Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – A House of Representatives' lawmaker has visited the family of Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid and apologized for saying that the late former president was impeached for his involvement in a series of corruption scandals.

After repeatedly claiming that he did no wrong, Democratic Party lawmaker Sutan Bhatoegana visited Sinta Nuriyah, Gus Dur's widow, at the family's residence in Ciganjur, South Jakarta, on Thursday.

"If anyone was offended, I'll immediately withdraw my words and apologize. I hope that my apology will eliminate any tensions that exist between Nahdlatul Ulama [NU] and the Democratic Party," Sutan said.

Sutan was accompanied by Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum to make amends for the brouhaha, which grew out of a discussion at the Regional Representatives Council (DPD).

While speaking at the discussion, Sutan, who sits on House Commission VII overseeing energy, said that Gus Dur was impeached in 2001 due to his involvement in the so-called Bruneigate and Buloggate corruption scandals.

Buloggate centered on the misuse of Rp 35 billion (US$3 million) from the State Logistics Agency's (Bulog) employee welfare fund that were allegedly withdrawn by a masseur and business associate of the former president.

Meanwhile, in Bruneigate, Gus Dur was accused of accepting cash from the Brunei sultanate.

In fact, Gus Dur was impeached following a contentious showdown with the nation's legislature on his competency to govern amid a tumultuous period after the fall of the New Order. The lawmaker was quickly condemned by members of NU, the nation's largest Muslim social organization, for his misstatements about Gus Dur, who was also a Muslim cleric and a previous leader of NU.

Sutan's refusal to apologize for his statements at the DPD over the next several days were met by an increasingly strident response.

NU members rallied at several local Democratic Party offices, demanding that its leaders expel Sutan from the party. The protesters also urged the lawmaker to apologize to Gus Dur, his family and to Nahdlatul Ulama.

Things grew more heated when members of NU's youth movement Gerakan Pemuda Ansor and Banser, a paramilitary wing of NU, threatened to occupy the offices of the Democratic Party's central board (DPP) in Central Jakarta on Tuesday.

Protests against Sutan were also held in Jember, East Java, where Ansor and Banser members threw rotten eggs at the Democratic Party's local office.

Gus Dur's daughter, Yenny Wahid, accepted Sutan's apology on behalf of her family and NU, calling on her father's supporters to end the animosity between them and Sutan.

"We must follow the example that Gus Dur set for us and forgive those who have pleaded guilty. There is too much conflict in this country. We must not add more. Calm down, and let's work together to build our country," Yenny said. (han/lfr)

Bakrie out of rich men's club

Jakarta Post - November 30, 2012

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – In a fall from grace, Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie has failed to appear on Forbes magazine's 2012 list of the country's 40 richest men for the first time since the magazine began producing a list for Indonesia in 2006, adding another blow to his presidential bid.

The family of Aburizal, who was named Indonesia's richest man by Forbes in 2007, has been struggling to deal with the steady decline in his fortune over the past few years, mainly due to the financial fiasco currently being faced by Asia's largest exporter of thermal coal, PT Bumi Resources.

Analysts said that PT Bumi's strategy of leveraging assets had failed to repay its loans, particularly after the share price of Bumi Plc., which the Bakrie family formed with Nathaniel Rothschild and listed in London in 2011, fell by 70 percent.

Following an intense feud with Rothschild that began last year, the Bakrie Group proposed withdrawing from Bumi by revoking their indirect stake in Bumi Plc. and retaking control over PT Bumi.

Forbes estimates that Bakrie companies have nearly US$1 billion in public assets but analysts, meanwhile, say that those same companies are more than $7.84 billion in debt.

Last year, Aburizal appeared in 30th position on the Forbes list, which was already a substantial drop from his 2010 ranking in 10th place.

In spite of his shrinking fortune, Aburizal managed in October to persuade Golkar members to officially nominate him the party's presidential candidate.

On Wednesday, a poll conducted among opinion leaders in the country by the respected Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) did not include Aburizal on its list of the 18 most popular candidates for the 2014 presidential election.

Instead, the poll placed Jusuf Kalla, Aburizal's predecessor and former vice president, in second place after Constitutional Court Chief Justice Mahfud MD.

Detracting even further from Aburizal's prospect of victory in 2014, Kalla recently announced that he may join the presidential ticket of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Aburizal's spokesman, Lalu Mara Satria Wangsa, shrugged off Aburizal's omission from both the LSI and Forbes lists. "Looking at my wealth is nobody else's business," Lalu Mara told The Jakarta Post, quoting Aburizal's own statement.

Lalu Mara said that Aburizal was still upbeat about his prospects in 2014. "His companies have nothing to do with his presidential bid," he said.

The 2012 Forbes top 40 have a combined total fortune of $88.6 billion, an increase of more than 4 percent compared with a year ago.

The Hartono brothers, Richard Budi and Michael, who together own the giant cigarette maker, Djarum, remain the country's richest men with a combined fortune of $12.8 billion.

The owner of Trans Corp. Media, Chairul Tanjung, was ranked 9th with $2 billion. The close aide of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono acquired 100 percent stakes in Carrefour Indonesia earlier this month.

The list also included four newcomers. Among them was Lim Hariyanto Wijaya Sarwono, who made his debut after listing his plantation company, Bumitama Agri, on Singapore's stock exchange. He came in at 30th position with $1.03 billion.

The other newcomers included Alexander Tedja who runs his family's Garudafood business. With $790 million, the 67-year-old businessman was ranked in 36th place.

Meanwhile, Kuncoro Wibowo, 56, who owns PT Ace Hardware Indonesia, was among the year's biggest gainers. Appearing in 32nd place, his net worth is valued at $1.06 billion. He first appeared on the list in 2011, when he was ranked 34th with $730 million.

Besides Aburizal, other coal tycoons also fell out of the ranking. Among them were Adaro Energy's Sandiaga Uno and BUMI chairman Samin Tan.

FPI's Munarman gives different account of traffic jam brawl

Jakarta Globe - November 27, 2012

Farouk Arnaz – A senior official from the hard-line Islamic group Islamic Defenders Front who became the target of an assault on Sunday afternoon said he was not the one who riled up fellow motorists stuck in a traffic jam.

Instead, Munarman, FPI's secretary general and paramilitary commander, on Monday said that a "stressed-out man" on a motorcycle had been honking at him all along Jalan Bandung in Pamulang, South Tangerang.

When they came to a halt because of heavy traffic, he said, the motorcyclist came up and smashed one of the head lamps on his car.

"When I got out to try and catch the guy, these kampung thugs suddenly appeared and acted all tough," Munarman said. "Maybe they thought that I'd hit the motorcyclist, but I didn't. They beat me up."

He said he immediately filed a report with the Pamulang sub-precinct police, but later withdrew it. "You know yourselves what a hassle it is dealing with the cops," he said. "I may have gotten hit, but I could handle it. They didn't land any knockout blows."

Pamulang Police Chief Comr. Mohamad Nasir had given media a different version of events. He said the incident began when Munarman, stuck in traffic, kept repeatedly honking his horn.

"He was upset and disappointed because he was in a rush and no one was giving way. So he kept on honking," Nasir told newsportal Detik.com.

Five men then surrounded his car and asked him why he was honking during a traffic jam. In the middle of the argument, the men smashed a window on Munarman's car and spat on him. Munarman tried to run away, but the five men chased him and beat him up, reportedly leaving him with extensive bruising.

The incident is an ironic turn for the senior FPI official, whose organization has long courted criticism over its unprovoked vigilante attacks against legitimate businesses, church congregations, minority Islamic groups and religious freedom advocates.

Munarman was previously jailed for an attack in June 2008 on members of the National Alliance for Religious Freedom, who were holding a peaceful rally at the National Monument in Jakarta to urge greater religious tolerance.

A year earlier, he was reported to the police following a traffic altercation with a Blue Bird cab during which he was said to have hit the driver and forcibly taken the car's registration paper, or STNK.

In February last year, he garnered national attention by threatening to overthrow the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono if the government made any attempt to rein in the FPI and other hard-line Islamic groups.

More recently, the FPI was involved in an unprovoked attack on an Ahmadiyah mosque in Bandung on the eve of Idul Adha last month, one of the holiest days in the Islamic calendar. Only one of the attackers has been charged in the incident.

Last week, the organization said it was recruiting volunteers to send to Gaza to wage jihad against Israel. Munarman was among the first to sign up.

Ex-cops nabbed for leasing guns to robbers

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2012

Amid their efforts to curb gun violence in the city, the Jakarta Police arrested on Monday two of its former officers for allegedly supplying weapons used in a series of robberies in Jakarta and Karawang, West Java.

Police mobile detectives chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Herry Heryawan told reporters that one of the former officers, identified by his initials WN, was an ex- adjutant of the former Jakarta Police chief, Sofjan Jacob, while the other, DE, was a former traffic police officer.

"WN allegedly rented out guns for prices ranging from Rp 500,000 [US$52] to Rp 1 million to several gangs of robbers since 2008. [One of the] guns was used in the holdup of employees from a gas station in Karawang," Herry said, adding that the robbery was the biggest case involving WN and DE.

On Nov. 17, a gang robbed two employees from the Sukasari Pamanukan gas station in Karawang. The employees were en route to a bank to transfer the station's weekly revenues of Rp 380 million when the robbers, who had studied their routine, followed them to the Karawang toll road in two minivans.

The robbers broke one of the windows on the victims' car, while another pointed the gun at the driver, forcing him to pull over. The thieves stole the money and dumped their victims near the Suryacipta industrial estate in Karawang.

Besides WN and DE, the police also arrested six men allegedly involved in that attack on Nov. 18 in Karawang. Five more suspects were still at large, Herry said.

City police detective chief Sr. Comr. Toni Harmanto said they were continuing to investigate where the robbers got their firearms. "We are coordinating with West Java Police because robberies took place in both regions," he said.

According to Herry, WN and DE were both ousted from the force for violating firearms regulations.

"WN was fired in 2000 after being involved in a fight with a civilian, which ended in the civilian suffering a gunshot wound. DE was dismissed in 2003 for being implicated in a murder case in Jakarta," Herry said.

In the past few years, the city has seen a spike in gun violence. In October, a motorcyclist was shot by an unidentified motorcyclist at the Meruya intersection in West Jakarta after the two were involved in a minor traffic accident.

A few days later, a 45-year-old woman, identified as Liong Lenny Ermawaty, was fatally shot by an unidentified motorcyclist on Jl. Cidodol Raya, South Jakarta.

Police have ruled out robbery as the motive for the killing, sparking suspicions that the woman was the target of a professional hit man, which raises more concerns over gun trading in the city. – JP/nad

Islam consistent with democracy: SBY

Jakarta Post - November 26, 2012

Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Sunday that there was no contradiction between Islam and democracy and Indonesia was a living proof that the two entities could go hand in hand.

"I reject the position that Democracy could not live alongside Islam," Yudhoyono said in his keynote speech in the fourth World Peace Forum (WPC) held at the Bogor Palace on Sunday.

Yudhoyono said that Indonesia could serve as a shining example to the world that the country with the largest Muslim population could practice democracy and continue to thrive.

Yudhoyono went further to assert that Indonesia is also an examples of how to reconcile democracy and economic growth.

"Indonesia is a democratic country with the largest Muslim population and has a stable economic performance," Yudhoyono said as quoted by Antara news wire.

Yudhoyono, however, said that there should not be one single democratic model that should serve as a blueprint for all countries in the world. He warned that democracy could not be parachuted down from above by other countries.

"We cannot implant democracy anywhere in the world and it to work immediately. There are always local values to democracy's universal values, be they religion, ethnicity or other identity," Yudhoyono said.

Din Syamsuddin, the chairman of Muhammadiyah, which organized the WPC said that Indonesia could serve as an example of a multicultural democracy. "With multi-cultural democracy, we hope that it is possible to have peaceful coexistence. This should be the terms of reference for the world in the future," Din said.

Yudhoyono and Din's statements rings hollow in the midst of religious prosecution against minority groups in the country, groups who have had to face violent attacks from the religious majority, leading many to question if democracy had in fact been hijacked by religious fundamentalists.

The United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights Navanethem Pillay previously said that the government need to annul a number of regulations that she deemed discriminatory against religious minorities – or risk the country's pluralist nature being hijacked by religious extremists.

The three-day World Peace Forum, which finished on Sunday, brought together 50 religious and political leaders, academics and journalists from 31 countries.

The event is organized in partnership with Cheng Ho Multi Culture Education Trust and Centre for Dialogue and Cooperation among Civilization (CDCC).

West Papua

Papua Police beef up security prior to OPM anniversary

Jakarta Post - November 30, 2012

Jayapura – The Papua Police have strengthened security ahead of the Free Papua movement's (OPM) anniversary, which falls on July 1 but is often celebrated on Dec. 1.

Papua Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. I Gede Sumerta said Friday that police would deploy two-thirds of the officers stationed in Papua to "anticipate the activity of pro-Papua liberation supporters".

Sumerta was quoted by Antara as saying that the Papua police had sought the help of around 100 Brimob officers. Sumerta said that the police would allow mass prayers but would not tolerate any Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flag-raising. The flag is illegal and involvement in flag-raising ceremonies is a crime.

December last year, four people were arrested in connection with a flag- raising ceremony in Timika. Other Papuans chose to gather for mass prayers in Sentani, Jayapura to observe the 50th anniversary of what they called the freedom of Papua.

Clashes occurred in other parts of the region prior to and during the celebrations. (lfr)

Criminal gang behind Papua police attacks

Jakarta Post - November 30, 2012

A criminal gang, led by a man identified only by the initials RM, is alleged to be behind several attacks on the police in the Papua central mountain range area, including the recent murder of three officers at Pirime police precinct.

"We have identified the perpetrators. RM is the leader. Based on our investigations, the gang has launched attacks in several areas in Papua," said Papua Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw on Thursday.

Waterpauw said his team managed to arrest one gang member during a shootout between the police and the gang in Pirime on Wednesday. The shootout occurred when Papua police chief Insp. Gen. Tito Karnavian visited the crime scene. Waterpauw said dozens of gunmen attacked the police entourage, but the police managed to return fire.

"The gang member was shot and he is being treated at Wamena hospital, but we have not yet been able to question him due to the severity of his wounds," said Waterpauw. "The [Pirime] attack is considered as a regular crime. It's not categorized as a separatist attack," he added.

OPM claims responsibility for fatal attack on police in Papua

Jakarta Globe - November 30, 2012

Robert Isidorus & Arientha Primanita, Jayapura – An official with the Free Papua Movement (OPM) claimed responsibility on Friday for the recent killing of three police officers in the Papua district of Lanny Jaya, refuting an earlier disavowal made by other OPM members.

"OPM did the shootings. I led the shootings," Purom Okiman Wenda, the head of the Pirime branch of OPM, told the Indonesian news portal tempo.co on Friday.

Purom said hundreds of OPM members began the attack when they saw First Brig. Jefri Rumkorem preparing to raise the red-and-white flag of Indonesia in the front yard of the Pirime Police precinct office in Lanny Jaya at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

They immediately shot and killed him, before some of those assembled proceeded to enter the police outpost, where they shot First Brig. Daniel Mukuker. He added that they then found the police chief, Second Insp. Rofli Takabesi, hiding under a bed, fatally shooting him as well.

"We're the pure OPM. We're not Goliat Tabuni who only sits idly. We will continue to move," Purom said.

Goliat, the chief of the OPM branch in Puncak Jaya, a neighboring district, on Thursday denied that his organization was responsible for the attack. "Those were not us [OPM] in Lanny Jaya," said Goliat, who was echoed by his secretary-general, Anton Tabuni.

Purom further said there were thousands of OPM members in Lanny Jaya, ready to launch more attacks.

Meanwhile, police said they had captured six men allegedly involved in the attack on the Pirime Police station.

Adj. Sr. Comr. I Gede Sumerta Jaya, a Papua Police spokesman, said five of the six suspects were arrested in Muaragame, in the subdistrict of Piramid, on Thursday, with the other detained in Pirime. The Pirime suspect was shot in the leg for wielding a machete in an attempt to resist arrest.

"During the [Tuesday] attack, they carried the Bintang Kejora [Morning Star] flag, so they can also face charges of subversion," Jaya said. According to Jaya, police are still searching for five others implicated in Tuesday's violence.

The five arrested in Muaragame were captured at a house believed to be a local OPM coordinating post. Police said they found one West Papua banner, 989 member cards, several flags, including those of the United States, Britain and Papua New Guinea, cell phones, a laptop and various books on the OPM and war strategies, as well as a diary.

The attackers, who police say numbered about 50, also took three firearms from the police post.

In Jakarta, State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Lt. Gen. Marciano Norman said the attack was part of the OPM's efforts to demonstrate its existence ahead of the group's Dec. 1 anniversary. Police said they were beefing up security in Papua and West Papua ahead of anniversary commemorations. (Suara Pembaruan, JG & BeritaSatu)

Security personnel, armed group involved in shootout in Papua

Jakarta Post - November 29, 2012

Jakarta – Police and military personnel engaged in a gunfight on Wednesday with an unidentified armed group in Indawa village, Lany Jaya, Papua, while en route to Pirime to investigate a recent attack against a police post.

No casualties were reported following the incident. National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said on Thursday that the shootout lasted two hours and ended when the armed group fled to nearby mountains.

Boy said the incident began when a group of 90 security officers, led by Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Tito Karnavian, came across 50 or so people who were allegedly carrying firearms. When the officers attempted to approach them, they started firing their guns at the officers, he added.

Boy said that when the armed engagement ended, the security forces continued their journey to Tiom district. "The police decided not to chase after the attackers because it was already dark and they were not familiar with the environment," he said as quoted by kompas.com.

Dozens of armed people reportedly attacked and burned down the Pirime police station, which resulted in the deaths of three officers – including Pirime police chief Second Insp. Rofli Takubesi – and left two officers seriously injured. (cor/swd)

Police chief calls on Papuans to 'remain calm' as December 1 approaches

Tabloid JUBI - November 28, 2012

The police chief of the district of Mimika, Jeremias Runtini has called on the people to "remain calm" as 1 December approaches. He said that people should act together to safeguard security and public order and should avoid getting involved in activities that tend towards subversion such as flying the Morning Star flag.

He said that to mark its anniversary, the OPM, Organisasi Papua Merdeka, the Papuan Freedom Movement, usually flies the Morning Star flag and other people join in this as well.

"There is nothing special about 1 December," he said, adding that the police and the military will be patrolling the area, after mustering their men on Timika Indah Square, he told journalists, as 1 December approached.

He said that in anticipation of people flying the Morning Star flag, his men will be mounting patrols throughout the region of Mimika. "I very much hope that people will not get involved in activities that are in violation of the laws in force in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, especially bearing in mind that flying the Morning Star flag is regarded as an act of subversion and is therefore against the law."

Repeating his call for people to "remain calm" and avoid doing anything that is against the law, he called on people to support all the development activities that are being undertaken. "Let us join together and get involved in these development activities; I am ready to be a partner in these joint endeavours."

He told journalists that during the three days approaching 1 December, the police will be at the top level of readiness during these three days. "All of us must think positively and refrain from doing anything that is in violation of the law, so as not to disrupt peace and tranquillity."

[Translated by TAPOL.]

Three killed in attack on Papua police station

Agence France Presse - November 27, 2012

Separatist gunmen attacked a police station Tuesday in Indonesia's restive Papua province, killing three officers and setting the complex alight, police said.

Around 50 gunmen, said by police to be members of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM), attacked the Pirime police station in the town of Wamena, provincial police spokesman I Gde Sumarta told AFP.

"There was an attack on Tuesday on Pirime police station, which resulted in the death of three police officers," he said via text message, adding that investigations are continuing.

"A shootout broke out between police and the gunmen, who have since fled to the mountains," he said. National police spokesman Boy Rafli Amar told reporters in Jakarta the gunmen had seized weapons from the station.

"They seized three weapons – two rifles and a pistol belonging to the police chief," he said. "We know the group needed weapons to carry out attacks."

The Pirime police chief and another officer were found dead in their barracks, while a third was killed as he prepared to raise the Indonesian flag, Sumarta said. The police station was set alight and the officers' bodies were charred.

Amar said security had been strengthened at police stations and police were hunting down the perpetrators. "They have escaped to the highlands and chasing them is not easy," he said, referring to the mountainous centre of the province, a known separatist hub.

Gun attacks are not uncommon in resource-rich Papua, where poorly-armed separatist groups have for decades fought a low-level insurgency on behalf of the mostly ethnic Melanesian population.

Solidarity organisation calls on police not to violence on 1 December

Bintang Papua - November 26, 2012

Jayapura – Alius Asso, the deputy chairman of SHDRP, the Papuan Civil Society Organisation for Solidarity, Law and Human Rights, has urged the police to use persuasive methods on 1 December when demonstrations will take place to mark the anniversary of 1 December.

Asso said that on that day, there will be actions by indigenous groups in seven regions that claim to be part of the Federated Republic of West Papua in Mamta, Saireri, Bomberay, Domberay, Me Pago, Ha Amin and several other places, which will take the form of prayer meetings or flag ceremonies.

However, Asso said that it was not possible for him to tell groups not to wave the Morning Star flag "because they have every right to do so".

He said that it was up to the security force to act in a professional way during these coming events. Demonstrations on 1 December have become a regular annual feature for Papuan people to commemorate this historic day and this has been going on for many years.

"The police should act wisely and professionally. They should avoid repressive actions. If they fail to do so, there will be many victims among the Papuan people. In Sentani, it is likely that the event will take place at the grave of [the assassinated Papuan leader] Theys Eluay with prayers being said." But Asso said he was not sure what would happen in Jayapura.

The chief of police for Papua, Inspector-General Tito Karnavian has said that the army (TNI) and the police will be out guarding the areas because this is an integral part of their duties. But Asso said that they should not resort to the use of violence. "If the demonstrators only intend to say prayers, why should this be banned by the security forces?"

He went on to say that the spirit of democracy is developing and people are expressing their aspirations in peaceful ways, but if the State goes on silencing democracy, it will be responsible for closing down the space for democracy and there will be yet more injustices and human right abuses.

"Everyone agrees about the need for security and moreover there is a law in force which guarantees protection for the citizens. And this is quite clear in the first article of the 1945 constitution."

[Translated by TAPOL.]

Military ties

Senior US diplomat urges expanded military ties with Indonesia

Associated Press - November 28, 2012

Washington – A senior US official says Washington should expand its military ties with Indonesia, befitting a relationship between two robust democracies.

Top diplomat for East Asia, Kurt Campbell, said those ties have grown in recent years, but not fast enough. Campbell was speaking Tuesday at a gathering of the US-Indonesia Society in Washington.

The US severed military ties for several years after of Indonesia's bloody crackdown in East Timor in 1999. Jakarta has since sought to professionalize and modernize its military. Key US restrictions on engagement with Indonesia's feared special forces were lifted in 2010.

Human rights groups say Indonesia's military abuse continues, particularly in the restive province of west Papua. Campbell also advocated deeper ties between the two governments and praised Jakarta's leadership in regional diplomacy.

Human rights & justice

Komnas HAM seeks authority, immunity

Jakarta Post - November 30, 2012

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has formally proposed revisions to existing human rights laws, demanding that the rights body be granted stronger authority as well as immunity from legal prosecution.

According to the commission's deputy chairperson Sandrawati "Sandra" Moniaga, a strengthening of the body will allow commissioners to subpoena any witnesses to testify during any investigations into human rights abuses.

The legal immunity proposal is expected to ensure the "safety" of commissioners from any lawsuit against their statements or actions. The requests form part of a proposal to revise Law No.39/1999 on human rights.

"It's important to revise the existing law to allow us work better," Sandra told lawmakers at a hearing with the House of Representatives' legislative body (Baleg) here on Thursday.

She also emphasized the urgent need to revise Law No. 26/2000 on human rights courts in order to give a clearer time frame on the legal process of any human rights abuses.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post, Komnas HAM member Roichatul Aswidah said that at present the commission did not yet have the authority to subpoena anyone to testify in cases of rights abuses.

"The existing law stipulates that Komnas HAM can call on witnesses to give their testimony. Those who refuse to testify will be fined," she said.

According to Roichatul, the draft revision will not allow anyone to skip a summons. "The draft revision we propose will not allow this. A witness will no longer be able to avoid a subpoena because we would be able to ask the police to forcibly present them at our headquarters," Roichatul said.

Article 95 of the existing law says that Komnas HAM can ask the chief of a court to force a witness to testify. The law's explanatory section says that a witness can reject the summons and pay a fine.

In contradiction of such "weak" stipulations, Article 20 of the draft revision allows Komnas HAM, with the help of the National Police, to forcefully bring individuals to the commission to testify. The draft article would also give authority for Komnas HAM to ask respective district courts to confiscate documents from individuals as well as institutions that refused to cooperate with the commission.

In order to help the commissioners focus on their assignments, Komnas HAM proposes in Article 47 of the draft revision not to arrest or sue its members due to any of their statements or actions in public.

Responding to Komnas HAM's request, chairman of the House's Baleg, Ignatius Mulyono, said that a revision to the law on human rights was more urgent than to the law on human rights courts.

"We will prioritize [the proposed revisions to] the law on Komnas HAM [Law No.39/1999], but will hold your proposal to revise the law on crimes against humanity [Law No. 26/2000] because it's not urgent," he said.

New Komnas HAM chief to focus on 1965 purge, Lapindo

Jakarta Post - November 26, 2012

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – A plenary meeting of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has elected human rights activist Otto Nur Abdullah to serve as the body's chair for the 2012-2014 term. Sandrayati Moniaga and Muhammad Nur Khoiron will serve as his deputies.

A sociologist by training who once taught at Syiah Kuala University in Banda Aceh, Otto, who is also known as Otto Syamsuddin Ishak, has been an active campaigner for human rights during stints at several human rights watchdogs including the Aceh-based Cordova, where he was a director for 10 years, and watchdog Imparsial. Otto is well known for his activism in Papua.

Otto spoke to The Jakarta Post on Sunday about his plan to reopen a number of Komnas HAM's branch offices, particularly in conflict-prone areas such as Papua and Singkawang in West Kalimantan.

Otto expects to hand over the leadership of the commission in mid-2014 following an agreement within the commission that a commissioner would only serve for two and a half years.

"There are parts of this country that are really prone to conflicts, Papua for example. We don't know what might happen in Papua approaching December, and for this we have to be ready," Otto said, referring to West Papua Independence Day on Dec. 1.

Otto said that the reopening of the Papua office would be a priority to redouble efforts in the conflict-prone region.

Otto and 12 Komnas HAM commissioners officially began their terms last week. Under Otto's leadership, Komnas HAM will conduct follow-up investigations on a number of past human rights abuses including the 1965 "anti-communist" purge.

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has rejected the Komnas HAM findings and declined to categorize the purge as a gross violation of human rights.

Otto also said that Komnas HAM would likely start a new investigation on the Lapindo mudflow, already declared a human rights violation by the commission.

"The outcome of the last investigation is still being debated because some claim it was not done properly. We will review the request for a new investigation. We will perhaps do it if it's urgent enough," he said.

Rights activists said that they had high hopes for Komnas HAM under Otto's leadership. "He [Otto] has all the potential to serve as chairman of Komnas HAM. He is a committed human rights activist with great courage to speak for marginalized groups," said Otto's predecessor Ifdhal Kasim.

Ifdhal said that the biggest obstacle for Otto would be the weak enforcement of the country's laws. "I suggest the new leadership communicate more effectively and efficiently with government officials so they will endorse efforts to promote and protect human rights in Indonesia," he added.

Haris Azhar of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said that under Otto's leadership, Komnas HAM would have a good rapport with the public. "I think that Komnas HAM ought to have a closer relationship with the public, because it deals directly with victims of rights abuse," Haris said.

Rights group set to refile abuse report with AGO

Jakarta Globe - November 26, 2012

Rangga Prakoso – The National Commission on Human Rights will resubmit its landmark findings of past rights abuses by the state to the Attorney General's Office this week, after prosecutors earlier refused to follow up on the matter.

Nurkholis, a commissioner at the body known as Komnas HAM, said on Saturday that the dossier would be resubmitted before the end of the month, complete with all the amendments and additional documentation requested by the AGO.

"We're currently preparing [the paperwork] necessary to meet the AGO's formal requirements," he said. "We hope to be able to submit the dossier to the AGO before December."

The Komnas HAM report, completed in July after a four-year investigation, concluded that there was evidence of serious human rights violations and crimes against humanity during the state's anti-communist purge of 1965- 1966 and in a spate of extra-judicial killings of suspected criminals from 1982 to 1985.

The purge of members of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and their families and suspected sympathizers was believed to have left up to 1.5 million people dead.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono initially welcomed the release of the report and ordered the AGO to follow up with a legal probe into the findings.

However, Attorney General Basrief Arief announced in November that his office could not proceed based on the dossier submitted by Komnas HAM, saying that the evidence gathered by the rights body was "insufficient to justify an official legal investigation."

Nurkholis acknowledged that the report only identified the institutions that Komnas HAM believed should be held responsible for the atrocities, but added that the necessary proof would be included in the resubmission.

Rights activists have criticized the AGO for refusing to follow up on the findings, accusing it of shirking its duty.

Haris Azhar, coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), said last week that the AGO had no legitimate grounds to reject the report.

"Their actions are a shirking of their duty as law enforcement agency. This is simply a way of freezing any inquiry into gross rights abuses," he said. He added the AGO had been turning down similar cases for the past 10 years by citing a lack of evidence.

Haris said these other cases included the rape of ethnic Chinese women and looting of ethnic Chinese-owned businesses in May 1998, the shooting of student protesters at Jakarta's Trisakti University in the same month, and the killing of more student protesters in November 1998 and September 1999 in the Semanggi area of South Jakarta.

"This refusal [to investigate rights abuse cases] has gotten stronger and stronger, in line with the growing apathy shown by the president and the House of Representatives toward these cases," he said. "Meanwhile, the victims and their families have been left in legal limbo."

Other officials who have expressed reluctance to resolve these past cases include Djoko Suyanto, the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, and House Deputy Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso.

Filmmaker fears reprisals for expose on mass murders

Sydney Morning Herald - November 24, 2012

Michael Bachelard – A film hailed as a masterpiece for its disturbing depiction of real-life mass murderers re-enacting the killing of alleged communists in the 1960s has not been submitted for censorship approval in Indonesia for fear it will be banned.

The filmmaker, Joshua Oppenheimer, also fears returning to the country because of the passions he has stirred.

"I'm not afraid for my life, but I don't know what would happen if I'd be let in to Indonesia, or let in then not let out, or if I'd be safe," he told Fairfax Media. "I have another film to finish. It's not worth the risk of me being beaten up or languishing in detention."

Instead, the movie is being shown at underground screenings. The Act of Killing, which was secretly screened for foreign correspondents in Jakarta recently, is a documentary in which the self-confessed killers of thousands of alleged communists in 1965 and 1966 collaborate to make a dramatised movie about their crimes.

Up to 2 million people were killed in Indonesia in that period as the dictator Suharto consolidated his power. The movie within the movie celebrates sadistic violence and brutality, and includes cowboy and gangster themes alongside cross-dressing musical numbers. But it also prompts one of the most feared death squad members, Anwar Congo, now an old man, to undergo an emotion-filled reassessment of his guilt.

Oppenheimer said releasing the film widely in Indonesia might be dangerous, particularly because of its portrayal of the modern-day actions of the politically connected gang Pancasila Youth.

"If we submit the film for censorship approval in Indonesia at this stage, the risk is that they ban the film or they rip it to shreds... which becomes an excuse to not protect screenings if they are attacked by Pemuda Pancasila [Pancasila Youth]," he said.

The paramilitary group is shown in the film demanding protection money from poor stallholders, and at rallies being addressed by Indonesia's immediate past vice-president, Muhammad Yusuf Kalla, who praises its members as "free men" and encourages them to commit violence.

Pancasila Youth's leader, Yapto Soerjosoemarno, is shown as a wealthy and misogynistic he-man. He has threatened to sue Oppenheimer or the movie's producers.

The editor of a regional Indonesian newspaper was beaten up recently after his paper mentioned Pancasila Youth by name in reference to the film. Other Indonesian media play it safe and simply refer to it as the "ormas", or organisation.

Oppenheimer said he had received a tweet suggesting if he came to Indonesia the title of the film could be changed to "The Act of Being Killed". He said he was not sure whether to take the comment seriously. In the credits for the film, known in Indonesian as Jagal, "numerous Indonesian partners and collaborators" are credited simply as "Anonymous" over fears for their safety.

Producers hope to seek censorship approval in the future, but in the meantime they are holding screenings "by invitation only".

Apart from the contemporary material, the historical period depicted is still the subject of mass denial and suppression of information in Indonesia.

The mass murders by the gangs, as well as by the army and religious, youth and paramilitary groups have gone without official acknowledgement or punishment, and there has been no reconciliation process.

Indonesia's human rights commission, Komnas HAM, recently produced an exhaustive 850-page report based on hundreds of interviews, arguing that the atrocities constituted a serious violation of human rights. However, the Attorney-General, Basrief Arief, said the report lacked evidence and balance.

Oppenheimer said producers would seek censorship approval once discussion about the film in Indonesia was entrenched.

"If there are more and more screenings to the point that there starts to be a serious demand for the film with people writing about it, blogging about it, it being discussed in the press, then, if the censorship board should at some time choose to ban or overly censor it, there will be political consequences," he said. "Our vision is that some day, hopefully soon, people can watch Jagal in any cinema in Indonesia with popcorn and a can of soda."

Media & press freedom

AJI warns of violence against journalists

Jakarta Post - November 26, 2012

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar/Jakarta – The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) has attributed increasing violence against journalists to escalating political tension ahead of the 2014 general election.

AJI chairman Eko Maryadi said that given intensified political competition ahead of 2014, journalists were forced to take sides with political candidates and on the ground often had to deal with attacks launched by rival camps. It did not help that owners of some media conglomerates were politicians themselves, Eko said.

Data from AJI said that as of November 2012, 46 cases of violence against journalists had been reported. The figure from last year is 49 and 51 the year before.

"The number appears to be fluctuating. But, it shows a trend that the figure increases as the 2014 general election draws closer," Eko said over the weekend.

Eko said that in 2010 and 2011 the number of physical attacks against journalists made up less than 50 percent of the total number of assaults against members of the media. "However, until November 2012, almost all violence against journalists was physical, in some cases even leading to death," Eko said.

The latest fatal attack on a journalist happened on Saturday, with Metro Manado daily reporter Aryono Linggotu, 26. Aryono was found dead, lying next to his motorcycle with 14 stab wounds on Jl. Daan Mogot 4 in Tikala, North Sulawesi on Sunday morning.

Aryono was a crime reporter for the newspaper. Manado Police have so far arrested one suspect, identified only by his initials JFK, 17, only hours after the assault.

"We are now still looking for three other suspects. We were told by witnesses that there were four people seen at the crime scene when the attack happened," said Manado Police criminal detective unit chief Comr. Nanang Nugraha.

Nanang said that JFK had confessed to officers that he had assaulted the wrong target.

The murder of Aryono took place only days after Fakhri Rubiyanto, a journalist with Riau TV, was assaulted by four unidentified assailants. Fakhri survived the attack but had to be taken to hospital for cuts and bruises.

Last month, the public was also shocked with the brutality of several Indonesian Air Force officers who assaulted and intimidated several journalists who covered a plane crash in Pekanbaru, Riau.

An officer attacked Didik Herawanto, a Riau Pos photo journalist, and seized his camera. Other officers also reportedly assaulted five other journalists on the scene.

In March, veteran TVRI reporter Djuli Elfano was gunned down outside his house in Vila Bintaro Indah, South Tangerang, when he tried to stop two men from stealing his motorcycle.

Last week, police in Lampung arrested Rudi Husada, 23, the primary suspect in the case. Rudi's suspected accomplice, Hendra Yuda, was arrested in May.

AJI, however, said that journalists themselves shared the blame for the increasing violence. "Many journalists did not follow the code of ethics. Many also produced inaccurate reporting. Some quarters can easily hold grudges against journalists because of these infraction," Eko said.

He added that part of the problem resulted from the police's reluctance to solve cases of violence against journalists.

He was referring to some unresolved cases of violence against journalists, including one against Fuad Muhammad Syarifuddin, a journalist with Bernas daily, who was known for his strong criticism toward the corrupt practices of local officials in Bantul, Yogyakarta. He was assaulted in August 1996 and died three days after the attack. (riz)

Political parties & elections

Boediono gets a lifeline as house sours on impeachment

Jakarta Globe - November 29, 2012

Ezra Sihite – Efforts to oust Vice President Boediono have hit another snag, with only two lawmakers on a key House of Representatives committee urging the legislature to undertake a maneuver that would pave the way for an impeachment hearing.

Hendrawan Supratikno, a legislator with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), on Wednesday said that only two members of the committee monitoring the investigation into the Bank Century bailout supported the House exercising its right to express an opinion (HMP), which would enable the then-governor of Bank Indonesia to face a hearing over the bank's Rp 6.7 trillion ($700 million) bailout in 2008.

Bambang Soesatyo of the Golkar Party and Akbar Faisal of the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) backed the HMP option, "but other members of the team want to give the KPK [Corruption Eradication Commission] the chance to develop its investigation after receiving instruction from their parties," Hendrawan said.

The meeting, however, was not attended by representatives from the Democratic Party. Hendrawan said that the team will bring the decision to a plenary meeting on the Bank Century case next month.

Aside from the decision not to drop the HMP option, the team is also seeking to extend the working period of the monitoring team for the Bank Century case.

The joint secretariat of the ruling coalition parties on Tuesday night agreed that the Bank Century case will be settled through the legal process, as opposed to the political process. Therefore, the ruling coalition opted to drop the HMP option.

"The joint secretariat is pushing for the legal process of the special committee's report so that in the future it will be legally processed and not politically processed," said National Mandate Party (PAN) House chairman Tjatur Sapto Edy.

Tjatur said the HMP option was considered unstrategic because the government was coming toward the end of its term. e added that the HMP process also tended to be subjective because it would be based on results of House votes.

"It would be subjective if we used the political process because it would depend on the voting," he said.

Parties linked to Sri Mulyani, Tommy back in the race

Jakarta Globe - November 29, 2012

SP/Anastasia Winanti – Political parties tied to former Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Suharto family member Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra have been given a lifeline to stand candidates in the 2014 election despite earlier being rejected by the poll organizer.

The body overseeing the nation's election authorities on Tuesday decided that the 18 political parties that failed to pass the first part of the administrative verification process can still stand in the next round of national elections.

Jimly Asshiddiqie, the chief of the Election Organizers Ethics Council (DKPP), on Tuesday announced that the body had approved the request of the Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) and election watchdog Sigma that the General Election Commission (KPU) allow previously-rejected parties to stand for election.

Bawaslu and Sigma reported the KPU to the DKPP for ethics violations during the verification process, which is designed to ensure that parties are of a minimum size, have adequate female representation and have foundations across the country.

The KPU announced on Oct. 28 that 16 of 34 parties passed the first part of the verification process to become eligible to contest the 2014 elections.

Among those who were rejected were the National Republican Party, which was founded by Tommy, a son of former dictator Suharto, and the Independent People's Union (SRI) Party, which said it wanted to nominate Sri Mulyani, now a senior World Bank official, as its presidential candidate.

The Christian-based Prosperous Peace Party, which participated in the last two elections, has also been reinstated after failing to make the cut.

Among the alleged ethical violations raised by Bawaslu and Sigma was KPU's delay in releasing the verification results, which were scheduled for Oct. 23-25. awaslu also claimed that 12 of the 18 parties that didn't make the first cut should have passed.

Though the DKPP decided that the KPU did not behave unethically, Jimly said the 18 parties had the same constitutional rights as the parties that passed. Jimly warned the KPU to operate more professionally and transparently in future.

KPU chairman Husni Kamil Manik said he would hold an internal meeting to discuss the decision. "We have to carefully consider our response," Husni said. "We'll read it again. Who knows if what we heard and what we read is different?

"The final results of the verification process of political parties will be decided on Jan. 9-13, 2013."

The 16 parties approved by the KPU in the verification process were the nine parties that currently hold seats in the House of Representatives as well as the National Democratic Party (backed by media moguls Surya Paloh and Hary Tanoesoedibjo), the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party, the New Indonesian National Sovereignty Party, the National Union Party, the National People's Concern Party, the People's Democratic Party, and the Star Crescent Party.

Ethics council ruling makes more trouble for KPU

Jakarta Post - November 28, 2012

Jakarta – A ruling from the Election Organizers Ethics Council (DKPP) has added to the woes of the General Election Commission, which has been dogged by allegations of irregularities in recent weeks.

The council said on Tuesday that the KPU had to repeat the factual verification process for the applications of 18 political parties that it previous disqualified.

"[We] require that the KPU follow the Election Supervisory Body's [Bawaslu] recommendation to include 12 political parties in the factual verification process, and include six other political parties that were not included in the recommendation," DKPP chairman Jimly Asshidiqie said.

The council also ruled that the KPU had to execute its decision without disrupting the KPU's existing schedule.

The KPU declared in late October that 16 of 34 registered political parties had passed the administrative verification process for the 2014 elections and would proceed to the factual verification stage.

However, in early November, Bawaslu recommended that the KPU advance 12 disqualified parties to the factual verification stage, stating that the commission had not been transparent in its work.

After the KPU rejected the recommendation, Bawaslu filed a complaint with the DKPP, alleging that the KPU had violated ethics rules.

In its ruling, the DKPP said that the KPU's secretary-general was responsible for the problems. "We recommend that the KPU immediately dismiss the members of its secretariat general, because they have breached the code of ethics," Jimly said.

The KPU's secretariat general had refused to cooperate with the KPU's commissioners, adversely impacting the verification process, the DKPP said.

The DKPP's decision supports statements made by KPU officials, who also blamed the secretariat for the irregularities. KPU commissioner Ida Budhiati, for example, previously said that employees in the KPU secretariat, mostly officials seconded from the Home Ministry, declined to send workers to aid with the initial verification process on Oct. 16.

KPU officials said that it would take some time before the DKPP's decision could be implemented.

Separately, August Mellaz, a researcher with the Democratic Elections Association (Perludem) criticized the ethics body's decision as lacking teeth. "In some parts of the decision, the ruling hints that some KPU commissioners might have breached some ethics code. But they can get away, without even any warning," August said.

Former KPU commissioner I Gusti Putu Artha said that the KPU would have serious problems in repeating the factual verification process for the 18 parties. "Given the limited time and budget, the factual verification of the 18 parties will be of very poor quality," he said.

The final result of the factual verification process is expected to be announced on Jan. 8. Each party is given two months to comply with electoral requirements. Representatives of several parties said that they should be given more time to prepare.

"We demand that the KPU also give us two months for the verification, just like the 16 political parties that previously completed it," Daniel Hutapea, chairman of the Indonesian Workers and Employers Party (PPPI), said. (riz)

Golkar unfazed by Mega-Kalla potential ticket

Jakarta Post - November 28, 2012

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Golkar executives are downplaying Jusuf Kalla's announcement that he is considering running for vice president under Megawati Soekarnoputri in 2014, saying that the party had rallied around its candidate, Aburizal "Ical" Bakrie.

Setya Novanto, the leader of Golkar Party lawmakers in the House, said that Kalla's move would only cause minor ripples within the party, as all its members, including Kalla, do not want to risk the party's future.

"We appreciate Pak JK and his intentions. He is a Golkar party icon. I believe that as a former chairman, he [Kalla] will do his best to save the party. We trust him on this," Setya told reporters.

Setya declined to elaborate on what Golkar would do if Kalla jumped on the bandwagon of Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), saying that he remained confident in Ical's prospects in 2014.

"We have often faced difficult and countless obstacles, but we have survived each and every one of them," Setya said.

Setya apparently disagreed with other senior Golkar senior politicians, such as Fadel Muhammad and Agung Laksono, who previously said that Kalla's willingness to run on a ticket below Megawati might split Golkar, as Kalla still retained a vast influence over the party's rank and file.

He warned all Golkar members to toe the party line and to stop making statements that could expose its internal rifts.

Kalla's potential defection is not the first threat to Ical's nomination as the party's presidential candidate for 2014. Former Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung, for example, has been one of the few Golkar politicians who have expressed reservations about Ical.

Prior to Aburizal's official nomination in October, Akbar called on the party's leaders to reevaluate their decision. However, Akbar's campaign failed to gain traction and he lost the vote to Ical.

Echoing Setya's comments, Golkar executive Ade Komaruddin said that Kalla running on a ticket under Megawati was, at best, hypothetical and should not merit serious attention.

"We will still respect him if it's true. He has the right to do it. However, I want to make sure that all members of the Golkar will do the best to save the party," Ade told reporters.

Both Setya and Ade declined to discuss the possibility of party members shifting their support to Kalla, saying that all party members would abide by the party rules and regulations.

Golkar has a long history of forging new alliances for what critics have said was political expediency.

For example, Golkar backed away from former Indonesian Military chief Gen. (ret.) Wiranto, whom the party endorsed to run in the 2004 presidential election, and diverted its support to Kalla months after he was elected vice president under Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Months after the election, Kalla, who neither asked for nor received Golkar's endorsement for his candidacy, took over Golkar's leadership from Akbar and forged an alliance to support the Yudhoyono administration.

While Golkar politicians may have underestimated Kalla's intention to run under Megawati, a source who declined to be named confirmed that Kalla was serious about his intentions to run for vice president in 2014.

The source said that four business tycoons had informally endorsed a potential Megawati-Kalla ticket. According to the source, the tycoons agreed to financially support a Megawati-Kalla campaign in return for Kalla's effort to cultivate relations with Golkar after the election.

Mega-Kalla may be end for Bakrie

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2012

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – Jusuf Kalla's announcement that he may run on a presidential ticket under Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri in 2014 may sound the death knell for the shaky candidacy of Golkar Party chairman Aburizal "Ical" Bakrie.

Top politicians from the Golkar Party, the nation's second largest political party, have expressed concerns on Kalla's intentions, saying the former vice president's move might fracture the party's support for Ical's presidential bid.

"If Kalla really runs as a vice presidential candidate under Megawati, Golkar will be split. That would be regrettable. Poor Golkar, if that happens," Golkar deputy chairman Fadel Muhammad told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Another senior Golkar politician, Agung Laksono, said that Kalla remained popular within Golkar and could use his influence to sway votes within the party.

"We must be honest in saying that Kalla, as a former party chairman, still has significant support among Golkar's members. So the chances are [that Kalla's announcement] will definitely affect Ical's nomination," said Agung, who is also the coordinating people's welfare minister, said.

Kalla, who is currently chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), said on Sunday that he "wouldn't mind" running under Megawati, who herself was president from 2001 to 2004.

Kalla said that he would not ask Golkar for permission or an endorsement for his bid, adding that he "would not be representing the Golkar Party" in 2014. Kalla also confirmed that he had been in informal talks with the PDI-P about running on the ticket with Megawati.

The announcement ends speculation that Kalla was the PDI-P's first choice as a possible running mate for Megawati's third bid for reelection. Analysts have said that a Megawati-Kalla ticket would have a significant chance of winning in 2014, despite their age. Kalla will be 72 in 2014, while Megawati will be 67.

Kalla's intention to run on the lower half of the ticket with Megawati was another blow to Golkar's presidential aspirations under Ical, after media mogul Surya Paloh, a former Golkar chief patron, abandoned the party to form the National Democratic Party (NasDem), which is itself considered a dark horse in the 2014 legislative elections.

Ical's spokesman, Lalu Mara Satria Wangsa, shrugged off speculation about a Megawati-Kalla ticket. "Why should I comment on something that has yet to be confirmed? It's like predicting a soccer match that has yet to be scheduled," Mara, who is also Golkar's deputy-secretary-general, told the Post.

Meanwhile, PDI-P executives have welcomed Kalla's intention to run with Megawati. "We take the suggestion as input because we have our own political calculations. As for now, we are still focusing on the legislative elections. The decision on whom we will endorse for the 2014 presidential election is in the hands of our chairperson," Puan Maharani, Megawati's daughter and the head of the PDI-P's faction in the House of Representatives, said.

Separately, political analyst M. Qodari from IndoBarometer described a potential Megawati-Kalla campaign as the ticket to beat in 2014.

"We don't have any official tickets yet, but our survey said that Megawati was stronger than Ical as a presidential candidate. Kalla was also more popular as a vice presidential candidate than Mahfud MD," Qodari said, referring to the outgoing chief justice of the Constitutional Court.

In 2004, Kalla, then as now a top member of Golkar, neither asked for nor received the endorsement of Golkar when he ran for vice president under Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. At that time, Golkar endorsed former Indonesian Military chief Gen. (ret.) Wiranto.

Only months after he was elected vice president, Kalla took over Golkar's leadership from Akbar Tandjung and forged an alliance to support the Yudhoyono administration.

Kalla ready to dump Golkar and be VP candidate for Megawati

Jakarta Post - November 26, 2012

Rabby Pramudatama, Jakarta – Former vice president Jusuf Kalla said he is ready to join the ticket of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI-P) Megawati Soekarnoputri as a vice presidential candidate for the 2014 election.

Kalla said he "wouldn't mind" being paired with Megawati and that he would not represent Golkar Party in the bid.

"If I am not representing Golkar Party, then I have no objection to the proposal. Everything is possible in politics," Kalla told reporters during a visit to Multimedia Nusantara University in Serpong, Banten.

Kalla said that he had had informal talks with the PDI-P but refused to confirm if the party had officially asked him to join the ticket. "That's not a pressing matter," Kalla said.

Kalla, who is a former chairman and still member of the Golkar Party, said that the leadership of Golkar could do little about his presidential ambition. He said that with or without Golkar's backing he would run in 2014 presidential election.

Golkar has officially nominated its chairman Aburizal Bakrie for the presidential election in spite of concerns about his electability. Aburizal's low popularity has led some to speculate that other politicians in the party have started working to undo his candidacy. Some of the party's top officials reportedly backed Kalla as the party's candidate.

More than three years after he left office, Kalla remains a popular politician. The latest opinion poll released last week by the Political Weather Station (PWS), showed that Kalla's favorability rating hovers at 22 percent, above Megawati with 20 percent.

Golkar secretary-general Idrus Marham said the party was unperturbed by Kalla's intention to join the PDI-P ticket. Idrus said that Kalla was only exercising his political right to be nominated for public office.

"The problem with his ambition is that Golkar Party has its own mechanism to select the candidate, and we have already selected him," he told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.

Idrus also said that he was convinced that Kalla would not run in the 2014 presidential election. "I believe that Pak Kalla is a national figure, who does not look for power and position. He has already run for president why does he want to run for the second time?" he said.

Paramadina University political analyst Yudi Latif said joining the PDI-P ticket appeared to be the only logical option for Kalla. He said that it was unlikely that Aburizal would pick him as his running mate to represent Golkar.

"If Kalla is paired with Ical [Aburizal Bakrie] then it would be odd, because neither of them is Javanese. It makes more sense if he joins Megawati's ticket," he said.

One of the conventional wisdoms in Indonesian politics that a presidential candidate has to be Javanese, since the Javanese are the largest ethnic group in the country.

Yudi said that Kalla's alliance with Megawati would significantly boost the pair's chance of winning the election. "Megawati herself has about 14 to 15 percent of loyal voters," he added.

A recent survey conducted by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, found that Kalla was one of three most favored candidates. The others are patron of the Greater Indonesian Movement (Gerindra) Party Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto and Megawati.

Kalla, who is currently chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross, was preferred by 11 percent of respondents; behind Prabowo with 14.5 percent and Megawati, with 14.4 percent.

Attack against VP Boediono simply a bargaining chip

Jakarta Post - November 25, 2012

Jakarta – A maneuver at the House of Representatives will unlikely lead to the ouster of Vice President Boediono but rather serve as a political bargaining chip in anticipation of a possible Cabinet reshuffle, observers have said.

Political analyst Hanta Yuda said political parties were using the Bank Century bailout issue to get concessions in any Cabinet reshuffle. "They are targeting [to benefit from] the Cabinet reshuffle," Hanta said during a discussion in Jakarta on Saturday.

He was referring to speculation that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was considering another Cabinet reshuffle in an effort to boost his administration's performance before his tenure ends in less than two years.

Hanta emphasized the political maneuver was also being used to distract the public from several graft scandals implicating politicians and lawmakers.

"The maneuver also serves as a bargaining chip for [suppressing the] political scandals [implicating lawmakers]... We have documented the details of every case implicating nine factions in the House," he added.

Meanwhile, law practitioner Alexander Lay said lawmakers had resurrected the Bank Century bailout issue and floated the idea of impeaching Boediono through a no-confidence motion simply to lift their bargaining positions.

He said the Bank Century bailout took place in 2008, yet they were only now busily talking about it three years later.

"For three years, we've been hearing brouhaha regarding this, but they've never taken any concrete steps. We never heard about the 25 of them recommending the move to the House," Alexander said at the discussion.

Both Hanta and Alexander were commenting on several lawmakers who are proposing a no-confidence motion against Boediono, whom they said should be held accountable for the controversial Rp 6.7 trillion (US$697.19 million) bailout of Bank Century in 2008. Boediono was the Bank Indonesia governor at the time.

The no-confidence motion has been fully supported by the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), which has 17 seats in the House. Some politicians from the Golkar Party, a member of the ruling government coalition, have thrown their weight behind the idea. Meanwhile, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the United Development Party (PPP) are taking a wait-and-see stance.

However, Hanta noted the no-confidence motion was unlikely to come to pass as it required approval from a majority of the 560 lawmakers.

A no-confidence motion may also conclude the President and/or Vice President violated the Constitution. If such were the case, the House could ask the Constitutional Court to issue a ruling in favor of or against the House's motion.

Since only Hanura and some Golkar politicians support the no-confidence motion, it is unlikely the maneuver will gain traction. The proposal, Alexander said, would be rejected by a significant number of lawmakers from the Democratic Party and coalition parties.

"In a vote, the Democratic Party, the National Mandate Party [PAN] and the National Awakening Party [PKB] never walk different paths," he said, adding that the three parties represented 222 lawmakers in total.

Responding to public skepticism, Hanura lawmaker Akbar Faisal stated his party would immediately propose the idea after obtaining sufficient endorsement.

"We have garnered support from around 100 lawmakers. We are still trying to collect support from two-thirds of the lawmakers [as stipulated in the Constitution]," he said during the discussion. (yps)

Lawmakers maneuver to oust Boediono

Jakarta Post - November 24, 2012

Ridwan Max Sijabat and Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – Lawmakers are garnering support for a no-confidence motion against Vice President Boediono with the Golkar Party, the biggest faction in the House of Representatives, now lending support to the move.

They said Boediono, who was then Bank Indonesia (BI) governor, should be held accountable for the controversial Rp 6.7 trillion (US$696.8 million) bailout of Bank Century in 2008.

Golkar faction secretary Ade Komaruddin confirmed on Friday that his faction would back lawmakers in exercising their political rights.

"Our faction fully supports the no-confidence motion as a means to solve this years-long scandal. It should be resolved, albeit politically," Ade said, adding that the House's Century monitoring team would end its mandate by the end of this year.

Fellow Golkar lawmaker Bambang Soesatyo said the House members were making the move because Boediono played a decisive role in disbursing the huge fund to bail out Bank Century (now renamed Bank Mutiara).

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Abraham Samad revealed on Thursday that Boediono – who was governor of BI in 2004-2005 – had played a major role in the bank bailout and two BI officials, Siti Fadjrijah and Budi Mulia, had formally been named suspects.

During the House's initial inquiry into this bailout in 2010, former finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said she could not be solely blamed for the scandal because Bank Century was bailed out at the BI governor's approval.

The no-confidence motion requires the signatures of at least 25 lawmakers before it can formally be submitted to the House's plenary session for approval. Once it is approved, the House can call for a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly to impeach the Vice President.

So far, Golkar has been the only major faction that is at the forefront of this political maneuver.

The Democratic Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the National Awakening Party (PKB) have rejected the idea, while the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the United Development Party (PPP) are in a wait-and-see mode.

Democratic Party deputy chairman Max Sopacua regretted the political maneuver by Golkar, which is a member of the governing coalition. He also suggested political parties rely on the KPK to handle the case. "Our faction will oppose any moves to bring the scandal into politicking," he said.

Former PKS chairman Hidayat Nur Wahid said his faction would rely on the KPK in investigating the scandal "but if the KPK is not serious with its investigation, the House should go on with a no-confidence motion."

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction chairwoman Puan Maharani said her faction was of the same opinion that the KPK should investigate the scandal thoroughly and the House should not turn it into a political issue.

"The KPK should be given a chance to carry out a thorough investigation and bring all those involved in the scandal to justice," she said. The PDI-P is the third-biggest faction at the House after the Democratic Party and Golkar.

The Great Indonesian Movement Party (Gerindra) and the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), two minority factions at the House, said they had yet to decide upon their political stance.

PDI-P lawmaker Gandjar Pranowo said the KPK should investigate the alleged involvement of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the scandal, because from a public administration point of view, it seemed unlikely that the President did not know about the bailout.

"If the KPK finds the President knew about the decision, then he is lying to the public because he has testified that he himself knew nothing about the bailout process," he said.

Presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said on Friday that Yudhoyono was aware of the recent political move by lawmakers to begin collecting support to initiate the impeachment of Boediono. Julian refused to comment when asked if the President had issued a directive to respond to the politicians' move.

Surveys & opinion polls

Indonesia democracy stagnant due to political, economic monopolies

Jakarta Post - November 30, 2012

Jakarta – The progress of democracy in the country remains stagnant as some groups and individuals remain in control of the economy and politics, a survey has shown.

In the survey conducted by University of Indonesia's Center for Political Studies (Puskapol UI) and the Institute for Studies on Human Rights and Democracy (Demos) to measure the so-called index of democracy, Indonesian democracy scored 5.3 from a total score of 10, a slight increase from last year's 4.99.

The survey, which was fielded between April to November this year, asked 54 opinion leaders including experts, activists and policy makers to answer a set of quantitative and qualitative assessments on the quality democracy in the country.

The survey found that the respondents gave the highest score to political liberalization, but were only slightly impressed with the economy's progress and civil society.

Executive director of Demos Inggrid Silitonga said that in politics, liberalization had expanded, which provided more people with greater access to political involvement. "Democracy, however, is on the retreat in the economy and civil society," Inggrid said.

The respondents generally thought that democracy in the economy was still an issue, giving an average score of 4.21. The majority of the respondents believed that the country's economy was still controlled by certain groups and individuals.

"The respondents, be they pro-government, moderate or opposition acknowledged that monopoly, disproportion among the country's regions, income disparity and discrimination in the job market is a problem," said Irwansyah, a researcher of Puskapol.

The only force that could break the monopoly was labor unions, the respondents said, arguing that unions had been effective in promoting better income distribution.

The survey also found that democracy in civil society scored low at 5.43. The respondents were concerned that average citizens would have unequal access to information and culture.

The promising sign in civil society is the growing number of NGOs, that play significant roles in nurturing democracy. Some of the respondents, however, were concerned with NGOs failing to promote good governance principles. Politics received a high score in the survey with 6.16.

One indication of greater political freedom is that citizens are now free to set up groups and organizations.

"However, the study also registers a significant level of abuse of power by the government, meaning that people can speak their minds more freely, but there's still a threat against free speech," Irwansyah said.

The quality of democracy is also improving with greater participation in elections. But, there are blind spots where informal groups could exert their influences to voters.

"People can vote without fear during elections, but the ones who play a dominant role are informal groups, such as religious groups, businessmen and the military. They push their own agendas to influence political parties that hold significant power," Irwansyah said. The survey also found that the executive branch of the government was more trustworthy than the legislative bodies.

"The public's trust toward the government stands at 5.39, while the public's trust toward the House of Representatives is at 4.78," he said.

Kalla, Mahfud top LSI survey for 2014

Jakarta Post - November 29, 2012

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Former vice president Jusuf Kalla and outgoing Constitutional Court chief justice Mahfud MD are the most popular candidates for the 2014 presidential election, a top polling body says.

In its latest opinion poll, the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) said that 79 percent of a total 223 respondents said that Kalla was the most capable presidential candidate, citing his reputation for risk-taking and firm and decisive leadership.

Mahfud was second in the survey, garnering a favorable impression of his leadership ability from 74 percent of respondents.

On popularity, Mahfud scored better than Kalla, with 79 percent of the respondents reporting that they had a positive image of Mahfud, who was just ahead of Kalla, who was liked by 77 percent respondents.

Both politicians were deemed honest and trustworthy by respondents, who comprised top journalists, political analysts, NGO leaders, university lecturers with doctoral degrees and religious leaders.

Also high on the list of potential contenders in 2014, according to the survey, were Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo, his predecessor Sri Mulayani Indrawati and State-Owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan.

However, the survey, conducted across the nation between January and May, said that only a few political party leaders could be considered serious presidential contenders.

The party figures that fared best in the survey were Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairperson and former president Megawati Soekarnoputri and her daughter Puan Maharani, who leads the PDI-P lawmakers in the House of Representatives. At the bottom of the list were Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) chief patron Lt. Gen. (ret.) Prabowo Subianto, and People's Conscience Party (Hanura) chairman Gen. (ret.) Wiranto.

Prabowo and Wiranto fared poorly due to allegations of human rights violations that have continued to dog the former generals, while First Lady Ani Yudhoyono's prospects suffered from the corruption allegations that have implicated a host of the Democratic Party's lawmakers and officials, according to the LSI.

"The opinion leaders [interviewed for the survey] have comprehensive knowledge about each candidate. They know their achievements. We must begin to promote these people in order to see changes here," LSI executive director Kuskridho Ambardi said.

Separately, Kalla said that his good showing indicated that the nation urgently needed a different breed of leader. "The future of a nation depends on its leaders. No matter how good the system is, it will not work unless the leader does something with it," Kalla said.

Kalla also said that rampant corruption, poor law enforcement and inconsistent policies were the result of poor leadership styles. "It seems to me that people today are killing one another or that the destruction of public facilities in the name of the majority is legal because nobody does anything about it. Meanwhile, on the economy, I don't know why the government thinks that providing a huge amount of [fuel and energy] subsidies will help," he said.

Kalla said that he could clean up the mess, if voters chose him in 2014. "This will be hard to do, but I want to do it. I hope I can be the leader that this country needs, as the survey has revealed."

Meanwhile, Mahfud remained tight-lipped on his presidential ambitions. "I can't decide now because it will affect my present position as chief justice with the Constitutional Court, as well as at my [academic] institution. Let's wait until after my term expires in April."

Figure's overall quality (score: 0-100)

Mahfud MD - 79
Jusuf Kalla - 77
Dahlan Iskan - 76
Sri Mulyani Indrawati - 72
Hidayat Nurwahid - 71
Agus Martowardojo - 68
Megawati Soekarnoputri - 68
Djoko Suyanto - 67
Gita Wirjawan - 66
Chairul Tanjung - 66
Endriartono Sutarto - 66
Hatta Rajasa - 66
Surya Paloh - 64
Pramono Edhie Wibowo - 64
Sukarwo - 63
Prabowo Subianto - 61
Puan Maharani - 61
Ani Yudhoyono - 60

Women's rights

Local values block female participation in politics: LIPI

Jakarta Post - November 29, 2012

Jakarta – Research conducted by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) found that local values impede women's progression and participation in the country's politics.

LIPI found that cultural barriers, founded on patriarchal values adhered to by traditional ethnic communities in the country had limited women at the local political level.

"In general, [patriarchal values] are still dominant in our society. Women who are active in public life can be easily found in big cities. However, in rural areas they remain in the domestic sphere," LIPI senior researcher Syamsuddin Haris said on Wednesday.

Syamsuddin along with four senior researchers authored the survey, published in Women, Political Parties and Parliament, which was released on Wednesday

As part of the research process a team from LIPI was dispatched to four provinces to investigate female participation in local politics.

In Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, women were found to be discouraged from entering politics and becoming community leaders because of local conservative Islamic values, Sri Yanuarti, one of the researchers, said.

Aceh is one of the provinces with the lowest number of women at the local council level. In Aceh, only four out of the 69 council members are women.

As mandated by the Election Law, women must account for a minimum 30 percent of various governmental bodies and there is a penalty if this minimum requirement is not met.

Currently, 108 of 506 lawmakers at the House of Representatives are women, only 18.06 percent. The number is much lower than neighboring Timor Leste, which has 38.5 percent female representation at its parliament.

The survey found that in Papua, female councilors constantly struggle against local values, which deem women as objects for men and have no right to make their own decisions.

In Aceh and Papua, like in many other patriarchal societies, politics is deemed a man's domain and women are not allowed to enter, the study says.

In other areas, artificial barriers are created to discourage women from joining politics. n West Nusa Tenggara, the LIPI researchers found that the provincial council often held plenary sessions to decide crucial issues late at night.

"In the late hours, many female councilors have to take care of their children. Some are even prohibited to go home at this time of night because local values still see this taboo," Sri said.

One recommendation from the research was for political parties to help improve women's participation in politics. olitical parties have the obligation to provide education and training for their female members.

Responding to the research, Eva Kusuma Sundari, a lawmaker from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said political parties were to blame for the role of women in local politics.

Eva said that political parties failed to adequately prepare female members for politics. Political parties should have a strong political will and a commitment to facilitate women's entry into politics," Eva said. (riz)

Labour & migrant workers

Employers to file suit against wage increase

Jakarta Post - November 30, 2012

Linda Yulisman, Jakarta – A number of business associations from several regions are preparing to file a lawsuit against the regulation governing provincial minimum wages for 2013 at administrative courts and the Constitutional Court, the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) says.

The associations included textile and footwear business associations, along with Apindo and Indonesian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) chapters in Batam, Banten, East Kalimantan and Jakarta, Apindo chairman Sofjan Wanandi said on Thursday.

This action was being taken because local firms could not cope with next year's provincial wage increases, which could amount to more than 40 percent, he added.

At least 25 provinces recently set their respective minimum wages for next year, with Jakarta recording the highest increase of 44 percent to Rp 2.2 million (US$229.17), from Rp 1.5 million this year.

"Apindo and Kadin fully support the regional associations in making this move [appeal]," Sofjan told reporters during a press conference in Jakarta.

Besides that, Sofjan said that Apindo and Kadin would facilitate bipartite negotiations between workers unions and firms in the labor-intensive industry.

"We expect them to discuss and agree on how much the firms can afford to pay, whether it be 10 percent or 20 percent. The bipartite talks will decide this matter," he said.

Apindo and Kadin's stance came following the government's recent decision to allow a delay of the minimum wage increase for local firms in the labor-intensive industry, comprising garment, textile and footwear manufacturers, which employs around 3 million workers, and the exemption of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from the minimum wage policy. Under this new rule, firms can file for a postponement of the wage increase with their respective local administrations.

For the past several years, debates to determine annual minimum wages have always ended up being contentious battles between workers unions, employers associations and local administrations. Last year, for example, Apindo filed lawsuits at the State Administrative Court against the gubernatorial decrees on the minimum wage in Banten and West Java.

The deputy chairman of Kadin's Jakarta chapter, Sarman Simanjorang, said during the press conference that around 60 garment manufacturers in North Jakarta's bonded zones of Cilincing and Marunda had officially submitted a postponement request to Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo on Thursday.

Harijanto, the advisory board chairman of the Indonesian Footwear Association (Aprisindo), said that under the planned bipartite talks, footwear manufacturers, most of whom were export-oriented, would likely propose an increase of between 10 percent and 15 percent to their workers.

If forced to increase wages beyond that level, firms would have to relocate their manufacturing activities to other rival countries, such as India, Malaysia and Vietnam, he added.

Labor-intensive industry gets wage freeze

Jakarta Post - November 28, 2012

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – Bowing to pressure from businesspeople, the government has decided to allow labor-intensive firms including textile, garment and shoe manufacturers, to seek a delay in raising the minimum wages for their workers.

During a limited Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono asked related ministers to provide a mechanism for companies to enjoy a suspension in adopting the new minimum wages.

"If you feel burdened by the new minimum wages, you can lodge complaints with your respective provincial administrations who will audit your firms' financial performances. An audit is required as part of the process for the suspension," Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar said.

Industry Minister MS Hidayat added that the government had prioritized companies in three sectors to enjoy the leniency.

"Labor-intensive companies, which comprise textile, garment or shoe industries, are exempt from the wage increase. This means that they may propose a suspension to their respective governors," he said.

Small and medium enterprises, meanwhile, are completely excluded from the new minimum wage policies, according to Hidayat.

Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa admitted that the complicated bureaucracy, not to mention many invisible costs, should be handled to ease the burden on companies.

"The President also gave directives that we should consider some kind of non-cash incentives. Unnecessary levies, for example, must be reduced," he said. Hatta added that companies hit hard by the new minimum wages should intensify employer-worker (bipartite) talks.

"The government basically agrees that we must keep our conducive investment climate by taking care of our workers, particularly by providing decent pay. However, we must also protect the industrial sector," he said.

The minister also asked workers to recognize the significant increase in minimum wages with a commitment to not conduct further massive and violent rallies or sweepings.

As many as 25 provinces have decided on their respective minimum wages for 2013, with the highest increase of 44 percent in Jakarta.

Jakarta's newly elected Governor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo announced last week that the capital's minimum wage would be set at Rp 2.2 million (US$229.17), an increase from this year's Rp 1.5 million.

The Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) plans to challenge Jokowi's decision via the State Administrative Court and the Constitutional Court.

Apindo has also threatened that at least 10,000 workers could lose their jobs after the new minimum wage is implemented on Jan. 1, 2013.

Responding to the government's move, chairperson of the Federation of All- Indonesian Workers Union (FSPSI) Ari Sunarijati warned that it may anger workers. "The government's decision can be understood as an insult to the workers' movement," Ari said.

For the last couple of weeks, thousands of workers roamed the streets of several big cities in the country, demanding an increase in their minimum wage.

Ari said the government's latest regulation could be used by employers to avoid their obligations. "Employers could just come to the government and say that they are not ready. We never know when they are lying," she said. (riz)

Jakarta faces massive layoffs following salary hike, says Apindo

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2012

Jakarta – The Indonesian Employers' Association (Apindo) has said that at least 10,000 workers could lose their jobs when the Jakarta administration implements the new minimum wage at Rp 2.2 million (US$228) next year.

Apindo wages and social security division head Hariyadi Sukamdani said Tuesday that the 44 percent increase would hit employers hard.

"Until now, 100 garment companies plann to shut down their businesses due to the raise," he told tempo.co. He added that shoe manufacturers had also considered the same action.

Labor-intensive companies, owned by Korean and Japanese businesses, located at Kawasan Berikat Nusantara in North Jakarta have threatened about theredundancies if the new wage is implemented.

Hariyadi, who is also vice chairman of the Indonesians Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), said that the Japanese and Korean Ambassadors to Indonesia had voiced their concern over the new policy to the Apindo and Kadin. (han/lfr)

Environment & natural disasters

Walhi tells government to get tough in protecting national parks

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2012

Oyos Saroso HN, Bandar Lampung – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) has urged Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan not to hesitate in enforcing the licensing policy in national parks, saying that national parks should be conserved and not exploited for mining.

"We hope Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan will be hesitant in issuing geothermal exploration licenses in the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (TNBBS) in West Lampung to PT Chevron and for geothermal exploration in the Mount Rajabasa forest in South Lampung," said Walhi campaign manager Mukri Friatna on Monday.

The geothermal exploration tender in Suoh-Sekincau was won by PT Chevron and geothermal exploration on Mount Rajabasa will be carried out by PT Supreme Energy.

Walhi has raised doubts over the license issued for exploration in TNBBS because the area is part of a conservation area, while the Mount Rajabasa forest area can still be explored for expansion although its status remains a protected forest. It is currently being proposed as a national park by the South Lampung regency administration.

"The forestry minister has endorsed the status of Mount Rajabasa as a national park, but other parties support the planned exploration of geothermal energy there. This is ambiguous," said Mukri.

In the past few years, the Lampung provincial administration and several regency administrations in Lampung have been eager to initiate the development of geothermal energy to overcome power shortages. Geothermal energy, found in a number of areas in Lampung, would be explored and exploited to generate power for rural areas not linked to the power grid.

During a visit to Lampung recently, Zulkifli said that besides exploring geothermal energy to generate power, Mount Rajabasa was being proposed as a national park.

"In principle, geothermal exploration and exploitation must not disrupt the ecosystem on Mount Rajabasa," said Zulkifli, who is a native of South Lampung.

Earlier, PT Chevron Geothermal Suoh-Sekincau, a subsidiary of which 95 percent is not directly owned by Chevron Corporation, obtained a mining license to explore, develop and operate the Suoh-Sekincau geothermal plant in West Lampung regency.

The project will be carried out together with Indonesian consortium PT Austindo Nusantara Jaya, which owns 5 percent of PT Chevron Geothermal Suoh-Sekincau. For the project, Chevron obtained a concession area of 320 square kilometers. The mining license was signed by the West Lampung regent. The Suoh-Sekincau geothermal power plant is expected to produce 430 megawatts of power.

Health & education

New curriculum to focus on religion, civics and history

Jakarta Post - November 26, 2012

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – The Education and Culture Ministry and the House of Representatives Commission X overseeing education and youth affairs have agreed that the new curriculum for 2013 will focus more on the character building of students.

Although Commission X has yet to approve the content of a draft prepared by the ministry, chairman of the commission Agus Hermanto said the new curriculum would likely consist mostly of civic education, history and religion.

"Many have raised the issue and they have suggested that we should improve our character building, including through religious education, and the four pillars of democracy," Agus told The Jakarta Post on Monday. He was referring to Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution, the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity).

The Democratic Party politician said that Commission X had set up a working committee on the curriculum to meticulously debate the draft of the new curriculum.

Agus said the working committee had also prepared its own version of the draft and would compare it to the version of the government to come up with the best "formula needed to improve education in the country".

A member of the committee, lawmaker Reni Marlinawati Amin, said that the new curriculum would emphasize moral and religious values as part of an effort to improve students' character. "I believe that our students need to have more time studying religion or Pancasila because we have seen the decline in their morality," Reni said.

The United Development Party (PPP) politician emphasized that the main purpose of education was to inculcate values of religion into the lives of all Indonesian students so that they could grow to be adults with quality characters. "We can achieve this by endorsing the culture of praying at schools, among others," she said.

Reni has also agreed to a proposal made by Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali who wanted longer hours for students to study religion at schools. Suryadharma earlier said that his ministry would work with the Education and Culture Ministry to encourage students to use their holidays, particularly the semester break, to learn more about their faiths.

According to Suryadharma, under the planned new curriculum proposed by the government, Muslim students would be obliged to pursue religious education at Islamic boarding schools during school holidays, while non-Muslim students could participate in instructions relevant to their religions.

Education activists objected to the plan, arguing that the length of time to study religion had nothing to do with students' good behavior.

"They need living examples at home as well as at school. What our students really need are role models from whom they can learn inter-faith and inter-cultural values such as honesty, respect for others and compassion," said Itje Chodidjah, an expert on education from the Indonesian Education University and a member of the Jakarta Education Committee.

She proposed that instead of extending hours for religious classes, the ministry should provide training for teachers to practice and promote such values. Itje cited cases of teachers involved in fraud in national exams as an example of teachers' lack of moral standing that students could easily imitate.

The Education and Culture Ministry has proposed a Rp 171 billion (US$17.78 million) fund for the curriculum improvement to take effect by mid 2013.

Graft & corruption

Jakarta to pilot KPK corruption prevention project

Jakarta Globe - November 28, 2012

Ronna Nirmala – Jakarta will be the pilot site of a corruption prevention project under a new agreement between Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

"We will start from small things, mainly on public service, such as getting an identity card [KTP], a family card [KK] and permits related directly to the people," the governor, better known as Jokowi, said during a press conference on Tuesday.

It is no secret that Jakarta residents often have to pay extra fees to get a KTP or other similar documents. To avoid having to go through the normal yet difficult and lengthy process, residents often resort to using fixers to get the job done quickly.

The project, as proposed by the KPK, will promote transparency in the procurement of goods and services, as well as provide a public complaint mechanism and information access.

The government will also publicize the budgets of all institutions or agencies under the Jakarta administration at all government offices, including in urban wards to neighborhood units. Under the KPK's supervision, it will have better outcome," Jokowi said.

Adnan Pandu Praja, deputy chairman of the KPK, said he was surprised to see Jokowi push through with the corruption prevention project so early in his term as governor.

"We have agreed to create the structure and system needed to build a clean government," he said. "Hopefully, Jakarta can set the example for other provinces to follow."

Jakarta ranked poorly in KPK's integrity survey last year, scoring 5.54 in the integrity index, which meant it ranked 42nd out of the 60 local governments surveyed. The index gives a score between 0 to 10, with 10 indicating maximum integrity.

"But that was under the previous administration. Hopefully, it will get better under this new government," Adnan said.

Lawmakers accused of trying to weaken KPK

Jakarta Globe - November 28, 2012

Ezra Sihite – A House of Representatives member confirmed that some of her peers were trying to strip the Corruption Eradication Commission of its wiretapping power, and a recent meeting with the agency's former investigators were just the beginning.

"There are some who wish to strip the wiretapping rights and so forth," said Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Eva Kusuma Sundari on Tuesday. She didn't identify those lawmakers.

The anticorruption body, known as KPK, has arrested and jailed dozens of current and former lawmakers in a string of cases involving the House, which is listed by Transparency International Indonesia as one of the most corrupt institutions in the country.

While arguing that they support the anticorruption drive, several lawmakers have secretly tried to curb the KPK's wiretapping power by requiring a court order. They are also trying to strip the KPK from its prosecution power. Some lawmakers have even called for the disbanding of the organization itself.

Last week, the House Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, recalled several police investigators who had been assigned to the KPK. Lawmakers reportedly expressed interest in the KPK's wiretapping procedures during the closed-door meetings which included internal rifts between its leaders.

Emerson Yuntho, deputy chairman of Indonesia Corruption Watch said the move "is highly suspicious."

"There are a lot of corruption cases that are first unraveled by wiretapping, so the system works. Why change it?" he said on Tuesday. "Both of these institutions [Police and House of Representatives] are constantly targeted by the KPK."

"I don't believe their intention is to fix the KPK. Let's face it, the system inside the police is appalling so why don't the lawmakers concentrate on fixing the [police] first?"

Relations between the KPK and the police have deteriorated ever since the KPK began investigating a major corruption scandal involving the police's procurement of driving simulators. The antigraft body has since named two police generals as suspects.

In what many believe to be an attempt to weaken the agency, police recalled 20 of its investigators on loan to the KPK and threatened to charge one officer with a criminal offense after he refused to comply.

Eva, however, agreed that a court order is needed to regulate the KPK's wiretapping power but argued that it should be clearly defined in its standard operating procedures instead of through amending the KPK law as some lawmakers suggest.

But ICW's Emerson argued the judiciary's commitment in fighting graft with some judges already prosecuted and jailed for accepting bribery. Requiring the KPK to secure a court order, he said, would make the information prone to leakage.

People's Conscience Party (Hanura) lawmaker Sarifuddin Suding said the House is also keen on learning KPK's procedures in naming a corruption suspect.

Two former KPK investigators recently reassigned to the National Police, Comr. Hendy F. Kurniawan and Adj. Sr. Comr. Yudiawan, were present at the closed-door hearing and divulged their criticism towards KPK chairman Abraham Samad, whom they said was not professional.

"I resigned [from the KPK] not because of the simulator [case]," Hendy said. "Abraham tried to fire me from the KPK... because of the Miranda Goeltom investigation."

Hendy said his team had not found enough evidence that the former Bank Indonesia executive bribed lawmakers in exchange for supporting her bid to secure the central bank post in 2004. "But Samad announced to the media that Miranda had been named a suspect," he said.

Lawmakers, Cabinet secretary spar over graft allegations

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2012

Margareth S. Aritonang and Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – Lawmakers had a heated hearing with Dipo Alam at the House of Representatives on Monday, contentiously questioning the Cabinet secretary over his allegations that lawmakers have engaged in a "massive theft of state funds".

Dipo told members of House Commission II overseeing home affairs that lawmakers, local legislative councillors and politicians appointed to government posts had conspired to fix many of the 1,600 proposed budgets that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had approved.

"A few of them [the corrupt] are civil servants, but most are members of political parties [with government appointments]. This morning, the KPK [Corruption Eradication Commission] also told me that 65 of those who have been implicated in corruption are affiliated with political parties," Dipo said.

"This is a serious issue. You must address this, because you must respect those who have voted for you," the Cabinet secretary added.

Several irate lawmakers then ganged up on Dipo. "Enough. We've got it. You don't have to insult us like that. The House has its own mechanism to deal with its members," lawmaker Azhar Romli from the Golkar Party said.

As Dipo began to respond, lawmaker Akbar Faisal of the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) cut him off in mid-sentence.

"We learn from the media that the three ministries that you have reported to the KPK include the Agriculture Ministry, the Defense Ministry and the Trade Ministry. Is this true? Can you identify the type of collusion that happened in the ministries?" Akbar said.

Other Commission II lawmakers then leapt into the fracas, questioning the Cabinet secretary's intentions in filing his complaint with the KPK. Some even accused Dipo of exceeding his authority by reporting his allegations to the commission.

Dipo told investigators at the KPK earlier this month that lawmakers and officials from three ministries had conspired to manipulate budget allocations. Dipo told lawmakers at the hearing that the officials and legislators whom he reported to the commission were not alone in their malfeasance, alleging that there was a large number of similar cases.

Dipo said that some of the officials and lawmakers that he reported were implicated in ongoing high-profile graft scandals, such as the one involving the construction of a sports center in Hambalang, West Java and the scandal involving the procurement of medical equipment at the Health Ministry, as well as previously unrevealed scandals surrounding the procurement of weapons by the Defense Ministry.

"They are only a few incidents of the massive and blatant collusion involving state officials and lawmakers. I am only doing what I'm obliged to do in revealing corrupt practices. It's the job of the law enforcement agencies to investigate them," Dipo said.

Separately, Heru Lelono, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's special aide for information affairs, rebuked Dipo, saying that the Cabinet secretary should have not gone public with his allegations.

"The KPK can receive the reports without so much publicity. Don't trigger debate by making it public. After learning from the media about the reports, some ministers appeared uncomfortable. If they [the KPK] face problems from the reports, they can talk to the President," Heru told reporters at the State Palace.

Heru said that Dipo had decided to go alone with his accusations. "He never discussed his plans with us."

KPK yet to point finger at ex-BI deputies

Jakarta Globe - November 26, 2012

Rizky Amelia – The anticorruption agency has yet to formally name as suspects two former Bank Indonesia deputy governors who were potentially involved in the Bank Century bailout that caused Rp 6.7 trillion ($697 million) in state losses.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named Budi Mulya and Siti Fadjrijah as suspects in the case last week, but it has yet to issue an SPDP, an official letter naming suspects in a criminal case.

KPK chairman Abraham Samad claimed that the duo abused their authority by approving the short-term loan facility for Bank Century. "Their [mistake] was declaring Bank Century as a failed bank, which could have caused a systemic impact," he said last week.

KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto said on Sunday that the absence of the SPDP will not prevent the antigraft body from probing the case, which has been going on for several years.

"There's no [legal] implication because that's just part of the administrative procedure. It has nothing to do with whether a person has been declared guilty or not," Bambang said.

He added that a person is named a suspect not based on an SPDP, but based on a criminal event. KPK investigators have found corruption elements in the Bank Century case.

The KPK needs two reports on the graft investigation to issue an SPDP, but the organization has yet to compile the reports, Bambang said. "I have asked the investigators but they need time because there are many criminal cases that need to be handled," he said,

At Bank Indonesia, Budi previously managed monetary and foreign exchange policy but was demoted to a post overseeing the central bank's museum and monitoring the bank's representative offices outside Jakarta.

Meanwhile, the KPK has sought a second opinion on the health of Siti, who is said to have had a stroke. "We asked the IDI [Indonesian Doctors Association] for it in October or November," said Bambang. He added that the doctors have formed a conclusion, but he was not aware of whether it had been submitted to the KPK. "It should already be available. I will check later."

The police have also named two more suspects in their investigation into the Century case, a source at the National Police's detectives' unit said.

Stevanus Faruq and Umar Muchsin are suspected of money laundering and have been detained since Wednesday. Police tracked them down through money embezzled by Century and linked to a securities firm director, Totok Kuncoro. Totok was convicted of money laundering and is serving a three- year jail sentence.

Century was created in 2004 as the result of a merger of three problematic lenders: Bank Pikko, Bank CIC and Bank Danpac. In 2008, the bank collapsed, but the government injected Rp 6.7 trillion to bail it out and bring co- owner Robert Tantular to justice for siphoning customers' money.

Cabinet secretary Dipo says collusion not only in three ministries

Jakarta Globe - November 26, 2012

Ezra Sihite – Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam said on Monday said that collusion between Indonesian ministry officials and lawmakers were not only limited to the three ministries he had recently reported to the antigraft body.

Dipo, who earlier this month reported the ministries of agriculture, defense and trade to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) following alleged reports of collusion for corruption, said similar practices also took place in the other ministries.

"Those three are enough as samples and the KPK can go after that," Dipo said after a hearing with the House of Representatives Commission II.

Dipo also said that in the case of the three ministries he has reported, his target was not the ministers but the ministries themselves so that they can clean themselves. "I am not playing around by going public with this, and my targets are not the ministers but their ministries," he said.

He added that the act of reporting suspected corruption to the KPK was based on a 2012 presidential instruction on corruption eradication, which stipulates that all government official should exert efforts to fight corruption.

Dipo issued a memo on Sept. 28 warning against budget collusion to ministers, ministry officials, regional heads and directors of state-owned enterprises ahead of the passage of the 2013 state budget by the House of Representatives.

He said he issued the notice after he received a text message from Dahlan Iskan, the minister for state enterprises, who said House members were trying to extort state-owned enterprises for kickbacks in the run-up to the budget being finalized.

Dipo said he had received several reports of the alleged activity from civil servants shortly after he banned the practice, and subsequently reported these to KPK.

Dipo's move has been met with denials and criticism from ministry officials and lawmakers, some of whom said the move highlighted growing disorder in the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Antigraft activists, on the other hand, said the illicit practice was "nothing unusual" and that it was rife throughout the government.

Freedom of religion & worship

Indigenous communities want religion scrubbed from ID cards

Jakarta Globe - November 28, 2012

Amir Tejo, Surabaya – A coalition of indigenous tribes urged the Indonesian government to omit a citizen's religion from national identification cards on Wednesday, arguing that an adherence to six officials religions fails recognize their traditional faiths.

More than 700 representatives from 300 traditional communities from across the archipelago voiced their opinion during the closing ceremony of the National Congress of Faiths To One and Only God on Wednesday. "ID cards only displays six religions, not traditional faiths," congress chairman A. Latif said.

Indonesia only recognizes six official religions: Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Catholicism and Confucianism. Some of the nation's traditional indigenous people practice forms of animism that predate the six official religions' dominance in Indonesia. But practitioners of traditional religions have to choose one of the official faiths when applying for a national ID card.

"To justly accommodate the beliefs of cultural and traditional faith communities, the religion section must be omitted," Latif said.

The congress also recommended the government institute moral education classes in the national curriculum and urged lawmakers to pass a law protecting the free practice of traditional faiths.

The Ministry of Education and Culture said it would bring the recommendations to the House of Representatives, but said it could not guarantee any action.

"The government's authority is limited because it has to coordinate with the House of Representatives, so the government will ask for support from cultural communities," said Gendro Nur Hadi, director of traditional faith development at the ministry.

Gendro told the assembled people that the government would not turn a blind eye to the nation's traditional faiths.

Rights of Shia IDP must be restored

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2012

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Responding to reports on the ill treatment of members of the Shia Muslim community in Sampang, Madura, the Indonesian Ombudsman said it would send an investigative team to the area.

Ombudsman deputy chairman Azlaini Agus said the team would look into reports of neglect on the part of the local administration as well as probe claims that the government had stopped the provision of food and water for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have been taking shelter at a local sports stadium for more than three months.

"They [the IDPs] should have not spent that long in a camp. The local administration has further violated regulations by stopping daily supplies. The government is obliged by law to provide services for the people," Azlaini told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of a hearing with House of Representatives Commission II on home affairs and regional autonomy.

Ombudsman chairman Danang Girindrawardana said that representatives of the Sampung Shiites had also filed a report about their administrative documents being destroyed when their compound was torched by members of the Sunni majority in late August.

"We suggest the Sampang administration begin to verify the refugees' identification. We will dig deeper into the matter, and will consider suggesting that the Home Ministry replace the lost documents if it's urgent," he said.

Sampang Shiite community struggles after government halts aid

Jakarta Globe - November 27, 2012

Camelia Pasandaran – East Java's beleaguered Shiite community have struggled to support themselves since the Indonesian government cut off supplies to the 60 families taking shelter at a Sampang sports center six days ago.

The Indonesian government stopped sending food and water to the displaced community six days ago, according to Amnesty International. Government officials claim they lack the funds to support the community, the NGO said.

"On 18 November, the local authorities cut off [the] water supply to the complex," Amnesty International said. "On 22 November they halted food supplies. The displaced community have been forced to use their limited funds to purchase food and water."

Some 175 members of Karang Gayam village's Shiite community were displaced from their homes after a mob of local Sunni Muslims attacked the Shia hamlet, torching homes and assaulting Shiites in a wave of violence that left two dead and a half dozen injured.

The community sought shelter at the Wijaya Kusuma Sports Center, in Sampang, where they received government aid. But six days ago that aid dried up, according to a local Shiite leader.

"After they cut off the supplies, volunteers still provided us with meals," Iklil al Milal said. "But today, I had to spend Rp 400,000 on raw food to be cooked here."

The families also have to buy water for the center's toilets and to wash clothes, Iklil said. "We have to buy water as well for the toilets and for washing," he said.

Some members of the community have resisted a government plan to relocate them to new housing, citing fears that similar sectarian tensions could arise in an unknown location. "Even in our own villages we were attacked," Iklil said. "There is no guarantee that it won't happen in a new place."

The Shiites have complained of harassment from local Sunni leaders who have forced more than 30 Shiites to convert to Sunni Islam under threat of having their homes set ablaze. Local Sunni leaders have said the Shiites are free to return to their homes if they convert to Sunni Islam.

Last week, a small group left the center to meet with members of the House of Representatives' commission on religion, social issues, natural disasters and women's empowerment. Iklil said the group asked for the commission's help, but was instead met with insults and racial slurs.

One lawmaker doubted the group's claims while another, Rukmini Buchori, of the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said the group was disliked because people from Madura were loud and ill-tempered.

"I don't understand how that man from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle who claimed he's also a Madurese could say something like that," Iklil said.

Iklil said the group wanted to return home and get on with their lives. They were not afraid of a second wave of anti-Shiite violence, he said. "The mob that attacked us, 75 percent were strangers," he said. "We don't have problem with our neighbors. They even visit us here and help us."

Iklil said he was done asking for help from Indonesian lawmakers. "We could wait until we're old and there still wouldn't be help from them," he said. "They put our lives in limbo."

Shia refugees live in uncertainty

Jakarta Post - November 26, 2012

Indra Harsaputra, Surabaya – Beleaguered minority Shia Muslim refugees from Sampang, Madura, East Java, are now facing further uncertainty as the local government stops supplies of their daily needs.

Shiite leader Iklil Al Milal said in Surabaya on Sunday that the refugees from Karang Gayam village faced difficulties in getting food and clean water over the last month as the local administration started to cease supplies of the two without reason.

Up to 274 Shia followers have been forced to take shelter at a local sports center after the majority Sunnis attacked and burned their village, homes and farm lands, killing two people on Aug. 26 – based simply on the belief that the Shia teachings were heretical.

Iklil added that many refugees are distressed as husbands and wives could not lead normal lives due to the poor conditions of the camp. "We decided to stay at the refugee camp due to the absence of security for our lives," Iklil said, adding that the refugees had been forced to use their own money to buy food and water.

The refugees face a quandary as they have run out of money but can not return to their profession as tobacco farmers. Misbahah, 36, one of the refugees, hoped the displacement case could be ended as soon as possible so that she could work again as a tobacco farmer.

"Karang Gayam is my birth place where my relative's graves are located. I don't want to be evicted from my village," said Misbahah, who left with her husband Samsuri, 36, and son Hamam Maulidi, 3.

"We used to live happily without any pressure from anybody," she said. "But the happiness is now gone. Aside from being attacked, we have also been forced to convert as our belief is said to be heretical."

The Shia Muslims met with the House of Representatives in Jakarta last week, hoping the lawmakers would help them deal with their problems. However, the lawmakers answered their requests for aid with ethnic slurs and indifference.

Coordinator of the Surabaya office of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Andy Irfan said that without a solution from the government, which was in line with their will, they would further face difficulties in ending the Shia refugee problem. The only solution offered declares that Shia followers must be relocated and moved away from Sampang, he said.

Young Muslim intellectual Ulil Abshar Abdalla said on Sunday that the problem with Ahmadiyah, Shia and the like consisted mainly of differences in interpreting religious teachings that could not be categorized as desecration. "I think what is said to be a religious desecration simply constitutes hate speech," he said.

As a member of the House of Representatives, Ulil supported a plan to revise Law No. 1/1965 on religion desecration linked to different interpretation of religions with a new law on religious desecration on hate speech.

Thousands of members of the Indonesian Ahlul Bait Association (IJABI), which represents minority Shia Muslims, observed Asyura Day peacefully in Bandung on Saturday.

IJABI executive Samsudin Baharudin said dozens of Islam Defenders Front (FPI) members arrived at the Lucky Star Convention Hall, where the Asyura commemoration took place, and demanded that the Shia community call off the meeting. IJABI members ignored the FPI members and continued with the commemoration.

Samsudin said IJABI members in Bandung were lucky to be able to celebrate Asyura without widespread rejection from the local community. According to him, IJABI members in several cities were barred from commemorating Asyura.

Muslims celebrate Asyura Day on the 10th day of the first month of the Islamic calendar to commemorate the death of Imam Hosein, Prophet Muhammad's grandson and the third imam of Shia who was killed during the battle of Kerbala.

Shiites observe Asyura Day peacefully in Bandung

Jakarta Post - November 25, 2012

Arya Dipa, Bandung – Thousands of members of the Indonesian Ahlul Bait Association (IJABI), which represents minority Shia Muslims, observed Asyura Day peacefully in Bandung, West Java, on Saturday.

IJABI executive Samsudin Baharudin said that dozens of Islam Defenders Front (FPI) members arrived at the Lucky Star Convention Hall, where the Asyura commemoration took place, and demanded that the Shia community call off the meeting.

IJABI members, however, ignored the FPI members and continued with the commemoration. "There is nothing wrong with observing Asyura. It is not against Islamic law," he said.

Samsudin said that IJABI members in Bandung were considered lucky to be able to celebrate Asyura without widespread rejection from the local community. According to Samsudin, IJABI members in several cities were barred from commemorating Asyura.

Muslims threaten churches in West Sumatra

Jakarta Post - November 24, 2012

Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, Padang/Jakarta – Although the dust from the persecution of minority Shiite Muslims in Sampang, Madura, has not settled, another religious controversy has emerged, this time in West Pasaman, West Sumatra.

A mob numbering in the hundreds and grouped under the banner of the Islamic Organizations Communication Forum (FKOI) descended on two churches on Tuesday: Stasi Mahakarya and GPSI (Gereja Pentakosta Sion Indonesia).

Those in the crowd threatened to use force to stop the congregations from building additional structures in their compounds, nailing wooden boards outside the churches.

However, the mob was not able to come too close to the houses of worship, which were guarded by nearly 200 police officers and Indonesian Military (TNI) troops.

West Pasaman Regent Baharuddin said on Friday that he would ensure the safety of all religious followers to perform divine services. "Not a single stone will be thrown at other religious followers in West Pasaman. I assure you of that," Baharuddin told The Jakarta Post by telephone on Friday.

Baharuddin's support for religious freedom was tempered by his support for the protestors, who, before visiting the churches, forced several cafes they said were selling alcoholic drinks to close.

"I thank them for helping the government to discipline the cafes. Also, the church needs to seek permits before expanding its building."

FKOI chairman Achmad Namlis said that organization's efforts were made only to remind the churches to obtain permits before launching new construction projects.

"This is not the tyranny of the majority. We'll let the Christians perform their rituals as long as they don't breach regulations," Achmad, who is the chairman of the local Muhammadiyah chapter, said.

Rev. Bernard, a pastor at one of the churches, said that two Islamic organizations had rejected the permit he applied for three years ago. "We will soon prepare the documents to get the permit," Bernard said.

Separately, in Banten province, representatives of the premodern Badui indigenous community have asked for their religious beliefs, which are not recognized as a state-approved religion, be indicated on their electronic identity cards (e-IDs).

"We request that the government make a regulation that will enable our beliefs to be stated on our e-IDs," Dainah, a Badui community leader, said in Jakarta on Friday.

Several Badui were in Jakarta at the Home Ministry's civil and citizenship administration directorate, hoping that the ministry would acknowledge their request.

However, Home Ministry spokesman Reydonnyzar Moenek said that the ministry had to adhere to the law. The Badui's beliefs, according to Reydonnyzar, cannot be considered as a state-sanctioned religion.

"The law has clearly stated that the religion column in IDs can only be filled by religions that have been recognized by the Constitution," Reydonnyzar told the Post.

Despite repeated requests, the government has declined to sanction the Badui's indigenous belief, Sunda Wiwitan, which has existed in Indonesia since before Hinduism entered the nation in around the first century AD. Their population currently numbers around 7,000.

From 1972 until 2010, the Badui had their beliefs printed on their IDs, a practice that was banned after the enactment of Law No. 23/2006 on civil administration.

The law stipulates that the religion column of ID cards of citizens whose faith has not been recognized as a religion should be left blank. (riz)

Land & agrarian conflicts

Mesuji land dispute gets more complicated

Jakarta Post - November 30, 2012

Oyos Saroso H.N, Bandar Lampung – An increasing number of illegal occupants at the Register 45 area in Mesuji regency, Lampung, is hindering work to resolve the violent agrarian conflict that claimed three lives late last year.

The area is one of several hot spots across the regency, where nine people have been killed in land disputes, since 2010.

Thousands of illegal residents of the 45,000 hectares of forest comprising Register 45 area have obtained power from state electricity company PT PLN, thus rousing envy from residents in established villages who still live without electricity and have had a protracted dispute over land ownership rights with plantation company PT Silva Inhutani Lampung.

Residents of the nearby villages have asked PLN to supply electricity to their homes for decades to no avail, Haryanto, one of the villagers, said on Thursday.

The disparity in electric power service has created bad blood between the communities. "How can we not envy them when our villages are left in the dark, while the forest encroachers can get electricity?" Haryanto said.

Many squatters entered the Register 45 area from other areas, including Banten, South Sumatra, East Java and even Bali, according to Haryanto.

Lampung Governor Sjachroedin ZP, who has previously asked the police to drive the squatters out, has admitted that his ability to resolve the problem is limited.

"Authority to settle the problem is in the hands of the central government. As a regional leader, I can only urge the illegal occupants to leave the Register 45 area as soon as possible, and say that no new squatters should enter the area," Sjachroedin said.

The Register 45 case started in 1989 with the establishment of a residential site by the Lampung provincial administration. Then, the Forestry Ministry issued a decree in 1997 granting PT Silva Inhutani the right to manage 43,100 hectares of land in the area under the timber estate concession (HTI) scheme.

The company has used its remit to develop 22,000 hectares of the concession. The remaining land was left idle until the Megou Pak, a local indigenous tribe, claimed a section of the unused area.

The tribe illegally sold the land to outsiders who thought the land's legal status was clear.

Currently, thousands of farmers occupy 12,000 hectares of PT Silva Inhutani's concession, making it hard for the company to maintain and expand its plantations.

Overwhelmed, PT Silva Inhutani asked Sjachroedin to evict the squatters from its concession. The authorities chose to use force, launching a raid on Nov. 6 last year that killed three people.

Tisnanta, a member of the fact-finding team sent to the region in the aftermath of the attack, said that negotiations to settle the agrarian conflict in Mesuji had been taken over by the Office of the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister.

"The settlement is expected to be completed next month, when all illegal occupants will be driven out of the area forcefully," Tisnanta said.

However, Tisnanta said that the target would likely not be met, given the 12 people who were killed in ethnic violence in nearby South Lampung late last month.

"I have advised the central government not to use repressive means to evict the illegal occupants in Register 45, as it will only cause many casualties. With the use of the repressive means, the number of victims is feared to be much higher than those last year because the forest encroachers have become increasingly powerful," he said.

Residents protest evictions in Cilincing

Jakarta Post - November 29, 2012

Jakarta – Hundreds of residents of Kampung Sawah in Cilincing, North Jakarta, staged a rowdy protest on Jl. Raya Cakung in Cilincing on Wednesday, amid rumors that they will be evicted by the administration.

The protest, which began at 7 a.m., was reportedly triggered by the Jakarta Public Order Agency's (Satpol PP) plan to evict 1,500 household comprising almost 7,800 people from 33 hectares in the area.

The residents, who say that they have no proof of ownership of the land that they currently occupy, claim that they have been living in Kampung Sawah since before 1970, and urged the government to cancel its eviction plan. The land was acquired by the National Land Agency in 1972, according to officials.

North Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Muhammad Iqbal said on Wednesday that the residents had burned tires and made several speeches on Jl. Raya Cakung in Cilincing. The residents think that there will be an eviction today, therefore they staged a protest on the road," Iqbal said.

According to the police, the protest caused traffic to back up during the morning rush hour, as protestors occupied the only access gate to the Cakung-Cilincing section of the inner-city toll road.

As residents set up tents on the street to protect themselves from the sun, others chanted and sang the name of Jakarta Governor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, expressing hope that the governor would hear their plea and prevent their eviction.

"Pak Jokowi, please come now," one resident was heard to have shouted during the protest. We have often asked for legal standing, but our voices have never been heard. This is the first time that we have staged a protest. They [the government] only react when there's a protest," Nurdin, a resident of Kampung Sawah, said.

Nurdin said that the idea to stage a protest came from the residents themselves and no institution or NGO had backed their move.

"Today is a work day for the courts, the City Hall and the governor's office. We can coordinate [with those institutions] and we don't have to wait too long. We've been waiting for decades. Soon after we have it [the annulment of the eviction], we will leave the roads" he said.

After seven hours occupying the streets, the residents left after receiving a guarantee that Jokowi would come to meet with their representatives to resolve the matter.

Jokowi reportedly left an ongoing meeting to decide on the fate of the mass rapid transit (MRT) project, currently in limbo, to go to Cilincing to meet with the protestors. (nad)

Governance & policy

1,000 officials sanctioned for crimes

Jakarta Post - November 30, 2012

Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi says that more than a thousand civil servants working for regional administrations have been punished or fired for criminal acts.

"My ministry has been informed that since 2010, 1,091 civil servants at regional administrations have been punished because they have been charged legally. Of them, 60 percent were allegedly involved in corruption," Gamawan said here on Wednesday.

According to the minister, the number of officials sanctioned or fired for malfeasance would most certainly rise, as many regional administrations had not yet submitted required reports to the Home Ministry. "I predict that there are about 1,500 civil servants who have been charged with corruption since 2010 nationwide," he said.

The minister declined to name the province with the most crooked officials. "I don't want to shame the governor," he said.

Indonesia ranks high in limiting government powers: Report

Jakarta Globe - November 30, 2012

Indonesia ranks first among 23 lower-middle-income countries in establishing effective limits on governmental power, a recent report has said.

"The country ranks first among lower-middle-income countries for checks on government power and open government," the World Justice Project's (WJP) Rule of Law Index for 2012 said, according to a statement obtained by the Jakarta Globe on Friday. Overall, out of a total of 97 countries assessed, Indonesia ranks 29th in establishing effective limits on government power and 35th in open government.

"Indonesians enjoy higher degrees of participation in the administration of the laws than individuals in other East Asia and Pacific region countries," the report noted. However, the report also identified endemic corruption and weaknesses in the judicial system present throughout the country.

"Corruption is pervasive, ranking last in the region and 86th globally. The courts are perceived to be independent of government control, but affected by powerful private interests and corruption," the WJP said.

The assessment also added that the civil justice system remained underdeveloped, ranking 66th overall and 10th among lower-middle income countries, because of a lack of affordable legal series, inefficient enforcement mechanisms and the lengthy duration of cases.

Police abuses and harsh conditions at correctional facilities were also singled out by the report as posing "significant problems." "Achieving the rule of law is a constant challenge and work in progress in all countries," World Justice Project founder William H. Neukom said.

He added that the index was not designed to shame or blame, but instead to provide useful reference points for countries of the same regions, with comparable legal culture and similar income levels.

Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore lead the East Asia And Pacific region in most dimensions concerning the rule of law. The World Justice Project is an independent, non-profit organization working to advance the rule of law. Its index reports are issued annually.

Parliament & legislation

Marzuki defends Berlin junket

Jakarta Post - November 30, 2012

House Speaker Marzuki Alie is criticizing the Berlin-based Indonesian Students Association (PPI), saying that the group has ridiculed the House of Representatives (DPR).

Marzuki, a senior politician with the Democratic Party, also questioned the credibility of a report issued by the students. "I must counter this to maintain the dignity of the House," Marzuki said.

In its report, the PPI criticized a trip to Berlin made by lawmakers, calling it a waste of money that was arranged without proper planning.

According to the PPI, which deployed some of its members to monitor the lawmakers' visit during their "comparative study", the lawmakers failed to collect relevant information needed to discuss the engineering bill.

Instead of visiting relevant institutions in Germany, the lawmakers went to the Deutsches Institut f|r Normung (DIN), an institution focusing on product standardization, the PPI said. "Their criticism is baseless," Marzuki said.

Poor law-making process criticized

Jakarta Post - November 28, 2012

Jakarta – Head of the State Administration Institute (LAN) Agus Dwiyanto has blamed the poor law-making process for the high number of mediocre laws, many of which need revisions to adapt with rapid social and political changes.

"Many of the existing laws are revised only within three or four years after their enactment. It creates [legal] uncertainty," he said after a meeting on state administration in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Agus didn't specifically mention the exact number of "problematic" laws. He said, however, that Law No. 32/2004 on regional administration is a revision of a similar law issued in 1999. Law No. 32/2004 is now being revised at the House of Representatives.

In his speech, Agus also criticized several laws that were brought to the Constitutional Court for a judicial review, Antara news agency reported. "Given the fact that several laws are challenged [at the Constitutional Court], surely there are problems in the law-making process," he added.

Lawmakers anger BI governor with ruckus, tardiness

Jakarta Post - November 28, 2012

Jakarta – Long known as a soft-spoken technocrat who rarely loses his cool, Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Darmin Nasution exploded in anger when dealing with legislators from House of Representatives' Commission XI overseeing finance during a meeting on Tuesday.

The meeting, which began 50 minutes late in an almost empty room, ended up indulging a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Dolfie OFP, who demanded the central bank separate the operational and policy making budgets in the presentation as promised in a previous meeting.

Speaking ferociously, Dolfie requested Harry Azhar Azis, the committee's chairman who led the meeting, not to allow Darmin to start his presentation before the central bank answered his demand.

The central bank's presentation actually included the separation and the detailed list – as requested by the House – but Dolfie claimed he was unaware of this. The ruckus continued for 20 minutes before Darmin took the microphone and decided to cease the commotion.

"Why don't you give us a chance [to explain]?" Darmin told lawmakers in a high tone. "To attend this meeting, we were forced to cancel our board of governors' meeting and move it to Friday – something out of the ordinary for us. Please respect this."

The lawmakers, taken aback by Darmin's reaction, were silenced. Some of them attempted to cool the intense atmosphere in the room by requesting, "be calm, Pak, be calm".

The central bank governor retorted. "Just ask [me] the things needed to be asked, do not just point fingers," Darmin said.

Besides the prolonged protest, the central bank governor was annoyed by the fact that the meeting had begun 50 minutes late and the room was filled with empty chairs.

When the meeting convened, only nine out of 49 registered lawmakers in Commission XI were in the room. In stark contrast, BI came to the meeting with a full team, with Darmin flanked by all four active deputy governors.

To his colleagues, the 63-year-old economist is known to be a firm individual who never gets angry.

The meeting discussed the allocation of state budget funds for BI in 2013. The central bank governor said that BI would need at least Rp 5.5 trillion to finance its operations next year, a 4.8 percent increase compared to this year's budget. When Darmin delivered his presentation, a lawmaker criticized him for "giving too many technical details".

"The next time you deliver your presentation, please do not cram so many things in like this as they confuse us. Besides, we don't understand this kind of subject – please deliver it at a level that is easier for the public to comprehend," said Sadar Subagyo, a lawmaker from the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).

Lawmakers also criticized Darmin for letting the rupiah depreciate, which they argued was a bad indicator for the nation's economy.

This is not the first time that a top government official has been at odds with Indonesian legislators, whom former president Abdurahman Wahid once referred to as "a bunch of kindergarten kids".

During his meeting with the same commission in September, Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo banged the table in frustration, accusing the lawmakers of beating around the bush during the discussion of the state budget's macroeconomic assumptions. (sat)

Judicial & legal system

Supreme Court cleans house after scandal

Jakarta Post - November 30, 2012

Rabby Pramudatama, Jakarta – Less than two weeks after the resignation of Justice Achmad Yamanie, allegedly for forging a document, the Supreme Court has begun proceedings that could end in the criminal prosecution of the disgraced judge.

In collaboration with the Judicial Commission, the Supreme Court will establish an ethics tribunal to discover whether the former justice breached any rules or regulations.

The ethics council, set up specifically to investigate Yamanie, will have seven members representing the Judicial Commission and the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court spokesman Djoko Sarwoko said on Thursday that the court had appointed three veteran justices, Paulus Effendy Lotulung, Artidjo Alkotsar and M. Saleh, to sit on the ethics tribunal.

The Judicial Commission has appointed four of its members, Imam Anshori Saleh, Suparman Marzuki, Taufiqqurahman Syahuri and Jaja Ahmad Jayus, to serve on the tribunal. The tribunal is expected to begin deliberations on Dec. 3.

Djoko said that the Supreme Court took Yamanie's case seriously. "Because we will be trying a justice, the Supreme Court should be very careful in appointing its representatives for the tribunal," Djoko said.

The Judicial Commission had earlier said that Yamanie's resignation was influenced by his alleged involvement in the forgery of a Supreme Court ruling on drug lord Hengky Gunawan.

Yamanie, along with two other judges on the panel, Imron Anwari and Nyak Pha, reduced Hengky's sentence from the death penalty to 15 years' imprisonment.

Hengky was arrested in 2006 with 11.1 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, known locally as shabu, valued at Rp 10.8 billion (US$1.13 million) and raw materials for the drug's production. He was also suspected of operating a drug laboratory in Surabaya, East Java.

However, when the Supreme Court verdict was uploaded on to the court's official website mahkamahagung.go.id, it said that the prison term was 12 years, three years less than the actual sentence.

Prior to the current scandal, Yamanie came under fire for some of his controversial rulings, such as when he annulled the 17-year sentence of drug dealer Naga Sariawan Cipto Rimba, alias Liong-Liong, in May last year. He helped annul death sentences for drug convicts on at least three occasions.

Yamanie was also among the panel of judges who sentenced spiritual guru Anand Krishna to only two-and-a-half-years' imprisonment for sexual harassment.

Spokesman for the Judicial Commission, Asep Rahmat Fajar, said that the commission had also filed a request with the National Police to launch a criminal investigation against Yamanie.

"Actually, the National Police could start their own investigation into Yamanie's case because it can be regarded as a regular crime," he said. Asep said that if the ethics tribunal found Yamanie guilty, he would be discharged from his position as a judge and would be stripped of his pension.

Asep also said that the Yamanie scandal could be used as an incentive for the Supreme Court to curb corrupt practices within the judiciary. "Yes, I think it is a good opportunity to eradicate illicit practices within the judicial system," he said.

Mahfud leaves MK with controversies

Jakarta Post - November 24, 2012

Jakarta – Constitutional Court (MK) chief justice Mahfud MD, who announced on Wednesday that he would not throw his hat in the ring for another term, seems bent on going out with a bang.

In almost five years under his leadership, the court has made some progressive decisions that have garnered both praise and resentment.

Notable lawyer and activist Todung Mulya Lubis said that the court has supported reform by issuing a ruling that strengthens the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) authority.

The court ruled in August that the antigraft body was justified in investigating the driving simulator procurement scandal at the National Police Traffic Corps. The decision came amid mounting tensions between the KPK and the National Police.

And most recently, the court declared that the existence of BPMigas was unconstitutional because it degraded state control over natural resources. The business community lambasted the ruling, saying it created legal uncertainties for the country's oil and gas sector.

"It is interesting to see that the court has started to issue populist rulings in the economic sector," Todung told The Jakarta Post on Thursday in a telephone interview.

Questions, however, linger as to whether Mahfud, who will end his tenure in April next year, has made essential decisions on human rights issues.

The court refused to review the controversial 2008 Pornography Law in March 2010. The plaintiffs – ranging from women's groups and activists to Balinese and North Sulawesi provincial administrations – deemed the law as a threat to local culture and women rights, and because it was based on Islamic values.

In the following month, the court rejected a review of a petition on the 1965 Blasphemy Law filed by groups and individuals, including former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid. The review request said that the law provided a legal basis for discriminating against religious minorities.

In spite of these controversial court rulings, Tjatur Sapto Edy, a deputy chairman of House Commission III, praised Mahfud, Indonesia's second chief justice, as a productive leader who successfully maintained "the court's reputation as a respected and trusted pillar of democracy".

However, Tjatur criticized Mahfud as an individual who could not restrain himself from criticizing other institutions, including the House of Representatives.

Mahfud reported former lawmaker Muhammad Nazaruddin – who is serving a prison sentence for the Hambalang sports complex graft case – to the KPK early last year for trying to give a gratuity to a court official.

Mahfud, who was a lawmaker from 2004 to 2008, inflicted another blow on the House by bringing up money-related political practices in the bill drafting process. The House leaders were quick to deny the claim and warned Mahfud not to make reckless statements without facts.

The warning apparently failed to dissuade the 55-year-old Maduran man from taking actions he deemed appropriate in sensitive cases.

Mahfud has actively participated in the resolution of the KPK-National Police rift. Also recently, the chief justice urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to revoke clemency for drug convict Meirika "Ola" Franola.

"It is better if he tones down his statements a little bit. Before he was elected as chief justice, he promised us that he would not speak too much, but it turns out that he speaks a lot," Tjatur told the Post.

Not everybody, however, sees his mixed track record, or his critical straightforwardness, as shortcomings.

Indonesian Sciences Institute political analyst R. Siti Zuhro said that Mahfud's distinct personality might open the door for him to run for president in 2014.

"He definitely has a big chance to be president because people are now looking for a 'crazy' leader to solve their 'crazy' problems," she said about Mahfud, who had served as defense minister during Gus Dur's administration

According to a poll conducted by the Soegeng Sarjadi Syndicate last year, Mahfud was among the favorites to run for president behind Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) chief Prabowo Subianto, a former leader of the Indonesian Military's Special Forces Command, who has been shadowed by allegations of human rights violations. (yps)

Foreign affairs & trade

Academic warns of free trade danger

Suara Pembaruan - November 24, 2012

Fuska Sani, Yogyakarta – Indonesia should rethink its involvement in a free trade pact among Southeast Asian Nations, a Yogyakarta academic has warned.

Pratikno, the rector of Gadjah Mada University, on Friday said that a looming Association of Southeast Asian Nations trade agreement would have a major impact on the flow of commodities and services into the country.

The 10-member Asean and six partners – Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea – commenced negotiations during an Asean summit in Phnom Penh earlier this week. "With that free trade zone, Indonesia will enter a danger zone. There will be a flood of foreign workers and also foreign goods," Pratikno said.

He said that partner countries had been pressuring Asean to open its doors, not only to the trade in goods but also services.

"This causes great concern for me because India is very globally competitive. The IT competition in the United States has also been pushed by India's IT development. Indonesia, on the other hand, so far is merely a market," he said. Pratikno added that the Indian labor pool is better skilled and globally competitive.

Pratikno said that the government should reconsider its involvement, and measure whether its human resources can compete in technical, communications and managerial areas if the free trade agreement materializes.

"Indonesia is experiencing very good economic growth and is currently the 25th largest economy in the world. It is expected to be one of the top 10 in 2030 but Indonesian human resources will be threatened by the flood of foreign human resources," he said.

He added that despite its rich economic assets, Indonesia was still dominated by foreign powers and enterprises, and their leadership and management were dominated by skilled foreigners.

"Long before the Asean Economic Community 2015 even starts, the ranks of executives in large corporations in Indonesia would be flooded with manpower from the Philippines and Thailand which have quite strong competitiveness," he said.

Mining & energy

Government cancels 'No-Premium Day' amid potential resistance

Jakarta Post - November 28, 2012

Amahl S. Azwar, Jakarta – Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik revoked the nation's downstream oil and gas regulator BPH Migas' plan to carry out the so-called "No-Premium Day", which had been scheduled for this Sunday.

Speaking before reporters in Jakarta on Tuesday, Jero said the program was canceled due to the potential for social unrest while, at the same time, he admitted it would have little impact on the lowering of consumption of subsidized fuels.

"After some calculations we have decided to cancel the plan as the sum of subsidized fuels that can be saved is rather small, while there [is the threat of] trouble once it is implemented," he said.

Under instructions from BPH Migas, state-owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina was scheduled to implement the so-called "National Day of Awareness of Subsidized Fuel-Consumption" on Dec. 2.

It had been planned that on that day, all of the gas stations in Java and Bali, as well as other cities including Medan, Batam, Palembang, Balikpapan and Makassar, would not sell subsidized fuels for land transportation use, such as Premium and diesel starting from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The campaign was expected to save as many as 15,000 kiloliters of subsidized fuels, worth Rp 75 billion (US$7.81 million).

The gas stations would supply non-subsidized fuels instead of the heavily subsidized Pertamax, which is sold at around Rp 10,000 per liter. At the price of Rp 4,500 per liter, subsidized fuels in Indonesia are some of the cheapest in Southeast Asia.

Jero, a senior figure in the ruling Democratic Party, who has close ties with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, said the supply of subsidized fuels this year would likely surpass the quota stipulated in the 2012 revised state budget.

"If the supply surpasses the quota then of course we have to increase it in order to ensure that citizens can buy their fuel. I am sure the lawmakers at the House of Representatives will understand," he said.

The government initially assigned funds for 40 million kiloliters of subsidized fuel this year, less than the actual 41.7 million kiloliters consumed in 2011. Fuel consumption in 2011 exceeded the quota of 40.36 million kiloliters in the year's state budget by 3 percent.

In September, House Commission VII overseeing energy approved the government's bid to increase this year's quota for subsidized fuels by around 4 million kiloliters to a total of 44.04 million kiloliters.

However, Pertamina's business and marketing director, Hanung Budya Yuktyanta, said that soaring consumption would likely surpass the revised quota by around 450,000 kiloliters for Premium and 800,000 kiloliters for diesel by the year's end.

In a bid to ensure that subsidized fuel consumption did not exceed the quotas, downstream oil and gas regulator BPH Migas had ordered Pertamina to limit its daily fuel distribution to each city, starting on Nov. 19.

However, the company decided on Monday to end the policy due to the potential for social unrest in cities such as Bengkulu, Lampung, Palangkaraya, Palembang, Pontianak and Surabaya.

"In Kutai Barat, East Kalimantan, there has been a series of social conflicts due to the scarcity of subsidized fuel. That is why we retracted the plan," said Hanung.

Earlier this year, the government proposed increasing the price of subsidized fuel to Rp 6,000 from Rp 4,500 per liter to reduce the amount the government had to spend on subsidies. But the plan was rejected by the House after a series of protests in the capital.

Separately, BPH Migas fuel distribution director Djoko Siswanto said that even though the regulator was "disappointed" with the cancelation, it would continue to call for middle- and middle to upper-class society to limit the consumption of subsidized fuels every Sunday in December to "increase their awareness".

Consumption of fuel set to beat estimates

Jakarta Post - November 27, 2012

Amahl S. Azwar, Jakarta – The consumption of subsidized fuels is expected to supersede twice this year the quotas set in the 2012 state budget after the House of Representatives approved the government's request for a revision in September following a spike in demand.

According to figures issued by state oil and gas producer PT Pertamina, the consumption of subsidized fuels as of Nov. 24 had reached 25.2 million kiloliters for Premium and 12.9 million kiloliters for diesel.

The official state budget quotas for the fuels are set at 27.8 million kiloliters and 15 million kiloliters, respectively, up by 15 percent and 8 percent prior to the revision.

Both types of transportation fuels are currently sold for Rp 4,500 (49 US cents) per liter, half the price of non-subsidized fuel and the cheapest in Southeast Asia.

"We have estimated that by the end of 2012, if there is no policy from the government to control consumption, real consumption is likely to surpass the quotas by 450,000 kiloliters for Premium and 800,000 kiloliters for diesel," Pertamina spokesman Hanung said in a press briefing.

Pertamina plans to use its backup reserves to continue distributing the subsidized fuels even after it has surpassed the quotas, which means the company would likely spend an additional Rp 6 trillion from its budget.

With its daily distribution of subsidized fuels normally reaching 80,000 kiloliters of Premium and 42,900 kiloliters of diesel per day, Pertamina expects the quotas to run out in mid-December. "In Jakarta, for example, supplies of subsidized Premium as stipulated in the quota are likely to end on Dec. 19," said Hanung.

In a bid to ensure that subsidized fuel consumption does not surpass the quotas, downstream oil and gas regulator BPH Migas has ordered Pertamina to limit its daily fuel distribution to each city, starting on Nov. 19.

However, the company decided on Monday to end the policy due to the potential for social unrest in cities such as Bengkulu, Lampung, Palangkaraya, Palembang, Pontianak and Surabaya, where consumption is expected to breach designated quotas in the near future.

"In Kutai Barat, East Kalimantan, there has been a series of social conflicts due to the scarcity of subsidized fuel. That is why we retracted the plan," said Hanung.

Despite this, Hanung confirmed that Pertamina, in accordance with BPH Migas instructions, would limit the opening hours of gas stations from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Bali, Balikpapan, Batam, Java, Makassar, Medan and Palembang on Dec. 2 to celebrate its so-called National Day of Awareness of Subsidized Fuel Consumption.

The Finance Ministry has predicted that energy subsidy realization in 2012 might exceed its original allocation by at least Rp 103 trillion to reach Rp 305 trillion.

Court's ruling on mining has 'little impact' on government authority

Jakarta Post - November 24, 2012

Amahl S. Azwar, Jakarta – The Constitutional Court's verdict on the 2009 Mining Law will not have a huge impact on the central government's authority in determining mining areas across the nation, although it did affirm the role played by regional administrations, an official said on Friday.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry's head of legal and public relations, Susyanto, told The Jakarta Post that the court's verdict, which was delivered on Thursday, would not affect the central government's authority in designating mining areas.

"While the local administrations now have authority to determine mining zones in their respective areas, the government will verify the proposed areas and final decisions will be reached after consulting with the House of Representatives," he said.

The central government, he said, would soon be publishing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for determining mining areas, following the court's decision.

Echoing Susyanto's statement, Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Rudi Rubiandini said in a text message sent to the Post that the government would still verify all proposed mining areas from the local administrations.

"Local administrations can propose designated mining areas to us according to their studies, but the government can carry out verification to ensure the suitability with the national plan for the mining sector," he said.

In its ruling, the court altered Article 6, Paragraph 1 of the Mining Law from "mining areas are determined by the central government after coordinating with local administrations", to "the central government sets the mining areas after they are determined by local administrations".

In addition, the court also revised Article 14, paragraphs 1 and 2 of the law, which instructs the government to set a mining business location (WUP) after receiving a proposal from the respective regional administration, which determines the areas to be designated WUPs.

The judicial review on the 2009 Mining Law was filed by Irsan Noor, the regent of East Kutai in East Kalimantan, one of the coal-producing provinces in Indonesia, which is the largest exporter of thermal coal and the largest producer of nickel ore in the world.

Speaking before reporters after the court announced its verdict in Jakarta on Thursday, Irsan said he appreciated the ruling, citing that "the local leaders know their people and their areas best".

Contacted separately, Indonesian Mining Association (IMA) executive director Syahrir Abubakar said the ruling would not have a significant impact on local miners as the government was currently drafting the nation's spatial planning and zoning regulations, including determining mining areas.

"The revised law still allows the government to consult with the local administrations should they doubt the planned mining areas proposed to them. I do not think there is a problem," he said.

The association maintained, however, that the government should provide direction, controls, education and training to regional leaders to ensure there were no problems at regional level in determining mining areas, he added.

Infrastructure & development

Private sector key for infrastructure development: Government

Jakarta Post - November 29, 2012

Jakarta – National Development Planning Minister Armida S. Alisjahbana, who is also the head of the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), has called for greater participation from the private sector and local governments in the development of Indonesia's infrastructure.

Armida believed that Indonesia could grow 7 percent annually if the country had at least 5 percent infrastructure-to-gross domestic product (GDP) spending, which currently stood at 4.7 percent.

"The point is, if we want our economic growth to be sustainable and to expand at a faster pace, then one of the necessary prerequisites is that we must invest more in infrastructure," she told reporters during a discussion recently.

"I am not saying that the government is responsible [for all infrastructure spending], but there must be an equal workload between the government, the private sector and state-owned enterprises."

Armida compared Indonesia's infrastructure spending to China and India, which spend around 7 percent and 9 percent of their respective GDPs on infrastructure.

Indonesia needs to assign Rp 438.1 trillion (US$45.63 billion) for infrastructure projects in the 2013 state budget. The government plans to front Rp 203.9 trillion of the total and the remainder is expected to come from local governments (Rp 96.5 trillion), state-owned enterprises (Rp 77.4 trillion) and the private sector (Rp 60.2 trillion), according to Bappenas data.

In the next five years, Indonesia needs at least $140 billion to finance infrastructure development, according to Bappenas. The government, however, can only afford to fund around 35 percent of the much needed infrastructure financing, the rest is expected to come from private investors under public private partnership (PPP) schemes.

Armida said that the private sector and state-owned enterprises had an important role to play to ensure increased interconnectivity in the country by actively participating in infrastructure projects.

If the private sector or state-owned enterprises encountered financing problems, there were "breakthrough steps" that could be taken to raise funds, such as issuing infrastructure bonds, conducting an initial public offering or borrowing from international donors, such as the World Bank or the Asian Development Bank (ADB), she suggested.

Meanwhile, Bappenas deputy head Dedy S. Priatna proposed a scheme where the government, in this case the Finance Ministry, would provide a sovereign guarantee for companies that invested in infrastructure projects to encourage more of the private sector to participate in infrastructure development.

Dedy argued that companies were reluctant to invest in these sorts of projects because they were classed as high risk and were not lucrative, as the internal rate of return (IRR) was below 10 percent. He added that the sovereign guarantee might alleviate companies' reservations.

"If an infrastructure project has an IRR of less than 10 percent, then the government can provide a sovereign guarantee for companies participating in the project," he suggested.

Also speaking at the discussion was Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) chief economist Ryan Kiryanto, who argued that banks were restricted from investing in infrastructure projects due to Bank Indonesia's maximum credit allocation regulation.

Finance & banking

New policy triggers fiercer competition in lending market

Jakarta Post - November 30, 2012

Jakarta – The issuance of new lending regulations by the central bank last week will result in fiercer competition to extend loans to local small and medium enterprises (SMEs), bankers have agreed.

"There will be more banks channeling credit to SMEs next year. From an economic perspective, more supply means more competition," Djarot Kusumayakti, BRI director's for micro, small and medium enterprises loan portfolios, said in Jakarta on Thursday.

Bank Indonesia (BI) unveiled a package of regulations last week, including a rule that obliges banks to channel at least 20 percent of their credit portfolio to the SME sector starting next year. Analysts have said that the policy would trigger more competition in SME lending, which is currently controlled by a few lenders with a wide reach.

In a report released in September, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said that Indonesia needed to "inject stronger competition" into its SME segment, which was currently "highly concentrated, with the large banks such as Bank Rakyat Indonesia, holding dominant market positions".

Bank Panin vice president director Roosniati Salihin acknowledged that the policy would generate fiercer competition, although she remained optimistic that there was still a huge and untapped market in the SME credit segment.

"For banks, the SME credit segment has great potential business. With the nation enjoying a surge in its middle class, there will be more 'bankable' citizens in the market," Roosniati said on Thursday. SME loans currently comprise 40 percent of Bank Panin's lending portfolio.

In addition, BI would also soon apply its prime lending rate policy (SBDK) to the SME credit segment, obliging banks to publish their interest rates starting in January. At the moment, the prime lending rate publishing requirement only applies to the retail, corporate and consumer credit segments.

"The purpose [of the prime lending rate] is to push down the interest rate sector in the SME sector," BI director for economic research and monetary policy Perry Warjiyo told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Djarot echoed Perry's comments, saying that the prime lending rate, coupled with the 20-percent minimum requirement for lending for SMEs, would "definitely" put downward pressure on interest rates for the segment.

"The banks that will be affected the most by this policy are those with higher interest rates," he said. BRI is the biggest player in the SME market, which accounted for 52.2 percent of the lender's total outstanding loans of Rp 318 trillion (US$33 billion) as of September.

Banks usually charge higher interest rates for loans in the SME sector due to the high risk of default as well as due to higher operating costs. Consequently, banks that focus on SMEs normally have high net interest margins (NIM), which indicates a bank's profitability. (sat)

Profits grow for Indonesian banks, consumer firms in Q3

Jakarta Globe - November 26, 2012

Tito Summa Siahaan & Francezka Nangoy – Profit for many Indonesian companies rose in the third quarter, with banks and consumer-related manufacturers leading the way, amid an increase in spending buoyed by strong economic growth.

The combined net income of 40 of the 45 companies that make up the LQ-45 index in the July-September period rose 8.5 percent from a year earlier to Rp 40.77 trillion ($4.2 billion), according to Bloomberg data.

Publicly traded firms that make up the 45-member index are among the largest by value and have total market capitalization of Rp 2,592 trillion – amounting to 67 percent of all stocks that trade on the Indonesia Stock Exchange.

Six lenders in the stock measure – Bank Mandiri, Bank Rakyat Indonesia, Bank Negara Indonesia, Bank Jawa Barat Banten, Bank Danamon and Bank Central Asia – reported combined net income of Rp 14.5 trillion, a 22 percent increase.

Lenders have grown quickly in recent years, as rising middle-income households' demand for credit climbs with borrowing costs at record lows. Corporations have also been rushing to seek loans to fund their expansion plans as the economy continues to grow above 6 percent.

Infrastructure-related companies also posted higher profit as projects for homes, roads and facilities increase. At Semen Gresik, the country's largest cement producer, net income rose 45 percent to Rp 1.3 trillion. Earnings at rival Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa climbed 35 percent to Rp 1.2 trillion.

Among food manufacturers, Unilever Indonesia, the country's largest consumer goods company, posted net income of Rp 1.3 trillion, a 38 percent increase. Earnings at Indofood Sukses Makmur, an instant-noodle maker, rose 17 percent to Rp 866 billion.

Property companies also reported strong performances. Net income at Alam Sutera Realty jumped 78 percent to Rp 225 billion, while that of Bumi Serpong Damai surged 70 percent to Rp 395 billion.

Meanwhile, profit growth at Astra International, the country's largest listed company with businesses ranging from automotive retailing to farming, was held back by its heavy equipment business. Astra's net income rose 2.9 percent to Rp 4.99 trillion. Earnings at its unit United Tractors dropped 24 percent to Rp 1.38 trillion.

"For Astra, its car sales will continue to grow, but when consolidated with its other businesses, especially with the heavy equipment unit... Astra's earnings may look a bit flat," said Reza Priyambada, the head of research at Trust Securities.

Lower commodities prices have also dragged down the bottom line for mining companies. Vale Indonesia, the country's largest nickel producer, reported profit plunged 68 percent to Rp 222 billion. Net income at Aneka Tambang, a state-controlled miner, dropped 72 percent to Rp 152 billion.

"Mining and commodity companies are still struggling," said Reza, adding that he expects natural resources firms will continue their poor performance until the end of the year.

Five companies – Bumi Resources, Lippo Karawaci, Borneo Lumbung, Energi Mega Persada and Indika Energy – have yet to file their third-quarter earnings reports.

Analysis & opinion

Australia's evolving position on West Papua

The Australian - November 30, 2012

Tom Clarke – Various solidarity gatherings will be held around the world this weekend to mark the 51st anniversary of the first raising of West Papuan "morning star" flag – an act that continues to attract a 15 year prison sentence in Indonesia.

While Australian protests and awareness raising concerts are likely to attract only modest numbers, there are signs that both the Australian public and politicians are becoming increasingly concerned with the human rights situation in the province.

Indeed, while growing public sympathy for Papuan cries for "merdeka", the Bahasa word meaning freedom or independence depending on the translation, is unlikely to translate into any official support for Papuan sovereignty any time soon, there are signs that Australian political leaders are prepared to take a more principled stance on human rights in the province than previously.

To Bob Carr's credit, he is possibly Australia's first foreign minister to directly acknowledge the escalating problems in Papua and call on Indonesia to respect human rights.

Disappointingly though, Carr continues to frame his answers to questions about Papua in terms of the budgetary impacts of "upsetting" Indonesia. Taking a principled stance in defence of basic human rights should not be influenced by budget and trade concerns. He has also unhelpfully attempted to characterise anyone with concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation in Papua as being "pro-independence". (For the record the Human Rights Law Centre does not have a position on the topic of independence; our focus is purely on the promotion and protection of human rights.)

Carr's circumspect approach is contrasted by the forthright, and most welcome, comments made by Attorney General, Nicola Roxon, while in Indonesia recently for a series of meetings on issues of law and justice. Roxon told the ABC that Australia's recognition of Indonesia's sovereignty over Papua would not stop the Government from registering concern about the situation there. She went on to say Australia is firmly committed to making sure that any abuses or alleged abuses by security forces in Papua are properly investigated and punished.

At the other end of the spectrum within Government ranks is Defence Minister Stephen Smith who, when announcing a new defence co-operation agreement with Indonesia, said he has "no concerns" about the human rights situation in Papua.

Smith's "head in the sand" approach is particularly alarming given it came only weeks after the ABC's 7.30 program aired evidence that an Indonesian counter-terrorism unit, which receives extensive training and support from the Australian Federal Police, has been involved in torture and extra- judicial killings in West Papua.

Meanwhile, a "parliamentary friends of West Papua" group recently established by the Greens, has attracted cross party support. The group's most recent meeting was attended by Labor, Liberal, DLP and independent MPs. This is a positive sign that at least some members of each party recognise that Australia can maintain good diplomatic relations with Indonesia while taking a principled stand and defending human rights at the same time.

During a recent visit to Australia, Indonesia's Vice Minister of Law and Human Rights, Denny Indrayana, told students at Melbourne Law School that freedom of political participation, together with a free and independent media, were two fundamental pillars of democracy.

He is right of course. However, the reality is that Jakarta's commendable democratic reforms of the last decade have not made it to West Papua. Despite the fact that Indonesia ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 2006, human rights are severely curtailed in Papua. Protests are routinely and forcibly shut down. Political activists and bashed, jailed or killed. Papuans do not enjoy many of the basic freedoms that other Indonesians have gained. Australian politicians can and should be more proactive in encouraging their Indonesian counterparts to ensure human rights are enjoyed throughout the entire Republic.

There is no reason why Carr could not challenge Indonesia's effective media ban and insist that Australian journalists be allowed to travel to and report from West Papua.

Further, a complete review of Australia's relationship with Indonesia's military and security forces is urgently required to ensure we are in no way aiding or abetting human rights abuses, directly or indirectly, through our support of Indonesia's elite counter-terrorism unit, Detachment 88.

And finally, Carr should utilise Australia's unique position in the region, along with our new position on the UN Security Council, to play a leadership role in bringing the world's attention to the problems in West Papua.

For too long Australia supported the pro-military and anti-reform remnants of the Suharto regime. Now we have an opportunity to better align ourselves with the mainstream Indonesian human rights movement that recognises that the problems in West Papua do not have a military solution.

[Tom Clarke is a spokesperson for the Human Rights Law Centre. (www.hrlc.org.au) He is on twitter: @TomHRLC.]

Why retired army generals shouldn't lead the country

Jakarta Globe - November 25, 2012

Pitan Daslani – Shortly after retired military generals were reported to be preparing for a "Star Wars" in the 2014 presidential election, former chief of State Intelligence Agency (BIN) A.M. Hendropriyono cautioned that their time had passed and "now is the time for young non-military figures" to lead the nation.

Hendropriyono's warning, published earlier this month in Kompas, was perceived to be directed at Gen. (Ret.) Prabowo Subianto, chairman of Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Gen. (Ret.) Wiranto, chairman of People's Conscience Party (Hanura), and former commander of the military Gen. (Ret.) Endriartono Sutarto, who was reported to have joined National Democrat Party (NasDem) in order to get a ticket to enter the presidential race.

He suggested that these retired generals remember their military code of conduct and soldier's oath, which calls for sincere dedication to the nation without expectations of rewards of promotions or selfish gains.

Hendropriyono is a former trainer of many generals, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and is highly respected in military and civilian circles. His service in the intelligence field has earned him the reputation of being Indonesia's most revered intelligence maestro. He is also the creator of the "Philosophy of Intelligence," a new branch of intelligence science that he is promoting through his book "Filsafat Intelijen."

Before Hendropriyono made the remark, three important military gatherings had taken place. Angkatan 73 in Tampak Siring, Bali, that brought together 1973 graduates of the Indonesia Armed Forces Academy (Akabri) reportedly discussed the possibility of the Democratic Party (PD) giving a presidential ticket to the current Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal, and Security Affairs, Djoko Suyanto. Yudhoyono was ready to endorse it, but this wasn't convincing enough.

Another important development occurred soon after. Angkatan 70, which brought Akabri's 1970 graduates in Balai Kartini in Jakarta, was special, not only because Yudhoyono addressed it, but because of an appeal by Gen. (Ret.) Luhut Pandjaitan that if a military figure should lead the nation, "he must be a person with clean and reputable track record."

Luhut, the former Minister of Trade, repeated that phrase at least twice, indicating that they would block any attempt by retired generals with poor track records to move forward.

When he was still a major, Luhut was Prabowo's superior who had prevented Prabowo from mobilizing forces to attempt a coup, according to former chief of Udayana Military Command Gen. (Ret.) Sintong Panjaitan, in his book "Perjalanan Seorang Prajurit Para Komando" ("The Journey of a Paramilitary Soldier").

Apart from this, Prabowo has yet to completely clear allegations of his involvement in the disappearance of several human rights and political activists during the reign of his former father-in-law Suharto, the ousted dictatorial president.

Therefore, some political analysts suspect that Luhut was targeting Prabowo when he stated that military figures must have good reputations to run for office.

A third military gathering took place at the Ministry of Defense where former Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono briefed military leaders on the future strategic landscape of Indonesia.

But after all these meetings, Hendropriyono declared that the time for military leaders to run in the presidential election has passed and the nation must now encourage young civilian figures.

Hendropriyono paraphrased the soldier's oath and code of conduct in a phrase easily understood by ordinary people – tut wuri handayani, meaning that a true leader should stay back and give direction. In politics, this means that retired armed forces officers should refrain from practical politics, but they can still provide direction, insight and wisdom for the civilian leaders who run the country.

But Hendropriyono also mentioned another requirement: the next president should come from the younger generation. In Indonesia, retirement age is 55, therefore the "younger generation" includes members no older than 54.

Using that age limit, none of the presidential candidates on stage meets the criteria. Golkar's Aburizal Bakrie, while a non-military figure, is in his 60s, as are Indonesian Democratic Party Struggle's (PDI-P) Megawati Sukarnoputri and Gerindra's Prabowo. One of the most popular figures in opinion polls, former Vice President Jusuf Kalla, is in his 70s. They are the most popular presidential candidates and yet exceed Hendropriyono's age limit.

Consequently, we need to look for alternative candidates and perhaps add even more requirements. Alternative candidates must have experience leading a high-ranking state institution, so that they will not waste time and energy learning the basics of state administration and bureaucratic leadership.

The second requirement candidates should have broad-based acceptability – they must be well received and their pluralist stance must have been proven in society.

Candidates must also come from exemplary harmonious families, as those who can manage relationships well will have the managerial capability and moral legitimacy.

The fourth requirement is international acceptability and reputation. The next president must not be a person who has been judged to have questionable personality or a bad track record. As a regional and global player as well as a lucrative investment destination, Indonesia needs a leader that is well respected for far-reaching vision and ideas. Foreign investors must feel secure that the president is friendly to other nations and upholds the authority of law.

They must be managers of the nation with proven leadership capabilities in executive, legislative or judiciary sectors. It's too risky to give office to someone without leadership skills or to a business leader with conflicts of interest.

Who are the candidates suitable as presidential candidates based on the above criteria? Let us propose names and assess their chances.

Irman Gusman, chairman of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD), meets all those requirements. On the state structure, his chair is equal in status to that of Yudhoyono. He is well respected in this multicultural society and has a clean track record, proven leadership of a high-ranking state institution, and is a staunch advocate of pluralist harmony.

Irman hails from Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's second-largest Islamic organization, and once held a high position in the Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals Association (ICMI). He is also very well received in Christian circles because of his pluralist stance and of the fact that he was once chairman of the Student Senate of the Indonesian Christian University.

Irman, who earned a masters degree from an American university, has represented Indonesia in many international forums. In June, he gave a keynote speech to APEC Fortune 500 and a SME gathering in China. He was also invited by the Washington-based Brookings Institution to address the US-Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar.

"Gus Irman," as he is referred to by friends who want his name to sound Javanese, is widely acceptable across the country because he is the boss of 132 Senators that sit on DPD – the second chamber of the parliament. But he needs a ticket to reach the palace – a proposal by a coalition of political parties that wins 25 percent of popular vote or 20 percent of parliamentary seats.

The ruling Democratic Party, which does not have a statesman-level candidate, may give Irman a ticket if it conducts a convention in the second half of 2013 to attract potential outside party candidates.

If a Javanese public figure such as Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo or PDI-P's heir to the political throne, Puan Maharani, becomes Irman's running mate, they would make the most suitable pair.

Another potential candidate is chairman of the Constitutional Court Mohammad Mahfud Mahmodin. His political vehicle is National Awakening Party (PKB) and Nahdlatul Ulama is his bastion.

Mahfud has a tough leadership style and is a suitable candidate, because on the state structure his position is on par with Yudhoyono and Irman. But he recently angered the ruling party with the remark that the palace had been inhabited by "legal mafia" that caused the president to convert a drug dealer's death penalty to life imprisonment.

Few other candidates would meet the above requirements. There are many capable figures, but no one else has proven leadership records in a high- ranking state institution. There are many potential candidates, but they lack experience and statesmanship qualities.

[Pitan Daslani is a senior political correspondent at BeritaSatu Media Holdings, of which the Jakarta Globe is a subsidiary. He can be reached at pitandaslani@gmail.com.]