e. on the Judgment Day]; nothing is better than the Good itself except reward [on the Judgment Day]. Everything in the present world is better heard of than seen; and everything in the Hereafter is better seen than heard of. So [in this present world] let hearing suffice you from seeing; and let the news suffice you from the unseen; and let you know that what is missed from the present world yet gained in the world to come is better than what is missed from the world to come but gained in the present world. Many a loser (in the present world) are winners (in the world to come); and many a winner (in the present world) are losers (in the world to come). Let you know that what you have been ordained is vaster than what you have been forbidden; and what has been made lawful for you is far more than what has been made unlawful. So leave you the less for the more, and the narrow for the vast. The means for sustenance has been guaranteed for you; and good work has been ordained on you. So let not the quest for what has been guaranteed for you be more important to you than the quest for what has been ordained on you. Hasten you to work and beware of the suddenness of death.”

SOURCE: NABULSI

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TUJUAN ANALISIS RESIKO

Tujuan utama analisis resiko menurut Statec Incorporation [5] adalah untuk mengidentifikasi secara jelas macam-macam faktor resiko dan bagaimana cara mengelolanya.

langkah pertama adalah memulai proses perkiraan resiko. efektif atau tidaknya sebuah perkiraan resiko tergantung pada kejelasan tujuan dan sekup, dan kepastian dari bagian bagian yang termasuk dalam proses tersebut. langkah berikutnya adalah mengembangkan evaluasi berdasarkan kriteria-kriteria yang didapat dari para anggota sekaligus komentarkomentarnya, tentunya dalam hal ini kita perlu mengeliminasi subjektivitas. selain itu, langkah ini pun harus menyediakan sebuah mekanisme identifikasi, pengukuran resiko, pengurangan resiko yang kesemua itu saling independent. langkah terakhir adalah mengembangkan dan memelihara rencana manajemen resiko itu sendiri.

PROSES ANALISIS RESIKO
Resiko dapat digambarkan sebagai isu atau kejadian yang berpotensi mempengaruhi kelangsungan proyek. Ini penting ketika sebenarnya proses identifikasi resiko dapat memberikan hasil yang bukan terbatas pada kerugian materi atau kerugian seseorang saja.
Satu hal yang harus diperhatikan harus ada pengamatan mendalam pada even yang bisa saja berbahaya bagi kesuksesan dan penyebaran proyek. Walaupun nampaknya tidak mungkin untuk mengeliminasi semua resiko yang ada, proses analisis resiko seharusnya memuat proses identifikasi, pengukuran, dan pengurangan resiko. Kunci utama dalam elemen proses analisis resiko terdiri dari : persiapan resiko, perkiraan resiko, pengurangan resiko, dan manajemen resiko [5].

Analisi resiko bisa dilakukan pada segala bidang, misalnya peternakan, kedokteran, kontraktor, pertanian, bisnis, dan lain sebagainya. Khusus untuk bidang pertanian, departemen Pertanian USA [1] menjelaskan analisis resiko yang dapat dihadapi dalam bidang pertanian :

- Resiko harga
Karena harga pertanian secara umum dibedakan dalam pasar global, perubahan yang tidak diantisipasi dalam permintaan global atau persediaan dari sebuah komoditi dapat menjadi pemicu perubahan yang tidak diperkirakan oleh petani tentang produk
mereka.
- Resiko produksi
Biasanya diasosiasikan dengan ketidakmampuan untuk menanam atau memanen area sawah atau perubahan dalam hasil panen atau produksi binatang karena variable lingkungan seperti misalnya karena cuaca, hama, atau penyakit.
- Resiko pendapatan
Dapat disebabkan oleh perubahan yang tidak diharapkan dalam produksi atau harga yang diterima oleh produsen maupun dengan mengayun harga produsen membayar untuk input, seperti bahan bakar, pupuk, listrik.
- Resiko financial
Aliran tunai keuangan pertanian dan harga bersih dapat secara serius dipengaruhi oleh akses terhadap dan harga hutang dan oleh nilai modal, yang mana semuanya dapat dipengaruhi oleh perubahan tingkat bunga dan factor-faktor lainnya, kemudian
menciptakan resiko financial.
- Resiko institusional
Pemerintah propinsi dan federal dapat mengubah hokum atau menyatakan peraturan produsen, seperti hokum lingkungan dan pajak atau perubahan dalam program komoditi pertanian, menciptakan resiko institusional..

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Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Apakah ada Asuranci Cuaca??

Jepang memperkenalkan suatu jenis asuransi baru berupa asuransi cuaca. Jenis asuransi ini untuk mengantisipasi terjadinya penurunan keuntungan yang disebabkan oleh musim panas yang bercuaca sejuk (cool summer).
Target penjualan asuransi jenis ini adalah perusahaan kecil yang bergerak dibidang pelayanan/jasa seperti : penyewaan tempat tinggal (pondokan) yang digunakan para turis yang berlibur ditepi pantai, pengelola restauran, kolam renang, industri es krim, dan pengusaha kecil lainnya yang penjualannya dipusatkan pada musim panas.
Asuransi yang diberi nama "Summer Greeting" ini dijual pada periode antara 15 Juli hingga 31 Juli.
Periode penutupan ditentukan hanya pada bulan Agustus. Bulan Agustus dipilih karena telah dipelajari bahwa hari musim panas rata-rata berada pada bulan Agustus.
Cara kerjanya sebagai berikut: Jumlah hari pada musim panas pada bulan Agustus ditentukan hanya selama 10 hari. Hari di musim panas didefinisikan sebagai suatu hari yang suhunya lebih dari 300C. Bila hari-hari di musim panas berjumlah kurang dari 10, maka asuradur mengganti kerugian sesuai dengan defisit karena sedikitnya jumlah hari musim panas.
Sebagai contoh, misalnya ganti kerugian ditentukan $5,000 per hari, jika jumlah hari musim panas di bulan Agustus adalah 6, maka jumlah ganti kerugian adalah sebesar $ 20,000 sebagai kompensasi kekurangan 4 hari musim panas.
Permohonan penutupan risiko harus sudah diselesaikan sebelum memasuki periode asuransi di bulan Agustus. Penentuan sum insured bebas, namun limit dari keseluruhan ganti rugi ditentukan maksimal sebesar selisih keuntungan yang ditanggung pada bulan Agustus tahun berjalan dengan keuntungan pada bulan Agustus tahun sebelumnya. Sementara itu telah dirancang pula beberapa jenis asuransi untuk menutup risiko penurunan keuntungan akibat kondisi cuaca yang tidak normal, misalnya warm winter, heavy rain atau sunshine insufficiency. (Fitris / Focus : The Kyoei Life Insurance Co. Ltd.)
Mungkinkah perusahaan perkebunan mengelola risiko? United Grain Growers (UGG), Perusahaan yang bergerak dibidang pertanian di Kanada, bisa mengasuransikan eksposur yang sebelumnya belum pernah diasuransikan, yaitu risiko cuaca. Risiko cuaca dintegrasikan dengan risiko lain dan kemudian diasuransikan. Praktek manajemen risiko UGG yang cukup inovatif mendatangkan penghargaan praktek manajemen terbaik dari beberapa lembaga yang berkompeten di bidang manajemen risiko.
Mengingat bisnis perkebunan juga dipengaruhi alam dan makin beragamnya risiko yang dihadapi perusahaan perkebunan termasuk PTPN dalam menjalankan bisnisnya, maka pengelolaan risiko adalah suatu keharusan (is a must).

International Finance Corporation (IFC) menawarkan Indonesia menggunakan program weather-index insurance (WII) yang berbiaya rendah dan tak rentan terhadap moral hazard.
Head of Advisory Services IFC Indonesia Brigit S. Helms mengatakan sekitar 50% dari aktivitas agribisnis di Tanah Air rentan terhadap risiko yang terkait cuaca. Bahkan, ujarnya, tak ada mekanisme formal bagi petani, pelaku usaha dan lembaga keuangan untuk menangani risiko mendasar tersebut.
Menurut dia, program ini berbeda dengan penyelenggaraan program asuransi tradisional yang rawan terhadap moral hazard.
Kebanyakan tipe asuransi pertanian tradisional adalah berbasis hasil panen yang menjamin beragam risiko atau berbasis kerugian yang hanya menjamin risiko tertentu.
Selain kemungkinan moral hazard, masalah utama yang timbul dari mekanisme yang lama itu di antaranya penyesuaian terhadap kerugian ternyata memerlukan pengawasan ketat dan biaya administrasi tinggi, subsidi yang memberatkan dan sulit diterapkan pada petani kecil
Sekita 50 % dari Aktivitas agribisnis rentan terhadap risiko yang terkait cuaca, Petani tidak bias mengontrol cuaca.
Indeks cuaca merupakan sebuah variabel yang sangat berhubungan dengan kerugian dan tidak bisa dikendalikan oleh pihak tertanggung, misalnya kadar curah hujan dan temperatur.
Program WII akan menguntungkan petani agar mampu melindungi pendapatan mereka dari bencana alam, dan para pelaku agribisnis yang terkendala gangguan pasokan komoditas.
Bagi perbankan, kontrak indeks cuaca dapat menjadi agunan pinjaman yang diambil petani sementara asuransi kerugian diuntungkan dari penjualan polis.
Associate Operations Officer Microfinance Access to Finance Grace Retnowati menambahkan konsep serupa sukses dilaksanakan di beberapa negara lain seperti India dan Thailand.
Dia mengatakan di Thailand program tersebut telah memasuki tahun ketiga dan sudah dikembangkan di lima provinsi yang akan disusul oleh lima lainnya. Tak kurang dari 300.000 petani menjadi peserta program tersebut. Di India program pada 2006 lalu sudah dinikmati oleh lebih dari 600.000 petani dengan total premi US$30 juta.
Ketika ditanyakan potensi premi Grace mengatakan belum bisa diketahui karena IFC baru akan melakukan uji kelayakan, di antaranya melihat minat stakeholder.
"Dari hasil studi itu diharapkan kami baru bisa tentukan berapa premi dan kami juga melihat kanal distribusi," katanya.
Kornelius Simanjuntak, Ketua Umum Asosiasi Asuransi Umum Indonesia (AAUI), mengatakan meskitidak mudah, indeks asuransi cuaca untuk sektor pertanian bukanlah hal baru bagi dunia asuransi, terutama di negara tropis.
Dia mencontohkan India yang menerapkan asuransi pertanian tetapi dia tidak dapat memastikan program WII juga diterapkan di sana.
"Di Indonesia itu tidak gampang diterapkan karena bukan hanya faktor cuaca yang harus diperhatikan, dampak banjir dan kekeringan atau iklim yang tidak bersahabat juga merugikan petani," ujarnya kemarin.
Kornelius berharap skema WII disamakan dengan asuransi gagal panen yang lebih dahulu populer. Dia menyebutkan asuransi pertanian secara umum punya potensi klaim yang tinggi. "Di negara yang sudah insurance minded program itu pasti ada campur tangan pemerintah."
Asuransi swasta masih 'alergi' menangani pertanggungan risiko gagal panen dan lebih mengandalkan peran pemerintah yang memodali lembaga khusus yang berperan sebagai avalis. (hanna.prabandari@bisnis.co.id/ fahmi.achmad@bisnis.co.id) .

Source : Various Source

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The Real Meaning of The Fast

Ramadan is the month of repentance and forgiveness, obedience and good deeds, Remembrance and love, devotion and piety, nearness and intimacy. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “A great loser is he who witnesses Ramadan but fails to have himself forgiven.”[1]

Hence, in Ramadan and all times, one should strive to go out of the darkness of ignorance and illusion to the enlightenment of knowledge and certitude, from the swamp of whims and caprices to the bliss of nearness and intimacy with the Lord, Most Gracious, and from resisting degradation to continuity of spiritual enhancement.

The following article is a modest attempt to understand the Verses tackling the issue of the Fast in the Holy Quran. But before dealing with the wisdom and secrets of the Fast, it is necessary to have a snapshot of the essence of worship, for the Fast is one of the great ritual kinds of worship.

Islam is the religion that Allah, All-Wise, accepted for His servants and the System that He, Most Merciful, chose for them. Therefore, strict observation of the rules and enjoinments of this System and devoted commitment thereto are the essence of worship, which is the ultimate goal of our existence. To this effect, Allah, Most Gracious, says: “I have only created Jinns and men that they may worship Me.” [CI ; 56]

Some kinds of worship, such as truthfulness, honesty, trustworthiness, chastity, commtment to covenans and promises, seeking lawful things, and self-control are behavioral worships and are, therefore, based on the establishment of good relationships with other fellow humans. Other kinds of worship, such as prayer, the fast, and pilgrimage to Mecca, are ritual and are, hence, based on the establishment of good relationships with Allah, All-High, and the strife to achieve intimacy with Him and to attain divine enlightenement, guidance and tranquility from Him.

In fact, correctness of ritual worships, one of which is the Fast, is based on correctness of behavioral ones. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whosoever does not shun saying or doing falsehood, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink.”[2]

The following Quranic Verse summarizes both kinds of worship. Allah, All-Mighty, quotes Jesus (PBUH) as saying: “And He (Allah) has enjoined on me prayer and charity as long as I am alive.” [XIX ; 31]
In the above Quranic Verse, Jesus’ words “And He (Allah) has enjoined on me prayer” refer to the establishment of good relationships between himself and his Lord, Allah, Most Gracious; and his word “charity” denotes the establishment of good relationships between himself and other fellow humans.

But if a Muslim carries out a Divine Command only because it conforms to his interests or because of the secrets and wisdom lurking behind it, this means that he believes in the Command rather than in the Commander. Belief should be in the Commander, and the purpose of carrying out any Divine Command should be worshiping Allah and seeking His Good Pleasure, not achieving safety and happiness in the present world. A true believer carries out Allah’s Command just because it is from his Creator, Who has Power over everything and Who is All-Wise and Perfect, whether the wisdom behind such a Command be obvious or not. Hence, the important thing in this regard is that the motive of obeying Allah’s Command must be only to worship and obey Him, not to gain benefits or avoid detriment. When Allah sees that one of his devout servants obeys Him, He, Most Gracious, shows him, after having fulfilled His Command, its miraculous nature, and the great wisdom and wonderful secrets lurking behind it. In this way a servant achieves his servitude to his Lord and understands the reason for His Command and the secrets and wisdom lurking behind it. Those who make fulfilling Allah’s Command conditional on understanding the wisdom behind it and seeing its fruit do not worship Allah, but, rather, worship their own selves. Therefore, every Divine Command should be obeyed and vindicated only because it is from Allah, All-Mighty, and nothing else. In this way our Fast is elevated from a smart pragmatic behaviour into a sincere act of devotion.

When Allah, All-Wise, addresses all mankind, He addresses them with the basics of religion. Allah says: “O you people! worship your Lord, Who created you and those who came before you, that you may become righteous,” [II ; 21]
But when He addresses believers who believe in His Existence, Perfection, and Oneness, He addresses them with the branches of religion: bidding and forbidding, laws and legislations, showing what is lawful and unlawful…ec. Allah, Glory to Him, says: “O you who believe! The Fast is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that you may attain self-protection,” [II ; 183] By virtue of the above Verse Allah, Most Gracious, addresses His believing slaves: “O you who believe in Me, who believe in My Knowledge, who believe in My Wisdom, wo believe in My Mercy, and who believe in My Love! O you who love Me! I have prescribed the Fast for you.” And when an Order comes to you from the One in Whom you believe and in whose Mercy and Wisdom you trust, you are sure that such Order is definitely for your own good. But you should by no means measure this according to your limited human mind but, rather, according to your Creator’s Infinite Divine Knowledge, Wisdom, and Mercy, for Allah knows and you do not know.

A merciful father might sometimes say to his son: “O my son! I am your father, aren’t I? Don’t you trust in my good experience in life, my great mercy on you, and my concern about your safety and happiness? Leave this thing up to me and do not measure it by your young immature mind, your limited experience, or your short sight but by your father’s mind, experience, and love.”

The above explanation may clarify the connection between Allah’s Words “O you who believe! The Fast is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that you may attain self-protection,” [II ; 183] and the topic we are talking about.

In fact, the Fast is an act of abstention from food, drink, and sexual relations, which are lawful in themselves, from dawn to sunset, with an intention of worship and obedience to Allah, Most Merciful. Therefore, it is generously rewarded by the Lord, Most Gracious. To this effect, the Divine Hadith goes: “All of man’s work is for him, except the Fast; it is for me and it is I Who reward for it. He abstains from his food, drink, and (sexual) desire for Me.”

As for Allah’s Words “as it was prescribed to those before you”, they indicate that the Fast does not differ from one time to another, for it was a cultic observance in all revealed religions before Islam. In other words it has always been Allah’s Divine System for mankind.

As for Allah’s Words “that you may attain self-protection”, they mean that you may abstain from committing sins and misdeeds and comply with obedience not only in Ramadan but also in all other months of the year.
The purpose is not that we should suppress our desires and caprices only in Ramadan, but then, after Ramadan, we yield to them. The real meaning of the Fast is to maintain such suppression at all times.

The purpose is not that we should control our tongues and keep away from slander and calumny only in Ramadan, but then, after Ramadan, we give free reign to our tongues in slander, backbiting and calumny. The real meaning of the Fast is to watch our tongues and hearts at all times.

The purpose is not that we should abstain from looking at, or doing, unlawful or indecent things only in Ramadan, but then, after Ramadan, we return to our previous sins and misdeeds, like a woman who demolished her spinning after she had knitted it. The real meaning of the Fast is to lower our gaze and abstain from committing sins and misdeeds at all times.

The purpose is not that we should seek lawful things only in Ramadan, for fear that our Fast should not be accepted, but then, after Ramadan, we neglect and fail to adhere to Allah’s Laws concerning what is lawful and unlawful. The real meaning of the Fast is to stick to the Lord’s Laws and Commandments at all times.

The purpose is not that we should keep away from the places or meetings that displease Allah, All-Mighty, only for the sake of the holy month of Ramadan, but then, after Ramadan, we go back to such places or meetings.

The purpose is not that we should watch our steps with Allah in carrying out our duties and responsibilities only in the holy month of Ramadan, but then, after Ramadan, we neglect and fail to comply with Allah’s Commandments and laws, like a camel tied up and then released; it does not know why it was tied up and why it was released.

The important thing that should be perfectly understood is that Allah, the Almighty, has not chosen Ramadan to be only a month of obedience and devotion but also a school in which man learns and practices acts of obedience and tastes sweetness of nearness and intimacy with his Lord, Most Gracious. Such obedience and intimacy go on throughout the whole year. In this way Ramadan turns out a yearly station where man is provided with spiritual enhacement and is made to enjoy feelings of nearness and intimacy with his Lord, Most Merciful. The reason for which Allah has ordered us to abstain from food, drink, and sexual relations from dawn to sunset is that when, in compliance with Allah’s Commandment, man abstains from lawful things, he will not commit unlawful things. This is because abstention from unlawful things is more appropriate than abstention from lawful ones.

When Allah chooses a month in which man’s relationship with Allah is set right and reformed, it is meant to last throughout the whole year, for Allah is with him at all times.

When Allah chooses a place, like His Holy House, and calls believers to taste the sweetness of nearness to Him therein, He wants this nearness to be at all places, for Allah is with them at all places.

When Allah chooses someone and uncovers the truth for him, He chooses him in order to uncover the truth for people through him. Also, when Allah chooses someone in order to reveal to him His Divine Revelation and Religion, He does so in order that this Religion be communicated to all people. This is because Allah cammands believers to that which He commanded His Prophets and Messengers. To this effect, Allah, Most Gracious, says: “Therefore stand firm (in the straight path) as you are commended, you and those who, with you, turn (unto Allah); and transgress not (from the path); for He sees well all that you do” [XI ; 112]

When Allah chooses someone to make him happy forever, He does this in order that all people be happy by his Call.

To sum up, when Allah chooses a certain time, like Ramadan, a certain place, like His Holy House, and a certain man, like Muhammad (PBUH), He does so in order that all months, places and people be like them.

Then, Allah, Glory to Him, goes on to say: “for a fixed number of days” In other words, the days of the holy month of Ramadan are only a few days that Allah, Most Merciful, has chosen to consecrated for obedience, nearness and intimacy, which are meant to last throughout the whole year.

After that, Allah, Most Gracious, says: “but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later” [II ; 185] In other words, Allah, Most Merciful, does not charge man with anything that is beyond his powers or abilities; and Allah is the only One Who knows man’s powers and abilities, for He is the One Who created man with His Infinite Divine Knowledge, Wisdom, and Mercy. So, whenever there is hardship or inability there is ease and exemption. Breaking the Fast during the holy month of Ramadan, however, should be decided by an expert devout Muslim physician and in accordance with the Holy Quran and Prophetic Sunna. Travel to a distance of more than eighty kilometers exempts travelers from fasting. But in case of physical ability it is preferable to observe the Fast even in travel or illness. To this effect, Allah, Most Merciful, says, “And that you fast is better for you if only you know.” [II ; 184]

Then, Allah, All-High, says: “Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance you shall be grateful.” [II ; 185] In the context of the above Verse, it is noticeable that Islamic Shari’a is full of mercy, interest, justice, and wisdom. Any issue that goes from mercy to cruelty, from the better to the worse, from justice to injustice, and from wisdom to its opposite, is by no means part of the Islamic Shari’a even if it is included therein by thousands of interpretations.

After that, Allah, Most Gracious, says: “to complete the prescribed period,” i.e. the days of Ramadan, “and to glorify Him in that He has guided you”, i.e. being rightly guided to Allah, complying with His System, seeking and enjoying nearness and intimacy with Him, are all ripe fruits of the Fast. Man’s original nature incites him to thank the Benefactor for his Benefactions and Favors, most important of which is the Favor of Guidance. O Lord! What can he who loses You ever find; and what can he who finds You ever lose?!

Having tasted the sweetness of nearness and intimacy with the Lord, Most Merciful, in the month of Ramadan, the faster naturally turns to his Lord with gratitude for the great Favors and Blessings of knowledge and intimacy. That is why Allah, Most Gracious, says, after the Verses speaking about the Fast: “When My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them). I answer the invocations of a supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me so that they may be led aright.” [II ; 186]

In the above Verse Allah, Glory to Him, confirms that after having been guided to Allah, man’s pure nature drives him, to turn to Him with gratitude and devotion. In other words, Knowledge of Allah, Most Gracious, gaining His Love and being on intimate terms with Him motivate one to turn to Him, Alone, with gratitude, prayer and supplication. Such is the reality of Monotheism and the essence of Islam as well as all revealed religions.

In a religious relic it is narrated that: “Three kinds of supplications are inevitably answered (by Allah): that of a faster until he breaks the Fast, that of a righteous ruler, and that of a wronged person, which Allah raises over clouds, and for which gates of heavens are open. Allah says: “By My Might! I shall help you even if after a while.”[3]

If we contemplate the Quranic verses and the questions therein, we find that the answer to each of the questions starts with the word “Say”, like, for example: “They ask you how much they are to spend. Say: ‘what is beyond your needs.’” and “They ask you concerning the Mountains. Say: ‘My Lord will uproot them and scatter them as dust.’” However, this does not apply for the Verse: “When My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them)” where the word “Say” is not mentioned between the question and answer. Therefore, scholars said: the absence of the word “Say” from this Verse is an indication from Allah to His believing servants that there is no need for any mediation between man and his Lord, Most Gracious, when he desires to ask and supplicate Him.

One day, the Prophet (PBUH) was asked: “O Messenger of Allah! Is our Lord near so that we Call him quietly? Or is he far so that we Call Him loudly?” Therefore the following verse was revealed: “When Ibadi (My servants) ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them)” [II ; 186]

The word “Ibad ”, as used in the above Verse, is different from “Abeed ” for all human beings are “Abeed” to Allah in the sense that they are in need of Him for their existence, survival, and everything; and they are subjugated to Him. But the word “Ibad” denotes those who have known Him, complied with His Religion, and sought His Good Pleasure out of their own will and choice. Hence, the word “Abd ” whose plural is “Abeed ” means “a servant by subjugation”, but the word “Abd ” whose plural is “Ibad” means “a servant of gratitude”. Allah says: “nor is your Lord ever Unjust (in the least) to His Abeed (servants by subjugation).‏” [XCI ; 46]

Therefore, when Allah says: “When Ibadi (My servants who show gratitude) ask you concerning Me”, He means His “servants of gratitude” who have known Him, complied with His Religion, and acknowledged His Favors and Blessings upon them.

Now, the question is: Why does Allah say: “I am indeed close (to them)”? In fact He says so in order that a believer feels that Allah is with him at all times and places, and in all situations. All he has to do is invoke Him faithfully and sincerely; and Allah will surely respond to his invocation. But due to weakness of faith some people call upon others than Allah for help or the fulfillment of desirable things. That is why Allah says: “If you invoke them, they will not listen to your invocation; and if they were to listen, they cannot answer you.” [XXXV ; 14]

Another question is: Why does not Allah, sometimes, respond to those who invoke Him? The Prophet (PBUH) answered this question when he said: “Man verily travels a lot, rumpled and dusty, stretching out his hands to the heaven and invoking: ‘O Lord! O Lord!’ But his food is unlawful, his dress is unlawful, and he was fed by unlawful stuff; so how will he be answered?”[4]

Allah, Most Gracious, says: “When My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them), I listen to the prayer of every supplicant when he calls on Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me that they may be rightly guided.” [II ; 186] In other words, when you believe in Allah and comply with His Commands, He will respond to your supplication. The words “that they may be rightly guided” means “hopefully they will be guided to an accepted invocation or happiness and prosperity in the present world and the Hereafter”. When an invocation is rejected or not answered, this is due either to the supplicant’s corruption and deviation from Allah’s Religion or to the fact that it is not merciful or wise to be answered. However, whether answered or not, a believer’s invocation symbolizes an act of devotion and worship on his part. To this effect, the Prophet (PBUH) says: “Invocation is worship” And Allah, All-Mighty, says: “And your Lord says: ‘Call on Me; I will answer you. But those who are too arrogant to serve Me will surely find themselves in Hell in humiliation!” [XC ; 60]

Scholars said: the Fast lessens the burdens on man’s heart and blood vessels, for it minimizes the fat and acidity in the blood and, hence, protects from arteriosclerosis. And physicians hold that man’s life expectancy is in positive proportion to that of his arteries. The Fast also eases the kidneys and the excretory apparatus, as the outcomes of metabolism are minimized, and, consequently, it protects from arthritis. Also, it causes the sugar of the liver to move, which makes the fat stored under the skin and protein of muscles move, too. Hence, the Fast of Ramadan is considered by physicians as an annual course of protection against lots of diseases. Moreover, it is considered as a remedial course for some diseases; and it protects from diseases of senility, which is caused by over-use of organs of the body.

From the above-mentioned it may be said that, besides its being an act of worship and devotion, the Fast provides the human body with protection, remedy, and good health.

Moreover, in Prophetic Tradition it is narrated: “The Prophet (PBUH) used to break his Fast by eating some dates and then performing prayer. If dates were not available, he would drink some water instead.”[5] It was also narrated by Salman Ibn ‘Amer that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “When one of you breaks his Fast, let him do that by (eating some) dates, for they are blessed. If he does not find dates, then water is a purification.”

The above two Prophetic Hadiths provide evidence of the Prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH), for scientists hold that 75% of the dates, which a faster eats, consist of easily digested mono-sugar that is assimilated by the body in less than ten minuets, giving the faster the feeling that he is not so hungry and causes him to eat moderately after having performed the Maghrib (Sunset) prayer.

Fatty and protein foods, however, need more than three hours to be digested and assimilated by the body. So when man eats more fatty food, he will not feel satisfied but rather full; and there is a great difference between feeling satisfied and feeling full but not satisfied. Therefore, the Prophet (PBUH) used to break his fast by some dates and then perform the sunset prayer. After that, he would sit down to eat. And whosoever fails to follow the Prophet’s Tradition in breaking the Fast looses a lot of the good benefits of the Fast.

Dates consist of mono-sugars, which are the fastest ones in terms of digestion and assimilation in the human body. This is because the sugar of dates moves from the mouth to the blood in less than ten minuets. Dates also contain cellulose fibers which have marvelous effects on digestion and in protecting intestines from fatal diseases. They also contain proteins, which repair tissues, and a small amount of fats. They contain five kinds of principal vitamins and eight kinds of minerals. Five grams of dates contain from one half to one fifth of the body’s need from minerals. They contain 12 amino acids, as well as constrictive and colouring materials.

Moreover, dates protect from constipation, which causes more than fifteen diseases, and have positive effects in protecting from anemia, and hypertension. They help in healing fractures and are laxative and soothing. They are also non-contaminated.

It is also advisable, even one is not fasting, to begin breakfast with some fruit, if available, as it contains mono-sugars, before eating heavy food which contains fatty matters that are difficult to digest. This can be deduced from Allah’s Words “…and with fruit, any that they may select, and the flesh of fowls, any that they may desire.” [CVI ; 20-21]

SOURCE : NABULSI

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Monday, April 27, 2009

Pertanyaan seputar Manajemen Risiko?????

Mengapa harus ada Risk Management Unit?
Risk Management Unit (RMU) merupakan fasilitator untuk pelaksanaan manajemen risiko. Manjemen risiko merupakan tanggungjawab setiap lini manajemen. RMU menyediakan model (kriteria), memfasilitasi penilaian risiko, mengelola Risk Register dan membuat profil risiko tiap unit departemen.
Bagaimana cara kerja Risk Management?
Secara garis besar ada 7 (tujuh) langkah utama, yaitu: Sosialisasi Manajemen Risiko, fasilitasi Dewan Direksi dalam menentukan Tujuan Strategis dan tujuan tiap unit, Memfasilitasi identifikasi dan penilaian risiko yang dilakukan oleh Dewan Direksi dan tiap unit department,Memfasilitasi identifikasi dan evaluasi kontrol (control) yang teleh ada dan gapnya dengan kontrol yang masih perlu dilakukan (tindak lanjut). Memfasilitasi penentuan kontrol atau rencana tindak lanjut oleh Direksi dan unit. Pemantauan hasil tindak lanjut yang dilakukan oleh Direksi dan unit. Pelaporan Manajemen Risiko.
Siapa yang melakukan penilaian risiko?
Penilaian risiko merupakan tanggung jawab seluruh karyawan namun dalam hal ini dikoordinasikan dan dilakukan setiap Kepala Departemen (Head of Department).
Bagaimana cara penilaian risiko? Penilaian risiko dilakukan dengan cara mengisi tabel Risk Register.
Apa yang dimaksud dengan Risk Registers? Risk Register adalah tools/alat yang digunakan oleh manajemen ( department,direksi) untuk mencatat risiko yang teridentifikasi, menilai risiko, mengidentifikasi kontrol yang sudah ada dan yang masih perlu dilakukan. Risk Register ini dibuat oleh manajemen dengan difasilitasi oleh RMU. Risk register ini digunakan RMU sebagai dasar dalam pembuatan Profil Risiko (Risk Profile) tiap unit.
Siapa yang melakukan perbaikan atas risiko yang menengah (moderate) dan risiko yang tinggi (high)? Risk Reponse Plan diisi dalam kolom Risk Response Plan pada file Risk Register oleh Manager/Dept. Head. Risk Response Plan wajib dilengkapi dengan Target Date/milestone yang merupakan tanggal acuan bagi pihak-pihak terkait dalam menjalankan Risk Response Plan yang telah ditetapkan.
Apa yang dimaksud Risk Response Plan ? Risk Response Plan merupakan rencana tindakan yang akan dilakukan agar risiko dapat dikendalikan. Risk Response dikenal juga dengan istilah Mitigasi, yang pada dasarnya terdiri dari 4 jenis tindakan, yaitu:
• Mengurangi Risiko: yaitu memilih untuk mengurangi risiko baik Likelihood maupun Impact-nya. Misalnya dengan mengurangi jumlah investasi atau pengembangan lahan untuk rencana bisnis yang baru.
• Membagi Risiko, yaitu dengan memindahkan risiko yang ada atau membagi risiko sebagian dari risiko yang ada, misalnya penggunaan asuransi kebakaran kantor/pabrik, mekanisme lindung nilai (hedging) atau meng-outsource aktivitas-aktivitas tertentu seperti penggunaan transporter atau penggunaan konsultan.
• Menghindar dari Risiko, yaitu memilih untuk menghindari risiko yang ada dengan melakukan tindakan-tindakan yang membuat Perusahaan dapat keluar dari aktivitas atau rencana bisnis yang mengandung risiko tersebut.
• Menerima Risiko, yaitu menerima risiko yang teridentifikasi dan Perusahaan tidak melakukan strategi mitigasi atas risiko. Hal ini dilakukan apabila dampak (impact) dari risiko terkait masih dalam batas risk tolerance yang ditetapkan dan biaya yang diperlukan untuk melaksanakan aktivitas pengendalian (kontrol) atas risiko tersebut lebih besar dari nilai risiko itu sendiri.

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Sunday, April 26, 2009

HARI RAYA IEDUL FITRI DI ZAMAN JEPANG

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Pidato Soekarno di depan rakyat - Jakarta

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Friday, April 24, 2009

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Thursday, April 23, 2009

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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Nikmatnya Suami dan Istri yang bersyukur dan sabar

Pasang surut yang mewarnai kehidupan sebuah rumah tangga tak hanya dalam hal hubungan pribadi antara suami dan istri, namun juga menyangkut anak dan rizki. Kesabaran dan sikap syukur menjadi modal yang mesti dimiliki dalam hal ini.

Setiap insan yang hidup di muka bumi ini pasti pernah mengalami suka dan duka. Tak ada insan yang diberi duka sepanjang hidupnya, karena ada kalanya kemanisan hidup menghampirinya. Demikian pula sebaliknya, tak ada insan yang terus merasa suka karena mesti suatu ketika duka menyapanya. Bila demikian tidaklah salah pepatah yang mengatakan, "Kehidupan ini ibarat roda yang berputar", terkadang di atas, terkadang di bawah. Terkadang bangun dan sukses, terkadang jatuh dan bangkrut, kadang kalah, kadang menang, kadang susah, kadang bahagia, kadang suka dan kadang duka… Begitulah kehidupan di dunia ini, kesengsaraannya dapat berganti bahagia, namun kebahagiannya tidaklah kekal.

اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِيْنَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي اْلأَمْوَالِ وَاْلأَوْلاَدِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيْجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُوْنُ حُطَامًا وَفِي اْلآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيْدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِنَ اللهِ وَرِضْوَانٌ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ مَتَاعُ الْغُرُوْرِ

“Ketahuilah, sesungguhnya kehidupan dunia itu hanyalah permainan dan sesuatu yang melalaikan, perhiasan dan bermegah-megah di antara kalian serta berbangga-bangga dalam banyaknya harta dan anak, seperti hujan yang tanam-tanamannya mengagumkan para petani, kemudian tanaman itu menjadi kering dan kalian lihat warnanya kuning kemudian menjadi hancur. Dan di akhirat nanti ada azab yang keras/pedih dan ada pula ampunan dari Allah serta keridhaan-Nya. Kehidupan dunia itu tidak lain kecuali hanya kesenangan yang menipu.” (Al-Hadid: 30)
Suka duka pun suatu kemestian yang dialami sepasang suami istri dalam mengarungi bahtera rumah tangga, karena kesempitan atau kelapangan, kesulitan atau kemudahan datang silih berganti. Ketika diperoleh apa yang didamba, mereka bersuka. Tatkala luput apa yang diinginkan atau hilang apa yang dicintai, mereka berduka.
Sebagai seorang yang beriman kepada Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala dan mengimani takdir-Nya, sudah semestinya suka dan duka itu dihadapi dengan syukur dan sabar. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala menggandengkan dua sifat ini di dalam firman-Nya:

إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَاتٍ لِكُلِّ صَبَّاٍر شَكُوْرٍ

“Sesungguhnya pada yang demikian itu terdapat tanda-tanda bagi setiap orang yang banyak bersabar lagi bersyukur.” (Ibrahim:5)
Qatadah rahimahullahu menafsirkan ayat di atas dengan mengatakan, “Dia adalah hamba yang bila diberi bersyukur dan bila diuji bersabar.” (An-Nukat wal ‘Uyun, 3/122)
Rasul yang mulia Shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam telah mengabarkan bahwa mukmin yang sabar atas musibah/duka yang menimpanya dan bersyukur atas nikmat/suka yang diterimanya akan mendapatkan kebaikan. Kabar gembira ini tersampaikan kepada kita lewat sahabat beliau yang mulia Shuhaib Ar-Rumi radhiyallahu 'anhu. Shuhaib berkata: “Rasulullah Shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam pernah bersabda:

عَجَبًا لأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ، إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ لَهُ، وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لأَحَدٍ إِلاَّ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ، إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ

“Sungguh mengagumkan perkara seorang mukmin. Sungguh seluruh perkaranya adalah kebaikan baginya. Yang demikian itu tidaklah dimiliki oleh seorangpun kecuali seorang mukmin. Jika mendapatkan kelapangan ia bersyukur, maka yang demikian itu baik baginya. Dan jika ia ditimpa kemudaratan/kesusahan1 ia bersabar, maka yang demikian itu baik baginya.” (HR. Muslim no. 7425)
Ketika menjelaskan hadits di atas, Asy-Syaikh Muhammad bin Shalih Al-’Utsaimin rahimahullahu menyatakan bahwa setiap manusia tidak lepas dari ketetapan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala dan takdir-Nya. Bisa jadi ia dalam kelapangan dan bisa jadi dalam kesempitan. Dalam hal ini manusia terbagi dua: mukmin dan selain mukmin. Seorang mukmin senantiasa dalam kebaikan pada setiap keadaan yang Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala takdirkan baginya. Bila ditimpa kesusahan ia bersabar dan menanti datangnya kelapangan dari Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala serta mengharapkan pahala, maka ia pun meraih pahala orang-orang yang bersabar. Bila mendapatkan kelapangan berupa nikmat agama seperti ilmu dan amal shalih, ataupun nikmat dunia berupa harta, anak dan istri, ia bersyukur kepada Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala dengan taat kepada-Nya, karena yang namanya bersyukur tidak sebatas mengucapkan “Aku bersyukur kepada Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.” Adapun selain mukmin, mendapat kesempitan ataupun kelapangan sama saja baginya, karena ia selalu berada dalam kejelekan. Bila ditimpa kesempitan/kesusahan ia berkeluh kesah, mencaci maki, dan mencela Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. Bila mendapat kelapangan ia tidak bersyukur kepada Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, Dzat yang telah memberikan nikmat. (Syarhu Riyadhish Shalihin, 1/108)
Seorang mukmin dan mukminah dalam menjalani kehidupan rumah tangganya harus berada di antara kesyukuran dan kesabaran. Karena ia tak luput dari takdir yang baik ataupun yang buruk. Mungkin ia belum dikaruniai anak, maka ia harus bersabar karena anak adalah pemberian Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. Dia memberikannya kepada siapa yang Dia kehendaki, dan terkadang Dia menguji hamba-Nya dengan tidak segera atau tidak sama sekali memberinya keturunan.

لِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّماَوَاتِ وَاْلأَرْضِ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ يَهَبُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ إِنَاثًا وَيَهَبُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ الذُّكُوْرَ. أَوْ يُزَوِّجُهُمْ ذُكْرَانًا وَإِنَاثًا وَيَجْعَلُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ عَقِيْمًا إِنَّهُ عَلِيْمٌ قَدِيْرٌ

“Kepunyaan Allah-lah kerajaan langit dan bumi. Dia menciptakan apa saja yang Dia kehendaki. Dia menganugerahkan anak perempuan kepada siapa yang Dia kehendaki dan memberikan anak laki-laki kepada siapa yang Dia kehendaki. Atau Dia menganugerahkan kedua jenis laki-laki dan perempuan (kepada siapa yang dikehendaki-Nya). Dia pun menjadikan mandul siapa saja yang Dia kehendaki. Sesungguhnya Dia Maha Mengetahui lagi Maha Kuasa.” (Asy-Syura: 49-50)
Anak diperoleh bukan karena kemahiran seseorang, bukan karena kejantanan, kekuatan, atau kepandaiannya. Berapa banyak orang yang kuat dan memiliki keutamaan lagi kemuliaan namun Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala tidak memberinya keturunan. Lihatlah istri-istri Rasulullah Shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam, mereka tidak beroleh keturunan dari pernikahan mereka dengan Nabiyullah Shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam, kecuali Khadijah radhiyallahu 'anha dan budak beliau Mariyah radhiyallahu 'anha. Lihat pula Nabi Ibrahim dan Nabi Zakariyya ‘alaihimassalam, keduanya dikaruniai anak tatkala usia telah senja, tulang-tulang telah melemah, rambut telah dipenuhi uban dan istri pun telah tua lagi mandul2. Lihat pula Maryam ibunda ‘Isa ‘alaihissalam dikaruniai anak tanpa pernah menikah dan tanpa pernah disentuh oleh lelaki3. Dengan demikian beroleh anak atau tidak, perkaranya kembali kepada Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. Dia yang memberi dan Dia yang menahan.
Bila seseorang diberi nikmat berupa anak, hendaklah ia bersyukur kepada Dzat yang telah memberikan anugerah. Namun bila tidak, maka tidak ada yang bisa dilakukan oleh seorang mukmin kecuali tunduk, sabar, ridha dengan ketetapan-Nya dan berbaik sangka kepada Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, karena Dia tak pernah berbuat dzalim kepada hamba-hamba-Nya. Dia Maha Tahu apa yang terbaik bagi hamba-hamba-Nya, sementara hamba-hamba-Nya tidak tahu apa yang baik bagi mereka.

وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُوْنَ

“Allah Maha Mengetahui sementara kalian tidak mengetahui.” (Al-Baqarah: 216)
Dalam masalah rizki juga demikian. Ketika seorang mukmin dalam kehidupan rumah tangganya tidak memperoleh rizki yang lapang, dalam kemiskinan tiada berharta, ia pun harus bersabar. Karena kelapangan dan sempitnya rizki, kaya atau miskinnya seseorang telah dicatat dan ditetapkan dalam catatan takdir dengan keadilan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. Dia memberi rizki kepada siapa yang dikehendaki-Nya dan Dia menyempitkannya kepada siapa yang Dia kehendaki, sementara Dia tidak berbuat dzalim kepada hamba-hamba-Nya.
Ingatlah, kenikmatan, kemegahan, dan kekayaan dunia bukan jaminan keselamatan di akhirat nanti. Kalaulah kekayaan itu suatu keutamaan dan keadaan yang paling afdhal niscaya Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala akan menjadikan kekasih-Nya, manusia pilihan-Nya, junjungan anak Adam, yakni Rasulullah Shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam, sebagai orang yang terkaya di dunia, bergelimang harta dan kemewahan.
Tapi ternyata tidak demikian kenyataannya. Beliau Shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam hidup dengan penuh kesahajaan dan kesederhanaan. Terkadang tidak ada makanan yang dapat disantap di rumah beliau sehingga beliau berpuasa. Dikisahkan hal ini oleh istri beliau yang shalihah Ummul Mukminin ‘Aisyah radhiyallahu 'anha:

دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ، فَقَالَ: هَلْ عِنْدَكُمْ شَيْءٌ؟ فَقُلْنَا: لاَ. قَالَ: فَإِنِّي إِذَنْ صَائِمٌ

Suatu hari Rasulullah Shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam masuk ke rumahku, lalu bertanya, “Apakah ada makanan pada kalian (yang bisa kumakan)?” “Tidak ada,” jawab kami. “Kalau begitu aku puasa,” kata beliau. (HR. Muslim no. 2708)
Sampai-sampai untuk membeli makanan, beliau Shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam pernah berhutang dengan menyerahkan baju besi beliau sebagai jaminan. Masih dari kisah Ummul Mukminin ‘Aisyah radhiyallahu 'anha:

اشْتَرَى رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ يَهُوْدِيٍّ طَعَامًا بِنَسِيْئَةٍ، فَأَعْطَاهُ دِرْعًا لَهُ رَهْنًا

“Rasulullah Shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam pernah membeli makanan dengan pembayaran di belakang (akan dibayar pada waktu yang telah ditentukan), beliau memberi baju besinya kepada si Yahudi sebagai jaminan.” (HR. Muslim no. 4090)
Betapa sabarnya istri-istri Rasulullah Shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam dengan kekurangan dunia yang mereka terima selama hidup dengan suami mereka Rasulullah Shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam, dan beliau pun wafat tanpa meninggalkan warisan untuk mereka. Kata ‘Amr ibnul Harits, saudara Ummul Mukminin Juwairiyyah bintul Harits radhiyallahu 'anha:

ماَ تَرَكَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ دِيْنَارًا وَلاَ دِرْهَمًا وَلاَ عَبْدًا وَلاَ أَمَةً وَلاَ شَيْئًا إِلاَّ بَغْلَتَهُ الْبَيْضَاءَ الَّتِي كَانَ يَرْكَبُهَا وَسِلاَحَهُ وَأَرْضًا جَعَلَهَا لاِبْنِ السَّبِيْلِ صَدَقَةً

“Rasulullah Shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam tatkala wafatnya tidak meninggalkan dinar, dirham, budak laki-laki, budak perempuan, dan tidak meninggalkan harta sedikitpun kecuali seekor bighalnya yang berwarna putih yang dulunya biasa beliau tunggangi dan pedangnya serta sebidang tanah yang beliau jadikan sebagai sedekah untuk musafir.” (HR. Al-Bukhari)
Demikian sebagai anjuran untuk bersabar dengan kesulitan hidup...
Ketika rizki datang pada si mukmin dan kelapangan hidup menyertainya maka rasa syukur kepada Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala harus diwujudkan. Tidak hanya mengucapkan syukur dengan lisan disertai keyakinan hati, namun harus pula diiringi dengan amalan, yaitu membelanjakan harta tersebut di jalan yang diridhai oleh Sang Pemberi Nikmat dengan infak dan sedekah.
Memiliki rasa syukur ini sungguh suatu keutamaan dan anugerah karena sedikit dari hamba-hamba Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala yang mau bersyukur, sebagaimana dinyatakan dalam Tanzil-Nya:

وَقَلِيْلٌ مِنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُوْرُ

“Dan sedikit dari hamba-hamba-Ku yang mau bersyukur.” (Saba`: 13)
Siapa yang bersyukur, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala akan menambah nikmat-Nya. Adapun orang yang enggan untuk bersyukur, ia akan diazab:

لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لأَزِيْدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِنْ كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيْدٌ

“Apabila kalian bersyukur, Aku sungguh-sungguh akan menambah kenikmatan bagi kalian dan sebaliknya bila kalian kufur nikmat maka sungguh azabku sangat pedih.” (Ibrahim: 7)
Hadapilah liku-liku kehidupan berumah tangga dengan sabar dan syukur, niscaya kebaikan akan diperoleh. Memang “Sungguh mengagumkan perkara seorang mukmin.”
Wallahu ta’ala a’lam bish-shawab.

1 Kemudaratan di sini sifatnya umum, baik yang menimpa tubuhnya ataupun menimpa keluarga, anak, atau hartanya. (Bahjatun Nazhirin, 1/82)
2 Nabi Zakariyya ‘alaihissalam ketika berdoa minta keturunan kepada Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala menyatakan:

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي وَهَنَ الْعَظْمُ مِنِّي وَاشْتَعَلَ الرَّأْسُ شَيْبًا وَلَمْ أَكُنْ بِدُعَائِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيًّا

“Wahai Rabbku, sesungguhnya tulangku telah lemah dan kepalaku telah ditumbuhi uban, dan aku belum pernah kecewa dalam berdoa kepada-Mu, wahai Rabbku.” (Maryam: 4)
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala mengabulkan doa Nabi Zakariyya ‘alaihissalam dengan memberi kabar gembira kepadanya akan beroleh seorang putra. Nabi Zakariyya ‘alaihissalam pun takjub dengan berita tersebut hingga beliau berkata dengan heran:

قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّى يَكُوْنُ لِي غُلاَمٌ وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَتِي عَاقِرًا وَقَدْ بَلَغْتُ مِنَ الْكِبَرِ عِتِيًّا

“Wahai Rabbku, bagaimana aku akan beroleh anak, padahal istriku adalah seorang yang mandul dan aku sendiri sudah mencapai umur yang sangat tua.” (Maryam: 8)
3 Ketika malaikat Jibril ‘alaihissalam menemui Maryam dalam bentuk seorang manusia guna memberi kabar gembira kepada Maryam bahwa ia akan beroleh seorang putra, Maryam pun berkata dengan heran:

قَالَتْ أَنَّى يَكُوْنُ لِي غُلاَمٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي بَشَرٌ وَلَمْ أَكُ بَغِيًّا

“Maryam berkata, ‘Bagaimana aku akan beroleh anak, sementara tidak ada seorang lelaki pun yang pernah menyentuhku dan aku sendiri bukan seorang pezina?’.” (Maryam: 20)

[+/-] ......

Mengapa Harga CPO turun......

sebenarnya apa yang terjadi dengan fenomena penurunan harga CPO di pasar dunia tersebut? Apakah penurunan harga tersebut telah dapat dikatakan permanen atau pulihnya krisis pangan? Apakah ekonomi kelapa sawit Indonesia telah mengalami kejenuhan? Beberapa analisis di bawah ini mungkin dapat membantu menjelaskan fenomena yang terjadi.

Memasuki bulan Juli 2008, harga minyak kelapa sawit mentah (CPO=crude palm oil) di pasar dunia mengalami penurunan, sampai di bawah US$ 1,200 per ton. Pada bulan Mei 2008, harga CPO di pasar internasional bahkan pernah melampaui US$ 1,300 per ton, dan menjadi insentif tersendiri bagi ekspor CPO Indonesia (Data diambil dari Commodity Market Review, Bank Dunia, edisi Juli 2008). Gabungan Pengusaha Kelapa Sawit Indonesia (GAPKI) bahkan pernah memperkirakan produksi CPO Indonesia tahun 2008 ini mencapai 18,6 juta ton, atau melampaui produksi CPOO Malaysia 17,3 juta ton. Dengan mengacu pada proyeksi Oil World (2008), GAPKI pernah berani meramalkan bahwa kontribusi CPO Indonesia mencapai 44,3 persen dari total produksi CPO dunia, lebih tinggi dari 41,2 pangsa CPO Malaysia.
Pertama, di Indonesia dan Malaysia sebagai pemain utama CPO dunia terjadi panen raya, terutama untuk kebun-kebun muda yang baru dibuka lima-enam tahun lalu. Akibatnya, suplai dunia CPO meningkat, sehingga harga sedikit tertekan ke bawah. Faktor musim panas juga berpengaruh, sehingga tingkat permintaan minyak bumi sedikit menurun. Akibatnya, harga minyak bumi dunia juga tertekan sampai di bawah US$ 135 per barrel, suatu penurunan signifikan dari tingkat harga minyak bumi awal bulan Juli yang pernah menembus US$ 144 per barrel. Disamping itu, seperti umumnya terjadi pada musim panas, beberapa komoditas yang menjadi bahan baku minyak nabati dunia, seperti kedelai dan minyak kanola juga mengalami panen. Maksudnya, sumber minyak makan dunia tidak seluruhnya bergantung pada CPO Indonesia dan Malaysia.
Berbeda dengan fenomena harga CPO pada akhir Maret lalu, penurunan harga saat ini agak sulit disimpulkan sebagai akibat spekulasi para pemodal besar di pasar komoditi global. Pada kesempata lain (Arifin, 2008), penulis pernah mengemukakan tentang fenomena spekulasi investor global yang “menguji ketangguhan” pasar komoditi karena pasar keuangan global yang sedang lesu. Demikian pula, walaupun tekanan permintaan CPO untuk dikonversi menjadi biofuels masih tinggi, kaum industriawan di pasar global masih dapat mengandalkan minyak kedelai dan minyak kanola. Akibatnya, harga minyak kedelai masih menunjukkan laju peningkatan karena permintaan yang masih tetap tinggi. Harga jagung di pasar global justru masih mengalami peningkatan yang sangat signifikan karena kebutuhan jagung untuk dijadikan bioetanol masih cukup besar. Sebagian besar kebutuhan bioetanol dunia dipenuhi dari tebu dan jagung. Berhubung di Brazil sebagai produsen besar gula dunia sedang musim dingin, maka kenaikan harga jagung dunia masih menunjukkan peningkatan.
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Kedua, faktor Uni Eropa sebagai salah satu pasar terbesar CPO Indonesia, yang mulai bertingkah, yang diperkirakan mempengaruhi harga CPO dunia. Walaupun CPO Indonesia juga dipasarkan ke India, Singapura dan lain-lain, namun pasar Rotterdam di Belanda atau Uni Eropa secara umum masih cukup berpengaruh. Awal Juli ini, beberapa delegasi anggota parlemen Uni Eropa datang ke Jakarta, yang konon mempersiapkan regulasi yang berhubungan dengan pangann, biofuel, lingkungan hidup dan lain-lain. Seperti biasa, mereka melakukan pressure (mungkin plus ancaman boikot) bagi negara pemasok CPO dan produk pertanian lain ke Eropa, agar memenuhi syarat-syarat tertentu, yang ditentukan oleh masing-masing negara anggota Uni Eropa. Dengan semakin banyaknya jumlah negara anggota yang bergabung dengan Uni Eropa, tentu saja tuntutan, kemauan, dan kekhasan yang diperjuangkan agak beragam pula.
Argumen lama bahwa produksi CPO Indonesia diperoleh melalui konversi hutan tropis masih menjadi “senjata ampuh” yang digunakan para pejabat Uni Eropa. Dengan pertambahan areal kelapa sawit di Indonesia yang sangat cepat, masyarakat global wajar mempertanyakan proses konversi kebun sawit yang kini mencapai lebih dari 6 juta hektar tersebut. Apa pun argumen yang dibawa negara pembeli CPO Indonesia, para pengampu kepentingan (stakeholders) minyak kelapa sawit harus mampu menjelaskannya secara elegan dan bertanggung jawab. Skema RSPO (Roundtable Sustainable Palm Oil) yang menjadi acuan tentang keberlanjutan usaha dan industri CPO, keramahan terhadap lingkungan hidup dan keadilan sosial-ekonomi nampaknya masih perlu disempurnakan. Tidak berlebihan untuk dikatakan bahwa industri CPO di Indonesia telah menjadi taruhan kredibilitas strategi pengembangan biofuel di Indonesia, serta pelaksanaan pembangunan berkelanjtuan yang ramah lingkungan hidup.
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Ketiga, penurunan harga CPO saat ini agak sulit untuk dikatakan sebagai fenomena permanen atau pulihnya krisis pangan global. Pemerintah nampaknya masih sulit untuk menurunkan angka pungutan ekspor (PE) CPO dan produk turunannya, sekalipun mendapat tekanan yang tidak kecil. Para analis seakan tidak percaya bahwa harga CPO dunia akan anjlok sampai US$ 780 per ton seperti harga rata-rata tahun 2007, apalagi sampai US$ 478 per ton seperti harga rata-rata tahun 2006. Disamping itu, krisis pangan atau eskalasi harga pangan dunia masih belum akan mereda sampai lima tahun ke depan. Harga tiga komoditas pangan utama di tingkat global, seperti beras, gandum dan jagung, yang mengalami lonjakan di luar akal sehat. Harga gandum dunia per 10 Juli 2008 untuk kualitas sedang (hard red winter HRW) sekitar US$ 400 per ton (naik 96% dalam setahun), harga beras kualitas sedang (Thai 5% broken) juga di atas US$ 900 per ton (naik 203%), dan harga jagung kualitas sedang (number 2 yellow) di atas US$ 240 per ton (naik 94%).
Demikian pula, sulit untuk berharap bahwa harga minyak goreng di dalam negeri akan turun sampai di bahwa Rp 8000 per kilogram, misalnya. Sebera pun kecilnya kontribusi harga minyak goreng pada laju inflasi, komoditas ini telah masuk ke dalam ranah politik, karena berhubungan langsung dengan persoalan sehari-hari, terutama pada kelompok penghasilan rendah. Pemerintahan masih akan melakukan kebijakan populis seperti program stabilisasi harga (PSH) minyak goreng dan operasi pasar di beberapa tempat yang menjadi “pusat perhatian”. Mungkin saja, kebijakan “ala kadarnya” seperti kewajiban alokasi CPO untuk pasar dalam negeri (DMO=domestic market obligation) masih akan dilanjutkan, walaupun tingkat efektivitasnya masih sangat rendah. Masyarakat awam pun pahan bahwa skema kebijakan DMO itu sulit di-enforced di lapangan karena perbedaan kewenangan administratif antara Departemen Pertanian, Departemen Perdagangan dan bahkan Pemerintah Daerah.
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Keempat, ekonomi kelapa sawit Indonesia masih akan terus berkembang, alias belum mengalami kejenuhan. Tingginya harga CPO dunia, fenomena investasi yang menawarkan hasil cepat (quick-yielding), semakin banyaknya pemekaran kabupaten atau daerah otonom adalah sedikit faktor yang menjadi determinan perkembangan kelapa sawit di Indonesia saat ini. Pelaku industri kelapa sawit skala besar tentu merupakan kelompok yang paling banyak menikmati booming kelapa sawit Indonesia selama 10 tahun terakahir. Tidak dimungkiri, bahwa petani sawit skala usaha kecil pun (di bawah 5 hektar) ikut menikmati tingginya harga jual tanda buah segar (TBS), yang mencapai Rp 1200 per kilogram. Harga sebesar itu adalah dua kali lipat dari harga TBS dua tahun lalu. Petani sawit di Sumatra dan Kalimantan kadang tidak terlalu peduli terhadap kenaikan harga beras dan pangan lainnya, karena mereka mampu membelinya. Sebaliknya, bagi petani padi di Jawa dan Bali yang hanya menguasai lahan setengah hektar atau kurang, mereka menjadi kelompok yang sama sekali tidak diuntungkan atas kenaikan harga CPO atau bahkan atas penurunan harga CPO akhir-akhir ini. Mereka masih harus berjuang untuk mempertahankan hidupnya sendiri.
Singkatnya, fenomena penurunan CPO sekarang diperkirakan belum akan berdampak secara signifikan pada ekonomi kelapa sawit Indonesia. Beberapa pelaku industri CPO memang mengalami penurunan pendapatan, yang mungkin saja berimbas pada harga jual TBS di tingkat petani sawit. Di sinilah diperlukan kearifan Pemerintah untuk secara serius untuk meningkatkan efisiensi ekonomi dan meciptakan keadilan yang lebih baik bagi segenap stakeholders kelapa sawit. Apabila pungutan ekspor (PE) CPO belum akan diturunkan, penerimaan negara yang diperoleh dari PE CPO selama setahun ini dapat segera “dikembalikan kepada masyarakat”, misalnya untuk: peningkatan kesejahteraan petani sawit, pengembangan industri hilir berbasis kelapa sawit, pembenahan kemitraan pelaku kecil dan besar, perbaikan kualitas penelitian dan pengembangan (R&D) bidang agroindustri dan bahkan untuk subsidi harga minyak goreng bagi kaum miskin. Di sinilah nuansa efisiensi dan keadilan dapat tercipta.
Prof Dr Bustanul Arifin, Ketua PERHEPI (Perhimpunan Ekonomi Pertanian Indonesia)

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MANAJEMEN RISIKO PERKEBUNAN

Aktivitas perusahaan senantiasa dihadapkan pada risiko-risiko yang berkaitan erat dengan fungsinya untuk menciptakan nilai bagi para stakeholder. Pesatnya perkembangan lingkungan internal dan eksternal perusahaan menyebabkan semakin kompleksnya risiko bisnis. Agar mampu beradaptasi dengan lingkungan bisnis, penerapan manajemen risiko secara formal, terstruktur dan terintegrasi merupakan keharusan bagi perusahaan. Jika dilaksanakan dengan baik, manajemen risiko menjadi kekuatan vital bagi corporate governance, sehingga merupakan hal mendesak yang harus diterapkan perusahaan.

Setiap kegiatan dalam perusahaan atau biasa dikenal sebagai Internal Business Process mengandung risiko, baik yang sifatnya operasional maupun yang bersifat strategis dengan dampak yang sangat luas. Sehingga dalam menentukan mitigasi yang akan diambil, kita harus mampu menentukan apakah yang kita hadapi merupakan risiko operasional ataukah risiko bisnis yang mampu menghentikan proses operasi perusahaan.
Risiko, adalah kejadian yang dapat berdampak terhadap Sasaran Kinerja Perusahaan, setiap kegiatan yang memiliki tujuan akan memiliki risiko. Untuk meminimalkan risiko tersebut maka manajemen melakukan pengendalian (control) sehingga diharapkan akan lebih meningkatkan kepastian pencapaian tujuan/sasaran tersebut.

Manajemen Risiko, adalah suatu proses yang dilakukan oleh manajemen untuk mengidentifikasi, menilai, memonitor dan memitigasi risiko untuk lebih meningkatkan kepastian pencapaian Sasaran Kinerja.

Identifikasi Risiko.

Pekerjaan identifikasi adalah pekerjaan awal manajemen risiko yang paling mudah dilaksanakan, tetapi bila petugas/pelaksana identifikasi tidak punya kompetensi/kemampuan yang memadai, akan menghasilkan identifikasi risiko yang salah dan berakibat pada mitigasi yang salah pula. Pekerjaan awal ini akan menghasilkan output dafta risiko.

Bagaimana melakukan identifikasi risiko? Pekerjaan ini dimulai dengan melakukan analisis pihak berkepentingan (stakeholder), yang meliputi pemegang saham, kreditur, pemasok, karyawan, pemain lain dalam industri yang sama, pemerintah, manajemen itu sendiri, masyarakat dan pihak lain yang terpengaruh oleh adanya perusahaan.
Langkah berikutnya adalah analsis internal, yang dapat dilakukan dengan menggunakan 7S dari McKenzie, meliputi shared value, strategy, structure, staff, skill, system dan style.

Metode yang biasa digunakan dalam identifikasi risiko adalah analisis data historis, pengamatan&survei, benchmarking, dan pendapat ahli. Namun metode ini bisa juga didukung dengan tehnik lain yang dipandang perlu, misalnya analisis kontrak saat kita hendak melakukan transaksi dengan pihak ketiga. Analisis kontrak bertujuan untuk melihat risiko yang muncul karena kontrak tertentu. Risiko ini lebih berkait dengan risiko hukum. Spesifikasi kontrak yang tidak menyeluruh bisa menimbulkan celah-celah yang bisa dimanfaatkan oleh pihak yang tidak bertanggungjawab. Salah satu yang bisa dilakukan adalah dengan meminta bagian hukum atau bagian kepatuhan ataupun lawyer perusahaan untuk memeriksa poin-poin dalam kontrak untuk menganalisis konsekuensi hukum jika kontrak dituliskan dengan redaksi tertentu.

Bagaimana mengukur Risiko?
Setelah risiko teridentifikasi, proses berikutnya adalah mengukur risiko. Jika risiko telah diukur, kita bisa melihat besar kecilnya risiko, sekaligus dampak bagi perusahaan dan melakukan prioritisasi risiko (risiko mana yang paling relevan). Pengukuran/perhitungan risiko dapat dilakukan dengan beberapa cara yang bisa dipilih, tergantung pada kemudahan dan kecocokan. Proses pengukuran risiko ini akan menghasilkan output berupa peta risiko.

Pengukuran risiko selalu mengacu pada ukuran kualitas dan kuantitas risiko, yaitu frekuensi, tingkat kemungkinan, likelihood atau seberapa sering terjadi dan dampak, impact, severity atau besarnya kerugian. Disamping kedua acuan tersebut, ada juga yang memasukkan unsur kecenderungan/trend dalam mengukur risiko.

Pengukuran risiko akan sangat tergantung pada jenis risiko atau karakteristik risiko tersebut, misal risiko pasar dengan risiko kredit akan menghasilkan teknik kuantifikasi yang berbeda dan dengan demikian pengukurannya juga berbeda. Risiko pasar diukur dengan VAR (value at risk) dan stress-testing, sedangkan risiko kredit diukur dengan credit rating dan creditmetrics. Begitupun risiko operasional akan diukur dengan teknik berbeda lagi misalnya menggunakan matrik frekuensi & signifikansi kerugian dan VAR operasional.

Bagaimana cara penanganan risiko?
Proses berikutnya setelah risiko berhasil diidentifikasi dan diukur adalah mengelola risiko. Jika perusahaan gagal mengelola risiko, maka dampak yang diterima akan cukup serius, misalnya kerugian yang cukup besar, demo mogok dari karyawan, demotivasi karyawan. Output dari proses penanganan risiko adalah rekomendasi pengelolaan risiko.

Pengelolaan risiko secara klasik bisa dilakukan dengan 4 cara yaitu penghindaran risiko (risk avoidance), pengurangan risiko yang bisa dilakukan dengan metode pencegahan, diversifikasi atau lindung nilai alamiah (natural hedging), pemindahan risiko (risk transfer) dan penahanan risiko (risk retention). Kegiatan lain yang erat kaitannya dengan manajemen risiko adalah pengendalian risiko (risk control) dan pendanaan risiko (risk financing).

Mungkinkah perusahaan perkebunan mengelola risiko?
United Grain Growers (UGG), Perusahaan yang bergerak dibidang pertanian di Kanada, bisa mengasuransikan eksposur yang sebelumnya belum pernah diasuransikan, yaitu risiko cuaca. Risiko cuaca dintegrasikan dengan risiko lain dan kemudian diasuransikan. Praktek manajemen risiko UGG yang cukup inovatif mendatangkan penghargaan praktek manajemen terbaik dari beberapa lembaga yang berkompeten di bidang manajemen risiko.

Mengingat bisnis perkebunan juga dipengaruhi alam dan makin beragamnya risiko yang dihadapi perusahaan perkebunan termasuk PTPN dalam menjalankan bisnisnya, maka pengelolaan risiko adalah suatu keharusan (is a must).

Pengelolaan ini bisa dimulai dengan 3 langkah dasar sederhana sebagaimana dibahas diawal tulisan ini. Semisal kita berandai-andai, PTPN hendak menerapkan manajemen ditahun 2008 ini, PTPN sudah memiliki beberapa modal yang bisa dijadikan pijakan dalam bergerak.

Modal yang telah dimiliki dan juga yang harus ada di PTPN untuk melaksanakan manajemen risiko adalah:

-Kinerja terkahir (2008), hal ini telah disajikan dalam laporan manajemen dan telah disahkan kinerjanya oleh pemegang saham dalam RUPS yang baru saja lewat.
-Organisasi manajemen risiko, baik yang masih berada dibawah bidang/biro yang sudah ada maupun membentuk bidang manajemen risiko.
-Adanya “guru” dalam manajemen risiko, beberapa PTPN yang departemen keuangannya dikomandani oleh jendral dari perbankan, secara otomatis memiliki ”guru” dalam menerapkan konsep dasar manajemen risiko.
-Keyakinan terhadap manajemen risiko mulai muncul pada beberapa jajaran manajemen PTPN.
-Data dan informasi terinegrasi (dalam IT warehouse), beberapa PTPN telah investasi dengan nilai yang sangat besar untuk membangun fasilitas ini. Pemanfaatan fasilitas ini bisa dimulai dengan menjadikan data historis tentang curah hujan, produksi, produktivitas, harga, hutang, modal sebagai data base pengelolaan risiko operasional.
-Pandangan: “risiko milik semua”, pelan tapi pasti pandangan ini mulai mengkristal dalam setiap pengambilan keputusan bisnis PTPN.
-Model yang menghubungkan risiko dalam tataran tehnis dengan kinerja perusahaan, perlu dituangkan dalam bentuk tulisan agar dipahami semua jajaran perusahaan
-Dibuatnya corporate risk tolerance secara top down oleh BOD dengan persetujuan BOC.
-Dibuatnya peta risiko (risk map) yang dijadikan tolok ukur kinerja berbasis risiko oleh pihak intern PTPN maupun dengan bantuan konsultan.

Hal penting harus selalu diingat bahwa risiko bersifat dinamis (change management concept), sehingga siklus manajemen risiko harus selalu diikuti dan dijalankan dengan konsisten. Dengan telah dimilikinya modal dalam menerapkan manajemen risiko, dan tahu langkah/tahapan/proses yang perlu dilakukan dalam menerapkan manajemen risiko, maka kejadian menyalahkan sang Khalik atas ketidakmampuan dalam mengantisipasi dan menangani risiko operasional seperti ilustrasi cerita diawal tulisan ini tidak terjadi lagi.

Banyak pakar produksi dan tehnologi di negeri ini yang siap berkiprah dalam mencari solusi inovatif, tak mau kalah dengan para tenaga ahli Jepang yang mampu mengubah badai menjadi energi listrik, atau tanah/padang pasir di jazirah Arab yang gersang dan tandus dengan risiko kegagalan yang sangat tinggi akhirnya bisa menghijau dan menghasilkan produk pertanian berupa buah-buahan secara berlimpah, walaupun tidak seberlimpah buah-buahan dinegeri kita tercinta ini. Walahu alam bis shawab.

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Sunday, April 19, 2009

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Friday, April 17, 2009

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Thursday, April 16, 2009

Old London City

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Various Forms of Greeting

It’s good to visit a friend and be greeted with a firm handshake and words of welcome. If that is the way people greet one another in your country. However, there is often a meaning for a greeting and in any country there is usually more than one from of greeting.
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If you were to go to Zambia, for example, you would find that each tribe has different greetings. Imagine that you are visiting the Barotse tribe. A Tribesman would take your hand and kiss the palm and you be expected to do the same to his hand. After both of you did this three times, this being the first time you had met. If you had been friends for a long time, the clapping of hands would continue for a longer time and you would be expected to clan your hands at the same time.

If you visited to the Kaonde tribe in the same country, you would be greeted with a handshake. But not the usual handshake. In this tribe, two people when greeting each other, clap hands three times and then shake hands quickly. The Sala tribe also has a different sort of handshake. Here you must first shake hands, then grip thumbs, then sake with the full hand again. For this greeting you must perform these three movements quickly, imagine if you had to greet a lot of people, in this way at the same time.

In South America, The Greeting is the handshake, but everyone seems to be always shaking hands. The handshake has become a part of everyday life. Even if you meet a friend for a short time in the street, you meet and part with a handshake. People with smiling faces and friendly gestures, as well as the handshake, make you very welcome everywhere in South America.

In almost all parts of the world the embrace is widely used, even among the people from Andaman Islands and from Terra del Fuego (In Chile), and among the aborigines of Australia, in Pakistan you will find the handshake, but men welcome each other by hugging.
If you travel east to the oriental countries, you will be greeted with graceful how. The people want to make you feel very welcome. After the usual how, the people want to make you will enter the home, leaving your shoes at the door. And sit on a mat on the floor. That you will be given a cup of tea. Certainly this welcome, and the friendly smiling faces, will be remembered.

Giving Kisses on the cheek has been a greeting for a long time. In some a greeting for a long time. In Some countries only women greet each other in this way. In Syria, the men also greet each other in this way but sometimes they will grasp one another by the shoulders and without kissing, place the head first over one shoulder and then over the other.

Not every countries uses kissing as a public greeting. In China and Japan it is not polite to kiss in public. Among the Maoris of New Zealand, kissing in public is replaced by the custom of pressing noses.
In Some countries a physical greeting is no longer used it is replaced with words only. The Austrian greeting Kuss d’hand means “I kiss your hand” but actually your hand is not kissed. The Spanish also use the greeting is only spoken, in the past. The Spanish really kissed the hands of a friend as a greeting.

There is a belief that you can know the character of a person by his way of greeting. Indeed, greetings are words and acts that are customary but they also show your friendship or love. With a greeting, you can make the people who meet you feel very happy.

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