That was the conclusion, at least, from a bizarre stunt on Wednesday when Gen. Moeldoko threw his watch to the ground in a bid to convince reporters that it wasn't a $100,000 collector's edition timepiece as reported by a Singapore website.

Moeldoko's reported wealth is around Rp 32 billion, or $2.75 million. "Just watch me, so you know I'm not lying," the four-star general told reporters at the Borobudur Hotel in Jakarta, as quoted by Detik.com, before throwing the watch to the ground.

He then let one of the reporters check the watch, which was reportedly still working fine and hadn't picked up any scratches.

Moeldoko has been at the center of a flurry of speculation about the watch, which the Singapore site themillenary.com identified from a photograph as being a Richard Mille RM 011 Felipe Massa Flyback Chronograph Black Kite, with a reported price tag of above $100,000. Only 45 of the timepieces were produced for the Asia region.

However, Moeldoko insisted that the watch did not cost that much, saying instead that it was a counterfeit item made in China, and that he had a whole collection of bootleg watches, including a fake Rolex. He said the RM 011 he had was a good imitation that cost around Rp 5 million. "Other people buy expensive watches, but I get them cheap," he said.

A counterfeit watch of the same kind at Pasar Senen in Central Jakarta costs around Rp 7 million, Detik.com reported a vendor as saying. Asked for his take on buying goods made in violation of intellectual property rights, Moeldoko said: "That's not my business."

Indonesia consistently ranks as one of the worst violators of intellectual property rights in the world, with lack of law enforcement against piracy and counterfeiting seen as a major factor.

Another Singapore site, mothership.sg, dug up more photos of Moeldoko wearing other high-end watches, including an IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph Top Gun Miramar, with a list price of $12,700; an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Jarno Trulli Chronograph ($38,300); and possibly an Audemars Piguet Millenary Minute Repeater – costing a staggering $476,600.

Indonesian legal expert Frans H Winarta said that by knowingly buying and wearing counterfeit items, Moeldoko could have violated the law. "For a state official like Moeldoko, it is really important for him to abide with the law," he said.

"If he knows that the watch is a counterfeit, he should have reported it to the police. By not having reported it, he might be helping crimes against intellectual property rights. And by admitting this to the public, it could cause counterfeiting to grow more rampant in the country."

While not believing Moeldoko's watches are fake, Tama S. Langkun, a researcher with Indonesia Corruption Watch, said the public must question such a lavish lifestyle for a military officer. "A government official with a large number of expensive watches should raise suspicion," he said.

"And more important, has Moeldoko reported his watches in his wealth reports to the state? Many people do not include accessories because they are generally not as expensive as houses or cars, but if the accessories like Moeldoko's watches are worth hundreds of thousand of dollars, then they should be reported, whether they are a gift or a purchase," he said.

Usman-Harun row remains

Hikmahanto Juwana, an international relations expert at the University of Indonesia, said that having seen how the Singaporean media highlighted Moeldoko with his glamorous watches, it could be the sign that the Singaporeans were still upset about Indonesia's decision to name a warship the "KRI Usman-Harun," after two soldiers considered by Singapore as terrorists but heroes by Indonesia.

"If Singapore intends to attack Indonesia's military through its media, it is clearly wrong-targeted. If the Singaporean media wants to attack the military forces of Indonesia, why attack the general but not the minister of defense?" he said. "It is questionable. What is the motivation of the Singaporean government [sic] behind all of this?"

Hikmahanto said that the Indonesian government and media should be careful in considering the reports of a neighboring country's media.

"We have to fully comprehend this matter. This is no good in refining the relationship between Indonesia and Singapore. In addition, it could spark other problems in Indonesia, especially at the governmental level," Hikmahanto said.

"If the 'fight' moves to using a country's media to discredit Indonesian officials, that is not a wise decision by Singapore," he added. "In the end, whatever the intention of Singaporean media is, it is not good for the Indonesian-Singaporean military relationship."

Glamorous lifestyle

Wearing glamorous accessories is almost seen as compulsory by government officials. A recent wedding party with iPods as souvenirs for hundreds of guests was held by the secretary of the Supreme Court; a Rolex wristwatch worth tens of millions of rupiah worn by the president of the Islamic Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), Anis Matta; or the luxurious cars flaunted by Democratic Party legislator Ruhut Sitompul are just some examples of how public officials live lavishly.

A report from Indonesian online portal Tribunnews stated that most members of the House of Representatives tended to buy expensive watches worth up to hundreds of millions of rupiah. Time Place Store in Plaza Senayan is one of stores frequently visited by House members.

"Most of the customers that come to our store are from the House," Erick, the boutique supervisor, said as quoted by Tribunnews. Erick added that most officials who shopped at the store preferred to pay by cash.

"Usually, if a member of the House of Representatives comes to shop, they prefer to pay with cash. Almost none of them do transactions through bank transfers or credit card," he said.

Yunarto Wijaya, from the consultancy Charta Politika, said there was nothing new or objectionable about public officials flaunting their wealth in obscene ways, unless their performance in office was particularly poor.

"There is nothing wrong with officials wearing such sophisticated accessories. Having a humble lifestyle is another choice that anyone can choose. "An official leading an affluent lifestyle doesn't guarantee whether they are doing a good job or not," he said.

"However, I understand that the extravagant lifestyle of most Indonesian officials attracts people's attention because too often their work performance is deemed to be unsatisfactory by many," Yunarto said.

"As a government official earning public money, this high-class lifestyle is not in line with the large number of people in the country who are living on or below the poverty line," he added.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/military-chiefs-watch-genuine-raises-kinds-questions/

Indonesians are happy, but only when measured differently

Jakarta Post - April 21, 2014

Jakarta – The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) said that when collating the country's first ever Happiness Index it had applied different parameters from other similar indexes.

Other indexes include the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) Better Life Index and the United Nations' World Happiness Report.

BPS accounts and statistics analysis deputy Kecuk Suhariyanto said that there were unique standards that were not relevant to other countries, such as Indonesians ranking happiest if they were married with two children, citing fulfillment in the personal, social and environmental dimensions, which the survey used as its main indicators.

"When scored in terms of harmony, a household with two children is the happiest," said Kecuk, speaking about the social dimension component.

He also said that this segment of the population scored higher than single people, those married without children or those married with more than two children.

"Married life is happier than single life. There are different elements affecting the personal and the social dimensions, which cause or complement happiness," he said, adding that Indonesian women were happier than their male counterparts.

The BPS' data shows Indonesians to be most unhappy when it comes to education and income. Kecuk said that the timing of the survey's publication was not politically motivated.

"We can assure you that the survey was not conducted with any political motives. It has nothing to do with the current transition of power, [although] we will pass this data onto the government in the hope that it will help mold and review public policy," he said.

Economists have responded with skepticism especially with the use of some of indexes in the survey.

Enny Sri Hartati, who is the director of the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef), suggested that although the index was consistent with the Constitution's main objective of improving people's social welfare, the happiness index could not be used to judge how far the country had advanced.

"To improve the welfare of the people, there are material and immaterial factors at play. Material aspects, such as economic growth are more quantifiable than the immaterial, which cover feelings of security, gratitude or happiness," Enny told The Jakarta Post. Enny said that the happiness index would only be a reference for the public.

Hendri Saparini, another economist, warned against the subjective parameters the BPS used in the index. "Indexes like this could be used in countries with people whose basic needs are already met. Indonesia should not have to force itself to use such vague indicators, as we're still at a basic level [of development]," said Hendri, who is the executive director of the Center of Reform on Economics (CORE) Indonesia.

Hendri said she was also concerned that the methodology of the happiness index could overshadow more pressing needs.

The BPS' index follows in the footsteps of happiness economics, which was thought to have been pioneered by the north Asian country of Bhutan with the term "Gross National Happiness" (GNH).

Bhutan's fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, coined the term in 1972 on the belief that people's happiness did not solely depend on a nation's economic wealth, according to the country's Center for Bhutan Studies and GNH Research. It became an alternative to a nation's gross domestic product (GDP) based on economic activity.

The Indonesian Happiness Index was compiled from the results of a survey conducted by BPS since 2013, involving a sample of 9,500 people from across the archipelago. It is currently still in the early stages and has yet to show conclusive data broken down by province. (tjs)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/21/indonesians-are-happy-only-when-measured-differently.htmlu

Bylaws powerless to stop alcohol-related deaths

Jakarta Post - April 19, 2014

Indra Harsaputra, Surabaya – Attempts to legislate alcoholic beverages to reduce fatalities from alcohol-related poisoning in Malang, East Java, have been in vain as nine more people died after drinking a locally produced liquor known as oplosan.

Malang Police detective and crime unit chief Adj. Comr. Aldy Suleman said that of the nine victims, one was female. Eight died Wednesday, while another passed away Thursday in Sidodadi Lawang and Kalirejo Malang subdistricts, respectively.

"We are investigating the cases," Aldy told The Jakarta Post on Friday, adding that seven survivors were still being treated at local hospitals.

Head of East Java Police chemical, biological and forensic (Kimbiofor) sub-directorate Surabaya branch, Fadjar Septi Ariningsih, said that her office had seized all of the evidence from the crime scenes.

The evidence included 15 bottles of alcohol, instant coffee, soda and energy beverages. "We will conduct a laboratory examination as soon as possible," Fadjar said.

In 2006, Malang imposed a bylaw on alcoholic beverage distribution that among other things required those buying alcohol to prove they were at least aged 21.

According to the Liam Charitable Fund Australia in Indonesia, a not-for- profit institution providing education on the dangers of oplosan, there are 147 bylaws across Indonesia that limit the distribution of alcoholic beverages. Yet, fatalities from alcohol-related poisoning continue, the institution's spokesperson Aji Sulaiman said.

The National Movement Against Alcoholic Drinks claimed that 18,000 people died annually due to drinking oplosan. The figure is much higher than the number of people who died because of narcotics. According to the National Narcotic Agency (BNN), drugs claimed 40 lives a day or about 15,000 annually in Indonesia.

Psychologist Hartati of Surabaya University (Ubaya) said that bylaws on liquor were ineffective because for some people at the middle and grassroots levels, alcohol was synonymous with social interaction and emotional support.

"This is an example of cultural distortion. Initially, they followed others, but later saw that there was nothing wrong with it and became addicted, like with cigarettes and drugs," Hartati said.

Meanwhile, Prasinto of the Association of Alcohol Beverage Trade (Aspermira) said that businesspeople had demanded the government provide clear regulations on alcohol.

He said the distribution of alcohol in Surabaya alone was between 800 and a million bottles monthly. "There are many importers from Jakarta that directly sell the beverages to outlets in Surabaya, making it difficult [for the local administrations] to control it," Prasinto said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/19/bylaws-powerless-stop-alcohol-related-deaths.html

How happy are Indonesians, really

Jakarta Post - April 17, 2014

Jakarta – For the first time in history, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) issued late on Wednesday a survey that measured the level of happiness among Indonesians.

The timing of the survey, which was conducted last year, could not have come at a worse time, as unemployment was high and poverty soared following the subsidized fuel price hike. Nonetheless, the outcome was somewhat surprising; Indonesians, in general, are indeed "happy", according to the BPS.

Indonesia scored 65.11 percent on a scale of 100 on the BPS' "Happiness Index", which measures happiness in relation to the growing level of equality in the country, according to BPS chairman Suryamin.

Suryamin said that the index score had been divided into four groups, which ranged from unhappy (0-25 percent), not so happy (25-50 percent), happy (50-75 percent) and very happy (more than 75 percent), with Indonesia falling under the third category.

"Five components were taken into consideration [...] income; work status; assets; harmony in the family; security and environment," said Suryamin. Additionally, Suryamin explained, the issues of education and income worried Indonesians the most, evidenced by lower scores, however, in terms of happy families, the scores were on the higher end of the scale.

BPS deputy of accounts and data analysis Kecuk Suhariyanto said that the survey had been developed to complement previous data regarding development. "The happiness index is important [...] because the level of happiness cannot be strictly gauged based on the performance of the economy," he said.

The economy grew by 5.78 percent last year, lower than 6.23 percent recorded in 2012 and 6.5 percent in 2011, BPS data revealed. According to the BPS, the number of poor people in September last year rose to 11.47 percent, or 28.5 million from 11.37 percent, or 28.07 million.

Kecuk also said that while the richest were getting rich quicker than the poorest of the poor, this did not necessarily guarantee the happiness of the wealthier group. According to Kecuk, the index was also determined by three indicators: personal affairs, family and environment dimensions.

The survey used a sample of 9,500 people from across the archipelago. The BPS expects the future administration to use the survey as a benchmark of its governing success as a lower happiness index would be evidence of failure.

The United Nations has formally recognized the pursuit of happiness as a fundamental human goal after it commissioned a similar survey with its results released last month. According to the survey, Scandinavian countries were the happiest, with Denmark topping the list, followed by Finland and Norway, and then the Netherlands.

In Southeast Asia, Cambodia ranked least happy, at 140th, just 16 places from the bottom of the list. The happiest are Singaporeans, ranked 30th, followed by Thailand, Malaysia (56), Vietnam (63), Indonesia (76), the Philippines (92), Laos (109) and Myanmar (121). The results were based on a "life evaluation score", which combined a variety of factors, including health, family, job security, political freedom and government corruption. (tjs)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/17/how-happy-are-indonesians-really.html

West Papua

Police hunt for instigators of 'religious strife' in Papua

Jakarta Post - April 23, 2014

Ina Parlina, Jakarta – The police had identified and were currently hunting the instigators of a recent clash between Christians and Muslims in Sorong, West Papua, which left three people injured with arrow wounds, National Police chief Gen. Sutarman said.

The police chief said the clash was triggered by the beating last Friday of a man, identified as Haji Soleh Johar, who was on his way to a mosque for dawn prayers. The incident was used by a pro-independence group to wreak havoc in the region, he said.

"We are searching for [Haji's] assailant. He belongs to a group that wants to gain Papua's independence by pitting Muslims and Christians against one another," Sutarman said on the sidelines of an event at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He called on the public in Papua and West Papua provinces to not allow itself to be provoked by the recent incident. "We have explained everything to the public to ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future," Sutarman added. "The people there do want to be divided along [religious or ethnic lines]."

Friday's incident was followed by a clash on Monday between the victim's relatives and friends and a group of people who supported the perpetrator.

Three people, two civilians and a soldier, were wounded in the skirmish and rushed to a military hospital in Sorong for treatment. As of Monday evening, the situation in the city had been brought under control.

Previously, West Papua Legislative Council (DPRD) deputy speaker Jimmy Demianus Idjie had urged the police to take stern measures against the instigators of the clash, saying that he believed there was a larger scheme – to turn a criminal case into one resonating with religious nuance – behind the incident, as most people lived peacefully in Sorong.

Cenderawasih Regional Military Command (Kodam) chief Maj. Gen. Christian Zebua called on people to remain calm, adding that he was aware that some people were trying to use the recent incidents to stir religious and tribal conflicts.

"I have received a brief message that contains very provocative information, which is entirely false," Christian said as quoted by Antara. "No mosque or church was destroyed in the clash. The information was false," he asserted.

He also urged the media to act responsibly, so that the public could obtain the facts about what really took place in Sorong. "We hope the incident will not disrupt the Sail Raja Ampat event, which is being held in West Papua. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is also scheduled to attend the event in Raja Ampat," Christian remarked, adding that the clash had no connection with the Sail Raja Ampat event.

Sorong Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Harry Goldenhart said officials from the city administration along with respected religious figures and those from the community and a number of young people had joined forces to prevent tensions in the city from escalating.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/23/police-hunt-instigators-religious-strife-papua.html

Aceh

Police arrest officer in Aceh child abuse scandal

Jakarta Globe - April 22, 2014

Nurdin Hasan, Banda Aceh – Police in Aceh have named one of their own members a suspect in the alleged sexual abuse of at least two young girls, as clerics in the staunchly conservative province demand a stiff punishment for the alleged perpetrator.

The officer, identified only as M., a brigadier with the Aceh provincial police, was arrested on Tuesday in Banda Aceh and accused of the sexual abuse of two girls, aged 6 and 9 years.

Sr. Comr. Moffan Mudji Kafanti, the Banda Aceh Police chief, told the Jakarta Globe that his office was questioning the suspect and would charge him under the 2002 Child Protection Law, for which he could face up to 15 years in prison and Rp 300 million ($26,100) in fines if convicted.

The case came to light last week after children's rights activists alleged that the officer had sexually assaulted at least five children and attempted to assault several more.

Moffan said that the parents of four of the alleged victims had allowed their children to undergo medical tests, and that two of the children appeared to show signs of having been sexually abused.

He confirmed the families' claims that the abuses had taken place in Banda Aceh's Meuraksa subdistrict between late March and early April. The families had filed a report with the police on April 14. Police have already questioned seven people as witnesses in the case.

Islamic clerics have denounced the alleged abuses, calling on the police not to show any favorable treatment in their processing of the suspect.

Teungku Faisal Ali, the head of the provincial chapter of Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia's biggest Islamic organization, said the police needed to be transparent in their handling of the case, particularly in light of threats reportedly made against the victims' families by unknown groups after they went public with the allegations.

"The investigation into this shameful case should not be covered up," said Faisal, who is also a deputy chairman of the Aceh Ulema Consultative Assembly, or MPU Aceh.

He said the perpetrator should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, and recommended the use of Shariah charges in addition to the criminal charges that the suspect now faces.

"What this person did was savage, especially considering he's a police officer. He should have been protecting the people," Faisal said. "He should be caned in public, according to Shariah law, to serve as an example to others that children should be protected and not abused."

Under Aceh's newly passed Shariah criminal code procedures, child abuse is punishable with up to 400 lashes of the cane and up to 33 years' imprisonment.

Illiza Sa'aduddin Djamal, the interim mayor of Banda Aceh, also called for the perpetrator to face the harshest punishment possible. She said she believed that he may have abused many more children than the five who had already come forward.

"It's very possible that the other victims are outside Banda Aceh, and I'm sure that he abused others elsewhere. That's why I'm calling on any members of the public who haven't done so to come forward and report any suspicions of child abuse," Illiza said.

The case comes at a sensitive time for the country, which is gripped by the drama unfolding over the alleged rape of a 6-year-old boy at the Jakarta International School. That case has already resulted in the closure of the school's kindergarten campus and threats of lawsuits by the victim's family. Two janitorial staff have been arrested and charged in the case, while dozens more are being investigated.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/police-arrest-officer-aceh-child-abuse-scandal/

Women's rights

Indonesia making 'slow progress' on gender equality

Jakarta Post - April 22, 2014

Jakarta – More than a century after the death of Raden Ajeng Kartini, the first Indonesian woman to demand the emancipation of women in the country, activists say gender inequality remains in place.

"We have made very slow progress since her death [in 1904] in terms of gender equality and it is even more visible now that we are supposedly a middle-income country," said Yuniyanti Chuzaifah, chairperson of the National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan).

Yuniyanti said although women had joined the workforce in the millions, they remained the victims of discrimination in the workplace. According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), in 2012, 43 million, or 38 percent, of the 112 million workers in the Indonesian workforce were women.

Indonesia is also ranked 132 out of 187 countries in the United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) Gender Inequality Index (GII), partially because there is only a 51.2 percent female participation rate in the workforce, in comparison to 81.2 percent for male participation.

Yuniyanti said women in a variety of occupations faced different types of discrimination, including sexual harassment, salary disparities, unfair dismissal and a lack of rights protection in the informal sector.

To make matters worse, existing regulations such as Law No. 1/1974 on marriage and Law No. 36/2008 on income tax, make it possible for firms to discriminate against their employees based on gender, so that they can pay women less than men.

According to both laws, men are legally considered the heads of the family and the breadwinners. As a result, married men can access additional benefits from their company on top up their salaries to provide for their wife and children, including an additional tax exemption for their dependents. Women, married or otherwise, cannot.

"These laws don't consider unmarried women who are single mothers or the sole providers for their parents. It reinforces the stigma that career women are selfish for leaving their children. People should realize that women also work to support their families, not just for self-fulfillment," Yuniyanti said.

Mike Ferawati of the Indonesian Women's Coalition (KPI) said articles on female workers in Law No. 13/2003 on labor did more to hurt than help women, as several companies declined to comply. "We've had reports of companies not hiring married women as they didn't want to give them paid maternity or menstrual leave," she said.

She cited some women in airline companies were unfairly dismissed as they had gained weight after pregnancy, as well as examples of the sexual harassment of women as there was no law against it in the workplace. (fss)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/22/ri-making-slow-progress-gender-equality.html

Political parties & elections

With fatwa, PPP's fractious in-fighting comes to an end

Jakarta Globe - April 23, 2014

SP/Robertus Wardhy & Vento Saudale, Bogor – Two rival factions of Indonesia's oldest Islamic party agreed on Wednesday to reconcile, following a bitter split that had threatened to bar it from backing a candidate for the presidential election.

The closed door meeting of the United Development Party, or PPP, in Bogor agreed that Suryadharma Ali would be reinstated as the party chairman, after a faction led by secretary general M. Romahurmuzy declared him fired over the weekend.

In return, the party agreed not to form a coalition with the Great Indonesia Movement Party, or Gerindra, whose presidential candidate, Prabowo Subianto, was previously unilaterally endorsed by Suryadharma, to the chagrin of Romahurmuzy and other PPP officials.

Wednesday's reconciliation meeting was facilitated by senior cleric Maimun Zubair, the head of the Islamic party's shariah assembly.

"I declare today an end to the differences of opinion that have taken place," Suryadharma said after the meeting. "We [PPP] are now returning to ground zero. I don't want to look back again. Now we look ahead."

He also apologized to PPP supporters, saying the internal party dispute was just part of the "ordinary dynamics" of party politics. "Consider what happened as a thesis prompting an antithesis, which will create a better situation," Suryadharma said as quoted by Kompas.com.

He emphasized that his earlier support for Prabowo's presidential bid had been his personal preference and was not a party decision, as he had previously declared.

Romahurmuzy, meanwhile, said Wednesday's meeting in Bogor was a follow-up to one in Jakarta on Tuesday night, also overseen by Maimun. Romahurmuzy attributed the reconciliation to Maimun's intervention in the conflict, saying his own previous calls for reconciliation had been largely ignored by Suryadharma.

"To me, because the PPP was founded by clerics and Mbah Mun [Maimun] is the party's highest cleric, there is no other choice but for me to listen and obey," Romahurmuzy told Antaranews.com.

The two meetings were held after Maimun, 87, issued an edict on Tuesday calling on the two rival factions to reconcile, while annulling a series of tit-for-tat decisions made by either side, including Suryadharma's firing of Romahurmuzy and other senior PPP officials, and the latter's subsequent decision to suspend Suryadharma as chairman.

Under the edict six officials, including Romahurmuzy and deputy chairman Suharso Monoarfa, were reinstated. The edict also annulled a coalition with Gerindra declared by Suryadharma last week.

"I'm saddened and have cried over what has transpired recently," Maimun told a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday, as his son, Abdul Gofur, read out the PPP shariah assembly edict. "I wouldn't call this a rift; this is just a dispute. I want both sides to reconcile."

The spat, the worst in the party's 41-year history, had threatened to sideline the PPP from the July 9 presidential election, for which each candidate must have the signed backing of the chairperson and secretary general of each party supporting them.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/fatwa-ppps-fractious-fighting-comes-end/

Political sniping offers presidential hopeful Jokowi some help

Reuters - April 22, 2014

Anastasia Arvirianty, Jakarta – Indonesian presidential frontrunner Joko "Jokowi" Widodo looks to be getting some extra help from the bickering that threatens to undermine his chief rivals to become the next leader of the world's third biggest democracy.

No political party managed to win the required number of votes in this month's general election to be allowed to nominate on its own a candidate for a July 9 presidential poll, forcing them to cut deals with other parties.

Only Jakarta governor Jokowi's Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P) has managed to find a partner to lift him above the threshhold needed for a nomination.

A smooth path to the presidential palace for Jokowi, whose huge popularity rests on his clean, can-do image, would likely cheer foreign investors eager to see a smooth transition in Southeast Asia's biggest economy.

Ex-general Prabowo Subianto, of the Gerindra Party and distant second to Jokowi in opinion polls, late last week seemed to have won the backing of the head of country's oldest Islamic party, the United Development Party (PPP).

That infuriated other senior members of PPP who then suspended their chief for not consulting them first. "We are discussing a coalition with Gerindra but... at the moment are still open to all possibilities," said Emron Pangkapi, acting chairman of PPP.

Even if the party does back Prabowo, he will still need the support of at least one other party to run for the presidency.

The son of one of the country's most prominent economists, Prabowo has been accused of human rights abuses during the unrest that led to former authoritarian ruler Suharto's downfall in 1998, allegations he denies.

Candidates and their running mates must be registered by May 18. If no candidate wins a simple majority in the July race, there will be a second round in September.

The enthusiasm for Jokowi, despite no indications of what his policies as president would be, was underscored by the more than 3 percent jump in Jakarta shares when his party nominated him as its candidate for the presidency on March 14. But they fell when his party failed to do as well as expected in the April 9 parliamentary vote.

Infighting

The other major party in the running is Golkar, whose official presidential candidate is business tycoon Aburizal Bakrie.

But he faces a growing chorus of voices within the party calling for him to be replaced as presidential nominee and blaming his stubbornly low popularity for the party's weaker-than-expected showing in the parliamentary poll.

One Golkar official, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue, said there may be a move to oust Bakrie, but for now the party was focused on finding coalition partners.

Golkar has secured the backing of Hanura, a small party led by another former general, Wiranto. Like Gerindra, it will need to bring on board at least one other party to nominate a presidential candidate.

Jokowi's easy approach with ordinary people has made the former furniture businessman a favorite for the presidency. He is seen by many as a welcome change from the old guard of elitist politicians who have long dominated Indonesian politics.

Focus has already shifted to his choice of running mate. Several names are in the fray, including that of popular former vice-president Jusuf Kalla.

[Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor, editing by Jonathan Thatcher and Robert Birsel.]

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/indonesian-political-sniping-offers-presidential-hopeful-jokowi-help-090728752.html

PKS: Show of piety a must for Islamic presidential candidate

Jakarta Globe - April 22, 2014

Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Jakarta – A proposed coalition of Islamic political parties should back a presidential candidate who prays five times a day at a mosque and will cut short cabinet meetings to lead his ministers in prayer, an official says.

Almuzzammil Yusuf, a senior member of the Prosperous Justice Party, or PKS, said in Jakarta on Monday that a high level of piety should be a "minimal requirement" for any candidate running for the highest office in the Muslim-majority nation.

"The presidential and vice presidential candidates should at the very least pray punctually five times a day at the mosque or pray together with ministers on the sidelines of cabinet meetings," he said. "That way the people will follow in their example." He also said the candidate should be clean and adhere to high moral standards.

The PKS, which in 2009 won the most votes of any Islamic party, suffered a decline in this year's legislative election, largely due to a massive corruption scandal that has seen its president jailed and which threatens to drag down other senior members of the party.

Outside of a show of piety, Almuzzammil said a presidential candidate from an Islamic coalition should run on three main programs dictated by the Koran: religious programs, food security and public safety.

He said the latter program should include an emphasis on respecting human rights, enforcing the law and upholding justice – notions that PKS stalwart Ahmad Heryawan, the governor of West Java and mooted as a vice presidential candidate, has repeatedly flouted through his hostile policies toward minority religious groups in his province.

The PKS is one of five Islamic parties that contested the April 9 legislative election. With the exception of the PKS, the Islamic parties bucked pre-election predictions to improve on their performance from 2009, taking a combined 31.5 percent of votes, according to quick counts.

With such a large show of support, calls have emerged for the parties to band together to nominate their own presidential ticket to take on the candidates from the nationalist parties.

However, the National Awakening Party, or PKB, the surprise package of the election with 9 percent of votes – the most among the Islamic parties – has played down the notion, saying there is no unifying figure popular enough that the parties can put forward for the July 9 presidential election.

The PKB is believed to be trying to finagle a vice presidential slot for its chairman, Muhaimin Iskandar, on the ticket of Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo, the candidate from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P. Polls paint Joko, popularly known as Jokowi, as the strong favorite to win the presidency.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/pks-show-piety-must-islamic-presidential-candidate/

Muslim leaders join fray in coalition game

Jakarta Post - April 22, 2014

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – Prominent clerics from 67 Muslim organizations have called on the five Islamic-based parties to band together in a coalition ahead of the July 9 presidential election.

Led by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and issuing the statement collectively as the Islamic People's Forum (FUI), the clerics said such a coalition would represent the interests of Muslim voters.

The statement comes as the five Islamic-based parties, which collectively garnered enough votes to sway the result of the presidential election, conduct internal and external negotiations to apparently decide which major nationalist party to ally with: the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Golkar Party or the Gerindra Party. All three have named presumptive presidential nominees.

Basri Barmanda, chairman of the Tarbiyah Islamiyah Association (Perti) and an initiator of the FUI, said the Islamic parties could distance themselves from the three major parties, form their own coalition and nominate their own presidential candidate.

"We are calling on leaders of Islamic-based parties to accomplish the mandate and responsibility by fulfilling the hope of Muslims in the country for the establishment of a coalition of Muslim-based parties," Basri said in a statement quoted by Antara news agency.

Among those attending the event were representatives from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Islamic organization; Muhammadiyah, the second largest; Al-Washliyah; Islamic Union (Persis); Indonesian Islamic Union; Al-Irsyad; Indonesian Islamic Preaching Council (DDII); Islam Defenders Front (FPI); and Indonesian Muslim Scholars Union (ICMI).

MUI chairman Din Syamsuddin was also present and said that a coalition of Muslim-based parties made perfect sense. "Taken together, Islamic-based parties got around 32 percent of the vote [in the April 9 legislative election]. This is significant. This must not be wasted," he said.

Last week, representatives of several Islamic organizations joined Muslim- based party politicians in a meeting in Cikini, Central Jakarta, to discuss the possibility of setting up such a coalition.

Among politicians attending the meeting were former Muhammadiyah chairman and PAN cofounder Amien Rais, Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) chairman Anis Matta, National Awakening Party (PKB) treasurer Bahruddin Nashori and United Development Party (PPP) senior politician Maj. Gen. (ret) Kivlan Zen.

Din suggested that the PKB, which won more than 9 percent of the vote based on early results, could lead the alliance. But PKB executive Marwan Jafar shrugged off the proposal and said that the party was close to striking a deal with the PDI-P.

"We are now just waiting for the right momentum [to declare support for Jokowi]," the PKB's other executive, Abdul Kadir Karding, said on Monday.

Jokowi recently said the PDI-P had narrowed down his possible running mates from five to three. Media reports have suggested that the three are former Army chief of staff Gen. (ret) Ryamizard Ryacudu, former Constitutional Court chief justice and PKB politician Mahfud MD and former vice president Jusuf Kalla.

Although Kalla is with the Golkar Party and is its former chairman, the PKB has said it could be willing to support him for vice president. Kalla is also a senior NU member.

Meanwhile, the PPP appears to have drifted away from Gerindra, following a worsening rift within the party leadership following the ouster of party chairman Suryadharma Ali for his decision to support the presidential bid of Prabowo Subianto.

On Sunday, a faction of the party leadership led by secretary-general Muchammad Romahurmuziy moved to dismiss Suryadharma from his post as party chairman.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/22/muslim-leaders-join-fray-coalition-game.html

PPP conflict turns ugly, risks Prabowo's presidential bid

Jakarta Post - April 21, 2014

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – Suspended United Development Party (PPP) chairman Suryadharma Ali exacerbated resentment within his party on Sunday after he toured Central Java with the Gerindra Party's presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto.

Suryadharma's chairmanship was suspended during a national leaders meeting (Rapimnas) late Saturday as several top officials opposed his decision to forge a coalition with Gerindra.

The escalating rift may not only jeopardize the party's support of Prabowo's presidential bid, but also spook other parties from joining Prabowo's coalition, analysts say.

In a bid to salvage the party, the Rapimnas assigned former deputy chairman and now acting chairman Emron Pangkapi, to the task of organizing a national congress to elect a definitive leader and decide on coalition partners.

"Despite our considerable efforts to communicate [with him], party chairman Suryadharma insisted on not attending the Rapimnas," said secretary-general Romahurmuziy.

"Based on that, the Rapimnas agreed to raise its sanction from 'first warning', decided in the executive leaders meeting on April 18, to a temporary dismissal."

Presidential election regulations stipulate that official party support of presidential candidates must be signed by the party chairman and secretary-general when the candidate is registered with the General Elections Commission (KPU). Thus, should Romahurmuziy oppose the policy, the PPP could not officially support Prabowo.

"According to party statute, a Rapimnas is legal if attended by at least half of the 91 members, which includes elements from the executive board, regional leaders and patrons. Last night, 50 people attended the meeting" said Romahurmuziy.

Romahurmuziy also said that Suryadharma's claim that the PPP would support Prabowo's bid had been canceled during the meeting. He admitted that there was support from within the party for the nomination of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as vice president.

In response to the move, Suryadharma insisted that the Rapimnas did not have the authority to dismiss a chairman. "Romahurmuziy clearly does not understand the party's statute," said deputy secretary-general Syaifullah Tamliha, who is a supporter of Suryadharma.

Suryadharma accompanied Prabowo during a visit to prominent Islamic cleric Maimun Zubair in Rembang, Central Java, on Sunday.

Maimun is not only an influential religious figure but also a member of the PPP sharia assembly.

Political analyst from the Semarang-based Diponegoro University, Susilo Utomo, said that the conflict could also have a negative effect for Gerindra and Prabowo.

"The conflict has affected Gerindra's bargaining position when it comes to forming a coalition with other parties," he said as quoted by Antara. "Other parties may think that the PPP support of Gerindra is not real. The [...] PPP's grass roots may turn to other candidates."

Even with the PPP in its camp, Gerindra will still need the support of other parties in order to reach the 25 percent popular vote threshold required to nominate a candidate.

In a separate event, Golkar Party chairman and presidential candidate Aburizal Bakrie met with former Constitutional Court chief justice Mahfud MD in Bali.

Mahfud, who has also been touted as a potential vice presidential candidate for the National Awakening Party (PKB), admitted that the meeting had covered the possibility of him being named Aburizal's running mate. "But no deal has been made yet," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/21/ppp-conflict-turns-ugly-risks-prabowo-s-presidential-bid.html

Suryadharma Ali temporarily dismissed from PPP

Jakarta Post - April 20, 2014

Jakarta – The United Development Party's (PPP) national leaders meeting (Rapimnas), which concluded early on Sunday, resulted in the decision to temporarily dismiss Suryadharma Ali from his position as the party's chairman.

It was said Suryadharma's dismissal was because he refused to attend the meeting, which was initiated by secretary-general Muchammad Romahurmuziy and attended by more than half of the party's executives.

"Despite our considerable efforts to communicate [with him], party chairman H. Suryadharma Ali insisted on not attending the Rapimnas. Based on that, the Rapimnas, by firmly holding to the party's constitution, has agreed to correct its sanction from 'first warning', which was decided in a party executive leaders' meeting on April 18, to the temporary dismissal of H. Suryadharma Ali as party chairman," read part of the meeting points as signed by Lukman Hakim Saifuddin and Romahurmuziy who led the meeting, as quoted by kompas.com.

PPP deputy chairman Emron Pangkapi was assigned to replace Suryadharma. He will be the PPP's acting chairman until a party national congress (Muktamar), which will be brought forward from its original schedule. The congress schedule will be decided in a meeting scheduled to take place on Wednesday and led by Emron as the party's acting chairman.

At the Rapimnas, it was also decided to strengthen the results of the party executive leaders' meeting on Friday, which agreed on 11 points, including canceling the PPP-Gerindra Party coalition previously declared by Suryadharma, who said the PPP was ready to support Gerindra Party chief patron Prabowo Subianto's presidential bid.

Romahurmuziy said, however, that decisions regarding coalition-building and presidential endorsements should be made in a national leadership meeting. (idb/ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/20/suryadharma-ali-temporarily-dismissed-ppp.html

Islamic parties surprise in Indonesia's legislative elections

Jakarta Globe - April 19, 2014

Kennial Caroline Laia, Jakarta – The April 9 legislative election has brought two surprising results.

First, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which was predicted to garner a large number of votes with the help of the widely popular Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo as its presidential candidate, only garnered around 19 percent – far below its target of 27 percent.

The second surprise came in the form of five Islamic parties, which analysts had written off as small contenders, performing much better than expected.

With a combined count of 31.9 percent of the vote, according to early data from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, this year's legislative elections mark the surprise rise of the country's religion- based parties.

Five years ago, the group managed to secure 29 percent of the votes, which was said to be the lowest level of support ever for a country attributed as having the world's largest Muslim population.

The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) managed to keep its support stable, despite being hit by a graft case involving its disgraced former chairman, Luthfi Hasan Ishaq, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison and fined Rp 1 billion ($84,000) for fixing the quota for beef imports.

The National Awakening Party (PKB) clinched the title for best performer among the Islamic parties, with quick count results at around 9 percent, up from 4.9 percent in 2009.

Trailing slightly behind was President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's ruling Democratic Party, which garnered 9.70 percent of the votes.

The National Mandate Party (PAN) scored 7.50 percent, United Development Party (PPP) received 6.70 percent, while the Crescent Star Party (PBB) gained only 1.60 percent.

Vote fragmentation

Political analyst Ari Dwiyapana from the University of Gajah Mada said the quick-count results should not be used as a parameter to determine the growth of Islamic parties. He also warned that it would be wrong to assume Indonesians have a tendency to lean toward affiliations born from religious ideologies.

"[The growth] is because the number of political parties taking part in this year's elections have declined significantly, which means there was less competition," he said.

"Furthermore, the PKB, for instance, had also benefited from people who left the Democratic Party because of the rampant number of corruption cases its top-level members had been involved in. This political migration had inevitably lowered the electability of the Democratic Party," Ari added.

"There's a shift in the flow of voters," he continued, adding that despite the huge blow delivered by the conviction of its former chairman, the Islamic party managed to maintain its loyal following.

"The minimum impact [of the graft case] on the party reflects the strong management skills of its members. It has also amassed a significant number of loyal supporters, which could explain its stable voting outcome. However, the party failed at attracting new voters," he said.

Despite grim predictions going viral ahead of the legislative election, the PKS managed to gain a surprising 6.9 percent of votes, only 1 percent lower than its results in the 2009 race.

Siti Zuhro, a researcher at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), conveyed similar sentiments, attributing the voting fragmentation to the low performance and electability of parties adopting the nationalist- religious ideology.

"With cases of corruption rampant in this country, political parties that built their foundations on religious nationalism no longer hold an appeal to the public," she said.

Different political scheme

Siti said the quick count results clearly reflect the vast differences in the political scheme that existed during 2009's elections, compared to the current situation.

"Indonesia's political arena has changed drastically over the past several years. The Indonesian people have also changed; their access to information has expanded, they are now more exposed to different opinions and ideas," she said.

"The sociopolitical issues experienced by each political party has skewed people's views of them, which significantly contributed to a noticeable fragmenting of votes. The recent political scheme has reverted back to focusing on honesty, moral values and democracy," Siti said.

"After a seemingly endless string of corruption cases, each party is trying put on an air of confidence and repolish its image. Generally, the political parties have seen a slight increase in votes, the most remarkable ones being the Great Indonesia Movement Party [Gerindra] and the National Democratic Party [Nasdem], after receiving more support than previously predicted by analysts and surveys."

Siti echoed Ari's cautionary statement by pointing out that the increase in support garnered by Islamic parties does not necessary reflect the people's growing trust in them.

"Though Islamic parties have shown they have remained strong based on the quick-count results, it doesn't say anything. Citizens are still widely disappointed by the greedy and corrupt behavior of politicians," she said.

"With its poor performance and cases of corruption, the PKS, an Islamic party, is not a good example of a clean party, no matter what its slogans of moral values say. This group used to represent the public's interest, yet some have taken advantage of that trust."

Election strategies and influential ties

Political analyst Yunarto Wijaya of Charta Politika said the recent data revealing the increase in support of religious-based parties should not be taken as a massively significant achievement, one that would change the parties' electability in the upcoming presidential elections.

"Candidates and their respective parties should not grow overly confident from receiving a high number of votes in the April 9 legislative elections," he said. "Five years ago, 38 political parties competed for votes. This year, that number has dramatically dwindled to 12."

Yunarto added that the main factors behind the Islamic parties' success are their campaign strategies and strong ties between certain allies from influential Muslim organizations.

"I have to admit that the PKB recorded a remarkable increase [in votes] compared to others. This is caused by the return of Nahdatul Ulama [NU] supporters to the party," he said.

"This was previously predicted. As the biggest Muslim organization in the country, the NU has many loyalists. The PKB's positive performance was also due to the determination of its chairman Muhaimin Iskandar to win over NU's influence and in selecting legislators who have strong ties to the organization.

"Meanwhile, the PKS has managed to maintain a wide range of supporters that aren't easily rattled. Most of them live in rural areas that rarely receive word of graft scandals brewing in the party," Yunarto continued.

"However, the PKS has lost a significant number of its urban backers, particularly those in the capital. Despite the graft scandal, for its loyal supporters, PKS will continue to be an institution with Islamic values – and that played an important role in the quick count results this year. As for the PPP, its campaign slogan of 'returning home' aimed at reinstating the Islamic values it carried in 1955. That promise is what made the voters cast their ballots for the PPP," he added.

"The United Development Party may not have a promising presidential candidate, and it may be widely considered as mediocre party; it's an old player in Indonesia's world of new politics. However, the PPP is home to many well-connected and experienced politicians with influential positions. This heavily contributed to its rising number of votes," Yunarto said.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/islamic-parties-surprise-indonesias-legislative-elections/

Suryadharma declares support for Prabowo as infighting intensifies

Jakarta Post - April 19, 2014

Hans Nicholas Jong, Hasyim Widhiarto and Ina Parlina, Jakarta – United Development Party (PPP) chairman Suryadharma Ali pledged his party's support for Gerindra Party presidential nominee Prabowo Subianto on Friday.

The announcement came after Suryadharma fired several senior party members who had reportedly opposed his participation in a Gerindra rally last month that brought the PPP closer to Prabowo's party.

"The party's chairman and central board executives agreed to form a coalition with Pak Prabowo," Suryadharma said at PPP headquarters in Central Jakarta.

He claimed the coalition was not formed on the back of a particular political agreement, and that he and Prabowo had not discussed running mates.

He went on to say that the coalition was formed due to the two parties' similar vision and mission. "We feel that we have gained widespread support [from PPP executives], including deputy chairman, some executives, some deputy secretary-generals and the head of the religious council, Maimun Zubair."

Suryadharma expressed confidence there would be no internal movement against the decision to back Prabowo. "Maimun is a highly respected elder. So if he already gave clear and firm support [for the coalition], then Insya Allah [God willing] there will be no party factions who rebel," he said.

Suryadharma's rivals within the party were quick to challenge his claims. PPP campaign team head Fernita Darwis said the coalition had not yet been set in stone.

"Not yet. This is just a step taken to build political communication," she told The Jakarta Post on Saturday after the party's announcement. "The results of the communication that we build will be taken to the party's national meeting."

Fernita reasoned that high-level decision making power rests with the national meeting. The party's secretary-general, Muchammad Romahurmuziy, also said the party's final stance would be decided during the meeting expected to be held in early May.

"Support [for Prabowo's candidacy] is sound, but the political stance has to be in accordance with the meeting's decision, therefore, it must receive the blessing of the meeting," he said.

Though the coalition was tentative, Fernita said the party had already come up with a name for the alliance. "If we decide to form the coalition in the end, then we will name it Gabah, which stands for Gerakan Indonesia Kaaba."

Also undermining Suryadharma's claims of unity and certainty, is confusion regarding his dismissal of several senior party members, including Romahurmuziy.

PPP deputy secretary-general Syaifullah Tamliha said Suryadharma decided to dismiss Romahurmuziy for failing to resolve internal conflict among the party's executives. Syaifullah added that the order had been signed by Suryadharma on Saturday at a central executive board meeting and Romahurmuziy would be replaced by another party deputy secretary-general, Isa Muchsin.

Romahurmuziy, however, said that as far as he was concerned, he was still secretary-general, as Saturday's executive meeting was only attended by 15 members, fewer than half of the 55 on the board, and thus any decisions made were unofficial.

On Wednesday, Syaifullah also claimed that Suryadharma had officially dismissed deputy chairman Suharso Monoarfa, as well as leaders of the party's provincial chapters in West Java, East Java, North Sumatra, South Sulawesi and Central Kalimantan for plotting a coup to unseat Suryadharma.

On Thursday, Romahurmuziy denied that the officials had been sacked, saying no dismissal letters had been issued and any dissenting voices in the party would be peacefully reconciled.

"The PPP's statutes stipulate that a certain procedure be followed in relation to the dismissal of party members, which includes three warning letters, suspension and a party executive meeting [to discuss the dismissal]," he said.

"I am sure that none of this procedure has been followed. If any [dismissal] document is circulating, it must be fake and we cannot be held responsible."

Suryadharma, who is also religious affairs minister, has been facing mounting calls to step down from a group of party officials following his "unauthorized" participation in a major Gerindra rally at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta last month. During the event, he publicly expressed his support for Prabowo's presidential bid.

PPP deputy chairman Emron Pangkapi, for example, said Suryadharma's move ran counter to the party's recent national meeting in Bandung, West Java, which did not endorse Prabowo as one of PPP's prospective candidates for the upcoming presidential election.

The PPP received about 6 percent of the vote in the legislative election. Gerindra, which gained about 11 percent of the vote, needs to form a coalition with other parties to cross the 25 percent threshold needed to nominate a presidential candidate.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/19/suryadharma-declares-support-prabowo-infighting-intensifies.html

No taker for Islam-based parties coalition in Indonesian presidency push

Jakarta Globe - April 18, 2014

SP/Carlos Paath & Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Jakarta – Forming a coalition of Islam-based parties may be difficult, following a meeting late on Thursday during which parties appeared to be uninterested in pushing for their own presidential candidates and instead looked to nationalist parties.

Representatives from the National Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the United Development Party (PPP), and the Star Crescent Party (PBB) met at the house of a businessman who is said to be ready to finance the proposed coalition.

Also attending Thursday's meeting were representatives from Muslim organizations like the Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah, and the Indonesian Council of Ulemas.

But the meeting failed to produce any resolution with some attendees doubting its effectiveness. At the same time, those who supported the proposal had different ideas as to what the coalition should strive for.

"In today's politics, it is no longer relevant to separate Islamic parties from nationalist parties," PKB central leadership board chairman Marwan Jafar said after the meeting. "There is not a single Muslim figure with enough electability and popularity to compete with [presidential candidates] from nationalist parties."

Former Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who had been a former chairman of the Islamic Student Association (HMI), said that forming a coalition of Islamic parties will not be easy.

"Between the Islamic parties themselves, there are frictions. How can we compete with the outside world when we can't even set aside our own differences?" Kalla told news portal Detik.com on Friday.

Bachtiar Natsir – a cleric known for criticizing nationalist-based parties and their candidates, and who has spearheaded the idea of a coalition – had called for representatives of all five Islam-based parties to meet on Thursday evening.

"Muslim groups want Islamic parties to unite and nominate their own presidential pairs. This is in essence a consolidation of parties based on people's aspirations who think Islam-based parties have enough power to compete [in the presidential race] if they join forces," Bachtiar said before Thursday's meeting.

The only time Islamic parties formed a coalition was in 1999 to pick presidential candidate Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid to rival Megawati Soekarnoputri. The coalition successfully supported Gus Dur who defeated Megawati for the presidency.

But PAN founder Amien Rais who spearheaded the 1999 coalition doubted such a bloc will be effective today. "A coalition of Islamic parties is too small. Don't think that Islamic parties alone can solve the nation's problems," Amien said after Thursday's meeting with Bachtiar.

Political observer Ray Rangkuti said that a coalition of Islamic parties would only represent 30 percent of the incoming House of Representatives. "Imagine a government with only 30 percent of House support, while the rest are opposition members," he said.

The proposed bloc also lacked a unifying figure as it had in Gus Dur in 1999, Ray added, noting that even if such a coalition were to be formed it would only be dominated by infighting, with each party trying to push for its own presidential candidate.

Meanwhile, the PPP has already stated its intention to join the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and nominate Gerindra chairman Prabowo Subianto as their presidential candidate.

PPP chairman Suryadharma Ali said that his party is ready to join the coalition of Islamic parties only if Gerindra is allowed in. "I agree [with the idea to form a coalition], but it would be better that it is not merely a coalition of Islamic parties," he said.

Additionally, Suryadharma said that the proposed coalition should support Prabowo. "I think [Prabowo] would make a great Indonesian leader," he said.

The PKS also proposed forming a coalition first, and then offering itself to Prabowo and Gerindra in exchange for a vice presidential nomination and ministerial posts.

"If all Islamic parties were united, we would have 31 percent of the vote. This coalition would have a strong enough bargaining position before we propose something to a nationalist party, such as Gerindra," said Refrizal, a senior PKS politician.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/taker-islam-based-parties-coalition-pushing-indonesian-presidency/

Calls mount for coalition between Islamic parties

Jakarta Post - April 18, 2014

Hasyim Widhiarto, Jakarta – A coalition claiming to represent Islamic mass organizations has called on Islamic-based political parties to form an alliance and endorse their own candidate for the upcoming presidential election.

The request emerged at a closed-door a meeting between the coalition and leaders of Islamic-based political parties on Thursday evening in Cikini, Central Jakarta.

Muslim scholar Taufan Maulamin, one of the event organizers, said the coalition expected Islamic-based political parties to collectively endorse a presidential contender who was able to fully represent the interests of Muslims.

"It is hurtful to learn that Islam has been misunderstood as [a representation of] Arab [culture]. There's clearly an Islamophobic element in our politics, which has prompted Muslims in the country to act, unite and endorse a coalition of Islamic parties [for the presidential election]," he told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of the meeting.

Islamic People's Forum (FUI) secretary-general Muhammad Gatot Saptono, popularly known as Muhammad Al-Khaththath, who attended the meeting, said Islamic-based political parties must endorse a presidential candidate who "is close to Muslims".

"We hope all five [Islamic-based] parties, or at least four, make an alliance and endorse their own [presidential] candidate," said Gatot, who ran as a candidate for the Crescent Star Party (PBB) in the April 9 legislative election.

In 2012, the FUI made headlines after members of the organization, along with the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), staged a rally to protest the planned concert of American pop singer Lady Gaga in Jakarta.

Many pre-election surveys suggested that Islamic-based parties would see a decline in popularity in the legislative election, but the results have so far proved otherwise.

The majority of quick counts found that the National Awakening Party (PKB) garnered at least 9 percent of the vote, followed by the National Mandate Party (PAN) with around 7 percent, the United Development Party (PPP) with more than 6 percent and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) with 5 percent.

The PBB, meanwhile, was the most underperforming Islamic-based party, garnering around 1.5 percent of the vote in quick counts, far below the electoral threshold of 3.5 percent.

In total, the five political parties garnered around 30 percent of the vote, more than enough to make them collectively eligible to nominate a candidate for the July 9 presidential election.

The Presidential Election Law stipulates that only political parties or coalitions of parties that garner 20 percent of legislative seats or 25 percent of the popular vote are eligible to contest presidential elections.

Among the politicians attending the meeting were former Muhammadiyah chairman and PAN co-founder Amien Rais, PAN politician and Administrative Reforms Minister Azwar Abubakar, PKS chairman Anis Matta, PKS lawmakers Fahri Hamzah, Hidayat Nur Wahid and Ahmad Zainuddin, PKB lawmaker and treasurer Bahruddin Nashori, and PPP politician and former Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) chief of staff Maj. Gen. (ret) Kivlan Zen.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/18/calls-mount-coalition-between-islamic-parties.html

PPP farce as Suryadharma purges critics of Prabowo coziness

Jakarta Globe - April 17, 2014

SP/Robertus Wardi, Jakarta – Indonesia's oldest Islamic party was in turmoil after United Development Party (PPP) chairman and serving Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali expelled five senior members who had tried to oust him for his very public courting of presidential hopeful, Prabowo Subianto.

"It's for the sake of the organization," Suryadharma said at the presidential palace on Thursday. "There are several things that triggered [the decision to expel the five]."

Former housing minister Suharso Monoarfa was given his marching orders, as were Rachmat Yasin, Musyaffa Bierm Amir Uskara and Fadli Nursal – all senior card carriers.

Suharso took a particularly dim view of Suryadharma turning up at the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party's pomp-filled rally at Bung Karno Stadium in March, in which the party's presidential candidate emerged from a helicopter and inspected his own guard of honor. Suryadharma later praised Prabowo as a strong leader – to a mix of anger and disbelief at PPP HQ.

The high number of Indonesian political parties means that a certain amount of behind-closed-doors communication is an inevitable fact of life as alliances are forged, but the brazen openness with which Suryadharma cozied up to Prabowo crossed a line for many within the PPP grassroots and Suryadharma's actions had become an embarrassment that could be resolved only by the religious affairs minister stepping down, they said.

Several members of the party's regional boards filed votes of no confidence with the central board that Suryadharma be fired after the legislative election.

"We have received letters from 27 provincial boards – they questioned why the party's chairman joined another party's campaign. They want him sanctioned," said PPP deputy chairman Emron Pangkapi, as quoted by newsportal Kompas.com on Wednesday.

Suryadharma's extraordinary attempt to outflank detractors within his own party appears, however, to be illegal – or so says Romahurmuzy, a House of Representatives lawmaker for the party who sits on Commission IV. "I can assure you that this procedure has not been met – so any letter that has been issued must be illegal," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/ppp-farce-suryadharma-purges-critics-prabowo-coziness/

Frustration grows over party-political biased TV coverage

Jakarta Globe - April 17, 2014

Basten Gokkon, Jakarta – With a next round of political campaigning due for the presidential election, experts have called for stricter regulations to ensure fairness in televised political coverage, emphasizing the need to observe high journalistic standards.

Television remains top of the heap for the sheer number of people it serves and for the effectiveness of getting the message across, observers say.

"Compared to radio and newspaper, television's strength is in its living image – gestures and facial expressions – which can manipulate the public," Daniel Sparringa, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's special adviser for political communications, said during a discussion on Wednesday.

"Television has that magic, compared with radio and newspapers, in creating opinions and shaping one's political views. It [still] is the most important media platform in political campaigns," he said.

Some 91.7 percent of all Indonesians over the age of 10 watched television in 2012, compared to 18.6 percent who listened to radio and 17.7 percent who read newspapers and magazines, according to data by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

"However, television can be terrifying if it falls into the hands of people who put their political interests above that of the public," Daniel continued.

He said television also becomes problematic "if it shares one point of view in delivering news, instead of varied views... If it is no longer about value but money... and if it is no longer about equality, but domination."

In Indonesia, a number of free-to-air television channels are owned by politicians, several of whom are presidential or vice presidential hopefuls.

Metro TV, the leading news channel, is part of the media empire of Surya Paloh, founder and chairman of the National Democrat Party (NasDem). Metro typically features coverage of Surya's achievements, or news about the party he founded.

TVOne, another news channel, and its affiliated channel ANTV are controlled by the family of Aburizal Bakrie, chairman of Golkar Party and the second- largest party's presidential candidate.

The country's most popular general entertainment TV channels – RCTI, Global TV and MNC TV – and leading pay TV operator Indovision – are owned by Hary Tanoesoedibjo, one of Indonesia's wealthiest individuals and a vice presidential candidate for the People's Conscience Party (Hanura).

However, some political and media commentators believe the unabashed partisanship of these various TV channels actually backfires against their owner's political parties, or at least is of limited value.

"Intensive political advertising only introduces the party. It does not necessarily make people vote for them," Yunarto Wijaya, a political expert from think tank Charta Politika, said on Wednesday.

In any case, the pressure is on for greater oversight of TV broadcasting, says Cecep Hidayat, a political analyst at the University of Indonesia. "In the context of democracy, media is the fourth pillar, besides the other three, namely executive, legislative, and judicial," Cecep said.

Numerous complaints have already been filed with the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) about political ads on TV deemed to be in violation of campaign rules, according to Yunarto.

"There should be a stricter regulation which minimizes violations, restricting politicians from abusing media for their personal interests," Daniel said.

"For example, if they [already] own a newspaper and want to own a TV station, their share ownership has to be regulated," Daniel said of entrepreneurs-turned-politicians. "Save the media from the domination of capital and political interests."

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/frustration-grows-party-political-biased-tv-coverage/

Dems snub Gerindra, turn to PAN, PPP

Jakarta Post - April 17, 2014

Bagus BT Saragih, Ina Parlina and Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – The National Mandate Party (PAN) and the United Development Party (PPP), which had both reportedly been gravitating toward a coalition with the Gerindra Party, may now, according to new reports, form an alliance of medium-sized parties with the ruling Democratic Party.

Speculation regarding a move to form a Democrat-led coalition of medium- sized parties, often called the "central axis", emerged after party chairman President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono reportedly canceled a planned meeting with Gerindra's presidential nominee Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday.

Previously, Gerindra members had said the meeting could result in a Democratic Party-Gerindra coalition. Instead, the President held an impromptu meeting on the party's ongoing presidential convention at his residence in Cikeas, West Java, on Tuesday evening.

The convention was almost called off after the party's weak showing in the legislative election – but now the possibility of creating an alliance of medium parties has raised hope that the winner of the convention could become a presidential candidate.

"From the beginning, the convention was held to produce a presidential hopeful, not a vice presidential hopeful," senior Democratic Party politician and Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik said on Wednesday. "We will weigh the possibility of fielding our own presidential candidate."

Committee secretary Suaidi Marasabessy echoed Jero's comments, saying that Yudhoyono, in his capacity as the chairman of party's supreme assembly, had decided to resume the convention, which was suspended after the legislative election.

"We will soon hold a final debate for the 11 contenders in Jakarta before the end of this month and a final survey to see their electability," Jero said. He added the general assembly would have the final say after considering the results of the debate and survey. The results are scheduled to be announced sometime early next month, Suaidi said.

Meanwhile, Gerindra deputy chairman Fadli Zon downplayed the significance of Yudhoyono cancelling the meeting, saying that Prabowo and the President were still communicating via telephone. "We are still looking for an appropriate time for the meeting," he said as quoted by Antara. Jero declined to comment on the cancellation.

Also on Wednesday, PAN chairman and Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa, mentioned as a strong candidate to be Prabowo's running mate, acknowledged that the party had yet to reach a deal with Gerindra. "We will keep approaching the parties. Any kind of coalition can happen, whether it is with the PDI-P [Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle] or Democratic Party," said Hatta, who is also Yudhoyono's in-law.

Analysts have suggested that Hatta's family ties with Yudhoyono could help push PAN into a Yudhoyono-led coalition. Hatta said he had not ruled out the possibility of joining forces with the medium-sized parties.

Meanwhile, conflict within PPP has continued to escalate after party chairman and Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali stripped deputy chairman Suharso Monoarfa, as well as leaders of the party's provincial branches in West Java, East Java, North Sumatra, South Sulawesi and Central Kalimantan, of their positions on Wednesday.

Suryadharma's purge was allegedly prompted by mounting challenges over his leadership of the party, following his "unauthorized" participation in a major Gerindra rally at Bung Karno Stadium last month. During the event, he publicly expressed his support for Prabowo's presidential bid.

After the rally, as many as 27 PPP regional branch leaders filed a motion of no confidence against Suryadharma's chairmanship, saying his presence at Gerindra's rally was unethical and in violation of the party's statute.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/17/dems-snub-gerindra-turn-pan-ppp.html

Surveys & opinion polls

SBY's pluralist legacy in tatters, survey confirms

Jakarta Globe - April 23, 2014

Jakarta – As Indonesia debates the merits of the three-decade rule of strongman Suharto, the one thing the country seems to agree on is that the dictator fared better on protecting religious freedoms than the democratically elected incumbent, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Fewer that 40 percent of 1,200 Indonesians polled last week said Yudhoyono's stewardship of the country's religious pluralism was a success, compared to 45 percent for the late Suharto, according the Indonesian Survey Network, or LSI.

In fact, says LSI researcher Ardian Sopa, Yudhoyono was the worst-scoring president in this regard among the six presidents in Indonesia's history.

Sukarno, the country's founding president, came out on top with an approval rating of 65 percent, followed by Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid with 58 percent, B.J. Habibie with 49 percent and Megawati Soekarnoputri with 44 percent.

Ardian says the figures just get bleaker: Nearly two-thirds of respondents said that religious discrimination had worsened during Yudhoyono's presidency, and 88 percent said they hoped the next president would do a better job of protecting religious diversity and harmony.

"It's bad news that so many people in Indonesia feel that religious pluralism has degraded during Yudhoyono's time in office," Novriantoni Kahar, the director of the Denny J.A. Foundation, which runs a polling agency of the same name, said during the launch of the LSI survey findings on Tuesday.

He cites as one of the roots of this discontent the proliferation of regional bylaws and policies that discriminate against religious minorities, which the central government has done little to quell.

"There needs to be more courage shown by the president and his ministers in the future to eradicate these discriminatory bylaws," Novriantoni says. "Security forces like the police must also stop cracking down on minorities at the behest of the majority. There has been no commitment from the police to protect the rights of all citizens to worship freely and in peace."

Declaration of hate

Yudhoyono has long been criticized for turning a blind eye to cases of religious intolerance, even as he embellishes his pluralist credentials on the international stage.

The latest instance of the government allowing intolerance to flare up was last weekend's declaration by a hard-line Sunni Islamic group to wage jihad, or holy war, against the long-persecuted Shiite minority.

The declaration in Bandung was endorsed by the administration of West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan, which has a long history of hostile policies toward Shiites, Ahmadis and Christians, and safeguarded by the police.

Critics, though, have questioned why the authorities would allow an event invoking what amounted to hate speech – a crime under Indonesian law – to proceed without any attempt to shut it down.

Religious tolerance activists have also taken issue with the Bogor municipal government and the Bekasi district government, both in West Java, for flouting Supreme Court rulings to unseal churches that were closed off on trumped-up charges.

The central government, through Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi – who has himself suggested that a persecuted Shiite community in East Java renounce its beliefs – claims Jakarta is powerless to force local authorities to comply with the rulings of the highest court in the land, citing regional autonomy.

The members of the churches in question, GKI Yasmin from Bogor and HKBP Filadelfia from Bekasi, have for years now held joint Sunday services outside the State Palace to draw Yudhoyono's attention to their plight.

The president's lie

The president, however, seems to have overlooked the demonstrators at his doorstep, claiming earlier this month that there had been "no serious human rights abuses" in the country since he took office in 2004.

"To create a safe and peaceful Indonesia, the targets that I'd set were for national integrity, security and an end to armed violence, with a strengthening of religious tolerance," he told a campaign rally of his Democratic Party a week before the April 9 legislative election. "In the past 10 years there have been no serious human rights abuses," he added.

That, says rights activist Puspitasari, is patently false. "It's unethical, it's a public lie," she says.

She cites the flourishing under Yudhoyono's watch of hard-line militant groups like the Islamic Defenders Front, or FPI, which has repeatedly attacked minority groups and legitimate businesses with impunity. "Whenever the FPI has attacked another group, the authorities have always let it slide," Puspitasari says.

Gamawan, whose ministry has the power to disband groups that break the law, issued a "three strikes and you're out" ultimatum to the FPI after it attacked his ministry headquarters in 2012. Since then, more than two dozen attacks have been attributed to the group and its members, but Gamawan has ignored calls to disband it.

With Yudhoyono barred by term limits from running for a third term in office, his legacy looks certain to be tainted by his failure to address religious intolerance, critics say.

But the president has made a show of being a champion of religious freedom, at least on the international stage, in what observers say is his bid for a possible United Nations job after he leaves office.

In May last year he picked up the World Statesman Award from a US interfaith organization for his role in promoting religious tolerance and freedom of worship in Indonesia. Religious freedom activists back home said the award from the Appeal of Conscience Foundation was "shameful."

"This is a shame, a shame for you," interfaith activist and Jesuit priest Franz Magnis Suseno said in an open letter to the foundation.

"It discredits any claim you might make as an institution with moral intentions. How can you take such a decision without asking concerned people in Indonesia? Hopefully you have not made this decision in response to prodding by people from our government or the entourage of the president." Yudhoyono, in his acceptance speech, pointed out that there were probably more churches in Indonesia than in Britain or Germany.

He omitted to say that many of them had been shut down or were in the process of being closed by authorities in places like West Java and Aceh, at the behest of Islamic hard-liners.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/sbys-pluralist-legacy-tatters-survey-confirms/

Environment & natural disasters

As many as 23 companies said to be involved in Riau fires this year

Jakarta Globe - April 21, 2014

Pekanbaru – Indonesian Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya said on Monday that as many as 23 companies were allegedly responsible for fires and haze that struck Riau earlier this year, although police so far have named only one of them a suspect.

"Civilian investigators of the [environment] ministry have questioned 46 companies, and found evidence that 23 companies burned forests and lands," Balthasar said during a meeting in Pekanbaru, according to Indonesian news portal liputan6.com. "We will delve into this case; this is an environmental crime."

A total of 21 ministry investigators have been sent to Riau to investigate the case, Balthasar said. He refused to name any of the companies, saying only that investigations are expected to be completed in six months.

More than 700 hotspots were detected across Riau at the height of the fire and haze crisis in the province in March, disrupting flights at the local airport and neighboring ones, as well as causing air pollution to spike to hazardous levels.

More than 100,000 people in Riau and neighboring provinces suffered from respiratory illnesses due to the haze, according to local health agencies.

The emergency status for Riau was only lifted in early April after three weeks of special operation involving central government officials, police officers and the military (TNI). By that time, police had named 110 individuals and a plantation firm – National Sago Prima, a subsidiary of Sampoerna Agro – as suspects in the case.

Balthasar said the environment ministry would coordinate with Riau Police for legal proceeding as soon as investigations by ministry officers were completed. "We've also involved expert witnesses to support investigations," the minister added.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/many-23-companies-said-involved-riau-fires-year/

Forest law failings could speed up climate change

Jakarta Post - April 17, 2014

Jakarta – Climate change experts have said that stronger law enforcement was needed to prevent future disastrous wildfires in susceptible areas such as the peatlands of Riau, Sumatra.

Data from the World Resource Institute (WRI) shows that in Riau there were around 3,101 high confidence fire alerts from Feb. 20 to March 11, 2014. As a comparison, the province saw 2,643 fire alerts from June 13 to June 30 last year. From March 2013 to March 2014, 52 percent of all fire alerts in Indonesia came from four regencies in Riau province.

Over the last year, haze generated from fires in Riau has caused respiratory problems for more than 58,000 people.

The WRI data also shows that in 2009 greenhouse gases (GHG) from forest and peatland fires in Riau contributed to 27 percent of all the GHGs emitted from Indonesia that year. GHGs stay in the atmosphere for tens to hundreds of years after being released and are considered a major driver of climate change.

Several laws are on the books that seek to protect Indonesian forests and peatlands from deforestation and degradation. The most recent is Presidential Instruction No. 6/2013, which suspends the granting of new licenses for the exploitation of primary forest and peatlands in protected areas. The law will expire in May 2015.

Indonesia ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) on Nov. 23, 1994.

Andika Putraditama of the forest and landscape restoration department at WRI, told The Jakarta Post that although the government had attempted to curb wildfires by releasing regulations year after year, weak implementation on the ground had hindered fire prevention.

"When we questioned forestry agency officials in Riau for our research, many did not understand what the regulations entailed and how to enforce them in case of violations. Some did not even know where the protected areas were located," he said at the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) in Jakarta, on Tuesday.

Andika went on to say the weak implementation was also caused by multiple ministries being responsible for upholding forest and peatland protection laws. He said responsibility was divided between the Forestry Ministry and the Environment Ministry, causing confusion between who had the most authority over such cases.

Deputy environment minister for law enforcement Sudariyono said that the Environment Ministry had been actively investigating suspected perpetrators of forest and peatland fires.

Currently, 46 companies have been investigated by the ministry for the spate of fires set during February and March 2014. So far, four of those companies have been found innocent of wrongdoing, and 42 remain under investigation.

Sudariyono acknowledged that one of the challenges to forest and peatland protection was translating scientific evidence into effective laws.

To help surmount this challenge, Andika said data from both industry and the government must be made accessible for everyone. "We must shift their perception that the data will be used against them. It will encourage transparency so that the public can understand what is really happening on the ground and we can use the data to protect our forests fully," he said.

Dadang Hilman of the Indonesia Climate Change Center (ICCC) said that another solution was to launch a satellite that could generate a map of Indonesia that accurately portrayed company land boundaries. This would make it easier for the government to pinpoint which company to investigate in future forest and peatland fire cases.(fss)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/17/forest-law-failings-could-speed-climate-change.html

Health & education

Attention, funding turns to Islamic education in new government plans

Jakarta Globe - April 20, 2014

Kennial Caroline Laia, Jakarta – Proponents of religious schooling are clamoring for a larger slice of the public education budget, even as government struggles to fund secular state schools.

"Islamic schools play an important role in increasing education participation among students and awareness among their families to go to school," Phil Kamaruddin, secretary of the Directorate of Islamic Education at the Ministry of Religious Affairs argued earlier this week.

"Pesantren for instance, have a large potential to contribute to reducing the illiteracy rate in Indonesia," Phil said, referring to traditional Islamic boarding schools.

He said pesantren, and madrasah, which are day-only and are often more modern, have both made a great contribution to the number of Indonesians who go to school. "However, many of these privately funded Islamic schools have poor facilities," he said.

"The development needed includes infrastructure refinement and higher budget allocation for educational materials, especially in the more remote parts of the archipelago," he said. "That is why the government should help to develop them. They need to be revitalized," he said.

While the contribution of pesantren to providing basic education cannot be denied, Australian academic Greg Fealy argues that Islamic parties, notably the United Development Party (PPP), have a political interest in securing funding for schools with informal ties to Islamic parties.

"PPP made extensive use of the patronage opportunities that came through its two cabinet members, Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali and Public Housing Minister Djan Faridz," Greg wrote in an article published Monday on Australian National University website New Mandela.

"Both ministries poured vast sums of money into the Islamic education and social service system, ensuring the support of thousands of grateful local Islamic scholars and leaders."

With secular education overseen by the education ministry, and the religious affairs ministry in charge of Islamic schools and universities, the question is whether there are two separate education budget pies, or one. Will a boost for Islamic education mean less funding for the secular state school system?

An answer may be found in comments earlier this month by Amich Alhumami, head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas).

Amich said a team at the agency had prepared the National Medium-Term Development Plan for the education sector, which will be included in policy submitted for approval by the next president.

Amich said Bappenas would aim for more attention, and presumably funding, to be directed to pesantren and other Islamic schools.

"The focus on research is on how to develop Islamic schools," Amich said. "Islamic education is not under the Ministry of Education and Culture. That is why we need to conduct research on Islamic education," he said. "Pesantren and madrasah have potential and we are hoping this program would be able to help," he said.

Meanwhile, the EU- and Australia-funded Analytical and Capacity Development Partnership, which works in collaboration with Bappenas and both the ministries of education and religious affairs, recently held a discussion at which research to boost Islamic education policy was endorsed.

"Through this research, we are hoping that the government will pay more attention to Islamic education," the religious affairs ministry's Phil said.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/attention-funding-turns-islamic-education-system-new-govt-plans/

Legal marriage age contributes to mortality

Jakarta Post - April 17, 2014

Jakarta – The National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) called on the government to raise the legal minimum age for marriage from 16 to 18 years old for females.

Komnas Perempuan said that the move could help lower the country's alarming maternal mortality rate. Law No. 1/1974 on marriage stipulates that a woman must be at least 16 to marry.

"There is a clear correlation between our inability to lower the maternal mortality rate and child marriages. Girls at such a young age are still growing and are neither physically nor mentally prepared for childbearing," Yuniyanti Chuzaifah, the commission's chairman, said on Wednesday.

Indonesia has one of the highest percentages of child marriage cases in the world and the second-highest in ASEAN after Cambodia. The number of married females aged between 10 and 14 years has reached more than 22,000 or 0.2 percent of the population, while married females aged between 15 and 19 account for 11.7 percent.

Yuniyanti said that the government was obligated to protect the basic rights of females and that as an initial step, the legal marriage for females should be changed.

Since the year 2000, the government has targeted to reduce the maternal mortality rate to 102 per 100,000 live births to meet the target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

The 2012 Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey (SDKI) found that the maternal mortality rate in Indonesia stood at 359 per 100,000 live births, up from 228 per 100,000 live births in 2007.

The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook also showed that Indonesia had the 52nd-highest maternal mortality rate out of 184 countries.

Indonesia might have improved its position on the list because the CIA World Factbook used data from 2010, when the maternal mortality rate stood at 220 per 100,000 live births.

Sylvana Maria Apituley, chairman of the commission's branch in Papua, said that the rising maternal mortality rate should prompt the public to question the government's commitment to protecting women and their well- being.

"The number is rising, that is a fact, but what is being done about it? Has the government critically analyzed why the number continues to rise?" She said.

Yuniyanti said that young brides were also vulnerable to domestic abuse, which can cause pregnancy complications. A study in Finland found that women who experienced domestic abuse had weaker immune systems, and their chances of surviving labor also significantly decreased, she said. (fss)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/17/legal-marriage-age-contributes-mortality.html

Gender & sexual orientation

Transgender Islamic school reopened

Jakarta Post - April 21, 2014

Bambang Muryanto, Yogyakarta – A Pesantren Waria (Islamic boarding school for transgenders) in Yogyakarta has once again opened its doors, and brought the subject of freedom of religion for all – regardless of sexual orientation – back into the public arena.

After the death of its founder Maryani last month, the school moved to a house belonging to Shinta Ratri, a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and transsexual (LGBT) activist, in a heritage area in Jagalan, Kotagede.

"Everyone has the right to observe their religion in their own way," said Faithful People Brotherhood Forum Yogyakarta Abdul Muhaimin advisory board member in his speech at the launch of Pesantren Waria Al Fatah in Kotagede, Yogyakarta, on Friday evening.

Muhaimin said humans were not allowed to undermine others, including transgender people, since everyone was made by God. "According to the Koran, we are not allowed to classify people based on economic, social, political, gender or theological values," said Muhaimin, who also leads Nurul Umahat Islamic boarding school for girls in Kotagede.

He said although transgenderism was not specifically mentioned in the Koran, it had been discussed in fiqh (Islamic legal philosophy). "I hope the students here are strong as they must face stigma in society. We have to care for them [transgender people]," he added.

Muhaimin lauded the reopening of the Pesantren Waria, which was originally located in Notoyudan.

Waria is a portmanteau of the words for woman (wanita) and man (pria) and is often used to describe transgender women. Maryani had received local and international media attention since 2008 when she transformed her home into a place for transgenders to study Islam.

She made headlines last year due to her failed pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, last year after her efforts to go to the holy land failed due to documentation problems. Maryani's dream to make the pilgrimage eventually came true. She flew to Mecca on April 26 and returned May 5, and performed all the pillars of the umrah (minor haj), covered from head to toe as a woman.

Dozens of transgenders, NGO activists, students as well as domestic and foreign researchers attended the reopening of the school.

Wearing mukena (female prayer dress) and sarongs, the transgender women conducted evening prayer together side by side. After praying, Muhaimin cut a nasi tumpeng (rice cone) in celebration of the opening of the school.

Shinta Ratri said her Joglo-Javanese traditional style house, which was built in the 1800s had belonged to her grandmother before it passed down to her mother.

Shinta said the school, which was supported by the Nahdlatul Ulama University of Jepara, Central Java, offered students various subjects, such as transgender and Islam, Koran reading and shalat praying lessons. "There are currently 35 students at the school," she added.

Besides learning Islamic studies, Shinta said the school planned to facilitate ways for its students to make money.

At the old location, the women had a beauty salon and also rented traditional wedding dresses. "I hope the school can give students self confidence. Being transgender is not a sin. It is allowed in Islam as far as it's genuine, not fake," she added.

Meanwhile, Wulan Agustina, a student at the school, said she could now read the Koran and conduct shalat praying after enrolling at the school. "I also took religious studies, which can strengthen our will to face the hardships of life," Wulan said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/21/transgender-islamic-school-reopened.html

Refugees & asylum seekers

Hundreds of migrant kids languishing in Indonesian centers

IRIN - April 21, 2014

Jakarta/Makassar – Saleem Ali, not his real name, was just 13 when his mother decided that paying strangers to smuggle him through several countries in the hope of reaching Australia was safer than keeping him with her and his sisters in Quetta, southwestern Pakistan.

The family had sought sanctuary in Quetta from the persecution they faced in Afghanistan as Shia Muslim Hazaras but, according to Ali, "my brother was killed by terrorists and [my mother] didn't want the same to happen to me." Raising the smugglers' fee was difficult, he added. "She had to borrow the money."

Another brother had made it to Australia a year earlier using the same route that Ali's smugglers used through Thailand, Malaysia and, finally, Indonesia. "I was very scared," Ali told IRIN. "I traveled with strangers." He assumed, though, that he would soon join his brother in Australia.

Instead, his journey ended at one of two shelters for unaccompanied migrant children in Jakarta. He was transferred there five months ago after registering with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) soon after arriving in the country. By then, Australia had implemented Operation Sovereign Borders and fewer smugglers' boats were departing from Indonesia, while those that did were intercepted and turned back.

According to the UNHCR, about 5 percent of the more than 10,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers in Indonesia are so-called unaccompanied minors – children who have made often long and perilous journeys without a parent or guardian to care for them. Indonesian law makes no provision for such children and although the country has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which obliges it to assign guardians to unaccompanied children, it has not done so.

Ali was fortunate to end up at the shelter. Currently, about 100 unaccompanied minors, most of them from Afghanistan, but also from Myanmar and a handful of other nationalities, are being held at 13 immigration detention centers across Indonesia, while a further 264 children are in detention with their families, according to the UNHCR. Without guardianship, some children remain in detention for extended periods until space opens up in one of only three shelters.

The detention center in Makassar, South Sulawesi, is said to be one of the better ones. Detainees are not confined to their rooms except at night time, they are allowed to cook their own food and many of them have cell phones they use to stay in touch with family. Nevertheless, said the center's director, Huntal Hamonangan, "our detention center was not created for unaccompanied minors and families."

'So crowded'

When IRIN visited, 25 unaccompanied minors, mostly teenage boys from Afghanistan, were sharing one room. "It's very hot and it's so crowded that we can't turn over at night," said one of the boys, who has already been there for seven months.

A 2013 report by Human Rights Watch described the arbitrary detention of migrant children in Indonesia in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions for months or even years as having a severe impact on their physical and mental health, with many experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

In some cases, minors share cells with adults who sexually abuse them, said Fahra Amiroeddin, deputy program manager at Church World Service, which manages the two Jakarta shelters in partnership with the UNHCR.

A number of child migrants interviewed for the HRW report said they had experienced beatings by immigration guards or adult detainees while in detention.

Muhammad Jalil, not his real name, an 18-year-old from Pakistan, was just 16 when he was taken to a detention center in Bali following a failed attempt to reach Australia in a smugglers' boat. He described conditions at the detention center where he spent the next year as "dangerous."

He told IRIN: "The guards beat us and punished us for no reason." When he and some other detainees went on a hunger strike to protest their incarceration, the guards beat his cell mate so badly that he was "in bed for a month."

The HRW report alleges that an Afghan migrant died after he was severely beaten by guards at an immigration detention center in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, in 2012 following an escape attempt. Three other asylum seekers who had tried to escape with him were also hospitalized, including a 17- year-old unaccompanied minor. Ten employees at the center subsequently received 10-month jail sentences for assault, but the report notes, "the government has not launched a systematic review of physical abuse in the immigration detention system," nor has a complaints mechanism for detainees been instated.

After three months, Jalil was interviewed by the UNHCR and a month later he was granted refugee status, but he spent another seven months in detention before being transferred to one of the CWS shelters in Jakarta.

Although the UNHCR can request the release of unaccompanied minors from detention, their release depends on finding somewhere safe to accommodate them. Besides the CWS shelters, the only other shelter in Medan, North Sumatra, is operated by the International Organization for Migration in conjunction with the department of social welfare.

"We have limited space," said CWS program manager Dino Satria, noting that their two shelters are currently accommodating 70 boys, more than half of whom were transferred there after a period in detention (female unaccompanied minors are rare but CWS has placed one with a foster family and another at a government-run safe house).

Slim chances of resettlement

"It's good for me [here] because I can study and wait for resettlement," said Abdul Fatun, not his real name, 17, from Myanmar, who arrived at one of the shelters a few weeks ago after 10 months in detention.

In fact, opportunities to study are mainly limited to language classes and activities offered at the shelter. "Accessing formal education is a big problem because most can't speak Bahasa [Indonesia] and that's a requirement for schools here," Satria said.

Fatun's chances of resettlement are also slim. In 2013, only five of the shelters' residents were resettled. "Most are just waiting to turn 18, then they have to move out," Satria told IRIN, adding that the IOM usually offers them accommodation in refugee housing that it manages in a number of locations in Jakarta.

Jalil is staying in one such building where he passes the time studying English. After nearly 18 months in Indonesia, there is a good possibility that he will be resettled in the United States. "I've done the interview, I'm just waiting for medical clearance," he said.

The UNHCR grants refugee status in about 75 to 85 percent of cases in Indonesia. For the relatively small number of unaccompanied minors whose applications are rejected, options are very limited. Deportation is rarely used by Indonesia's immigration authorities. In a small number of cases – just three in 2013 – the IOM helps them to return home voluntarily.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/hundreds-migrant-kids-languishing-indonesian-centers/

Indonesia speaks out on asylum seekers amid Australia tension

Agence France Presse - April 21, 2014

Jakarta – Jakarta called on governments on Monday to stop "shifting responsibility" for asylum seekers, in veiled criticism of Australia's hardline policy of towing boatloads of would-be refugees back to Indonesia.

The military-led operation has caused anger in Indonesia, which has been forced to take back seven boatloads of asylum seekers turned around by the Australian navy since December.

At the opening of an international meeting on asylum seekers in Jakarta, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said countries should stand by commitments to cooperate on the issue made at a conference last year.

Those commitments "confirmed our shared responsibility – shared responsibility, not [the] shifting of responsibility. Shared responsibility that requires coordination and cooperation," Natalegawa said at Monday's meeting. "For Indonesia the message is crystal-clear – the cross-border and complex nature of irregular movement of persons defies... national solution."

Asylum seekers have for years used Indonesia as a transit point to cross to Australia, usually on rickety fishing boats. More than 1,000 asylum seekers have died at sea in recent years attempting the perilous journey.

Tony Abbott came to power last year at the head of a conservative government in Australia on the back of a pledge to stem the flow of asylum seekers, and has implemented the tough border protection policies. His government says they are working, claiming that no asylum seekers arriving by boat have set foot on Australian soil since December.

The UN refugee agency said last week the number of asylum seekers registering in Indonesia had dropped dramatically since December, from around 100 a day to 100 a week.

The Abbott administration retained the policy of the former government of sending all asylum seekers arriving by boat to Papua New Guinea or Nauru – for permanent resettlement there if judged to be refugees.

Natalegawa acknowledged on Monday that the policies may have helped reduce the loss of life at sea between the two countries, but reiterated his opposition to them. "We need to take the politics out of this whole endeavor," he said, adding there must be alternative ways of stopping the flow of asylum seekers.

Australia was represented at the meeting by officials from its Jakarta embassy, but they made no comment at the opening.

The two-day International Workshop on the Protection of the Irregular Movement of Persons at Sea, attended by senior officials from 14 countries, is co-chaired by Indonesia and the United Nations refugee agency.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/indonesia-speaks-asylum-seekers-amid-australia-tension/

Australia 'should share asylum-seeker burden' says Indonesia

Australian Associated Press - April 18, 2014

Australia will be asked to "share the burden" of asylum seekers with Indonesia, where detention centres are overcrowded with people stymied by the Abbott government's hardline border policy.

Australia and Indonesia will meet on the sidelines of a workshop on the protection of asylum seekers in Jakarta next week. Indonesia's director general for multilateral affairs, Hasan Kleib, will encourage Australia to "work together again" on the issue.

He says seven asylum seeker boats have been turned back since December – three of them using orange lifeboats. Kleib says he understands Australia has opted for a "zero entry" policy, but it is "touching on other issues that relate to us".

There are now at least 10,623 asylum seekers and refugees in Indonesia who face years of waiting for resettlement, and who are vulnerable to people smugglers in the meantime.

"They go there in the middle of the sea, are caught by Australia, pushed back to us and become the burden of us again," Kleib told reporters in Jakarta on Thursday.

"So we want to share the burden... It's what I've said since the beginning, people smuggling is under the category of transnational organised crime. If it is transnational, then there is no one country in the world that can handle it alone."

The workshop will also be attended by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which has seen its caseload in Indonesia balloon from less than 400 at the end of 2009 to more than 10,000 today.

Its representative in Indonesia, Manuel Jordao, echoed the view that "responsibility-sharing" was needed. "A certain degree of... responsibility-sharing should be negotiated if states want to actively put in place a system that should effectively manage migration in the region," he said.

Jordao said it would be a few more months before he could properly gauge how Operation Sovereign Borders had changed asylum seeker movements.

But an effect he called the "50% no-show rate" – where 50% of asylum seekers who registered with the UNHCR in Indonesia would disappear within six months – had vanished. "Now, every single person who registers with the UNHCR stays," he said.

Between September 2013 and 31 January 2014, 360 people were accepted for resettlement, most of them by Australia. Jordao rejected criticism that the process was too slow. "A fair process is not a speedy process," he said.

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/18/australia-should-share-asylum-seeker-burden-indonesia

Graft & corruption

Agriculture minister Suswono accused in radio equipment graft case

Jakarta Globe - April 23, 2014

SP/Novianti Setuningsih, Jakarta – The allegations had swirled for years, but when the first solid accusation of corruption was finally leveled at Agriculture Minister Suswono, it wasn't in the case most had expected.

Suswono, from the Prosperous Justice Party, or PKS, was on Wednesday named in an indictment against graft suspect Anggoro Widjojo, standing trial at the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court in connection with a contract to supply radio communications equipment to the Forestry Ministry in 2007.

In their indictment, prosecutors from the Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, alleged that Suswono, who back then served on the legislative oversight committee on forestry and agriculture, took a Rp 50 million ($4,300) bribe to approve the procurement of the equipment.

Riyono, a prosecutor, told the court that Anggoro, whose company, Masaro Radiokom, supplied communications equipment, lobbied Suswono's commission to renew its contract for the procurement of the equipment in 2007, after the project had been abandoned in 2004.

"The defendant asked for a help on the budget, because the project had been [abandoned] for years and the defendant promised to give money to members of the House of Representatives' Commission IV," Riyono said.

The commission approved the budget on July 16, 2007, and recommended that the Forestry Ministry rubber-stamp the equipment procurement, which was worth Rp 180 billion.

After the budget approved, Anggoro asked his assistant, David Angkadjaja, to give kickbacks on Aug. 1 to Commission IV chairman Yusuf Erwin Faishal, which the latter then distributed to other commission members, including Suswono, the KPK alleges.

Suswono was questioned by KPK last month during a visit to Central Java, after refusing to come in for questioning to the KPK office in Jakarta. After the questioning, he told reporters that he was not involved in the Forestry Ministry project and could not recall receiving the bribe in question, amid the glut of "deposits," or kickbacks, he had received.

"I did not join the discussion" of the radio equipment procurement, Suswono said as quoted by Detik.com. "During my time at House Commission IV, I submitted Rp 1.2 billion [in received bribes] to the KPK. It's really possible that some of the money I gave to KPK was related to that. I can't recall them all because there were some 'deposits' given to me."

Suswono has long been the subject of speculation about corruption, primarily over last year's high-profile case centering on the issuance of a permit to import beef into the country.

The PKS president at the time, Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for his role in arranging a massive kickback from the importing company, while other high-ranking party officials have been implicated in money-laundering linked to the flow of the dirty money.

The permit was issued by Suswono's office, but the minister was never formally named a suspect in the case, despite being questioned about it by the KPK.

The antigraft body has also grilled him over an allegation that he took a Rp 300 million while serving on House Commission IV to push through a permit for the construction of a port in protected land in Tanjung Api-Api in Banyuasin district, South Sumatra.

Yusuf, the commission chairman, was in 2009 sentenced to four and a half years in prison in that case. Suswono admitted to taking the money, but claimed he had handed it over to KPK investigators and was thus not liable to any charges.

Article 12 of the 1999 Anti-Corruption Law includes an amnesty provision, allowing anyone in a position of accountability who receives a bribe to hand the money over to the KPK within 30 days without facing any charges. Once that period has expired, however, corruption charges are applicable. It remains unclear whether Suswono handed over the money within the 30-day window.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/agriculture-minister-suswono-accused-radio-equipment-graft-case/

Freedom of religion & worship

Police in limbo over hate crime against Shiites

Jakarta Post - April 22, 2014

Yuliasri Perdani, Jakarta – The National Police are reluctant to act against the alleged hate speech made at an anti-Shia declaration, an event attended by more than 1,000 people in Bandung, West Java.

Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Ronny F. Sompie said the force required an evaluation from the Religious Affairs Ministry and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) to determine whether the declaration promoted religious intolerance or not.

"The National Police need support from the MUI and the Religious Affairs Ministry, considering the case is not only about a call to use violence [against Shiites]. The case has a very sensitive background," he said on Monday.

In the declaration on Sunday, Sunni clerics declared the Shia to be heretical and said they would take any measure to prevent the spread of Shia teachings.

Besides denouncing Shiites, the clerics also called on their attendees not to vote for presidential candidate Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, since his party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) had nominated a Shia leader as a legislative candidate.

Ronny suggested that only the Elections Monitoring Agency (Bawaslu) and the General Elections Commission (KPU) had the authority to evaluate the alleged smear campaign. "Should the Bawaslu determine that it is an election violation and take the case to the National Police, we will follow it up," he added.

According to the law, every event involving the public must gain approval, in the form of a permit letter, from the regional police.

West Java Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Martinus Sitompul said the anti-Shia declaration was conducted without a police permit, considering it was a religious event. "It was a religious event inside a mosque. The police do not need to issue a permit for that," he said.

The gathering was held at Al-Fajr Mosque in the capital of West Java, a province known to be home to the largest number of Shia followers. Some of the clerics who spoke out in the declaration have backgrounds in Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Islamic organization.

NU deputy secretary-general Muhammad Imdadun Rahmat told The Jakarta Post on Monday that NU considered Shiites their Islamic brothers. "We don't need an anti-Shia declaration. As brothers in Islam, we should respect each other," he said, citing ukhuwah Islamiah (Islamic brotherhood) as being able to bridge differences.

Imdadun added that NU had cooperated with Shiite-majority Iran and often invited the Iranian ambassador when the organization held an event, he said.

However, NU intellectual Siti Musdah Mulia said the declaration showed that intolerance in Indonesian society had grown. "It also reflects that the government has failed to enforce Pancasila values," Siti said.

She added that the public's understanding of the Constitution was still weak, which meant such a declaration could be launched. "We can also see that the public's knowledge of Islam is not deep enough. They forget the essential values in Islam, like tolerance," Siti said.

She urged the government to take action against those who encouraged people to be intolerant, so that future tensions could be prevented. (dhi)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/22/police-limbo-over-hate-crime-against-shiites.html

Bomb threat, blockade mar Easter

Jakarta Globe - April 21, 2014

Bayu Marhaenjati & Tunggadewa Mattangkilang – Jakarta/Balikpapan. Celebrations of Easter in Indonesia were marred by the discovery of a suspected bomb at a Christian school in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, and the continued barring of two West Java congregations from their own churches.

Some 150 personnel from the Jakarta Police, the city's public order agency, or Satpol PP, and the military were on hand for Easter Mass at the Jakarta Cathedral on Sunday.

Comr. Shinto Silitonga, the chief of police of Sawah Besar precinct, where Indonesia's biggest Catholic church is located, said there were no security disruptions reported on the day.

He added that security personnel had been posted inside and outside the church, including in the parking lot, where they looked for suspicious packages.

In Balikpapan, however, Easter Mass at a church adjoining the Kalimantan International Christian School had to be postponed after officials discovered a suspicious package believed to be an explosive device in the school.

Police said the device consisted of two motorcycle batteries connected to a box with electrical cables. Anton, a security officer at the school, said he came upon the package during a patrol at around 3 a.m., just a few hours before worshipers were expected to start arriving.

"I heard the sounds of two people talking in the bushes outside the school building, and when I went to check they ran away," he said. He said they left behind the package. He said that when he saw the electrical cables, he ran for help.

The police's bomb squad arrived at the scene and set up a secure perimeter around the school and church before setting to work trying to determine what was in the package. Comr. M. Amir, the Balikpapan Police chief, said the bomb squad managed to clear the package away safely, but could not confirm whether it was an explosive device, pending more tests.

The Easter service, which was supposed to have started at 9:30 a.m., had to be delayed to 11:30 p.m. to ensure that the area was all clear, Amir added.

Back in Jakarta, meanwhile, the GKI Yasmin congregation from Bogor and the HKBP Filadelfia congregation from Bekasi once again held Easter services outside the State Palace in Central Jakarta, to protest the regional authorities' continued refusal to allow them to worship in their own churches, in direct defiance of Supreme Court rulings.

Bona Sigalingging, from the Yasmin congregation, said that by holding their service outside the State Palace, the worshipers wanted to reminder President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of their plight and of the belligerence of regional heads refusing to comply with the letter of the law.

"We want to constantly remind the president that there are regional heads who won't do as the central government says. The Bogor mayor and the Bekasi district head have refused to comply with the court's decision to reopen our two churches," he said.

Yudhoyono, meanwhile, took to Twitter to wish Christians across the country a happy Easter.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/bomb-threat-blockade-mar-easter/

Congregation demands new Bogor mayor reopen church

Jakarta Post - April 21, 2014

Jakarta – The congregation of the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Yasmin urged recently inaugurated Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto to act on his promise to reopen their church before the country's next president is elected in July.

Bima and his deputy, Usmar Hariman, officially took office on April 7. GKI Yasmin spokesman Bona Sigalingging said Bima had to find a solution to the case, which his predecessor Diani Budiarto had failed to resolve before his term expired in June last year.

"This case was carried over from Diani to Bima, so we demand that Bima obey the ruling of the Supreme Court and stop acting like Diani," Bona said on Sunday.

In 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that the GKI Yasmin congregation in Bogor, West Java, had the right to build a church in the area. Diani, however, refused to issue a permit for the building and the church was sealed in 2010. Since then, the GKI Yasmin congregation has been holding its Sunday services outside.

On Sunday, members of GKI Yasmin along with those of Batak Protestant Church (HKBP) Filadelfia from Bekasi, West Java, held a joint service in front of the State Palace to both celebrate Easter and push the national government to intervene in the case.

The service was led by Daniel Heru Iswanto, a pastor and chairman of the Javanese Christian Church in northern Central Java. In his sermon, Daniel said the GKI Yasmin case was a test for the country to uphold religious equality for subscribers of all faiths.

"If the government fails to resolve this case, this moment will go down in history as one of the darkest periods of the country and this will be a challenge to the next government," he said.

The service began at 1 p.m. and wrapped up at 3 p.m. Also attending the service were activists from interfaith organizations and Jakarta Street Lawyers.

Late last week, members of GKI Yasmin and HKBP Filadelfia held a Good Friday service in the pouring rain in the same location. "We conduct services here to show that we do not only support fellow Christians, but also other minority groups who are discriminated against, such as the Ahmadis and Shiites," he said.

Despite a statement from Albert Hasibuan, member of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's advisory council, saying that the GKI Yasmin church should be opened no later than October last year, the government has failed to follow up with action. The GKI Yasmin church is not the only one to have faced intolerance from local groups.

In 2011, the Bekasi municipal administration sealed off HKBP Filadelfia church after local residents objected to its construction. Though the Bandung State Administrative Court ruled in favor of the church's right to exist, the administration has still not reopened the site.

Earlier this April, members of GKI Yasmin backed by NGOs came to Bima's private residence to deliver a letter ahead of his inauguration as mayor, demanding he allow the church to open.

Bima, a National Mandate Party (PAN) politician, issued a statement after his inauguration saying dialogue was the only way to resolve the standoff.

On April 17, Bima pledged to resolve the longstanding dispute surrounding GKI Yasmin. "I'm optimistic we will reach an agreement to solve this problem and achieve closure," Bima said after meeting with Albert from the presidential advisory council in mid-April. (gda)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/21/congregation-demands-new-bogor-mayor-reopen-church.html

Organized persecution of Shiites launched

Jakarta Post - April 21, 2014

Arya Dipa, Bandung – More than 1,000 people attended an anti-Shia declaration on Sunday at the Al Fajr mosque in the West Java capital of Bandung, in what appeared to be the first organized attempt to persecute Shiites in Indonesia.

Supported by a dozen high-profile clerics, the Anti-Shia National Alliance called on the public to fight what they said to be the proliferation of Shia influence, which they deemed a "heresy" in Sunni-majority Indonesia.

The alliance, formed to spearhead Shia persecution nationwide, also called on the public not to support presidential hopeful and Jakarta Governor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo as his party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), had promoted a top Shia figure to become a legislative candidate.

The alliance's chairman, Athian Ali, declared four points in the organization's guidelines, which included approving the use of violence to prevent "heretical" teachings.

"There's growing public concern about the spread of the Shia [branch of Islam]. It's our duty to protect society," said Athian, who has a degree from Al Azhar University in Egypt.

Aside from Athian, other luminaries attending the event included Abdul Hamid Baidlowi, a Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) cleric. His father helped found the NU, the country's biggest Muslim organization, known for supporting tolerance and pluralism.

NU cleric Ahmad Cholil Ridwan, a graduate of the Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia, is also one of the alliance's staunch supporters.

Cholil said the alliance would fight on the political front in response to the PDI-P's decision to choose Shia figure Jalaluddin Rakhmat as its top legislative candidate for the West Java area in the April 9 legislative election. It remains unclear whether Jalaluddin has secured a legislative seat.

"Don't choose Golput [to abstain] in the coming presidential election. It will pave the way for Jokowi to become the president. If he's elected, Jalaluddin will be his religious affairs minister. Do you all want that?" said Cholil before the crowd.

A Shia-linked organization, the Indonesian Ahlul Bait Association (IJABI), has sent letters to the West Java Police, the West Java governor and the commander of the Siliwangi Regional Military Command to protest the alliance's declaration. "We do not object to the activity but to the statement of hatred," IJABI chairman Hesti Rahardja said.

In the past five years, the persecution of Shiites has increased, with the Syrian conflict feared to be exacerbating the violence.

The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) has announced that at least 70 Indonesians have flown to Syria and joined rebel groups that are attempting to topple the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a Shiite reportedly backed by Shiite-majority Iran in his attempts to remain in power. The BNPT has voiced its concern that if the Indonesian combatants return home, they will act against Shiites in Indonesia.

Having the world's largest Muslim population, Indonesia is estimated to be home to at least 3 million Shia followers, with West Java home to one of the highest concentrations of Shiites.

The anti-Shia declaration

1. The alliance is a preaching forum to promote virtues and prevent abominable acts.

2. The alliance will take any necessary measures to maximize the prevention of the proliferation of heretical teachings by Shia followers.

3. The alliance will forge good relations with other preaching organizations.

4. The alliance will demand that the government immediately ban Shia and revoke all licenses for foundations, organizations and institutions owned by Shiites.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/21/organized-persecution-shiites-launched.html

Calls for jihad, purges emerge at hate-filled anti-Shiite gathering

Jakarta Globe - April 20, 2014

Yuli Krisna, Bandung – A planned declaration in Bandung to denounce the Shiite community turned into a fiery call for jihad, or holy war, against the much-maligned minority group.

Thousands of people showed up for the event on Sunday hosted by the Anti- Shia Alliance, a gathering of hard-line Sunni Muslim organizations.

Ahmad bin Zein Al Kaff, the head of one of those organizations, the Anti- Heresy Front, said that Indonesia must be cleansed of Shiite teaching to prevent sectarian strife between Shiites and Sunnis – all the while inciting violence against Shiites.

"It's time that we declared jihad against them," he said in an impassioned speech to the crowd gathered at Bandung's Al Fajar Mosque. "We should not tolerate them any more because we can't hold any more dialogues with them."

West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan, who has made no secret of his distaste for minority religious groups, was expected to attend the declaration but stayed away at the last minute, instead sending his assistant for welfare, Ahmad Hadadi, who expressed support for the alliance's cause.

Also in attendance was Ahmad Cholil Ridwan, a leader of the Indonesian Council of Ulema, or MUI, the highest Islamic authority in the country and ostensibly a moderate body. Cholil's message on the day, however, was anything but moderate as he called for a "purge" of the Shiites.

"As long as we [Islamic parties] are not in power, we will never be able to purge the Shiites," he said. "We need to strengthen our political base. The ruling coalition must be controlled by Islamic parties."

The declaration itself called for "preventive and anticipative" action to deal with the "Shiite threat," which observers say amounts to unprovoked attacks on Shiite communities in West Java and elsewhere, which continue to be carried out by hard-line groups like the Islamic Defenders Front, or FPI.

FPI members were present at Sunday's gathering, dressed in black ski masks and camouflage jackets stencilled with "Heresy Hunters."

Prior to the declaration, the West Java chapter of the Association of Jamaah Ahlul Bait Indonesia (IJABI), an umbrella group for Shiite organizations, had requested that the police not allow the gathering, on the grounds that it would incite hatred – a crime under Indonesian law.

"The police should take the necessary steps because this event will spread hatred and could invoke violence," said Hesti Rahardja, the IJABI West Java chairwoman. However, rather than preventing the gathering, the police deployed dozens of officers to secure the event.

"We respect freedom of expression. But we have to be careful because the presidential election is approaching," Hesti said.

Bantarto Bandoro, a defense and security expert at the Indonesian Defense University, said it was precisely because of the upcoming election that the alliance had chosen this moment to call for the eradication of the Shiite faith from Indonesia.

"They perceive themselves as representing the majority. So they think that if any politician wants to become president, they must listen to their demands," he said.

This was borne out in the message to the crowd from Muhammad Al Khaththath, the secretary general of the Indonesian Ulema and Congregation Forum, or FUUI, which in 2012 issued a call to build "anti-Shiite posts" to protect the Sunni faithful.

"The presidential election must be used as a momentum," Al Khaththath said on Sunday. "We will support any candidate who wants to make an MOU to purge the Shiites from Indonesia. If Prabowo [Subianto] is ready to do that. he will become the president," he added, referring to the candidate from the Great Indonesia Movement Party, or Gerindra.

Bantarto urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to quickly take action to prevent he spread of the hate speech and protect Shiite communities from attacks.

"The conflict between Sunni and Shiite, which started in the Middle East, has arrived in Indonesia. We must not let ourselves be consumed by this conflict as we risk our own plurality and our unity as a nation. It will be a long and bloody conflict if we fall into the trap," he warned.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/calls-jihad-purges-emerge-hate-filled-anti-shiite-gathering/

Shiites protest anti-Shia declaration in Bandung

Jakarta Post - April 20, 2014

Arya Dipa, Bandung, West Java – Shia followers in Bandung, West Java, have filed a protest with local authorities over a planned declaration by the Anti-Shia National Alliance, scheduled for Sunday, fearing that the event could incite hatred against Shiites.

"We cannot hate something that is not [physically] there," chairman of the Indonesian Ahlul Bait Association (IJABI), Hesti Rahardja, said Saturday. He expressed his fear that Sunday's declaration would not so much create hatred against the Shia community as a whole, but more against individual Shia followers.

"We respect freedom of speech, but the statement has the potential to incite hatred," he said, reiterating the importance of maintaining calm ahead of July's presidential election. "This spirit [of hatred] will surely spread. This is what we are concerned about."

Hesti confirmed that IJABI had sent letters to the West Java Police, West Java governor and the commander of the Siliwangi Regional Military Command (Kodam) III to protest the planned Anti-Shia National Alliance declaration. "We do not object to the activity but to the statement of hatred," Hesti said.

West Java Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Martinus Sitompul did not comment much on the issue. "An activity that is held at a house of worship does not require a permit from the police," he said on Saturday.

Previously, West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. M. Iriawan said on Friday that the police had not received any information about the event.

"There is no permit [for the event]. If they do not hold a permit, we will take the necessary action," he said. Human rights campaigners have also condemned the scheduled declaration.

"Our stance is firm: We condemn the movement because it's a form of sectarianism that could [fuel] conflict," said Ahmad Fuad Fanani of the Maarif Institute for Culture and Humanity.

Deputy chair of the Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy, Bonar Tigor Naipospos, also rejected the move, calling it "hate speech" toward a minority group, adding that hate speech was a crime according to the Criminal Code (KUHP).

Anti-Shia National Alliance head Athian Ali said the declaration was part of an agreement made during a National Ulema Meeting and the Indonesian Islamic Ummah in Bandung on April 22, 2012.

The organizing committee plans to make the declaration at Bandung's Al-Fajr Mosque during the event, which is scheduled to run from 8:30 a.m. through 12 p.m. Banners and posters for the event have been set up across the city in the past week. Athian added that more than 100 clerics were expected to join in the event.

The posters also refer to a number of Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) figures due to speak on Sunday, including Abdul Muis Abdullah, chairman of the MUI Balikpapan chapter, and Muhammad Baharun, a member of the council's central executive board.

Secretary of the MUI West Java chapter, Rafani Achyar, said the clerics attending the event did not represent the interests of any institution. "They are joining in a personal capacity."

As of Saturday, Rafani said the West Java MUI had not been officially notified or invited to the declaration event, adding that, therefore, it was unnecessary to send a representative.

So far, MUI has not stated its position over the declaration. Asked whether the event had the potential to spread hatred, Rafani said all responsibility lay with the organizing committee. He called on people to be wise in responding to the event. "There is no need to become emotional. I hope no disturbances will occur," he added.

West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan also declined to say where he stood regarding the declaration, although he has confirmed that he will not be attending the event.

In Indonesia, Shia is a minority Islamic sect within the country's Muslim- majority population, which is dominated by Sunni Muslims. Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali previously called Shia Islam heretical, saying that it deviated from principal Islamic teachings.

Persecution of Shia followers has escalated in the past few years. In 2012, Tajul Muluk, a Shia leader from Sampang, East Java, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for blasphemy.

In the same year, a mob set fire to dozens of Shiite homes in Sampang, killing two Shia followers and forcing hundreds of others to take refuge in Sidoarjo, around 100 kilometers away.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/20/shiites-protest-anti-shia-declaration-bandung.html

MUI silent over anti-Shia event

Jakarta Post - April 19, 2014

Haeril Halim and Arya Dipa, Jakarta/Bandung – The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has yet to clearly state its stance over the upcoming declaration by the National Anti-Shia Alliance at the Al-Fajr Mosque in Bandung, West Java, on Sunday, even though human rights activists have strongly condemned the plan.

"I have not received any information about the declaration," MUI deputy secretary-general Amirsyah Tambunan told The Jakarta Post over the phone.

MUI West Java chapter secretary Rafani Achyar had a similar answer: "We were not invited and will not take part [in it]," Rafani said. "We've just found out about this [declaration]. We have no idea if they have a permit to hold the event [...] I think it's the local authority's business," he added.

Banners and posters for Sunday's anti-Shia declaration have been seen across Bandung for the past week. It is expected that as many as 100 ulema from across the country will attend the event.

The head of the National Anti-Shia Alliance, Athian Ali, told the Post that the declaration was part of an agreement made at the National Ulema Meeting and the 22nd Indonesian Islamic Ummah, held by the Indonesian Ulema and Ummah Forum (FUUI) in Bandung on April 22, 2012.

The FUUI has repeatedly called on the public to be wary of the Shia beliefs. Athian said that ulema grouped under the alliance had agreed to protect the public from the heretical teachings.

"They [Shia followers] do not bother us so much, but we are trying to protect [non-Shiites] so people will not get dragged [into the Shia beliefs]," Athian said, adding that the organizing committee had obtained a permit from the police to hold the event.

However, West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. M. Iriawan said that the police had not received any information on the event. "There is no permit [for the event]. If they do not hold a permit, we will take the necessary action," Iriawan said.

West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan confirmed on Thursday that he would not attend the event. "I should have an attitude that maintains a conducive environment in West Java, so I have decided not to attend," he said in Bandung on Thursday.

Similar to the West Java MUI, Heryawan, refused to reveal where he stood regarding the declaration, saying that every Indonesian had the right to expression as long as they did not pose a threat to security.

In 2012, he issued a statement guaranteeing the safety of all religious groups, including the Shiites in West Java following the Sampang tragedy, which led to the death of some Shia followers.

Meanwhile, human rights activists said that the movement would further spread hatred. "Our stance is firm: We condemn the movement because it's a form of new sectarianism, which will [fuel]conflict," Ahmad Fuad Fanani of the Maarif Institute for Culture and Humanity told the Post on Friday.

Rather than holding such a hard-line movement, he added, the government, who is responsible for the protection of all its citizens regardless of religions, should provide a platform for both Sunni and Shia sects to communicate and avoid turbulent thinking among religious believers.

Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy deputy chair Bonar Tigor Naipospos lambasted the movement, calling it "hate speech" toward a minority group that the government should protect.

"We strongly reject the movement. Hate speech is a crime, as stipulated in Criminal Code Article 156 on the statement of hostility and humiliation of a particular group," Bonar said. He said that if the declaration was not prevented the movement would degrade religious harmony.

Separately, People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker Sidharto Danusubroto called on the government to comply with the 1945 Constitution and protect minority groups.

In Indonesia, Shiites are a minority Muslim sect compared to the dominant Sunni community.

The persecution of Shia followers has escalated over the past few years. In December 2012, people burned the houses of a Shia community in Sampang, Madura, East Java, forcing more than 160 Shia followers to take refuge in Sidoarjo, around 100 kilometers away. Some were even forced to convert to Sunni beliefs if they wished to return home.

So far, the MUI has yet to be clear about its standpoint. Rafani once said that he could not ban Shia although personally he objected to some Shia teachings, particularly those under the Indonesian Ahlul Bait Association (Ijabi), led by scholar Jalaluddin Rakhmat. "After all, the Shiites are still considered Muslims," Rafani said.

Meanwhile, according to Athian, there are at least three objections to Shiite teachings. First, the Shiite community considers the current Koran to have been corrupted. Second, it says that only Shiite clerics hold the ultimate authority to interpret the hadiths (teaching of Muhammad). Third is Shiite contract-based marriage, where marriages can be performed to their own preferences. "This could be used to legalize prostitution," Athian said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/19/mui-silent-over-anti-shia-event.html

Poverty & social inequity

Poverty rises despite social programs

Jakarta Post - April 22, 2014

Sita W. Dewi, Jakarta – Despite various social welfare programs introduced by Joko "Jokowi" Widodo during his nearly two years as governor, the number of Jakarta residents living in poverty has not declined.

During a presentation attended by the City Council on Monday, Jokowi unveiled the 2013 city working report, highlighting several development indicators in the capital.

The governor cited that the number of poor people in Jakarta had slightly increased to 375,700 or 3.72 percent of the total population in September 2013 from 366,770 people or 3.7 percent of the total population in September 2012.

"The number of poor people was influenced by [change in] the poverty line. Keeping with inflation, the poverty line in Jakarta increased from Rp 392,571 [US$34] per capita in 2012 to Rp 434,322 per capita in 2013," Jokowi said.

He also pointed out an increase in the capital's human development index, which went up to 78.33 in 2012 from 78 in 2011, and was higher than the national score of 73.29.

Jakarta's gross domestic product (GDP) also increased to Rp 1.25 trillion in 2013 from Rp 1.1 trillion the previous year, or up by 13.79 percent. Meanwhile, Jakarta's GDP per capita increased to Rp 126.12 million in 2013 or up by 12.7 percent compared to Rp 111.91 million in 2012.

Jakarta saw economic growth of 6.11 percent in 2013, down from 6.53 percent in 2012, but higher than national growth of 5.7 percent for 2013.

Councilor Prasetyo Edi Marsudi pointed out that unequal opportunities were widening social and financial gaps in the capital.

"Even though job opportunities in Jakarta are relatively better than in other cities, most people working in Jakarta are from outside the city. If we did a simple survey, taking 10 parking attendants as a sample, I believe most of them would be from outside the capital," he said after the plenary session.

University of Indonesia public policy expert Agus Pambagio said that failure to reduce poverty in the capital was not the city administration's responsibility alone.

"It's not the city administration's fault. The central government partly shares the blame. Poverty in big cities like Jakarta is triggered by urbanization, because there is a constant flow of new residents coming to the city in the hope of getting a better life. National economic growth stood at below 6 percent – it could hardly create job opportunities," Agus said.

Jokowi's administration had poured a significant amount of funds into financing social welfare programs, including the Jakarta Smart Card (KJP) and Jakarta Health Card (KJS) programs, which aim to provide financial assistance for students and for poor patients.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/22/poverty-rises-despite-social-programs.html

Parliament & legislation

Indonesia plagued by lackluster lawmakers

Jakarta Globe - April 22, 2014

Kennial Caroline Laia, Jakarta – Even though official legislative election results are still pending, pollsters and media have already made their predictions about the coming crop of legislators headed to take up seats in Senayan, there to pass bills into laws governing the people.

While the legislative election has signaled the exit of some well-known lawmakers, the electorate has also delivered up a few new names into the country's political ring. Incumbent chairman of the House of Representatives, Marzuki Alie looks certain not to be returning to his job at Senayan. Marzuki, from the ruling Democratic Party, has been frequently mentioned in connection with the ongoing Hambalang graft case.

Other high-profile Democratic legislators like Sutan Bhatoegana and Ruhut Sitompul are also seen to be struggling to retain their seats in the House.

Meanwhile, among the new faces which may make their way into the House is Anang Hermansyah, a musician who joined the National Mandate Party (PAN), and is reported to be sitting on 37,439 votes, estimated to be enough to win a seat.

Also headed to shelter under the green dome of Senayan is the daughter of former president Soeharto, Siti Hediati Hariyadi, more commonly known as Titiek Soeharto. Titik is estimated to have collected 80,121 votes, almost certainly enough to see the Soeharto clan back in the corridors of power for the upcoming five years.

Set to keep his seat is Desmond Junaidi Mahesa, one of the two dozen pro- democracy activists taken by Prabowo's Kopassus officers in 1997-1998, but who later forgave his kidnapper and joined Prabowo's Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).

'No quality, no significant change'

With the diverse backgrounds of political figures likely to grace the screen at TV Parlemen this year, from musicians to businesspeople, questions challenging the quality and competence of legislators have been raised.

Political analyst Arbi Sanit said that he feels uninspired by the likely lineup for the next five years, whether returning legislators or the newcomers to Indonesia's political stage. "I am honestly hopeless for the result of this year's election," Arbi said.

"There are always two types among House members; the experienced ones – but they're generally corrupted, and the new ones with zero experience. "From these two, which one do you want to root for? Right, none of them," Arbi added.

"The House of Representatives will be as bad as five years ago. It will be no good, either, even a little, in terms of performance and the quality of the legislators," he said.

Arbi argued that even though there are new political candidates with good chances of entering the House, these "new players" will not bring change due to their limited experience and opportunist desperation to grab the political limelight.

"Having seen or heard a little about them, I feel some of the legislators that are now predicted to win seats in the House do not exhibit any skills as political figures, both from the way they talk and the way they act," he said.

Arbi observed that the new names joining the political fight this year are mostly running on vague "good intentions."

"When they are asked why they want to join politics, they always say that they want to bring change, a positive change to the nation, without further elaborating on these positive changes they keep talking about," he said. "Good intentions cannot be used in politics. What we really need are qualified political figures. Unfortunately, Indonesia lacks that," he said.

"As for the legislators that ran for their second term and have successfully made it, I also have big doubts about them. From their performance during the last five years, they failed to bring about better conditions to the Indonesian people," he said.

"The incumbent lawmakers have only represented themselves or their parties' interests. They did not represent the people. So, no matter how experienced they are in politics, it is useless. On what basis can we can say that they are going to be better in the future? Facts show that they do not improve themselves during sitting in the House," he said.

"Since the reform era, we have been through three periods of House of Representatives, but from what I can see, there is no significant work worth genuine applause," he said.

Arbi said that some of the political candidates who fostered positive outcomes in the legislative election have insufficient political experience to sit in the House. He emphasized that the quality of the legislators will ensure a repeat performance of the last House's poor record.

"Let's consider Anang Hermansyah, the musician. Does he show a convincing ability in politics? How does he speak? Does he speak politics? Or, Titiek Soeharto, where did she learn about politics?

"The same thing goes for other candidates: the opportunists. Most of them are not people who were taught to be political figures, but boom! Suddenly they are on their way to Senayan," Arbi said.

"This is the result of the lousy political party system in Indonesia. With their poor political skills, they are not competent enough to find critical solutions for the nation's complex problems," he said.

"The experienced ones were not productive either. What did they contribute in creating political products? None!" he said. Arbi cited Marzuki Alie, who he argued did not learn much during his years in the MPR and the House.

"One thing that limits the quality of political figures in Indonesia is that they do not want to learn. Everything that people say, that people ask for, falls on deaf ears," he said.

"The political realm is about experience, not dreams. People should be stopped from arbitrarily entering it. Only people with experience and good track records," he said.

Questionable competency

Political observer Andrinof A. Chaniago of University of Indonesia, said that background matters have no influence in determining the quality of a legislator.

"What's important is that a candidate has competencies in three basic tasks: creating policies, managing the budget, and carrying out supervision," he said.

"Those competencies also need no particular political experience. But, if they do have involvement in those three before joining politics, they can contribute a significant role to the House, they can work optimally," Andrinof said.

Aleksius Jemadu, a political analyst from Pelita Harapan University, said that the success of some legislators without political backgrounds does not guarantee the quality of the legislators themselves. "The winning of voters' support cannot be translated into a better quality of legislator," he said.

"However, we have to remember that the legislator who has succeeded in being elected, even though they may have zero or less experience, were those who actively and frequently approached their constituents. Those who make it to Senayan are those who hard to gain votes," he said.

However, Aleksius said, "Once they enter the House, they will face many legislative matters, dealing with the constitution, supervising the performance of the executive... all those issues need to be dealt with through experience," he said. "I have to say that, the quality of the legislators is still in question."

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/indonesia-plagued-lackluster-lawmakers/

Big shots could lose seats

Jakarta Post - April 21, 2014

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – A number of prominent politicians may lose their seats in the House of Representatives after early results based on quick counts conducted by a number of pollsters after the April 9 legislative election have indicated that they failed to obtain the minimum number of votes needed to secure a legislative seat.

Additionally, a few big-name non-incumbents will likely fail to enter the House, including Agriculture Minister Suswono of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS); deputy speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, a candidate nominated by the United Development Party (PPP); and Deputy House Speaker Taufik Kurniawan of the National Mandate Party (PAN).

Two notable lawmakers set to lose their seats are House Speaker Marzuki Alie and the outspoken Sutan Bhatoegana, both of the ruling Democratic Party, which fared poorly in the election.

"I'll return my focus to my business. I have nothing to lose," Sutan said on Sunday when asked about the prospect of losing his seat at the House.

Sutan said that foul play could have contributed to his poor showing in the legislative election.

"I have launched my own investigation. In fact, we have directly gone to my electoral district, North Sumatra I, and I should have secured the only seat my party got in the district," said Sutan, who has been implicated in the ongoing investigation into corruption at the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas).

Provisional tallies have shown that Sutan lost the seat to fellow outspoken Democratic Party politician, Ruhut Sitompul.

Also, Marzuki has conceded that he would not be returning to the House with the next batch of lawmakers. "During the campaign, I focused on improving the Democratic Party's electability, not my own," Marzuki said.

Marzuki acknowledged that widespread media coverage of corruption cases implicating former and current party members had contributed to the Dems' poor showing.

Based on the quick count results, the Democratic Party garnered only 9.7 percent of the vote, down from 20.8 percent in 2009.

Meanwhile, Golkar Party lawmaker Poempida Hidayatulloh has resigned himself to defeat and he blamed the loss of his seat on rampant vote-buying.

"This year's legislative election was among the worst. Not only the rampant vote-buying, but I also received reports about poorly organized balloting in numerous polling booths. Officials at the local level were also proven to be incompetent, opening up chances for foul play and fraud," he said.

Poempida said he would focus on running his NGO, the People's Welfare Organization (Orkestra), should he fail retain his seat.

Also expected to lose her seat in the House is Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker Eva Kusuma Sundari, who is known for her stance on human rights and religious intolerance.

"I am ready to accept any result. My chances are indeed small. I suspect it was because of a 'pre-dawn raid'," she said, referring to a blitz of vote- buying that allegedly occurred on Election Day morning before voters went to the polls.

Eva also blamed her lackluster performance on widespread violations related to the current open-list system. "In 2004, when elections still used the closed-list system, fraud had not been as bad as it was in 2014 when money played a huge factor," she said.

"Voters openly asked me for money but I opted to offer only forms of aid, such as basic clean water facilities and other things," Eva said. "But I can't understand why they favored candidates who gave them Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000 early in the morning instead."

Jakarta-based pollster Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) recently released the results of its quick count, which was based on analysis of vote tallies in 2,000 sample polling stations, showing that numerous other prominent figures could fail to get seats in the House.

Among them are human rights activist and lawyer Taufik Basari of the NasDem Party, economist and former lawmaker Didik J. Rachbini of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and Crescent Star Party (PBB) chairman MS Kaban.

The results also showed that popular figures from the entertainment industry, who were expected to be big vote getters, would fail to win House seats.

Among them are musician Dwiki Dharmawan, singer Ida Royani, rocker Ikang Fawzi and actor Jeremy Thomas, all of PAN; actress Jane Shalimar (NasDem); Vicky Rhoma Irama and Ridho Rhoma (PKB), the sons of self-styled king of dangdut Rhoma Irama; and B-movie actress Angel Lelga of PPP.

Missed the cut

1. Marzuki Alie House speaker/Democratic Party executive. Jakarta III
2. Taufik Kurniawan Deputy House speaker/PAN secretary-general. Central Java VII
3. Lukman Hakim Saifuddin Deputy speaker for People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)/PPP deputy chairman. Central Java VI
4. Ramadhan Pohan Legislator/Democratic Party deputy secretary. North Sumatra I
5. Arif Wibowo Legislator/PDI-P secretary for election. East Java IV
6. Hajriyanto Y. Thohari MPR deputy speaker/Golkar Party executive. Central Java IV
7. Effendy Choirie Legislator/NasDem Party. East Java X
8. Hayono Isman Legislator/Democratic Party executive. Jakarta I
9. Inggrid Kansil Legislator/Democratic Party politician. West Java IV
10. Ahmad Yani Legislator/PPP executive. South Sumatra I
11. Nova Riyanti Yusuf Legislator/Democratic Party politician. East Java VI
12. Suswono Agriculture minister/PKS executive. Central Java X
13. Sutan Bhatoegana Legislator/Democratic Party politician. North Sumatra I

Sources: SMRC, others

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/21/big-shots-could-lose-seats.html

Police & law enforcement

Prosecutor seeks 5-year jail sentence for gang leader Hercules

Jakarta Globe - April 23, 2014

Jakarta – A prosecutor is seeking a sentence of at least five years in prison for gang leader Hercules Rosario Marshal, who is on trial for extortion.

"We are demanding defendant Hercules Rosario Marshal be sentenced to five years in jail," prosecutor Masiding said, as quoted by news portal Merdeka.com on Tuesday.

The prosecutor also wants the judges of the West Jakarta district court, where the trial is being held, to levy a Rp 50 million ($4,400) fine or and be given an additional six months in jail in lieu of the penalty.

Masiding accused Hercules of extorting Sukanto Tjakra, director of property developer Tjakra Multi Strategi, to hire Hercules's "security business".

On March 5, 2010, Sukanto and his business partner, Amin Maulana, gave Rp 400 million as requested by Hercules to provide protection over Sukanto's 6.9-hectare property in Kembangan, West Jakarta.

In December 2012, Hercules's henchmen asked for an additional Rp 250 million. Sukanto said that he would pay in installments, with Rp 50 million as the first payment. After that, he reported the incident to the police.

West Jakarta crime division head Adj. Sr. Comr. Hengki Haryadi said in December 2013 that Sukanto and Amin were not the only ones extorted by Hercules.

"Other businessmen who had business in that complex were extorted for up to Rp 1.5 billion," Hengki said, as quoted by news portal Tempo.co.

Prosecutor charged Hercules with Article 368 of the Criminal Code on extortion and Article 3 of the 2010 Law on Money Laundering. For the money laundering charge, Hercules allegedly transferred money from his illegal business activity to his wife Nia Dania in an attempt to prevent the police from investigating.

Hercules told Metrotvnews.com that he was innocent, and he would prepare his defense in Friday's trial. "If I am proven guilty, I'm ready to be sentenced. But public need to know that the legal case is fabricated just to trap me," Hercules said.

Hercules's lawyer, Slamet Yuwono, said that there was written a agreement between Hercules and Sukanto concerning the "security service", and claimed that it was not extortion.

Hercules was arrested again, on Aug. 3, for this extortion case after serving a four-month sentence for inciting riots.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/prosecutor-seeks-5-year-jail-sentence-gang-leader-hercules/

Rule of law seen as Indonesia's Achilles heel

Jakarta Globe - April 17, 2014

Josua Gantan, Jakarta – Upholding the rule of law remains a serious challenge in Indonesia. The Rule of Law Index Report 2014 released by the World Justice Project indicates that corruption is still rife among the nation's judiciary and law enforcers. The report also shows that civil justice is not effectively enforced in the archipelago.

Hikmahanto Juwanto, a law professor from the University of Indonesia, told the Jakarta Globe that although inadequate law enforcement has long been a serious problem, reform has proved elusive. "Back in [former President] Suharto's time, the law was just an ornament," Hikmahanto said.

The 32 years of Suharto's authoritarian rule have left a deep mark on the nation's legal system. Hikmahanto pointed out that little had changed even after Suharto's New Order era came to an end with the brief presidency of B. J. Habibie in 1998-99.

"Since Habibie's term, each president had always wanted to improve law enforcement here. But always to little avail. Nothing changed."

The WJP's effective enforcement index measures the effectiveness and timeliness of the enforcement of civil justice decisions and judgments in practice. Indonesia received a score of 0.29 on the effective enforcement index, below even nations such as Serbia, which scored 0.31. By contrast, Singapore, one of Indonesia's nearest neighbors, scored 0.85.

Corruption in the legal system

On top of problematic law enforcement, corruption is also prevalent in the nation's legal system, according to the report. The WJP reported that Indonesia ranked 80 out of 99 countries in terms of freedom from corruption in the country's legal system.

"Problems related with bribery are everywhere, whether it be with judges, prosecutors, or lawyers. This is a real problem," Hikmahanto said. On the judiciary corruption index, Indonesia scored 0.34, lower than Ethiopia, which scored 0.35. Singapore scored 0.84.

The WJP's judiciary corruption index measures whether judges and judicial officials refrain from soliciting and accepting bribes. It also measures whether the judiciary and judicial rulings are free of improper influence from government, private interests, and criminal organizations.

"Indonesians have this culture when it comes to their dealings with the law: they want to win more than they want justice to be meted out," Hikmahanto said. "Many seek to win at all costs. A lot of money is spent wastefully in legal proceedings. People treat legal procedures like a gold mine."

Subsequently, with respect to the level of corruption in the police or the military, Indonesia scored 0.37, alongside Afghanistan, which received the same rating.

The WJP's police/military corruption index measures whether police officers and criminal investigators refrain from soliciting and accepting bribes to perform basic police services such as investigating crimes. It also measures whether government officials in the police and the military are free from improper influence by private interests or criminal organizations.

Underlying reasons

Hikmahanto contended that poor remuneration for legal officers may partly explain the prevalent corruption in the legal system. The Constitutional Court's former chief justice, Akil Mochtar, is currently on trial on charges of bribery and money laundering.

"I am supportive of those who say a supreme court judge should be paid a Rp 500 million [$43,000] salary, that way the judge will be less inclined to corruption."

Hikhamanto also claimed that inadequate human resources played a significant role. "Now, democracy demands the rule of law. It demands law enforcers who are firm and knowledgeable about the law," he said. "This is a problem of human resources. Law students' quality is just mediocre."

Hikmahanto explained that attending law school was far from a top priority for most Indonesian students. "You can study law everywhere. And the cost of getting a legal education is cheap."

Hikmahanto, who is himself a law lecturer, pointed out that in the eyes of most Indonesian students, many other study disciplines were considered more prestigious than attending law school. Therefore, the quality of law students are compromised.

"Those who work in the legal landscape – police, prosecutors, et cetera – studied law. In their time, there was nothing great about studying law. Conversely, it was great to be in the military academy or in the medical school," he said.

"I think we need to be more selective in admitting law students into our universities. It will take time, it will take a generation," Hikmahanto added. "We need to be patient. There must be an effort by everyone, by everybody in academia and those in legal institutions themselves. We need our legal field to be like in the United States. Only the top and the bright ones can get in. Just like in medical schools. Is it surprising that US presidents came from legal backgrounds?"

Detrimental consequences

Serious social and economic consequences await Indonesia should it fail to improve the rule of law. The extent to which rule of law is upheld in a country is often a yardstick that businessmen and investors use when considering where to operate.

"It causes dismay to investors, people who want to do business," Hikmahanto said. "Were it not for that, Indonesia, I believe, would have been five times as developed."

Rising unemployment and lower investment rates might befall Indonesia, Hikmahanto warned. "There are plenty of jobs that could have been created. But foreign investors are already discouraged. They would rather invest in Thailand, for example," he said. "So the situation for us now is that there is no correlation between having a big market and having jobs for the people. That is the social cost."

Besides economic impacts, the failure of the rule of law is felt in enforcement of Indonesia's environmental and human rights legal framework.

The World Justice Project is an independent, non-profit organization based in the United States. Among its honorary chairs are former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former US President Jimmy Carter, and South African activist Desmond Tutu.

The WJP claimed that the Rule of Law Index Report 2014 captured the experiences and perceptions of ordinary citizens as well as in-country professionals. The WJP claims to have identified, on average, more than 300 potential local experts per country.

The report's data was compiled by the WJP with the assistance of an Indonesian polling company, MRI-Marketing Research Indonesia. The poll was conducted by means of face-to-face interviews with as many as 1,067 samples collected in 2013.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/rule-law-seen-indonesias-achilles-heel/

Foreign affairs & trade

Navy chief sacks commanding officer involved in Indonesian incursions

The Guardian (Australia) - April 17, 2014

Paul Farrell, Perth – The chief of the Australian navy has sacked a senior commanding officer involved in one of the incursions into Indonesian waters.

Vice Admiral Ray Griggs announced on Thursday that one commanding officer would be removed from command and another would be administratively sanctioned in relation to a series of incursions into Indonesian waters that occurred in December and January.

"Each of the commanding officers conducted these activities with the best of intent; however, I expect nothing but the highest standards of those in command," Griggs said.

"These actions are not punitive in nature but are aimed solely at upholding the professional standards that the Royal Australian Navy is renowned for and that are necessary for it to undertake its mission."

The announcement came on the same day Guardian Australia revealed that one of the Australian customs vessels involved in the incursions went far deeper into Indonesian waters than had previously been disclosed. It is not known whether the sackings are connected to Guardian Australia's revelations.

The Ocean Protector entered Indonesia's internal waters – it reached 9km inside the country's territorial seas and was just 27km from Indonesia's shore – on 14 January in Pelabuhan Ratu bay, according to a digital navigational map from the vessel, seen by Guardian Australia and published here.

Archipelagic states have territorial waters that extend 12 nautical miles from a state's baselines. The water inside those baselines is described as a state's internal waters. The digital map Guardian Australia has published shows, based on historical data, the ship crossing a red line that marks the baseline across the bay.

The redacted version of the classified report of the review into the incursions, obtained by the Australian Associated Press under freedom of information laws, said: "Entry to Indonesian waters was inadvertent, arising from miscalculation of the maritime boundaries, in that the calculation did not take into account archipelagic baselines."

Crucially, the report adds: "Territorial seas declared by foreign nations are generally not depicted on Australian hydrographic charts."

But the digital map from the vessel casts doubt on these findings and clearly shows the Australian ship crossing the baseline and entering Indonesia's internal waters past the headlands of Pelabuhan Ratu bay. Indonesia's territorial seas are 12 nautical miles further out from where the baseline is marked in red. It is not known whether the digital mapping device was operational at the time the Ocean Protector entered Indonesian waters.

A spokesman for Australian Customs and Border Protection said: "No evidence presented to the review indicated officers on the ACV Ocean Protector knew the correct location of archipelagic baselines. The review found substantial evidence indicating that the calculations used by the crews to determine the position of Indonesian archipelagic baselines were incorrect.

"The review recommended further, more detailed investigations be undertaken including into professional conduct. These investigations are currently under way. As a consequence it would be inappropriate to respond to the questions forwarded."

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/17/navy-chief-sacks-commanding-officer-involved-in-indonesian-incursions

Mining & energy

Indonesia to make it even harder for foreign miners

Reuters - April 23, 2014

Clyde Russell, Launceston, Australia – Indonesia s decision to start cancelling investment treaties with 62 countries has passed with little comment, but the move may have a greater impact than the recent banning of mineral ore exports.

Indonesia last month kick-started the process of terminating all of its bilateral treaties by notifying the Netherlands that its agreement to protect and promote investment would end in 2015, and signalling that the others would end as soon as possible.

The agreements, which are common between states, protect the rights of investors in each other s country, and typically include clauses about fair treatment, no expropriation and guarantees that profits can be repatriated.

Most importantly for many investors in countries like Indonesia, with its patchy record on legal certainty, is the right of appeal to the Washington-based International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

Among the countries that have treaties with Indonesia are major foreign investors including China, India, Australia, Britain, Singapore and Russia. However, the United States and Japan are among nations that don t have agreements.

Why would the Indonesian government seek to end agreements that were designed to foster foreign investment and economic development, as well as protect Indonesian investments abroad?

The main argument seems to be that their time has passed and they belong to an earlier era when foreigners feared assets would be nationalised.

The treaties are seen favouring foreigners over domestic investors, something at odds with the government s drive to ensure greater control of Indonesia s mineral resources.

This can be seen against the backdrop of a raft of changes to Indonesian law and regulations, which among others enforced a ban on exporting unprocessed ores, mandated the building of smelters and introduced laws to force the sale of stakes to locals of foreign-owned mines. Indonesia is the world s biggest exporter of nickel ore and supplies about two-thirds of top buyer China s imported bauxite, the raw ingredient for making aluminium.

London-traded nickel has gained almost 32 percent so far this year after the export ban came into force in January, with China s imports of nickel ore from Indonesia plunging 79 percent in March from a year earlier and bauxite slumping 86 percent.

Indonesia is also the world s biggest exporter of thermal coal used in power-stations, but the impact on coal has been muted so far as it isn t subject to a ban, but foreign owners will be caught by the need to divest.

The problem for many foreign investors is that they will doubt whether the need for investment protection has passed.

I doubt that any investor in the Southeast Asian nation would privately agree that his company would get a fair hearing in the legislative and court processes, especially if the opponent was the government or a well- connected local.

It seems that the decision to end investment treaties is part of the ongoing process to ensure that Indonesia s resources are controlled by the government, and/or domestic investors.

Churchill dispute a trigger?

The dispute between the government and London-listed Churchill Mining provides a short-term impetus for the end of investment treaties. The miner won the first round of its dispute over coal assets with the Indonesian government in February at an ICSID tribunal.

The Jakarta Globe reported on Feb. 28 that the government will appeal the decision and it doesn t want to face the risk of paying compensation to Churchill, which the newspaper said could be as much as $1.05 billion.

The risk for the Indonesian government is that it could be hit with dozens of cases in the ICSID from disgruntled foreign investors.

It s not hard to imagine Indian or Australian coal miners challenging the rule that they have to sell half of their stake in a mine once it has been producing for 10 years.

Ending the investment agreements will mean foreign companies having to take their chances in Indonesian courts, a far better prospect for the government. However, cancelling the treaties will take time, as some run for extended periods and have additional protection clauses once notice of termination is served.

This means the Indonesian government may well have to deal with foreigners in an international tribunal, but it s a safe bet they will play for time if this is the case.

The trend still appears clear, Indonesia is doing all it can to get control of its natural resources from foreign investors. (Editing by Joseph Radford)

[Clyde Russell is a Reuters columnist. The views expressed are his own.]

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/23/column-russell-indonesia-commodities-idUSL3N0NF0QE20140423

PLN burns more fuel to generate power

Jakarta Post - April 23, 2014

Business – State-owned electricity company PT PLN says it burned 1.84 million kiloliters of fossil fuel in the first quarter of 2014.

The volume increased 3.95 percent from 1.77 million kiloliters during the same period in 2013, PLN oil and gas division head Suryadi Mardjoeki said in Jakarta.

"The increase of fossil fuel consumption was because of increasing electricity sales," Suryadi said, as quoted by Antara news agency on Wednesday.

Fossil fuel consumption in the first quarter reached 28.75 percent of this year's consumption target of 6.4 million kiloliters, whereas PLN's total consumption in 2013 was as much as 7.4 million kiloliters, Suryadi said.

According to Suryadi, the figure will increase because a number of power plants, namely in Medan, North Sumatra, are still experiencing shortages of gas, which must be replaced by fossil fuel.

In terms of gas consumption, as many as 109.8 trillion British thermal units (TBtu) had been consumed, a 12.8 percent increase from the same period in 2013, which was 97.3 TBtu, Suryadi added.

"The increase of gas consumption in Java was because of the floating storage and regasification unit [FSRU] in West Java," he said. (put)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/23/pln-burns-more-fuel-generate-power.html

Analysis & opinion

Commentary: Meaningful push for change amid Kartini celebrations

Jakarta Post - April 21, 2014

Ati Nurbaiti, Jakarta – A 25-year-old woman died after delivering her only child. We named the woman Kartini, a national hero for emancipation – and more than a century after her death in 1904, we still have too many women dying of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

Regardless of the allegations that maintain Kartini was murdered, due to her letters criticizing the Dutch colonial government and Javanese feudal society, her reported symptoms of eclampsia are similar to the hypertension and seizures experienced by many women today, from teenagers to women over 40.

It is the high incidence of maternal mortality that has driven women's rights groups and health advocates to push for an amendment to the 1974 Marriage Law, to raise the minimum age of marriage for women to 19 instead of 16. Thus, this judicial review request is one of the meaningful attempts to end the widespread suffering and deaths during all commemorations of Kartini Day, which falls on April 21, Kartini's birthday.

Back in the 1970s, the minimum age of 19 for girls was a compromise to reflect reality, as girls who had barely reached puberty were being married off, particularly in impoverished communities. The rate of child marriages and pregnancies remains high in a number of areas; health experts partially blame this on mothers who are themselves very young, but it is also a fact that it is legal for very young women to marry under the Marriage Law.

The urgent need to change the law in an effort to save women's lives is also why women's groups have successfully pushed for policies that result in more women decision makers, though this is only in the form of a 30 percent quota for legislative candidates.

We laugh at the display of apparently brainless starlets snapped up by political parties to meet the quota. But considering that in the 110 years since Kartini's death we are still witnessing an increase in the maternal mortality rate, at 359 deaths for every 100,000 live births compared to 228 in 2007, there is surely something very wrong, as we are now a member of the G20 group of large economies.

Even just outside Jakarta, many women still die from pregnancy or childbirth in Banten province, now notorious for its corrupt female governor and her dynasty, amid its low health budget, which has resulted in a scarcity of services for pregnant women.

Researchers blame the lack of female policymakers as one factor behind the lack of access to prenatal and postnatal care, and also this country's patriarchal structure, according to which women still depend on elders and their husbands to decide when to seek medical help – even when death is near at hand.

Even if the future legislature has more women, this is no guarantee of an introduction of national policies that will be sensitive to the specific needs of women, who account for 49 percent of the population. Therefore, women's groups have pledged to closely monitor the lawmakers, especially women.

They are also pushing for another way to realize the emancipatory aspirations of Kartini and other such heroines. This is through the introduction of a gender equality law, which would ban discriminatory policies like those seen in dozens of bylaws nationwide. Without such an umbrella law, efforts to annul these bylaws will continue to be fruitless.

A bylaw in Tangerang municipality, for instance, has attracted widespread protest as it allows law enforcers to arrest women suspected of soliciting for sex late at night. One woman was arrested while waiting for a bus to take her home from work. Despite a legal challenge, the bylaw was upheld, while the court in question said it had followed all procedures including consulting social groups – mainly Islamists.

Several copycat bylaws emerged as the state's message was clear: That it was legal for localities to introduce bylaws based on their needs for "public order", religious and moral values and customs, according to interpretations by local elites.

If we remain satisfied with present-day Kartini Day celebrations, which are purely superficial and only highlight "successful" women without pushing for real change, this is what, according to recent reports, we will get: Policies that are touted to overcome specific problems but which, in fact, only create more.

Furthermore, under the Helsinki Peace Agreement reached with former rebels, Aceh province is authorized to apply sharia law. Authorities there recently decreed that sharia should be applied even to non-Muslims, typically targeting young women's behavior and their choice of clothing.

In Gorontalo province in northern Sulawesi, female assistants to local government officials were replaced by males to prevent extramarital affairs. Now, in order to prevent adulterous liaisons during long lunch breaks, all civil servants in the province must attend religious lectures at the mosque after Friday prayers.

Some policies are quite frankly ridiculous and, if they were not so serious, farcical – but they sadly point to the impact of having too few women decision makers at the national and local levels, and even fewer who can prevent policies that may unwittingly hurt other women.

These pushes for change by women's groups come up against the constant obstacles of patriarchy and political compromise. For instance, political compromises by a government not wanting trouble and declining support from the regions, and Islamic groups, partially explains the formulation and application of sharia law in Aceh and the country's many discriminatory bylaws. This means the government virtually sacrifices its womenfolk, despite all the claims about progress by pointing to statistics such as the presence of more women in the labor force.

Based on experience, women cannot afford to assume that the winners of the legislative and presidential elections are wonderful and wise. They must improve democracy for themselves and their children, through the removal of values and customs that perpetuate discrimination.

Happy Kartini Day!

[The author is a staff writer at The Jakarta Post.]

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/21/commentary-meaningful-push-change-amid-kartini-celebrations.html