Indra Harsaputra, Pamekasan – A number of ulemas in Madura have been urging the regional administration to issue bylaws against the use of torture on cows used in the traditional karapan sapi (cow race).

Munif Sayuti, one of the ulemas, said he acknowledged the race was a source of pride for the Madurese. Yet, he added, some ulemas had declared it was haram (prohibited under Islamic teaching) to use torture to encourage the cows to win the race.

He said that a number of methods used to make the cows run faster inflicted harm upon the animals. Applying heating balm to a cows' anus and eyes and beating them with nailed sticks are some commonly used methods.

"The ulemas do not want to ban karapan as it is part of Madurese culture. What we won't allow is physical violence both against animals and human beings," Munif told The Jakarta Post in Pamekasan, Madura, East Java.

Munif said that calls to avoid violence against racing cows had began a few years ago, but no action had been taken.

Torture against racing cows has continued, including during the recent karapan for the President Trophy held at Soenarto Hadiwidjojo Stadium in Pamekasan last Sunday.

"The 24 participants still used nailed sticks to beat the cows to make them run furiously. Unfortunately, the local administration and the organizing committee seemed to have turned a blind eye to the matter," Munif said.

He suggested that to prevent further violence from being committed in the future, a bylaw was needed.

According to Pamekasan historian Sulaiman Sadik, karapan sapi was first introduced by Prince Katandur of Sapudi Island, Sumenep, in the 13th century, and was named karapan salaga, to refer to the traditional cow-ridden plow used by farmers in the region.

At that time, only whips were used to encourage the cows to run faster. "In its development, however, karapan has become a form of animal torture. That's why we want to preserve the race by returning it to its original form," Sulaiman said.

Speaker of the Pamekasan Legislature Council Iskandar, said his office had been receiving complaints from both activists in Madura and tourists visiting the region regarding the use of torture in the karapan race.

This, he said, had resulted in a constant decrease in the number of tourist visits to the island over the past few years.

"The interest in seeing karapan sapi is still high among the Madurese, as shown by the number of people flocking to such events," Iskandar said. "Yet, if we observe it much closer, fewer foreign tourists have been enjoying it lately," he added.

Iskandar said his office planned to conduct a publicity program both among the owners of the cows and other related parties to help eliminate the torture of cows in the traditional race.

Katijo, a cow owner in Pamekasan, however, expressed pessimism that eliminating torture in karapan would be successful as each cow owner wanted their animal to win. "The cows that are beaten with nailed sticks and applied with balm run much faster than those that are only whipped," Katijo said.

Surabaya's prostitutes turn to prayer

Jakarta Globe - October 28, 2009

Amir Tejo – Surabaya is famous, or infamous, for having the largest prostitution complex in Southeast Asia, a distinction the local government would rather not have.

In fact, officials have tried just about everything to reduce the number of sex workers strutting around the city. They have arrested prostitutes for solicitation, sent them back to their hometowns and provided them with job skills so they could earn a living without having to sell their bodies.

But all of these efforts have failed to curb the problem. So now the local administration is turning to the power of prayer, providing sex workers with spiritual guidance in the hope that they will see the error of their ways.

Some 3,400 sex workers, pimps and members of the general public on Tuesday gathered for a mass prayer at Surya Park. The event was organized by the city's Social Affairs Agency, with the aim of curbing prostitution. Sex workers from six red-light districts arrived in buses provided by the local administration. And while they would normally wear revealing outfits, on Tuesday the sex workers, many of them middle-aged, were modestly dressed.

The event, titled "The Beauty of Penance: Counseling and Prayers with the Ladies of Hope," featured well-known Islamic preacher Zainuddin MZ and dangdut star Rhoma Irama.

The sex workers seemed enthusiastic about the event, particularly the prospect of seeing Rhoma Irama perform. "Not only can I get a spiritual reward, but I get to see Bang Haji [as Rhoma Irama is known]," said one sex worker.

The Surabaya administration claims it is having some success in reducing the number of sex workers in the city.

Eko Hariyanto, chief of the Surabaya Social Affairs Agency, said there were 7,000 sex workers in the city in 2003, compared to just under 3,500 today. Eko said this was possibly the result of "routine shakedowns," or raids, and the enforcement of existing regulations.

These include the shutting down of nightspots before the fasting month of Ramadan and after the Idul Fitri celebrations, followed by warnings that new sex workers entering the city's red-light districts would be sent back to their hometowns.

But the decline in the number of sex workers in the city's red- light districts raises the question of whether more prostitutes are working outside the districts.

"This is a danger that could go undetected by the local administration," said Bagong Suyanto, a social scientist at Airlangga University in Surabaya.

Bagong also said it was difficult for sex workers to leave that life because their pimps often threatened or blackmailed them. In the meantime, local officials will continue their efforts to clean up Surabaya's reputation.

Dirty toilets are turning off tourists, says transport minister

Jakarta Globe - October 27, 2009

Anita Rachman – Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi said on Tuesday that pushing for clean toilets at the nation's ports was going to be one of his priorities for his first 100 days in administration.

He said that he has been conducting inspections at some ports and found that people are still dumping trash irresponsibly and that they weren't keeping their toilets clean.

"I went to the Ambon port, it was filled with trash," Freddy told journalists at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after inspecting hajj pilgrimage flights.

He said that Indonesians should be aware that keeping the environment clean is very important, especially for attracting tourists.

"People, they have money, then they come to Indonesia and see that its toilets are very dirty, so why should they stay? They have money, they can choose somewhere else with cleaner toilets [to visit]," he said.

He said that he will ask all departments under his control to pay more attention to hygiene issues. "We should change our culture," he said. "This program is not only for my 100 first days in administration, but forever."

Freddy said that people should be more disciplined. He said that Indonesia should be able to develop so it is better than other countries. "This is not a poor country," he said.

He added that the ministry would conduct raids on the street vendors around the airport. Freddy said that it was acceptable for people to sell things inside the airport, however, they should understand that they need to have authorization.

Actions, demos, protests...

University students protest on Youth Pledge Day

Jakarta Globe - October 28, 2009

Zal Gibran – Hundreds of university students in Makassar, South Sulawesi, celebrated Youth Pledge Day on Wednesday with protests demanding that the government fulfill its promises, including its pledge to provide free higher education.

Meanwhile, students in Central Java protested against what they said was the lack of an effective opposition in the House of Representatives (DPR).

"The government has not fulfilled its pledge to provide free education," one of the South Sulawesi students said in his speech in front of the governor's office in Makassar. "In fact, school fees and other charges have risen and this is hurting the poor most."

The students, including those from state-owned Hassanuddin University, demanded to meet face to face with Governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo, but police guarding the compound refused to let them in.

As emotions ran high, the students pushed the police back and shook the fence surrounding the governor's office in an attempt to tear it down.

Police on standby rushed in and chased the students away. No one was injured and the protesters dispersed peacefully after two hours.

In their speeches, the students urged the government to repeal a law on educational legal entities and for the police to end what they said was heavy-handedness in dealing with students.

The 2008 Education Legal Entity Law (BHP) has drawn protests from students across the country. It forces state-owned universities to finance their own operations, raising fears of the commercialization of higher education as well as rising costs. Many Indonesians already find the cost of tertiary education prohibitively expensive.

Another group of students held a protest in front of the South Sulawesi Legislative Council (DPRD).

Dozens of students belonging to the Pro-People Student Front scuffled with police as they tried to enter the compound to talk with council members. The scuffle ended when council chairman Muh. Rum and other councilors agreed to meet the students.

"Our coming here, which coincided with the Youth Pledge Day, is to prod council members to summon the general manager of state-owned electricity company PT PLN Sultanbatara in relation to rotating power outages," Rudiansyah, the protest coordinator, said when meeting the lawmakers.

"Council members have to summon PLN Sultanbatara to make it accountable for the power outages. We also ask PLN Sultanbatara to give assistance to victims of fires caused by the power outages because the company seems to have ignored their suffering," he said.

Rudiansyah did not say how many electricity outage-related fire victims there were.

Meanwhile, in Surakarta, Central Java, the Indonesian Students Executive Councils (BEM SI) declared they were forming a Students Opposition Front to protest the absence of a strong opposition bloc in the House of Representatives.

"The movement we have just declared is our response to the current political landscape in the House of Representatives, especially support for the new government," coordinator Wahyu Suranto was quoted as saying by the state-owned Antara news agency.

According to Wahyu, the fact that seven out of 10 factions in the House support the government may result in a lack of checks and balances in the next five years.

"In response to that, BEM SI is assuming the function of being the opposition to the new government," said Wahyu, who is also president of the Bogor Institute of Agriculture's Students Executive Council.

BEM SI claims to be supported by 58 student executive councils in higher-learning institutions across the country.

Nine demos in Jakarta on Thursday likely to cause traffic jams

Jakarta Globe - October 29, 2009

Motorists beware – nine demonstrations to be held in Jakarta on Thursday are likely to cause traffic havoc in the capital.

According to Jakarta Police's Traffic Management Center, five out of nine rallies will take place in South Jakarta. The first rally will be held in front of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) building on Jalan Rasuna Said.

The second rally will be outside the Vice President's office on Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan in Central Jakarta at 10 a.m. At around the same time, a demonstration will begin in front of the Ministry for State Enterprises building, which is located on the same street.

Other rallies are planned for the front of Jaya Market on Jalan Pramuka, East Jakarta, and in front of the Chinese Embassy in Mega Kuningan, South Jakarta.

At around 11 a.m., a second rally will take place at the KPK building. Two hours later at 1 p.m. dozens of people will stage a demonstration in front of the Attorney General's Office building on Jalan Sisingamangaraja, South Jakarta. Another rally will take place at the office of the Directorate General of Oil and Gas at Plaza Century on Jalan Rasuna Said, also around 1 p.m.

The last demonstration will be in front of the Merdeka Palace on Jalan Merdeka Utara, beginning around 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

It is suggested that drivers try to avoid the areas where the demonstrations will be held, as traffic is expected to be delayed.

Aceh

Aceh stoning law hits a new wall

Jakarta Globe - October 30, 2009

Nurdin Hasan, Banda Aceh – The local bylaw calling for adulterers to be stoned to death cannot be implemented because lawmakers who passed the regulation did not act with the blessings of the governor, the acting chair of the Aceh Provincial Legislature said on Friday.

"We adhere to the Helsinki memorandum of understanding, which stipulates that legislative council members for the 2004-2009 term of office did not have the authority to pass a law without the approval of the governor," said Hasbi Abdullah, the acting chief of the council.

Hasbi – a member of the relatively moderate Aceh Party, which is dominated by former pro-independence rebels – said the new council would delay consideration of the stoning law as other issues were more important. "In my opinion qanun [the local bylaw] is still a draft and not yet a law," Hasbi said.

The Helsinki memorandum of understanding is the peace treaty between the government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) that was signed in Finland in 2005, ending nearly 30 years of armed conflict.

The province's autonomy law takes the Helsinki agreement into account, reinforcing the limits on the Aceh legislature's independence.

"The Helsinki memorandum applies not only to GAM but to all the people of Aceh. That's what we have to stick to in order maintain peace in Aceh." Hasbi said.

The Helsinki agreement granting limited autonomy to Aceh stipulated that Jakarta's authority was limited to foreign relations, defense, monetary and fiscal issues, judiciary power and religious freedom.

Asked when the newly elected council, which was inaugurated on Sept. 30, would resume deliberation of the qanun, Hasbi said that the council would put the matter on hold. "We won't discuss it for now. As to the public controversy, we will try to explain [the situation]."

He said the most important issues facing Aceh were the economy, infrastructure, education and health care. "The qanun is not that important. It will only drain our energy and spur controversy," he said.

The qanun, which included the stoning provision, was met with opposition from inside and outside of Indonesia. Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf also refused to sign the bylaw because of the stoning clause.

The bylaw also mandated lashing as punishment for premarital sex, rapists, homosexuals, users of alcohol and persons discovered with a member of the opposite sex who was not a relative.

Pants ban for women in Aceh draws condemnation

Jakarta Post - October 31, 2009

Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – The sharia regulation prohibiting women from wearing pants in West Aceh regency drew strong condemnation from public circles in Aceh province.

"The enforcement of the regulation is an accumulation of the negative views against women from the perspective of Islamic sharia," said Norma Susanti, the women and children's division head of Aceh Human Rights NGO Coalition. She added that the regulation, issued by the West Aceh regent, was very discriminative in nature and very detrimental to women.

"Islamic sharia is not discriminative against women, but it's different when it is used as a political means by men to restrain women's movements. There are many important issues the government should be handling rather than dealing with dress codes or someone's sins," Norma said.

Although Aceh has enforced Islamic sharia law, social problems have instead upset society further, such as the crime rate that has continued to rise, with increases in robbery, murder, rape and abduction cases.

"We are accused of being people who are against God when we criticize such policies. These accusations have made us tired of continuing the struggle," Norma said.

Legal expert Saifudin Bantasyam from Syiah Kuala University said the ban on women wearing trousers was not legally strong enough to be enforced. "The ordinance is merely a circular which has no legal standing, except for the internal interests of the regency administration."

He added the bylaw could not be implemented because Aceh already had a provincial ordinance regulating the dress code in accordance with Islamic sharia.

"The ordinance doesn't regulate on the types of clothing women should wear, but only a dress code that is decent and in accordance with sharia, and only that," he said.

Aceh Ulema Assembly (MPU) chairman Muslim Ibrahim similarly criticized the regulation, urging it to be reviewed. "We should not be arrogant and force others not to wear pants," he said.

Also slamming the regulation was Taufik Riswan, director of West Aceh Women and Child Protection Research Institute, who said the regent was "overreacting". "The regulation is against the principles of human rights and the 1945 Constitution," Taufik said.

Protest over ban on tight pants in Aceh

Jakarta Globe - October 29, 2009

Nurdin Hasan, Candra Malik & Antara, Banda Aceh – Human rights activists protested on Thursday over a district-wide ban on women wearing tight pants scheduled to take effect in West Aceh in January, saying it was a violation of women's rights.

Leading the protest, Evi Zain, representing a coalition of non- governmental organizations in Aceh, said the regulation was a step backward. "I believe it will serve as a hindrance for women wanting to participate in activities to develop Aceh. I strongly protest against this weird regulation," Evi told the Jakarta Globe.

The new regulation forbids women from wearing curve-revealing clothing, and calls for women's pants to be cut up on the spot and replaced with a skirt if they're considered too tight.

West Aceh district head Ramli Mansur said the government had already ordered 7,000 skirts of various sizes from Jakarta to be distributed by Shariah police to women caught wearing tight- fitting pants.

Ramli said the new regulation, which will also prevent Muslim men from wearing shorts, was issued at the behest of local clerics who asked the government to implement Shariah law as thoroughly as possible in the district.

"There was once an incident in which a woman's tight pants were cut into pieces in front of public onlookers. We also had an incident where a woman's head had to be completely shaved till she was bald because she was not wearing her jilbab [Muslim headscarf]," Ramli said.

The Indonesian Muslim Students Action Association (KAMMI), however, expressed support for the district chief's decision to enforce the regulation. "A leader means someone who represents God, to conduct all the rules and regulations of God. People, therefore, must follow and obey the leader," said Sinta Nelysa, chief of West Aceh's KAMMI branch.

Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi called on other provinces on Thursday not to imitate the regulation. "We should leave it to each region to decide. The important thing is the principle: clean and covering the aurat [parts of the body that need to be covered] for Muslims," Gamawan said, adding that the controversy caused as a result of the ban in West Aceh required further discussion at a regional level.

The ban has won support among some people in Aceh. "The law does not prohibit women from wearing pants. What's prohibited is wearing tight-fitting pants or jeans," Ramli, a former guerilla fighter from the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), has said about the ban. "If, for instance, they have to wear pants, they have to cover their ankles and wear a loose skirt over the pants."

Clothing vendors have also been urged not to sell tight-fitting pants to Muslim women.

The country's largest Islamic organization, the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), has expressed opposition to the regulation. NU leader Said Aqil Siradj said the hardline regulation runs contrary to the spirit of Islam. "Islam makes it easier for its followers to conduct their lives according to Islamic rules – it does not focus on unimportant things," Said told the Globe, adding that rules on wearing tight trousers are not explicitly outlined in the Koran.

The Koran does, however, state that women should cover their bodies, with the exception of their faces and palms, he said. "Whether they choose to wear jeans or a traditional outfit, it is their personal right. The West Aceh regional government should not interfere in the choices of its people," Said said, adding that Ramli and West Aceh councilors should consider the wishes of the citizens of Aceh before enforcing a formal regulation about the controversial issue.

He noted that the five, non-negotiable rules of Islam comprised only the profession of faith, prayers, the giving of alms, fasting during Ramadan and a pilgrimage to Mecca. Otherwise, he said, the government and councilors should listen to what the people have to say and govern according to their wishes.

Tight pants a no-no for women in Indonesia's Aceh

Associated Press - October 28, 2009

Jakarta – Muslim women would be banned from wearing tight pants in a devoutly Islamic district of Indonesia's Aceh province under proposed regulations to take effect Jan. 1, an official said Wednesday.

It is the latest effort to promote strict moral values in the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, where most of the roughly 200 million Muslims practice a moderate form of the faith.

Any Muslim caught violating the dress code, which also prohibits shorts for men, will be told to put on government-issued full- length skirts or loose pants, said Ramli Mansur, head of West Aceh District.

Patrolling Shariah, or Islamic police, will determine if clothing violates the dress code, he said.

"Wearing tight jeans exposes their bodies, which is strictly banned under Islam," said Mansur, who appealed to civil servants to go beyond the rules and refuse government services to women wearing the banned clothing.

Islamic law is not enforced across the vast island nation. But bans on drinking alcohol, gambling and kissing in public, among other activities, have been enforced by some more conservative local governments in recent years.

Opinion polls show that a majority of Indonesians oppose the restrictions on dress and behavior that are being pushed by a small fringe of hardliners in the secular democracy.

Aceh, a semiautonomous region, made news last month when its provincial parliament passed a Shariah law making adultery punishable by stoning to death. It also imposed prison sentences and public lashings against homosexuals and pedophiles. Rights groups say the law violates international treaties and the Indonesian constitution.

Human-animal conflicts as Aceh forests cut down

Jakarta Globe - October 28, 2009

Nurdin Hasan, Banda Aceh – Wild animal attacks in Aceh, particularly by elephants and Sumatran tigers, are highlighting the worsening conflict between wildlife and humans owing to the increasing destruction of natural habitat caused by illegal logging.

On Tuesday evening, about 17 elephants in a remote area in Geumpang, Pidie district, destroyed three houses and ate the owners' rice stocks.

"In the last few days, the elephants have also destroyed tens of hectares of rice fields which were ready to harvest, not to mention other crops like cacao and coconut," said Muhammad Gapi, a local resident.

Muhammad said the three families whose houses were destroyed had moved to the homes of relatives. "We cannot do anything about the elephant attacks. They even chase people that they come across on the street," he said.

Muhammad Sabi Basyah, a local public figure, said the locals had reported the problem to the Pidie district administration but no action had been taken. The elephants have been attacking residences in the area for the last two months.

In January, two girls were killed when wild elephants entered their plantation in Seulawan Montain, Laweueng, Pidie district.

Elephant attacks have also occurred in other regions like Aceh Jaya, West Aceh, East Aceh, and South Aceh. There have also been tiger attacks in Aceh, including an incident in South Aceh last week.

Munawar Kholis, a veterinarian from the Wildlife Conservation Society in Banda Aceh, said that in the last three years there have been at least 17 incidents between animals and humans.

The attacks have been blamed on the shrinking forest cover, despite the logging moratorium issued by the Aceh government in the middle of 2007.

And the problem is not only being seen in the province but in other parts of the country as well, as wild animals lose their shelter and sources of food.

According to data from Greenomics Indonesia, a policy development institute, between 2006 and 2009, more than 200,000 hectares of forest were cut down to supply the wood needed for post-tsunami reconstruction.

"It's no wonder there are so many natural disasters like floods and droughts," Vanda Meutia Dewi, Greenomics coordinator, said on Sunday in Banda Aceh.

Although Governor Irwandi Yusuf introduced a moratorium more than two years ago, illegal logging remains rampant.

Temporary leader of the Aceh Legislative Council, Hasbi Abdullah, said: "Aceh's legislature is committed to saving the forest by establishing a special environmental commission to handle forestry and environmental issues. If we fail, then in the next four years, Aceh will enter an ecological emergency, threatening economic activity."

However, Irwandi claimed the logging moratorium hadn't failed because some 500,000 hectares of forest had been saved through the rejection of felling licenses.

Illegal logging continues in Aceh despite moratorium

Jakarta Post - October 27, 2009

Hotli Simanjuntak and Jon Afrizal, Banda Aceh, Jambi – Deforestation in Aceh has continued to worsen despite the signing of a logging moratorium that prohibits anyone from felling forest trees, a non-governmental organization said.

According to a report from Greenomics Indonesia (GI), Aceh has in recent years lost more than 200,000 hectares of forested areas, felled on a massive scale to meet the demand for timber for reconstruction programs following the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the province on December 26, 2004.

"The reconstruction process in Aceh has sparked illegal logging that has severely damaged forest cover. In just three years of reconstruction Aceh has lost around 200,000 hectares of its forests.

This is the fastest rate of deforestation in the world," said GI program coordinator Vanda Mutia Dewi on Monday.

According to Vanda, forest damage in Aceh had taken place despite the moratorium declared by Governor Irwandi Yusuf.

Based on a GI survey, forests took the most damage in areas most affected by the tsunami, especially along the west coast of Aceh, where during the reconstruction process, around 60,000 hectares of forest had been logged.

The worst damage occurred on Simeulue Island in South Aceh, where almost around 44,000 hectares of forest had been converted into oil palm plantations.

According to Vanda, illegal logging remained prevalent in Aceh following the end of the reconstruction program. Illegally felled timber is instead being smuggled into neighboring North Sumatra.

Vanda expressed hope that the Aceh provincial administration would be able to enforce the logging moratorium as well as consider the timber needs of residents living near forests.

Acting Aceh Legislative Council Speaker Hasbi Abdullah said environmental damage in Aceh had reached a point of grave concern, due to illegal logging.

According to Hasbi, if Aceh failed to halt illegal logging, in three to four years time it would suffer massive ecological damage that would threaten the livelihoods of everyone in the province.

Separately in Jambi, Batanghari Regent Syahirsyah S.Y. strongly condemned illegal logging, which had depleted forests in the regency, despite the fact that it is still covered by about 216,000 hectares, which accounts for around 42 percent of the regency's total area.

The remaining forested areas have further decreased due to illegal logging of natural forests. "The practice of illegal logging has worsened and accelerated forest damage," he said.

About 118,000 hectares of Batanghari regency's 216,000 hectares of forested area is devoted to legal production forests.

New Aceh council to rethink controversial stoning bylaw

Jakarta Post - October 23, 2009

Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – The newly inaugurated members of the Aceh Legislative Council are set to revise the sharia bylaw passed by former legislators that stipulate, among others, stoning to death for adulterers.

"The article on stoning needs to be revised most urgently because it is not suitable for the community in Aceh, despite the implementation of Islamic sharia law in the province," acting legislative speaker Hasbi Abdullah told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

He added the people of Aceh were not ready for such a bylaw because it went against the spirit of basic human rights.

"Moreover, Aceh is currently still being supervised by, and the focus of, international attention," he said. "We don't want Aceh to be regarded as a place that is not friendly to the international community and lax on upholding human rights."

The Aceh legislature will also amend three other sharia bylaws previously approved by the former legislature.

"The three bylaws passed by the previous legislature are ticking time bombs that will explode if we fail to thoroughly deliberate them, and this is the duty of the new legislature," Hasbi said.

However, he declined to say when the bylaws would be deliberated. "We're currently still busy discussing the rules of order and setting up commissions in the legislature, so we have yet to do anything about it now," he said.

Hasbi is a former Aceh Freedom Movement (GAM) guerilla. He was nominated by the Aceh Party, founded by former GAM combatants.

In the 2009 legislative elections, former GAM combatants dominated the legislature at the provincial and regency levels, through the Aceh Party. The party now has legislators in 36 of the 69 seats at the provincial council.

Hasbi said almost all new legislators had agreed to revise the controversial bylaws, especially the one on stoning. "Every Aceh legislative councilor is of the same opinion: to amend the bylaw immediately," he said.

The council has also placed a bylaw on the economy on its priority list, pointing out it is regarded as being very crucial for the people of Aceh, particularly to raise people's welfare.

The bylaw on stoning was passed by the previous council just a few days before its term ended. It met with widespread disdain and criticism from the public, both in Aceh and elsewhere in Indonesia.

"We've got a mess here from the previous legislature that needs cleaning up in the form of this bylaw," Hasbi said. "We must be ready to face the consequences from those who are in favor of or against the implementation of the bylaw."

The Aceh provincial administration has yet to endorse the controversial bylaw, having already gone over the 30-day period in which to sign off on the bylaw.

The administration deems the inclusion of the article on stoning a form of torture, despite it being allowed under the strict sharia law imposed across the strongly Islamic province.

West Papua

Papuan students reject special autonomy

Jakarta Post - October 30, 2009

Makassar – Dozens of Papuan students in Makassar staged a protest on Thursday, rejecting the special autonomy status given to Papua in 2001.

The protesters said the special autonomy failed to bring about prosperity in the province, and had instead created new problems in relation to fund disbursement.

"Since the special autonomy law was implemented in 2001, we have yet to see any fundamental changes, said Nius Silak, the demonstration coordinator. "Infrastructure is still poor, and prosperity doesn't not exist. Instead, the special autonomy fund has divided people in Papua."

They urged the government to revoke the law and recommend a dialogue between the central government and Papuan people to deal with the problem.

Indonesian political activist faces death threats

Amnesty International News - October 28, 2009

An Indonesian political activist has received a number of anonymous SMS messages warning him that he will be killed if he leaves his home, Amnesty International has learned.

Yoab Syatfle, a political activist in the Indonesian province of West Papua, received six SMS messages on Monday. The messages warned: "You are one of the people we are looking for, we remember you, if you leave your house yard one more time, you will be killed".

It is believed that Syatfle received the message because he is involved in organizing a demonstration that is to take place on Thursday in the city of Sorong, West Papua Province.

The protest, organized by a coalition of groups in Papua, is against dialogue with the Indonesian government as a way of solving political problems in the region.

Amnesty International said that it believes that Yoab Syatfle has been targeted because he is a prominent peaceful political activist in Papua. He is the Sorong Secretary of the Papua Traditional Council (Dewan Adat Papua) which represents Indigenous communities in Papua.

He is also Secretary of the Papua National Consensus Team, a non-violent group campaigning for a peaceful internationally mediated solution to the political problems in Papua.

Amnesty International has urged the Indonesia government to remember that the right to free expression, opinion and assembly is guaranteed under the Indonesian Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which the country is a state party.

The organization called on the government of Indonesia to protect peaceful activists from harassment and to allow human rights organisations in Papua to work without interference.

Many peaceful pro-independence political activists in Indonesia have been arrested and sentenced to long terms of imprisonment.

Papuan students demand international mediation

Tempo Interactive - October 28, 2009

Cunding Levi, Jakarta – Indonesian diplomats stationed in European countries faced a protest by dozens of Papuan students during a visit by the diplomats to a university in Jayapura the seat of the province.

The students used the visit as an opportunity to demand proper handling over human rights abuse in the region, by urging the release of political prisoners and the establishement of a three party mediation to handle the human rights cases in the region.

They urged the 14 diplomats to extend their demands to Jakarta. Spokesman for the students, Elias Petege said the special autonomy status given by the central government was a measure to stem the cause of an independent Papua.

He said the status has failed to improve the living qualit of locals after eight years being imposed, which was reflected by poor education and health services in the mineral-rich region, where international mining giant like Freeport McMoran operates.

They demanded the government to facilitate an international- mediated dialogue to solve the problems.

Hundreds of Freeport workers go on strike to lament shootings

Jakarta Post - October 27, 2009

Markus Makur, Timika – Hundreds of employees at PT Freeport Indonesia refused to resume work Monday in protest at the deteriorating security situation on road from Timika to Tembagapura in Papua.

The strike follows a spate of shootings by unknown gunmen on Freeport convoys along the road.

The employees, along with their wives, walked from the Gorong- Gorong bus terminal to the Mimika Legislative Council building to demand the company, police and the government to solve the security problem.

The women carried banners expressing their concerns about the safety of their husbands, and to urge the authorities to immediately address the issue.

The Freeport employees said they would not resume work at the company's giant Grasberg gold and copper mine in Tembagapura unless their demands for a guarantee of safety were met.

"We can't go back to work because our safety is not guaranteed yet," said workers' representative Bosko Magai.

Elisabeth Rumere, coordinator of the employees' wives' and children's forum, urged the Freeport management not to cut the striking workers' salaries.

Mimika Legislative Council speaker Yopi Kilangin also echoed the call for leniency and understanding for the striking workers. He said police and Freeport security guards should ensure the safety of their employees.

Yopi also called on the community to provide information on the gunmen shooting at company buses. "Whoever is carrying out these crimes should be arrested as soon as possible," he said.

Dozens of police officers stood guard outside the legislature and asked the crowd to wait for the hearing with the councilors, which has been scheduled to take place at 2 p.m. local time.

Deputy Mimika Police chief Comr. Jeremias Rontini said the rally was illegal, as the workers had failed to notify the police 24 hours beforehand. In the end, though, the police did not disperse the crowd.

Separately, Papua Police announced they had met with rebel leader Kelly Kwalik in connection with the series of armed attacks targeting US-based gold miner Freeport in Mimika.

Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. F.X. Bagus Ekodanto told Antara on Monday the encounter took place earlier this month at an undisclosed location.

He added the police were represented by officers from the counterterrorism squad. "(The meeting) was held in the vicinity of Timika, but the place and the officers present cannot be publicly disclosed," he said, adding the encounter was legitimate.

During the talks, Kelly claimed he was not responsible for the attacks that have killed four people and injured dozens of others since they first began on July 11.

Bagus denied allegations the police had set up the talk to justify their findings that local people were behind the violence. At least seven Mimika residents face trial in Jayapura for the attacks.

Seventy-six West Papuans from Manus to head home

The National (PNG) - October 26, 2009

Roselyn Ellison – Seventy-six people from the West Papuan community in Manus province will move back to their homeland, as part of the nationwide repatriation of refugees from the Indonesian province.

This follows a three-day visit by three officials from the Indonesian Embassy and the National Department of Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs on a verification mission.

Abdul Hakim, from the information section at the Indonesian Embassy, told The National last Wednesday that so far, 76 West Papuans living in Manus province had confirmed their participation.

He said the verification process was basically to gather details of these individuals which will enable the embassy to prepare their passports and travel documents. "If all goes according to plan, the move will be implemented next month," Mr Hakim said.

He explained that the exercise was a voluntary repatriation programme funded by the Indonesian government but was being coordinated by both the Indonesian and PNG governments.

"Ninety-five per cent of the West Papuans living in Manus province are from the Keron Regency in West Papua, and there is where most of the 76 will be settled after arriving back in their homeland," Mr Hakim said.

The repatriation programme came about after West Papua was finally granted special autonomy from Indonesia in 2001.

Indonesian police beef up security around Freeport mine

Jakarta Globe - October 23, 2009

Farouk Arnaz – National Police have dispatched 150 officers, including antiterror police, to Timika, Papua, to support local officers and the military in their hunt for suspects following violent attacks targeting Freeport employees.

The announcement comes despite comments from Papua Police Chief Insp. Gen. Bagus Ekodanto on Thursday, who said that despite the recent attacks, no additional police forces would be sent to the area.

Shots were fired early this week on a security-bus convoy near the Grasberg copper and gold mine in Papua province, the latest in several attacks that have occurred since July.

"Actually, we are already sharing duties in a joint patrol of the area with the military and together we have built a task force named Amole, which is headed by the Papua Police chief," National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri said on Friday, adding that his men must succeed in capturing the attackers, regardless of the rugged terrain in Timika.

"They are armed criminals. Our main concerns are the areas of Tinggi Nambut [Puncak Jaya district] and Timika [Mimika district] now," he said.

The attacks have left four people dead – two Freeport employees and two police officers – and left dozens of others wounded.

Bagus Ekodanto, who is scheduled to be replaced by former antiterror police chief Brig. Gen. Bekto Suprapto, noted that a soldier was shot in the leg when returning from a routine patrol near the 37-mile mark in Kali Kopi, Timika, on Wednesday.

He said he believed the attackers may have been aiming at drawing the world's attention to their existence ahead of Dec. 1, the anniversary of the1961 West Papuan declaration of independence from Dutch colonial rule.

The date has since been taken up by pro-independence activists there as their national day.

Local military leaders initially blamed the attacks on members of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM), but police investigations have produced no evidence of their involvement. Rouge elements of the Indonesian Armed Forces are also suspects.

Papua Police, in cooperation with the 17th Regional Military Command, have deployed more than 1,000 personnel to secure the Freeport area. Freeport vehicles now only travel by daylight under heavy security escorts.

Residents rally against police chief's transfer

Jakarta Post - October 24, 2009

Jayapura – Around 200 people blocked a road in front of Papua Police Headquarters in Jayapura on Friday, as part of a protest against a decision to transfer the Jayapura Police chief.

The rally, which involved people performing a traditional ritual, caused traffic jams in nearby areas from the time it began at 11 a.m. local time (9 a.m. Jakarta time).

Gurius Tabuni, the coordinator of the group claiming to be representatives of a local tribe in Wamena, and said the current Jayapura Police chief Sr. Comr. Robert Djoensoe had been very close to the local people.

"We want a police chief who is down to earth and willing to make sacrifices for the people," Gurius said at a meeting with Papua Police Sr. Comr. Petrus Waine and Sr. Comr. Agus Rianto, as quoted by kompas.com.

The office had decided to transfer Robert to a position at the provincial office and had assigned Adj. Sr. Comr. Iwan Setiawan, currently chief of Yapen Islands Police, to replace him.

The group dispersed after Petrus and Agus promised to take the group's demands to the provincial police leadership.

Soldier wounded in attack near Freeport mine

Jakarta Globe - October 22, 2009

Unidentified assailants have shot a soldier near the giant Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold mine in Papua, police said on Thursday.

Papua Police Chief Insp. Gen. Bagus Ekodanto said a soldier was shot in the leg as he was returning from a patrol around the 37- mile mark in Kali Kopi, Timika, on Wednesday.

"There was an incident and based on the report the victim was shot in the leg and is currently being treated at the Mitra Masyarakat Hospital, Timika," Bagus said in Jayapura.

He said he believed the attackers may have been aiming at drawing world attention to their existence ahead of Dec. 1, the anniversary of the 1961 West Papuan Declaration of Independence from Dutch colonial rule. The date has since been taken up by pro-independence activists there as their national day.

Bagus said that although there had been a recent increase in armed attacks in the area, the Armed Forces had no plan to beef up their presence.

"We continue to conduct joint patrols [with the Armed Forces], and develop outposts on the Timika-Tembagapura route, specifically in unsafe areas, but since the terrain is quite challenging, it enables them to strike," said Ekodanto.

A string of shootings targeted at Freeport interests in the area since mid-July has left four people dead – two Freeport employees and two police officers – and dozens of others wounded.

Papua Police, in cooperation with the 17th Regional Military Command, have deployed more than 1,000 personnel to secure the Freeport area. Freeport vehicles are now only plying the route in daytime, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. only, and under tight security escorts.

Papua, a resource-rich region that trails most other provinces in terms of development and welfare, has been the scene of a low- level separatist insurgency since the 1960s. (JG, Antara)

Employee's wives protest over safety

Jakarta Post - October 23, 2009

Markus Makur, Timika – The wives and children of PT Freeport Indonesia employees rallied at the Mimika legislative council office in Papua on Thursday, demanding the giant US-based gold and copper company ensure the safety of their husbands.

Around 400 housewives and children also went to the Gorong-Gorong departure terminal to persuade their husbands not to go to work, fearful of the risks at the mine site following a series of shooting incidents by gunmen over the past four months.

At 6 a.m. local time, the protesters addressed the crowd at the Gorong-Gorong terminal to discourage their husbands from going to work until the company ensures their safety.

After talks, Freeport representative John Rumainum said he would convey their demands to the company management.

Disappointed with the response, the women marched 3 kilometers from the Gorong-Gorong terminal to the Mimika legislative office on Jl. Cenderawasih in Timika, where they were greeted by councilor Yan Anton Yoteni.

Protest leader Elisabeth Rumere told the council that PT Freeport and security forces must seek a way to stop the attacks by unexplained gunmen.

"Our husbands cannot work peacefully because their lives are at risk. And we cannot sleep due to worries about our husbands' safety," she said.

Rumere said some of their husbands' colleagues had fallen victim to the shootings. "We demand the thousands of workers in Tembagapura be temporarily evacuated to Timika until the company ensures their safety," she said.

"If the government cannot handle the issue, we, the wives of the Freeport workers, together with security personnel, will chase after the perpetrators," Anastasia Tekege, another protester, said.

Freeport said it had paid US$9 million in "support costs" to the Indonesian military and police in 2007 to protect its operations.

Councilor Yoteni said as a number of councilors were out of town, he could not make a decision.

"But we will coordinate with PT Freeport management, SPSI [the company's labor union] and security forces in Mimika. The legislature is aware the housewives are very upset about the shootings. We held a meeting with community figures, the local administration and security forces a few months ago, but the shootings have continued," said Yoteni.

Tekege said the shootings were part of a "conspiracy by parties with vested interests" because the incidents always took place inside the Freeport mining area.

She suspected negligence on the part of security forces in failing to disclose the attackers and said they should be honest about the incidents.

"This is a global issue, but all parties are keeping quiet. I urge President Yudhoyono to respond seriously to the issue and to visit Timika if deemed necessary," she said.

"Many civilians have been arrested, but the shootings continue. If the authorities are unable to stop them, then the housewives of Timika and PT Freeport employees' wives will join the manhunt in the jungle, catch the perpetrators and reveal the masterminds," she said.

Local residents seize gold mining company's chopper

Jakarta Post - October 22, 2009 (abridged)

Nethy Dharma Somba and Markus Makur, Jayapura, Timika – Residents in Nomouwodide, Bogobaida district in Paniai, Papua, seized Wednesday a helicopter scheduled to haul heavy equipment to a small-scale gold mine at the Degeuwo River.

"We seized the helicopter because the company that consigned the equipment has yet to hold a discussion with the trial owners of the land," local resident Mama Magai told The Jakarta Post in Paniai.

"We will release it only after an agreement between the company and residents has been reached."

The small-scale gold mine in the Degeuwo River has been worked manually over the past nine years. Residents became angry when a company started sending heavy equipment to conduct mining activities.

Paniai Tribal Council head John Gobay urged authorities to enforce a Paniai regent's decree calling for temporary stoppage of mining along the Degeuwo River.

The decree was issued following a protest by tribal landowners on the negative impacts the mining was causing in Nomouwodide village. "Prostitution has thrived due to the presence of bars and we fear a rise in HIV/AIDS infection rates," he said.

There no certainty yet on the agreement between the landowners and the company on the sharing of profits from the traditional mine. "Everything must be discussed. Only when everything is clear can the mining operation resume," he added.

Human rights/law

ILO pushes government on customary land rights

Jakarta Post - October 29, 2009

Jakarta – The government must ratify Convention No. 169/1989 on Indigenous and Tribal People, to put an end to frequent conflicts between customary communities and corporations regarding land use, the International Labor Organization (ILO) and an alliance of indigenous people said Wednesday.

A senior specialist on international labor standards from ILO New Delhi, Coen Kompier, said the convention provided broad principles for the government to regulate the rights of ownership and possession over lands traditionally occupied by customary communities.

Every year conflicts arise across Indonesia between members of customary communities and corporations occupying their territory with government concessions. In some cases such conflicts have resulted in the criminalization or deaths of community members.

Currently there is no law regulating the land rights of customary communities. Concessions, on the other hand, are regulated in several laws, including the 2009 Mining Law and the 1999 Forestry Law.

By ratifying the ILO convention, the government would prevent many such conflicts, misunderstanding and discrimination, Kompier said.

"The convention can help to promote peaceful and sustainable development," he told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of a workshop on the convention.

Under the ILO convention, removing customary communities from their territories can only be conducted under exceptional circumstances that satisfy specific criteria.

"The main principle is that the people cannot be removed from their land," Kompier said.

Under the convention, the government must ensure the participation of members of customary communities in consultations regarding their land.

"If consultations conclude there is no option but to remove them, there needs to be fair, adequate compensation," Kompier said.

"Also, if people must be moved they have to go to areas where the land is of equal value and of equal meaning. You cannot move mountain people to a desert."

A bill on the protection of customary communities is currently being drafted at the Regional Representatives Council (DPD).

DPD member Farouk Muhammad said the council was reviewing the bill and would be ready to hand it over to the House of Representatives within six months.

However, the deliberation process would not likely be straightforward, as businesses owned by corporations in concession areas would be at stake. (adh)

Child kidnapping on the increase, activist warns

Jakarta Globe - October 29, 2009

Nurfika Osman – An official warned on Thursday that child kidnapping cases across the country had risen by an alarming 20 percent as traffickers troll the archipelago for vulnerable youngsters.

"In the past, most child kidnapping cases involved ransom money," said Arist Merdeka Sirait, the secretary general of the National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas Anak).

"In the past two years however, most of the children have been kidnapped for the purpose of trafficking. At least 80 percent of the cases occurred for the trafficking of children."

He said the commission had recorded 102 abductions targeting children from January to June this year, compared to 87 such cases in the same period in 2008.

Most at risk of being taken are children under the age of 12, Arist said, noting that 60 percent of those reported kidnapped this year were girls.

Two recent child kidnapping cases have received a great deal of coverage in the media.

Bekasi Police last week arrested two suspects in connection with the kidnapping of a 4-year-old boy, identified as Michael Anthony Garcia, who is believed to be at the center of a custody battle between his parents. The child's parents divorced in 2007 and the mother has since remarried. Police suspect that the boy is with his father.

The second case revolves around a newborn boy who was taken from Semarang General Hospital in Central Java by a woman posing as a member of the family.

"This issue should be at the top of the priority list for the new state minister for women's empowerment and child protection," Arist said. "This should be a priority for the minister's first 100 days in office."

A ministry official, Wahyu Hartomo, has said that the ministry would waste no time in coordinating with the National Police, the National Commission for Child Protection and the Ministry of Social Affairs to deal with the issue.

"We are concerned about this issue and are going to immediately coordinate with these institutions on further steps that need to be taken," Wahyu said.

He added that women's empowerment agencies across the country would begin coordinating with women's organizations at the district level to educate the public about the danger of kidnapping targeting children.

"We want society to be more sensitive to this issue," Wahyu said. "Families should be able to protect their children." "Parents accompanying their children to school is one of the best ways to do this," he added.

Rights group disappointed with the House

Jakarta Post - October 29, 2009

Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has expressed doubts over the House of Representatives' commitment to settling past human rights violations after House Speaker Marzuki Alie cut short a meeting with commission members and families of rights abuse victims on Wednesday.

"It is very regrettable the speaker refused to spend more time listening to our aspirations, because many of us, including the families of rights abuse victims, had to go extra miles to come here," said Kontras coordinator Yati Andriyani after the meeting.

"How can we believe the House is serious about resolving cases when its own speaker does not want to wait another five minutes to hear us?" she asked.

Marzuki stood up and closed the hearing as soon as Sumarsih, the mother of a student killed during the 1998 Semanggi Tragedy, called for the settlement of past human rights violations for the sake of justice rather than vengeance.

"I am very disappointed. Never in the past, from the era of Akbar Tandjung to Agung Laksono, has a House speaker refused to stay for a moment to allow us to speak up," she said. -

Komnas HAM calls for tribunal to investigate missing activists

Jakarta Globe - October 28, 2009

Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Febriamy Hutapea – The National Commission on Human Rights on Wednesday urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to issue a decree on the establishment of an ad hoc tribunal in connection with the 1997 forced disappearance of pro-democracy activists.

"Komnas HAM hopes that a presidential decree will be issued. We will continue to monitor this case," Komnas HAM Chairman Ifdhal Kasim said.

The activists were abducted by elements in the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) prior to the fall of then-President Suharto in 1998. During a September plenary session, the outgoing House recommended that the president form a human rights court to bring the abduction cases to trial.

The government was also urged to discover the fate of the 13 kidnapped activists who remain missing, to pay compensation to the families and to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances.

Ifdhal said the establishment of an ad hoc tribunal would be a major breakthrough in the settlement of a case that began when the rights commission handed its findings to the Attorney General's Office years ago.

Family members of the missing, along with human rights campaigners, also met with House Speaker Marzuki Ali and Benny K. Harman, the chairman of the House's security commission. They asked the House leaders to urge the government to act upon the commission's findings.

"We hope the new House can ensure the recommendations are put in motion by the government as soon as possible," said Haris Azhar, vice coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).

It was Kontras's former chairman, Munir Said Thalib, who first led the investigation into the abductions, which eventually led to the ouster of Muchdi Purwopranjono as Kopassus chief.

Munir was found murdered by arsenic poisoning on board a Garuda flight in September 2004. Muchdi was tried – but acquitted – as the mastermind behind the 2008 murder.

Haris said that the families of the missing needed their lawmakers to show the moral and political courage to pursue justice in the case.

Sipon, the wife of missing activist Wiji Thukul, asked whether the government could issue a certificate stating that her husband was a victim of the state.

"I have been asked to make a letter informing the authorities I'm a widow, but I don't have an official certificate stating that my husband has indeed died," she said.

Sumiarsih, the mother of activist Norma "Wawan" Irawan – one of 17 who died when soldiers fired into a pro-democracy rally in what is now known as the 1998 Semanggi Tragedy – said Yudhoyono's speeches during his election campaign felt like a "breath of fresh air" for the victims' families. "I will not give up seeking justice," she said.

In August 1998, the Armed Forces dismissed then Kopassus officials Prabowo Subianto, Col. Chairawan and Muchdi. No charges were brought against the three.

Use of torture rampant in police questioning: Watchdog

Jakarta Post - October 28, 2009

Jakarta – The National Police has not changed its old violent culture as it has maintained the use of torture to obtain confessions from suspects during interrogation, a police watchdog says.

Indonesia Police Watch chairman Neta S Pane said Wednesday torture was rampantly used by police detectives across the country despite the force's pledge for internal reform.

"We have often received reports from members of the public who fell victim to torture when they underwent police questioning," Neta was quoted by Antara.

He added that he had just received a complaint from a 60-year-old man who faced intimidation during his questioning in connection with a deception case, which actually falls under the civil rather than criminal code. "The torture can take shape in psychological pressures," Neta said.

He urged National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri to take more initiatives in eradicating the violent culture.

The absence of action in response to reports of torture during questioning indicates a lack of support from the police leadership for the worldwide campaign against use of torture, Neta added.

United Nations rapporteur had revealed the rampant use of torture by police detectives in Indonesia, but the National Police had played it down.

Loopholes in election law, says ICW report

Jakarta Post - October 26, 2009

Irawaty Wardany – The fanfare of legislative and presidential inauguration ceremonies have already passed, but there remain many flaws in the electoral system and related laws, detailed a report released by Indonesia Corruption Watch on Wednesday.

"There are many loopholes in the 2007 law on the implementation of general elections, the 2008 law on legislative elections and the 2008 presidential law," ICW researcher Ibrahim Zuhdhi Fahmy Badoh told a conference on the evaluation.

"The loopholes are related to limitations of donations, administration and reporting of campaign funds, public access to documents related to campaign funds and the regulation of donations," he said.

"Of these loopholes, even an audit report cannot be used as a tool to verify campaign fund reports. So what can be used to verify the reports?"

He also criticized the lack of coordination between the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu).

Bawaslu member Wahidah Suaib admitted the lack of coordination between the two institutions saying that even after the campaign audit result was issued, the KPU had not sent a copy to the Bawaslu.

"AC Nielsen reported that the advertising expenses of a political party were much higher than what was reported to the KPU," she said. Unfortunately, when the body tried to report the case to the police, it said they could not follow it up as the deadline had already passed.

"This is because the KPU does not have a responsive regulation on this matter despite the importance of transparent campaign funds," Wahidah said.

KPU commissioner Syamsul Bahri said that even inside the KPU it was difficult to get access to campaign fund information.

Executive director of the Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro) Hadar N. Gumay even suspected the incumbent officials had benefited from unclear regulations about the limitations of advertisements paid by the state budget.

"I think that's why the incumbent succeeded in gaining the people's vote because he and his officials ran many advertisements claiming their success in implementing their programs," he said.

Topo Santoso, a criminal expert from the University of Indonesia said the report could potentially disqualify elected candidates and create instability in the country.

Bloggers seek revision of electronic law

Jakarta Post - October 24, 2009

Blontank Poer, Surakarta – Bloggers and online community groups have urged lawmakers to scrap an article on libel from the 2008 Information and Electronic Transaction Law.

At a seminar Friday in Surakarta, Central Java, to discuss the law, several prominent bloggers expressed concern they could face the same fate as Prita Mulyasari, a former patient at Omni International Hospital who is now on trial for defaming the hospital after sending emails complaining about its services.

In another case, police in Bogor, West Java, are currently investigating a woman accused of slander after posting a comment on Facebook.

"I'm having to be more careful now, but most of my online friends are afraid of posting anything," said Sigit, from the Bengawan Blogging Community in Surakarta. "The article on libel should be annulled and the newly inaugurated House of Representatives' members should amend the law."

The seminar was held by Sebelas Maret University's School of Communications, the Bengawan Blogging Community and the university's communications program.

Jakarta Legal Aid Institute media director Hendrayana said the libel article served solely as a "weapon for authorities to control their critics and others".

"Many other countries have scrapped articles on libel from their laws," he said. "The stipulation on libel in our law only stifles freedom of expression for the online and blogging community, and thus violates Article 28 of the Constitution."

Jakarta Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Watch director Donny B.U. called for the Indonesian online community to take the lead in demanding the annulment of the article. "The clause is counterproductive for the accomplishment of public rights to conduct supervision."

Donny and Hendrayana agreed Prita's defamation case highlighted the judiciary's lean toward corporate interests over individual rights.

Media analyst Mursito B.M. said those in power were more likely to sue for libel. "That power can be in the form of capital of political clout, and most of those who claim their reputations have been sullied are those with pre-existing reputation problems."

He cited the Prita case showed how the hospital felt threatened by its former patient's complaints. "If Prita's was treated properly to begin with, there would be no complaints," Mursito said. "Oddly enough, she's now threatened with jail time just for speaking her mind."

Hendrayana said the information and electronic transaction law should strive to protect consumers. "I believe the article was intentionally included to bully Internet users from expressing their opinions," he said.

Donny urged the online community and bloggers not to fear the law. "We should put up a fight together so the law can quickly be amended by the new House," he said. "The online community should unite and rise to the challenge."

Activists warn internships could be cover for trafficking

Jakarta Globe - October 22, 2009

Nurfika Osman – Labor activists said on Wednesday they were wary that overseas internships offered to vocational high school students could be used as a cover for female trafficking, and urged the government to increase educational and employment opportunities for women at home.

"Many vocational female students are sent to neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Hong Kong for internship programs," said Arum Ratnawati, the national chief technical adviser for the International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor at the International Labor Organization.

"These internship programs could become new methods to lure young women into commercial sexual exploitation," she said.

Ratnawati acknowledged that her office had little concrete data on whether or not young women were being duped into prostitution through overseas internship programs.

She suggested, however, that participants in these types of programs, who are mostly females between the ages of 15 and 17, were not well informed about the programs and came from poor families, making them susceptible to sexual exploitation.

"Girls need to be empowered through education so that they are not easily lured by traffickers," she said, adding that the ILO was helping Indonesia strengthen the outreach of domestic workers' organizations and creating linkages with organizations of migrant workers in destination countries, and this included a focus on child trafficking.

The ILO estimates that between 40,000 and 70,000 children in the country are victims of sexual exploitation, and that 100,000 children are trafficked every year. These figures include domestic trafficking.

"There are many cases of domestic human trafficking and the fact that Indonesia is a vast archipelago makes it easy to move victims from one part of the country to another," Ratnawati said.

Echoing Ratnawati's concerns, Sri Wiyanti Eddyono, a member of the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan), said human trafficking was not just a problem in international border areas such as Batam and West Kalimantan, but also within the country.

Eddyono blamed the government's failure to improve the people's welfare, particularly that of women, as the primary reason for rampant human trafficking in the country.

"Poverty has forced society into sacrificing its women, turning them into a survival commodity," she said.

"Girls as young as 13 years old are being sold into prostitution by their parents due to poverty," she said, adding that ethnicity is also a factor in trafficking.

"For example, ethnic Chinese teenage girls in West Kalimantan are recruited as mail-order brides for men in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

"I am afraid that if we allow this practice to continue, it will become part of our culture and all people, including women, will see it as the norm," she said.

According to the ILO, around 30 percent of female prostitutes in the country are below 18 years of age. Some are as young as 10 years old.

Refugees/asylum seekers

Indonesia gives Australian refugee boat more time

Agence France Presse - October 30, 2009

Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, Jakarta – Indonesia on Friday gave an Australian customs boat another week to end a standoff with 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers who are refusing to disembark on Indonesia's Bintan island.

A deadline for the Oceanic Viking ship to leave Indonesian waters was due to expire on Friday but foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said it had been extended to November 6.

Indonesia has agreed to accept the rescued Australia-bound migrants for humanitarian reasons but it will not force them to leave the Australian vessel, which has been anchored off Bintan since Monday, he said.

"We have agreed to facilitate the migrants in Indonesia temporarily. We have made a commitment to give humanitarian assistance but if they don't want to come ashore we cannot force them," he said. "We have shown goodwill. We tried to process them but they refused. The problem is now Australia's."

The ethnic Tamil migrants were found by the Australian navy in Indonesia's search and rescue zone off the Sumatran coast 12 days ago, shortly after they left Indonesia in a rickety boat bound for Australia.

Their plight became a diplomatic as well as physical standoff when the migrants refused to disembark the Australian ship or cooperate with Indonesian immigration officials.

Faizasyah said Jakarta was hoping the Sri Lankan government would get involved to try to end the standoff, the second of its kind this month.

Another 255 Sri Lankans are refusing to leave their boat in West Java, after being intercepted on their way to Australia by the Indonesian navy.

Australia says the 78 migrants on the Oceanic Viking are Indonesia's responsibility according to the laws of the sea. Indonesia however says they cannot be forced off the ship or enter Indonesia without being interviewed by immigration officials.

Faizasyah also rejected any notion of an "Indonesian Solution" – as it has been dubbed in Australia – to Australia's problem with surging numbers of migrant boat arrivals. "If there is such a thing as an 'Indonesian Solution', why can't there be an Australian solution?" he asked reporters at a press conference.

Indonesia and Australia announced last week they had reached a "framework agreement" on dealing with a recent rash of migrant boat arrivals in Australia from Indonesia.

But Indonesia's reluctance to acknowledge the details of any such agreement has embarrassed Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who has claimed he has the personal commitment of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Canberra has said the Australian-funded plan would boost Indonesia's ability to crack down on people-smuggling networks, stop the boats before they leave Indonesian ports and accommodate the migrants while they are processed.

Faizasyah said the plan had "no clear structure" and would not begin to take shape until next week when Australian officials were due to visit Jakarta. He did not say which Australian officials would make the trip.

There has been a sharp increase in the number of asylum seekers reaching Australia by boat this year, overloading detention facilities and sparking a heated political battle over border protection and asylum policy.

Indonesia is not a signatory of the UN convention on refugees and there appears to be little official support for a plan which would burden it with any responsibility for Australia-bound asylum seekers.

Kids destined for detention: Jakarta

The Australian - October 30, 2009

Stephen Fitzpatrick, Tanjung Pinang, and Paul Maley – Senior Indonesian officials have rejected outright a claim by Kevin Rudd that women and children asylum-seekers aboard the Oceanic Viking could be accommodated in regular housing, rather than behind razor wire in an Australian-funded detention centre.

"We've already got a detention centre (at Tanjung Pinang) and in it we already separate men and women," the Foreign Ministry's most senior official for international security, Sujatmiko, told The Australian.

"Indonesia does not need to be directed how to act. We've gotten the detention centre ready and we've already helped Australia for humanitarian reasons. There is commitment from both sides, and Indonesia has the commitment, but Indonesia is not your country."

A spokesman for Mr Rudd said last night that the Prime Minister stood by his earlier comments. On Wednesday, Mr Rudd told parliament: "The Indonesian authorities have advised the government that women and children will be offered the option of staying in a house near the Tanjung Pinang detention facility.

The Prime Minister's office did not respond to Dr Sujatmiko's comment last night.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's most senior adviser on international affairs, Dino Patti Djalal, also refused to confirm claims made by Mr Rudd in parliament that the women and children among the 78 Sri Lankans would be housed separately.

After a brief silence in response to the question yesterday, Mr Djalal said simply: "I couldn't comment on that. We're waiting for Australian officials to go on board later today and convince them to come off, because that's all they can do.

"They're on Australian territory so we can't do anything about it. We just hope Australia can get them off the boat."

Mr Rudd's "Indonesia solution" is facing growing opposition from Jakarta, with senior Indonesian officials saying they will not allow their country to become a processing site for Australia- bound boatpeople.

As officials continued to negotiate an end to the standoff with the 78 Sri Lankans aboard the Oceanic Viking, now in its 12th day, there were fresh signs the impasse was taking its toll on relations between Australia and Indonesia.

Yesterday, Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said talk of an "Indonesia solution" to intercept the boats had become a sore in Indonesia. "We don't want to be caught in the domestic issues in Australia," Mr Faizasyah told The Australian.

"We don't want to be the object of insults from your dynamic, political dynamic, in your country." Mr Faizasyah said Indonesia has a "bigger picture" when it came to bilateral relations.

"This will certainly irritate Indonesia to be associated with a new form of policy which in your country itself is still being debated," he said.

Asked if it was likely Jakarta would agree to intercept and process more boats, Mr Faizasyah replied: "I don't think so. We are not a country to process refugees because more importantly we are not parties to the refugee convention, so what we are doing (is) only based on our humanitarian perspective."

But Dr Sujatmiko said Indonesian officials had responded promptly to Australian requests to supply food, water and other necessities to the Oceanic Viking, and in facilitating visa arrangements for an expected crew change aboard the vessel.

"We have helped with everything (possible) but we are not going to force (the asylum-seekers) to come off the boat," he said.

Indonesian officials also revealed privately they were furious at the inactivity from Sri Lanka through the crisis, and were talking privately about making Colombo directly responsible for repatriating the next boat load of Tamils they intercept. Strategists in Jakarta believe this would send "one of the strongest signals... if next time one of these boats is picked up, it just gets sent straight back to Sri Lanka".

Mr Djalal suggested that the move "should give some discouragement to them (asylum-seekers), after making all that effort to get here".

Late yesterday afternoon the Sri Lankan ambassador to Indonesia agreed to visit the 78 Tamils on board the Oceanic Viking and make an offer of repatriation. "If even half or a quarter of them could be repatriated, that would be a great thing," Mr Djalal said.

Security on the Oceanic Viking was ramped up yesterday, with the Sri Lankans herded behind fluorescent tape and kept under guard by armed Customs officials. The Customs officers confirmed they had been directed to prevent any communication between journalists and the Sri Lankans.

Fellow Tamil refugee "Alex", on board the Jaya Lestari 5, a wooden cargo boat moored with 251 asylum-seekers at the port of Merak in western Java, said he could confirm that those on board the Oceanic Viking had had "at least one telephone communication with the outside world".

"However, I can tell you that contact is waiting for a follow-up call, so whether it came from one person on board who had a phone but no longer does, I couldn't say."

The Sri Lankans appeared relaxed yesterday, washing on the top deck where they were being guarded early in the morning and then retreating under tarpaulins and below deck when a violent thunderstorm struck in the middle of the day.

Labour/migrant workers

Indonesia sees rebound in 2010 worker remittances

Reuters - October 30, 2009

Jakarta – Indonesia expects remittances from its overseas workers to rise to around $10 billion next year as the global economy improves, the head of a state agency in charge of migrant workers told Reuters on Friday.

The head of the agency, Jumhur Hidayat, had said in February 2009 remittances could drop by 5-10 percent from an estimated $8.2 billion in 2008 due to the global crisis, "We expect remittances from about six million Indonesian worker to reach around $10 billion next year," Hidayat said.

He did not provide a figure for this year's remittances, although based on his estimate in February the figure could be $7.4-$7.8 billion.

A recovery in the global economy should increase the number of migrant workers going to other countries, said Hidayat.

The official said that the number of Indonesian workers going to South Korea, for example, had fallen to 3,000 this year from 12,000 in 2008, but that figure could rebound to around last year's figure in 2010.

Some analysts and policy makers argue that the government should seek to increase the number of Indonesian workers earning abroad so that their currency remittances help reduce the volatility in the Indonesian rupiah.

[Reporting by Dicky Kristanto; Writing by Andreas Ismar; Editing by Ed Davies.]

Workers demand better minimum wage

Jakarta Post - October 30, 2009

Bandung – Hundreds of workers rallied outside the West Java governor's office in Bandung on Thursday, demanding that the governor pressure municipal and regency administrations to raise their wages.

The protest came after West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan scrapped the provincial minimum wage and let each municipality and regency determine their own monthly salary for workers.

During Thursday's protest, workers from industrial centers in Bogor, Sukabumi, Purwakarta, Bekasi, Sumedang and other regencies told Heryawan to encourage city administrations to set their 2010 wages according to the province's current fair living need (KHL).

Protester Yani Maryani, a single parent working for blanket firm PT Sumber Mekar Textile Industry in West Bandung for 10 years, said he was now paid only Rp 1.011 million per month, less than the regency's monthly KHL of Rp 1.166 million.

"My first salary was Rp 500,000. Although it has doubled in 10 years, rice prices have also increased many times, as well as other basic necessities."

Labour union launches national campaign for 50% wage increase

Detik.com - October 26, 2009

Baban Gandapurnama, Bandung – Workers from the Preparatory Committee for the Indonesian Labour Movement Union (KP-PPBI) are demanding a minimum wage increase across all regions in 2010 of as much as 50 percent.

According to KP-PPBI provisional coordinator Sulaeman, their demands are based on an assessment of workers' wages that are still not enough to survive on. "This 50 percent increase for workers will also stimulate an increase in purchasing power, and thereby stimulate Indonesia's stagnating economy," said Sulaeman during a KP-PPBI press conference at the Hotel Bandung Permai on Monday October 26.

Sulaeman also said that this demand should be viewed from the aspect of living conditions in Indonesia that are in a state of crisis, which can be seen from the huge jump in the price of goods and services.

In addition to his, according to Sulaeman, the working class is concerned that the regime of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Boediono plan to increase fuel prices, electricity rates, the price of LPG and other prices in 2010. "This cannot just be ignored, the working class in Indonesia can no longer adopt and attitude of defeat. Even though Indonesia is still experiencing an economic crisis," said Sulaeman.

The KP-PPBI will be campaigning for this demand throughout the country, particularly among labour organisation and workers' networks to encourage them to support a wage increase in 2010. "Fifty percent is in fact not enough, but this is an effort to improve the welfare of the working class, so we ask workers to keep supporting [the demand]", said Sulaeman.

The KP-PPBI is also urging labour delegations on wage councils to fight for the 50 percent wage increase. In addition to this they are appealing to regional labour organisations to hold actions either at government offices or Regional House of Representatives and to produce leaflets or pamphlets on working class resistance, as well as establishing cheap wage opposition committees on a national scale. "Hold mass marches or mass meetings in industrial areas, in open areas, or meeting halls to jointly call for a 2010 wage increase," said Sulaeman.

The KP-PPBI is comprised of a number of labour organisations, including among others the Solidarity Alliance for Labour Struggle (GSPB), the Cross-Factory Labour Forum (FBLP), the Solidarity Forum for Labour Struggle (FSPB) and the Association of Concerned Labour Youth (PPMP). (avi/ern)

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Environment/natural disasters

Dead fish drifting in Indonesia after oil leak

Associated Press - October 30, 2009

Niniek Karmini, Jakarta – Thousands of dead fish and clumps of oil have been found drifting near Indonesia's coastline more than two months after an underwater well began leaking in the Timor Sea, officials and fishermen said.

An estimated 400 barrels a day of oil has been leaking from a fissure that erupted on Aug. 21 at a rig about 150 miles (250 kilometers) off the Australian coast. PTTEP Australasia, a branch of Thai-owned PTT Exploration and Production Co. Ltd., has failed repeatedly to stop the leak but says it is still trying.

The head of the World Wildlife Fund Australia, Gilly Llewellyn, said Friday that the early impact of the spill is beginning to become clear.

"This is shaping up to be one of the largest (spills) in Australian history," Llewellyn said in an interview. "It is one of the most diverse marine habitats in the world. The impact could be over weeks, months, years."

It is still unclear how far the spill has actually spread because much of it may be undersea, Llewellyn said.

But a slick has drifted hundreds of miles (kilometers) toward the impoverished Indonesian province of East Nusatenggara, where fishermen say they have seen thousands of dead fish drifting.

Residents in the seaside villages of Nunkolo and Bandi, located on small islands off the coast of West Timor, were suffering skin problems and acute diarrhea after eating contaminated fish, local environmental groups said.

"Fishermen have been facing serious difficulties for the past month," Ferdi Tanoni, chairman of the West Timor Care Foundation, said. "Villagers' income dropped by 80 percent because many fish died or smelled oily."

If estimates of the amount of oil leakage per day are accurate, the current size of the spill would have reached nearly 1.2 million gallons (more than 5.3 million liters).

There are fears it could harm whales, turtles and dolphins – some of them rare – living in the deep waters.

Several dead sea snakes and birds have been found in oil and are believed to have been killed by the slick, although tests have not yet determined the cause of death, Llewellyn said.

Samples taken by West Timor's Regional Environmental Agency in waters roughly 20 miles (32 kilometers) off the coast found high concentrations of oil and, in one out of every four tests, dead fish.

[AP writers Irwan Firdaus and Anthony Deutsch contributed to this article.]

Environmentalist calls for review of 'unfriendly' laws

Jakarta Globe - October 28, 2009

Fidelis E Satriastanti – Several major regulations issued over the past five years have made the country's natural resources more prone to exploitation, an environmental law expert says.

"This country's paradigm, especially in the forestry and mineral sectors, is still more focused on the opportunities for investment," said Rino Soebagyo, executive director of the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law. "It's only about 'exploiting' our natural resources, ignoring public access [to these resources]."

The government, he said, has ignored sustainable development in favor of managing the environment with the goal of squeezing out as much money as possible.

"The basic rule of sustainable development is finding the balance between economic, social and environmental concerns," he said. "Unfortunately, our government has only chased economic growth, without considering that the environment has to be preserved as an asset for future generations."

As President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's new administration begins its work, green groups have been lobbying officials to review regulations they see as bad for the environment. These include the 2007 Law on Coastal Areas and Small Islands Management, the 2009 Law on Mineral Rights and Coal Mining, and ministerial decrees on peatlands and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD).

"The Forestry Law has one article that says cutting down one tree can be considered illegal logging," Rino said. "This is very outdated, and major illegal loggers have never been successfully caught. Instead, there have been plenty of cases involving residents cutting down just one tree and being considered illegal loggers."

Rino praised the recently passed 2009 Environmental Protection and Management Law, saying it could be used to counter the negative environmental impacts of other government regulations. He added, however, that political will and courage would be required to implement the law.

Experts say the new law is stronger than the one it replaced, the 1997 Environmental Management Law. The new piece of legislation carries stiffer sanctions for violations and addresses more environmental issues outside of pollution.

"The new law doesn't just talk about 'brown issues,' meaning that it does not only consider water and air pollution, but it also covers spatial planning management, law enforcement and also green permits," Rino said.

He said the law gave the State Ministry for the Environment the authority to issue green permits, which are a prerequisite for obtaining business permits.

"So, in the future, if there is a violation of the green permit, the state ministry will have the authority to withdraw the company's business permit, forcing the company to temporarily close down," Rino said.

"The law has also been strengthened in terms of the AMDAL [environmental impact analysis], which used to involve just visibility studies, but now is a compulsory scientific assessment to obtain a green permit."

Mud victims renew calls for payout

Jakarta Post - October 26, 2009

Indra Harsaputra, Sidoarjo – Hundreds of victims affected by the mudflow in Sidoarjo, East Java, have renewed calls for the government to compensate them for their land and houses threatened by soil degradation.

The victims are residents from Siring Barat, Jatirejo and Mindi villages in Porong district, areas that are not all included on the official map recognized by the central government.

Lutfi, 40, a victim from Siring Barat, said that people in his village were currently living in a "precarious environment" as many places in their village were threatened by inflammable gas explosions.

"There are many gas explosions in our village. They come up from the earth into our houses and land," he said Saturday. "For this reason, the East Java administration has decided that our village is not longer fit to be a residential area," added Lufti.

However, he said that most of the 600 families living in the village were yet to receive any compensation from the government.

Many houses have already been damaged by the explosions, he said. "Even though the condition is worsening, there is no help or compensation from the government."

Previously, the Sidoarjo Mud-flow Handling Agency (BPLS) announced that residents would receive compensation if they agreed to sign an agreement, declaring that they were willing to leave their home and village.

The contract stipulated that each family would receive Rp 2.5 million in aid to rent a house, Rp 500,000 for evacuation and a monthly allowance of Rp 300,000 for a six-month period.

However, Lutfi and many other residents have not yet left the village as the government is still evaluating the exact amount of compensation to be given.

Lutfi said that only 43 out of 600 families in his village had left their houses. "We want certainty. After the police close the Lapindo Brantas Inc. case, it is possible the government will set lower prices for the land and houses in our village," said Lutfi.

In August the East Java Police stopped their investigation into the Lapindo mudflow, which caused state losses of up to Rp 27.5 trillion. The police argued that expert witnesses failed to prove the mud-flow was caused by Lapindo's drilling activities.

However, the closure of the case sparked controversies among experts. Eleven out of 60 expert witnesses, all from the state- owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina, rejected the police's reasons insisting the mudflow in Porong was not caused by natural disaster, but human error.

Rudi Rubiandini, an oil expert from the Bandung Institute of Technology, said the mudflow was not natural disaster and that it could be stopped.

Senior geologist Andang Bachtiar warned the mudflow victims about large-scale soil degradation in affected areas across Porong.

Head of the Research and People's Dedication Institute (LPPM) at the Surabaya Institute of Technology, I Nyoman Sutantra, said his office would investigate the soil in Porong, while Djaja Laksana, a member of the ITS research team, said the government needed to find the best way to stop the mudflow to prevent further damage.

Animals' trade still rife: Survey

Jakarta Post - October 26, 2009

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Malang (East Java) – The illegal trade of protected animals remains widespread, despite relevant institutions carrying out regular raids against such practice, an animal watchdog said.

A survey conducted by the Indonesian Pro Fauna and the World Animal Net (WAN), shows East Java has become the province with the highest rate of protected animal trading activities.

Indonesian Pro Fauna chairman Rosek Nursahid said on Saturday that based on the organization's survey, 70 bird markets in Java had traded protected animal species between May and July 2009.

He said the survey team found 183 animals from 25 species of protected animals sold at bird markets there. The protected animals found in markets also include the coucang, the Javan langur, the Western tarsier, the black eagle and the rhinoceros hornbill.

The survey conducted at 70 bird markets in 58 cities and regencies across Java shows 14 bird markets sold capped lorry and cockatoo birds, 21 bird markets sold primates, 11 bird markets sold mammals and 13 bird markets sold raptors.

The team also found 11 markets selling protected singing birds, including the black-winged starling and the olived-backed sunbird.

East Java is noted for being one of the largest markets for protected animal trading. Meanwhile, the Depok bird market in Surakarta, Central Java, has become the largest market for the illegal trade of protected animals, followed by Ambarawa, also in Central Java.

The trading of protected animals in Surabaya, Semarang and Jakarta, said Rosek, was conducted under the radar, with sellers hiding protected animals at their houses.

The bird market in Semarang is best known for selling cockatoos, while the Pramuka bird market in Jakarta and Mantingan in Ngawi, East Java, are famous for selling primates. The bird market in Jatinegara, Jakarta, is well-known for its raptors.

The price of protected animals varies according to the animal's age, its protection status, its availability and the buyer's location.

The Tarsius primate, for example, costs Rp 500,000 (US$50), and a cockatoo between Rp 750,000 and Rp 1,000,000.

Tri Prayudhi, a campaign officer for Pro Fauna, said the illegal trade had not been reined in because of poor law enforcement.

Based on regulation No.5/1990 on the conservation of natural resources and its ecosystem, protected animal traders could be jailed for five years and fined up Rp 100,000,000.

Tri said Indonesia was famous for its rich fauna, such as its 515 species of mammals and 600 species of reptiles.

About 15 percent of all insect species in the world can be found in Indonesia. About three quarters of all fish species in the world can only be found in Indonesia waters.

Activists to highlight Riau deforestation

Jakarta Globe - October 26, 2009

Budi Otmansyah – Greenpeace activists will live in the heart of the Kampar forest area in Riau for several weeks to draw attention to the impact of deforestation on climate change.

About 200 people welcomed the activists at the makeshift headquarters built in the jungle where destruction of peatland forest by pulp, paper and palm oil industries is well known.

Peatland forest is critical for maintaining biodiversity, Greenpeace has stated, and its degradation releases vast stores of carbon that contribute to global warming.

The Kampar Peninsular contains some of the largest remaining intact peatland forests in Sumatra, which activists say are being drained and cleared for industrial expansion by companies.

Kampar consists entirely of a single peat dome, with peat depths mostly over 10 meters, forming an enormous store of carbon. As the peat is waterlogged, drainage and development in one area will have an impact on the remaining natural forest.

"We take the frontline position when campaigning against forest and climate destruction," said Bustar Maitar, a spokesman for Greenpeace on forestry issues in Southeast Asia.

"We want to tell world leaders that to avoid climate change hazards, they must stop deforestation now."

A report in 2006 from Wetlands International said Indonesia's peatlands emitted around 2 billion tons of carbon-dioxide each year, far higher than the country's emissions from energy, agriculture and waste, which together only amounted to 451 million tons.

This places Indonesia as the world's third largest carbon emitter after the United States and China.

Bustar added that many regions surrounding the Kampar Peninsular had already been destroyed for plantation development, particularly focused on oil palm.

He said that last week, Asean leaders already declared their support for the world climate summit in Copenhagen at the end of the year.

Shailendra Yashwant, the campaign director for Greenpeace in Southeast Asia, said that to end global deforestation, developed nations needed to invest $45 billion per year in forest protection programs, such as President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's commitment to ending forest and peatland destruction in Indonesia.

At a recent UN climate meeting in Bangkok, Indonesia promised to drastically reduce carbon emissions.

Globally, Shailendra said, millions of hectares of forests were destroyed every month – equivalent to a football pitch-sized area destroyed every two seconds – causing massive carbon emissions, making deforestation the primary causes of climate change.

Sumatran wild tigers losing the battle with humans

Antara News - October 23, 2009

Tapaktuan, Aceh. The Sumatran tiger population has continued to decline as the animal is pushed to the brink of extinction.

"There are now only 500 of them left, and their number is constantly decreasing," Rusman, an official at Gunung Leuser National Park, said here on Thursday.

He said the tigers continued to be hunted, trapped and pushed out of their natural habitat by villagers clearing the forest for plantation areas.

"Hunting has actually declined, but the opening up of plantations continues to pose a serious threat to the remaining Sumatran tigers," Rusman said.

As a the size of the tigers' natural habitat continues to shrink, he said, the animals are more frequently entering plantations and residential areas in search of food.

"The loss of the animals' natural habitat has resulted in frequent conflicts between tigers and the local population [living or working] near the forests," Rusman said.

He said South Aceh district, which is located in the national park, experienced the largest number of encounters between humans and Sumatran tigers, as well as other wild animals such as elephants and bears.

The number of incursions by animals into nutmeg-producing areas has gone up each year. From 2006 to 2008, more than 10 villagers were killed by tigers.

Rusman said that to minimize the risk of conflict between tigers and people, he and other national park officials had been educating residents about conservation and the country's Animal Protection Law.

Indonesia to get wetter and hotter, says meteorological body

Jakarta Globe - October 22, 2009

Fidelis E. Satriastanti – Indonesia should start preparing for a likely temperature rise of about 2.5 degrees Celsius and an increase in annual rainfall of 5 percent to 20 percent by the end of the century as a result of climate change, the national meteorological body has said.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said low-lying regions, which make up most of Indonesia, will experience a temperature increase of 2 to 2.5 degrees Celsius, while temperatures in highland regions, like the Bukit Barisan and Jayawijaya mountain ranges in Sumatra and Papua, will increase by more than 2.5 degrees. The normal average temperature increase is 1 degree every 100 years.

Armi Susandi, a climatologist from the Bandung Institute of Technology, said rising temperatures, especially on land, would lead to long droughts that would in turn cause more destructive forest fires around the country. Preparations, he said, were therefore needed to anticipate the impacts of climate change.

"However, as areas in Indonesia have their own characteristics, the adaptation plans should be designed according to specific needs," Armi said.

"For instance, East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara provinces are the driest regions in the country, but they should prepare for potentially heavy rains that could lead to landslides."

He said that Kalimantan would be hardest hit by drought, which would lead to massive forest fires.

The BMKG predictions are based on Japanese climate change projection models that have been used since last year to collect more accurate data on weather conditions and their link to climate change.

"With this model, the BMKG can make predictions not only for individual provinces, but for entire regions," said Erwin Eka Syahputra Makmur, head of the BMKG's early warning system. "This is very important because each head of the region can then use the data and information to make decisions."

He said local governments should be able to use the information provided by the projections to design schemes to help various sectors, such as agriculture, energy and public works, adapt to the changes in climate.

Meanwhile, Syamsidar Thamrin, deputy director of climate change at the environment directorate of the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), said that because the country did not have a "supercomputer" to predict climate change, all associated ministries had been asked to assign their best scientists to address the issue.

"It's the best thing for Indonesia to do right now," he said, "although, we're also aiming to make it more functional and more localized."

Women & gender

Government blamed for poor showing in gender equality study

Jakarta Globe - October 30, 2009

Nurfika Osman – The government's lack of political will was part of the reason why women did not have the same access as men to quality education, health services and economic and political opportunities, experts said on Friday.

According to a recent gender gap study conducted by the World Economic Forum, Indonesia ranked 93rd out of 134 countries. It was behind countries such as Tajikistan and Ghana.

"Given the result of this survey, you have to ask whether government programs that are supposed to improve women's access to education, health and livelihood are effective or not," said Ida Ruwaida Noor, head of the Gender Studies Center at the University of Indonesia. "Is the government serious about giving equal priority to women? Based on this survey, I think not."

Ida said the government already had programs in place for women. Implementing them, however, was another story.

She cited the Education Ministry's school operation aid (BOS). Many women are believed to benefit from the aid, which helps provide free uniforms and books to low-income families, but in reality, the aid is not reaching its intended beneficiaries.

"The benefits of programs like the BOS actually just go straight to the state officials' pockets and their families, and do not reach the people they were intended for – which are those who cannot afford to send their children to school," Ida said.

Sri Danti, the deputy for gender mainstreaming at the State Ministry for Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, said social status still had a large influence on the education system.

"The patriarchal system in the country is still strong. For example, boys more than girls are prioritized in education," she said.

The government also funds health programs directed at curbing the number of women dying during child birth. But Ida said the maternal mortality rate was still high at 420 deaths per 100,000 births – one of the highest in East Asia.

She said discrimination against women was even worse among the poor, as their chances of gaining access to quality education and health services dropped considerably.

In terms of women's livelihood, the National Program for Community Empowerment, the brainchild of the Coordinating Ministry for People's Welfare, was only a short-term program, Ida said. While the program was commendable, she said it only helped women make ends meet rather than provide them with a sustainable source of income.

Danti said the current global economic crisis compounded the problem. "The global downturn makes it even harder for people, especially women, to gain access to quality services," she said.

The lack of efficient coordination between the central and local governments, she said, also contributed to the imbalance.

"That's the reason why gender-mainstreaming programs do not run properly. There's a lack of communication," Danti said, adding that narrowing the gender gap continued to be one of the main challenges facing the women's empowerment ministry.

Ida said the government needed to be more proactive in making sure its programs were carried out properly. "Methods to monitor these programs and evaluate them have to be put in place, especially if the country hopes to achieve the [UN] Millennium Development Goals by 2015," she said.

Indonesia ranked higher than Malaysia, which placed 101st on the gender gap list, and Cambodia (104th), but trailed other neighbors such as the Philippines (9th), Thailand (59th), Vietnam (71st) and Singapore (85th).

The country also placed 93rd in 2008, a steep drop from its No. 68 ranking in the 2006 survey.

The survey assessed gender equality in a number of areas that included education, economy, politics and health.

Indonesia ranks 93rd in World Economic Forum gender gap study

Jakarta Globe - October 29, 2009

Women trail men in economic and political power, but the Nordic countries come closest to closing the gender gap, according to a World Economic Forum survey.

The four Nordic countries have topped the Global Gender Gap Index since it was first released in 2006 by the Geneva-based group. They did so again this year, but Iceland replaced Norway in the No. 1 position. Finland was second; Norway, third; and Sweden, fourth. Two African countries – South Africa and Lesotho – entered the list of the top 10 countries for the first time, according to the survey of 134 countries released Tuesday.

Indonesia ranked 93 out of the 134 nations on the chart, scoring better than neighboring Malaysia, which placed 101st, and Cambodia (104th), but trailing other Southeast Asian nations such as Singapore (85), Vietnam (71), Thailand (59) and the Philippines (9).

Indonesia was also ranked 93rd in 2008, however the country has dropped significantly from its position as 68 out of the 115 countries surveyed in 2006.

The survey assessed gender equality in a number of areas such as education, economy, politics and health.

At the bottom of the list were Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Benin, Pakistan, Chad and Yemen. Results of the survey can be viewed at the World Economic Forum Web site. (Jakarta Globe with Associated Press)

Ministries to introduce gender-responsive budgets

Jakarta Globe - October 28, 2009

Nurfika Osman – The State Ministry for Women's Empowerment and Child Protection has successfully pushed seven ministries to implement a gender-responsive budget system, a tool to achieve gender equality and fairness by balancing the interests of both sexes, an official said on Tuesday.

"This budgeting policy will impact and be beneficial to both genders in 2010," said Sri Danti, the state ministry's head of gender mainstreaming. "It does not mean that the budget is going to be divided into 50 percent for women and 50 percent for men. It is aimed at addressing women's and men's needs."

Danti said the system was designed to mainstream gender dimension into all stages of budget cycles. She said the policy was introduced because Indonesia has a non-gender system, or, as she calls it, "a homogenous budget system that is not effective in addressing the needs of both genders."

"The policy refers to the process of planning, approving, executing, monitoring, analyzing and auditing budgets in a gender-sensitive way so that both genders benefit," Danti said. She added that the policy would help decide how strategies should be made, adjusted and prioritized.

She said gender-responsive budgets would tend to be more beneficial to women because they were still socially marginalized under the patriarchal system.

"For example, we will have a special budget to help give girls the same opportunity to go to school as boys," she said, adding that the rate of illiteracy among girls in the country stands at 5.4 percent with boys at 2.7 percent.

Danti also mentioned special budgets in the Health Ministry aimed at reducing the number of mothers dying during childbirth.

She said, however, that for the time being there were no sanctions for ministries that failed to implement the policy. "So far we have not decided on what the sanctions will be, but in the future we will."

Danti said the seven ministries were those for women's empowerment and child protection, national education, finance, public works, agriculture, health and the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas). All other ministries are expected to join the program in 2011.

Wives, NGOs slam polygamy club

Jakarta Post - October 23, 2009

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung – Wives and women's rights activists have raised concerns over the recent formation of the Global Ikhwan polygamy club in Bandung, West Java, condemning it for promoting polygamy among Muslim communities.

They urged the government and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) to take stern action to curb such a campaign, which they say could mislead the community and tarnish the public's understanding of Islamic teachings.

Linda Damajanti Sukmana, a mother of three living in Cigadung, Bandung, said it was difficult to imagine what kind of educational role, as claimed by its founders, the polygamy club could possibly play.

She said that although the decision to practice polygamy was an individual right, many circles opposed it because many polygamy cases led to injustice and domestic violence against women.

The Institut Perempuan women's empowerment group also opposed the polygamy club, launched at the Grand Aquila Hotel in Bandung on Oct. 17, 2009. "We reject it because it is a form of abuse against women," said Institut Perempuan director Elin Rozana, as quoted by Antara state news agency.

She said the institute believed the polygamy club was in breach of the international convention on the elimination of all forms of violence against women, ratified by the Indonesian government.

"One of the forms of violence mentioned in the convention is polygamy." Institut Perempuan also disapproves of the polygamy club because it has received many complaints about the harmful consequences of polygamy, such as psychological pressure, physical abuse, and abandonment of wives and children.

Global Ikhwan polygamy club leader of the Bandung branch Mochammad Umar said the club was familiar with those arguments.

"The club was established to provide advice and curb people's misperceptions about polygamy. We want to show people that this practice is good when carried out the right way," said Umar, who lives with his four wives and 20 children.

Umar said 36 families in Indonesia and around 300 families worldwide had joined the Global Ikhwan polygamy club. "Polygamy is not solely fulfilling the desire for lust. We practice polygamy because we wish to defend women," said Umar.

Health & education

Poor teaching blamed for low literacy rates

Jakarta Post - October 31, 2009

Jakarta – The poor teaching of the Indonesian language is to blame for the low literacy rates of students at the elementary level, according to a study.

Suhardjono, a lecturer from Brawijaya University in Malang, East Java, said Thursday his research showed that fourth-grade Indonesian language teachers lacked the necessary skills in teaching the subject.

"They only have 42.85 percent of the necessary teaching skills," he said in a seminar held in Jakarta.

The research was conducted in cooperation with the Education Research Center at the National Education Ministry and was aimed at identifying the root causes of low literacy rates among Indonesian students.

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) conducted in 2006 revealed that out of a total of 45 countries surveyed, Indonesia ranked 42nd in students' literacy rate.

According to the PIRLS, Indonesian students scored an average of 405 in reading literacy, far below the mean international score of 500. Students who attended schools in large cities scored higher than those who attended schools in more remote areas.

The PIRLS is an international reading assessment providing comparative data to help countries make informed decisions about reading education. Launched in 2001 and conducted every five years, it assesses students' reading achievement at the fourth- grade level. The PIRLS focuses on comprehension for two reading purposes, namely literacy experience, and acquiring and usage of information.

A total of 46 national educational systems around the world took part in the PIRLS 2006, with the Asia-Pacific region represented by Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei, New Zealand and Indonesia.

A lecturer from the University of Indonesia, Felicia N. Utorodewo, who gave a presentation on the PIRLS in the seminar, said while most of the students who were surveyed for the study showed the lowest reading literacy level, a small group of students had the highest level of reading literacy.

"Indonesian students are not conditioned to express their opinions in a clear and systematic language, but they are good in answering multiple choice questions," she said.

The study, she added, also found that the Indonesian language curriculum placed an unnecessarily high emphasis on spelling, punctuation marks and effective sentences.

"This naturally means that the curriculum often neglects the necessary attention to the writing process," she said.

Suhardjono said that his research revealed that teachers' educational level and experience in teaching the subject also played an important role in improving students' reading literacy.

The research was conducted in 12 schools that had been surveyed by the PIRLS. The schools are located in South and North Jakarta, Bandung in West Java, Surakarta and Magelang in Central Java, Kediri in East Java, and Medan and Delitua, both in North Sumatra.

Suhardjono said that his research showed no significant correlation between students' reading literacy level and the conditions of the schools.

"The school conditions include classroom conditions, conditions of teaching tools or aids, conditions of the school's environment, teaching methods and the teachers' conditions," he added. (adh)

Corruption & graft

Indonesian activists push investigation on 'plot to kill KPK'

Jakarta Globe - October 30, 2009

Markus Junianto Sihaloho – Activists and NGOs signed a statement on Friday requesting that the president establish a team to investigate an alleged plot by the Attorney General's Office and the National Police to destroy the nation's leading corruption fighting body.

The statement came days after the release of transcripts of wiretapped phone conversations suggesting that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had supporting the alleged plan.

Chairman of Indonesian Corruption Watch, Danang Widoyoko, said the two law enforcement agencies had conspired to arrest Chandra M Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto, suspended deputies of the KPK.

"We urge the president to immediately establish an independent team tasked with investigating the allegations that high-ranking officials plotted to kill the KPK," Danang said.

He said the police decision to take Chandra and Bibit into custody was premature and had hurt the public's sense of justice.

The suspended commissioners are accused of abuse of power in connection with a corruption investigation into fugitive businessman Anggoro Widjojo.

Danang said that instead of arresting the men with insufficient evidence, the police should have first investigated the transcripts, which is allegedly of Anggoro's brother, Anggodo Widjojo, plotting with officials, including a member of the AGO, to take down the chairmen.

Anggoro was under investigation by the KPK at the time the phone conversations allegedly took place.

Danang, speaking on behalf of the statement's signatories – including journalist, poet Goenawan Muhammad and Suciwati, the widow of murdered human rights campaigner Munir Said Thalib – emphasized that members of the investigative team should be civilians.

"To avoid bias, police officers and AGO officials should not be in the independent team," Danang said.

The activists also criticized Yudhoyono for allowing the police and AGO to criminalize the KPK.

Bambang Widodo Umar, an independent police expert and professor at the University of Indonesia, said the police had no evidence that the suspended commissioners had abused their power, adding that their charges were constantly changing.

Yudhoyono ordered an investigation into the recordings on Wednesday. "The president should not act just because his name was involved in the case," Bambang said. "He should be able to resolve conflict between these two institutions of law enforcement."

Teten Masduki, secretary general for Transparency International Indonesia, also urged Yudhoyono's to intervene on the grounds that it was possible "invisible hands" had forced the police to make the arrests.

"I think strong powers forced the police to arrest the commissioners because the police didn't have a good enough reason to pursue them," Teten said. "In this case, the president must not wash his hands of the matter. He must solve the problem," he said.

Meanwhile, Bambang Widjojanto, Chandra's and Bibit's lawyer, said his legal team was planning to file a pre-trial motion against the police decision to arrest his clients. "We've formed a special taskforce to prepare the brief," he said.

Chandra and Bibit were declared suspects last month and are currently under police custody in Depok, West Java.

Public support KPK deputy chairmen

Jakarta Post - October 31, 2009

Jakarta – The recent arrests of two suspended Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairmen, Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah, by the National Police has prompted strong reaction from the public, who voiced their dissent through Internet sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

On social networking site Facebook, users can show their support for the two officials by joining a group called "Gerakan 1,000,000 Facebookers Dukung Chandra Hamzah & Bibit Samad Rianto" (The move of 1,000,000 Facebook users to support Chandra Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto).

Bibit and Chandra were charged with abuse of power for imposing and then lifting a travel ban on graft suspects Anggoro Widjojo and Djoko Sugiarto Tjandra, and receiving bribes from the former.

Usman Yasin, the initiator of the Facebook group, said he supported the deputies, who the National Police deputy chief detective Insp. Gen. Dikdik Mulyana accused Thursday of "jeopardizing the investigation by expressing their personal opinions to the public."

"I have been dealing with prosecutors and courts for a long time and I think the KPK was born because the police and prosecutors failed to provide justice in Indonesia," he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Usman, who is currently studying for his PhD at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB), has been active in various legal matters, such as the alleged corruption case involving Bengkulu Governor Agusrin Maryono Najamuddin, for more than a decade. Despite coming into contact with the KPK several times, Usman said he had not met either Bibit or Chandra.

"I heard Chandra was a humble man, and I also hear [about Chandra and Bibit] through my friends who know them... their struggle reminds me of mine," he said.

Usman formed the group Thursday at around 3 p.m. As of around 10 p.m. Friday, the group's mem- bers had reached 55,965, exceeding his target. "I aimed for 50,000 members today and hopefully this will increase to 150,000 members Saturday," he said.

Usman said he hoped the government would pay attention to the public support if the group reached its target number. "Remember the Prita case," he said. "Her support group only had around 100,000 but this was enough to unsettle the government."

Prita Mulyasari, a housewife who posted emails voicing her disappointment at the treatment she received from Omni International Hospital, Tangerang, received considerable public recognition in June when the hospital accused her of libel.

A surge of Internet support, including on Facebook, helped raise more awareness about the case, which involved her being detained in a state penitentiary for three weeks.

The court dropped all charges against Prita, partly because of the intense public outcry. However, the Banten High Court recently ordered the Tangerang District Court to reopen the case, when public support dwindled.

Twitter, the networking site, was rife with comments and support for the KPK on Friday. "Don't give in KPK," said one user. "We support [you]." Another Tweet read, "KPK versus POLRI is no longer about right or wrong, but [about] pride and good image." (dis)

Calls mount for Bambang, Susno Duadji to resign

Jakarta Post - October 31, 2009

Jakarta – Public demand for National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri and chief detective Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji to step down over the controversial arrests of two antigraft officials is mounting.

Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), the country's biggest Muslim organization, along with Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) and legal expert and politician Nursyahbani Katjasungkana called for Bambang to resign in the wake of what is fast being decried as the criminalization on Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairmen Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah.

"It would be the honorable thing to do for Bambang and Susno to resign for the police's incompetence in handling this high- profile case," NU deputy chairman Masdar Masudi told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Nursyahbani said Susno should have stepped two months ago when he was reported to have been wiretapped demanding a Rp 10 billion bribe in the Bank Century scandal. "I believe Pak Bambang, in his capacity as the police chief, has to be held accountable for this fiasco caused by one of his subordinates," she said. "He too must resign."

Bibit and Chandra were declared suspects on Sept. 15 for abuse of power and bribery, and were arrested Oct. 29 for what police claimed was an attempt to sway public opinion on the case.

Initial speculation that the charges against them had been trumped up were later given credence when wiretapped recordings emerged indicating a plot to frame the two deputies.

Minor victories for Bibit and Chandra came from the Constitutional Court, which ordered the President to stay their dismissals from the antigraft body, and from the Attorney General's Office, which asked police to drop the charges against them.

Support also came from high-profile figures, including antigraft activists Syafii Maarif, Todung Mulya Lubis, Adnan Buyung Nasution and Imam Prasodjo, as well as political analysts and legislators expressing concern over what they deemed police arrogance.

Syafii urged the government to take measures to prevent the case triggering any social unrest or political instability.

"This country is like a big village without any leaders," an emotional Syafii said.

Former People's Consultative Assembly speaker Hidayat Nur Wahid, along with 17 legislators from the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), called on the police to release Bibit and Chandra, while a Facebook group has sprung up calling for 1 million Indonesians to join and back the deputies.

Centre for Strategic International Studies (CSIS) political analyst J. Kristiady warned authorities about increasing public resistance to police impunity, saying the arrests of Bibit and Chandra was seen as unwarranted.

Breaking his silence on the issue Friday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono insisted he would not interfere in the police investigation.

He backed the police's right to arrest suspects believed to have infringed on the law.

As for allegations of a witch hunt to undermine the KPK, Yudhoyono stressed that a strong antigraft body was in the best interests of all parties, himself included.

"I'll be the first to oppose any move to phase out the commission," he said, despite insinuating earlier this year that the KPK was growing overly powerful.

He said he had ordered the police chief to explain to the public why Bibit and Chandra had been arrested and on what charges.

In his explanation, Bambang declined to name the charges against the KPK deputies, saying only they had been arrest "because they have complicated the case".

Bibit and Chandra were on Friday transferred from the National Police detention center in Jakarta to the Mobile Brigade detention center in Kelapa Dua, Depok, just south of the capital.

Interim KPK chairman Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean said his office would seek to have the two released and would also provide legal advocacy.

Former KPK deputy Erry Riyana Pamekas said police had to drop the case to prevent it further tarnishing their image.

The antigraft body has yet to begin investigating the graft case in Bank Century, in which Susno is implicated. (hdt)

Police arrest KPK deputies for 'expressing their opinions'

Jakarta Post - October 30, 2009

Dicky Christanto and Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – In a move that has incited a public outcry, the National Police arrested Thursday two suspended antigraft officials, just a day after the Attorney General's Office asked for the charges to be dropped.

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairmen Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah have been charged with abuse of power for imposing and then lifting travel bans on graft suspects Anggoro Widjojo and Djoko Sugiarto Tjandra. Both Anggoro and Djoko remain at large.

The deputies are also accused of taking bribes from Anggoro to halt a graft investigation into his company, PT Masaro Radiokom.

Thursday's arrests prompted noted public figures to step forward and vouch for the two deputies in a bid to get them released. These included former KPK deputy Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas, sociologist Imam Prasodjo and lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis.

Police arrested Bibit and Chandra after claiming to have found strong indications that both KPK deputies were attempting to interfere in the investigation into them.

"We have arrested the two KPK deputy leaders because we consider they have jeopardized the investigation by expressing their personal opinions to the public," said National Police deputy chief detective Insp. Gen. Dikdik Mulyana.

He declined to say if police had managed to gather more evidence linking Bibit and Chandra to the alleged bribery and abuse of power. "What we have here can be checked in depth at their trial, in-cluding the details of the story," Dikdik said.

He also shrugged off questions about a reported voice recording believed to be that of a conversation between Anggoro's brother, Anggodo, and several other figures, including from the AGO.

In one part of the recording, between an unidentified woman and a man believed to be Anggodo, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is said to have given his support for a plan to frame the two KPK deputies.

National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji was notably absent from Thursday's press conference. Susno is alleged to have been wiretapped by the KPK demanding money from Bank Century executives, during a probe into the Century scandal.

The remaining KPK leaders expressed concerned over the "forced arrest" of their colleagues. "Our legal division officials are [at the National Police headquarters] with them, and we as the KPK leaders will soon ask for their release," said KPK interim chairman Tumpak H. Panggabean.

He added the case was having a psychological impact on antigraft officials. "It's our duty to boost their morale and encourage them to do their jobs as usual," he said.

Former KPK deputy Erry questioned the reason for the arrest, saying he would seek clarification from the police. "If they've really been made suspects for implementing the law, including by imposing a travel ban on a corruption suspect, which is exactly what we did, then why are we not being made suspects too?" he said.

Inconsistencies questioned in KPK case

Jakarta Globe - October 29, 2009

Heru Andriyanto – National Police efforts to make criminal charges stick to two Corruption Eradication Commission deputies were highly inconsistent, antigraft activists said on Thursday, and the case had proceeded despite the obvious lack of evidence.

"The commission's deputies, Chandra [M Hamzah] and Bibit [Samad Rianto], were first declared as suspects for abuse of power, but that charge was very weak because it mainly concerns the internal procedures of the commission [also known as the KPK]," said Danang Widoyoko, head of Indonesia Corruption Watch.

"So police later added a bribery charge against them, based on testimonies from Ary Muladi and former commission Chairman Antasari Azhar. But the two have recently retracted their testimonies, leaving police with no legal standing to defend the bribery claims.

"And today, police detained the two deputies for speaking to the press while they are suspects." The National Police, Danang added, seemed to have backup plans to corner Chandra and Bibit when other efforts failed.

The activist said the police detention of the two deputies was "very reckless" because it came at a time when public doubt about police claims was growing, particularly with the widespread publication of transcripts of wiretapped conversations indicating a plot to fabricate a case that would bring down the two deputies.

"This is a big concern to us. The police are unable to convince the public that they have a strong case against the two, and their claims of evidence and testimonies are now in question," Danang said.

"The recording, if authentic, shows an exposed scenario of prosecutors and police targeting KPK officials." He said any case against KPK officials should be treated very carefully because they were in a compromised position. According to the law, KPK officials must be suspended once they become criminal suspects and permanently dismissed if they are charged.

Zainal Arifin Muchtar, a legal expert from Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University, said the measures against the deputies ran counter to the country's anticorruption drive.

"Until today, no one knows for sure what the police meant by abuse of power and there is no clear indication that the deputies have accepted bribes from anyone," he said.

"Police have the authority to detain a suspect facing a sentence of at least five years in jail if they fear that the suspect would repeat the crime, destroy evidence and flee justice.

"But Chandra and Bibit must be treated differently because they have been suspended from office so that they can't repeat the so- called abuse of power, and they can't destroy evidence because police have taken all of the relevant documents."

The reasoning that both men had to be detained because they spoke to the media and stirred public opinion that could mislead the ongoing investigation was, according to Zainal, ridiculous.

Police have kept an eye on the KPK since its Antasari was detained on May 4 because he was implicated in a murder case. Not long after, it was revealed that the National Police chief of detectives, Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji, had been wiretapped by the KPK in relation to his handling of the Bank Century fraud case.

In one wiretapped conversation, Susno allegedly asked for payment from a Century customer who was eager to withdraw his funds from the ailing bank. Susno publicly chastised the KPK for spying on him, and Chandra and several other KPK officials were summoned by police for questioning.

Susno flew to Singapore in July to meet with fugitive graft suspect Anggoro Widjojo, with media speculating that the visit was designed to collect evidence to implicate Chandra and Bibit.

The deputies were named suspects on Sept. 15 for what police said was abuse of power in inconsistently imposing a travel ban on Anggoro, who was president of troubled company PT Masaro Radiokom, while lifting the ban from wanted graft convict Djoko Tjandra.

But Taufik Basari, a lawyer for the two suspended KPK deputies, said police had apparently ignored the fact that the commission was one of several state agencies granted the right to request travel bans be issued or withdrawn by the Immigration Office.

Police later said the deputies were suspected of taking bribes from Anggoro, based on testimony given by a middleman identified as Ary Muladi, who claimed he handed the money himself to the deputies. Police also secured a taped conversation in which Anggoro discussed bribe money for the deputies with Antasari.

But Ary retracted his testimony on Oct. 13, saying the payment claim had been fabricated under instructions from Anggodo Widjojo, the younger brother of Anggoro. Antasari soon followed, saying he was not sure if his former deputies had ever taken money from Anggoro and that he had been forced by police to change the his testimony to support the charges.

The team of lawyers for the deputies later claimed that the KPK was in possession of wiretapped conversations involving a senior official from the Attorney General's Office, Anggodo, a lawyer and a number of unidentified figures.

The transcripts of the recordings have been widely circulated by the media and have caused public uproar because they indicate a plot to fabricate a criminal case against the deputies.

Former AGO deputy for intelligence, Wisnu Subroto, did not deny that he was the official in some of the recorded conversations, but he said that he was friends with Anggodo and they would often chat over the phone – although he had forgotten about what topics.

In one recording, the purported voice of Wisnu was said to have instructed several witnesses in the case how to testify against the deputies. Wisnu, who retired from the AGO in May, also mentioned in the recording that another AGO deputy, Abdul Hakim Ritonga, might handle the case.

However, after the police forwarded their case to the AGO, it has since been handled by the AGO deputy for special crimes, Marwan Effendy.

Indonesian president orders investigation into 'lie'

Jakarta Globe - October 29, 2009

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday ordered an investigation into wiretapped telephone conversations in which his name was cited in an alleged effort to weaken the Corruption Eradication Commission and frame its top officials, a presidential spokesman said.

Transcripts of taped conversations have flooded the media this week, alleging a conspiracy to frame two deputy chairmen of the commission, also known as the KPK, for taking bribes.

"Citing the president's name is illegal. The president has asked for a full investigation into the misuse of his name. It is a serious matter," presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said.

Yudhoyono's name was cited in the transcript of a taped conversation between an unidentified woman and a man believed to be Anggodo Widjojo, younger brother of fugitive businessman Anggoro Widjojo, a key suspect said to have paid bribes to KPK officials to avoid prosecution.

The transcripts, including the one mentioning the president's name, were from alleged phone conversations also involving Anggodo, an AGO official, a lawyer and other unidentified figures discussing plans to set up KPK deputy chairmen Chandra M Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto by implicating them in taking bribes from Anggoro.

Denny Indrayana, presidential adviser for legal affairs, said the misuse of Yudhoyono's name should be investigated as it could affect his credibility.

In one of the transcripts, a participant said Yudhoyono was supporting moves against the KPK, which has seen both Chandra and Bibit suspended and charged with abuse of power by the National Police, as well as former KPK chief Antasari Azhar being removed after being charged with murder.

"A thorough investigation is needed to clarify the matter so the public knows that it is a lie and this case will be settled through a legal mechanism," Denny said. He added that all parties associated with the recordings would be questioned and the tapes' authenticity clarified.

Deputy Attorney General Abdul Hakim Ritonga, also named in one of the transcripts, said the National Police should drop the case against KPK leaders if they could not prove it. In an obvious attempt to clear his name, Ritonga told a news conference on Tuesday that allegations against Chandra and Bibit had originated with the National Police's chief of detectives, Comr. Gen Susno Duadji.

Ritonga insisted he had "never fabricated a case" against his "friends" Chandra and Bibit, and that all allegations against them were made by the National Police. "I was the victim." He added that he had yet to decide whether he would file a report with the police.

National Police director of corruption crimes Brig. Gen. Yovianus Mahar could not be reached for comment.

Also on Wednesday, Constitutional Court chief Mahfud MD called on Yudhoyono to step in to speed up the legal process and ensure the case was not politicized.

Police resort to 'silly questions' in KPK case

Jakarta Globe - October 29, 2009

Heru Andriyanto & Farouk Arnaz – The National Police, seemingly unable to find enough evidence to link two suspended antigraft commission deputies to bribery charges, have fallen back on posing "silly questions" as they try to build up an abuse of power case against the two, a lawyer for the deputies said on Wednesday.

"My clients were initially charged with bribery and extortion, but during the recent interrogation, police only raised a few questions pertaining to those charges," said Taufik Basari, a lawyer for suspended Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputies Chandra M Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto. The two were named suspects in September.

"For two separate days, [Chandra] was asked 91 questions and do you know what? Only three of them were directed to the bribery charge," Taufik, who said he accompanied Chandra during the questioning, told the Jakarta Globe.

"And those three questions lacked substance, such as, 'Do you know Ary Muladi?" or 'Did you ever meet him at Pasar Festival?' Things like that," the lawyer said.

Police have also alleged that the two deputies misused their power by lifting a travel ban against graft suspects Anggoro Widjojo and Joko Tjandra to allow them to flee the country. But Taufik also said that the police's case for abuse of power was not strong.

"The travel ban policy is part of the internal procedures of the commission and the police do not have the authority to investigate any suspected administrative violations in another state agency," he said. "When a procedural violation does harm to any individual, the victim may challenge it in a pretrial motion, but certainly this is not a crime that needs police intervention."

He said the police had been inconsistent in the case, telling the media they had strong evidence to charge both deputies under the anticorruption law. The fact was, he said, they hadn't found any evidence to support their claims.

Taufik said that during questioning related to the abuse of power charge, Chandra and Bibit were shown a pile of documents and asked to verify them one by one, in what was a time-consuming activity.

"The questions were as silly as the previous ones," he said. "[For example], my clients were shown a letter and asked how many people had signed it, even though the officer himself could see the letter had only one signature."

Police have repeatedly said they would prefer to cross-examine the evidence in court, and have maintained that the bribery and abuse of power charges still stand.

The case took a new turn recently when a transcript from a wire- tapped phone conversation began circulating in the media. The transcript indicated that several prosecutors, witnesses in the case and police officers may have conspired to bring down the two deputies, and indirectly the KPK.

But police remained confident in their case, saying on Wednesday they "would not be fooled" by widespread media reports of a recording, and denying any attempt to fabricate the case.

"Let's see if the recording is authentic. The source of the taped conversation remains unclear," said Brig. Gen. Sulistyo Ishak, a spokesman for the National Police. "We'll just keep concentrating on completing the documents against the suspects."

"We don't live in a fantasy world and we won't be fooled by rumors about a transcript," he added.

Police have handed the dossiers on the two deputies to the Attorney General's Office. The charges are based on the anti- corruption law.

Marwan Effendy, the AGO deputy for special crimes, said in a text message to the Jakarta Globe that his office only made sure that the legal facts conformed to the articles violated.

"If the legal facts – or in other words the charges – are supported by evidence, we will approve the dossiers and proceed to the prosecution stage," he said.

Activists question Yudhoyono's silence on KPK-police case

Jakarta Globe - October 29, 2009

Emmy Fitri – With the fiery spat between the Corruption Eradication Commission and the National Police unlikely to end soon, activists are bemoaning President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's lack of action despite his name being dragged into the case. Calls have mounted for the president to use his political power to settle the turmoil.

Yudhoyono, however, has previously made it clear that he would not intervene, stating that it was a legal matter.

But his remark was made after he signed a regulation in-lieu-of- law, or perppu, last month to fill the vacant leadership in the antigraft agency, or KPK, which has been decimated by legal charges.

Thirteen lawyers filed a judicial review against the perppu to the Constitutional Court on Wednesday, arguing that the legal instrument was unwarranted because the KPK could still perform with only two lead commissioners.

Former KPK chief Antasari Azhar faces murder charges, while deputies Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra Hamzah have been suspended after being charged by the police with bribery and abuse of power.

But Yudhoyono's self-proclaimed neutrality – which one activist called "zero action" – throughout the long course of the standoff is open to many interpretations, analysts said.

Zainal Arifin Muchtar from Gadjah Mada University's anti- corruption research center (Pukat) said Yudhoyono did practically nothing in the ongoing dispute. He said Yudhoyono's denial issued by spokesman Dino Patti Djalal of claims made in a wiretapped telephone conversation that he had supported efforts against the KPK "is completely wrong and misleading."

"There is no smoke without fire, right? The president must make it really clear that his name has been misused," Zainal said.

The president on Thursday called for an investigation into the recordings, but it wasn't clear who would be tasked to do the job.

The president could have instructed the police to step aside from cases implicating KPK officials and set up an independent team to investigate, Zainal said. Various groups, including KPK lawyers and Transparency International Indonesia, have called for the same. "Instead, he did nothing. Big zero," Zainal said.

Legal activist Hendardi noted that the case was no longer merely a legal one. "It is a high-profile political case. [Yudhoyono] has to take action, or it will backfire. If he can issue a government regulation forming a team to select interim KPK leaders, he can also establish an independent team."

Siti Zuhro of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) said she could understand why Yudhoyono chose not to react. "Whatever he says can be used against him," Siti said, noting that he did respond, via a spokesman, to the allegations immediately to avoid speculation.

Yudhoyono distances self from plot against KPK

Jakarta Post - October 28, 2009

Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has denied any links to a plot to frame Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leaders in criminal cases, an allegation revealed in voice recordings whose transcript has been widely published.

"The President has stated that he never has any talked with anybody about the case," Presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said as quoted by Antara. "The news [about the recording mentioning Yudhoyono's name] is really about some people using the President's name. And it's absolutely not right."

Dino urged the public not to be taken in by the sensationalism.

Yudhoyono's name was mentioned at least twice in the transcript of the recordings, a copy of which was obtained by The Jakarta Post.

The recordings are allegedly of conversations between middleman Ary Muladi, Anggodo Widjojo (the brother of graft suspect Anggoro Widjojo) and several unidentified high-ranking officials from the Attorney General's Office and the police, as they discussed a plan to frame KPK deputy chairmen Chandra Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto.

In one part of the conversation, between an unidentified woman and a man believed to be Anggodo, Yudhoyono was said to have given his support for the plan.

Woman: Just now Pak Ritonga [deputy attorney general Abdul Hakim Ritonga] called, laughing, [and said] tomorrow he would get himself a massage in Depok... [We] have got the support of SBY. Do you get it?

Man: Who?

Woman: All of us. Pak Ritonga has got the support. So later on the KPK will be closed.

National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri and Attorney General Hendarman Supandji have both questioned the validity of the recordings. However, acting KPK chairman Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean confirmed its existence Monday.

On Tuesday, the validity of the recordings was boosted after the AGO's former intelligence chief, Wisnu Subroto, and Anggoro's lawyer, Bonaran Situmeang – both of whom were allegedly taped in the recordings – admitted it was their voices on the tapes. "That's my voice talking to [Anggodo]," Bonaran told vivanews.com.

He also admitted to mentioning "RI-1" (the President's call sign) in their conversation, but added, "We mentioned [him] in relation to a letter for legal protection that we wanted to send him.

"So Anggodo only made sure the letter for RI-1 had been completed." Bonaran said he had sent the letter to the President on Aug. 10, but had not received a reply yet.

The recordings also indicate an apparent conspiracy to set up the KPK's Chandra.

Anggodo, for instance, told Ary to give false testimony against Chandra. Ary was told to confess that he had been ordered by Anggoro to give Rp 5 billion to Chandra to halt an investigation into Anggoro's company, PT Masaro Radiokom.

Ritonga, meanwhile, denied he had any involvement whatsoever in the case.

During their visit to the Post's office Tuesday, neither Bibit nor Chandra could verify the validity of the recordings, but confirmed the recordings existed and were in the KPK's possession.

Battle over Indonesia's anticorruption commission heats up

Jakarta Globe - October 27, 2009

Farouk Arnaz, Heru Andriyanto & Camelia Pasandaran – Tensions worsened between the country's prosecutors and police, and the anticorruption agency on Monday with the release of a transcript of wiretapped phone conversations supposedly proving a plot to fabricate a graft case against senior members of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Some of the reputed taped conversations were allegedly between Wisnu Subroto, the Attorney General's Office's deputy for intelligence, who retired earlier this year, Anggodo Widjojo, the brother of fugitive businessman and corruption suspect Anggoro Widjojo, and Ary Muladi, a middleman allegedly used to channel bribe money to KPK officials. The men allegedly talked about how to testify in a graft case in a way that would implicate two deputy chairmen of the anticorruption agency, or KPK, in taking bribes.

The two KPK deputies in question are Chandra M Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto. They are currently suspended while being investigated by the National Police in a bribery case involving Anggoro and his company, PT Radiokom Masaro. The men are being investigated for abuse of power and police are attempting to prove they accepted bribes in exchange for letting Anggoro flee the country last year.

The transcript was published on Monday by online news portal Vivanews.com, providing the latest twist in an ongoing power struggle with the KPK.

At a news conference on Monday evening, KPK Chairman Hatorangan Tumpak Panggabean confirmed the existence of taped conversations and said they were part of the investigation in the Masaro case. However, he refused to confirm or deny whether they contained the same information as the transcript circulating in the media.

"We're also wondering about how the document came to be circulated in the media. The document is well-preserved as a record of the investigation," Tumpak was quoted as saying by online news portal detik.com.

It was the second time Wisnu has been implicated in a wiretapped conversation. In the first case he was alleged to have promised protection for a businesswoman prosecuted by the KPK last year for bribing a senior AGO prosecutor.

In the transcript of the latest recordings, Wisnu was said to have told Anggodo and Ary that Chandra's and Bibit's case would be handled by the AGO's general crimes division, at the time led by Abdul Hakim Ritonga, whom Wisnu identified in the recording as "Rit."

Wisnu also allegedly gave instructions to Anggodo and Ary on how to testify in the case to implicate the two KPK deputies. Ary did testify to police that he handed bribe money to Chandra, but he later recanted his statments through his lawyer, saying he was under police pressure.

State news agency Antara quoted Wisnu on Monday as saying the transcript was part of a "grand design" to bring him down. He said he retired as a prosecutor in May, while the conversations were recorded from July to August.

Attorney General Hendarman Supandji said on Monday that he had contacted Ritonga, who is now senior deputy attorney general, and he "neither denied nor confirmed" the content of the supposed recording.

"He gave some clarification, but I can't tell you everything he said," said Hendarman, who claimed he just learned about the transcript and the taped conversation from the media.

He declined to say what action his office might take in response. "How can we consider actions if we don't know who did what?" he said. "We don't know whose voice is on the recording. It's all just assumptions in the newspapers."

Marwan Effendy, the deputy attorney general for special crimes who is handling Bibit and Chandra's bribery case, denied that the case was fabricated and challenged the KPK deputies to prove in court their claims that they were being framed.

"If they are in possession of the recording as they claim, they can use it as evidence in court," Marwan said. He also expressed doubt that fellow AGO officials had plotted to frame the KPK deputies.

Wisnu has publicly denied any plot but admitted to knowing Anggodo, from whom he said he often bought jewelry.

In the transcripts, several references to the National Police headquarters were also made.

On Monday morning, National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri said, "There is no design to trap the KPK, but I shall wait and see whether this taped conversation does indeed exist."

Deputy AG denies involvement in alleged plot against KPK officers

Jakarta Globe - October 27, 2009

Kinanti Pinta Karana – Deputy Attorney General Abdul Hakim Ritonga said he only followed orders and procedure when processing the alleged bribery case involving two antigraft officials Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M Hamzah from the Corruption Eradication Commission.

"I didn't fabricate any plot. All I did was follow case procedure," he said during a press conference at the Attorney General's Office on Tuesday.

The allegations of a fabrication of charges against the officials at the commission, known as the KPK, came yesterday with the release of a transcript of wiretapped phone conversations. Ritonga's name was mentioned in the tapes.

"One night we were ordered to do a case presentation on the bribery case and misuse of power by officials from the National Police Headquarters," Ritonga said.

A case presentation is when the police as investigators present a case to prosecutors to get feedback before the dossier is handed to the prosecutor's office. Ritonga said the order came straight from the Attorney General and the National Police Chief.

"It was the chief detective of the National Police, Comr. Gen. Susno Duaji, himself who presented the case," Ritonga added. "In the case presentation, the alleged crime was misuse of power and forgery," he said.

Ritonga added that at the time he was also handling the murder case of businessman Nasrudin Zulkarnaen with former KPK chairman, Antasari Azhar, as a suspect.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Hendarman Supandji told the press that Ritonga only gave feedback to the police regarding the case. Hendarman said he did not understand how Ritonga's actions could be classified as fabricating a plot.

Anger as AGO says no crime in Bank Century bailout

Jakarta Globe - October 23, 2009

Ardian Wibisono – The Attorney General's Office announced on Friday that the Rp 6.7 trillion ($710.2 million) bailout of PT Bank Century was above board and involved no wrongdoing.

The statement immediately drew fire from a prominent anticorruption activist, who said it was premature and set a bad precedent at the outset of the new government's term.

Marwan Effendy, the deputy attorney general for special crimes, said the AGO's investigation found no indications of criminal activity in the bailout.

"The first reason is that it was based on the law, namely Emergency Regulation No. 4 [of the 2008 Financial System Safety Net law]," Marwan said.

"Second, there are no established parameters for deciding whether or not [the failure of] a bank poses a systemic threat. That decision is up to Bank Indonesia and the government, and we don't have the right to say whether it is right or wrong."

Yanuar Risky, a banking analyst and senior member of Indonesia Corruption Watch, said it was too early for the AGO to make such a declaration. He noted that an investigation by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) was still ongoing.

"The statement also flies in the face of the BPK's preliminary audit, which found that there were indications of irregularities when the bank was rescued," Yanuar said.

"It would have been better to wait for the definitive audit findings before making statements saying no crimes or corruption were involved."

Yanuar noted that abuse of power was also an issue in the case. "Under the United Nations anticorruption convention, abuse of power in framing a regulation or in managing taxpayers' money to benefit particular individuals is categorized as a crime," he said.

Marwan added that Bank Century, which recently changed its name to Bank Mutiara, had to be sold within three years to recoup the cost of the bailout.

Marwan defended the officials involved in the bank's rescue. "Lets not jump to erroneous conclusions that could discredit officials," he said. "You should have sympathy for them, their reputations could be damaged."

The BPK initially said its audit of the bailout would be concluded by this past Monday. It later said it would be delayed.

Anwar Nasution, the former head of the BPK, said on Monday that the audit was 70 percent complete, with the remaining work being carried out under the supervision of BPK's newly appointed board of directors.

Hasan Bisri, a BPK board member, had previously said that the audit's date of completion would depend on how quickly the Financial Transaction Reports Analysis Center (PPATK) would be able to trace the flow of funds from Bank Century, which was not an easy task.

Where are Indonesia's regional funds going?

Jakarta Globe - October 23, 2009

An investigation conducted by Indonesia Corruption Watch and the Asia Research Center has uncovered major points of concern regarding the allocation of money used to fund regional government expenditures.

Teten Masduki, secretary general of the ICW, said on Thursday the case study of two districts and one municipality raised fears that the allocations could be used for "money politics," or vote- buying, in the lead-up to 246 individual regional elections in 2010.

The allocations, also known as DAU, are intended to be used for development programs.

"Allocation funds have enormous potential to be misused for political mobilization during and after elections to maintain support," Teten said during a discussion in Jakarta on regional budget allocations from the central government.

A statement released by Teten, Dr. Ian Wilson and Luky Djani – both from Murdoch University in Western Australia – said the study of various districts revealed "widespread and deeply entrenched irregularities in development planning and budget allocations" distributed by Regional Development Planning Councils (Musrenbang).

These districts include Kota Bau-Bau in Southeast Sulawesi, Kabupaten Tabanan in Bali and Kota Bandung in West Java

The development planning councils, which are meant to address problems at the lower levels of communities and encourage public participation in determining government planning priorities, were set up under the 2004 National Development Planning Law.

In principle, according to the statement, the councils operate as forums where government and nongovernmental groups can identify, deliberate and reach a consensus on a district's development agenda, as well as the allocation of budgets for community development, including basic infrastructure and village allocation funds.

However, the researchers found the consultative process was used locally in ways that "fundamentally undermine and subvert the principle of participation."

The report said that "rather than acting as an interface between local stakeholders and government," the process "has been used to consolidate informal patron-client networks with subsequent impacts on budget allocation outcomes."

According to the report, there is evidence of budget allocations being used "as a means of dispensing favor to ensure political loyalty, and the exclusion of critical representative voices from the participatory process." Local nongovernmental organizations and journalists, who have questioned or exposed irregularities, have been subject to both intimidation and censure.

According to the report, the apparent ease with which entrenched interests have been able to manipulate the participatory forums raises more fundamental questions regarding the nature of public participation.

War on terror

Communities key in preventing terrorist-cadre links: Government

Jakarta Post - October 23, 2009

Jakarta – People living around campuses should be wary of any activities that may aim to recruit terrorist cadres, an official said Thursday.

Ansyaad Mbai, head of the antiterror desk at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, said the threat of terrorism remained even though police had killed terror suspect Noordin M. Top and several of his closest accomplices.

A recent raid in Ciputat, Banten, led to the arrest of two students and a graduate of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Tangerang, for having allegedly assisted suspects in the July 17 hotel bombings. The arrest raised concerns that campuses could be a hotbed for recruitment of terrorist cadres.

Whether terrorists were able to recruit cadres within the campuses depended very much on local communities, Ansyaad said.

"If the neighborhood fights against (the cadre formation), terrorist groups will not find it easy to recruit," he said on the sidelines of a seminar on Thursday on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's leadership, terrorism and the future of democracy in Indonesia.

The discussion, organized by the Center for Information and Development Studies, concluded that Yudhoyono should be working harder to eradicate terrorism.

Noted Muslim scholar Azyumardi Azra said terror activities posed a threat to democracy. "For years, we have managed to bring Islam to live side by side with democracy. We proved that Islam was a religion of peace, but the terrorists have ruined things," Azyumardi said.

Terrorism had not helped Muslims living in Indonesia, he said. "Instead, terror activities are detrimental to Muslims. Many Muslims have fallen victim to terror activities, not only physically but also financially," he said. "Many lost jobs and sources of income after the Bali bombing."

To deal with terrorism, Azyumardi urged the government to establish political communication with Muslim organizations such as Nadhlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah. "An effort to communicate with such organizations was once made by then vice president Jusuf Kalla," he said.

"After the second Bali bombing in 2005, he held a dialogue with prominent Muslim figures, who then agreed to form a team to disseminate the real meaning of jihad in Muslim schools; this was successful political communication."

Ansyaad, however, preferred other means to fight terrorism. The Terrorism law must be amended to improve the capacity of intelligence to apprehend those who preach hatred and openly support acts of terrorism, he said.

"We need a stronger law if we want to combat terrorism. The way police handle terrorist activities tends to be responsive and reacts only to stimulus," he said. "It's almost as if they wait for bombs to explode before taking action."

Ansyaad said Malaysia and Singapore had strong laws that helped the two countries control terrorism.

Azyumardi did not support the idea of a strong law because it could criminalise innocent people. "We have to be able to differentiate between radicalism and terrorism," he said.

"People may have radical ideas, but that doesn't mean they terrorize people." Such laws could also be used against political rivals, he added.

Generalizations and the stigmatization of people who identify their faith through appearance had taken a toll on Muslims, Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) spokesman Ismail Yusanto said.

"A couple was suspected of being terrorists and they were interro-gated by residents in Lampung because the husband has a mustache... and his wife wears a long veil," he said. "A democracy should make room for people who want to practice Islamic laws." (adh)

Villagers make living from Noordin Mohammed Top's death

The Times - October 23, 2009

Anne Barrowclough Kepuhsari (Java) – Until his death in a police shoot-out last month he was South-East Asia's most wanted man; an Islamic militant responsible for countless atrocities and hundreds of deaths. But to residents of the grindingly poor township of Kepuhsari, Noordin Mohammed Top has become a saviour.

"Thanks to Noordin, I made two million rupiah in two days," said Adinda, after charging The Times $5 to park our car. "That's more than I've ever made in my life."

Sitting in her front yard across the road, Yania, in her late twenties, was equally grateful to the dead militant. Charging $2.70 for a bottle of water, she said: "I've never been able to go to visit my family in Yogyakarta. But last weekend Noordin paid for me to fly there."

On September 17, residents of this community, close to a militant Islamist town 300 miles from Jakarta, were woken by gunfire as security forces stormed a nearby house. It was the home of Hadi Susilo, known to neighbours as a kindly religious teacher who taught their children the Koran. What they did not know was that Susilo was an Islamic militant, and a senior member of Noordin's al-Qaeda network.

Noordin – who is blamed for the 2002 Bali bombing that killed more than 200 people, and attacks on two Jakarta hotels in which seven more died in July this year – was hiding at Susilo's house. With them were two other members of the group who had evaded capture since the Jakarta bombings.

Efforts by security forces since July have led to the death or capture of many Noordin lieutenants. In August, police celebrated when they thought they had killed Noordin himself in a day-long gun battle – only to later find that DNA tests showed that the dead man was not the leader but one of his allies.

Noordin finally met his end in a shoot-out after scores of police and anti-terror officers flooded Kepuhsari, evacuating residents before the firing started.

A month on, the spot where he died has become a tourist magnet. The house remains cordoned off, but scores of people line the earth banks behind it to gaze silently at the spot of the militants' last stand.

Residents are making the most of the area's sudden notoriety. On the approach to Kepuhsari is a hand-painted cardboard sign. Above a blue arrow pointing to the right it reads: "Location of terrorist Top's death." A little further on is another sign: "The closest sign to terrorist Top's place of death."

Driving into the village, cars are shepherded to the side of the road, with drivers charged to park on the mud track. Every house has turned into a street stall, offering water, soft drinks and home-cooked snacks.

Outside one house, a menu of local delicacies is illustrated with photo-copied pictures of Noordin and his allies. More signs advertise a unique variation on the national rice dish – "nasi goreng Noordin" – while another offers "tumpeng terrorisi Top".

There had been fears that after the shoot-out Kepuhsari would become a place of pilgrimage, or even a jihadist recruiting ground.

The area is known as a militant centre: Solo, the nearest large town, is the home of Abu Bakar Bashir, spiritual head of Jemaah Islamiyah, a hardline group Noordin once worked with.

However, many people here appear tired of the militants. After the Bali bombers were executed in November, the funerals were marked by parades and demonstrations by their supporters. By contrast, the demonstrations held after Noordin's death were protests at plans for a local burial.

Thousands took to the streets after his death, waving placards demanding that the dead militants be buried elsewhere. "We are tired of the terrorists," said Chokol, a paramedic who had come to view Noordin's place of death. "It's good that he's dead. He was not a good Muslim."

Elections/political parties

'Cartel politics' claims corruption, collusion among parties

Jakarta Globe - October 27, 2009

Camelia Pasandaran – A book published on Tuesday paints a picture of widespread corruption and power-sharing agreements between Indonesia's political parties.

Political analyst Dodi Ambardi, the author of "Politik Kartel" ("Cartel Politics"), said local political parties had no other option than to join the ruling coalition as they lacked financial independence, meaning they needed to ensure that party members secured strategic positions within the House of Representatives and the cabinet.

"This way they can secure money from the projects they get with their positions," he said. "Then they give the money as a fee to their political parties to support their political activities."

Dodi said cartel politics, in which political parties agreed to actively support each other, had been a feature of the so-called reform era since 1998.

He said that collusion, as opposed to competition, between the parties enabled politicians to serve their individual interests or those of their parties while ignoring the needs of the people who voted them into office.

Dodi said he interviewed a number of former legislators and party officials as research for the book, but refused to identify his sources.

The lack of an effective opposition group within the House of Representatives (DPR) and the power of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's ruling coalition have been roundly criticized by opponents, who fear that the House will act as a rubber stamp for executive policies and fail to implement badly needed bureaucratic reforms and a crackdown on pervasive corruption.

Syamsuddin Haris, a political researcher from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), said the harmful effects of the cartel system were clearly evident during the recent legislative and presidential elections.

He said the parties failed to address the real issues, coming up instead with vague slogans such as "people-friendly policies" which Syamsudding called "skin deep." "While the winner is eager to attain more power, the losers also need to secure their position," he said.

Even parties that did not formally claim to be coalition members preferred to remain in a gray area as strategic partners, he said in reference to the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

PDI-P legislator Ganjar Pranowo, who was present at the book's launch, said the party had chosen to be a strategic partner because their was no real concept of opposition in the Political Party Law of 2008. He did not deny that political parties colluded to get strategic positions of power.

Priyo Budi Santoso, a senior member of the Golkar Party and the House deputy speaker, said the concept of cartel politics was supported by the fact that there were no substantial differences between the parties.

"Political parties are zero in terms of ideology and idealism," he said. "Without differentiation, we need to ask who will uphold democracy. In the end, this will only give birth to a new style of authoritarianism."

As one solution to cartel politics, Dodi suggested revising the Political Party Law to provide for alternative finance sources.

"The government should subsidize the political parties, especially concerning the big expenses for campaigning," he said. "The government could regulate [spending] or give some free TV ads to all the parties."

House, Bawaslu move to sack KPU members

Jakarta Globe - October 27, 2009

Camelia Pasandaran – Undeterred by previous failed efforts to sack the General Elections Commission, lawmakers and officials from the Elections Supervisory Board on Monday said they hoped to skirt or change the country's Election Law in a new bid to remove the body for alleged incompetence.

The 2007 election law states that members of the commission, known as the KPU, can only be sacked if they are ill, die, or are expelled by an honorary council for violating a code of conduct. However, the five-member honorary council can't be established without the acquiescence of the KPU, and any such council would include three KPU commissioners.

Lawmaker Arif Wibowo of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said the House of Representatives (DPR) would consider asking the government to issue a regulation in lieu of law (perppu) to change the way KPU members are removed.

Meanwhile, the Elections Supervisory Board (Bawaslu), will file a request for a judicial review with the Constitutional Court asking that it change the election law relating to removing KPU leaders, Bawaslu member Bambang Eka Cahya Widodo said. Bambang said the board wanted to be able to establish an honorary council without the KPU's agreement.

"If our lawyers have finished drafting [the request for a review], we will register it with the court by next week," he said.

Bawaslu has attempted to establish an honorary council to sack the KPU three times but the KPU rejected the move each time. Bawaslu also reported the KPU to the National Police, which declined to investigate.

KPU member Syamsul Bahri said any attempt to remove commission members should be based on the current law.

"We have the Election Law that states if we violate the code of conduct, there will be an honorary council established," he said. "If it's related to the election results, people can complain to the Constitutional Court. But if it's related to a crime, it should be in a state court."

Arif said members of the House of Representatives's Commission II, which oversees internal affairs, will summon KPU officials to testify about their performances during the legislative and presidential elections this year.

Both polls were marred by problems, including millions of people being left off voter lists, mix-ups of ballot papers and numerous other logistical and planning problems.

"We will start discussions on the plan to terminate KPU members by summoning them to provide an evaluation of... the elections to the House," Arif said.

"We will continue with the recommendation to fire all the KPU members," he added. "If all the [House's] factions are consistent [in supporting] this plan, then we hope that all KPU members will be removed by next year."

Syamsul said KPU members would appear before the House commission if summoned.

PKS to be more business friendly, open and pluralist

Jakarta Post - October 26, 2009

Jakarta – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) says that it aims to build a more business-friendly, open and pluralist image under a new leadership in the future in order to gain political acceptance.

The party has just named Lutfi Hasan Ishaq, one of PKS' executives, as the party's interim president, replacing Tifatul Sembiring.

"It is important for us to build a more business-friendly and pluralist image in order to be successful in the 2014 general elections," PKS deputy secretary-general Zulkieflimansyah told The Jakarta Post in Jakarta on Sunday. "The PKS never sees other parties as rivals. Our biggest enemy is ourselves," he said.

Zulkieflimansyah said that the public generally considered the PKS as an Islamic-based party, not open to pluralism, and turning women into second-class citizens.

"Therefore, we need to change that as soon as possible so that in the future, we can earn the support of young professionals and people from other backgrounds. If we fail to change our image, then it is going to be hard to win more than 10 percent of the votes in the elections," he said.

Zulkieflimansyah said that he thought Lutfi was the perfect figure to help change the party's image. "Pak Lutfi is a senior figure, and I have no doubt he can do the job to consolidate our party from top to bottom. However, other than his seniority, he is a progressive figure, who is open to all elements," he said.

"He (Lutfi) is also a very calm man, who has a vast experience as a legislator, ranging from becoming a member of the defense and foreign affairs commission (Commission I) at the House of Representatives to leading the House Inter-parliamentary Cooperation Agency (BKSAP)," he added.

Separately, a political expert from Surabaya's Airlangga University, Airlangga Pribadi, agreed with Zulkieflimansyah's remarks about the need for the party to change its public image for the sake of success in the 2014 elections.

"The PKS move to join in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's bloc can be considered as one of the party's preliminary moves to build a much more open image," he said.

Lutfi was appointed the PKS interim president, replacing Tifatul during the party's Syuro Board meeting at the party's headquarters in Jakarta on Friday night. He is one of the founders of the party, which was originally named the Justice Party.

This is the second time will Lutfi replace Tifatu. Previously, Lutfi replaced Tifatul as chairman of House Commission I following the latter's appointment as the newly installed communication and information minister.

With his appointment as the PKS interim president, Lutfi will also be replaced as chairman of the House Commission I, because the party's internal regulations stipulate that a member cannot hold two administrative positions at once.

"He (Lutfi) will be replaced by Kemal Azis Stamboel," PKS Secretary General Anis Matta said as quoted by Antara in Jakarta on Sunday.

Other than Tifatul, three PKS' executives were also named ministers by Yudhoyono and they are Suharna Surapranata as the research and technology minister, Salim Segaf Al Jufri as the social affairs minister, and Suswono as the agriculture minister.

Suharna was replaced by Untung Wahono as the chairman of the PKS central board assembly, while Suswono was replaced by Budiyanto as the deputy secretary-general on organizational affairs.

Salim was not replaced by anyone, because he holds no position at the party's main leadership structure. (hdt)

Law to blame for campaign fund irregularities, group says

Jakarta Globe - October 22, 2009

Camelia Pasandaran – One basic problem in the long list of problems related to campaign finance irregularities is bad legislation, according to an antigraft watchdog report released on Wednesday.

The report from Indonesia Corruption Watch said there were several loopholes in both the legislative and presidential election laws.

In the presidential election law, no ceilings are imposed on donations from political parties and from the candidates themselves, while donations from other sources are strictly regulated. Individual donations could not exceed Rp 1 billion ($106,000). The maximum corporate donation is Rp 5 billion.

ICW said unlimited donations from political parties and the candidates themselves may have been the sources of irregularities in campaign funding.

The law also failed to stipulate a standard method for reporting campaign contributions and the publication of resulting audits. In addition, the law did not provide stern sanctions for violators, including disqualification.

"We need a new, better legal instrument to avoid collusion between business and politics," said Ibrahim Fahmy Badoh, the coordinator of ICW's political corruption division. "With unclear laws, there have been many cases of halted investigations of campaign finance violations."

Fahmy said there should be clear laws governing elections, including campaign funding.

Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, a former lawmaker who took part in the drafting of electoral laws, said the lack of harsher penalties for violators was based on the consideration of the potential impact.

"We thought that it might have a bad impact on the political situation," Ferry said. "It is easier to disqualify candidates in legislative elections, as there are many other candidates, but the conditions for the presidential elections are different."

Dodi Ambardi, director of the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) warned that the ICW report may just go to waste.

"If we want to highlight transparency and accountability in campaign donations, what we need to do is change the law," he said. "We can upgrade the limits for the donation, but it may create political dependency. Campaigns need big budgets and the laws give no solution for political parties to access big funding."

Dodi added that the government should consider subsidizing political parties for the campaigns, just as it did in the past, to eliminate the need to seek extra funding to cover the large expense.

"Should this be implemented, then the political parties will have other financial sources and will not depend on big donations from the business world," he said. "As we all know, elections are expensive, especially when the competition is mostly based on TV ads."

Government/civil service

How to improve Indonesia? National Summit counts the ways

Jakarta Globe - October 31, 2009

Irvan Tisnabudi, Ulma Haryanto & Nurfika Osman – It took two days and more than 1,500 people to make a wish list for the next 100 days and five years of government.

Those are the bald figures that describe the first-ever National Summit, which ended on Friday evening with promises from the administration that each of the hundreds of ideas put forward to help drive Indonesia forward would be considered.

"In these past two days, we have engaged in a task that has never been done, that is, a process of intensive consultation with stakeholders," Vice President Boediono said in his closing address.

He said that some of the input would be forwarded to the president "to be processed further to sharpen the 100-day and five-year government programs."

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Rajasa also said that the government would take heed of all ideas, without e xception. "All valuable input will be noted. There are hundreds of precious ideas," Hatta said, adding that the suggestions would be compiled for submission to the vice president.

Opening the summit on Thursday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he expected the gathering to deliver input on how to remove the bureaucratic and financial obstacles that have hampered growth over the years.

Wisnu Wardana, head of the organizing committee, said that a total of 1,300 people took part in Friday's session and 1,537 participated on Thursday's opening day.

The summit was organized by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) and the nation's ministries. The large part of those attending were government officials, academics and business leaders.

While the first day saw discussions of challenges to the economy and ways to deal with them, the second day focused on welfare, security and politics.

The coordinating minister for politics, legal and security affairs, Joko Suyanto, said that among the issues discussed by the summit commissions was the need to coordinate regulations and laws at national and regional levels, as well as between the various ministries and institutions.

Other input included the need to ensure legal certainty for entrepreneurs involved with government programs, a streamlining of how permits and licenses are issued and a boost in corruption-fighting measures.

Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono said the government had lowered its poverty rate target from 8 to 10 percent by 2014 to about 6 percent. According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), 37 million Indonesians live below the poverty line.

The government's target, Agung said, could be achieved by empowering local communitiesby expanding microcredit lending to 15 million small-scale entrepreneurs, with the government contributing Rp 20 trillion ($2.1 billion) to the program each year.

The loans, he said, could encourage the growth of micro-, small- and medium-size enterprises while providing employment.

Deputy Welfare Minister Sujana Royat said the government also needed to collaborate better with local administrations in making their programs more effective, and said that the issue would be subject to review.

Analyst slams plan to raise ministerial salaries as 'insensitive'

Jakarta Globe - October 27, 2009

A political analyst has labeled a plan to raise the salaries of government ministers as "insensitive." The controversial proposal to raise salaries has divided opinion in the House of Representatives, as well as among the public.

Ari Dwipayana, a political analyst from Jogjakarta's Gajah Mada University, said on Tuesday that the salary raise proposal was very insensitive.

"The new cabinet had just begun their work a week ago. It is very insensitive and the public will question the decision," Ari said.

"The salary raise is not significant unless there is a valid evaluation about how much take home pay a minister receives – and let's not forget the ministerial tactical funds, which every minister receives and is able to use at their own discretion," he added.

So, how much do government officials in Indonesia make monthly? The highest paycheck belongs to the Central Bank Governor, who rakes in Rp 162.2 million rupiah ($17,000) a month. The president receives Rp 62.74 million and ministers Rp 18.64 million.

The data was published by the head of the Ministry of Finance's budget department on Jan. 28, 2005, and it has not been revised since. But ministers are not the only state officials who have not received a raise for four years – the president, vice president, members of the House of Representatives and ministerial level officials have also had their salaries stay at the same level since 2005.

Monthly salary of government officials

President

Basic Salary: Rp 30.240.000 Allowance: Rp 32.500.000 Total: Rp 62.740.000

Vice President

Basic Salary: Rp 20.160.000 Allowance: Rp 22.000.000 Total: Rp 42.160.000

State Ministers, Attorney General, military chiefs and other

ministerial level officials Basic Salary: Rp 5.040.000 Allowance: Rp 13.608.000 Total: Rp 18.648.000

House of Representatives Chairman Basic Salary: Rp 5.040.000

Allowance: Rp 18.900.000 Package Fund: Rp 2.000.000 Intensive Communication: Rp 4.968.000 Total: Rp 30.908.000

Head of Supreme Court

Basic Salary: Rp 5.040.000 Allowance: Rp 18.900.000 Package Fund: Rp 450.000 Total: Rp 24.390.000

Head of the Supreme Audit Agency

Basic Salary: Rp 5.040.000 Allowance: Rp 18.900.000 Total: Rp 23.940.000

Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives

Basic Salary: Rp 4.620.000 Allowance: Rp 15.600.000 Package Fund: Rp 2.000.000 Intensive Communication: Rp 4.554.000 Total: Rp 26.774.000

Yudhoyono launches second attempt at five-year economic plan

Jakarta Post - October 26, 2009

Aditya Suharmoko, Alfian – Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's new administration, backed by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), is working on an economic road map for the next five years, which will be unveiled at the National Summit later this week.

The work will begin by defining failures and challenges left by the previous government, which have held Indonesia back from reaching its economic potential.

The economic roadmap is expected to determine which regulations and incentives are needed by the government and businesses to accelerate growth in the real sector, said Chris Kanter, Kadin's vice chairman on investment, after a meeting with economic ministers over the weekend.

Chris said Kadin was adamant about the need for the government to make progress in solving problems related to land acquisition, which had severely delayed and undermined the development of essential infrastructure projects.

A similar initiative on an economic road map was taken at the beginning of Yudhoyono's first presidential term in 2004. The 2004 road map focused on the reform of the investment climate, labor regulations, taxation and infrastructure. Yudhoyono's first term saw a successful revision to the investment law and the taxation laws.

Revision to labor regulations was left untouched due to political pressure from vested interests while progress in the field of infrastructure was very poor, particularly in areas like electricity production along with inadequate progress on the improvement of the road network.

Improved infrastructure will help reduce the negative impacts of a high-cost economy that inflates the price of goods and services. High inflation is hurting people's purchasing power, which contributes about 60 percent of the economy.

Hariyadi Sukamdani, Kadin's vice chairman of fiscal policy, said the government was likely to adopt 90 percent of the ideas drafted by Kadin on what needed to be done with the economy in the next five years.

"The coordinating Minister for the economy [Hatta Radjasa] said the government would prioritize partnership [with stakeholders] in the future," he said.

Hariyadi said Kadin had suggested that the government provide incentives to businesses, such as eliminating the visa-on-arrival to attract more tourists and issuing a regulation on land clearance.

The government expects the economy to reach 7 percent growth by 2014. The economy grew by an average of 5 about percent during the last five years.

The summit, to be held on Oct. 29-31, will involve 1,200 stakeholders, such as mayors, regents, governors, legislators, businesses, ministers and observers.

Democrat party responds to criticism of cabinet choices

Jakarta Globe - October 23, 2009

Febriamy Hutapea – Stung by sharp criticism of some of the selections for the new cabinet, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democrat Party on Friday leapt to defend some of the appointments.

Jafar Hafsah, executive leader of the party, said former presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng, the new state minister of youth and sports affairs, had a number of positive qualities, including that he loved to play tennis and was good at it.

"As sports minister, he will get to play sports," Jafar said during a discussion organized by the Regional Representatives Council (DPD). "Andi is active in the party, still young, and the president trusts him. Hopefully he can become an idol among the young," Jafar said.

Jafar said that under Andi's leadership, the ministry would be able to provide better sports facilities and improve its service function.

Jafar also mentioned Tifatul Sembiring, chairman of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the new minister of communication and information technology, saying he was the right person for the job given his background.

Tifatul obtained his bachelor's degree from the Institute of Computer and Information Management (STI&K).

Jafar said the Democrat Party was not in a position to comment on whether it was satisfied with the new cabinet, but the party supported all the president's decisions in selecting aides to fulfill his goals. "The measurement of the result of all the president's decisions is the people's welfare," he said.

However, Golkar Party member M Asri Anas, who represents West Sulawesi in the DPD, complained that Yudhoyono had not formed the cabinet with a view to it becoming effective.

Contrary to the president's promise to build an effective cabinet, Asri said the 34-minister cabinet was still bulky. "The big cabinet format will be difficult to coordinate," he said.

Asri also said that accommodating representatives from various parties was acceptable, but it would be better if Yudhoyono accommodated other stakeholders such as educational institutions to achieve a more representative composition.

Maswadi Rauf, a political analyst from the University of Indonesia, said that he understood that choosing 34 candidates from among millions of people was not an easy task. But he said the new cabinet had many weaknesses.

Maswadi said he questioned whether the 15 new faces recruited from six parties were capable and whether they had been placed in the right posts. "Most of them are politicians who have general skills, not expertise in their posts," he said.

SBY huffs, puffs at first Cabinet meeting

Jakarta Post - October 24, 2009

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held on Friday the maiden Cabinet meeting of his second term, consolidating relations with new members and underlining his intention to run a tight ship.

The meeting was held just a day after 34 ministers and two state officials were sworn in with the sole instruction to work hard.

In his two-hour address to the Cabinet, Yudhoyono, accompanied by Vice President Boediono, put a heavy emphasis on the importance of good teamwork to achieve progress and attain the 100-day, one-year and five-year targets, which Presidential Unit for the Management of Programs (UKP3) chairman Kuntoro Mangkusubroto helped draw up.

"The head of the presidential unit will, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, work to make sure that everything, including de- bottlenecking (of hindrances to development), run well," Yudhoyono said at the opening of the meeting at the State Secretariat.

"He will, if necessary, be my eyes, my ears and my hands... and I will set for him certain responsibilities that will not overlap with the (three) coordinating ministers."

Seemingly drawing from past experience, Yudhoyono ordered all the ministers and state officials to set up hotline numbers to allow him to contact them at any given time. He added he would not make any phone calls if he had nothing important to discuss.

"I hate it the most when I try to call a minister for one or two hours and they don't answer, respond nor try to find out what I want," he said. "Unless they're on board a plane or visiting remote regions where there is no cell phone signal."

Yudhoyono also told the new ministers to seek his permission first if they planned to go abroad, and to be selective in taking up overseas invitations.

The Cabinet meeting also gave a hint of Yudhoyono's intention to get a strong grip over and maintain control of the country's envoys stationed overseas, when he said he had heard of many diplomats frequently flying back and forth to Jakarta and leaving their posts for long periods for party-related activities.

He called on Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa in particular to issue a tight ruling on the matter. "They are my overseas representatives," Yudhoyono pointed out.

"How can they be (representing the country) if they keep leaving their posts over and over? And what if something happens in the countries where they're stationed? And what's more, if they return to Jakarta for party matters, give them warnings. And if they still do it, recall them."

Yudhoyono then called on the ministers to establish clear lines of communication with provincial governors, saying the latter were responsible for implementing their programs at the regional level.

Over the past five years, he went on, he had sensed strained ties between the central government and regional administrations, and would thus assign Vice President Boediono to find the root causes of the problems and solutions.

Yudhoyono added the vice presidential office would be moved into the Presidential Palace complex to ensure a more "solid" and "synergized" work relationship.

"We'll only have presidential decrees from now on; there will be no more vice presidential decrees," he said. "And we will work under one roof."

In his speech, meanwhile, Boediono said that although in the end it would be the President making the decisions, he and the ministers would be involved in the decision-making process.

"Thus the expression about the Vice President being a 'spare tire' is irrelevant, because along with the ministers, a Vice President is part of the entire car," he said, referring to earlier comments by former vice president Jusuf Kalla that Boediono should not be a mere "spare tire" for Yudhoyono.

Indonesian president warns cabinet to stay loyal

Jakarta Globe - October 23, 2009

April Aswadi – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday reminded the new cabinet that he expected all his ministers, whatever their political affiliation, to be loyal to him.

"I remind you, we follow a presidential cabinet system. The president is the captain," Yudhoyono said. "Your loyalty and lines of responsibility are straight to the president, not to your political party chairman. When it comes to governmental duties, I hope – bear this in mind – that we will work together."

Addressing the cabinet after swearing them in, Yudhoyono said the interests of the nation must be the ministers' first priority and come above their own personal or communal interests, and added that their performance would be closely monitored and measured by the public.

Cabinet watchers have said that such a reminder was especially necessary considering that many of the ministers came from political parties, including some that were not initially allies.

Several ministers hold senior executive positions in political parties, including National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Muhaimin Iskandar, who has the manpower and transmigration portfolio, Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) chairman Tifatul Sembiring, who is the communication and information technology minister, and Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali, who heads the United Development Party (PPP).

"Wherever you come from, whatever political party you are a member of, I hope that you put the interests of the government, nation and state above the interests of political parties, groups and classes," Yudhoyono said. "Do not invert this."

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Rajasa said the president would not prohibit ministers from also holding executive party positions because he believed they should be able to separate their loyalties to their parties and to the government

"He [Yudhoyono] also mentioned that the most important thing [for a minister] is to know where their loyalties should lie, and to work fully for the interests of the nation during their tenure as ministers," said Rajasa, the former state secretary.

Yudhoyono also asked his ministers to prove their mettle at their new posts. The president said they had signed an integrity pact and a performance contract related to the goals they had to achieve during their tenure before they were officially appointed to their posts. "I hope that you do what you have already pledged to do," he said.

The president added that he would conduct annual performance evaluations. "It's impossible to change and achieve everything in the next five years," he said. "But the people will find out whether you have worked hard or not."

Yudhoyono also called on his ministers not to be swayed by public opinions about the cabinet, and to remain strong and focused on their duties. "With regards [to opinion], I tell you, don't fight words with words, but with action," he said.

On Thursday, Yudhoyono installed 34 ministers, the chief of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), Sutanto, and the head of the Presidential Working Committee on Monitoring and Controlling National Development, Kuntoro Mangkusubroto. The new state secretary, Sudi Silalahi, said the head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Gita Wirjawan, would be installed later, along with the deputy ministers who have yet to be named.

"This is within procedures," Sudi said. "The president has two weeks to fully decide on the cabinet. It's still day one. But everything is in process."

New team on economy vows to revive real sector

Jakarta Post - October 23, 2009

Erwida Maulia and Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – The government's new economic team has set its goals for the next five years, focusing primarily on breaking through obstacles to revive the real sector hit by the global economic downturn.

Newly installed Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Radjasa said Thursday there were five points the economic team would focus on, namely infrastructure, food security, energy, the manufacturing sector and small and medium enterprise revitalization, and the service sector.

He said the government would bring up all the main issues at a business and economic forum held in conjunction with the Trade Expo on Oct. 29 in Jakarta.

"We need to increase exports, to establish industries, to build infrastructure... We have to ensure a stable electricity supply. We must focus on all of these things," he said at the State Palace.

A Democratic Party politician, newly installed Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Darwin Zahedy Saleh said he would speed up his ministry's priority programs, "We need to accelerate the schedule of the first 10,000 megawatt power project so we can proceed with the second," he said at the Palace.

"(Yudhoyono) has asked us to evaluate and expedite all the things related to existing policies. (For example), we want to increase our (oil production) lift to stimulate investment, so we need to evaluate the related policies."

Reelected Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said her working commitment encompassed programs to improve the performance of her ministry and the Customs and Excise Office, provide a better flow of goods service, improve the National Single Window scheme, support special economic zones and continue reforms in her institution, all within her first 100 days.

Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, who also retained her post, said in a press conference that in her first 100 days she would focus on improving exports by diversifying markets and products, mainly those of a natural resources base. "We not only need to strengthen our international trade, but also our domestic trade," she said.

She said she would "fight for the interests of Indonesia in international forums", such as the APEC summit in Singapore on Nov. 12-14, the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, on Nov. 29-Dec. 3, and the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Backed by the Golkar Party, Industry Minister Mohamad Suleman Hidayat, who is also the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) chairman, said he would combine his first 100- day programs in the ministry with similar programs proposed by Kadin.

"We want to integrate the perspectives of the business world and the government," he said at the Industry Ministry. "We'll make a list of necessary and unnecessary policies."

In the long run, Hidayat said, the Industry Ministry, the Trade Ministry, the Finance Ministry, the Agriculture Ministry and the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) should make joint policies in order to be more harmonious.

"There will be no more ministerial policies that could discourage national producers, or the other way around," he said.

No shortage of challenges for new ministers

Jakarta Globe - October 22, 2009

Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Ismira Lutfia & Camelia Pasandaran – Former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo AS gave his successor a parting gift on Thursday, in the form of a reminder of the recent recommendation from the House to establish an ad hoc tribunal to investigate the torture and disappearance of students, allegedly by the military.

The ministry, now headed by former chief Air Marshall (ret) Djoko Suyanto, oversees the controversial Attorney General's Office, which has been under pressure from various human rights groups to respond to the House of Representative's call to establish the tribunal.

During former President Suharto's rule, 22 pro-democracy activists disappeared from 1997 to 1998. Nine of them resurfaced with accounts of torture at the hands of the military, but 13 remain missing.

A 1999 military tribunal found Prabowo Subianto, former commander of the Army's Strategic Reserve (Kostrad) and Special Forces (Kopassus), guilty of ordering the disappearances Prabowo, chairman of the opposition Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), was subsequently discharged from the military.

During a handover ceremony at the ministry in Central Jakarta, Widodo, who consistently failed to confront human rights cases during his five-year term, identified other challenges, such as the Papua conflict and counterterrorism programs.

"Challenges to the task of maintaining national security will be more severe in the future," he said. Suyanto admitted that he had yet to issue his 100-day program for the ministry, saying he "must learn about the ministry first."

In a similar ceremony at the Ministry of Defense, newly inaugurated minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro promised to investigate sources of conflict in some regions and to work with neighboring countries on the areas of people smuggling and defense.

A third program would be a celebration of a decade of the military's political neutrality, he said.

Meanwhile at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, outgoing minister Hassan Wirajuda said that he has confidence that his successor Marty Natalegawa was ready to handle foreign policy issues that were becoming more complex in the midst of difficult international conditions. "I hope the ministry and embassy officials work together to support the new foreign affairs minister to carry out his job," Hassan said.

Marty said that Hassan had set a very high standard in diplomacy over the past eight years. "We are all now challenged to consolidate what [Hassan] has achieved and to work harder so that our foreign relations will be better in the future," Marty said.

His first job will be attending the Asean Summit in Hua Hin, Thailand. He is scheduled to leave on Friday. Other international forums awaiting Marty this year are the APEC Summit to be held in Singapore next month and the Climate Change Summit in December.

Meanwhile, former Home Affairs Minister Mardiyanto said he had left his successor Gamawan Fauzi, the governor of West Sumatra, with a lot of work, including strengthening national integration, decentralization and regional autonomy, regional development, village autonomy, people's empowerment and guidance for the state apparatus.

"Though we have achieved some of the programs, there are still some agendas and policies that we have not fully implemented," Mardiyanto said.

Mardiyanto said there were 14 programs that needed to be further developed. Among them were regional and state border conflicts, population management, regional autonomy and bureaucratic reform.

Population administration is another key area. With the census approaching fast, the minister must manage the registration of citizens in a more accurate way. The ministry also plans to implement a national system called E-KTP, an electronic identity card.

Opposition to the House majority looks grim

Jakarta Post - October 23, 2009

Jakarta – The House of Representatives this term is unlikely to provide a strong checks-and-balances mechanism against President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's new administration even though the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) did not join the Cabinet.

The PDI-P, which occupies 16.78 percent of seats at the House, admitted it made a tactical mistake in playing an oppositional role in the past.

The party was the largest of three parties excluded from the Cabinet. The two others were the Greater Indonesian Movement Party (Gerindra) and the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), which occupy 26 and 17 seats respectively.

Gerindra confirmed it would become a balancing force at the House, arguing that despite being a small party, it has never had a second thought about acting as a critical voice against the dominant Yudhoyono Democratic Party bloc.

"A House is not about the battle between a majority and minority, but it is meant to produce excellent policies that benefit the nation and its people. We, as a small party at the House, aim to monitor this process wholeheartedly despite our small size," Gerindra Chairman Suhardi told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

He added his party would show the public that truth did not always originate from the majority, and that the voice of minorities would always be heard.

"People might find it difficult to understand our ideals, but at the end of the day, I believe the public realizes that even the minority's voice must be taken into consideration."

Suhardi acknowledged that it would not be easy for Gerindra legislators at the House to accomplish the party's mission, as it was possible they – mostly new legislators – might succumb to ever growing political pragmatism.

"That's why the party will train its legislators regularly, to ensure they receive constant feedback and reminders about their duties from various party elements, starting from the top all the way to the bottom."

Meanwhile, the Indonesian De-mocratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which proudly called itself the opposition force in the past, said it would no longer play the opposition card, but become the government's "strategic partner".

"What we did in the past... playing the role of the opposition, was wrong. We now know that in a presidential system, there is no such thing as an opposition bloc," PDI-P chief patron Taufik Kiemas said. Taufik added that a "strategic partner" was also one that kept its checks-and-balances function, by rejecting what did not serve the public interest.

Hanura also took a similar stance. A Hanura member at the House, Nurdin Tampubolon, said his party would maintain its checks-and- balances function by following a "critically constructive" strategy. "Our party is based on conscience. Pro-people policies will receive our support and we will say no to bad policies," he said.

Gerindra, the PDI-P and Hanura hold 137 of the House's 560 seats. This means their bloc represents only 24 percent of the House, facing 76 percent of a House belonging to the majority coalition supporting the government. (hdt)

Indonesia's new cabinet sworn in

Jakarta Globe - October 22, 2009

Calling them "the chosen ones", President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono oversaw the swearing-in of 34 ministers and 3 minister-level officials at the Presidential Palace on Thursday.

"You are the chosen ones, credible and accountable and I consider you to be capable of doing your duties as members of the Second United Indonesia Cabinet," he said in his speech. He cautioned the new ministers to put the people above other considerations.

"Wherever you come from, I hope you put the interest of the government, the people and the nation above the interests of parties or groups," the president said.

"There are almost certain to be debates and doubts" about whether the cabinet is up to its task, he added. "You don't have to fight them, but answer them with hard work."

In their oaths, the ministers pledged never to accept gifts from anyone in relation to their positions. They also promised to be "loyal to the 1945 Consitution," to "meet all obligations" of their positions, and to "carry out my duties and obligations with full responsibility to my people and my country."

While People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Taufiq Kiemas was in attendance, his wife, former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, was notably absent. Megawati also missed the presidential inauguration on Tuesday, claiming illness. She has not attended any functions with her husband since he won his new position early this month. Taufik has denied rumors of a rift between them.

No major surprises in new Indonesian cabinet

Jakarta Globe - October 22, 2009

Febriamy Hutapea & April Aswadi – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday announced the lineup of his new cabinet, with only one last-minute change and the only surprise being that it was announced on time.

His 34-seat cabinet combined old and new faces, professionals, political appointees, former lawmakers and retired military officials from the previous administration. With the exception of one name, the president's choices fell within expectations.

About 70 percent of the cabinet were new faces, including Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi, currently the governor of West Sumatra; Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, currently the country's permanent representative to the United Nations; and State Minister for State Enterprises Mustafa Abubakar, the current head of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).

The only surprise on the list was Health Minister Endang Rahayu Setianingsih, a career health official. Nila Anfasa Moeloek was expected to get the health post.

"It's almost certain that my choices will spark public debate," Yudhoyono said before naming his ministers. "There will be those who will not be satisfied and I view this as normal. That also happened in 2004, but that's the beauty of democracy."

When making the announcement on schedule at 10 p.m. on Wednesday night, Yudhoyono said he and Vice President Boediono had chosen the cabinet in a "rational and objective" manner. "It would be impossible for me to decide carelessly," he said.

All three coordinating ministries now have new heads. Former State Secretary Hatta Rajasa was appointed coordinating minister for the economy; Agung Laksono, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, was selected to head the Coordinating Ministry for People's Welfare; and former military chief Air Marshal (ret.) Djoko Suyanto became the coordinating minister for political, security and legal affairs.

On the economic front, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu retained their posts, while Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) chairman MS Hidayat will head the Industry Ministry. Academic Armida Alisjahbana, meanwhile, was selected to head the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas).

Two other ministers kept their portfolios: Minister of Public Works Djoko Kirmanto and Minister of Culture and Tourism Jero Wacik.

Five other officials, meanwhile, stayed in the cabinet but were given different portfolios.

Former Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro was named defense minister, Communications and Information Minister Muhammad Nuh gets the education portfolio and Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Minister Freddy Numberi will oversea transportation. The cabinet will be inaugurated today.

Observers split over Indonesia's new 'friendship cabinet'

Jakarta Globe - October 22, 2009

Febriamy Hutapea – Were they politically motivated appointments made to secure and preserve power, or a political compromise designed to create a government that would work well together?

Political analysts and observers on Wednesday had differing opinions on whether President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's new clutch of ministers would be effective, but most agreed that politics was the main consideration behind the appointments.

Sukardi Rinakit, from Soegeng Sarjadi Syndicate, a political think tank, called the new team a "friendship cabinet" because only a few of the ministers matched the positions they were appointed to. Most, he said, were only chosen because they were close to Yudhoyono.

"I'm dissatisfied with the current cabinet because it's far from what we expected," Sukardi said at a discussion on Wednesday organized by the Regional Representatives Council (DPD).

The new cabinet announced late on Wednesday night contained few surprises and was largely as had been predicted since the president began interviewing candidates over the weekend.

Lawmaker Burhanuddin Napitupulu, from the Golkar Party, said there seemed to have been no clear mechanism used to select the ministers.

"Although Yudhoyono has the prerogative to appoint anyone to his cabinet, there should at least be a clear structure in setting it up," he said, adding that the strategic way to have done it would have been to appoint loyalists and professionals rather than coalition members.

A number of analysts have said over the past few weeks that Yudhoyono's landslide victory in the July presidential election, with 60 percent of the vote, should have given him the mandate to build a strong government. Several surveys came out saying the public preferred professionals running the ministries, instead of the usual career politicians.

Sukardi said fewer than five ministers had expertise in their new positions, while 20 came from coalition partners and the rest were believed to have a personal relationship with the president.

DPD member Bambang Soeroso said that he had hoped the new ministers would be people who could hit the ground running. "We're just worried that they won't be able to quickly address problems," he said.

But having career politicians in the cabinet could also have its advantages. Mustafa Edwin, deputy chairman of the Shariah Economic Community Council of Experts, told Antara news agency that the appointment of Hatta Rajasa as the coordinating minister for the economy was a good move because the former state secretary was deemed capable of ensuring much-needed coordination among the economic team.

Mustafa said the new ministers should be able to create good chemistry in their offices and with other ministries. "They should be supported because this government is elected under the mandate of the people," he said.

Sukardi conceded during the discussion that ministerial positions were political in nature, but said party politics was better left to the legislature.

"With this composition, Yudhoyono only thought about consolidating power, without having critics or conflict in the cabinet," he said, adding that it was a very Javanese style of leadership.

Citing several former lawmakers who had failed to win re-election but secured jobs in the cabinet, Sukardi questioned why the president chose figures who had already been rejected by the public.

Former House of Representatives Speaker Agung Laksono, from Golkar, and former lawmaker Patrialis Akbar, from the National Mandate Party (PAN), both failed in their re-election bids in April but received cabinet posts.

Agung is the new coordinating minister for people's welfare and Patrialis the justice and human rights minister.

According to Sukardi, the new cabinet could be represented by a pyramid wherein a small number of qualified and professional people occupied the top, while most of the ministers – the unqualified ones who got their posts for political reasons – sat at the bottom.

Regardless of how the cabinet was formed, critics and supporters alike expressed optimism the new ministers would work well together. "I'm still optimistic that the next cabinet will be better than the last one," Burhanuddin said.

Sukardi said that with the cabinet set up to ensure the smooth running of the next government, he was confident that the next administration would at least be stable.

NGOs, media to monitor SBY's next Cabinet

Jakarta Post - October 22, 2009

Jakarta – Civil society groups and the press are expected to serve as opposition functions during the next administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as most political parties had joined the government, a shift that may lead to a weakened checks and balances systems.

Agus Sudibyo, deputy director of the Technology and Aesthetic Science Foundation (SET), said Tuesday that Yudhoyono had carried out strong negotiations with political parties, resulting in the parties' members holding important posts in his Cabinet.

"There is a relatively strong opposition against Yudhoyono's previous cabinet. Now, civil society groups and the press are likely to be the only ones able to serve as opposition to the government in the next Cabinet," said Agus during a public discussion on the absence of strong opposition against the next Cabinet held in Jakarta on Tuesday.

"The government's performance, which is likely to be based on political parties' interests, will be monitored by the press and civil societies," he said, adding advocacy for civil societies would heavily depend on support from the press.

"After the authoritarian regime of the former president Soeharto stepped down in 1998, the press and civil societies worked together to create reforms, to change the existing systems. The press also sensitively voiced public opinion."

He added that the press had become a melting pot of information from several sources during Yudhoyono's previous administration. "Media impartiality and professionalism are expected to provide a space for freedom of expression during the next administration."

The Chairman of the Executive Board of Transparency International Indonesia, Todung Mulya Lubis, said one of the problems of Yudhoyono's previous administration was that the government and the House of Representatives often did not raise public awareness of bills to be endorsed.

"They rushed to endorse drafts, which resulted in mistakes during the endorsement process," he said, referring to the recently passed Health Law without a sub-article on tobacco, which had gone missing during the final phase of the deliberation process.

The public became aware of the missing sub-article after the media headlined the issue. The absent paragraph classified tobacco and tobacco-related products as addictive substances that were damaging to individuals, people and the environment.

Former legislator Andreas Parera said the incident happened as many House members had not even read the drafts.

He estimated only between 30 percent and 40 percent of the House members were familiar with public issues during draft discussions. Todung said many developed countries placed lobbyists in the parliament to prevent the government and the House from making policies against public interests.

He added the lobbyists could also inform the press of the progress of draft discussions. (nia)

Media/press freedom

Indonesia's press freedom index improves, but doubts remain

Jakarta Globe - October 22, 2009

Ismira Lutfia & Dessy Sagita – Local journalists had mixed reactions to a recent report from France-based Reporters Without Borders that indicates press freedom in Indonesia improved over the past year.

The World Press Freedom survey placed Indonesia in 100th place from the 175 countries surveyed. It was 111th among 173 countries surveyed in 2008.

Nezar Patria, chairman of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), noted that the improved ranking had set a positive precedent for the country's press freedom. "The government is more sensitive today and has started to listen to harsh criticism conveyed by the press," he said.

Nezar added that the number of cases of violence against journalists had decreased and serious action had been taken against perpetrators.

"A journalist in Bali, Anak Agung Prabangsa, was murdered for what he wrote in his newspaper, but the police seem quite serious about investigating this murder," he said, adding that he believed press freedom in Indonesia was the best among Southeast Asian nations.

"We're lucky that the draconian defamation law is not really applied in our country. Nobody is really untouchable by law."

But the deputy chairman of the Press Council doesn't agree. Leo Batubara told the Jakarta Globe that press freedom had actually worsened under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's administration.

Leo pointed out to the passage of several laws he deemed as restricting press freedom during Yudhoyono's government, such as the Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE) Law, the Public Information Law, the Pornography Law and the bill on state secrecy. All, he said, provided loopholes and could allow the prosecution of journalists.

The ITE law has been particularly controversial, especially after it was used to prosecute civilians who expressed opinions on electronic media, including Prita Mulyasari, who is currently on trial for defamation after she wrote an e-mail message criticizing a private hospital.

However, Leo acknowledged that the number of journalists being imprisoned had decreased. For instance, Jupriadi "Upi" Asmaradhana, a freelance journalist in Makassar, South Sulawesi, was acquitted last month of a defamation charge filed by former South Sulawesi Police Chief Insp. Gen. Sisno Adiwinoto.

Upi publicly protested a call from Sisno in May 2008 urging local officials not to hesitate to file charges against journalists they felt had defamed them. A defamation charge was leveled against Upi as a result of his protest.

But the judges ruled that Upi could not be charged with defamation because his statements had not been proven to be a personal attack on the former police chief, and were instead intended to criticize institutional authority in general.

Media analyst Ignatius Haryanto, on the other hand, criticized the survey for not touching on the essence of press freedom – freedom from any control. He said that although the government did not exert overly stringent controls on the press, media owners did.

This issue was on display last month in the lead-up to the Golkar Party's national congress. Two of the media moguls competing for the chairmanship of the party – Surya Paloh, who owns news channel Metro TV, and Aburizal Bakrie, the owner of ANTV and TVOne – publicly aired what amounted to campaign rallies on their television stations, resulting in viewers filing complaints against the programs for being overtly biased.

On its Web site, Reporters Without Borders stated that the index should in no way be taken as an indication of the quality of the press in the countries concerned and that the ranking reflected the situation during a specific period. The index was based solely on events between Sept. 1, 2008, and Sept. 1, 2009, in every country.

The index was compiled based on criteria such as censorship of news media, the degree of impunity enjoyed by violators of press freedom and the ability of the media to investigate and criticize.

Jakarta/urban life

Action needed now to avoid 'catastrophe' in Jakarta

Jakarta Globe - October 31, 2009

Emmy Fitri – Inextricable traffic jams, even on toll roads, barely breathable air, heavily contaminated water and dwindling open spaces – problems suffered daily by Jakarta residents – may seem intolerable now, but experts warn that it will only become worse unless concerted efforts are made to fix the mess that is Indonesia's capital.

Urban planning expert Darundono sums up the current path Jakarta is on today in one word – "catastrophic."

Each day, almost 10 million commuters spend hours on Jakarta's roads. But transportation analyst Budi Santosa, from Trisakti University, says it has long been predicted, in several studies, that by 2014, traffic jams in the capital are likely to reach total gridlock as a result of the exponential increase in the number of vehicles plying an insufficient road network.

"A viable solution is to design a mass rapid transportation system to reduce the vehicle population. We cannot afford to build another inner-city toll road or more streets because we have run out of land for such massive construction," Budi said, adding that so far there appear to be no breakthroughs visible on the horizon.

Jakarta, however, is not only running out of land for more roads. The capital is choking from the unfettered conversion of open spaces into concrete.

Darundono says that when he designed the Jakarta Spatial Plan for 1965-1985, the designated green areas accounted for between 26 percent and 28 percent of the city's surface, but today they make up only about 10 percent.

"The government has been inconsistent in its implementation of its own plans. Parks, green spaces and public cemeteries are being turned into shopping malls and government offices," he says.

The combined effect of the sheer number of vehicles out on the road each day and the lack of green open spaces that could offset their fumes has severely degraded the quality of the city's environment.

According to the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), transportation causes 70 percent of Jakarta's air pollution, and the city produces 13,000 tons of carbon dioxide daily.

As a result, on most days of the year – 347 out of 365 in 2006, to be exact – Jakartans are breathing in polluted air. It is no wonder then, that a third of the capital's residents suffer from some form of respiratory tract infection each month.

In fact, a World Resources Institute paper says respiratory tract infections account for 12.6 percent of mortality in Jakarta – more than twice the national average.

Admitting that the capital, home to as many as 12 million people, is mired in environmental problems, the acting head of the Jakarta Environment Management Board (BPLHD), Ridwan Panjaitan, says programs to address each and every issue are up and running, including the enforcement of emission tests and the smoking ban.

"But we cannot work by ourselves because some programs are closely related to other agencies like the health agency and the traffic police. That becomes our challenge, to synergize the programs with other agencies because unless we have a common understanding then we cannot work together," he says.

Returning home at the end of the day, more than five million Jakartans will scarcely find rest and solace in their small, cramped houses in the capital's rapidly expanding slum areas, where basic services such as water supply and sanitation are minimal, if they exist at all.

The government's efforts to build thousands of low-cost apartments for the poor have so far been criticized as only adding to the problems, instead of being a solution. "There will be massive groundwater use," Darundono said.

Excessive groundwater extraction has long been flagged as a major problem in Jakarta, causing the land to sink by an average of 5 to 10 centimeters a year, according to a study by the World Bank.

The capital's water supply operators have been unable to connect hundreds of thousands of households, particularly those in slum areas – where the thousands who migrate to Jakarta each year in search of work live.

With the confluence of these urban woes threatening the future of Indonesia's capital, real solutions must be found soon.

On Nov. 10-12, international experts will converge on Jakarta to map out a sustainable path for the capital. These solutions are urgently needed to avoid the catastrophe that Darundono says we are currently headed toward.

Armed forces/defense

Military against Australia's push for joint naval patrols

Jakarta Globe - October 29, 2009

Markus Junianto Sihaloho – The government is likely to reject an Australian push for its navy to be allowed to patrol Indonesian waters, in what could be a blow to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's attempts to stem the flow of refugees through Indonesia.

According to a military spokesman, Air Vice Marshall Sagom Tamboen, the offer, which would see joint patrols of Indonesian and Australian naval forces in each other's territorial waters, was made during talks on the establishment of a new memorandum of understanding regarding the implementation of the Lombok Treaty, a security agreement signed in 2006.

The agreement covers defense cooperation, law enforcement, counter terrorism, intelligence, maritime security and the prevention of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Speaking to the Jakarta Globe on Thursday, Sagom said the joint patrol could be used as a way for the Australian government to prevent boats carrying asylum-seekers from entering its territorial waters.

He said the offer – which included Australia paying for the Indonesian Navy's expenses, including fuel costs during patrols – was not likely to pass because the Armed Forces only recognized a "coordinated patrol" scheme whereby naval vessels patrolled their own waters but coordinated with officers from other participating countries.

Under the coordinated patrol scheme, he said, Indonesia had signed cooperation agreements with neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Singapore. "We never conduct joint patrols," he said.

Sagom acknowledged that the military could understand Australia's potrying to prevent illegal migrants in Indonesian waters from entering Australia. "But in principle, we will keep refusing such a proposal because it does not fit with the scheme of our naval patrols," he said.

Besides, Sagom said, Indonesia would get complaints and requests for similar agreements from other neighbors if it accepted the Australian proposal. "So we commit that there will be no cooperation that could harm our country's interests in the end," he said.

The Australian Embassy said it was not ready to comment on the issue on Thursday night.

The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper on Thursday published comments from an unnamed "official" source as saying that Rudd's attempts to forge a deal with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono over the people smuggling issue had "strained relationships nurtured between Indonesian and Australian police for more than 20 years."

Teuku Faizasyah, a spokesman from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said both countries had agreed to cooperate on defense issues during talks last year to implement the Lombok Treaty. "For us, anything agreed to during the talks related to the cooperation must not harm our country's interests," he said.

House will prioritize three bills on defense

Jakarta Globe - October 28, 2009

Markus Junianto Sihaloho – The House of Representatives and the Ministry of Defense on Wednesday agreed to prioritize the deliberation of bills on state secrecy, military tribunals and military reserves during the 2009-14 period.

The agreement was announced after House Commission I, which oversees defense, information, foreign and political affairs, held a closed meeting with Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro at his office in Central Jakarta. The lawmakers were led by the chairman of Commission I, Kemal Azis Stamboel.

Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Slamet Hariyanto said the meeting was arranged to discuss the future agendas of both institutions, in particular the deliberation of defense-related bills.

"Both sides agreed to prioritize the deliberation of bills previous lawmakers failed to wrap up," Slamet said. "The bills are the state secrecy bill, the military tribunal bill and the military reserve component bill," he said.

Slamet added that it was possible either the ministry or Commission I would propose new legislation related to defense issues.

The state secrecy bill would give the government the authority to limit public access to specific documents, information, activities and objects that have been officially declared state secrets by the president. Lawmakers from the last House began deliberating the bill but rising public opposition to the draft prompted President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to withdraw the legislation.

The military tribunal could change the way soldiers are tried for different offenses. In its current form, the bill would see soldiers tried in military courts for cases involving their military performance, while criminal cases involving soldiers would be heard in district courts.

Previous lawmakers spent more than four years debating the bill, but it was dropped after the military and the Defense Ministry opposed the idea of the police investigating and questioning soldiers suspected of criminal offenses.

The military reserve component bill provides a legal framework for the state to establish a reserve military force, which would consist of civilians who could be deployed as combatants in a time of war. It would also require that every citizen take part in compulsory military training.

The bill was still being deliberated when the last House ended its term in September.

Kemal, the Commission I chairman, said on Tuesday that his commission would be ready if the ministry proposed new pieces of legislation, including bills on intelligence and national security.

"We are waiting for the ministry to decide whether it will propose new legislation to be discussed over the next five years," he said.

'Inefficiency' keeps soldiers in poor condition

Jakarta Post - October 27, 2009

Jakarta – The Development and Financial Comptroller Agency (BPKP) must look into the use of the Defense Ministry's budget to make sure budget allocation for low-ranking military officers is adequate to meet their needs, a discussion concluded here Monday.

The executive director of the Indonesian Institute for Strategic and Defense Studies (Lesperssi), Rizal Darma Putra, said budget allocation at the ministry was inefficient and the money was not used where it was most needed.

"The BPKP has to optimize its supervisory functions because low- ranking military officers' welfare has been a continuous problem, and needs to be resolved," Rizal said during a discussion to mark the launching of a book titled The Country's Reform on the Security Sector in Jakarta.

Luthfi Ahsan Ishaq, member of Commission I at the House of Representatives, overseeing defense, foreign affairs and information, told the discussion the welfare of low-ranking officers in the Indonesian military (TNI) had been neglected for more than a decade. "They have not obtained proper housing and food," Luthfi said. "They also have poor health services."

Rizal said improving the BPKP's supervision was expected to lead to better conditions for military officials due to a better disbursement system.

"The current budget compositions have not proportionally catered to low-ranking military officers' welfare and the primary weaponry defense system," he added. The government has announced it intends to raise the defense budget to Rp 40.7 trillion, or up by Rp 7 trillion, from last year.

Luthfi said although the budget would rise, the soldiers' condition could stay the same because of the budget was inefficient.

Rizal said inefficient budget allocation had been driven by the outdated ministry's threat assessment, which many say is irrelevant to the present defense situation.

"The military still predicts we will face large wars," he said. "That's why it allocates funds for excessive procurement of spare components, such as weapons and vehicles. Actually, the spare components are unnecessary as we are unlikely to face wars while our officers' welfare is insufficient," he said

Rizal said the National Police was in a better position than the TNI because the police had power to control its budget allocation and determine its strategic planning since it separated from the military five years ago.

"The National Police has not only been controlling its own budget and determining its strategic planning," he said, "There is no third party involved in supervising the institution."

Therefore, he said, the public should raise questions about the National Police's accountability.

Rizal expressed hope the bill on national security could be passed immediately. "The bill is expected to lead to a better security system," he said.

Luthfi did not specify the House's future commitment to the welfare of military officers. "We will talk about it with other parties at the House and the Finance Ministry," he said, adding the discussions would revolve around the defense ministry's budget compositions and expenditure. (nia)

Indonesia, Australia firming up defense cooperation

Antara News - October 26, 2009

Jakarta – The Indonesian and Australian governments have agreed to put their bilateral defense cooperation on a firmer basis and to continue it in the future.

After a meeting with his Australian counterpart, John Faulkner, here on Monday, Indonesian Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said the two countries' commitment to improving defense cooperation would be formalized in a memorandum of understanding which was now still under discussion.

"Indonesia-Australia cooperation in the defense and military fields was confirmed earlier by the ratification of the Lombok Treaty signed by the two countries on November 13, 2006," Yusgiantoro said.

Based on the treaty, the two countries had agreed to step up cooperation in the defense and military fields under a stronger legal umbrella, such as the memorandum of understanding currently being discussed.

Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry's International Cooperation Strategy director general, Brig Gen Syaiful Anwar said there were two important points in the memorandum of understanding, namely an overall defense cooperation as part of an action plan in the Lombok Treaty and human trafficking.

"The Lombok Treaty permits the two countries to form a legal umbrella for defense cooperation called 'Corporate Activity in the Field of Defense'," he said.

A legal umbrell for cooperation on human trafficking or illegal immigrants, would be discussed by the two countries' foreign affairs ministries.

"Starting next week, the two parties will discuss human trafficking or illegal immigrants, and the Defense Ministry will be part of a task force which is to be formed by the deputy foreign affairs minister," Syaiful said.

Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro in the meeting with his Australian counterpart extended his gratitude for the Australian government's support for West Sumatra post-earthquake management by giving financial assistance of A$12 million and an emergency hospital.

Economy & investment

Consumer spending lifts Indonesian economy

Jakarta Globe - October 30, 2009

Venisa Tjahjono & Aditya Wikrama – Consumer spending is continuing to drive Indonesia's economy, with telecommunications firms leading the gains in major companies' results through September this year.

The commodities and energy sectors, however, still suffered from the impact of the global financial crisis and high lending rates. "Although the economy is slowing down, growth is still there," Fauzi Ichsan, an economist at Standard Chartered bank in Jakarta, said on Friday. "It is weaker than last year but still positive. This is helping the corporate and banking sectors to greater profitability."

The nation's largest telcom operator, PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia, announced on Friday that its net profit in the first nine months of 2009 had risen by 4.3 percent to Rp 9.3 trillion ($974 million) on higher sales and foreign exchange gains in a highly competitive market. Sales rose 5.5 percent to Rp 47.1 trillion.

Dang Maulida, an analyst at PT Indo Premier Securities, said low inflation had helped bolster domestic consumption, which boosted the company's results.

"Telkom in general performed better than its competitors. As the incumbent leader of the industry, it has adequate cash flow to finance its capital expenditure and to support its network expansion," she said.

Telkom's subscriber base rose by 10 million, or 13 percent, to 86 million as of the end of September, from 76 million at the end of June, while competitor PT Indosat fell 3.7 million, or 11.4 percent, to 28.7 million.

The net income of smaller player PT Excelcomindo Pratama also rose in the period to Rp 1.2 trillion from Rp 891 billion in the year-earlier period. Other consumer-oriented including cement producers and cigarettes sectors also performed well.

A slow response from commercial banks to lower lending rates partly caused profit to fall at PT Astra International, the holding company of the country's largest auto distributors, according to an analyst. It posted Rp 7.1 trillion in earnings through September, compared with Rp 7.4 trillion in the same period in 2008.

"Lending rates fall so slowly. It has been the country's problem since early this year," said Edwin Sinaga, president director of brokerage PT Finan Corpindo Nusa. "The slight fall in Astra's profit was mostly due to that factor."

Lending rates have failed to track cuts to the key base rate by the central bank this year, and the current lending rates are at 12 percent to 16 percent, according to September data from the central bank.

The energy and commodities sectors also took a hit, with state- owned PT Aneka Tambang (Antam), the country's second-largest nickel producer, booking a 57 percent drop in profit, which Edwin said was mostly due to the falling prices of global commodities and slower demand.

Antam joined two other nickel miners, PT Timah and PT International Nickel Indonesia, which also had lower net earnings this year.

On the nation's economic outlook, Edwin said he was worried about the threat of inflation next year, and the possibility of Bank Indonesia hiking its key rate.

"A rebound in global commodity prices may be good for some energy and mining firms, but it will cost the overall economy more because it affects inflation," he said.

Indonesia stocks drop most in almost a year on growth concern

Bloomberg - October 29, 2009

Berni Moestafa – Indonesia's stocks fell, with the benchmark index set for its biggest loss in almost a year, on concern a global economic recovery is slowing, reducing demand for the nation's commodities.

The Jakarta Composite index plunged 4.4 percent to 2,252.95 as of 10:15 a.m. local time, on course for its steepest decline since Nov. 13. The gauge was the biggest decliner in Asia.

The rupiah also fell, set for its longest slump since April, as investors continued to scale back positions in emerging markets and high-risk currencies.

"People are just panicking," said Finny Fauzana, a fund manager at PT PNM Investment Management, which manages about $145 million in assets in Jakarta. "If the global economic outlook remains weak or the recovery isn't going as well as thought, then that will put a cap on our commodity prices."

PT Bumi Resources, Indonesia's biggest coal producer, slumped 8.3 percent to 2,200 rupiah. PT International Nickel Indonesia plunged 6.3 percent to 3,700 rupiah. Energy and mining shares are the biggest losers among the market's nine industry groups.

Indonesian consumers more optimistic about the future

Jakarta Post - October 29, 2009

Maarten Kallenberg, Head of Consumer Confidence Index – Indonesian consumer confidence has seen a steady increase over the last six months. Fuelled by optimism about the future, the Consumer Confidence Index by InsightAsia increased 8 points from 97 to 105, rising above the neutral point of 100.

InsightAsia, one of Asia Pacific's leading market research groups – specializing in quantitative, qualitative research, brand development, business analytics and consultancy – surveys 9,200 people across five Asian countries on a yearly basis to produce The Asian Consumer Confidence Index.

Consumers in Indonesia are very optimistic about the future of both the economy and their financial well-being. This optimism has become stronger since the second quarter. Nevertheless the feeling about the current state of the economy and current financial well-being is somewhat negative; consumers still think that this is a bad time to purchase major household products, although the perception of financial well-being is less negative than earlier in the year.

The GDP growth of 4 percent in the second quarter was the lowest in six years and the government expects a similar number for the third quarter.

Consumers are slightly negative about the current state of the economy. The perception of current financial well-being has improved, though the overall feeling is still somewhat negative. The index of current financial well-being has increased over the last three quarters from 71 to 78 to 89, a steady upward trend.

Despite the less positive view of the current economy, consumers have become increasingly optimistic about the future of the economy. Most are confident that the economy will recover throughout the next 12 months.

The index that reflects the outlook of the economy has moved up from 108 in the first quarter to 128 in the second and 142 in the third quarter.

A more optimistic outlook is also found in recent predictions by the Ministry of Finance and Bank Indonesia. Both increased their full year growth forecast from 3.5-4.0 percent to 4.0-4.5 percent. The World Bank shares this optimism, naming their recent report about the Indonesian economy 'Clearing Skies'. The positive news has boosted consumer morale. 67 percent of the surveyed Indonesians think that unemployment will decrease in the next 12 months.

The outlook of financial well-being has also increased. The index increased from 126 to 154. 67 percent of surveyed consumers believe their financial well-being will get better in the next 12 months. In the first half of the year the confidence of Indonesian workers in their ability to keep their job and increase their income has remained strong. Now that the signs of economic recovery have become stronger, this confidence has increased further.

Despite the increased optimism about the future, consumers are still reluctant to do major purchases. The index that expresses this decreased from 52 to 45. 67 percent of the respondents indicated that this is a bad time to buy major household products.

The Indonesian economy relies heavily on domestic consumption. This makes consumer confidence a key factor in economic development. Therefore the continued increase of the Consumer Confidence Index is a positive sign for the Indonesian economy, which is expected by the government to grow by 5.5 percent in 2010.

But even though consumer confidence rose above the neutral level, satisfaction with current financial-well being and particularly the willingness to do major purchases is still low. If these aspects will improve in the coming months, economic growth could be accelerated.

The third quarter measurement of consumer confidence in Indonesia took place in the first two weeks of September. The survey asks questions to 500 consumers in Jakarta, Surabaya and Medan regarding the economy and their financial well-being.

The Consumer Confidence Index is based on consumers' opinions about the present state of the economy, the outlook of the economy, the current status of their financial well-being, the outlook of their financial well-being and willingness to buy major household items.

Thousands of bylaws halt investment: Investment board

Jakarta Post - October 26, 2009

Agus Maryono, Purwokerto – The presence of more than 5,000 bylaws and draft bylaws is a major hindrance for potential investment in provinces across the country, says an Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) official.

BKPM has urged every administration, at both provincial and regency level, to prioritize public interests when drafting the ordinances.

"Many of the provincial or regency administrations have drafted bylaws for the sake of business to append the local generated revenue (PAD). This tends to scares investors away," said committee member of Investment Climate Affairs at BKPM Mochammad Najib, on the sidelines of a dialogue and meeting with the local business circle in Banyumas regency recently.

"Evidently, the PAD has not improved, but public interests are sacrificed."

Based on data gathered by BKPM, 3,455 bylaws that have been passed and 1,727 draft bylaws are detrimental to the investment climate in the provinces.

"Frankly, we refuse to accept the thousands of bylaws and draft bylaws. We are currently making efforts to draw as many investors to the provinces as possible," Najib said.

He said BKPM had evaluated the contentious bylaws and recommended that the provincial administration annul every bylaw on tax and retribution that had been imposed by it.

Najib said the bylaws have likely discouraged investors as they would have been required to make a number of burdensome payments.

"In the present free trade era, it is no longer appropriate to issue tax bylaws to the disadvantage of businessmen," he said. "With such spirit, the local administrations will eventually lose out. Investments would not work and the unemployment rate would remain high."

He said besides the troublesome tax ordinances and levies that encumber investors, a number of other factors would also discourage investors from doing business in the regions, such as the lack of supporting infrastructure and facilities, like power, gas and transportation modes.

"Another problem is issues on manpower, among which are the working contract system, productivity, licensing procedures and legal consistency offered by the regency administration that are often against the interests of investors," Najib said.

"So the problems are not only faced by those who have intended to invest but also those who have already run their businesses. Many have fled due to the manpower issues," he said.

"Many of the investors have said their workers' productivity had dwindled, but every year they are required to raise their workers' salaries which is regulated in the minimum regional wage bylaw."

Local officials at the Banyumas regency administration have expressed their desire to draw investors in the regency to raise the local PAD and alleviate the unemployment rate.

The Banyumas regency, which is inhabited by around 1.7 million people, 700,000 of whom are jobless and live below the poverty line, are considerably pinning its hopes on investors to further develop and alleviate poverty in the regency, Najib said.

Indonesian ministries proving tight-fisted with stimulus

Jakarta Globe - October 22, 2009

Irvan Tisnabudi & Muhamad Al Azhari – The government had spent less than a quarter of the Rp 11.55 trillion ($1.22 billion) allocated to infrastructure projects this year as of the end of September, giving rise to fears that the slow pace would hamper economic growth.

The National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) said the various ministries and departments have spent only Rp 2.88 trillion so far. The spending package was aimed at countering the effect of slumping exports due to the global recession.

Economists said the slow spending would mean the expected benefits would not become evident this year.

"This is a classic problem. Every year it happens like this," said David Sumual, an economist at PT Bank Central Asia. "Since the government announced the plan, I have been pessimistic about the disbursement of the money."

Bappenas blamed the tardy spending on technical problems. The most lethargic spender was the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry, which has spent only 8.6 percent of the Rp 100 billion allocated to it. The Transportation Ministry – with Rp 2.2 trillion to spend – was another notable laggard. It has spent only 19 percent of its allocation.

Construction of an airport and a seaport in South Sulawesi, worth Rp 100 billion each, was delayed after a Transportation Ministry official involved with the projects was found guilty of bribery.

The lion's share of the stimulus package went to the Public Works Ministry, which has so far managed to spend only 57 percent of the Rp 6.6 trillion allocated to it.

The government originally allocated Rp 12.2 trillion to infrastructure spending in 2009. It later reduced the amount after the Agriculture Ministry deferred some spending until 2010 and the Transportation Ministry asked for more time to decide whether to proceed with some projects.

"Such slow spending will negatively impact on growth," David said. He added that GDP was expected to grow in the third and fourth quarters thanks to a recovery in exports due to an improvement in global trade.

BCA estimates that the economy may have grown by 4.5 percent in the third quarter compared with the same period last year, and may hit 4.7 percent growth in the fourth quarter.

Analysis & opinion

Deep inside Indonesia's kill zone

Asia Times - October 30, 2009

John McBeth, Jakarta – Florida's Dade County police special weapons and tactics (SWAT) squad conducts as many as five forced entries a day. In all of those, they rarely fire a shot – and almost never have to deal with explosives. Indonesia's Detachment 88 counter-terrorism crisis response teams have staged two sieges in the past two months, laid down a heavy barrage of gunfire and killed five leading militants.

But counter-terrorism experts say it is wrong to make comparisons: SWAT is doing police work; Detachment 88, still under-trained and ill-equipped, is dealing with suicidal jihadis often armed with assault rifles and powerful shrapnel bombs.

"These are not criminals in the true sense of the word," said one US Special Forces combat veteran, who has trained Detachment 88. "These are soldiers of God. If they are cornered, they have the will and the means to kill as many as they can before being killed themselves."

That hasn't stopped the unit from coming under mounting criticism for failing to take alive some key individuals believed to possess information that may have allowed investigators to roll up other terrorist networks. Malaysian mastermind, Noordin Mohammad Top, and three other militants were killed in a Detachment 88 operation on the outskirts of Solo, Central Java, on September 17, exactly two months after the twin bombings of Jakarta's JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels.

Three weeks later, the unit closed in on a house in the Jakarta suburb of Ciputat and killed Syaifudin Zuhu Djaelani and his brother, Mohammad Syahrir, who were accused of hiring the two suicide bombers used in the September 17 attacks. Ibohim, their brother-in-law and the inside man for the bombings, had been originally misidentified as Noordin when he was shot dead in Temanggung, Central Java, on August 8.

There is a suspicion that police have been simply killing the suspects to dispense with the headaches of long and perhaps theatrical trials. But Detachment 88's reluctance to engage the militants at close quarters probably stems from the fact that it has insufficient teargas and stun grenades and, more importantly, the advanced training to use them effectively.

The unit's spokesman declined to comment, noting that the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Security and Legal Affairs was currently considering the establishment of a new counter- terrorism agency which the military is keen to head. Western officials, however, say involving the army would be a mistake. Under the ministry's current standard operating procedures, the elite Indonesian Special Forces (Kopassus) can only be called on in extreme cases, such as the armed takeover of an embassy or a plane hijack.

Recent public criticism of Detachment 88's so-called "license to kill" has literally given the military the ammunition to push harder for a more prominent role in the operational aspects of the counter-terrorism campaign. Senior defense officials say only that Kopassus wants to play a larger role in anticipating terrorist actions; some of its troops have recently reinforced the presidential security force in preparation for US President Barack Obama's visit to Indonesia next May or June.

Obama was to have paid a fleeting visit to Jakarta on November 12, en route to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Singapore. US officials say the postponement was related not to security concerns but to the president's wish to stay longer in Indonesia, where he spent part of his childhood. Apart from bringing in highly trained Kopassus personnel, the battalion- sized presidential bodyguard unit has also been exercising with US Secret Service agents, using new weaponry and electronic devices.

It is not clear why the Detachment 88 crisis response teams have not been given more advanced or even sustained refresher training and better equipment to tackle a job that demands the sort of skills and teamwork mostly found in the military. As it was, while the two most recent standoffs lasted for hours, a single shot in one instance and a small bomb blast in the other triggered a torrent of fire from Detachment 88 police officers surrounding the houses where the suspects were holed up.

"To me, if a shot was fired or a small bomb was exploded, then that is grounds to go in with the intention of shooting to kill and perhaps taking casualties as well," said the American trainer. "The question is: are you committing your force to arrest, which is a true police mindset that I don't buy into in many of these cases, or are you there to kill them and, if a few live, well then make an arrest."

Noordin probably would never have surrendered, given the almost certainty of a death sentence if he were captured alive. But investigators were anxious to capture Budi Bagus Pranoto, alias Urwah, one of the two other militants killed along with him.

Paroled in 2007 after spending three years in jail for his role in the 2004 bombing of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, Urwah was a pivotal figure because of his connections to several other terrorist networks. He had introduced Noordin to the field operatives who carried out the 2004 embassy attack and following his release started a video production company, repackaging al- Qaeda material on CDs with Indonesian subtitles.

Syahrir and Zuhi would have been better alive than dead as well, given suspicions that they raised the money from al-Qaeda for the hotel bombings. Zuhri had never been part of the Southeast Asian terrorist network, Jemaah Islamiyah, but he did have strong links to the most radical Islamic school in Yemen.

Rules of engagement

Detachment 88 teams are taught to run through a so-called "continuum" before resorting to deadly force, but experts say time and budget constraints and other circumstances make a step- by-step escalation difficult. It is always the on-scene commander who dictates strategy, based on the unit's policy on the Rules of Engagement (ROE) and Rules of the Use of Force (RUF) – issues which were addressed from the beginning.

Western security sources say the Detachment 88 leadership has asked them on several occasions to provide instruction in siege negotiations, but even then there are other serious considerations. "As soon as you start negotiations, you've got to be ready to go for hours and hours," said one former Australian police officer. "You also can't use megaphones. They just don't cut it when you're trying to establish a rapport."

Detachment 88 was created under the US State Department Anti- Terrorism Assistance (ATA) program in 2003, the brainchild of then deputy assistant secretary of state, Matthew Daley, a former Secret Service special agent and skilled marksman.

Over the next five years, a dozen or so crisis response teams were formed and each put through 28 days of intensive training at a small facility on the outskirts of Bogor. But, according to most sources, that's about as far as it went. "The initial training is so basic as to be dangerous if it is taken that these are now operators who can kick down doors as part of a national element," the Special Forces veteran told Asia Times Online.

It might be good enough for Iraq or Afghanistan, but in countries such as Indonesia it should be followed by months of further training and shooting – perhaps as many as 2,000 rounds per man a week – as well as different scenarios and different types of entry. When the US Special Forces last worked with Kopassus' Detachment 81, the unit designated for high-risk anti-terrorist operations, the initial training program lasted five months and covered a wide range of scenarios.

More importantly, Kopassus had everything it needed, thanks to former president Suharto's son-in-law, the then-commander, Major-General Prabowo Subianto, who had ready access to funding. The selection process also ensured that the unit got the best of the best. However, the choice of weaponry for Detachment 88 was controversial from the outset.

Daley had recommended the semi-automatic Heckler & Koch MP5, with a selector switch to fire either a single round or three-round bursts. "I did that because it was easy to handle, reliable and accurate, and fired a round that had been a standard pistol and sub-machine gun cartridge dating back to before World War I and is still being used by the US military," Daley said.

Instead, for reasons known only to itself, the State Department's diplomatic security office opted for the M-4, the shortened version of the M-16 which fires a high-velocity 5.56mm NATO round. Although the M-4 uses frangible ammunition – designed to break apart when it hits walls or other hard surfaces – US military trainers considered it too powerful for the job. It is also more expensive and not as freely available.

Diplomatic security also ignored Daley's suggested procurement of a sniper version of the Remington 700 bolt action rifle, instead buying the AR-10, which failed its field trials with the US Army and has never been adopted by any major police or military force. As many as 14 of the 24 AR-10s that were delivered to the Bogor training facility malfunctioned the first time that they were fired. "One of the reasons they liked the AR-10 seems to be because of its firepower," Daley notes. "But police are more in need of accuracy and reliability and something that is relatively easy to maintain and service."

When the US State Department hedged on giving Detachment 88 more advanced training in 2005, trainers asked the US Special Operations Command-Pacific to bring in Okinawa, Japan-based Special Forces instructors to provide it at the National Police Academy in Semarang.

But senior officials in Washington intervened, concerned that involving the US military in the training of a civilian police unit would provoke a reaction in the US Congress, where reviving US-Indonesia military relations after a suspension for 13 years on Washington's concern about the armed forces' human rights record was still a sensitive topic.

Still, experts say Semarang is where the training should have been conducted in the first place because of the better facilities and the presence of an Australian-run counter- terrorism intelligence school. Bogor's Megamendung site is comparatively so small that snipers can not train effectively, demolitions must be kept to a minimum and the "shoot house" was not built with internal walls to vary the type of entries, or breaches.

If they are available, stun grenades, better known as "flash- bangs", are considered an excellent tool for siege operations. But while they may be effective in incapacitating an adversary, operators still have to be adept to take full advantage of the five seconds of disorientation.

Teargas, experts say, can be equally effective, with supporting elements laying down an initial barrage of grenades as the assault force, covered in the rear by snipers, moves to the breach point of a targeted building. But gas dissipates quickly, and while it played a key role in the brilliant May 1980 Special Air Service (SAS) operation at the Iranian Embassy in London, these are different times, with better bombs and better-trained adversaries.

Again, it comes down to a question of training. Gas masks "are very restrictive and it takes an extreme amount of training to be able to engage a target while visually transitioning across your assigned sector looking for additional targets," said the trainer.

"All this while you are continuing to stay on the move and keep the flow going, searching for your next structural point of least resistance, then stacking, breaching and entering a new phase line."

Smoke grenades are considered a bad choice because they mask the adversary as well as the attacking force. "Fratricide and loss of control are huge factors," the instructor said. "I would never use this inside a building on a real operation although I have done so in training to demonstrate the dangers."

Smoke grenades only start to burn in the gloved hand five seconds after the pin is pulled, making it difficult to predict with any degree of certainty how the smoke will disseminate. "That means your element of surprise is gone, the bad guys move to another part of the building, lock it down with guns and you're toast when you enter the room," he said. "They just shoot into the smoke."

Smoke can be used outside of a building to mask the movement of friendly personnel on their approach to the breach point – providing they are trained to move as a unit under restrictive visibility and have studied the layout of the terrain. Forced entries can be an extremely dangerous commitment of forces. The entire breach element of a US Special Forces team was killed when they entered a building in Iraq that had been rigged with explosives.

Fallen militants

The initial test for Detachment 88 came in the wake of the Australian Embassy bombing when the unit's newly-graduated post- blast investigation team did a superb job in tracking the Bogor terrorist cell that had produced the truck bomb.

"It was determined by the commander at the time [Brigadier- General Bekto Suprapto] that minimal force would be used, with the shooters kept as back up," recalled the Special Forces veteran. "I disagreed with him because I thought one slip-up could be disastrous, but it was his call.

"It turned out to be a brilliant and unorthodox operation, which I attribute to his understanding of the Indonesian mind-set, resulting in the arrest of seven cell members. But I still believe one mistake would have killed five police officers, including him."

Suprapto, who had played a leading role in capturing many of those involved in the 2002 Bali bombings, tricked the terrorists into opening the door by pretending there had been an accident involving one of their friends. The raiders had to move fast, however, because the suspects all turned out to be wearing explosive vests. "It worked that time," said the trainer. "But they may have felt it wouldn't work again."

Following the Bali bombings in 2005, the Indonesians wanted to stop raising the platoon-sized crisis response teams and focus more on post-blast and explosive incident counter-measure squads. The Americans argued that they had got lucky in Bogor and that the crisis response teams were not only vital for taking down a target, but were needed throughout the country because of a lack of available aircraft.

Former deputy assistant secretary of state, Daley, said the initial plan called for a highly trained operational element, based in Jakarta, and with priority access to a pair of C-130 transport aircraft. That model was scrapped in favor of raising about a dozen crisis response teams from among former and serving members of the Police Mobile Brigade, giving them limited training and then dispersing them at strategic points across the country.

According to the Special Forces trainer, it was only after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono declared terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah and its affiliates to be criminals rather than religious activists that the police looked at killing rather than capturing them. "It was decided that if a threat or chance of a getaway existed, then it was shoot to kill," he recalled.

"Azahari [bin Husain] became the first recipient of this policy with three bullets in the chest." The Malaysian national was killed in the East Java hill town of Batu in November 2005.

Since then, at least 26 suspected militants have died in police shootouts, including 15 slain in a single pitched battle in Poso, Central Sulawesi, in January 2007, which appears to have been the result of faulty intelligence. "It was the national police who initially used the soft approach and, during my time anyway, reversed that approach and leant more towards going in in-force and pulling the trigger should it be necessary," the American trainer said.

"If you commit to entering a building with suspected jihadis in it, which may also be rigged to explode, you need to be able to discriminately pull the trigger. We are taught to look at the hands, only the hands, but one never knows does one?"

What further complicates operations such as this are the difficulties police often encounter in establishing a security perimeter, particularly in populous parts of Java. In some cases, because of narrow lanes and the proximity of other houses, the perimeter is only 10 meters off the front door of the target – a situation fraught with danger if the militants have bombs.

"Everything is time critical," said the former Australian police officer. "If you give people time, they will settle in and gain in confidence. Tactics change all the time because they are always dictated by what you see on the ground."

[John McBeth is a former correspondent with the Far Eastern Economic Review. He is currently a Jakarta-based columnist for the Straits Times of Singapore.]

West Papuan issues and the prospects for dialogue

Jakarta Post - October 25, 2009

Carmel Budiardjo, London – As Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono begins his second term as President, it is worth considering the prospects for dialogue to resolve Indonesia's most intractable conflict. West Papua has been part of Indonesia for more than four decades, and calls for dialogue with the central government have reverberated in West Papua for years.

The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL) recently said dozens of organizations were calling for talks with the central government to find a peaceful solution to many issues, including human rights problems.

Talks held by then president Habibie in 1999 broke up when the Papuan delegation raised the issue of independence. Caught unawares, Habibie closed the meeting, saying only that the matter "needed further consideration".

In 2000, after the downfall of then president Soeharto, a congress in Jayapura attended by tens of thousands adopted a program that included the demand for independence. It set up the Papuan Presidium Council and called for pelurusan sejarah, a reappraisal of the history of West Papua's incorporation into Indonesia.

Earlier this year, in an attempt to inject new life into the dialogue, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), published a Papua Road Map to consider how to take the dialogue forward. It called the talks in 1999 "a missed opportunity" that deepened the mistrust between the two sides.

The implementation of the 2001 Special Autonomy Law (Otsus) for West Papua has been woeful. While the exploitation of Papua's natural resources earned huge revenues for Jakarta, West Papuans are among the poorest in Indonesia.

Without consulting the Majelis Rakyat Papua, the Papuan People's Council, set up in compliance with Otsus, the central government split the territory into two provinces. Dozens of new districts have been created to facilitate access for people in remote areas, but they have gobbled up most of the funds allocated under the Otsus law to build new offices and pay new staff, most of whom are non-Papuan.

The Papuan people have enjoyed little improvement in health and education. LIPI concludes that education is worse today that when West Papua was still a Dutch colony. While many schools have been built, there is a serious shortage of teachers willing work in remote villages.

According to a survey in 2006, thousands of children in the Central Highlands had never been to school. Many Papuan families cannot afford to send their children to primary school. A secondary school teacher in Merauke said she could not teach children from local primary schools because so many couldn't read, write or count. In Yahukimo district, there were only 331 teachers for 15,662 children.

The state of health was just as bad: malnutrition is widespread and there is hardly any access to clean water. There are only 12 government hospitals and six private hospitals, plus a few poorly equipped health centers. Ninety percent of Papuan villages have no access to clinics and the few that are located in the interior have only a midwife and a nurse, with no doctors in sight.

Malaria, dysentery and acute respiratory disorders are widespread, not to mention HIV/AIDS, the incidence of which is worse in West Papua than anywhere in Indonesia, except Jakarta. The researchers concluded that "the government fails to recognize (the health situation) as being a threat to the existence of the Papuan people".

Papuans are unable to compete with Indonesians now doing business in West Papua. Whereas in 1959, outsiders accounted for 2 percent of the population, this rose to 35 percent in 2000, and 41 percent in 2005. By 2011, Papuans are likely to be out-numbered.

Although dialogue has been successful in Aceh, Jakarta fears that dialogue with West Papua will get bogged down over the issue of independence. The guiding principle for Indonesia is the preservation of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI), at all cost, while many Papuans see independence as their objective. If such attitudes persist, dialogue is like merebus batu (trying to cook a stone).

Papuans have experienced years of military operations and violence. While the perpetrators enjoy impunity, Papuan groups that organize demonstrations are accused of being anti-NKRI or "separatist", with dire consequences. Even flying the Papuan flag, the Kejora, risks heavy punishment.

Recognizing that dialogue is fraught with difficulties, LIPI recommends an "incremental process" which would mean abandoning the armed struggle by the Papuans and the implementation of Otsus and demilitarization by Indonesia.

The suggested agenda would include: the history and political status of Papua; justice for human rights victims; the failure of development in Papua and the marginalization of the Papuans.

Jakarta needs to have the courage to approach Papua, learning from what has been achieved in Aceh. The LIPI recommendations deserve the government's serious attention.

[The writer is the founder and co-director of TAPOL, the London- based human rights organisation set up in 1973.]

Democratic risk to Yudhoyono's consolidation

Asia Times - October 23, 2009

Sara Schonhardt, Jakarta – Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday took the presidential oath of office before Indonesia's 240 million people, marking the beginning of his second term in office and raising hopes for a sustained period of political stability in what is arguably shaping into Southeast Asia's strongest and most vibrant democracy.

Voters re-elected the reformist former general by a landslide in July's presidential elections, following on his Democrat Party's win at legislative polls in April. But in the months since human rights groups and civil society activists have expressed concerns that Yudhoyono is amassing power in ways similar to the early phases of former dictator Suharto's New Order regime, which ruled in authoritarian fashion for over three decades.

If the new parliament and its perceived low level of political maturity is a test case, then there could be reasons for concern over Yudhoyono's consolidation of power. More than 70% of the members of the lower house, or People's Representative Council (DPR), are new elects. An ambitious training agenda for the rookie representatives set out by the House Secretariat in cooperation with advisory agencies such as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has not yet taken place.

That partially has to do with new members' disapproval of the orientations' substance, which were drafted by senior parliamentary members and included topics such as table manners. Once they were inaugurated on October 1, however, the members became more concerned with committee positions and political horse-trading, according to Frank Feulner, a parliamentary advisor with the UNDP.

Yudhoyono has the support of around 60% of the electorate and having parliament on his side could lead to the passage of various laws that benefit voters. But one of the DPR's main functions is oversight of the executive and other government officials, a role it wholly failed to play during Suharto's tenure. If parliament is perceived as too weak to push back, analysts say it could lead to a reversal of recent democratic gains in a country that since the time of sultan rule has long looked to strong leaders for guidance.

Collision or collusion?

Indonesia has taken big democratic strides since Yudhoyono took office after the country's first direct presidential elections in 2004. He campaigned and won a second term this year on a platform of tackling corruption and countering terrorism in the world's largest Muslim nation.

To honor those campaign vows, Yudhoyono will have to prove his commitment to reform in the absence of pressure from a political opposition that challenged and upended several of his policy initiatives during his first term. With his ruling coalition controlling an estimated 75% of the 560-seat parliament, also known collectively as the People's Consultative Assembly, Yudhoyono is likely to face less resistance in his second term.

Five of the nine governing parties, including Yudhoyono's own Democratic Party, a host of Islamist parties and Suharto's former political machine Golkar, have in recent weeks given the government their backing. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), chaired by Yudhoyono's presidential predecessor Megawati Sukarnoputri, continues to waffle on its position, but Taufik Kiemas, head of the PDI-P's Central Advisory Board and Megawati's husband, has said the party will not work against the coalition.

Not everyone views party collusion negatively. In an article in the English-language Jakarta Post, Muhammad Izzul Muslimin, chairman of the youth wing of Indonesia's second-largest Islamic organization, Muhammadiyah, said the lack of opposition could allow the cabinet to work more smoothly by not hampering necessary new legislation aimed at improving health and education.

But overwhelming political support in parliament and a potential dearth of members of parliament (MPs) who understand their roles and responsibilities could revert parliament into a rubberstamp for legislation originating from the president's office – as it was during the Suharto era. Indonesians already view the legislative and judicial branches tasked with checking the executive as the country's most corrupt institutions, according to a June survey released by Transparency International.

In recent years DPR members began to demand better access to research and documents that would improve their performance as lawmakers. When Secretary General Nining Indra Saleh took over the House in 2007, she pushed for training focused on constituent issues and workloads rather than an "exchange of minds" between incoming and outgoing parliamentarians, many of whom were viewed as corrupt non-performers, said the UNDP's Feulner.

Some of the parties are leading their own orientations for new MPs. One week before his inaugural address, Yudhoyono required all members of his Democratic Party to undergo a three-day session to discuss party discipline and internal relationship dynamics. He also presented a code of conduct, which still needs to be approved by his new ministers, to coalition party leaders in an effort to improve legislative accountability. The Islamist National Mandate Party (PAN) currently holds weekly orientations, and the National Awakening Party (PKS) has brought in experts to present material on the rules and procedures governing MPs' daily activities as well as proper procedures for making points during bill-drafting process. But many of the smaller, less wealthy parties with first time MPs have yet to follow suit.

The parties' political orientations only provide MPs with basic knowledge and fail to relate ways to work towards more transparent and effective governance, said Tommy Legowo, a senior researcher with the non-governmental organization Forum of Citizens Concerned about the Indonesian Legislature (Formappi). "There is no clear direction on what should be done to defend the political views of the parties," he said, predicting the coming year would be hampered by political "disorientation".

The road ahead

After taking the presidential oath, Yudhoyono outlined his goals for the next five years including a promise to improve economic growth, which is expected to expand around 4% this year. He also reiterated his drive to crack down on corruption, promote tolerance and moderation in religious affairs and build up democracy through rule of law reforms aimed at building up the capacity of law enforcement institutions.

Progress in that area has arguably been slow. This month marked the deadline for the military to hand over all its business operations to the state, but according to a statement from rights advocacy Human Rights Watch, the presidential regulation that sets out the guidelines for the takeover is "token change only and doesn't meet the basic requirements of the law". Those commercial interests have complicated domestic conflicts, including in restive Papua where the military continues to come under fire for alleged rights abuses.

Despite Yudhoyono's focus on counter-corruption initiatives, a recent Reform Institute survey showed that nearly 72% of Indonesians hope his new administration will address their welfare concerns. An estimated 32.5 million Indonesians live below the poverty line and Yudhoyono's first government notably missed a target it had set to substantially reduce that stubbornly high figure.

After a closed-door meeting with Yudhoyono over the weekend, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the president spoke of the need to improve economic performance and the welfare of the people. With an ambitious blueprint already on the executive's table, those goals will likely be prioritized when the new parliament opens session through legislative initiatives aimed at boosting the economy and attracting new foreign investment.

Whether parliament properly vets or rubber-stamps those measures will represent a first democratic test of its checking and balancing role.

[Sara Schonhardt is a freelance writer based in Jakarta, Indonesia. She has lived and worked in Southeast Asia for six years and has a master's degree in international affairs from Columbia University.]

The shape of things to come in Indonesia

Asia Times - October 23, 2009

Jacqueline Hicks, Jakarta – Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's announcement late on Wednesday of his government's new cabinet was a function of a complicated political calculation. The new ministerial lineup has been met with both optimism and reservation due to its mix of respected technocrats and political appointees with little expertise over their given portfolios.

Yet the overall performance of Yudhoyono's freshly re-elected government will depend on much more than the new ministers' capabilities. As his last term demonstrated, the relationship between the government and parliament can make or break the passage of reformist legislation. Where government policy was often pigeonholed or watered down by the House of Representatives (DPR) during Yudhoyono's first five-year term, this time around it appears he has the numbers to push his agenda with more force.

Over the past five years, political parties often postured on populist issues rather than undertake the hard work of ironing out the details of complex reform legislation. Proposed new laws on the corruption court, special economic zones and judicial power were backlogged while DPR members jostled to be seen as sufficiently Islamic or economically nationalist. When the DPR's term was set to expire, dozens of bills were suddenly rushed in parliamentary sessions that failed to meet quorums.

There will likely be a chance to improve some of these laws in the next session. A coalition of anti-corruption nongovernmental organizations has already said they will in the coming weeks bring the corruption court law to judicial review. With greater parliamentary numbers, Yudhoyono's government may even bid to revisit the controversial labor law, which was blocked by the DPR in 2006 because it was considered too pro-business.

With 26% of the legislature's seats, Yudhoyono's Democrat Party controls nearly four times the number it did during his first term. If the four Islamic parties which supported the president's election campaign are added, the ruling coalition has an automatic parliamentary majority of 56%. Another boost came recently when the Golkar party, which had split from Yudhoyono to field its own presidential candidate during the elections, opted to return to the ruling fold.

With their assumed numbers, the ruling coalition accounts for a commanding 74% of parliamentary seats. Aburizal Bakrie, a Cabinet minister in Yudhoyono's first term whose family maintains sprawling business interests, won Golkar's chairmanship two weeks ago. In a conciliatory gesture, he promptly elevated Rizal Mallarangeng, a former senior strategist in Yudhoyono's election campaign, to Golkar's executive board.

The allure of power has also drawn in at least half of the country's top political couple – Taufik Kiemas and former president Megawati Sukarnoputri. Kiemas was supported by the Democrat Party to win the prestigious but largely symbolic post as speaker of the upper house (MPR). Megawati, who placed second at the July presidential poll and legally challenged the election results, is Yudhoyono's arch rival and the two are known to share strained personal relations.

Both Kiemas and Megawati's daughter, Puan, had been vocal in their support for PDI-P members to be included into Yudhoyono's cabinet, in direct contrast to Megawati's opposition. Despite reports of last-minute negotiations, Megawati stood firm and refused to sanction any such cooperation. She did, however, politically hedge by declaring her party a "critical and strategic partner of the government".

What this all spells for the PDI-P's internal politics will become clearer in the coming days, but one can guess at its impact on Megawati's familial relations. In any case, Kiemas and Puan's rapprochement with Yudhoyono means that there is likely to be much more cooperation between the two parties than in the previous five years, when they were often at loggerheads in parliament.

Rule by consensus

The government may also find it easier to push through legislation as it now has more influence within the DPR's 11 commissions, where parliamentary debates and decisions take place. In contrast to the chaotic scenes of 2004, when a method to distribute the commission leadership positions could not be agreed, a recently passed amendment to the law on the administration of parliament gave the government more control over the process.

Commission leaders can heavily influence the passage of bills through scheduling debates, deciding on the agenda and conferring with other parliamentary bodies. The commission chairmen were chosen one week before the cabinet announcement and could be just as significant to pushing reform as top ministerial postings.

The Democrat Party took the leadership of three commissions, including two key ones on law and energy. The four main Islamic parties in Yudhoyono's coalition were each allocated the chairmanship of one commission, while PDI-P and Golkar, which placed second and third respectively at this year's legislative polls, each gained two.

Golkar secured two relatively influential commissions – one on internal affairs and another on investment – after what one Golkar member called a "consolidation meeting" between the Democrat Party and new Golkar chairman Bakrie. Political horse- trading was also more than likely behind the appointment of a PDI-P member to head another high-profile commission on finance and banking.

The moderate Islamic party, the PKB, took leadership of the commission that oversees religious and social affairs. The commission was at the heart of debates on the controversial anti-pornography law which threatened to criminalize kissing in public, erotic dancing and showing certain parts of the body.

Although it was a member of Yudhoyono's own party who headed the commission that pushed for the controversial bill, the PKB's recent appointment is being viewed by some as a move to counterbalance the inclusion of Suryadharma Ali, the head of the more conservative PPP Islamic party, as minister for religion in the new cabinet.

If this all seems like a cynical power share among a small group of political elites, that's because in some ways it is. The deal-making in the division of commissions and the Democrat's overtures towards Golkar and PDI-P, even when the president already had a clear parliamentary majority, point in that direction.

That's partially because the vast majority of bills are passed through a process of negotiation and consensus rather than through a democratic vote. This means that the government must obtain as much parliamentary support as possible to assure the passage, without major amendments, of its legislative program. This style of consensus politics makes it difficult to hold parties accountable for their actions. Without a vote tally, it is often impossible to know what a party supported or blocked as many internal discussions are closed to the public.

To be sure, Yudhoyono will not have it all his way no matter how qualified his ministers or how many parties he has on his side. Past experience shows that coalitions are highly volatile and Yudhoyono's is likewise bound to face tensions and dissent. To mitigate those risks, he has introduced "political contracts" for his coalition partners to sign, but it is a symbolic gesture with no legal binding.

Yet there are already signs that the new parliamentary session could be smoother for the government. The passage by the outgoing parliament in September of the 2010 budget bill effectively dissolved potential blocks on one of the most highly politicized issues of the last session – Yudhoyono's drive to reduce market-distorting fuel price subsidies. If the global price of crude oil rises above the assumptions built into the 2010 state budget, the government has the authority to raise fuel prices by as much as 10% without seeking DPR consent.

The next five years will undoubtedly witness new kinds of parliamentary delays and blockages resulting from the seen and unseen intricate dynamics of Indonesian politics. However, the level of support for the new government, from both inside and outside the political establishment, gives it an unprecedented opportunity to build on the stability already achieved to push through important reforms.

[Dr Jacqueline Hicks is a political analyst based in Jakarta. She may be reached at hicks.jacky@gmail.com.]

Book/film reviews

Neoliberalism haunts the people

Jakarta Post - October 25, 2009

Iman D. Nugroho, Jakarta – A short afternoon trip that Dandhy Dwi Laksono took recently turned out to be the key to opening a kind of Pandora's box.

It helped him to understand issues in Indonesia in a simpler and easier way, leading to the conclusion that the time has come for us to sell Indonesia. Yes, Indonesia for Sale!

For most people, chatting with a taxi driver that takes them from one place to another is a common thing and usually nothing special. But this was not the case for Dandhy. The former TV journalist noticed a lot of things as he briefly chatted with one taxi driver on one occasion.

The conversation that took place amid traffic congestion led them to various issues in the country.

"Bang (brother), how can the price of gasoline go down? It's very unusual. Is it because the gasoline is not marketable?" asked the driver, according to the opening of Dandhy's new book Indonesia for Sale.

The book began with the disussion of the fuel price. In Indonesia or even in other countries in the world, fuel is like a button to "turn on" and "turn off" different things. When it is pushed, it has various impacts.

One thing is for sure. The fuel price has become a commodity. A commodity? How do we explain the fuel price hike as a commodity to a taxi driver?

Here lies the flair of the writer. At the same time, it shows the difference his book makes.

Dandhy, born in Lumajang, East Java, on June 26, 1976, starts his book by unveiling the global economic complexity. Dandhy also observes how crude oil is sold at international market price.

So, within the trade, there are speculations and politics. Given these conditions, the fuel price at home will always be fluctuating depending on oil prices in international market.

Through the same topic, Dandhy also explains the works of speculators engaged in futures trading, steering clear of complex description in favor of a succinct summary.

The use of fictitious figure Mr. Smith in this book simplifies all the explanations. It boils down to the point why Indonesia as an oil producer is just dictated by other countries that have no oil wells. This situation has worsened the fate of the nation. The same is true of food products.

"This situation is a clear picture of the structural entrapment that creates unending poverty (to our nation)," Dandhy notes.

Inspired by a discussion between Dandhy and editor Hadi Rahman, the book is easy to read. The book is not only for those who have the same interest to rescue the nation but also for those who wish to understand complex issues of political economics in a simple language.

Take a look at Dandhy's view of the neoliberal or neolib ideology. The word was popular during the campaign of the presidential candidates in July, particularly when Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono chose Boediono as his running mate.

As Dandhy puts it bluntly, "It (neoliberalism) is worse than the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party (PKI)." Why? What he means is with the neolib principle, even the dead will find it hard to get proper burial.

Relatives of the dead have to pay for their graves, as everything has its price in the eyes of neolib advocates. In Cikarang, West Java, some graveyards cost billions of rupiah. This commercialization, says Indonesia for Sale, holds public interests hostage.

Commercialization grows everywhere. For example, Dandhy refers to beautiful beaches that are purchased by businesspeople and developed into tourism industry. How come the beaches – which are created by God – can be divided into plots like those in Anyer, Banten and in Ancol, North Jakarta?

There should be regulations allowing only the commercialization of man-made objects instead of nature.

In the case of water, for instance, anybody can sell bottled water but nobody should be permitted to divide water springs into plots. So should be the case with radio frequencies, which should not be commercially controlled.

Sadly, Dandhy falls short of making his clear stance toward Boediono, who is now the vice president and is often associated to the neolib camp.

In the next chapter, he focused in seeking the roots of neo-lib policies by delving into economic liberalization written by Adam Smith in 1776.

Dandhy smartly describes how Adam Smith's work was so favored by his generation and even still appeals many today. Religious institutions also induced the emergence of millions of followers of Adam Smith.

"So if I said the earth is round rather than flat and was whipped by religious people because I was considered a heretic, I would surely be a supporter of Adam Smith," he writes.

But Dandhy points to the reality that this capital based economy can later be invalid, with the appearance of new forms of capital.

The use of quotes from Prophet Muhammad's teachings adds further color to his book. It is like giving a slap on the face of the capitalist (neolib), which is often seen as "normal". The capital trade as an access of capitalist growth had long been opposed by Muhammad, hundreds of years before the doctrine of Adam Smith was formulated. "The Prophet curses people who live on interest," Dandhy quotes.

Furthermore, when prices of materials are controlled by the international market, Dandhy also finds opposition in Muhammad's words.

Given all these facts, Dandhy was surprised to find that some Islamic groups have often launched raids against books on socialism and communism instead of books on capitalism. "I also wonder why some ulemas have revealed this communist-phobia while they are bewildered by capitalism or liberalism," Dandhy says.

In fact Karl Marx, the socialist guru, said religion is like opium only in the context of ethos of work, having nothing to do with theology.

Indonesia for Sale wishes to remind the public of the fact that history has recorded the New Order's welfare as an illusion. The well being became a kind of opium that numbed public awareness.

While we had enough food and were asleep, our land was pawned. While we were lulled into a false sense of bliss, our native soil once fought for by our ancestors through bloodshed, was suddenly overgrown with weeds in the form of dollars. A large billboard was put up: Indonesia for Sale.

[Indonesia for Sale Dandhy Dwi Laksono Pedati, October, 2009 Pages: XV + 311.]