Good or bad year ahead, all enjoy spring festival
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
"I would suggest to you, my friends, of all shio (Chinese zodiac signs), to try much harder and take control of every aspect of your lives. During this new year, there will be no significant progress or achievement," fortune teller Bambang Suropati remarked.
The Year of the Rooster, the tenth of the sexagenary system of Chinese New Year, will start on Feb. 9.
Many believe that it won't be a good year because it begins relatively late, which means it will miss the "lichun", the auspicious day that marks the start of spring.
Some 300 people who filled the center court of Ciputra Mall, West Jakarta, gave a nod to what Bambang had just said.
But they expressed surprise and responded quietly as Bambang said that natural disasters would still take place in the country, "although not as big as the quake and tsunami that hit Aceh and North Sumatra on Dec. 26."
"As for the economy and politics, small fluctuations will appear. There will hardly be any development in the economy or in politics. I think that politicians need to learn to grow up," added Bambang.
The forecast was one of the events held to highlight the Fascinating Red festivities, which began on Friday.
An orchestra playing traditional Chinese music, opera, and a fashion competition for children will also highlight the festivities that will end on Feb. 11.
But it was not the fortune teller who attracted 30 teenaged girls of Bina Remaja Orphanage in Jatinegara, East Jakarta, who were invited to the opening event.
"This is my first time to attend such an event. I love it, because I can eat all of the delicious food served," said Gita.
Gita, who is a Chinese-Indonesian and still in her second year at Santa Maria junior high school in East Jakarta, is separated from her family.
"I hope this year will be a better year for me and my family," Gita added.
Afrida, one of the Catholic sisters accompanying the girls to the event, said that most of the girls were left at the orphanage by their parents, while some of them were victims of physical abuse by their step parents.
"We try to provide excitement and joy by bringing the girls to fun events, such as this, so they don't feel bored," she said.
The general manager of Ciputra Mall, Sugwantono Tanto, said that inviting orphans and people from old folks homes to events held at the mall, was an expression of the management's social responsibility.(001)