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Indonesia News Digest 40 – September 23-30, 2008
Agence France Presse - September 29, 2008
Presi Mandari, Jakarta – With their daughter perched at the
front of the motorbike and their son squashed between them,
Purwanto and his wife set off from Jakarta for the 15-hour
overnight ride home for their holidays.
It's the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and millions of
Indonesians pack their children – and whatever else they can –
onto their motorcycles and hit the road to spend the Eid al-Fitr
holidays in their home villages.
Long journeys along dangerous roads in stifling heat and dust are
no obstacle in a country where about 70 million people earn less
than two dollars a day and the price of a bus or train ticket is
just too much to bear.
"It's tiring but cheap," Purwanto told AFP as he packed his
Yamaha 225cc motorbike for the 560-kilometre (350-mile) trip from
the capital Jakarta, where he works in a paper factory, to his
hometown of Madiun in East Java.
As the sun sinks into the smog over the traffic-choked city,
Purwanto's seven-year-old daughter dons her oversized helmet and
takes up the front position on the seat between her father's
legs.
Wrapped in a jacket to protect her from the wind, she will bear
the brunt of the grit and grime which the road will throw up as
the family drives through the night to avoid the blazing tropical
sun.
"The cost is very high if we take a bus. I have to buy four
tickets that will cost me 800,000 rupiah (85.60 dollars). With a
motorcycle, I only spend about 90,000 rupiah on fuel," Purwanto
explained.
Bus and train fares sometimes double or even triple ahead of Eid
al-Fitr due to demand, and the crowds are horrendous.
"Another benefit is that we can visit relatives in the village
with the motorcycle. That also saves me money," added Purwanto,
who earns a little more than three dollars a day in the paper
mill.
Millions of people in the world's most populous Muslim country
have taken advantage of cheap credit in recent years to buy
motorcycles for the first time.
Transport ministry figures show that the number of Indonesians
driving motorcycles home for Eid has more than tripled over the
past five years.
"We recorded 2.1 million motorcycles leaving Jakarta and its
surrounding areas last year and we predict that will increase to
2.5 million this year," transport official Ahmad Wahyudi said.
Hundreds of people will never make it home. According to police
figures, three-quarters of the 789 people killed in road
accidents in Indonesia last Eid were riding motorcycles.
National police traffic director Yudi Sushariyanto said the
scooter-style motorcycles favoured by Indonesian workers were not
designed for long journeys and were no match for the buses and
trucks on the nation's highways.
"It's their right to ride motorcycles, we can't ban them from
doing so. We only give them some recommendations for safe
riding," he said, adding that driver fatigue on long journeys was
a major cause of fatal accidents.
Father-of-two Firdaus said his wife left him no choice but to
pack his family on his 125cc Honda scooter for the 12-hour Eid
odyssey from south Jakarta to her home village near Palembang on
Sumatra island – even when his youngest son was only three
months old.
"We don't have any choice. Everything is expensive and it's a
must for my wife to spend Lebaran (Eid) with her family," said
the 34-year-old Jakarta native who works with a cleaning service.
"Thank God everything has gone well. My baby was so quiet during
the journey last year, he only cried when the heat was
intolerable. My kids have never been sick because of the long
journey."
From south Jakarta, Firdaus first drives two-and-a-half hours to
the westernmost part of Java island, where the family boards a
ferry across the Sunda Strait to the southern part of Sumatra.
They then continue for another seven hours to his wife's family
home.
Purwanto said he understood the risks of the long road trip, but
he felt they were worth taking to give his children time with
their grandparents.
"I never drive at high speed and I'm always extra careful. I
usually stop every three hours for a break," he said. "I realise
that it won't be easy for my children but we have to go home to
see my parents and relatives. It's only once a year."
Jakarta Post - September 26, 2008
Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – Global food prices are to remain
high until 2012 given high demand amid fast-growing population
and rapid biofuel development, the Agriculture Ministry has
warned.
Achmad Suryana, head of the ministry's Food Security Agency, said
Wednesday evening, population growth and increasing biofuel
projects would push up the global stock-to-consumption ratio for
many crops.
At present, the stock-to-consumption ratio for paddy stands at 32
percent, for wheat 37 percent, 17 percent for corn, according to
Achmad, citing ministry data. "The ratio for corn has declined
from 20 percent last year."
According to Achmad, global paddy, wheat and corn prices had
soared by 200 percent, 47 percent and 29 percent, respectively,
from May last year until May this year.
Food prices had since declined but are yet to reach the levels
recorded in May last year, he said, adding that "the declining
trend will likely be short term."
"In the medium term, around 2011-2012, food prices will remain
high although there won't be the turmoil we had in early 2008,"
he added.
To help face these challenges, the ministry is attempting to
increase productivity of food crops by investing heavily in
research and development to improve agricultural infrastructure.
Achmad pointed as an example to the government's research efforts
into new seeds that would be "more productive and resistant to
climate-change, with new, more effective planting techniques".
"In the meantime, the ministry is developing a paddy variety that
aims to become flood and drought resistant."
Other efforts include the rehabiliation and development of
irrigation systems to improve the planting frequency index.
"We hope to be able to increase our planting frequency index from
between 1.0 and 1.6 per year to between 2.0 and 2.5 through
irrigation rehabilitation, without extending field areas," he
said.
"Besides all these efforts, we also have to let go our reliance
on food commodities used in fuel production, at least for 10
years ahead, as demand for food continues to increase," he said.
Actions, demos, protests...
Pornography & morality
Aceh
West Papua
Human rights/law
War on corruption
Elections/political parties
Police/law enforcement
Economy & investment
Analysis & opinion
News & issues
Born to be wild, Indonesians hit the road for Eid
Food prices 'to remain high in next four years'
Lemhannas calls for focus on preventing separatism
Jakarta Post - September 23, 2008
Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – The National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) has recommended the government curb separatist movements in the country by focusing on preventive measures and finding the root causes of the problem.
State officials participating in a training held by the think tank delivered the recommendation to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in a forum at the State Palace on Monday through their presentation on "political resilience to support the country's unity".
"To deal with separatism, the government needs to examine the core of the problem by enforcing the law and eradicating unfairness," participant Abidin Syah Siregar told the forum.
"Preventive measures should be prioritized, including the implementation of education on nationality concept for citizens," he said.
Citizens should also be given more opportunity to get involved in the formulation of policies on political issues, he added, saying it would have a positive impact on society and would thus help prevent disintegration.
The participants also stressed regional autonomy should be seen as a delegation of responsibilities, rather than a delegation of power. They said that before granting a province autonomy, the government should have a clear and measured blueprint ready.
In response to the recommendations, Yudhoyono said the government had always prioritized soft power, rather than hard power, in handling secessionist movements.
"But if the movement is already underway, law enforcement is necessary," he told the participants. He agreed the government should find the root causes of the movements first before taking action against separatists.
"We have had many examples of such movements. Mostly the root causes are the feelings of injustice, being left behind by other provinces and not receiving a sufficient budget from the government for development in their areas," the President said.
He cited separatism in Papua, saying the government had issued a policy to grant the province special autonomy and allocate it a budget higher than those of other provinces.
"We have provided Papua with the greatest per-capita budget for development in the province, so they have no reason to cite the lack of funds as an excuse for disobedience," Yudhoyono said.
He added the government had always upheld the pursuit of prosperity and justice for the people of Papua.
| Actions, demos, protests... |
Tempo Interactive - September 22, 2008
TMC/Ronald, Jakarta – The Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Management Centre (TMC) reports that eight protest actions will be held in Jakarta today, Monday September 22.
The first demonstration will be held by the Student Movement of Legal Concern (GMPH) in front of the National Police headquarters and the State Palace in Central Jakarta at 9am.
At 10am, the Papua Anti-Corruption Customary Community (KAPAK) will hold an protest action at four locations starting at the Corruption Eradication Commission offices, then moving on to the Supreme Court, the Department of Home Affairs and ending in front of the State Palace.
Also at 10am, the Teachers Reform Forum (FGR) will hold a demonstration in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Central Jakarta.
Another protest action will also take place at the DPR in relation to the draft anti-pornography law which is currently being discussed by the DPR's working committee. Demonstrations against and in support of the law have also spread to other parts of the country such as Bali and Yogyakarta.
Next, the State Assets People's Saviours Movement (GRPHN) will hold protest actions at three different locations, the State Place, the Attorney General's Office and the central office of the state-owned electricity company PT PLN.
Not far from the State Place at the Department of Home Affairs, the Action Study Circle for Indonesian Democracy (LSADI) will also be holding a demonstration at the same time.
Another protest action is planned to take place at the Department of Fisheries and Marine Affairs, which will be continued at the offices of PT. Pusaka Benjina Resource at the Wisma 99 building on Jl. Iskandar Syah in South Jakarta.
The final demonstration is planned for 1pm and will be held in front of the Supreme Court by the People's Sovereignty Forum.
[Translated by James Balowski from two articles in Tempo Interactive.]
| Pornography & morality |
Jakarta Post - September 26, 2008
Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Groups of women's rights activists from eight provinces have intensified pressure on legislators to cancel the pornography bill, citing that it could further criminalize women across the archipelago.
Women's and children's rights activists from Jakarta, North Sumatra, Bali, South Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara, East Java, Central Java and Aceh voiced their opposition to the bill during a four-hour meeting in Jakarta on Thursday.
"We think the porn bill is flawed. Since the beginning, the discussions have been held in closed-door meetings and have lacked public participation," the activists said in their joint statement.
The statement will be submitted to the House of Representatives working committee on the bill on Friday. The committee has said the bill is aimed at protecting women and children from the porn industry.
"However, the bill places women as the perpetrators of pornography. The fact is that both women and children fall victims to the pornography business," the group said. "Once the porn bill is passed into law, women will be criminalized."
Coordinator for legal affairs at the Women's Legal Aid Foundation Sri Nurherwati said the porn bill contained a vague definition of pornography. "It will open gaps for everybody to use it for their own benefit," she said.
The heavily-criticized bill was initially scheduled to be brought to a House plenary session last week for endorsement. However, the deliberation has been delayed due to mounting opposition from activists nationwide. The bill has been criticized for threatening privacy rights and national pluralism.
The House's leading two factions – the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle and the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) – walked out of the deliberation process in protest of the bill. No information is available as to when the plenary session will be held.
"We have not set a schedule for the deliberation," said legislator Latifah Iskandar of the National Mandate Party. "However, I can't guarantee that my party will reject the bill despite your input," she told the activists. "It is a matter of negotiation."
Activist Sarma Hutajulu from North Sumatra said the hype surrounding the porn bill would only encourage local administrations to issue bylaws that discriminate against women's rights.
"The Medan municipality administration is awaiting the results of the porn bill's deliberation. It has finished drafting a bylaw on pornography," she said.
Sarma said one article in the bill forbade women from taking baths in rivers without appropriately covering their bodies. "It criminalizes women's rights as such practices are still common in many areas in North Sumatra," she said.
Representatives from Bali also called on legislators to "bury" the porn bill, citing a similar reason.
Jakarta Post - September 25, 2008
Dian Kuswandini, Jakarta – Responding to mounting public criticism, the House of Representatives has begun revising several contentious articles of the pornography bill, which is scheduled to be passed into law in October.
A legislator of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Agung Sasongko said a technical team, established to gather public input, had published a list of the most-criticized articles in the bill.
"Following pubic hearings in Jakarta, Ambon, Makassar and Banjarmasin on Sept. 18, the team found that the most-criticized articles include Articles 1, 4, 14, 21 and 22," Agung told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Article 1 defines pornography as any sexual reference exhibited as a drawing, sketch, illustration, photograph, text, sound, moving picture, animation, cartoon, poetry, conversation or any other form of communication.
Article 4 regulates restrictions and limitations on pornographic materials and services, while Article 14 concerns the use of sexual materials in traditional rituals and art and culture. Articles 21 and 22 stipulate the public's involvement in undertaking preventive measures against pornography.
"The working group for the bill is currently deliberating on the changes both to the articles' substances and grammatical structures," said Agung, a legislator of the House's Commission VIII overseeing religions, social affairs and women's empowerment.
A member of the working group, Irsyad Sudiro of the Golkar Party, said the group expected to significantly alter the bill. "In general, the bill would not violate human rights, or criminalize or discriminate against women," he said.
Agung said the working group had involved in the deliberations linguists and representatives from the National Police and the Attorney General's Office.
"Linguists will ensure the editorial of the bill will not mislead public perception, while law enforcers will help decide how strict actions against violators can be carried out," he said.
The PDI-P and the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), which previously disagreed on the bill and walked out of the deliberation process, have rejoined talks following the latest revision proposals.
The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), which has firmly supported the bill, said the changes should focus on containing the porn industry, which it said was on the rise.
"The new draft should also not deconstruct local and national cultural products and their characteristics," PKS faction chairman Mahfudz Siddiq said. "The bill would allow access to use pornographic materials for educational purposes, that will be regulated further," he added.
Ali Mochtar Ngabalin of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) said he guaranteed the bill would protect and respect local values and traditions.
"We have plenty of time to give chances to the public to deliver their criticism and input. We will accept all input with open minds," he said as quoted by Antara.
Despite mounting pressure to cancel the bill, Ngabalin said he was optimistic the bill would be passed into law during a plenary meeting scheduled for Oct. 14.
Jakarta Post - September 25, 2008
Dicky Christanto/Ni Komang Erviani, Denpasar – Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika has said the House of Representatives should modify existing laws to regulate the sex industry instead of endorsing a new pornography bill he considered a threat to national unity.
"Once these laws are modified, they will be more than enough to stop the sex industry," Pastika said Tuesday before a crowd of thousands gathered at the governor's office.
There are at least four separate laws dealing with pornography, namely the criminal code, the Press Law, the Broadcasting Law and the Child Protection Law, he added.
"We will continue to reject the pornography bill even though lawmakers have vowed to modify it because the bill defines sexuality using just one group's point of view," he said.
The crowd of more than a thousand, led by the Bali People's Component (KRB), demanded the governor support their struggle to strike down the bill.
In addition to delivering speeches in that vein, members of the rally staged poetry readings and musical performances, with noted guitarist I Wayan Belawan spotted among the attendees.
Chairman of the Bali Legislative Council Ida Bagus Putu Wesnawa, speaking before the crowd, warned the protesters against becoming too easily provoked while campaigning against the bill.
"Your right to express your opinion is guaranteed under the law, but I must warn you to stay calm while doing so," he said.
The KRB staged the rally to coincide with a plenary session on finalizing the bill.
However, lawmakers who support the anti-pornography measure were forced to cancel the session in the wake of massive protests across the country. Undeterred, Balkan Kaplale, the chairman of the pornography bill deliberation committee, has vowed to finish deliberations this year.
I Nengah Jimat, a KRB activist, said he had been coordinating with other rights activists to monitor the bill's deliberation. "We will keep our eyes on the deliberation, including noting meeting schedules and reading related materials. We're also keeping watch to make sure they don't try to secretly pass the bill," said Jimat, who is also a lawyer with the Bali Legal Aids Institute (LBH).
Meanwhile, scores of legal experts and lawyers have denounced the proposed pornography bill as an unconstitutional piece of legislation, claiming it will suppress citizen's basic rights protected by the country's 1945 Constitution.
Udayana University's School of Law professor Yohanes Usfunan stated the bill trampled upon the citizen's right to religious freedom. He stressed that this was an absolute right explicitly protected by the country's Constitution.
"The passage of this bill cannot be decided through a voting process because religious freedom is an absolute right, a right that even a state doesn't have the authority to interfere with," he argued on Monday.
Usfunan pointed out that various articles in the bill clearly showed that it was based on ethics, norms and moral values of a specific community and religious faith.
"The bill tries to standardize moral values across the nation. In this respect alone, the bill has violated one of the country's basic legal principles," he said.
Similar sentiments were also echoed by former member of the country's Constitutional Court, I Dewa Gde Palguna. The passing of the bill, he stated, would constitute the gravest breach to the nation's founding principles.
"The bill will outlaw every basic human rights known to us. This (the bill) is the product of illogical thinking," he stated.
He urged all elements of the society to file a motion for judicial review to the Constitutional Court if the House of Representatives and the government ratify the bill. – Luh De Suriyani contributed to this article
Agence France Presse - September 23, 2008
Denpasar – Hundreds of people protested Tuesday in the Indonesian resort island of Bali against a proposed anti- pornography law.
Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika told the crowd the bill overlapped with existing legislation and trampled local customs in a country of ethnic, religious and cultural diversity.
"The parliament should enforce other laws on the sex industry but don't endorse a new law on pornography, especially if that law only accommodates a single group's perspective and disrespects others'," he said.
He said regulations in the media law, the criminal code, the broadcasting law and the child protection law should be enough to control pornography and set a moral tone for the country.
The bill before parliament in the mainly Muslim country has drawn criticism for being too vague in its definition of pornography and for encouraging vigilante groups to take the law into their own hands.
Critics in the mainly Hindu island of Bali say it will threaten local religious and cultural traditions, and hurt the lucrative tourism industry.
The bill would criminalise all public acts and material capable of raising sexual desires or violating "community morality," including dance, music and poetry.
About 1,000 people took part in the protest outside the governor's mansion, the second such demonstration against the bill in less than a week. They performed traditional dances, songs and poems that could be deemed pornographic under the broad terms of the bill.
Activists have pledged to wage a campaign of civil disobedience if the bill is passed into law, but Governor Pastika said he would not support such action. "We will think it over and find the best way to respond," he said.
The bill has been pushed by conservative Muslim parties and has won the backing of the main secular Golkar party, which is struggling for votes ahead of elections next year. Lawmakers have postponed a vote on the bill until later this year in response to the public outcry.
Jakarta Post - September 23, 2008
Slamet Susanto and Blontak Poer, Yogyakarta, Surakarta – Hundreds of residents in Yogyakarta and Surakarta staged separate rallies Monday in protest against the deliberation of the pornography bill which they said potentially threatened both national unity and freedom of expression.
Protesters in Yogyakarta held the rally at the provincial legislative council on Jl. Malioboro. Also joining the event were noted artists and public figures such as Butet Kertaradjasa, Bakdi Sumanto and Queen GKR Hemas.
After performing and giving speeches, they met with legislators. Both parties then agreed to sign a joint statement rejecting the pornography bill.
"We hope this agreement will inspire other regions to take the same stand against the bill," said Ahmad Sulistiono, the council's deputy speaker.
He said the council rejected the bill because it could threaten the thriving traditions and cultures of the Indonesian people.
The renowned "king of monologue" Butet Kertaradjasa agreed, saying the pornography bill was not the response to effectively curb pornography in the country.
"The bill is not easy to implement. It is subject to multiple interpretations, which could lead to further unanticipated problems across the country," Butet said.
Woman activist Hapsa of the Yogyakarta Women's Alliance said the pornography bill itself harasses women. She said women and children, often victims of sexual harassment, could even be taken to court if the bill were to pass.
The peaceful rally continued at the Yogyakarta state palace Gedung Agung, one kilometer from the legislative council.
Noted transgender dancer Didik Nini Thowok and dozens of other local performers staged traditional dances until late in the afternoon, attracting thousands of passersby.
Separately, in the Central Java town of Surakarta, local artists marched to the municipal legislative council, voicing similar objections.
Symbolizing their rejection of the pornography bill, the demonstrators placed many tombak sewu (a thousand spears) before the legislators' building. Made from coconut leaf ribs, each topped with chili peppers and red onions the natural sculptures symbolize the warding away of evil.
Protest coordinator Murtidjono said the bill had failed to accommodate articles which unambiguously protect the traditional arts as well as rituals and customs. "The bill is against our basic constitution, the 1945 Constitution."
Detik.com - September 22, 2008
Muchus Budi R., Solo – Scores of artists in the Central Java city of Solo went to the Surakarta Regional House of Representatives building today to hold a symbolic action using palm leaf ribs imbedded with spices. They intended the action as a rejection against the enactment of the Draft Anti-Pornography Law (UU AP) that the House of Representatives plans to ratify tomorrow.
In traditional Javanese society, palm leaf ribs whose tips have been imbedded with various kinds of spices are believed to be able to ward of disasters or catastrophes that comes from supernatural creatures. The palm leaf ribs are then stuck in corners around the house with the intention of protecting it from disaster.
This old fashioned tradition was 'reopened' by Solo artists to address the planned enactment of the anti-pornography law. They believe that if the draft law is applied as legislation a massive disaster will occur in the country because a number of articles in the law are considered prone to creating disintegration and a threat to national diversity.
The demonstrators began gathering on the grounds of the Solo DPRD complex on Jl. Adi Sucipto at 10am. They then imbedded the palm leaves that had been brought by individual protesters in banana tree branches that had been placed on the DPRD building flag pole roundabout.
It was not just artist that joined in with the symbolic protest against the draft law, but a number of Solo DPRD members also planted the palm leaf ribs including the head of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle faction YF Sukasno and Peace and Prosperity Party faction member Ana Budiarti.
Following this, the artists went to the DPRD building to meet with house speaker Hariadi Saptono. Saptono received the protesters openly and promised to immediately convey their demands and a statement by Solo artist to the central government. After accepting the statement, Saptono also planted palm leaf ribs that had been given to him by the artists.
A number of well known Solo artists also joined the action including Suprapto Suryodarmo, Slamet Gundono, Cak Diqin, Eko Supriyanto and Joko Bibit. (mbr/djo)
[Translated by James Balowski.]
Detik.com - September 22, 2008
Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Scores of residents in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta held an action today opposing the enactment of the Draft Anti-Pornography Law. The reason, the draft law will harm the Indonesian nation's spirit of diversity.
The action by protesters from the Yogyakarta Forum for Diversity (YUK!) was held on the ground of the Yogyakarta Regional House of Representatives building on Jl. Malioboro on Monday September 22. The action was joined by representatives from a number of different organisations.
Action coordinator Emanuel Fanen said that the substance of the current draft is not very different from the earlier one and it still contains many elements that are in conflict with social life and could be misleading. "The draft law is very much in conflict with the spirit of Article 45 of the 1945 Constitution and does not reflect the spirit of reformasi", said Fanen in a speech.
According to Fanen, those who formulated the law do not realise Indonesia is a multicultural society and people cannot just be lumped together. The state cannot be allowed to interfere with how its citizens dress and act. If this is done it will be a violation of human rights. The draft law could also give rise to potential horizontal and vertical conflicts and threatens the unity and integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. "If the draft law is ratified we are concerned that it will be taken advantage of by a handful of people or certain rogue elements", she said.
A number of other participants also took the opportunity to make fun of the law. They said that if the draft anti-pornography law is ratified women will no longer be able to play futsal (a kind of soccer game with eight players played on a small field) wearing tight shorts. Dangdut (Arabic and Indian-infused pop music) dances during the celebration of Independence Day will also be banned. Even swinging the hips while walking will be forbidden because all of these things can be deemed to be a form of pornography.
The protest action proceeded in an orderly fashion with police simply standing guard in the vicinity of the location. They plan to continue the demonstration later in the afternoon in front of the Gedung Agung Yogyakarta Presidential Palace on Jl. Ahmad Yani with a number of artistic attractions.
The protesters also brought a number of posters and the state symbols of the Garuda Pancasila bird and the red-and-white national flag. These were brought as a way of reflecting the nation's spirit of diversity.
The poster that were brought, included messages such as "The draft pornography law will ban girls from playing futsal", "The draft pornography law will ban the wearing lipstick in front of the house" and "The draft pornography law will ban the sale of bras and underpants in markets". (bgs/djo)
[Translated by James Balowski.]
Detik.com - September 22, 2008
Triono Wahyu Sudibyo, Semarang – Scores of activists from the Cental Java Network for the Protection of Women and Children (JPPA) demonstrated against the Draft Anti-Pornography law in the Central Java provincial capital of Semarang on Monday September 22 demanding that the draft law be cancelled.
The action, which started at the Semarang fountain roundabout on Jl. Pahlawan, was followed by a long-march to the Semarang Radio Republic Indonesia building on Jl. Ahmad Yani, some two kilometres away.
In addition to giving speeches, protesters also held a theatrical action criticising the draft law as an obstacle to the women's movement because under the proposed law, any movement or bodily posture by a woman can be interpreted as a pornographic act.
"Oh that's pornography. That's pornography. Not allowed, not allowed!", shouted the demonstrators after looking at the body movements of other participants that were actually quite ordinary.
Action coordinator Irene (27) said that the draft anti- pornography law represents a means of state control over an individual's privacy and a threat to women. And of course, this is not good for women. "Who knows, women dancing or involved in art could be categorised as pornographic and could be put in jail", she said.
Irene is calling on the government not to complete the deliberation of and the ratification of the special law regulating pornography and pornographic acts. The reason being that the regulation is dangerous because it is open to multiple interpretations. (try/djo)
[Translated by James Balowski.]
| Aceh |
Jakarta Post - September 29, 2008
Jakarta – An army soldier kidnapped Sunday morning by an armed group in East Aceh was released in Cot Keh Village in Peureulak on Monday morning.
Chief Cpl. Saiful Afwani was released on a village road and was picked up by members of the Aceh Transitional Committee and intelligence officers of the East Aceh Military District Command. "He was alone, no kidnapper was sighted," said Chief Sgt. Razali, one of the intelligence officers.
Saiful later told reporters that he was kidnapped by a group of five men, who carried one AK-47 and two M-16 rifles. The kidnappers tied his arms and legs, and blindfolded him. "I was beaten up twice," he said.
Saiful was kidnapped in Leube Village, East Aceh City, on Sunday morning.
Saiful's commander, North Aceh Military district chief Lt. Col. Yoseph Sudrajat, said earlier that a dissident group of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatists was behind the incident. Yoseph detained two GAM top officials as insurance for the hostage. (dre)
| West Papua |
Australian Associated Press - September 29, 2008
Five Australians arrested after illegally landing a light plane in Indonesia's Papua province were charged with immigration offences and face seven years' jail, police said.
The two women and three men, including the pilot, were arrested when they made an unannounced landing at Mopah airport in Papua's Merauke district on September 12, after a flight from northeastern Australia.
"The five Australians have been named suspects. On Friday, we submitted their case file to the prosecutor's office to be processed," Papua chief detective Paulus Waterpauw told AFP.
The group said they were on a private sightseeing trip and believed they could obtain visas on arrival, according to police.
A low-level separatist insurgency has simmered in Papua since the 1960s. It remains one of the most sensitive and rugged corners of the vast Indonesian archipelago.
Journalists are barred from the province without special permits, and Papuan activists accuse the Indonesian military of widespread human rights abuses, especially around massive foreign-operated mining projects.
The five Australians, who are being held in custody in Papua, have been identified as pilots William Henry Scott Bloxam and Vera Scott Bloxam, and passengers Hubert Hofer, Karen Burke and Keith Mortimer.
They have been fined 28.6 million rupiah ($A3,625) for making an illegal flight in Indonesian territory.
Antara News - September 28, 2008
New York – The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR)'s Commission I delegation visiting the US, called on US congressmen to help correct understanding on Papua issue as some Congressmen still considered the issue problematic.
Theo L Sambuaga, who led the Commission I delegation, made the request in the meetings with their counterparts in the US Congress, when visiting Washington DC, from September 22 to 25, 2008.
"We ask them to help correct view of other US congressmen who still have negative opinion on Papua," Theo Sambuaga told Antara in New York, on Friday evening in a meeting with the Indonesian community in New York.
In Washington DC, the Commission I delegation had met with a number of Senators and Congressmen both from the Republic and Democrat. "Many of them (members of the US Congress) have actually shared the same understanding, that the situation in Papua has been conducive," he said.
Accompanied by Indonesian Ambassador to the US Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat, the Indonesian legislators held meetings among others with Senator Richard Lugar (R-Indiana), Senator Kit Bond (R-Missouri), Representative Dan Burton (R-Indiana) – who is concurrently Co-Chair of the Indonesian Congressional Caucus in the US Congress, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Michigan), Rep. Michael Conway (R-Texas) and Congressman Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa).
In the meetings with the US senators and representatives, the visiting Indonesian legislators also discussed about a letter signed by 40 members of the US Congress asking President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to free two Papua separatists currently being jailed.
The Indonesian Parliament considered the letter as an intervention of the US Congress in Indonesian internal issue.
"Unfortunately, we did not have a chance to meet US congressmen signing the letter. However, at least we asked the help of other members of the US Congress to correct the view on the Papua issue," Theo Sambuaga said.
The DPR delegation included Marzuki Darusman, Djoko Susilo, Yorrys Raweyai, Marcus Silano, Andi Jamaro Dulung, Pupung Suharis Soegito, Suryama Majana Sastra, and Abdullah Afifuddin Thaib.
The delegation also held meetings with some US officials such as Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England, Deputy Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Scot Marciel, and Senior Director for Asia Affairs at the National Security Council Denis Wilder.
They also visited several think-tank institutes such as The Brookings Institute, The Heritage Foundation, The US-Indonesia Community Group (USINDO), the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and the National Defense University (NDU).
Tempo Interactive - September 27, 2008
Tjahjono EP/ENI, Timika – Provincial Police has named Paulus Kiwing and Matius Magai, residents of Kwamki Baru town as suspects for raising the outlawed Kejora Star flag last Tuesday. Both are now detained at the Mimika police headquarters.
According to the Criminal Investigation Division chief, Paulus Waterpauw, they are being charged with being involved in the raising of the outlawed Kejora Star flag hoisting ceremony, which is regarded as a violation of the emergency law and show of rebellion against the government.
"Paulus Kiwing was seen to have dug the hole in which to place the flag pole, while Matius Magai is charged with offering a prayer when the flag was hoisted," Waterpauw said, adding that the police are still investigating the case but have not yet found new suspects.
The police have previously arrested 18 people allegedly involved in a similar incident last September. After an interrogation which lasted three days, the police named two suspects and released the other 16 people.
The flag, symbolizing a Papua separatist group, was raised early in the morning and remained flying for about 30 minutes. The police dragged the flag down after they received a report of the incident. When the flag was removed, no one was at the location.
The police tracked the responsible people by searching houses in the area, and detaining 18 residents including Paulus and Matius. When they were arrested, the two were found in possession of arrows, guns and other weapons, which the police held as evidence.
According to Mimika police chief, Godhelp Cornelis Mansnembra, the flag raising incident was a diversion to distract attention from the investigation into the recent bombing in Timika town.
The Papua separatist group had attacked a number of facilities at PT Freeport Indonesia such as a bridge and an electricity sub- station.
Australian Associated Press - September 25, 2008
The leader of a group of 43 Papuan asylum seekers now living in Australia says he has concerns for the long-term safety of two Papuans who have returned to the Indonesian province.
Hana Gobay, from Merauke in Papua, and Yubel Kareni, from Serui, were reunited with family in Papua on Wednesday after contacting Indonesian officials in Melbourne and Canberra in mid-July wanting to return home.
"All refugees want to go home. We became refugees because our home is not safe," Herman Wainggai said in a statement issued through the Australia West Papua Association.
"The Australian government granted asylum to all of the 43 based on this.
"The Australian West Papuan community supports Hana and Yubel in their decision as it is a deeply personal one, but I have concerns for their long-term safety.
"If Hana and Yubel were given assurances and promised money then it is understandable they would think about taking this risk. It is also worth remembering that both have family members living unprotected back in West Papua."
The man and woman were among a group of 43 Papuans who sought political asylum in Australia in 2006, following alleged human rights abuses in Papua.
Australia's decision to grant visas to the group – who arrived on a boat to Cape York in January 2006 – sparked a diplomatic crisis between Jakarta and Canberra.
Their return on Wednesday came just a day after 18 men were arrested after raising the outlawed Morning Star flag in the province, and were found with several home-made weapons.
Indonesia's Foreign Affairs Ministry said the return of the pair might "open the hearts and eyes of those who are still trying to pressure Indonesia" about the controversial Papuan issue.
It also said the pair had been intimidated by other asylum seekers in their quest to return to Papua.
AAP has been unable to contact the pair, but Kareni told a local journalist he wanted to "go back to my family".
Gobay, meanwhile, said she was promised a better life in Australia, but it failed to eventuate.
"I was promised a better life there," she told reporters after alighting in Biak, Papua on Wednesday.
"While I was there I was placed in Christmas Island. I had a chance to work in a wool factory. After we got there (to Australia), each of us had our own activities – we didn't see each other any more."
Australian Associated Press - September 24, 2008
Two of the 43 Papuan asylum seekers at the heart of a diplomatic rift between Australia and Indonesia two years ago have returned to their homeland.
The Indonesian government said Hana Gobay, from Merauke in Papua, and Yubel Kareni, from Serui, returned to Papua on Wednesday morning, accompanied by Indonesia's consul general in Melbourne, Jahar Gultom.
The two Papuans contacted Indonesian officials in Melbourne and Canberra in mid-July wanting to return to Papua, Indonesia's Foreign Affairs Department (DEPLU) said.
"It's purely their own wishes – they were the ones who approached us and we were only facilitating their return," DEPLU spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said. "We were passive; they wanted to be sent back."
The two were among a group of 43 Papuans who sought political asylum in Australia in 2006, following alleged human rights abuses.
Australia's decision to grant visas to the group – who arrived on a boat to Cape York in January 2006 – sparked a diplomatic crisis in relations between Jakarta and Canberra.
DEPLU said the return of the pair was expected to "open the hearts and eyes of those who are still trying to pressure Indonesia" about the controversial Papuan issue.
"Those two Indonesian citizens have shown courage to take this position amidst the misinformation and pressure, because they believe they live in good conditions in Papua," DEPLU said in a statement.
"Their return also proves that persecution as a reason for asylum seekers is not proven at all." It also said the pair had been intimidated by other asylum seekers in their quest to return to Papua.
The return of the two Papuans comes a day after 18 men were arrested after raising the outlawed Morning Star flag in the province, and were found with several self-made weapons.
Indonesian news agency Antara reported the separatist flag fluttered for 15 minutes after it was raised 100m from a police precinct in Timika's Kwamki Baru subdistrict at 3.15am local time on Tuesday.
It was the second time the flag of the Free Papua Organisation was raised in Timika this month, after unidentified locals raised and lowered the flag on September 17 before police arrived, Antara reported.
Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) secretary Joe Collins said he did not know details but assumed the two may have wanted to return because they were homesick, especially if they were younger members of the group.
"Certainly it's not because there is freedom in West Papua and everything is hunky dorey," Collins said.
"The fact that people are being arrested for raising a flag shows that. Obviously Indonesia will use this to prove that there is no intimidation against West Papuans in West Papua. (But) I would say the situation in West Papua is getting worse."
Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has previously pledged to end the low-level Papuan separatist insurgency, which has simmered since a 1969 UN-backed vote handed the mineral rich province to Jakarta, despite claims the vote was a sham.
Jakarta Post - September 24, 2008
Markus Makur, Timika – The police have arrested 18 individuals for allegedly hoisting the separatist Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flag Tuesday in Mimika Baru district, Mimika regency, an act which carries a maximum penalty of death under the articles of sedition.
The flag was hoisted around 3:30 a.m. local time (1:30 a.m. Jakarta time) in front of the Timika office of the Papua Customary Council, said Mimika police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Godhelp C. Mansnembra.
During the ceremony, around 60 villagers surrounded the pole in a symbolic gesture of Papuan resistance to and disappointment at the central government, the police said.
"Police officers reached Kwamki Baru village some 30 minutes after the flag was raised," Godhelp told reporters. "We have arrested and questioned 18 people in the case."
The police learned of the flag hoisting through a tip provided by Timika residents, he said. "We have investigated the reports and extended our patrols in the Kwamki Baru area to about 3 a.m."
A flag, a pole, some bows and arrows and an air rifle were confiscated from the hoisting site, Godhelp said. The flag was made in Indonesia, unlike those in previous incidents, which were manufactured in the Netherlands, he added.
On Sept. 17, a separatist flag was hoisted in Kwamki Lama subdistrict, with the police unable to locate anyone involved.
The suspects in Tuesday's flag-hoisting will be charged under the articles of sedition as well as the emergency law.
"When we learn the identity of the leader behind all this, we will make his name public," Godhelp said, adding the motive behind the act was a desire for independence.
"It was sedition against the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia and an expression of disappointment," he said.
Over the past year, police have received reports of similar incidents occurring throughout Mimika regency, Godhelp added.
"There is no reason for separatists to be disappointed. The government has enacted policies to help with development in Papua, including large funds and block grants through state and regional budgets."
When asked whether the flag-hoisting incident was meant to distract police from their investigation into a series of blasts in the PT Freeport Indonesia concession area, Godhelp said the police had anticipated such a move.
Separatists and civil liberties activists, including former president Abdurrahman Wahid, have urged the government not to criminalize the hoisting of such flags, saying they are merely a form of cultural expression.
The government banned the display of separatist symbols and flags in 2007 through government regulation no. 77/2007 on the use of regional symbols.
Agence France Presse - September 23, 2008
Timika – Eighteen men have been arrested after an outlawed separatist flag was raised in the Papua province, Indonesian police said Tuesday.
Local police chief Jasim Hoda said several people unfurled the "Free Papua" flag early Tuesday in front of a house in Kwamki Baru village in the Mimika district.
Police raided houses in the neighbourhood and found weapons including dozens of bows and arrows and 10 air rifles.
"The 18 people arrested are all men. We still have to conduct further investigations before naming anyone we suspect of plotting against the state," Hoda told reporters.
Anyone convicted of displaying separatist symbols faces life in prison in Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago with a history of secessionist rebellions.
Indonesia won sovereignty over Papua, a former Dutch colony on the western half of New Guinea island, in 1969 after a vote among a select group of Papuans widely seen as a sham.
Papuans have long accused Indonesia's military of violating human rights in the province and complain that the bulk of earnings from its rich natural resources flow to Jakarta.
Cenderawasih Pos - September 22, 2008
Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission, Komnas HAM, has sent an investigation team to investigate the incident on 9 August which led to the death of Opinus Tabuni.
The team is composed of five members, headed by Joseph Adi Prasetyo. The team visited the location of the incident last week and has inteviewed witnesses as well as members of the security apparatus.
Adi Prasetyo said that they had publicised their investigation online According to information so far received, the weapon which killed the victim is not a standard weapon of the local police but a 9mm calibre gun. Prasetyo said that he hoped the team would submit recommendations to the President.
The killing occurred as thousands of people had gathered to celebrated the World Day for Indigenous People, during which someone in the crowd raised a Morning Star flag. Prasetyo said that the police had asked that there should be a separation between shooting of Tabuni and the raising of the flag, because the police were not pursuing a political agenda. However, the commission would not intervene in the police handling of the case because that should lead to a legal process which should be allowed to continue.
[There are continuing demands by various organisations and the churches in Papua for the killer of Opinus Tabuni to be brought to justice.]
OTSUS allows flags but PP77 prohibits them Prasetyo said however that there was a cultural issue involved relating to the Morning Star flag. According to the Special Autonomy for Papua Law, Papuans are allowed to have their own flag as a cultural symbol, where according to PP 77 (Presidential Decision 77), this is not allowed although there is no single article which states that this applies to the Morning Star flag. Komnas HAM will therefore make a recommendation for LIPI to establish a Papua Road Map, in other words, the way to peace for Papua.
Arrested just for sewing the flag
'Just imagine. Someone can be arrested simply for sewing the Morning Star somewhere or for wearing a T-shirt with the Morning Star on it.
This can only add to the problems handled by the police and increase the potential for acts of violence which can take the form of human rights abuses. We will propose what political action needs to be taken by the government to end this situation.'
He also said that there was also concern that the regulations required to bring the Special Autonomy Law into practice had not been introduced.
'If the local government were to take action along these lines which were then accommodated by the central government, the problem could be solved.'
The team had also visited the prison in Abepura where they met Filip Karma, Yusak Pakage and Daan Dimara who were charged for flag-raising incidents. They had also discussed with the director of the prison the need to improve the conditions in the prison. However, the prison was in serious need of renovation as it was built during the Dutch era. Nor was there any form of organised activity for the prisoners to improve their skills. He said he had the impression that the prison authorities wanted to ensure that the rights of the prisoners were respected.
He said that the prisoners included quite a variety of prisoners, some were political prisoners, some were being held for spreading HIV/AIDS (sic), while there was no distinction between the priosners, with women and children and others all mixed together. He said that the commission intended to return to Papua later in order to promote more training and the provision of facilities for the prisoners and it would also make a recommendation to the governor to pay proper attention to these matters and to allocate more funds to improve the conditions in the prison.
| Human rights/law |
Jakarta Post - September 29, 2008
Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Major House of Representatives factions failed in their second try to keep Bagir Manan as chief justice before he retires early next month, after widespread opposition to enabling legislation.
The failed move led by Golkar, the Democratic Party and National Mandate Party means Bagir must retire on Oct. 6, 2008, when he turns 67, as required by prevailing Supreme Court law.
In an attempt to prevent his compulsary retirement, the three parties sought persistently to hold a House plenary session on Oct. 6 to pass the new Supreme Court bill that would extend the retirement age of 13 senior justices, including Bagir, to 70 years.
But this proposal was rejected by major factions in the House, including the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
"We have no plan to stage a plenary meeting (to endorse) the bill on Oct. 6," said Golkar lawmaker Aziz Syamsuddin, who is a deputy chairman of the House's Commission III overseeing legal affairs, which is deliberating the bill.
Earlier, the three factions had also fought hard to have a similar plenary meeting held last Friday, so the bill could have been passed that day, the day before the House adjourned for the Idul Fitri holidays.
But their first attempt also collapsed because most other major factions rejected the rushed passage of the bill, arguing that discussion at the commission level was not finished.
Golkar however did not give up after seeing the end of the last chance, on Friday, to extend Bagir's term in office. House Speaker Agung Laksono, who is a senior party politician, then sent a letter to all faction heads, suggesting that the legislature stage a plenary session on Oct. 6 to pass the bill.
"Should the House have been in a position to pass the bill on Oct. 6, and the President sign it later in the day, then Bagir would have remained in office," constitutional law expert Irman Putra Sidin said.
PDI-P lawmaker Eva K. Sundari, whose party strongly opposed the retirement age extension for senior justices, said the House finally decided to convene a plenary meeting on Oct. 9.
"So, it is true that Bagir must go. But please don't get it wrong, there are 12 other senior justices who will stay in office if the bill is passed into law on Oct. 9," she said.
One of the 12 senior justices would ultimately replace Bagir as chief justice, keeping the status quo intact, Eva added.
Bagir and senior other justices have been accused by anticorruption groups and legal experts of obstructing reforms within the Supreme Court.
Irman criticized the retirement age extension as a "conspiracy" plotted by executive, legislative and judiciary agencies to weaken democratic checks and balances, pointing out that the extension proposal came from the government.
"It is crystal clear that the government and legislators want to keep the Supreme Court under their influence. If they can pass the retirement age extension then they just wait for a return of favors," he said.
With many legislators and other senior officials being convicted or charged in graft probes by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), extending the old guard in office would mean decisions by the Supreme Court could be arranged or traded, Irman said.
"Remember, government and legislators have agreed to put the Corruption Court under the auspices of the Supreme Court. The KPK may bring lawmakers and officials to court, but they will lose ultimately (in higher courts)," he said.
All in all, Irman added, there was a grand design to weaken the fight against corruption in the next three years by delegitimizing the KPK.
Jakarta Post - September 26, 2008
Indah Setiawati, Jakarta – Members of two organizations clashed outside the Central Jakarta district court building Thursday as Rizieq Shihab's trial continues.
Supporters of the Islamic hardline group Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and a group of men clad in T-shirts emblazoned with the word Banser – a paramilitary group tied to another Islamic organization, Nahdlatul Ulama – came to blows during the trial's midday break.
Thursday was the ninth day of hearings in Rizieq's trial. He is charged with allegedly inciting his supporters to riot by attacking a rally promoting religious tolerance at National Monument (Monas) park June 1.
Four people wearing Banser T-shirts and three FPI supporters were injured during the Thursday fracas. Sultan, a witness, said both sides had also thrown stones at each other. Both sides claimed that the other party had been the aggressor.
In the afternoon session of Rizieq's trial, immediately after the clash, Rizieq told presiding judge Panusunan Harahap that his FPI members were attacked by a group of "paid thugs".
He asked the prosecutors directly whether they were responsible. "Did you bring the thugs in? There were 33 of them. My members were injured during the attack!" Rizieq said loudly, adding that the "thugs" had been carrying sharp weapons, including a sickle.
He said a third party might have been trying to create havoc between Banser and FPI since the apparent "thugs" were wearing Banser T-shirts.
M. Guntur Romli denied Rizieq's suggestion of third party involvement on his part. Guntur is a member of the National Alliance for the Freedom of Faith and Religion (AKKBB), organizers of the June 1 rally.
"It was not a clash! We were attacked and none of the Banser members carried weapons. They came to the district court to show support for us. They're members of Gus Nuril's Banser," he told The Jakarta Post.
He said the 33 men wearing Banser T-shirts came showed up to support him and other witnesses in the June 1 Monas ambush case. The witnesses had planned to hand out a letter stating that they were boycotting the trial because they had not gotten a safety guarantee from court authorities.
"Just as we were about to stop public buses in front of the Pelni building, about 300 meters from the district court building, we were attacked," Guntur said.
After the clash, three FPI supporters who suffered minor injuries and a man named Ali came to city police headquarters to report the attack and related threats.
Ali said he reported Guntur for threatening him as he passed through the court's entry gate. "Guntur said he would kill me," he said.
Guntur denied Ali's statement, and said Ali had been the man who had threatened him during his previous court appearance Monday.
"I was meeting my friend in front of the gate when a man approached me and said 'How dare you come again here?' and I replied, 'Why should I be afraid? I come as a witness.' "
During the day's sessions, prosecutors called nine police officers from the city police headquarters who had interrogated FPI defendants as a response to FPI claims that police had intimidated them during questioning.
All eight FPI defendants – including Agus Bambang, Fahrurrozi, Subhan, Sudiran and Sunarto – retracted their signed dossiers during a hearing earlier this month.
Most said they were questioned until 3 a.m. and were verbally coerced into signing the dossiers. Police officers who testified at the hearing denied the accusation.
Jakarta Post - September 26, 2008
Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The Golkar Party has failed in its apparent attempt to keep chief justice Bagir Manan in office, after the House of Representatives decided to delay passing the Supreme Court bill this month amid mounting public resistance.
The delay means Bagir will have to retire on Oct. 6, 2008, when he turns 67, as stipulated in the prevailing Supreme Court law.
There has been growing suspicion among legislators that the country's largest party was behind a bid for a House plenary session to be held this Friday to pass the much-criticized bill before Bagir retires next month at the age of 67.
The draft law proposes an extension of the retirement age of Bagir and seven other Supreme Court judges to 70 years.
But most other major factions in the House rejected the immediate endorsement of the bill, following mounting opposition from community members, including former prominent justices.
"We haven't finished discussions at the commission level, so we can't stage a plenary meeting on Friday," senior Golkar member and House Speaker Agung Laksono said after a meeting with the House consultative body on Thursday evening.
The House is scheduled to adjourn on Saturday for the Idul Fitri holidays, and will resume its activities on Oct. 6.
Earlier on Thursday, legislators were baffled by the issuance of a letter from the House's Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, requesting House leaders hold a snap plenary session on Friday to pass the bill.
The letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Jakarta Post, was signed by Golkar legislator Aziz Syamsuddin – deputy chairman of Commission III, which deliberated the bill to revise the 1985 Supreme Court law.
"Commission III has finished discussing the revision of the Supreme Court law. That's why we ask for the scheduling of a plenary meeting on Friday," the letter read.
The letter bypassed four other commission leaders, including chairman Trimedya Pandjaitan from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) – the bill's main opponent.
The letter also drew protests from other major factions.
"We smell something wrong here. Some commission members worked like dogs day and night to complete the deliberations, yet there is no urgency at all to finish it before Idul Fitri," PDI-P legislator Ganjar Pranowo said.
"We demand that the public be involved in the debates before we pass the bill."
Nasir Jamil of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and Lukman Hakim Saifuddin of the United Development Party (PPP) expressed similar concerns.
"The rushed deliberations will send another bad signal to the public. We must make it as transparent as possible to avoid allegations of wrongdoing," Nasir said.
A legislator involved in the bill's deliberations said there was a "grand design" to pass the bill this week, accusing Agung Laksono of being behind the rushed deliberations of the bill to let Bagir stay in office for another three years.
Bagir has long been affiliated with Golkar, his bid to head the Supreme Court in 2001 receiving the full support of the party. Critics allege this move was designed to have then Golkar chairman Akbar Tanjung acquitted of corruption charges by the court under Bagir's leadership.
Some observers suggest there is a conflict of interest between certain parties and the government in retaining Bagir as chief justice.
With many legislators and other senior officials being convicted or charged in graft probes by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), keeping Bagir in office would mean decisions by the Supreme Court could be arranged or traded.
"From the very beginning, we knew the hasty revision of the bill was politically motivated," said Emerson Yuntho of Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW).
Jakarta Post - September 26, 2008
Andra Wisnu, Denpasar – The recent legal battle over the ownership of traditional motifs has demonstrated the failure of Indonesian copyright law to protect local artisans and their future creative work, a discussion heard Tuesday.
The legal battle between PT Karya Tangan Indah (KTI) and Balinese artist Denny Aryasa is only one of many current copyright-related issues, with more to come if the government does not review its policy on intellectual copyright, Hira Jhamtani, a copyright scholar, said.
Hira said current intellectual copyright laws, which take their cue from the World Trade Organization's Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights laws, threatened local artisans by allowing traditional motifs to be copyrighted by foreign corporations.
She said this permission allowed foreign corporations to claim a monopoly over Indonesia's traditional assets by threatening to sue locals who used these traditional designs.
"This can be quite serious as the recent case showed, and we really need to ask ourselves how can this law protect me instead of the foreign corporate people?" she said.
Balinese artisans have been in an uproar over the recent case between KTI and Denny Aryasa after the former sued the latter for stealing a copyrighted design. The plaintiff said Denny plagiarized KTI's Batu Kali design for his Crocodile motif.
The artisans were further angered when it was revealed in court that KTI had applied for the copyright to 1,200 Indonesian motifs in the United States, about 800 of which have been approved.
KTI has repeatedly denied it had tried to copyright traditional Indonesian motifs, claiming it was getting overseas copyrights of the company's original designs.
Hira said the issue was not limited to traditional motifs. A similar case in East Java in 2005 cost a corn farmer a year's worth of harvest after the district court ruled he had failed to certify his own breed of corn, sentencing him to six months in prison and barring him from using his seeds for a year.
The corn farmer, Tukirin, was earlier accused of breach of copyright by Charoen Pokphand-owned PT BISI Kediri, which claimed it had patented Tukirin's breed of corn before he used it, Hira said, adding the charges used in court concerned his failure to certify the seeds. Hira said Indonesia's current copyright law would continue to allow such cases to occur if it was not immediately reviewed.
"A corn farmer was not allowed to sow corn for a year. And for what? So that investors will feel that much safer when they come to Indonesia?" she said.
"Actually, that's what we really should be asking (governor) Pastika. Where is he taking our island? Toward more development or less poor people?"
Agung Dwi Astika, a legal expert, said the problem with Indonesia's intellectual copyright law, or HaKI, was that it was too vague.
He said the government should specify the kind of traditional motifs that are in the public domain, known in legal terms as folklore, and so cannot be copyrighted.
"It is the substance of the copyrighted item that gets argued about in court because the terms are often used incorrectly during the copyright process.
"But I think a lot of grievances can be resolved if the government can quickly come up with a catalogue of what motifs are usable," he said.
Jakarta Post - September 25, 2008
Indah Setiawati, Jakarta – National Alliance for the Freedom of Faith and Religion (AKKBB) activists M. Guntur Romli and Nong Darol came to the city police headquarters on Wednesday to report being assaulted during the National Monument ambush trials.
"My report was received by the Police Service Center head Comr. Didik Kusdiyanto. I reported Subhan and Sunarto, members of the FPI (Islam Defenders Front) for their attacks," Guntur said.
He earlier said the two men, who are defendants of the Monas ambush trial, kicked his leg and hit his head after he finished giving testimony during a hearing session of their trial on Monday.
Meanwhile, Nong reported two men allegedly grouped and hit her stomach and forehead outside a courtroom where Islam Command Troop leader Munarman appeared for a hearing session.
She claimed that although she did not recognize the man who hit her head, she knew the other man who harassed her.
Jakarta Post - September 25, 2008
Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Former prominent justices on Wednesday joined the chorus of mounting opposition against a bill that will extend the retirement age of Supreme Court judges to 70 years.
They argued the decision would lead to poorer performance by the justices and an ineffective career system at the court.
Opposition to the bill to revise the Supreme Court law was voiced at a press conference by former justices Bismar Siregar, Bustanul Arifin, Benjamin Mangkoedilaga, Laica Marzuki and Arbijoto.
Another respected former Supreme Court judge, Andi Andojo Sutjipto, who was not present at the event, was also opposed to the bill, Benjamin said.
"Please stop the discussions on justices' retirement age. It is not crucial now. The existing law stipulating justices retire at the age of 65 is already enough," Laica said.
Laica, also a former deputy of the Constitutional Court, urged the government and the House of Representatives to instead focus their energy on the revision of the law on the judicial monitoring system.
"I don't see any vital reason why the House is in a hurry to revise the Supreme Court law," he said.
Following less than three weeks of debate, the House's working committee on Sunday finished deliberations on the bill that could pave the way for current chief justice Bagir Manan to stay in office for the next three years.
Under the prevailing law, Supreme Court justices must retire at the age of 65. Bagir, who was named Supreme Court chief in 2001, is set to retire on Oct. 6, 2008.
Former Supreme Court chief Arbijoto expressed concern over the extension of the retirement age for justices, warning it could worsen their performance in resolving cases.
"Frankly, I am very sad to hear this plan. This is responsibility for the corps," he said.
"Before turning 65, I managed to finish between 10 and 15 cases a day. But once I turned 65, I could only handle seven cases at the most.
"It is a natural problem that our capability to analyze legal cases continues to diminish as we age."
However, Benjamin said should the House insist on extending the retirement age of justices, the new law should be applied after January 2009.
"This means all retiring judges should retire this year, and the extension of their pension age can be applied from January 2009," he said.
Benjamin questioned why no less than eight serving justices, including Bagir, had not submitted their resignation letters six months before they were set to retire this year.
"If the justices wanted to retire this year, they would have had to submit their resignation letters by June at the latest. But none of them has done so," he said.
Bismar Siregar also said the planned extension of the retirement age should be canceled, claiming it was opposed by many community members.
I think the House needs to involve the public in discussions on this issue," he said.
The former Supreme Court judges also criticized the poor performance of the current justices in resolving cases.
"We see the current justi-ces making so many study tours to other countries, leaving many legal cases yet to be resolved on time," Benjamin said.
Jakarta Post - September 24, 2008
Dian Kuswandini, Jakarta – Top intelligence officials held a series of meetings with former Garuda Indonesia chief Indra Setiawan to plot the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib, a court in Jakarta heard Tuesday.
Usman Hamid, a former member of the government-sanctioned fact- finding team (TPF Munir), made the statement while testifying at the trial of former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy head Muchdi Purwopranjono.
According to Usman, the fact-finding team learned of the meetings through a four-page document that describes separate scenarios for killing Munir, Usman said.
"The written report was given to one of our team members, who was a police intelligence officer, from a BIN agent who refused to be identified," Usman told the South Jakarta District Court.
"The report details several plots to murder Munir, as planned in the meetings attended by BIN and Garuda officials," he added.
Among those in attendance at the meeting were former BIN chief A.M. Hendropriyono, Muchdi and ex-deputies Manunggal Maladi and Wahyu Saronto, said Usman, who currently chairs the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).
Former Garuda president director Indra Setiawan and his ex- corporate secretary Rohainil Aini were also present, he added.
Included as part of the case file on Muchdi, the document outlines four murder plots involving shooting, beating, poisoning and casting a spell on Munir, respectively. Each plot includes details on the persons responsible for drawing up plans and for committing the murders.
Former Garuda pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto, sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in the murder, was listed as one of the assassins.
The document was dated March 2004, six months before Munir was poisoned to death on board a Sept. 7 Garuda flight from Jakarta to Amsterdam via Singapore, Usman explained. The document bore no signatures, the witness added.
"Our team had asked BIN for clarification about the matter through an official named Darsono. We had several meetings with him and he confirmed the document (was from BIN)."
Usman also told the court BIN attempted to lobby the US Congress to help assuage public sentiment over the murder.
The attempt is documented in papers filed by the lobbying firm Richard L. Collins & Co., as required by the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), he added.
"All the documents, including the contracts, can be found on FARA's official website," Usman said, adding BIN hired Collins & Co. through an Indonesian charity for US$30,000 a month under two contracts valid from May to July 2005 and from September to November 2005, respectively.
Muchdi's lawyers earlier said their client was a victim of US and European Union pressure to identify Munir's murderer.
The court also heard testimony from Muchdi's former drivers, Suradi and Imam Mustofa. The two men, both military officers, said BIN agent Budi Santoso had often used Muchdi's cellular phone, corroborating earlier statements made by two of Muchdi's former staff.
According to the case file on Muchdi, there were 41 telephone conversations involving Pollycarpus' and Muchdi's phones immediately before and after the murder of Munir.
Muchdi confirmed 0811900978 was his cell phone number, but said several of his phones were frequently used by friends and aides.
Jakarta Post - September 24, 2008
Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The revision of the Supreme Court law allowing justices to stay in office until the age of 70 will obstruct reforms within the country's judicial system, dubbed the most corrupt in Asia, experts and activists are warning.
After less than three weeks of debates, the House of Representatives' working committee on Sunday concluded deliberations on a bill to revise the law, and now plan to table it at a plenary meeting later this month for endorsement.
The current law stipulates Supreme Court judges must retire at the age of 65, but can continue serving in office for another two years.
If the plenary session passes the bill before the House begins its recess period on September 26, chief justice Bagir Manan will be allowed to stay in his current post for another three years.
Bagir was named the Supreme Court chief in 2001, and under the current law, should retire on Oct. 6, 2008.
He sparked controversy when he issued a decree extending his and nine other justices' retirement age by two years in June 2006, claiming there was a backlog of cases.
The Indonesian Legal Aid Institute Foundation (YLBHI) said that the Supreme Court, under Bagir's leadership, became embroiled in many problems, including several unclear accounts worth billions of rupiah, and a lack of transparency in court proceeding fees.
"If he stays in office, all the problems will remain unresolved, and we expect there will be no reform for a better system in the next three years," YLBHI chairman Patra M. Zen said.
Bagir was also strongly criticized by the YLBHI and many analysts for his failure to erase the Supreme Court's image as a corrupt institution in Indonesia.
A 2008 survey by Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) ranked the country's Supreme Court as the worst in Asia. Berlin- based Transparency International also lists the Supreme Court among the country's most corrupt institutions, citing a blatant "court mafia" as an example.
"People involved in the court mafia will stay with the same individuals at the helm," Indonesian Transparency Society chairman Hamid Chalid said in a statement.
The YLBHI also expressed concern that the passage of the bill would prevent the Supreme Court from recruiting new justices until 2011.
Currently, there are 48 justices, of whom eight are set to retire in 2008, 10 in 2009 and nine in 2010. "So there will be no regeneration because old justices will continue to rule the system," Patra said.
The Judicial Commission has since last year been selecting candidates for new justices to replace the would-be retirees.
The passage of the revision bill would mean that the selection process, on which a considerable amount of state money has been spent, would be rendered useless.
Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) alleges bribery was behind the unusually fast deliberation of the bill, and said the extension of the retirement age for justices was politically motivated ahead of the 2009 elections.
"Cases of campaign fund violations, for instance, will be handled by the Supreme Court. We think political parties need to strengthen their bargaining vis-a-vis these justices," Emerson Yuntho of the ICW said.
The ICW, YLBHI and Indonesian Transparency Society demanded the government and the House delay the passage of the bill and instead focus on more urgent issues related to public interests.
Jakarta Post - September 23, 2008
Jakarta – A witness Tuesday supported earlier testimonies that the alleged plot to murder human rights activist Munir Said Thalib was linked to the State Intelligence Agency (BIN).
During the trial of former BIN deputy chief Muchdi Purwopranjono, Usman Hamid, the former secretary of the fact-finding team investigating Munir's murder, said the team received a document containing several murder scenarios from a police intelligence officer. Usman refused to reveal the identity of the officer.
"We received a document on plans to murder Munir. According to the document the plan was discussed in several meetings," he told the court.
Among the people who participated at the meetings, he said, were former BIN chief Hendropriyono, former BIN deputy chiefs II and IV, Muchdi, former Garuda Indonesia airlines president director Indra Setiawan and Garuda officer Rohainil Aini.
Munir was found dead on board a Garuda flight to Amsterdam on Sept. 7, 2004. The cause of death was arsenic poisoning, allegedly administered during a stopover in Singapore's Changi Airport. Former pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment for premeditating the murder.
Usman said the document described four methods that could be used to murder Munir, who was the cofounder of human rights organizations Kontras and Imparsial.
The first plan was to shoot Munir, while the second plan was to poison him. The other murder methods were to kill Munir in a road accident or by using black magic. (dre)
Jakarta Post - September 23, 2008
Indah Setiawati, Jakarta – All three hearings related to the ambush at the National Monument (Monas) park were cut short Monday after two defendants refused to appear and a witness in the third hearing was assaulted.
Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab and Islam Command Troop leader Munarman protested to the Central Jakarta District Court because a witness from the Ahmadiyah religious community – which they dubbed heretical – swore on the Koran before testifying in a hearing last week.
Presiding judge Panusunan Harahap said the trials would be adjourned to Thursday to hear the witnesses scheduled for Monday.
"I hope the prosecutors can bring the defendant to the next hearing," he said during the hearing of the Rizieq case.
On June 1, activists from the National Alliance for Freedom of Faith and Religion (AKKBB) who were taking part in a peaceful rally in a show of support for the Ahmadiyah community, were ambushed and assaulted by supporters of the two hard-line Islamic groups.
Panusunan warned the court audience, mostly FPI supporters, to behave or force the trials to be conducted in closed sessions.
A separate trial of seven FPI members turned ugly after one of them attacked a witness and victim of the ambush, right after the latter had finished testifying.
"When I was walking out to the witness room, one of the seven defendants kicked my leg, and I promptly told the judge about it," M. Guntur Romli of the AKKBB said.
While speaking with the judge, another defendant struck Romli's head. "All of a sudden, the FPI supporters in the courtroom were chasing me. I was protected by my friend, Soleh, who also got hit," Romli said.
FPI member Adi Tubagus M. Sidiq was quoted as saying by Kompas.com that Guntur provoked the attack by kicking one of the defendants' chairs and saying the FPI would be disbanded.
| War on corruption |
Jakarta Post - September 25, 2008
Jakarta – Former Bank Indonesia governor Burhanuddin Abdullah revealed that Cabinet minister Paskah Suzetta attended at least two meetings with BI officials to discuss the settlement of a major bribery scandal involving the central bank.
Burhanuddin, a suspect in the case, made the statement on Wednesday during his trial at the Corruption Court.
He said the first meeting was held at a dinner, during which Paskah listened to explanations from BI official Lukman Bunyamin about a Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) report on the embezzlement of Rp 100 billion from the central bank.
"(Paskah and I) gave input on how to resolve the case," Burhanuddin told the court.
He said the second meeting was held at a hotel in South Jakarta at the invitation of Paskah, formerly a Golkar Party legislator and now state minister for national development planning.
"However, Paskah pulled out of the meeting beforehand," Burhanuddin said. He added he and Paskah held a third meeting to discuss the same issue, but did not say where and when it took place.
This meeting, Burhanuddin said, was also attended by a number of BI officials and members of the House of Representatives' Commission IX, which oversaw financial and banking issues. At the time, Paskah was chairman of the commission.
Burhanuddin said Rusli Simanjuntak, suspended chief of BI's Surabaya office, Commission IX member Hamka Yandhu and BPK auditor Abdullah Zaini were among those present at the third meeting. "Zaini chaired the meeting," he added.
Burhanuddin said that in the meeting, Paskah asked the central bank to resolve the scandal around the embezzlement of Rp 100 billion from the Indonesian Banking Development Foundation (YPPI).
Some Rp 31.5 billion of the fund was distributed to all the members of Commission IX to expedite the amendment of the BI law in 2003.
The Corruption Court earlier heard that Paskah received Rp 1 billion of the fund, with Forestry Minister Malam Sambat Kaban receiving Rp 300 billion.
Both Paskah and Kaban, who have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the BI bribery case, remain free.
During his testimony before the same court Tuesday, Burhanuddin named former BI deputy governor Aulia Tantowi Pohan as the main actor in the disbursement of the YPPI money.
Aulia, who is the father-in-law of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's eldest son, admitted to approving the disbursement.
"The BI board of governors thought we would need incidental funds for legal aid for several former BI senior officials (linked to the BI liquidity support, or BLBI, cases) and the board decided on June 3, 2003, to ask YPPI to set aside some Rp 100 billion for that," Aulia said during his testimony on Tuesday.
Jakarta Post - September 24, 2008
Jakarta – A coalition of anticorruption groups on Tuesday reported 77 legislators to the House of Representatives' disciplinary council for alleged violations of the House's code of ethics.
The legislators are accused of involvement in a series of corruption cases, including two bribery scandals plaguing Bank Indonesia.
The Coalition for the House's Image Enforcement, which includes Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), the Initiative Institute and the Independent Committee on Elections Monitoring (KIPP), demanded the council launch an investigation into the 77 legislators.
Activists from the coalition submitted a list of 77 names to the disciplinary council's secretariat after failing to meet its leaders because of procedural reasons. Council deputy chairman Tiurlan Hutagaol argued that petitioners were required to give their reports to the council's secretariat.
"An analysis of the report will then be conducted by the secretariat and expert staff. The council will decide whether the coalition's report qualifies for a follow-up," he added.
Adnan Topan Husodo, the ICW's coordinator for political corruption, said most of the 77 legislators, from all factions in the House, were involved in a 2003 bribery scandal at the central bank.
The report claims 43 legislators were implicated in the high- profile case, with another 13 implicated in a bribery scandal related to the 2004 election of Miranda Swaray Goeltom as BI senior deputy governor.
Two other House members were alleged to have been involved in bribery cases in relation to two forest conversion projects in Riau Islands province and South Sumatra. Another legislator was reported for alleged embezzlement in the procurement of patrol boats by the Transportation Ministry.
The remaining 18 legislators violated the House's code of ethics by making overseas trips without the House leaders' consent, the coalition said.
"The ICW has evidence for these cases. On the BI bribery case, we have the verdict and the dossier of (legislator) Hamka Yandhu's trial. We have also received many reports from community members on these cases, in addition to media reports," Adnan said.
However, Tiurlan said media reports on graft cases were insufficient evidence for reporting House members to the disciplinary council.
"We need solid proof, such as video tapes, liquefaction, payment receipts," he told The Jakarta Post.
He did, however, promise that the council would meet to discuss the report from the coalition.
Jakarta Post - September 24, 2008
Dian Kuswandini and Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – A higher court has ruled in favor of a decision by the Attorney General's Office (AGO) to halt a probe into the loan scandal involving tycoon Sjamsul Nursalim.
The Jakarta High Court accepted an appeal submitted by the AGO to overturn the South Jakarta District Court's verdict favoring the plaintiff, the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI), which originally demanded the probe.
The higher court argued that the MAKI, an NGO, had "no legal standing" to file a lawsuit against the AGO to reopen the Bank Indonesia liquidity support (BLBI) case against Sjamsul.
"The court ruling has stated that MAKI is not among the legal subjects that can be engaged in a lawsuit. The district court should have taken this into account in its verdict," Jakarta High Court spokesman Madya Suharja said Tuesday.
The High Court's verdict was handed down Monday, he added.
Back in April, the AGO's decision to halt the BLBI case through a Letter of Order to Stop the Investigation (SP3) was ruled a violation of the 1999 Anti-Corruption Law by the South Jakarta District Court. According to the 1999 law, the return of state assets does not nullify a criminal act.
In response to the verdict, the AGO appealed to the Jakarta High Court in order to halt the case. The high court ruled in the AGO's favor because NGOs are not legally permitted to pursue corruption cases, spokesman Madya said.
"According to the 2001 Corruption Law, civil society has no legal standing to sue, but only to report (on corruption cases)."
Such authority was only granted for laws involving consumer protection, forestry and the environment, Madya added.
However, the higher court ruling did not mention whether the AGO's letter of order to halt the BLBI probe was, in itself, lawful, he said.
"The judges didn't go that far because their finding on MAKI's unlawful position was enough for them not to investigate (the appeal case) further."
In response to the latest court verdict, MAKI chairman Buyamin Saiman said he would appeal to the Supreme Court.
"It is a question of our legal standing, not whether the letter of order was lawful or not. Our motion (on the letter of order) had been declared lawful by the (South Jakarta) District Court," he said, adding he obtained new evidence on the case.
Assistant attorney general for special crimes Marwan Effendi praised the high court verdict.
"It means the Jakarta High Court shares the same view as the AGO in this case," he told The Jakarta Post.
Reopening the Sjamsul case would conflict with several regulations, such as the 2000 Law on National Development and the 2003 presidential decree on BLBI debtors, Marwan said.
"A cooperative debtor deserves a letter of settlement and should not be charged with violating the law. (The decree on debtors) also stipulates that BLBI cases should be settled out of court."
Meanwhile, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said Tuesday it would press ahead with its plan to take over the BLBI probe from the AGO, despite the high court's verdict.
"The decision doesn't affect our plan to take over the BLBI case," KPK chairman Antasari Azhar said at a public discussion in Jakarta for the release of the corruption perception index (CPI) survey conducted by Transparency International Indonesia.
"After Idul Fitri, we will discuss the takeover plan with the AGO. If they don't want (to reopen) it, we will take it over," Antasari added.
Jakarta Post - September 24, 2008
Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Indonesia scored better on this year's Corruption Perception Index (CPI), thanks mostly to an aggressive crackdown by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), an annual global survey revealed Tuesday.
However, the survey by Transparency International still ranked Indonesia among the world's most corrupt nations, a batch of 71 countries rating below the critical score of three.
Of nine southeast Asian countries, Indonesia came in fifth, above the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, but below Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
Denmark topped the list again this year with a score of 9.3, along with New Zealand and Sweden. The lowest score was 1.4, which went to Myanmar and Somalia.
Of the 180 countries in the survey, Indonesia ranked 126, with a CPI of 2.6, an improvement from the 2.3 it scored in the 2007 survey, which placed the country at 143 out of 180.
The CPI, which ranges from zero to 10, reflects public perception of a country's commitment to fight corruption on the part of government officials.
The index is defined as a perception by analysts and businesspeople about corruption levels in a country, especially in the public sector.
Todung Mulya Lubis, head of the organizing committee at Transparency International Indonesia (TII), said the significant increase in Indonesia's CPI showed that foreign business players and analysts were beginning to appreciate the country's efforts to fight corruption, especially recent achievements by the KPK.
"A series of arrests of high-level officials by the KPK has really boosted Indonesia's image," he said at the launch of the survey.
KPK chairman Antasari Azhar, who also spoke at the event, said although the improvement in the CPI did not necessarily reflect real improvement in corruption eradication, the survey showed that Indonesia was regaining the trust of businesspeople.
"I agree that the improved perception will have an impact on the business climate. For the KPK, we will try to balance between arrests and prevention to get more progress in eradicating corruption," he said.
Besides the KPK's achievements, the CPI also improved on the back of local administrations' moves to help fight corruption and practice good governance in their respective regions, including Surabaya in East Java, Sragen in Central Java, Jembrana in Bali and Musi Banyuasin in South Sumatra, said the TII.
Another speaker, Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, warned the KPK's targets were only "the tip of the iceberg of collective and rampant corrupt practices" in the country.
"Besides preventive actions by the KPK, we must eradicate our culture of respecting people based on their wealth. From now on, we must denounce wealth accumulated through the practice of corruption," he said.
Jakarta Post - September 23, 2008
Jakarta – The Indonesia Corruption Watch issued a statement Tuesday urging the House of Representatives' Ethics Council to probe 77 former and current lawmakers allegedly involved in various corruption cases.
The cases are as described below:
Alleged bribery in the appointment of Miranda Swaray Goeltom as BI deputy governor involving 10 lawmakers from Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and three lawmakers from Golkar Party.
Alleged bribery in the deliberation of a bill on the central bank in 2004 involving 12 PDI-P lawmakers, 12 Golkar lawmakers, five lawmakers of the now defunct Reform Faction, one Daulatul Ummah Party (PDU) lawmaker, one Indonesian Nationhood Unity Party (KKI) lawmaker, six National Awakening Party (PKB) lawmakers and six United Development Party (PPP) lawmakers.
Four lawmakers currently tried for alleged involvement in bribery cases: Sarjan Taher of the Democrat Party, Yusuf Emir Faisal of PKB, Saleh Djasit of Golkar and Bulyan Royan from Reformed Star Party (PBR).
Four lawmakers who went on a field trip to Egypt without consent from House chairman.
Gratification cases involving a Golkar lawmaker who received funding from the Religious Affairs Ministry for trip to Jeddah, a PDI-P lawmaker who received gratification from various sources, four lawmakers who received gratification worth Rp 130 million from BI during field trip to the United States and the United Kingdom.
A PDI-P lawmaker who evaded taxes and engaged in violence.
A Golkar lawmaker who said he was going on a field trip to rural regions, but was found going to Swiss. (and)
| Elections/political parties |
Jakarta Post - September 30, 2008
Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Sunday announcement that he will run for reelection, which came 10 months before the 2009 presidential election scheduled for April next year, is untimely and may damage his image, observers say.
His hint that Vice President and Golkar Party chairman Jusuf Kalla will be his running mate may alienate him from potential supporters and long-time allies, critics say.
Executive director of pollster Indo Barometer Mohammad Qodari said it was not necessary for an incumbent such as Yudhoyono to announce his candidacy as it was already assumed.
"It's counterproductive. While the announcement gives him no benefits, it sent a clear message nationally that from now on everything he does will be for reelection, not for the people's interests," he said.
As an example, Qodari said that because of the announcement, Yudhoyono's time spent with farmers in a rice field ahead of the announcement would be seen cynically as an effort to woo voters rather than as an attempt to encourage the farming industry.
"This is such bad timing. His previous statement that he would focus on his administration's development programs instead of the election received praised. Why should he be in a hurry to announce his candidacy when it can be done after the legislative elections," he said.
The President broke months of silence Sunday by declaring he would run for reelection so that he could be given the chance to finish the economic programs and political reforms he had started.
Yudhoyono, who has been widely expected to seek a second five- year term in office, said it was likely Kalla would be his running mate.
Qodari said the President may have been attempting to take advantage of a period of relatively high favor due to declining oil prices and Indonesia's recent rise on the corruption perception index issued by Berlin-based Transparency International.
Reform Institute executive director Yudhi Latif said the strength of the Yudhoyono/Kalla pairing was uncertain as the Golkar Party and Yudhoyono's popularity had steadily declined in recent polls.
"The coalition of Golkar and the Democratic Party alone would not win Yudhoyono/Kalla an election. His announcement has driven away support from other political parties."
Survey results have of late consistently placed the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) well ahead of the Golkar Party, while the Democratic Party has received around 8 to 9 percent of votes.
Indo Barometer's survey shows the PDI-P has a 12 percent lead over the Golkar Party, while the Reform Institute shows that the PDI-P leads by more than 6 percent. A survey by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) states that the PDI-P has advanced to a 2-percent lead over Golkar.
A June survey by Indo Barometer pollster shows that Megawati has raced to an almost-10-percent lead over Yudhoyono, while a July survey by the CSIS shows Megawati leading by 9 percent.
"PDI-P alone will have the same number of votes as Golkar and the Democratic Party combined, with around 25 percent. And don't be surprised if Yudhoyono/Kalla don't even make it to the run off if there is a third strong pairing," Yudhi said.
Jakarta Post - September 30, 2008
Abdul Khalik and Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – Vice President Jusuf Kalla has hinted at his readiness to stand as President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's running mate in the 2009 presidential election.
"I will accept any position as long as I can contribute to the development of the country," he said on Monday.
But Kalla's plans for the election are subject to the wishes of the Golkar Party, of which he is chairman. "In the end it will depend on Golkar's decision."
Kalla said he and Yudhoyono had been getting along quite well during the past four years and that there would be no problem if they were to team up again for the presidential election.
Yudhoyono broke months of silence on Sunday by declaring he would run for reelection next year and that Kalla would very likely be his running mate. Golkar politicians have welcomed news of Yudhoyono's apparent intention to pick Kalla as his running mate.
Golkar deputy chairman Theo L. Sambuaga voiced his delight with the announcement, saying it was what most of the party's members wanted. "It represents the wishes of most Golkar members and leaders. Most of us still view the pair as the best for the country," he said.
Golkar lawmaker Harry Azhar Azis also said the majority of Golkar supporters wanted Kalla to team up with Yudhoyono again.
"Yudhoyono's willingness to keep Kalla as his running mate in the upcoming election shows that the President considers his partnership with Kalla a success," he said.
Yudhoyono, who won a landslide victory in the country's first direct presidential election in 2004 over former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, is still seen by many as the strongest contender for president.
A series of recent surveys has shown the election could be a repeat of his 2004 duel with Megawati.
Political experts, however, have warned that in leaning toward Kalla, the President could be limiting his opportunities to gather support from other major political parties, including longtime ally the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).
Analyst Bima Arya Sugiarto criticized Yudhoyono's apparent intention to pick Kalla as a "hasty" move that could deny support for the pair from other power centers. "The move will close the doors on potential support from other parties including the PKS and moderate Muslims at Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama."
Bima said the announcement would push the PKS and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) to step up talks about possibly forming a coalition.
Senior PDI-P politician Gandjar Pranowo said that although his party would wait for Golkar's official response to Yudhoyono's announcement, it would revise its current strategy and step up talks on alternatives. "The PKS would be a perfect option," he said.
Jakarta Post - September 30, 2008
A preliminary list of legislative candidates eligible to compete in next year's elections was published last Friday, sending many of the country's 38 registered parties into a frenzy of complaints and demands.
Some parties will call on the General Elections Commission (KPU) to extend the registration period so that their rejected aspirants can complete relevant documents to be included on the list.
The Greater Indonesian Movement (Gerindra) Party said it would submit new documents for its disqualified candidates to the KPU.
"We hope all our candidates pass the verification process. We are now collecting the required documents to be submitted to the KPU," Gerindra deputy chairman Fadli Zon told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
He said time had not run out because parties were allowed to submit relevant documentation to the KPU until the poll body had publicly published the permanent list of candidates.
On the temporary list, announced last Friday, the KPU disqualified 2,152 submitted candidates, including 60 belonging to Gerindra.
Gerinda chairman Prabowo Subianto, a former Army Special Forces commander, had registered 457 candidates to compete in the April 9, 2009, elections.
The KPU announced that 11,868 candidates had been verified, and is expected to announce the final list of legislative candidates from Oct. 13 to Oct. 30.
The Golkar party, which won the last election, said it would ask its disqualified cadres to submit their documents to the KPU "soon".
"We still need to discuss it in an internal party meeting," said Firman Soebagyo, a member of Golkar's team tasked with ensuring election victory.
Both Gerindra and Golkar said there had been delays in verifying candidates' University diplomas, which are required by the registration process. "It takes some time for the candidates to stamp their copies of diplomas," Firman said.
The Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), which saw 60 percent of its candidates rejected, said it would wait for further developments. "We haven't discussed the problem yet," PDS member Rustika Sianturi said.
However, KPU chairman Ansari Abdul Hafiz said his office had closed registration for all parties last Friday. "We have given the parties enough time to submit the required documents. There won't be any more room for registration."
He said the KPU was now waiting for public feedback on the temporary list.
"If we get complaints from the public that the diploma of a certain candidate is false, or that he is involved in a legal case, we will ask the respective party to drop the candidate from our list," he said. "But the party can replace him with another one."
Ansari apologized to the public for having not yet publicized the list. "We received complaints (from the public), including from presidential staff, as they couldn't access the names of the candidates on our web site," he said.
The KPU had begun to upload some of the names to its web site as of Monday evening. "We hope to complete the announcement, including via printed and television media this week," he said. -- JP/Adianto P. Simamora
Agence France Presse - September 29, 2008
Jakarta – Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said he will run for a second term in next year's election, with Vice President Jusuf Kalla his probable running mate.
"God willing I will run again for president in 2009," he told reporters late Sunday during a meeting at the state palace, confirming his widely expected bid for a second five-year term.
"It's too premature to announce it, but it is very likely I will run with Jusuf Kalla," he said after inviting Kalla to the palace to break the daily Ramadan fast.
Indonesia's first democratically elected president is considered the favourite to win the polls but he is facing a resurgent threat from former president Megawati Sukarnoputri, who was trounced by Yudhoyono in 2004.
He said he wanted to continue with political and economic reforms he initiated in his first term, but gave no specifics. "I'll be grateful if I have another chance to continue to fix and finish (his government's programmes) for better development," he said.
Anger over a government decision to hike fuel prices by about 30 percent in May to offset the ballooning cost of multi-billion- dollar subsidies has hit the liberal ex-general's popularity ratings.
The move was met by street protests but it was applauded by economists as a sign of fiscal maturity as the budget creaked under the strain of soaring global crude prices.
The president campaigned in 2004 on a promise to stamp out endemic corruption in the world's most populous Muslim state.
After a slow start his anti-corruption watchdog has made some progress this year, with several arrests of high-profile officials and raids of core institutions such as the attorney general's office and the supreme court.
Yudhoyono's small Democratic Party is in coalition with Indonesia's largest party Golkar, headed by Kalla. The presidential polls are expected to be held in June or July after parliamentary elections on April 9 next year.
Jakarta Post - September 26, 2008
Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Support for Islamic-based parties is expected to remain low in the 2009 elections as Muslims look set to vote for nationalist political groups promoting better welfare for the public, according to a new survey released Thursday.
It suggested the political stance of Muslim voters would stay unchanged from previous general elections.
The poll by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) found only 16.6 percent of 1,239 Muslim voters surveyed would vote for Islamic parties in the 2009 legislative election.
"Sixty percent of voters would cast their ballots for nationalist parties such as the Golkar Party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Democratic Party," LSI researcher Dodi Ambardi told a media conference at the launch of the survey.
The survey, conducted from September 8-20, revealed 24.4 percent of respondents were still undecided. "Islamic parties have never won the majority of votes in Indonesia, and the trend looks set to continue into the 2009 elections," Dodi said.
There are at least nine Islamic parties contesting the elections, including the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the United Development Party (PPP), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Crescent Star Party (PBB) and the Reform Star Party (PBR).
The survey found the PKS, which won 7.3 percent of votes in the 2004 election, would likely emerge as the most popular Islamic party, followed by the fractured PKB.
However, only 6 percent of respondents agreed the PKS ran programs aimed at improving public welfare – much lower than the 15 percent siding with Golkar.
In addition, 76 percent of respondents listed economic and social welfare as their top priority, compared with only 15 percent who prioritized national unity.
Another 8 percent considered law enforcement the definitive issue, and only0.8 percent put morality and religious affairs at the top of their list.
Dodi said Islamic parties should promote pluralism and economic issues, rather than focus on Islamism, if they wanted to garner more votes.
Data from the LSI shows Islamic parties last secured a considerable number of votes (43 percent) back in the 1955 elections. Since then, the numbers have continued to decrease, down to 38 percent in the 1999 and 2004 elections.
The survey also found the Megawati Soekarnoputri-led PDI-P had the biggest support from Muslim voters, with 19 percent, followed by Golkar with 18 percent. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party was popular with 11 percent of Muslim voters.
PKS official Rozikum agreed Islamic parties needed to promote broader issues touching on public interests to win the hearts of Muslim voters.
"It is our experience that when we try to promote such issues as good governance, we get more support, like in the 2004 elections," he said. However, he said the use of the term "Islamic party" in the LSI survey was inaccurate.
"We see many parties, including Golkar, the PDI-P and the Democratic Party, now competing to declare themselves Islamic parties. Their leaders are even more Islamic than us," he said.
Greg Fealy, a researcher from the School of Pacific and Asian Studies at Australian National University, said in a recent lecture at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) that the weak leadership of Islamic parties and their ignorance of the principle of pluralism would lead to their defeat in the 2009 legislative elections.
Reuters - September 23, 2008
Olivia Rondonuwu and Ed Davies, Jakarta – Retired Indonesian general Wiranto, a controversial figure over rights abuses in East Timor who looks set to run for president next year, said his country needs to spread its wealth among the poor.
The former army chief, who has denied any wrongdoing in East Timor, was indicted by a UN panel over the bloodshed surrounding Dili's 1999 independence vote, when about 1,000 East Timorese died.
That episode had been resolved and would not be a hindrance to his own political ambitions or those of his party, Wiranto said in an interview at the headquarters of his Hanura (Peoples' Conscience) party.
"That's just a part of left-over problems that has been resolved government-to-government," he said, referring to a joint Indonesian and East Timor truth commission which blamed Indonesia's military for rights violations. The commission had no prosecution powers.
"If that was a problem, then I couldn't have been an official presidential candidate in 2004," he said.
Wiranto, 61, stood in the last elections as a presidential candidate for the Golkar Party, the late president Suharto's political machine. He finished behind President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and former president Megawati Sukarnoputri.
Wiranto, who appears to be pushing a nationalist and populist agenda, said Indonesia's economic policies should be more independent and the poor were not benefiting enough from rises in world prices of natural resources such as coal and palm oil.
"My view is at the moment there are a lot of riches not used for the maximum benefit of the people," he said. "And to be frank, Indonesia is now in a position of a loser in this global competition," said Wiranto, who is known as an accomplished singer and once made an album of love songs.
Asked about his solutions, he declined to map out specific policies, saying he did not want to release them yet. He said Indonesia should manage its resources more independently but did not elaborate.
Yudhoyono's administration has suffered some criticism for not capitalising enough on rising commodity prices and has also struggled to attract more foreign investment in areas such as mining.
Indonesia hosts global resource firms such as Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold but has seen little new investment in recent years.
Broke ties
After the 2004 vote, Wiranto broke ties with Golkar after a power struggle and formed Hanura in late 2006.
Wiranto, who is Javanese like most of Indonesia's presidents, declined to confirm whether he would stand for president again as many people expect. He said his performance in the 2004 election showed he had a core support base on which to rely.
"I garnered more than 26 million votes, or about 22 percent, and that's the foundation I have been developing on ever since to build the party," said Wiranto, whose career took off when he became Suharto's adjutant in 1989. He rose to become military chief and defence minister.
Although he initially survived the fallout from the East Timor violence, he was later fired as security minister by former President Abdurrahman Wahid in 2000.
Hanura, which has been polling at around 7-11 percent support in recent opinion polls, aimed to be one of the top five parties in parliamentary elections in April next year and may look at forming coalitions nearer that time, Wiranto said. (Editing by Paul Tait)
Jakarta Post - September 24, 2008
Jakarta – House special committee drafting the bill on the president and vice president election have agreed to include a provision to fine candidates who bail out prior to the election date.
The provision states that candidates who bail out before the first round of the elections can be sentenced to between 24 and 60 months' imprisonment and fined Rp 25 billion (US$2.7 million) to Rp 50 billion.
Meanwhile, leaving the race during the second round of elections faces penalty of 36 to 72 months imprisonment and Rp 50 billion to Rp 100 billion in fines.
"The provision was agreed upon by committee members on Tuesday," said lawmaker Andi Yuliani as quoted by Tempointeraktif.com.
The measure had to be implemented Andi said, as withdrawing from election after it had started would mean causing unnecessary expenditure of election funds, "which would impact the budget".
Another committee member, Agus Purnomo, said the sanction would be applicable to those who fell ill. "This is a matter of national stability," Agus said, adding the health of candidates should already been clarified prior to the start of the election round.
Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairman Agus Purnomo said the provision would be useful in preventing conspiracy among candidates and political parties.
The House of Representatives is slated to pass the presidential election law in October. "Our target is to pass it on Oct. 21. We're working hard now to meet the schedule," Andi said.
The House previously targeted to pass the bill in July, but debates over some issues – including the requirement for a party to nominate a president candidate – hampered the plan.
Factions were split whether a candidate should be selected based on a party's number of votes nationwide, or based on seats it controlled in the House.
"Debates are still going on in other parts, and even though it's likely to end with a voting mechanism, I hope we don't have to do that."
The commission will continue deliberating the bill after Idul Fitri holidays, Andi said. (and)
| Police/law enforcement |
Jakarta Post - September 30, 2008
Jakarta – Newly-installed National Police chief Comr. Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri said on Tuesday he would promote cultural change inside the police force to improve their image and performance.
"There are certain priorities with regards to mending the National Police's internal affairs in the context of cultural change acceleration," Bambang Hendarso said after being officially installed as the new police chief by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
To support his mission, Bambang said he would recruit fresh police personnel, who were free from corruption, collusion, and nepotism.
Bambang Hendarso was the head of the National Police's Criminal Investigation Unit before being promoted as the National Police chief to replace Gen. Sutanto, with supports from the House of Representatives.
Bambang also promised to work harder and continue the agenda of his predecessor, Gen. Sutanto, especially in dealing with serious crimes such as drug trafficking, illegal logging, and terrorism.
"We are going to act even harder against security personnel and officials who ignore the resolution of such crimes because," he was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.
Another agenda, he said, was to ensure security before and after the 2009 general elections. (rid)
Jakarta Post - September 25, 2008
Newly-elected National Police chief Comr. Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri reaffirmed his commitment Wednesday to eradicating illegal levies in a move to push for an institutional reform within his corps.
"The fight against illegal levies is one of my top priorities. Other disgraceful behaviors (among police officers) have stemmed from such practices," he said at the House of Representatives.
"Therefore, combating illegal levies, including those imposed on the streets and at police public service centers, would prevent other illicit practices within the institution."
Bambang said he would set up a special operational team to assist in eradicating illegal levies. "The team will comprise members of both the police intelligence unit and professionalism and security division."
Bambang made the statement shortly after a House plenary session during which he was formally endorsed as National Police chief. He will replace Gen. Sutanto, who retires next month.
Some 270 legislators from all 10 factions attending the meeting offered Bambang their full support, after Trimedya Pandjaitan, head of the House's Commission III overseeing legal affairs, had read out the results of Bambang's "fit-and-proper" test on Monday.
The report outlined the programs and priorities that Bambang has proposed for his tenure.
"The House will send an official letter to President Bambang Yudhoyono, asking for Bambang's immediate installment," House chairman Agung Laksono told the plenary session, which also officially announced the replacement of Sutanto.
Bambang, the current police head of criminal investigations, was nominated by the President as the sole candidate for national police chief.
Bambang also said he would continue programs introduced by his predecessor.
Citing crimes that must be most pressingly dealt with, Bambang listed gambling, illegal logging, illegal fishing, illegal mining, corruption and conventional crimes, including drug abuse and security threats.
"But still, in general, the police will show their dual nature; their firm and humane sides," the three-star general said.
Bambang said he would take firm and indiscriminate measures to oppose crimes, including those involving his own subordinates. He also vowed to improve the image of the police by improving public services and upholding human rights.
Bambang, 56, will serve as chief of police until he retires in 2010. A Graduate of the National Police Academy in 1974, Bambang is acclaimed for arresting former State Intelligence Agency deputy chief Muchdi Purwopranjono for his alleged murder of human rights campaigner Munir Said Thalib in 2004.
He has also received praise for ordering the arrest of Rizieq Shihab, a leader of the hard-line Islam Troop Command and Munarman, head of the Islam Defenders Force, for leading an attack on a pro-tolerance rally in June.
During his tenure as North Sumatra Police chief, Bambang was lauded for arresting illegal logging suspect Adelin Lis. – JP/Dian Kuswandini
Jakarta Post - September 23, 2008
Dian Kuswandini, Jakarta – The House of Representatives on Monday approved Comr. Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri as the new National Police chief to replace Gen. Sutanto, who will retire early next month.
Bambang was elected unanimously to the top police post after undergoing about 10 hours of a fit-and-proper test earlier in the day before the House's Commission III, which oversees legal and human rights affairs.
All 10 factions in the commission accepted answers presented during the examination by the sole police chief candidate, nominated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
The commission's decision will be presented Tuesday to the House's consultative body before being endorsed at a House plenary session a day later.
Bambang, 56, who is currently the National Police chief of detectives, will hold the highest post in the police force until he retires in 2010.
Commission III gave full support to Bambang as the new police chief for his "commitment" to push for internal reform within the institution.
"But we remind (Bambang) that the police force is a state apparatus and not the government's tool of power," said Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction spokeswoman Eva Kusuma Sundari.
"The new National Police chief must reaffirm efforts to ensure a human face for the police as the protector and servant of the people."
A similar point was raised by the nine other factions in the House, including the Golkar Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).
"Bambang will be able to continue efforts made by his predecessor Sutanto (to boost the police's image). We see that he respects and values his seniors," said Golkar spokesman Aulia Rahman.
The three-star general hailed his unanimous election as a "mandate", pledging to "fix the culture" of the National Police, considered one of the most corrupt state institutions in the country.
"I'll take firm, indiscriminate measures against crimes, including those involving my own subordinates," Bambang said during the test.
"On the other hand, we will improve the police's public services. But we should always uphold human rights in carrying out our duties. I promise there will be no more arrogance within the police force."
Commission III chairman Trimedya Pandjaitan praised Bambang for his "good presentation" during the screening process.
Several legislators asked Bambang why the police considered their budget of up to Rp 25 trillion per year "insufficient".
In response, Bambang said the state should allocate a bigger budget in order to provide better salaries to police officers in a bid to prevent them from demanding illegal levies.
"We have conducted research that shows the ideal salary for a brigadier-level officer is around Rp 7 to 8 million per month. However, we're aware it's impossible for the state to grant this amount," he said.
Bambang also promised to fight corruption, illegal logging, illegal fishing and illegal mining, as well as conventional crimes such as robberies.
"The fight against illegal levies is one of my priorities. I promise there will be no such practice anymore. I'll set up a special team to handle this matter," he added. Bambang also vowed to establish a national information center on crimes and to steer clear of political interference from outsiders.
"Bambang has a good track record, but what's important is that he fulfill all of his promises," said the PKS' Soeripto.
Bambang graduated from the National Police Academy in 1974, and was lauded by many observers for ordering the arrest of Rizieq Shihab, leader of the hard-line Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and Munarman, head of the Islam Defenders Force, for leading an attack on a pro-tolerance rally last June.
Another of his notable achievements was the arrest of former State Intelligence deputy chief Muchdi Purwopranjono as a suspect in the 2004 murder of human rights campaigner Munir Said Thalib.
While serving as North Sumatra Police chief, Bambang drew praise for successfully ordering the arrest of major illegal logging suspect Adelin Lis.
| Economy & investment |
Jakarta Post - September 26, 2008
Jakarta – State electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) has projected its fuel consumption this year to reach 11.1 million to 11.4 million kiloliters.
Speaking to the press here on Thursday, Chief of PLN's Primary Energy Unit Nasri Sebayang said that by the end of August 2008, the company's fuel consumption had already reached 8.6 million kiloliters.
"Until the end of September, our fuel consumption will exceed 9.1 million kiloliters as quoted in the revised 2008 state budget," he said, as quoted by Antara.
The surge in fuel consumption was the result of rising power demands which grew by 7 percent, well above the projected 1.9 percent in the revised 2008 state budget, he said.
The higher power consumption growth was partly because many industries which had previously relied on generator sets for the supply of their power needs switched to PLN, he said.
In 2009, the government and the House of Representatives (DPR) have agreed to set PLN's fuel consumption at 7.91 million kiloliters with power demands expected to grow by 7 percent.
The drop in fuel consumption is the result of the optimum use of gas and the operation of a number of new coal-fired power plants this year.
The fuel consumption of 7.91 million kiloliters consists of 4.59 million kiloliters of high speed diesel (HSD) and 3.32 million kiloliters of marine fuel oil.
Jakarta Post - September 23, 2008
Aditya Suharmoko, Jakarta – The central bank and the Finance Ministry have refused to take blame for the compromised supervision of foreign banks operating in Indonesia, following hefty losses suffered by local investors after buying into products offered by the banks.
The investments turned sour after US financial services giant Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. collapsed last week, sending both institutional and individual investors with portfolios exposed to Lehman reeling from losses.
Bank Indonesia spokeswoman Dyah Makhijani on Monday told The Jakarta Post if the investors spent their money in offshore investment products, neither BI nor the Capital Market Supervisory Agency (Bapepam-LK) could take any responsibility.
"We do not oversee any foreign investment products, although they are offered by banks," she said.
In addition to managing monetary affairs, BI is also tasked with supervising local and foreign banks operating in the country.
However, Dyah said she could not comment further until she learned about the agreements between the banks and the investors.
She also refused to explain which institutions were responsible for issuing licenses for the foreign banks to sell such investment products, which eventually could not be safely certified by the authorities.
Dozens of investors flocked to Citibank Indonesia's Pondok Indah branch in South Jakarta last week to seek explanations over a massive probable loss in their investment with the Citigold wealth management banking program, following the Lehman bankruptcy.
The product is exposed to Lehman notes, which are linked to the performance of the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index, Korean KOSPI 200 Index and the Tokyo Stock Exchange REIT.
Most affected investors, from the middle to upper-income bracket, were offered lucrative investment products by the banks' wealth management divisions under complicated contracts.
Citibank Indonesia said it would only comment on the issue on Tuesday. The Citibank investment trouble is just the tip of the iceberg, with several foreign banks operating in Indonesia expected to keep the problem under wraps for fear of doing damage to their credibility.
The Indonesian unit of UK-based Standard Chartered admitted there were several local investors whose investments had been exposed to Lehman assets. However, the bank refused to disclose whether they suffered any losses.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati told the Post the investment woes were the responsibility of the central bank as the watchdog of foreign banks operating here. "BI should be questioned over the issue. It supervises the banks," she said.
The ministry's Bapepam-LK bureau head of legal and regulatory affairs, Robinson Simbolon, said the agency could only take action if the investment products were certified by the agency.
"If they are issued by banks, BI should take the blame. If they are issued by securities houses, then we are the ones who'll get toasted," he said. "But if the investment products are basically not Indonesian products, it is not our job to protect the investors."
A source at Bapepam-LK said the agency had a few years ago attempted to supervise the investment products offered by the foreign banks. However, he said the banks refused to comply, saying BI was the only institution authorized to do the job.
| Analysis & opinion |
Crikey.com - September 29, 2008
Damien Kingsbury – The recent announcement by Australian Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon that Australia will co-produce weapons with Indonesia would seem to indicate that, after decades of difficulties, there are no longer major outstanding issues between Australia and Indonesia. However, as with previous bilateral defence arrangements, it may be that real problems have at best been swept under the carpet.
While Mr Fitzgibbon has been cuddling up to Indonesia's defence minister, Juwono Sudarsono, Indonesia's military (TNI) and paramilitary police have been cracking down on activists in West Papua. For the "crime" of raising the West Papuan "Morning Star' flag, one person was shot dead at Wamena and at least 18 people have been arrested near Timika, the town nearest the massive Freeport gold and copper mine in an area that has been the site of much local unrest.
Flag raising ceremonies have been linked to a more general claim for greater respect for human rights in West Papua, including the establishment of genuine autonomy for the now divided province. However, in response to the crackdown, there have also been a number of bombings, claimed by one of the Free Papua Movement's more militant factions as intended to close down the mine.
In signing the new defence deal, Mr Fitzgibbons said: "Australia and Indonesia are pursuing cooperation in key areas that will enhance TNI's capabilities and support the increasingly important role of the Indonesian Department of Defence."
Indonesia is moving, if all too slowly, towards greater democratisation and wider reform, and good bilateral relations are important. However, there remain serious human rights problems in Indonesia, in particular in West Papua. Like East Timor, these problems have and will continue to surface, threatening the bilateral relationship.
Indonesia's defence establishment is overwhelmingly the cause of Indonesia's human rights abuses. Australia's continued insistence, then, on pursuing closer relations with it is starting to look like a compulsive fetish gone horribly wrong.
[Damien Kingsbury an Associated Professor at the Deakin University's School of International and Political Studies.]
Jakarta Post - September 27, 2008
Veronica Kusuma, Jakarta – Ever since Ayat-ayat Cinta (Verses of love) hit the cinemas, the representation of Islam in Indonesian cinema has created a lively debate. Some Muslim leaders endorsed the treatment on the grounds that Islamic teaching could be spread to the populace through popular culture.
Film, along with television and the internet, could be mobilized to modernize and deploy ideological messages through culturally recognizable symbols. Some are a bit worried about its controversial content – its polygamy and religiously conservative message but the film industry has been quick to respond to just another niche market.
As many have become aware since Sept. 11, the Islamic community is frequently represented as monolithic, militaristic and primarily Middle Eastern. Western media and audiences are familiar with the story of radical Muslims that commit and are involved in terrorism. The Hollywood film industry has its stereotypes and for Islam it has many.
The democratic transition, the acceptance of liberal values and embracing of the market system since the 1998 fall of former President Soeharto have helped boost the popularity of Islamic cultural products. The movie is part of a current trend in this secular, democratic nation with the world's largest Muslim population, where Islamic teachings are disseminating through popular culture artifacts such as movies, books and songs. The literary world has been affected by the work of the Forum Lingkar Pena for years.
Established in 1997, the forum nurtures new and young writers focusing on creating so-called Islamic literature (The novel Ayat-ayat Cinta is one example.) In pop music, groups like Ungu and Gigi sell a million copies of their albums, conveying messages of Islamic teaching. After the success of Ayat-ayat Cinta, many movies are in production. (The convergence of Islam and cinema is also interesting as some Islamic political parties have started to organize their own film festivals.)
In future months, more than five Islamic films will queue up for national screenings. But, despite the emergence of Islamic cinema, the film industry still considers Islamic values as a marketing hook. And it sells, sometimes.
Central to these issues is the role mass media plays in constituting Muslim identities, promoting certain Islamic practices and values while submerging others, and shaping perceptions of Islam among non-Muslims.
Asrul Sani, one of Indonesia's cinema's founding fathers, has written and directed films conveying Islamic teachings since 1959. Educated at the US University of Southern California and a prominent leader of LESBUMI (an active cultural organization under Nahdlatul Ulama) along with filmmakers Usmar Ismail and Djamaludin Malik.
Asrul Sani made some films that contained strong messages about Islam Titian Serambut Dibelah Tujuh (The narrow bridge, 1959), Al Kautsar (Great comfort, 1977). Set in a surreal location, Titian Serambut Dibelah Tujuh is a breakthrough in portraying the diverse facets of Islamic society.
In the film, conservative Islam is represented side by side with modern Islam and homosexuality is introduced without using standard cliches. During the 1970s and 1980s, many films with strong dakwah (Islamic teaching) messages were made. At the same time the horror film, arguably the Indonesian national genre, always involves Muslim clerics in battle with satanic forces.
After 1998, long before Ayat-Ayat Cinta surpassed box-office records, popular soap operas, or sinetron, are filled with sermon-like Islamic narratives, despite the fact many people consider them just marketing tools. Actually, in that context, the most interesting debate so far looks at the emerging market for what I call Islamic values.
The case of Ayat-ayat Cinta is a perfect example. Unlike Titian Serambut Dibelah Tujuh which deals with more serious issues, Ayat-ayat Cinta is basically an archetypal Cinderella love story which invokes Islamic values and portrays Islamic society.
The 1959 film takes place in a village where religiosity is the overarching value, whereas Ayat-Ayat Cinta is set in contemporary Egypt, looking just like Paris or any US city used in many Indonesian secular dramas.
Secular dramas may have their Nokia cell phones and BMWs, Ayat- ayat Cinta holds up its end with Apple laptops and fancy Mercy car in the hand of beautifully veiled Muslim ladies and devout Muslim men.
The characters in Ayat-ayat Cinta are portrayed as friendly and tolerant Muslims: just like us, they feel and think about personal matters, such as love, family, etc. In Indonesian cinema, radical Muslims never have a key role or positive representation, even during the heyday of Rhoma Irama, the icon of Islamic values in dangdut stardom during the 1970s.
Even the enigmatic Syeh Siti Djenar has been represented as a rebel against true Islam in Djun Saptohadi's Sembilan Wali/Wali Sanga (Nine pious leaders, 1985). The recent film, Mengaku Rasul (Self-styled prophet) manages to depict some issues related to deviant sects, but the pattern of positive values portrayed remains unchanged.
We can conclude that, generally, recent Indonesian cinema has become a site for constituting Muslim identities and promoting certain kinds of Islamic practices and values. In this context, fundamentalism is represented as a threat to true Islamic teaching. Despite their extensive coverage in the media, particularly Western media, Islamic radicals are left out of Indonesian screenplays.
As a product of the open-market system, Indonesian cinema consists of those who claim profit-seeking as their religion. So the industry will only work within rules determined by the majority. And the Indonesian Muslim majority still chooses a friendly, devout but not radical Islam full of virtue and, of course, good social status (either by heredity, a trust fund or education abroad). That's precisely the Indonesian dream as defined by the New Order.
Even though hard-line Islamic groups now have little political support, careful lobbying and a long-term media strategy will give them a greater role in Indonesian cinema.
Despite these groups' efforts to ban cinema, regarded as purveying Western, sinful values the market offers opportunity for such hard-line groups to press for greater intervention, either through a censorship law or by promoting certain films.
With the resurgence of cinema since 1998, cinematic representation can significantly impact the social psyche(s). If cinema has served to reinforce "acceptable" prejudices toward another religion or culture (Hall, 1993), the representation of the Muslim community in Indonesian cinema has changed and shifted with context, usage and historical circumstances.
Since these representations are never finally fixed, always being negotiated and inflected, then Indonesian cinema is facing a new challenge: the battle between market forces and Islamic messages.
[The writer is a student in film at the Jakarta Arts Institute. The writer can be contacted through pravdavero@gmail.com.]
Jakarta Post - September 26, 2008
Ajay Chhibber, New York – On Sept. 25, 2008, at the midpoint towards achieving the Millen-nium Development Goals (MDGs), world leaders gathered in New York to see where more can be done to reach them by their deadline of 2015.
This is a critical moment as the prospects of a slowing global economy, high food and fuel prices and climate change threaten to derail and even reverse the progress already made.
Advances made towards the MDGs across the world have been varied. As the Secretary General's annual MDG report indicated this year, while significant gains were made on some fronts, overall performance has been mixed.
In particular, the benefits of growth have been unequally shared both across and within countries. This is particularly true for the Asia-Pacific region.
Asia's record of progress on the MDGs remains impressive although uneven. The remarkable growth figures from Asia, driven primarily by China and India, no doubt have helped lift millions out of poverty.
Vietnam has surpassed the MDG poverty reduction goals of halving the number of people living below the poverty line and is planning to go even further beyond them by another 40 percent by 2010. Bangladesh is well on track on poverty reduction with poverty down to 40 percent in 2005.
But in the recent months rising food and fuel prices have reversed some of these gains. East Asia is generally on track and South Asia is behind but is making progress on many goals. But looking at individual countries progress across the MDGs are disparate, with health and environmental sustainability being the slowest areas for progress.
One of the striking features of the growth story in the Asia- Pacific region is the increasing gap between countries while the larger, rapidly growing economies like China and India have advanced by leaps and bounds, there is a widening gap between the faster growing economies and those being left behind particularly the least-developed countries.
In Indonesia, on the whole, there has been significant progress toward achieving the MDGs, as demonstrated by data tracked by the government. There are concerns however over insufficient progress on access to safe drinking water, maternal health, child nutrition and several environmental targets.
And many districts and provinces in the outer islands have been left behind as the rest of the country moved forward. Still, in terms of national aggregate figures, Indonesia is on track to meet many of the MDG targets, ranging from reduction in the infant mortality rate to improvements in educational indicators, and the importance of these achievements cannot be overstated.
The problem in Indonesia of stark disparities in progress among different regions is mirrored in other Asia-Pacific countries as well: Within some of the best-performing countries, particular regions and groups are falling behind.
The rapid economic growth in these prospering countries has not automatically translated into tangible improvements for the majority of people, or directly improved the lot of those at the lowest rungs of society. Inequalities are increasing dramatically especially in the fast growing economies.
This is painfully evident when we note that the indicators for maternal mortality have barely improved across the region, despite remarkable progress on economic indicators. This is primarily because the benefits of Asia's growth have remained largely concentrated to its urban centers.
Rural populations, who still comprise the majority of the region's populace, have typically been bypassed. Moreover, these dramatic growth rates have not been accompanied by commensurate increases in employment opportunities or in investments for human development- crucial opportunities that the region can no longer afford to miss.
Conditional cash transfers, which have been pioneered and tried with some success in Latin America, can provide much needed focus on specific MDGs especially those related to education and health. Such schemes in which mothers are provided cash incentives to ensure that their children – especially girlsgo to school or to ensure that children are inoculated can make a major difference in reaching the MDGs. Asian countries, with some exceptions, have not used such schemes as widely as in other regions where they have been shown to work especially well in rural areas.
At the UN Development Programme, we have seen and helped drive some progress in this region, even in countries that are landlocked and emerging from conflict.
With the current volatility in global markets, the growing crisis of rising food and fuel prices, and the risks posed by climate change, it is the more vulnerable across all countries in the region that are going to be at risk of sudden downturns.
This is going to be one of the largest challenges in the years that remain from now until 2015. In a region where natural disasters and conflict have often inflicted substantial reversals to previous achievement, no gains can be taken for granted.
So while Asia has much to celebrate, there is also much to do. With increasing global pressure that threaten to slow things down, now more than ever the important dialogue must be converted to our most precious international currencyaction. The message is simple: The Goals are achievable, but it will take concerted, creative and decisive action from the global community.
[The writer is Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and Director of UNDP's Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific.]
Jakarta Post - September 26, 2008
Pramono U. Tanthowi, Jakarta – During the last ten years of the Soeharto regime before his fall in May 1998, there were ubiquitous signs of diverging approaches to the state adopted by the two largest Muslim civil society organizations in Indonesia, Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).
Muhammadiyah emphasized complementary functions of civil society to the state, while according to NU, civil society should function as a countervailing force to the state's political monopoly.
Since the fall of the New Order regime ten years ago, what are the roles of NU and Muhammadiyah in a democratized Indonesia? Do those diverging approaches remain?
The political landscape of Indonesia has been transformed almost beyond recognition. There were changes in Indonesian politics and society alike. Considerable changes have also occurred in the Muslim community. Muhammadiyah, NU and other organizations akin to them have become more active in political affairs.
Their cadre and members have also been recruited for the newly formed political parties so that nearly all have some sort of Islamic identity. In this respect we find a re-politicization returning to these associations similar to the role they enjoyed prior to their political disengagement in the 1970s and 1980s.
By examining the ways in which those Muslim civil society organizations have exerted their interests and performed their roles these last 10 years, we can see they are now an important part of the political leadership and their interests are now well represented.
However, the problem is that, in reality, there is a significant degree of overlap between NU and Muhammadiyah on the one hand and political society and state on the other. Indonesia after Soeharto provides several examples of this. One of them is their relationship with political parties.
The establishment of two political parties, the National Awakening Party (PKB) and National Mandate Party (PAN) shortly after the downfall of the New Order regime shows an overlap since both the NU and Muhammadiyah, in a different manner, were instrumental in establishing the PKB and the PAN. Moreover, the majority of their members are also primarily drawn from the NU and Muhammadiyah constituencies.
Indeed, this relationship has always been problematic, particularly in an empirical sense. Those civil society organizations have constantly been plunged into practical political affairs: Many Muslim leaders have used the NU organization and its supporters to defend Abdurrahman Abdurrahman's presidency from Oct. 1999 to July 2001, when Abdurrahman was trapped in a bitter conflict with the House of Representatives.
Meanwhile some of NU's top leaders, such as Hasyim Muzadi and Abdurrahman's brother Solahuddin Wahid, took part in the 2004 presidential elections as vice presidential candidates.
Other instances include Muhammadiyah's centrality in Amien Rais' presidential nomination when PAN's performance in the 2004 parliamentary election was poor. And the direct regional head elections (popularly known as Pilkada) have given those organizations more opportunities to both nominate and support candidates, particularly in provinces or districts where they have strong organizational networks and massive membership structures.
However porous the boundary between Muslim civil society organizations and political parties, they essentially have been taking pains to maintain their independence from PKB and PAN interventions. Several instances are worth noting.
First of all, credit is due to both NU and Muhammadiyah as they did not transform themselves into political parties, despite the fact that there was increasing political activism among Indonesian people after the fall of Soeharto.
The leaders of NU and Muhammadiyah at that time could not resist the temptation to establish new political parties for their constituencies, but they did not want to risk their organizations by transforming them into political parties.
This simultaneously proves that the withdrawal of Muhammadiyah and NU in the 1970s and 1980s from practical politics and their return to their original guidelines (khittah) as religious and social organizations was not merely prompted by the fact that they had been subjugated to restrictions, manipulations and pressures during the early years of the Soeharto regime.
Rather, the reason behind their transformation was largely the result of their leaders' awareness that their decade-long involvement in practical politics had prevented them from devoting sufficient attention to their religious and social functions.
Second, in order to avoid a conflict of interest, Muhammadiyah and NU have also prohibited dual leadership (in political parties and the religious organizations), even though there have been exceptional cases violating this decree. Both organizations have also decided that their officials who want to run in executive elections should first step down from their positions in the religious organizations.
The politics of post-Soeharto Indonesia have not been dominated by a single dominant party, volatile coalitions or political alliances. Power-sharing arrangements thus constitute the post- New Order administrations. These power-sharing arrangements have incorporated major political powers, including NU and Muhammadiyah, whose legitimacy was necessary for the resilience of those governments in relation to the political opposition in the parliament and civil society alike.
[The writer is a young Muhammadiyah activist, and is the author of Muslims and Tolerance: Non-Muslim Minorities under Shariah in Indonesia (2008). He can be reached at pramono_utan@yahoo.com.]