Ina Parlina, Jakarta/Bogor – Under the scorching sun, thousands of people were waiting for former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono outside Puri Cikeas Indah housing complex in Bogor, West Java, on Monday.

Flashy posters saying "Welcome home and thank you SBY" and "SBY, thank you for developing the country and taking care of the people" were raised high.

Rukmini, a resident of Depok, West Java said that she and more than a hundred others had been waiting for Yudhoyono since 1 p.m. She has long admired him, praising him as a pro-people president who had a successful 10-year tenure.

"I will finally get the chance to see Pak SBY and if it is possible, I would also like to shake his hand," Rukmini told The Jakarta Post.

Sukmawati, another visitor from Depok, said that she was especially thankful that the Democratic Party co-founder and chairman had provided her and her neighbors with nine buses to visit Yudhoyono's residence.

Shortly after 4:30 p.m. the crowd went wild after catching a glimpse of a high-end SUV with a hand waving from the back seat window. Still wearing the black suit from the inauguration, Yudhoyono exited his car along with wife Ani Yudhoyono and their son Edhie "Ibas" Baskoro.

It was Yudhoyono's first time returning home as an ordinary citizen after Joko "Jokowi" Widodo was sworn in as the country's seventh president in a People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) plenary session earlier in the day.

Around 400 elementary school students dressed in various costumes, from marching band uniforms to police uniforms, beamed when they saw the former first family walking in front of them.

Thousands of people from various areas swarmed around Yudhoyono, Ani and Ibas when they were walking from the housing complex's front gate to their house.

The former first family was surrounded by dozens of personnel from the Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres) who shouted at the crowd to clear the way. The security detail then escorted Yudhoyono, Ani and Ibas into their house, where a reception had been prepared for them.

Inside the house, a number of well-known figures could be seen, such as former cabinet secretary Dipo Alam, former coordinating economic minister Hatta Rajasa, former education minister Mohammad Nuh, and National Police security maintenance agency chief Comr. Gen. Putut Eko Bayuseno.

Yudhoyono started to shed tears as he shook hands with guests. The crowd then grew silent when Yudhoyono and Ani, both in tears, hugged each other. He then made a farewell speech to the crowd in a deep voice.

"Thank you to everyone who prayed for me so that I would have the strength to face my challenges no matter how hard they were, giving me the ability to carry out my duties to the best of my ability," he said.

He added that he had yet to decide what he would do next. According to him, several international organizations had already asked him to join them.

Yudhoyono further said that he hoped the nation would continuously see smooth power transitions, highlighting when he took over the reins from former president Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"Actually, there was no problem during then because it was a democracy and people voted for me to become their president. However,the transition didn't run smoothly," Yudhoyono said.

The retired army general, however, will not remain idle for too long. Yudhoyono will soon assume his new role as the president of Seoul-based intergovernmental organization the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).

Democratic Party executive and former cooperatives and small and medium enterprises minister Syariefuddin Hasan said on Monday that Yudhoyono would likely start his new role in the GGGI in early November. "They asked him [Yudhoyono to work] immediately," Syariefuddin told The Jakarta Post.

Yudhoyono will replace GGGI president Lars Lokke Rasmussen – who is a former Danish prime minister and the leader of the Denmark Liberal Party.

Syariefuddin hinted earlier in the day that Yudhoyono might go on vacation before starting his new job. (idb)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/21/yudhoyono-comes-home-cikeas-melancholy.html

Yudhoyono's decade of peaks and troughs

Jakarta Globe - October 17, 2014

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – Counting down the days until the end of his decade in office next week, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono picked 20 lucky winners among Indonesians on Twitter for a meet and greet with him in Yogyakarta on Thursday.

Through his Twitter account @SBYudhoyono, the departing president asked Indonesian "netizens" to share their views on his decade-long presidency, using the hashtag #KopdarPamitan (a farewell meet and greet).

The winners, not surprisingly, were picked among those who gave positive reviews. Reviews cited infrastructure development, international achievements and democracy, among other things, including one that complimented the president's penchant for song writing.

But it is the hashtag #KopdarCelamitan – which mocks the outgoing president for "avariciously" asking people to sing him praises – that gained more popularity, making it into Indonesia's trending topics on Twitter on Tuesday.

The outgoing president has continued to list his achievements during public speeches. However, many members of the public and critics alike think there are more notable failures, than achievements during his decade in power.

Siti Zuhro, a political expert with the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, or LIPI, said the outgoing president's declining popularity is evidenced through his Democratic Party's plunging vote in the April 9 legislative elections.

"In 2004 and 2009, the public admired SBY," Siti said, referring to Indonesia's first and second direct presidential elections – both of which were won by Yudhoyono.

"But recently, his popularity has been declining drastically, because he is perceived as an indecisive leader, with a lack of enthusiasm in terms of [policy] execution."

Economic bubble

Yudhoyono's decade in power has been marked with political stability, which, along with reforms in several sectors like banking, has been hailed for attracting investment and driving economic growth.

In the aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2008, when countries all over the world suffered growth slumps, Indonesia's economy has managed to continue to expand. Indonesia became the world's 10th largest economy earlier this year. Concurrently, Yudhoyono has been widely credited for Indonesia's increasingly powerful role in global affairs.

"Since 2009, Indonesia's gross domestic product growth has been the second fastest among G-20 member states [after China]," the president's official website, presidenri.go.id, said in its report entitled: Reflections on 10 Years of Development and Five Year Projection."

However, upon peaking in 2011, the country's economy has since slowed down. Last year it expanded by only 5.78 percent, and the figure is expected to further decline this year to between 5.1 percent and 5.5 percent.

The trade deficit continues to expand, and the rupiah continues to depreciate against the US dollar. The yet-to-be-addressed burgeoning fuel subsidy has become an increasing threat to fiscal health – harming Indonesia's status as one of the world's fastest growing economies.

The Yudhoyono administration has boasted increasing the per-capita income of Indonesia's middle class. Yet, the country's Gini coefficient, which measures inequality among income distributions, has risen from 0.37 in 2012 to 0.41 last year.

Ari A. Perdana, a member of the government-run National Team for Poverty Eradication, said the latest Gini ratio was worse than figures during the New Order, during which it never passed 0.39. "We can feel [the wealth gap]," Ari was quoted as saying by Indonesian news portal Merdeka.com.

University of Indonesia economist Faisal Basri added that Indonesia's wealth gap was even worse than that of India.

Grand plans, poor implementation

The Yudhyono administration has also been noted for its big plans and programs but also for poor implementation.

The flagship infrastructure program, the Master Plan for the Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesia's Economic Development (MP3EI), for example, was launched in 2011, but the impacts have barely been felt, particularly in eastern Indonesia where the program is supposedly focused.

Yudhoyono's administration says under the MP3EI, it has initiated 382 projects across the nation worth Rp 854 trillion ($72 billion) since 2011.

The allocated figure, however, is far short of the Rp 4,000 trillion Indonesia required for infrastructure development in order to achieve the target of becoming a high-income country by 2025. Currently, most state spending is swallowed by the burgeoning fuel and energy subsidies.

Additionally, there is doubt as to whether the administration of Joko Widodo, who will be inaugurated as Indonesia's seventh president on Monday, will continue to fund the MP3EI program.

After 32 years under the late president Suharto's dictatorship and the associated political turmoil at the beginning of the reform era, Indonesians have largely enjoyed political stability and freedom of speech. Even press freedom was guaranteed under Yudhoyono's democratic rule between 2004 to 2014.

Indonesia also has been recognized as the world's third-largest democracy. As the world's most populous Muslim nation, the country has often been hailed as a potential role model of how democracy and Islam can coexist.

Rights activists, though, have repeatedly slammed the Yudhoyono government's failure to enforce the law in addressing rising cases of religious intolerance, including attacks on members of the minority Islamic sect Ahmadiyah and the Shiites in several regions of Indonesia.

The 2008 Law on Electronic Information and Transactions, meanwhile, has been considered a threat to freedom of speech and press freedom. The key point of contention pertains to it's section on defamation vulnerable to abuses.

Siti acknowledged that Yudhoyono at least had managed to create what she referred to as "political harmony," gathering most political parties under the government coalition and thereby reducing potential frictions with other parties.

"He was able to manage existing political powers, creating political harmony with his commendable patience. It is not easy to stay patient while dealing with members of his coalition with differing perspectives," she said. "And with that, he's considered relatively successful in maintaining political stability."

But rather than simply leaving the "autopilot" mode on, he could have done much more, Siti said. The term autopilot refers to the idea that the political stability Indonesians have largely enjoyed under Yudhoyono's leadership has not been his achievement. Rather, it has been the result of a natural process, following the fall of the New Order regime in 1998, and the beginning of the reform era.

Democracy at a price?

Regarding the issue of direct elections of regional leaders, Yudhoyono could have done something to improve this mechanisms during his 10 years in office. Rather, he waited until the last minute to recommend improvements to the system, according to Siti.

Yudhoyono was widely criticized last month after his Democratic Party walked out of the plenary session in the House of Representatives that saw the passage of a new law scrapping direct regional elections.

Instead, the law handed over the right to elect regional leaders to local legislative councils, as was practiced during the authoritarian New Order era.

An overwhelming majority of Indonesians, more than 80 percent according to a survey, still favor direct elections.

The Democrats claimed they conducted the walkout after their proposal of 10 improvements to the direct election bill was rejected.

Yudhoyono soon issued a regulation in lieu of law, to annul the law following a wave of public anger directed at him for the Democratic lawmakers' move. The regulation, known as a Perppu, though, needs to be approved by the House if it is to stay in effect much longer.

"The international public and institutions might praise our democracy because we are a populous predominantly Muslim nation that is able to implement democracy. They think the organization of elections in Indonesia is largely successful," Siti said.

"But in fact, the Constitutional Court alone has received 980 lawsuits disputing the results of regional elections since 2005 [when direct elections of regional leaders were launched], including elections of legislative candidates in regions. That indicates massive potential for foul play. It also indicates that our democracy is of low-quality; it's deprived of meaningful substances and morals."

With the "legacy" left by Yudhoyono, the incoming administration of former Jakarta governor Joko Widodo definitely has a lot of work to do.

Siti suggested, though, that Joko starts with law enforcement and bureaucratic reforms. "Uphold the supremacy of the law. That way we can improve the quality of our democracy, and much more," she said.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/yudhoyonos-decade-peaks-troughs/

Actions, demos, protests...

Nationwide protests slam Prabowo's anti-democratic Red and White Coalition

Solidarity Net - October 21, 2014

Sherr Rinn – On Monday October 20, the Student Struggle Center for National Liberation (Pembebasan) held protest actions in several Indonesian cities including Jakarta, Medan and Siantar in North Sumatra, Yogyakarta in Central Java, Tarakan in East Kalimantan, Palu and Poso in Central Sulawesi, Makassar in South Sulawesi and Ternate in North Maluku.

Pembebasan general chairperson Ari Lamodjong said that the simultaneous national actions were to oppose the return to Indonesian politics of the New Order (Orba) regime of former President Suharto.

"The return of the New Order can be seen from the enactment of the UU Pilkada [regional election law], which represents an attempt by the political elite remnants of the Orba to reawaken the values of the Orba", said the Bung Karno University (UBK) post-graduate student.

As has been reported, the UU Pilkada stipulates that regional heads are elected by regional legislative councils (DPR) instead of being directly elected by the people. In the House of Representatives (DPR), the political parties that make up former New Order general Prabowo Subianto's Red and White Coalition (KMP) that enacted the law, are now even planning to issue policies so the president is elected by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) instead of directly.

Pembebasan believes that Prabowo and the KMP are a creation of remnants of the New Order because leading KMP figures are the political elite that were part of Suharto inner circle and their political policies are aimed at returning Indonesia to the anti-democratic era of the New Order.

"Because of this, students and the people must unite and consolidate to eliminate the KMP from all spheres of Indonesian politics. They cannot be allowed to rule. The people must hold the power through organisations and political vehicles that they themselves have built. Don't entrust the future to the [political] elite, including Jokowi [President Joko Widodo], much less Prabowo and the KMP who are clearly anti-democratic", explained Lamodjong.

In Palu, Pembebasan students who are part of the Central Sulawesi Student Movement (Gema) demanded that the KMP disband itself. Earlier on Thursday October 16 in Palo, the Tadulako University (Untad) Student Movement (GMU) called for the annulment of the UU Pilkada and called on the KMP to be expelled from the national parliament.

In Tarakan, Pembebasan protesters brought posters with pictures of the logos of the political parties that make up the KMP, Prabowo's Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), the Golkar Party, the United Development Party (PPP), former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democrat Party, the Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) and the National Mandate Party (PAN). The student said that these parties are the "betrayers of democracy".

In Yogyakarta meanwhile, Pembebasan and residents of the nearby coastal town of Parangtritis united under the banner of the Alliance of Oppressed Indonesian People (ARIT) to hold a free speech forum in the Jl. Malioboro shopping district. The protesters also distributed leaflets and brought banners with messages such as "Repeal the UU Pilkada".

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the article was "Pembebasan: Singkirkan Koalisi Merah Putih dari Arena Politik Indonesia!".]

Source: http://solidaritas.net/2014/10/pembebasan-singkirkan-koalisi-merah-putih-dari-arena-politik-indonesia.html

West Papua

Papua prosecutors: 4 Months' jail for French journos should be enough

Jakarta Globe - October 23, 2014

Banjir Ambarita, Jakarta – Two French journalists arrested in Papua for operating without journalism visas should serve four months in jail and face a cursory $200 fine, prosecutors in the region said on Thursday.

"It's the maximum request and we hope it will be a lesson for foreigners to not violate their visas in Indonesia," lead prosecutor Sukanda said.

Thomas Charles Dandois, 40, and Marie Valentine Bourrat, 29, were arrested on Aug. 6 with three alleged members of the separatist Free Papua Organization (OPM).

Indonesia has sealed off Papua to foreign correspondents, ostensibly because the region is unsafe. Activists however say the regulation is in effect to prevent publication of human rights violations that could lead to greater international pressure on Jakarta.

The two journalists' lawyer, Aristo Pangaribuan, expressed relief that the prosecution had not called for the maximum five-year prison term.

"I'm sure my clients are innocent, and hopefully they will be released when the verdict is handed down on Friday," Aristo said. "Even the [Indonesian] Press Council has recommended they be deported instead of being punished."

At Thursday's hearing, the defendants said they traveled to the country's easternmost provinces after landing at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. From Sorong in West Papua they traveled to Jayapura and Wamena in Papua province.

They admitted they met the president of the self-proclaimed Federal Democratic Nation of West Papua, Forkorus Yoboisembut, in Jayapura and tribe leader Areki Wanimbo. They had a short discussion and undertook some filming.

During the court hearing, both French nationals apologized and admitted that they had made a mistake and wanted to go home.

Yoseph Adi Prasetyo from the Press Council previously said that the pair's work was not journalism and should be viewed as research, given that nothing had been aired or published.

"Journalistic activities should be published and their works have not been published," he said. "We hope they will not be jailed, but deported as soon as possible."

The verdict is scheduled to be released on Friday.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/papua-prosecutors-4-months-jail-french-journos-enough/

Call for action, as Indonesian president visits Papua

Radio New Zealand International - October 22, 2014

West Papua activists are calling on the new president of Indonesia to begin addressing Papua's human rights grievances during his first official visit there tomorrow.

Joko Widodo, who was inaugurated on Monday, has indicated a discussion on the West Papua situation will be one of his priorities.

A spokesperson for West Papua Action Auckland group, Maire Leadbeater, says Mr Widodo made a number of promises during his election campaign about West Papua, including ensuring greater media freedom.

Ms Leadbeater says Mr Widodo has a reputation for being fair and honest, and she has high hopes he will fulfill his promises. She says a dialogue between Indonesian authorities and representatives of West Papuan people is needed.

"That dialogue would have to include a bit more than just looking at the economic situation, it must also look at the political situation and the status of the territory. Those things have to be opened up for discussion."

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/257514/call-for-action,-as-indonesian-president-visits-papua

Jokowi focus on Papua may lack support

Radio New Zealand International - October 22, 2014

Efforts by Indonesia's new President to solve political, social and economic issues in Papua region may be restricted by a lack of support from national parliamentarians.

Joko Widodo, who was inaugurated on Monday, has indicated that addressing lingering grievances of West Papua will be one of his first priorities.

A South East Asia and Pacific specialist, Damien Kingsbury from Deakin University, says the President has made contact with West Papuan political leaders who believe there is scope for discussion about a way forward.

But he warns that even if Jokowi forges some agreement, he could struggle to get it through a hostile legislature.

"The Indonesian parliament is overwhelmingly set against Joko Widodo as President and has threatened to derail his Presidency; and if he tried to resolve the West Papua issue – something that's very, very controversial in Jakarta – my guess is he would run into a great deal of resistance within the parliament."

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/257474/jokowi-focus-on-papua-may-lack-support

No witnesses against French journalists

Jakarta Post - October 22, 2014

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The Jayapura District Court resumed on Tuesday a trial of two French journalists, Thomas Charles Dandois and Marie Valentine Bourrat, hearing from three witnesses from the prosecution who were not able to confirm that the defendants undertook journalistic activities.

One of the witnesses, Areki Wanimbo, chief of the Lanny tribe in Wamena, revealed that the two defendants came to his house on Aug. 6, 2014, together with Dominikus Sorabut and Theo Hesegem.

Areki said he did not know their intention in coming to the house. He said they did not conduct an interview or take pictures.

"I did not speak with them, except Dominikus," Areki told the panel of judges, comprised of presiding judge Marthinus Bala and panel members Maria Sitanggang and Irianto.

Areki added that when Dominikus arrived, he asked about the situation of a village in Lanny Jaya, and Areki said that he had received a text message regarding shooting incidents in the area.

Areki said that Dominikus then asked whether the group could go to Lanny Jaya, but Areki said no. "I immediately said they could not go because the situation was unsafe. Don't let there be any more victims."

Witnesses Frengky Nalenan and Rausus Octavianus Makabori, both Jayapura Immigration officers, were also aware that the two foreign visitors were journalists from the press cards they carried.

However, neither of them saw the suspects carrying out journalistic activities and the immigration officers only learned from Papua Police investigators that the two had conducted an interview with West Papua Democrats president Forkorus Yaboisembut.

"I only knew from police investigators that the defendants conducted an interview with Yaboisembut but the recording has been erased, so I did not see or hear the recording," said Frengky.

Witness Rausus said the defendants arrived in Jayapura and he was not aware of the case involving the foreigners.

In their indictment read out by prosecutors on Monday, the two Arte TV journalists were charged with violating Law No. 8/2011 on immigration, which carries a maximum five-year prison sentence. Both were apprehended in Wamena on Aug. 6, 2014, and have been in detention since Aug. 14.

Their defense lawyer Aristo Pangaribuan said on Tuesday that the immigration office had charged them with visa violations because they only held tourist visas but allegedly carried out journalistic activities.

Aristo said none of the three witnesses could testify about the journalistic activities allegedly carried out by the pair, adding that his clients were only known as journalists from their press cards.

"Can't journalists be tourists? Does every journalist who visits every country carry out journalistic activities? If they become tourists, can they take pictures and are there any tourist sites where taking photos is prohibited? This is subject to debate," said Aristo.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/22/no-witnesses-against-french-journalists.html

New Indonesia president must prioritize Papua: HRW

Jakarta Post - October 22, 2014

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo should use his first official visit to Papua and West Papua on Thursday to endorse specific measures to address serious human rights problems on the country's easternmost island, according to a New York-based rights watchdog.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) deputy Asia director Phelim Kine said Jokowi deserved credit for recognizing that Papua's problems demanded the urgent attention of his new government.

"However, President Widodo should recognize that this government can't just spend its way out of Papua's problems; it needs to address an abusive status quo rooted in persistent human rights violations in Papua," Kine said in a press release made available to The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Jokowi is scheduled to visit Papua and West Papua three days after his inauguration. He has promised to devote "special attention" to Papua and to improve health-care and education in the two provinces as a means of easing "political tensions" in the resource-rich areas.

HRW said Papua presented particular governance challenges for the Jokowi administration, as the ongoing low-level conflict with the small and poorly organized Free Papua Movement (OPM) had placed security responsibilities on the government.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/22/new-ri-president-must-prioritize-papua-hrw.html

French journalists tried for violating visas in Papua

Jakarta Post - October 21, 2014

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The Jayapura District Court in Papua commenced a trial on Monday involving two French television journalists, Thomas Charles Dandois and Marie Valentine Louise Bourrat, who stand accused of misusing their visas.

Prosecutor Sukanda told the trial, which was presided over by judge Martinus Bala, that the defendants were charged with violating Article 122 of Law No. 8/2011 on immigration, which carries a five-year sentence if found guilty, and Article 55 of the Criminal Code.

"They planned to combine their news coverage for a documentary film that would be aired by one of the television stations in Paris," said Sukanda.

He said that Bourrat, born in Jerusalem on July 15, 1975, had entered Indonesia via Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, on July 3, using a French passport with a tourist visa that expired on July 15.

Dandois, born in Caen, France, on June 10, 1974, had entered the country via Soekarno-Hatta on July 28 using a French passport with a tourist visa on arrival, he said.

Both defendants met in Sorong, Papua and on Aug. 3 they headed to Jayapura, staying at the Swiss Belhotel.

According to Sukanda, on Aug. 4, without journalist visas, the defendants had carried out journalistic activities in Doyo, Jayapura regency, and had interviewed West Papua politician Forkorus Yaboisembut and an armed civilian group in Papua, with the intention of learning more about the socio-cultural history of the region and why the armed civilian group had risen up against the government.

On Aug. 5, the defendants had left for Wamena in Jayawijaya. On Aug. 6 they met witness Areki Wanimbo and planned to cover an activity in Lanny Jaya regency and the Baliem Valley Cultural Festival on Aug. 7, but they were apprehended in Wamena on Aug. 6.

"The defendants are fully aware that they are not allowed to use a tourist visa to carry out journalistic activities in Indonesia, but should use a journalistic permit after receiving clearance from the Indonesian government, coordinated by the Foreign Ministry," Sukanda pointed out.

The defendants' lawyer, Aristo MA Pangaribuan, said the indictment was unclear and inaccurate as it stated his clients had carried out journalistic activities, but the prosecutor had failed to explain what was meant by journalistic activities based on Ministerial Decree No. 42/2009, which outlines guidelines on obtaining permits for foreign broadcasting institutions.

"He [the prosecutor] failed to analyze three elements in the journalistic definition in the indictment, so it was inaccurate and unclear," Aristo said.

"The definition of journalism is an activity that includes, seeking, obtaining, possessing, storing, processing and delivering information in the form of text, sound, images, sounds and images, as well as data and charts and other forms, to be presented by the broadcast media, " he explained.

Aristo appealed to the presiding judge to overrule the indictment for the sake of justice. The trial of the two French citizens will be held daily until the ruling is handed down on Oct. 25.

"It will be better if the trial is carried out continuously, so it will be settled quickly, as the defendants are foreigners and security considerations are required, especially as they have been detained in Jayapura for more than two months," said Aristo.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/21/french-journalists-tried-violating-visas-papua.html

Golkar legislator slams Joko's 'merdeka' remark, claims promoting secession

Jakarta Globe - October 20, 2014

Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Jakarta – A Golkar Party legislator has criticized President Joko Widodo for saying "Merdeka," or "Freedom," during his inauguration speech, suggesting it was indicative of partisan politics and could have been construed as inciting Papuan independence.

Bambang Soesatyo said the remark – which became a battle cry for freedom during Indonesia's independence struggle – was a trademark of Joko's party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). He said it showed Joko put party before country.

"He said that there should be a coming together of the people – the remark shows the exact opposite, he draws a line by doing it," Bambang said. "He forgets that he's the people's president, not a party member anymore."

Bambang also claimed the word was open to interpretation and could be seen as promoting secession in Papua.

"I don't know who he meant the remark for," Bambang said. "There were delegates from Papua; if it was indeed intended to them, it could mean that he ordered Papua to be independent."

The name of Papua's main independence organization is Organisasi Papua Merdeka, or Free Papua Organization (OPM).

Bambang went on to say there was nothing extraordinary in Joko's inauguration speech. "It turned out to be different from what his supporters said, that there would be a great speech from Joko."

PDI-P legislator Aria Bima said that Bambang's accusation was ridiculous, as merdeka was a national salute that belonged to the people, not the PDI- P.

"A presidential decree issued in 1947 declared that merdeka was a national salute," Aria said. "It's a remark of national fight. It doesn't belong to the PDI-P." He added that Bambang should read more and get the facts straight.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/golkar-legislator-slams-jokos-merdeka-remark-claims-promoting-secession/

French journalists detained in Papua appear in court

Jakarta Globe - October 20, 2014

Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura – The fate of two French journalists detained for reporting on an outlawed independence movement in Papua without the correct visa will be decided this week.

Thomas Dandois and Valentine Bourrat, who were arrested in Wamena on Aug. 6, made their first appearance at Jayapura District Court on Monday.

Prosecutors allege the two journalists violated the 2011 Law on Immigration and the Penal Code of Indonesia, and the pair could face up to five years in prison.

Presiding judge Martinus Bala said on Monday that the court would hear from five witnesses tomorrow, then experts presented by lawyers from both sides over the proceeding days. "By the end of this week, the demand and ruling would have been read," he said.

Dandois and Bourrat, who were filming a documentary on the West Papuan independence movement for Franco-German TV channel Arte, were arrested with three alleged members of the Free Papua Organization (OPM), which has waged a decades-long insurgency against Indonesian rule in the region.

Authorities are seeking to have the journalists, who are considered a threat to security, sentenced for the maximum five years in prison for breaching their tourist visa, something the pair have admitted.

Prosecutors say the pair carried out journalistic activities in Doyo, Jayapura, by interviewing West Papuan leader Forkorus Yaboisembut and covering activities of the OPM. The pair were found with recorders, video, a laptop and mobile phones.

Indigenous leader Areki Wanimbo – who the pair met in Jayawijaya district – allegedly served as a contact between the journalists and the independence movement in Lany Jaya district.

"The two defendants actually realized and knew that to perform journalistic works in Indonesia, they could not just use a tourist visa," Prosecutor Sukanda said.

Sukanda said the journalists were aware they needed to apply to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a permit which would be issued by a special clearing house.

"During investigation, both admitted carrying out journalistic activity to understand more about the Papuan social condition, traditions, culture and history; as well as to find out the reason why the armed group stands against the government. Sukanda said the coverage was to be broadcast as a documentary on French television.

The lawyer for the journalists, Aristo M.A. Pangaribuan, said that the two-page indictment was vague and failed to clearly explain what prosecutors meant by journalistic works.

"In the criminal code article 143 requires an indictment to be clear and complete," Aristo said. "Because the indictment is vague, the court process should be terminated, and both should be returned to their country."

The pair have been detained at Jayapura's immigration detention center for ten weeks. Foreign journalists who want to access Papua face considerable hurdles and have to obtain a journalist's visa and permission letter.

The arrest of the French journalists has drawn criticism from media freedom groups, including the French-based Reporters Without Borders. Indonesia's national press council has said it would be better to deport the journalists.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/french-journalists-detained-papua-appear-court/

Jailed journos in West Papua front court on day of president's inauguration

New Matilda - October 20, 2014

Amy McQuire – Two French journalists imprisoned for more than two months in the Indonesian province of West Papua with no charge are facing court today, on the same day of the inauguration of the incoming President Joko Widodo.

The journalists – Thomas Dandois and Valentine Bourrate, from the French- German Arte Channel – have been jailed without charge since August 6 this year. There are concerns they will be charged with espionage, but formal charges will not be laid until they are brought to court later today.

A local fixer was also arrested with the journalists, and there are concerns for the safety of locals with whom they came into contact.

Dandois and Bourrate were arrested for abusing the conditions of their tourism visa to enter the notoriously media-shy province of West Papua, where foreign media is largely banned.

But while foreign journalists are often detained for a few hours or a day, and then deported, the two French journalists are a different case, with the Papuan police spokesperson Sulistyo Pudjo alleging to media that the journalists "were part of an effort to destabilise Papua", according to Human Rights Watch.

The international advocacy group Reporters Without Borders has consistently maintained the two journalists have been detained illegally. They were engaging in legitimate reporting "covering the living conditions of the local population and separatist demands".

The trial is beginning on the same day as the inauguration of Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, who has signalled a willingness to open up West Papua to foreign media.

On the weekend he gave an interview to Fairfax media, where he said he wanted to "give special attention to West Papua".

Mr Joko was the first Indonesian presidential candidate to campaign in the province, and although many West Papuans boycotted the elections, he gained an estimated 70 per cent of the vote.

Human Rights Watch's Indonesian representative Andreas Harsono told New Matilda in the lead up to the inauguration that the trial of the two journalists was largely a case of politics. "My speculation is this case is a challenge to Joko," Mr Harsono told New Matilda.

"There is a clearing house that meets every week at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to screen all applicants to go to Papua – they have been doing it for 50 years. It is entrenched. They have an interest to keep journalists out of Papua. Why should this new President end that?

"Once Jokowi's in power, if they have not been tried, it is very likely for Jokowi or his team to interfere. That's why they want to speed up the trial.

"As long as they are under the police or the immigration, they are basically still under the executive branch of government. Once they go to trial, and there is a verdict, it's in another territory."

Foreign minister for the Federal for the Republic of West Papua Jacob Rumbiak says Mr Joko would have trouble making an impact in Papua because of the weight of the party machine.

"The Indonesian state demands absolute loyalty from its citizens, and its institutions have always been charged with defending its territorial integrity," Mr Rumbiak said.

"In the service of those imperatives, anything the international community would consider illegal has always been quietly legalised. The machine behind Widodo's election was Megawati Sukarnoputri's PDIP Party. Why would she allow him to betray her father's success?"

West Papua has been under Indonesian rule since the farcical 'Act of Free Choice', commonly referred to as 'The Act of No Free Choice' was passed in 1969. It followed the withdrawal of the Dutch in the 1960s.

About 1,000 Papuans out of a population of 800,000 were hand-picked to vote, with concerns they were threatened or coerced into voting for the province to come under Indonesia.

Since then there have been constant concerns over human rights violations in the province and brutal and violent crackdowns on peaceful demonstrations. Activists have been jailed for raising the prohibited Morning Star flag.

The human rights violations in the province have remained largely hidden from the outside world, partly due to the media ban.

Source: https://newmatilda.com/2014/10/20/jailed-journos-west-papua-front-court-day-presidents-inauguration

Indonesia's Joko Widodo focused on solving West Papua problems

Sydney Morning Herald - October 19, 2014

John Garnaut, Michael Bachelard – Joko Widodo, who on Monday will be inaugurated as Indonesia's second directly elected president, will quickly move to salve the festering grievances of West Papua.

Mr Joko, known as Jokowi, said his pragmatic policy and democratic, egalitarian approach could resolve the root causes of the country's last simmering separatist insurgency following the independence of East Timor and peace in Aceh.

"I want to give special attention to West Papua," said Mr Joko in an exclusive interview with Fairfax Media, outlining a plan to resolve social and economic disadvantage first.

If he succeeds where others have failed, he will be able to dismantle the last outpost of the Suharto-era security-based approach to Indonesia's internal politics and remove a major impediment to closer ties with Australia.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is due to arrive in Jakarta on Sunday night ahead of Monday's inauguration, which he will attend alongside regional leaders and the US Secretary of State, John Kerry.

The new administration presents an opportunity for Mr Abbott to reset his "more Jakarta and less Geneva" election promise, after early intentions were derailed by fallout from revelations that Australia had spied on key members of the Indonesian elite, and the uncompromising "turn back" policy towards asylum seeker vessels.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who Mr Joko replaces on Monday, made a similar pledge to fix Indonesia's easternmost province when he came to power a decade ago, but his money and good intentions were squandered by corruption, cronyism and bureaucratic dysfunction.

Mr Yudhoyono was ultimately seen to be aloof and out of touch, whereas Mr Joko has pointedly immersed himself with practical, ground-level concerns.

"Every day groups from Papua come here and I explain about the problem, they complain about the problem, so now I know 100 per cent of the problem in Papua," said Mr Joko, speaking in English, his third language.

Citing the example of a bag of cement that costs $US6 in Jakarta but sells for as much $US150 in Papua, he said basic development objectives would be out of reach without attacking the causes of economic discrimination. But his first focus will be to deliver decent services in hospitals and schools.

"I think the most important thing is education, yes, and then health care, and then infrastructure," Mr Joko said. "If we can deliver as soon as possible the education program, and health program, I'm sure, the political tension will drop."

Some Papuan activists have welcomed Mr Joko as offering a genuine change, and hope of closer attention to their problems. Others, though, are suspicious of the economics-first approach.

Reverend Socratez Yoman, the head of the Baptist church in Papua, said Mr Joko would fail unless he dealt directly with political concerns. "The core problem in West Papua is political," he said. "Before you talk about economic development, the first part has to be to have genuine and peaceful dialogue."

As for the Australian government, Reverend Yoman said it needed to show more attention to the abuses in Papua and the demographic change that is seeing Papua's ethnic Melanesian population being outnumbered by migrants from other parts of the archipelago. "Australia needs to speak strongly," he said.

Indonesia has been hypersensitive about the status of West Papua since 1969, when it annexed the province with an "act of free choice" that was seen by many international observers to be a sham.

Many in the Indonesian elite still believe that Australia secretly supports the separatist movement and they commonly conflate criticism of human rights abuses with support for subversion.

One critic of abuses in Papua, Greens senator Richard Di Natale, told Fairfax that Mr Joko's commitments were necessary but not sufficient to redress Papuan concerns.

"While huge progress has been made in democratic reforms in the rest of Indonesia, West Papua remains a festering sore," he said. "I'm very encouraged that Jokowi appears to recognise that this is an issue that needs to be addressed [but] there also needs to be recognition of the democratic and political freedoms that have been denied for too long."

Prominent Papuan woman, Frederika Korain, said people looked with hope towards Mr Joko because "he is not from the elite, has no political baggage".

"In the last two weeks the tension has already reduced in Papua; I think the military troops there understand what kind of president he'll be," she said. The Indonesian president is the supreme commander of the military.

She said a group of Papuan activists had suggested the Indonesian government set up an agency under presidential authority to focus solely on Papua with three parts to its charter: political dialogue, human rights and development.

[John Garnaut is Asia Pacific editor. Michael Bachelard is Indonesia correspondent.]

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/national/indonesias-joko-widodo-focused-on-solving-west-papua-problems-20141018-1182ls.html

French journalists face jail for reporting from Indonesia

The Guardian (Australia) - October 17, 2014

Two French journalists who were detained by the Indonesian authorities on 6 August are to face trial on Monday (20 October) for "abusive use of entry visas".

Thomas Dandois and Valentine Bourrat were arrested while filming a documentary about the separatist movement in West Papua for the Franco- German broadcaster, Arte TV.

They face possible sentences of up to five years in prison for "violation of immigration rights" plus #30,000 in fines.

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the decision to prosecute the pair reflects the Indonesian government's long-standing policy of obstructing independent media coverage in West Papua, where a low-level conflict has persisted for decades.

Foreign journalists need special official permission to visit the island – which the government rarely approves and often delays processing, hindering reporting on breaking news.

Journalists who do get official permission are invariably shadowed by official minders who strictly control their movements and access to interviewees.

Phelim Kine, HRW's deputy Asia director, said: "The Indonesian government's chokehold on Papua media coverage has effectively turned foreign journalism in the province into a criminal activity.

"The government should drop the charges against Dandois and Bourrat as a first step toward ending the gag on foreign media reporting on Papua."

Incidentally, Dandois also holds a British passport because his mother is Scottish. (HRW/France 24 & AFP/TeleSur)

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2014/oct/17/press-freedom-indonesia

Human rights & justice

Indonesia re-elected as UN Human Rights Council member

Jakarta Post - October 22, 2014

Jakarta – Indonesia has been re-elected as the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council member representing the Asia-Pacific region for the period of 2015-2017, the Indonesian Permanent Representative to the UN office in New York, US, has said.

"This proves that the international community believes in Indonesia's efforts to promote and protect human rights. We also consider that the re- election represents support for Indonesia, which has just inaugurated its new president and vice president," said Indonesia's permanent representative to the UN, Desra Percaya, as quoted by Antara news agency on Wednesday.

Indonesia, together with Bangladesh and Qatar, have been re-elected as the representatives of countries in the Asia-Pacific region at the UN Human Rights Council in a recent election process. It is the fourth time for Indonesia to be re-elected as a council member.

Meanwhile, Botswana, Ghana, Nigeria and the Republic of Congo were elected to represent the African region in the council. Albania and Latvia were elected as representatives from Eastern Europe, the Netherlands and Portugal for Western Europe and Bolivia, El Salvador, and Paraguay for Latin America and the Caribbean. Indonesia has been a member of the UN Human Rights Council since 2006.

"We will be facing challenges to continue to promote and protect human rights at the national level while, at the same time, we have to contribute to human rights protection and promotion in the regional and international levels," said Desra.

The UN Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the UN that works toward strengthening efforts to promote and protect human rights in countries around the world. The council, which was established in 2006, comprises 47 member countries. (ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/22/ri-re-elected-un-human-rights-council-member.html

Labour & migrant workers

New minimum wage to be set next week

Jakarta Post - October 22, 2014

Sita W. Dewi, Jakarta – Tripartite discussions on the minimum wage for 2015 have gotten underway as the Jakarta wage committee has finished conducting surveys on the basic cost of living (KHL) in the capital.

Jakarta Manpower Agency head Priyono said on Tuesday that the KHL for Jakarta, which was based on 60 components in the surveys, had been set at Rp 2.32 million (US$193.28) per month.

"The KHL was set at Rp 2.32 million in October. In June it was Rp 2.31 million. We've held eight surveys since January," he said in Jakarta.

Priyono said the new minimum wage for 2015 would be set on Nov. 1 by the Jakarta tripartite wage committee representing the city administration, employers and workers.

"We hope the three parties agree that we have to synchronize our views on the matter and demand an acceptable minimum wage," he said.

The minimum wage for 2014 was set at Rp 2.4 million per month, representing a 10 percent increase from the previous year's minimum wage of Rp 2.2 million per month. The figure, however, was still lower than the Rp 3.7 million per month demanded by workers.

Muhammad Toha, one of unionists representing workers in the tripartite discussion, said workers and their unions expected that the minimum wage would be set at Rp 5 million per month, pointing out that determining the KHL should be based on 84 components, not the 60 components used at the national level.

"The city administration should make a bold move. It's the governor's domain. The governor should dare to consider 100 components for the KHL in Jakarta. The governor is authorized to set the minimum wage at 130 percent of the KHL," he said, adding, "I wonder whether or not the Jakarta governor has the guts to do so, or is he still afraid of employers?"

Toha also pointed out that the minimum wage set in 2013 for 2014 was unfair, saying that workers had never agreed to the figure.

"The survey was false. For example, a 900-gram box of Dancow milk was priced at Rp 50,000 to Rp 60,000 and in fact the 900-gram box can hardly be found in the market," he said. He also called on the wage committee to consider a number of other standard needs, including mobile communication costs.

"In Jakarta, we can't not use mobile phones, so it makes sense to include pulsa [phone credits]. Stuff like belts, towels, transportation, electricity and water bills are also acceptable [for being included]," he said.

Toha said the demand was reasonable. "The [Transjakarta] bus driver gets three times the minimum wage," he said.

He criticized the city administration for being "pro-capitalist". "The growth of the number of luxury cars in Jakarta reached 38 percent, housing 24 percent. The poor are getting poorer while the rich are getting richer. The distribution of wealth is unfair," he said.

He said, however, that the union representatives would attend the tripartite forum and discuss the matter, even though they were pessimistic. "We plan to just follow the flow. We hope the new governor [Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama] will bring a new approach," he said.

Meanwhile, Ahok said the minimum wage would be set based on the KHL. "I've told them, we can't set the minimum wage based on feeling, 'oh, I need a 30 percent increase', just like that. We increased it by 43 percent back then because of the KHL as well," he said, referring to when former governor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo raised the minimum wage for 2013 to Rp 2.2 million from the Rp 1.5 million it was in November 2012, a month after his inauguration as Jakarta governor.

Ahok said, however, that the inflation rate should be included in the minimum wage hike. "It is unfair that we only consider the KHL, but not inflation assumptions," he said, adding that the percentage increase might be below other regions if the inflation rate in the capital was lower than that in other regions.

Ahok said the city administration had implemented compensation by providing welfare programs, including the Jakarta Smart Card education allowance and the Jakarta Health Card healthcare program.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/22/new-minimum-wage-be-set-next-week.html

Political parties & elections

A step toward reconciliation

Jakarta Post - October 18, 2014

Sita W. Dewi and Yuliasri Perdani, Jakarta – President-elect Joko "Jokowi" Widodo met on Friday with his former rival in the July 9 presidential election, Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto, ending four months of political tension that threatened to detract from the inauguration of Jokowi.

The meeting took place at the former home of Prabowo's father Soemitro Djojohadikoesoemo, on Jl. Kertanegara in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.

The meeting took place only three days after Jokowi held a meeting with Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie. Jokowi said after his meeting with Aburizal that he would continue meeting with leaders of political parties in the Red-and-White Coalition before his inauguration on Oct. 20 in an effort to break the political deadlock.

Speaking after the meeting, Prabowo, who celebrated his 63rd birthday on Friday, denied that the reason it took so long for him to meet with Jokowi was because he held a grudge against the former Jakarta Governor.

Prabowo later made a statement that could be read as a first step toward reconciliation

"I am sure that, deep inside, both of us want the same thing for the nation. That is why today I want to call on the party I lead, all my coalition members and my supporters to support Jokowi and his administration. In politics, fierce rhetoric is normal, but in the end, all of us just seek security and prosperity for our country. Differences in political views should not divide us," Prabowo said.

Prabowo, however, was quick to add that his support was not without reservations. "We will criticize his administration when necessary and he told me that was what a democracy needs," he said.

Prabowo also hinted that there would be another meeting. "I initially wanted to meet in Hambalang. But he promised that he would visit me in Hambalang after he becomes president. When that happens, I will ask him to sing a song," Prabowo said, referring to his private residence in Bogor, West Java.

Prabowo and Jokowi hold first meeting after four months of rancor Meeting aimed atending political deadlock in nation Jokowi promises to visit Prabowo's home in West Java to try out helicopter

Jokowi responded with a touch of self-deprecatory humor to Prabowo's request. "I can't sing. But probably before January we will visit him in Hambalang. I want to try out Pak Prabowo's helicopter," Jokowi said with a grin.

Prabowo was, however, non-committal when asked if he would attend Jokowi's inauguration. "Actually I have to leave the country tonight on business. But I promised him I would come if I can finish up by Sunday night," he said.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Aria Bima, who brokered the meeting, said that the rendezvous was aimed at easing the political tension, "particularly in Senayan," he said, referring to the House of Representatives.

Executives from parties in the Red-and-White Coalition and the coalition led by the PDI-P praised the meeting.

"It's a great move. It's happened at a time when the public had begun to believe we can't sit together and talk. The meeting between the two figures is crucial to igniting positive energy and to cool the rising political temperature ahead of the inauguration on Monday," said Tantowi Yahya, Golkar's deputy secretary-general.

Meanwhile Hanura Party central executive member Susaningtyas Nefo Handayani Kertopati said the meeting would not change the Red-and-White Coalition's opposition stance. "I hope it can create a fair checks-and-balances mechanism for Jokowi's administration for the better future of the country," he said.

Political analyst Philips J. Vermonte from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said the meeting was an ideal moment for Jokowi to gain recognition from Prabowo supporters, who have persistently refused to acknowledge Jokowi's victory in the July 9 election.

Philips said that the meeting, and future meetings between Jokowi and other party leaders in the Red-and-White Coalition, could bring a swift end to the current political standoff.

"The meeting will not lessen the determination of the Red-and-White Coalition to become an active opposition at the House, but we can live with that," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/18/a-step-toward-reconciliation.html

PPP joins Jokowi's coalition, still mired in conflict

Jakarta Post - October 18, 2014

Hans Nicholas Jong, Surabaya – Despite the United Development Party (PPP) declaring allegiance to the coalition of president-elect Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, it might mean nothing as the party's internal conflicts remain unresolved.

During a muktamar (national congress) in Surabaya, East Java, held by the faction led by PPP chairman Muhammad Romahurmuziy, the party decided to throw its support behind Jokowi.

"If the Democratic Party said they would be a balancing power outside the government, we're the balancing power inside the government," PPP deputy chairman Suharso Monoarfa said after the declaration on Friday. He added that the Jokowi coalition had been informed of the decision.

As the party had joined the coalition, it would support the coalition's position on all issues, including the election of regional heads.

Jokowi and his coalition had offered long-term partnership with the possibility of ministerial appointments, but on the condition that the party declared its support before the president-elect's inauguration and ahead of his Cabinet announcement.

When asked whether Jokowi had allocated ministerial slots to the party for joining the coalition, Romahurmuziy, who was elected during the congress on Thursday, said that so far there had been no specific offers from the president-elect.

"[Appointing] ministers is the prerogative of the president, therefore the PPP is not in the position to demand anything," he said.

Following the declaration, Romahurmuziy closed the congress with a speech calling for all party members to unite following a rift that had split the party into two rival factions: his faction and another led by former PPP chairman Suryadharma Ali, who has been named a suspect in a graft case.

The party's sharia board and mahkamah (internal council) had been trying to reconcile the two factions by ordering them to jointly conduct a muktamar, with the former planning to take matters into its own hands by conducting another muktamar should the reconciliation attempt fail. Suryadharma plans to hold a separate muktamar in Jakarta on Oct. 23.

While the Romahurmuziy faction has decided to jump ship, the validity of the move is questioned as the mahkamah and the party's sharia board have declared both congresses invalid and aired plans to conduct its own congress as a compromise.

Despite being deemed illegitimate by the sharia board, the Romahurmuziy faction insisted on the legitimacy of its congress, saying the sharia board had no authority to hold its own muktamar and that the validity of a muktamar was not determined by board approval.

Suharso said that the sharia board was not like the religious councils in other Islamic-based parties, like the Prosperous Justice Party's (PKS) majelis syuro, which was the highest lawmaking body in the party.

"We don't employ the syuro council system, our board is a sharia one." Suharso also accused Suryadharma of manipulating sharia board chief Maimun Zubair so that the latter would declare the muktamar in Surabaya invalid.

Likewise, sharia board deputy chief Fahrurrozi Ishaq said the board was not powerful enough to dismiss the legitimacy of a muktamar on its own without holding a joint meeting involving both rival factions.

"The sharia board gives advice, it does not make decisions [on crucial matters]," he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/18/ppp-joins-jokowi-s-coalition-still-mired-conflict.html

Indonesian rivals play nice ahead of inauguration

Sydney Morning Herald - October 17, 2014

Michael Bachelard, Jakarta – Indonesian presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto on Friday met and for the first time congratulated the winner, Joko Widodo, more than three months after election day.

But the gesture, just days before Mr Joko's inauguration as president on Monday, still does not guarantee easy passage of Mr Joko's agenda through parliament.

Since the July 9 election, the six-party Red and White Coalition controlled by Mr Prabowo and his allies has used its 63 per cent parliamentary majority to pass a number of laws apparently aimed at damaging Mr Joko.

One abolished direct elections for regional and local leaders – a forum where Mr Joko made his political start – and another allowed the coalition to stack their loyalists into almost every key parliamentary post.

But on Friday the pair met at Mr Prabowo's father's house in Jakarta and, after a 15-minute meeting, emerged smiling to cool widespread fears that ongoing antagonism between them would prevent Mr Joko, known by his nickname Jokowi, from governing effectively.

"I congratulated Mr Jokowi, who will be inaugurated as Indonesian president on [Monday]," Mr Prabowo said. "I told him I believe that he is a patriot, and also that I believed from the bottom of our heart that we share the same values".

Among these, he said, were the unity of the Republic of Indonesia, the founding state ideology of Pancasila, the 1945 constitution and "unity in diversity".

"Therefore I said that the party I lead, also my friends, my supporters, I will tell them to support Joko Widodo and his administration," Mr Prabowo said.

It's a significant concession by the former army strongman who has until now resisted any attempts at reconciliation or congratulation.

The fact that Mr Joko came to see Mr Prabowo at his home is significant: outgoing president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his predecessor, Megawati Sukarnoputri, maintained a 10-year feud after he defeated her in 2004, partly over protocol issues of who would visit whom.

Ordinary Indonesians, who have feared paralysis at the top, immediately welcomed the gesture. However Mr Prabowo vowed to remain as an active opposition force, and did not guarantee the new president an easy ride.

"If there are things we see as not bringing advantage for the country and people, we will not hesitate to criticise them, making corrections," Mr Prabowo said. "Political fights are only normal. Often we may utter strong rhetoric but at the end it's all for the public good, the safety of our people and country."

Mr Joko agreed they shared the same values and goals. "If there are things need to be criticised in the future in our administration, I said I am prepared," Mr Joko said. "It is necessary in state management."

The pair also joked about Mr Prabowo's invitation to Mr Joko to come to his country house, Hambalang, and sing. Mr Joko replied: "I thank him for still inviting me to go there. But as for singing, I'm sorry I cannot fulfil that because I can't sing".

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/indonesian-rivals-play-nice-ahead-of-inauguration-20141017-117v4k.html

Environment & natural disasters

Battle for Bali: campaigners fight back against unchecked development

The Guardian (Australia) - October 22, 2014

Johnny Langenheim – Snarled traffic, city hotels and rubbish-strewn beaches are not images most associate with Bali. But this is increasingly the reality on the famous resort island, as rampant over-development and failing infrastructure threaten to destroy its fabled beauty.

Growing alarm at the oversupply of hotel rooms led to a moratorium on new developments in the south of the island four years ago. But local governors responsible for issuing building permits largely ignored the decree. According to the Indonesian Restaurant & Hotel Association (PHRI), between 2011 and 2013, the number of hotel rooms on the island leaped from 22,000 to 50,100, and there is no sign of a slowdown.

Foreign and domestic tourist arrivals have swelled to nearly 10 million a year, buckling the island's infrastructure. Up to 1,000 hectares of Bali's iconic rice fields are disappearing annually, replaced by villas, apartment blocks and high-capacity hotels. The water table is shrinking and 65% of rivers now dry up during the dry season. In the rainy season, diggers are needed to clear the thousands of tonnes of rubbish that pile up on the beaches of this small island.

When Indonesia devolved power to its regions after the downfall of Suharto, the corruption that had formerly resided solely with the ruling elite devolved with it. In Bali, local governors or bupati have often been more concerned with lining their pockets than representing their constituents. Regulations are flimsy and rarely enforced, with developers encroaching on green belt land and violating coastal setback laws.

But while academics warn of an impending ecological disaster, a massive new project could soon get underway in an environmentally sensitive estuary in Bali's overcrowded south. Developer PT Tirta Wahana Bali International (TWBI) is planning an 838-hectare development on land to be reclaimed from Benoa Bay, comprising villas, apartments, luxury hotels, a Disneyland-style theme park and even a Formula One racing circuit.

The artificial islands would take up 75% of the bay's area – a move that environmentalists fear could cause massive flooding. According to Ketut Sarjana Putra, the Indonesia Director of US NGO Conservation International (CI), seawater levels could increase by as much as 1.6 metres, inundating low-lying areas, while silt from dredging activities could swamp reefs and mangroves.

Bali's provincial governor Made Pastika has been a vocal advocate for the reclamation project in interviews, claiming it would reduce pressure on Bali's arable lands and provide jobs. He issued the original permit for the development, but critics cited a 2011 presidential decree designating Benoa Bay a conservation area and he backtracked.

In May this year, Indonesia's president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono revoked the bay's protected status. Presidential Decree No. 51/2014, turned Benoa into a 'revitalisation' zone, paving the way for TWBI to press ahead. Yudhoyono's outgoing administration then issued the official state permits for the project just two weeks before president elect Joko Widodo was due to be sworn in on 20 October.

But environmental fears and anger at the opaque decision-making process have sparked a major protest movement. A coalition of religious leaders, politicians, musicians, academics, artists and farmers has gathered under the banner Tolak Reklamasi (Reject Reclamation) to try and stop TWBI. The Forum Bali Tolak Reklamasi, or ForBali, has held regular protests at Pastika's residence in Bali's capital Denpasar and in Benoa Bay, as well as concerts, art events and a well-orchestrated social media campaign. Nine of Bali's most senior high priests have signed a letter formally stating their opposition to the reclamation project.

Superman Is Dead, Indonesia's biggest punk band, is a leading torchbearer for ForBali.Their Facebook posts regularly attract tens of thousands of 'likes', and they can quickly mobilise their followers. Drummer Jerinx claims he's received repeated threats since he got behind the protest two years ago. "What my friends and I are doing is a peoples' struggle," he told local news outlet Kompas. "People have power... as musicians, we voice our protest not with violence, but through music."

TWBI senior representative Lee Marvin Lieano claims the project will provide a range of social, economic and environmental benefits. In a press release sent out to local news agencies, he stated that the project's planners had already addressed issues of flooding and subsidence and that the project would revitalise the bay, as well as providing thousands of jobs.

As prominent community and religious groups continue to get behind ForBali, confrontation is a growing possibility. A much smaller pro-reclamation lobby currently runs counter protests and has appropriated Tolak Reklamasi social media handles, billboard designs and even their ForBali moniker. Tolak Reklamasi billboards have also been vandalised, though it is unclear by whom.

ForBali coordinator Wayan Gendo Suardana maintains that the reclamation project cannot legally go ahead without a proper public consultation. "All these decisions are being made behind closed doors. But the people who are going to be directly affected by the development, like the fishing communities of Benoa Bay, should be a part of the decision-making process." Suardana has some hope that Indonesia's new president Joko Widodo might help. "Only he has the power to revoke Decree No. 51/2014, but I think it's 50/50 whether that will happen."

If it doesn't, protestors may resort to direct action, possibly preventing work from getting underway in Benoa. Suardana sees the protest as a test of Indonesia's emerging democracy and is confident that it will continue to build momentum. "Whether we win or lose, we won't stop fighting."

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/the-coral-triangle/2014/oct/22/battle-for-bali-campaigners-fight-back-against-unchecked-development

Local administrations, companies warned on forest fires

Jakarta Post - October 21, 2014

Pekanbaru – In an effort to prevent forest fires, a government-sanctioned team has warned six regencies and municipalities as well as 17 companies in Riau to improve their compliance with environmental regulations within a month or face harsh punishment.

After handing over the results of an audit to the local administrations and firms on Friday, the team will hold further meetings to assist with the required changes.

"If the companies fail to comply within a month, we will urge the regional administrations to impose punishments," said Mas Achmad Santosa, law- enforcement deputy at the Presidential Working Unit for the Supervision and Management of Development (UKP4), during an audit-result meeting involving the team, Riau administration and representatives of the six regencies/municipalities at the Riau governor's office.

The audit was conducted by a team consisting of the UKP4, the REDD+ Management Agency, the Forestry Ministry and the Riau Police. The audit found that of six regional administrations in Riau, four of them: Indragiri Hilir regency, Dumai city, Rokan Hilir regency, and Meranti Islands regency had poor regulatory and supervisory systems.

Riau was the first province to be audited by the team as 93.6 percent of peatland hot spots in Indonesia between Jan. 2 and March 13 were located in Riau causing more than 30,000 Riau residents to suffer acute respiratory infections as well as eye and skin irritations due to the resulting haze.

Bambang Heru Saharjo, dean of the Bogor Agriculture Institute's faculty of forestry and head of the audit team, said the regional administration had failed to implement a proper supervisory system of the plantation and forestry companies in their area.

"The regional administration did not even know their obligations toward fire prevention and mitigation," Bambang said. He also urged the administrations not to hesitate to impose heavy sanctions companies that violated regulations.

Meanwhile, Irwan, the regent of Meranti Island, denied that his administration had not complied with regulations or had failed to apply sufficient supervision on companies in the regency. He argued that his regency had suffered its first forest fire this year and his administration had not been prepared to handle it.

"My regency had its first ever forest fire only recently, and it was something that were not yet ready to face. Furthermore, there are funds that have been allocated by the provincial administration for forest-fire control but we have yet to receive any," Irwan said.

Based on the audit result, Bengkalis regency achieved the highest score in complying with regulations with a compliance score of 92.26 percent, while Meranti Island had the lowest score at 56.54.

The company with the worst performance was PT SRL Block III, which scored 7.22 percent, while another 14 companies, identified by their initials: PT AA, PT SRL Block V, PT DRT, PT SPA, PT RUJ, PT SPM, PT SRL Block IV, PT RRL, PT NSP, PT SG, PT SSL, PT BNS, PT JP, PT ME, PT TFDI and PT SAM had compliance scores of between 18.5 percent and 52.38 percent.

Jajang Suherlan, a representative of PT SRL Block III argued that his company was unaware of the compliance levels and it would try to meet the requirements in the near future. However another company representative, Agus Halimi, said he would need to study the report first before making any changes in the company and criticized the report for only pointing the finger of blame at the company. (idb)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/21/local-administrations-companies-warned-forest-fires.html

Riau's forests rife with danger: Rangers

Jakarta Globe - October 17, 2014

Basten Gokkon, Pekanbaru – Sprawling over 136,000 hectares in Riau province, the Rimbang Baling Wildlife Reserve is home to some of the richest biodiversity in Indonesia, specifically endangered Sumatran tigers.

Rimbang Baling, which is a part of the Barisan mountain range – the mid- point of the tropical rainforest world heritage site of Sumatra, was set as a wildlife reserve by gubernatorial decree in June 1982. The wildlife reserve's tropical forest is estimated to be home to 170 species of birds and 50 mammals.

"For tigers, Rimbang Baling serves as a source site and critical linkage for tiger movement in the northern and southern Sumatra," Sunarto, a species specialist at World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Indonesia, said during a trek in the wildlife reserve with a number of journalists.

"Many rivers, which snake all the way to the residences, also come from there," he added. "If the source had to become extinct, not long before you realize it, [biodiversity in Sumatra] would be gone."

There may be just 200 to 300 Sumatran tigers – one-third of which are estimated to be in Riau's forests – on Sumatra island, according to WWF Indonesia estimates.

Tigers are among the animals at the top of the food chain. As a result, disruptions to these big cats poses a threat to the larger ecosystem, of which humans are a part.

Exponential threats

The ecosystem at Rimbang Baling is seeing exponentially increasing threats from forest encroachment and land conversion activities by companies whose operations drive wildlife from the reserve's borders.

Rows of acacia trees – typically used in the process of making wood pulp for paper production – and palm trees now stand tall at the outskirts of the wildlife reserve. Some are even are illegally planted within the conservation area.

When the Jakarta Globe, accompanied by WWF Indonesia and Riau's Natural Resources Conservation Agency [BKSDA] visited Rimbang Baling on Monday, this reporter witnessed palm tree planting activity going on just 20 minutes after the group passed the Rimbang Baling Reserve's entrance.

"We have just started [planting the palm trees] today," Sunaryo, one of the eight workers present at the site, said during an intense interrogation by Bintang Hutajulu, who heads the local BKSDA's conservation division.

Sunaryo admitted that he was paid to do the planting by a man by the name of Aziz, a local businessman who lives near the wildlife reserve.

"The area was already cleared out since a week ago by different workers," Sunaryo said, gesturing to the surrounding area that appeared to have been felled and cleared by heavy equipment.

Bintang said officers at Riau's conservation agency – after securing evidence in the form of several small palm trees intended for planting – would investigate the case. He also admonished the workers to stop any further activity.

The BKSDA also took the investigating party to an area in the Rimbang Baling Wildlife Reserve that had been cleared by slash-and-burn activities.

Arson has been the main cause of smoke that has engulfed Riau and wafted over Singapore and Malaysia in recent months.

The profit-motivated fires not only threaten wildlife but also the health of people in Sumatra and neighboring nations.

The smoke engulfing the region prompted authorities to temporarily close the Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport at Pekanbaru, the provincial capital, on Sunday.

"The arrival schedules have been delayed as currently the visibility is only 500 meters," Baiquni Sudrajat, a spokesman for the international airport, said on Sunday. He added that visibility should be at least 1,500 meters for safety reasons.

Lack of resources

Johnny Lagawurin, who heads Riau's Natural Resources Conservation Agency, said that monitoring at Rimbang Baling had been "very weak," since even the biggest wildlife reserve in Sumatra only has three rangers officially hired by the Forestry Ministry.

These rangers have the duty to protect the forest and wildlife from illegal encroachment and poachers.

"We've been asking help from the people who live around the area to give us information, should they come across illegal activities happening in the wildlife reserve," he said.

Johnny said the agency's budget – used to purchase equipment, build more posts at Rimbang Baling, hire more trained rangers and presumably pay informants – has been the main challenge in the local conservation agency's enforcement mission for many years.

Johnny added that forest rangers also require proper training to improve the quality of monitoring and protection of the wildlife reserve.

"Optimum monitoring requires a lot of funding; it also takes a while to train the rangers in forest protection," Johnny said.

Forest rangers are the frontline protection force for the country's threatened nature and wildlife.

But rangers themselves need protection, since their lives are in danger when they venture deep in the forest to do monitoring activities, according to Johnny.

"Dangers come not only from the wild animals, but also from poachers," he said.

Syamsu, who has been a forest ranger for the Rimbang Baling Wildlife Reserve since 2005, admitted that he had received threats from poachers during his tenure as a ranger.

"I was told by a friend of mine who lives nearby Rimbang Baling, that [the poachers] would kill me if they see me," Syamsu said, adding that these threats once made him reluctant to visit the wildlife reserve for almost a year.

"But then I realized that every job has its own risks and [death threats] are a part of my job," he says.

Hopes for the new government

Conservationists have called on the incoming government, businesses and local communities to work together in conserving the habitats of wildlife across the archipelago's 17,000 islands.

"Within five years, the new government must be able to protect the existing habitat for the wildlife," WWF-Indonesia forest program director Anwar Purwoto said on Tuesday.

Anwar added that the new government will need to allocate more funds to help regional conservation agencies provide more rangers and facilities to monitor and protect wildlife reserves.

He added that companies are brushing off concerns about the threat their operations in concession areas pose to the health of wildlife and the knock-on effects that this has on the health of ecosystems – not only in conservation areas, but in concessions as well.

Part of the solution, Anwar said, is to mandate that companies must increase security patrols.

"We believe involving key stakeholders, including local communities, local government and corporations is the way to boost the protection needed for the wildlife reserve," Anwar said.

He also praised the outgoing administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for signing, after more than a decade of delay, a multilateral agreement on transboundary haze.

Last month, the House of Representatives ratified the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, which acknowledges a role for Indonesia's neighbors in taking active measures to tackle the problem.

Parties to the agreement, signed in 2002, are required to cooperate on measures to mitigate transboundary haze pollution, as well as to respond promptly to "a request for relevant information sought by a state or states that are or may be affected" by such pollution in order to minimize the impacts.

The second part in particular has been a sensitive issue for Indonesia, the last member state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to ratify the agreement, despite being the principal source of haze from forest fires in the region.

"With the new agreement, we can also expect it to eventually help protect the wildlife habitat," Anwar said.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/riaus-forests-rife-danger-rangers/

Health & education

Violence as education system gets a fail

Jakarta Globe - October 17, 2014

Jakarta – The recent case of a group bullying an elementary school student in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, has sparked widespread public concern, with activists attributing the incident – and other similar cases of school bullying – to the country's failed education system.

The 12-year-old female student, was seen being beaten, kicked and yelled at by several of her classmates – boys and a girl – in a video uploaded to YouTube last week, which soon went viral among Indonesian "netizens."

Other students in the classroom were heard cheering on at the scene, encouraging the assailants to continue with their attack, while others simply ignored the situation.

The cornered victim did not fight back, only sobbed and pleaded for her classmates to stop, while helplessly using her arm and leg to shield herself from the assault. The students were later found to be fifth-graders of the SD Trisula Perwari elementary school in Bukittinggi.

The incident happened on Oct. 2 in a classroom at the school, according to a witness, while the supervising teacher was absent. Bukittinggi Deputy Mayor Ismet Amziz said he was enraged by the incident.

"Aside from summoning the Perwari Foundation, we'll also summoned the school principal," Ismet was quoted as saying by state news agency Antara on Sunday. "It is our obligation to protect children and prevent violence against them in Bukittinggi."

Lawmaker Alex Indra Lukman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said such an incident happened because the current education system, which forces schools to self-manage their finances, hindered teachers from focusing on their main duty: teaching – citing the teacher's absence while one of his students was being assaulted in the school's classrooms.

"That's why we want to revise that clause [in the education law] concerning self-financial managements by schools. We worry that the clause diverts schools from the rightful education goals," Alex said.

"It makes teachers pay attention more on projects [that may profit] their schools, rather than on improving the quality of education of their pupils. Teachers should not be laden with structural works. Their duty is to teach; it should be only to teach."

However, psychologist Zera Mendoza of the Bukittinggi Hospital said incidents such as these happen because of a lack of guidance from both parents and schools, resulting in the children's inability to distinguish between right and wrong.

"Their families and schools failed to embed in them the rightful mindset. It's the same case with people who are used to violence," Zera said. "There are so many things wrong in the video, from the perspective of the assailants and also the victim," Zera said.

"We cannot call [the children's actions] deviant behavior, though, because they're basically still innocent. We can still modify and fix their behaviors."

Prominent children's rights activist Arist Merdeka Sirait slammed the state's lack of intervention in cases of violence involving children, a trend which has been steadily increasing.

"Children are the next generation of our nation. If we let these [cases of violence] continue to happen, and increasingly at that, they will become a national problem," said Arist, who chairs the National Commission on Child Protection (Komnas PA). "Families and schools are told to be responsible, but the government has been absent," he added.

Arist said last year the commission received reports of 3,339 cases of violence against children, 16 percent of which were committed by other children.

The figure was an increase from those in the years before, and in the first half of this year the number of cases already reached 1,626, representing a 26 percent increase from the same period of last year. The number of offenders under the age of 16, meanwhile, rose by 10 percent compared with the figure in the first half of 2013.

"That is frightening because those [minor offenders] are actually victims of ignorant adults. And they're turning into monsters feeding on other children," Arist said.

He added that the government could intervene by improving school curricula, saying the existing ones, which have little consistency, never really touch the core of the problem which is the increasing violence among children.

"There's no need for Muhammad Nuh to speak out [against such violence] as he's doing now, when he has failed to compose relevant curricula," he said, referring to the education minister.

Nuh has been quoted as saying, in his comment to the Bukittinggi case, that schools and teachers needed to put more emphasis on instilling morals and the need to care about one another among students, since the earliest phase of education – namely playgrounds and kindergartens.

"But of course that is not enough. We also need to involve the public at large in dealing with the issue," Nuh said.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/violence-education-system-gets-fail/

Graft & corruption

Civil organization to file lawsuit against house speaker Setya Novanto

Jakarta Globe - October 22, 2014

Jakarta – A civil society organization comprising mainly lawyers filed a lawsuit against House of Representatives Speaker Setya Novanto on Wednesday, saying that Setya still had questions to answer over his role in a botched bank bailout which occurred during the fall of former president Suharto.

"We will file the lawsuit today," coordinator of the Indonesian Democratic Defenders Team (TPDI) Petrus Salentinus said, as quoted by Tempo.co on Wednesday,

The suit was backed by another alliance of attorneys known as Advocacy Forum to Protect the Constitution as well as 20 independent lawyers. It alleges that Setya was involved in a botched liquidity facility made available to Bank Bali, which caused state losses of Rp 546 billion at the time. Setya is alleged to have received the Rp 546 billion as commission for assuming the debt.

When the case was brought to court in 2000 prosecutors claimed that the disbursement of the loan happened after a meeting between former Bank Indonesia governor Syahril Sabirin together with Setya and others. Syahril was convicted by the Central Jakarta District Court and sentenced to three years in jail.

Emerson Junto of Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) recently told Indonesian news newspaper Kompas that prosecutors had not properly investigated Setya since placing a short-term travel ban on him in August 1999.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/civil-organization-file-lawsuit-house-speaker-setya-novanto/

Anggodo disqualified for parole after ministry revokes health citation

Jakarta Globe - October 22, 2014

Rizky Amelia, Jakarta – The Indonesian Justice and Rights Ministry on Wednesday withdrew its approval for a reduction in the prison term that had been granted due to long-term illness for corruption convict Anggodo Widjojo, automatically disqualifying a parole request he had filed in September.

"His health remission was revoked this afternoon," said Handoyo Sudrajat, director general of correctional affairs at the Justice and Human Rights Ministry, on Wednesday, without specifying the reason behind the decision. The reduced sentence had been approved in July.

Anggodo, who was found guilty with attempted bribery and obstruction of justice in 2010, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay Rp 250 million ($21,000) in fines for attempting to bribe antigraft investigators to halt the investigation into his brother, Anggoro Widjojo, for corruption over a contract for radio equipment at the Forestry Ministry.

Since being convicted, Anggodo has been granted several sentence cuts, totaling 24 months and 10 days, not counting the five months that had been initially approved.

In July 2014, Anggodo was granted an additional five-month sentence cut due to long-term illness, as recommended by Harapan Kita Hospital cardiologist Sony Wicaksono, who diagnosed him with angina and diabetes.

The recommendation was also backed by Teguh A.S. Ranakusuma, a neurologist from the University of Indonesia's medical department who diagnosed Anggodo with cervical bone spur, hernia nucleus pulposus (slipped disc), and tuberculosis with a secondary infection in his lung.

Anggodo in September filed a parole request to the Justice Ministry, backed by the Sukamiskin Penitentiary in Bandung, West Java, where he is detained, on the grounds that with his health remission granted, he would have already served two thirds of his term.

With his health remission annulled, however, Handoyo said he would not be granted parole. "It means he is not qualified to get his parole," he said.

Anggodo was found guilty of attempted bribery and obstruction of justice in 2010 after for attempting to bribe antigraft investigators to halt the investigation into his brother, Anggoro Widjojo, who was investigated over the corruption of a contract for radio equipment at the Forestry Ministry.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/anggodo-disqualified-parole-ministry-revokes-health-citation/

MPR speaker implicated in land-conversion scandal

Jakarta Post - October 22, 2014

Haeril Halim, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said on Tuesday that it would summon People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker Zulkifli Hasan to clarify a statement made by graft suspect Riau Governor Annas Maamun with regard to suspected graft in the issuance of land-conversion permits in Riau.

Zulkifli allegedly issued such permits during his tenure as the forestry minister.

Annas, who was reportedly caught red-handed accepting billions of rupiah in bribes from a palm oil businessman prior to issuing a recommendation for a permit, pointed the finger at Zulkifli on Friday by revealing that he, Annas, had delivered the recommendation for the permits to the National Mandate Party (PAN) politician at the forestry ministry.

"The recommendation went to [then] minister, Zulkifli," Annas said at the KPK headquarters on Friday.

KPK deputy chairman Zulkarnain said the KPK was currently examining Annas' claim and if it was confirmed then the antigraft body would bring the MPR speaker to the KPK headquarters for questioning.

"Everyone who has a connection to the case will be questioned to make the case crystal clear," Zulkarnain told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. He added that the antigraft body was still collecting more statements and evidence to uncover the roles of other individuals in the case.

Zulkarnain said that it was not easy for the KPK to investigate individuals at the ministry because the issuance of land permits was subject to administrative regulations, not the criminal law.

"But if we can prove that the issuance of the permits at the ministry was related to criminal activities such as bribery, then we could go after others [at the ministry] in the case," Zulkarnain said.

Land conversion is rampant in Riau, which saw 21,400 hectares of land converted to oil palm plantations from 2011 to 2012, according to the Central Statistics Agency.

Annas, 74, allegedly accepted bribes of S$156,000 and Rp 500 million in order to help palm oil businessman Gulat Manurung to get a permit from the Forestry Ministry. In order to obtain a permit from the ministry a prior recommendation from the governor is required.

Gulat owns a 140-hectare oil palm plantation in Kuantan Singingi regency in Riau, which had been planted in an industrial forest area. He was seeking the governor's help to convert the area into a non-forest area, or area for other use.

Last Thursday, the antigraft body grilled two senior officials from the Forestry Ministry: the director of environmental services and utilization of conservation areas and protected forests, Bambang Supriyanto, and the director of forest planning areas, Masyhud.

This is not the first time Zulkifli has been dragged into a graft investigation handled by the KPK. Shortly after arresting Bogor regent Rachmat Yasin in June for allegedly accepting bribes from an official of PT Bukit Jonggol Asri (BJA), which is 65 percent owned by giant developer PT Sentul City, with regard to a land-conversion permit in Bogor, the KPK questioned Zulkifli to seek clarification.

Following Zulkifli's questioning, KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto explained that the antigraft body sought to clarify his role in the issuance of the permit. "The probe was to clarify the permit recommendation," Bambang said.

Meanwhile, Zulkifli denied that his office had issued a permit to BJA. "The truth is the company has recently submitted its proposal to the ministry, but we haven't issued any recommendation yet," he said.

The Forestry Ministry had been led by Zulkifli for five years before he resigned last month to become a lawmaker in the House of Representatives. He was elected MPR speaker following a recommendation from then-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/22/mpr-speaker-implicated-land-conversion-scandal.html

Hard-line & vigilante groups

East Java residents protest but hard-line FPI sets up in Tulungagung

Jakarta Globe - October 23, 2014

Jakarta – Hundreds of residents of Tulungagung district in East Java rallied on Wednesday to protest the establishment of a local chapter of the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front, a thuggish vigilante organization better known as the FPI.

"The people of Tulungagung don't want radicalism, which might pose a threat to peace in Tulungagung," Maliki Nusantara, an organizer of the rally, told the state-run Antara news agency.

The protesters, under the banner of the Tulungagung People's Alliance for Love and Peace, marched from the local council office to the police headquarters and asked that the organization be prevented from spreading its intolerant wings to Tulungagung.

Both the Tulungagung Representatives Council (DPRD Tulungagung) and the police refused, however, to prevent the FPI from opening the new chapter. The local offshoot will be officially opened on Oct. 28.

"The DPRD has no authority to ban the establishment of a certain organization, in this case the FPI, because it has been stipulated by the law," DPRD Tulungagung speaker Supriono said. "Neither the legislature nor the executive can ban them – it is written in the regulations."

Adj. Sr. Comr. Bastoni, chief of Tulungagung Police, confirmed that he had no grounds to bar the FPI without evidence of the group breaking the law. "If they start performing anarchy, radicalism, violating the law and hampering police work, we will take strict action," Bastoni said.

Anarchy, radicalism, breaking the law and making life difficult for the police are, however, all activities that are close to the collective heart of a mob that hit headlines most recently for a riot in Jakarta that badly wounded several police officers.

The organization is also well known for causing trouble during the fasting month of Ramadan – raiding or "sweeping" establishments that sell alcohol and bullying local populations to submit to Islamic law in a multi-faith country whose legal system does not submit to Islamic law.

Maliki said the FPI would not receive a warm welcome if its members attempted to conduct any sweeping operations in Tulungagung. "We will do it before they do it – we will sweep FPI members or anyone else who causes trouble here," Maliki said.

Nurkholis, the acting head of FPI Tulungagung, said the organization had long been misunderstood. "They rejected us because they don't know my vision and mission in establishing the FPI in Tulungagung," he said. "If only they knew, they would support us, not reject us."

Nurkholis said that his men would only trespass on business premises if the police ignored their letters asking that establishments in violation of Islamic law be closed. "If they ignore our letters three times, the FPI will move," he said.

The FPI has been allowed to continue to operate with free rein in several parts of Indonesia despite incident after incident in which it has proved itself to be violent and extremist to the core.

The group made an international name for itself and embarrassed Indonesia's reputation for religious tolerance when it issued death threats to pop star Lady Gaga, who was due to play a concert in Jakarta which was cancelled as a result.

Last year a woman was killed by FPI members fleeing a local community in Kendal, Central Java. In October, hundreds of racist FPI members rioted outside the city government building to protest the inauguration of Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, a Chinese Protestant, to governor of the city.

Tulungagung district chief Sahri Mulyo supported the local protest, saying that the existence of the group was not conducive to harmony in the community.

"I suggest there should be no FPI declaration here," Sahri said, as quoted by news portal Merdeka.com earlier this month. "Tulungagung is peaceful and I want to keep it that way," he said. "Or even more peaceful."

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/e-java-residents-protest-hard-line-fpi-sets-tulungagung/

Police said to expand FPI investigation

Jakarta Globe - October 17, 2014

Bayu Marhaenjati, Jakarta – The Jakarta Police are continuing to build a case against 22 members of the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front, or FPI, who were involved in a violent demonstration outside the City Council building earlier this month that resulted in more than a dozen police officers getting injured.

Police have charged the coordinators of the rally, Novel Bamu'min and Shahab Anggawi, with inciting violence. Some 20 other members of the FPI have been charged with offenses including assault and resisting arrest.

Police last week submitted results of their investigation to the prosecutors' office. "From what we heard, the prosecutors' office has assigned a team to handle the case," Sr. Comr. Heru Pranoto, the director of general crimes at the Jakarta Police, said on Friday.

Heru said that pending feedback from prosecutors, police would continue expanding the investigation, including tracking down the people who funded the Oct. 3 demonstration in opposition to the impending inauguration of Deputy Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama as governor.

The protest turned ugly when hundreds of FPI members attacked police personnel with rocks, bladed weapons and cow patties, injuring 16 officers.

The FPI, a rent-a-mob fronting as a religious organization, claimed they were the victims, saying their members were subjected to heavy-handed police tactics.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/police-said-expand-fpi-investigation/

Freedom of religion & worship

Muslims told to avoid interfaith marriage

Jakarta Post - October 23, 2014

Jakarta – Representatives of Muhammadiyah, one of the largest Muslim organizations in the country, testified on Wednesday at the Constitutional Court that Islam did not recognize interfaith marriage.

Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin, in a statement read out by Muhammadiyah law division head Syaiful Bahri, said a Muslim who married someone of another faith would only have their marriage registered at the civil registry office, not at religious affairs offices under the Religious Affairs Ministry.

Din said an interfaith marriage would not produce a harmonious family and emphasized that Muslim men should not look elsewhere to get married because "there won't be any shortage of Muslim women."

"Muhammadiyah believes that a Muslim should marry another Muslim and we demand that the court reject this judicial review request [into the Marriage Law]," Syaiful said before the court justices.

A judicial review into the Marriage Law was filed by three graduates and one student from the University of Indonesia's School of Law: Damian Agata Yuvens, Rangga Sujud Widigda, Luthfi Saputra and Anbar Jayadi.

They requested that the court justices review the law's Article 2 that stipulates marriage ceremonies should be conducted according to religious teachings.

According to them, forcing people to choose a specific religion as a basis for their marriage prevents couples from enjoying the liberty of worshipping and practicing their religion of choice.

The law neither suggests nor prohibits marriages between people of different religions. However, it regulates that couples should be married in religious ceremonies and should register their marriages at the civil registry office. The lack of clarity in the law has led to debate and the insistence of some groups that interfaith marriage should not be allowed.

During Wednesday's hearing, a group calling itself the Advocacy for Diversity Team, which acted as a related party in the judicial review request, said it agreed with the judicial review petitioners that the disputed article violated the 1945 Constitution.

"Based on Article 28B, paragraph one of the Constitution, everyone has the right to establish a family. Article 2 of the Marriage Law is not in line with this," Uli Parulian Sihombing, the lawyer of the team, said before the court justices, chaired by Hamdan Zoelva.

Uli added that the absence of regulations about interfaith marriage had established a legal vacuum in the country for everyone who wanted to marry across religions and had caused different treatment by different registry offices.

"We have found there are a number of civil registry offices that will not accommodate interfaith marriage registration, while others are willing to do so," he said. (idb)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/23/muslims-told-avoid-interfaith-marriage.html

Caretaker gets 3 months for attacking Catholics in Sleman

Jakarta Post - October 17, 2014

Slamet Susanto, Sleman,Yogyakarta – Judges at Sleman District Court in Yogyakarta sentenced pesantren (Islamic boarding school) caretaker Abdul Kholik to three months in jail on Thursday for attacking Catholics who were conducting a prayer session in May.

According to the panel of judges presided over by Marliyus, Abdul was convicted for violating Article 170 of the Criminal Law Procedures Code (KUHAP) on joint attacks that caused injury to others.

"The defendant did not just injure others but also caused unrest in the community," Marliyus said as he read out the verdict on Thursday.

The assault took place on May 29 when dozens of Catholics took part in a rosary prayer session at the house of Julianus Felicianus in Sleman.

Julianus is the director of the Galang Press publishing house. Abdul was found guilty of beating Julianus, causing the latter to sustain injuries including broken bones.

Abdul's followers also damaged the house and vandalized motorcycles. Kompas TV journalist Michael Aryawan, who tried to report the aftermath of the attack, was also targeted by the assailants.

"The sentence was given considering various aspects including all witness testimonies for the sake of justice," Marliyus said. He said factors considered as easing the defendant's sentence included Abdul admitting his wrongdoing and the fact that he had never been previously convicted.

The sentence was more lenient than the four months demanded by prosecutors. Both the prosecutors and the defendant's lawyers said they accepted the verdict.

One of the defendant's lawyers, Mirzen, however, expressed regret that Julius was not presented as a witness in the court. "Julius is a key witness. Why wasn't he examined?" Mirzen said.

Abdul is the caretaker of the Ihya As Sunnah pesantren. His supporters have been attending hearings at his trial since the beginning of proceedings.

Mirzen said he had agreed to accept the verdict because his client had spent three months and 15 days in detention during the legal process, so he could walk free after the trial.

The trial on Thursday was heavily guarded by the military and police over fears of further violence. Hundreds of the defendant's supporters crowded the courtroom.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/17/caretaker-gets-3-months-attacking-catholics-sleman.html

State & civil society

Jokowi's volunteers to continue movement

Jakarta Post - October 23, 2014

Jakarta – After successfully seeing President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla inaugurated on Monday, Jokowi's volunteers are expanding their movement with the purpose of maintaining people's participation, which they consider a key factor in determining the country's future.

"The volunteers, especially the ones who were involved in the inauguration, are currently preparing a concept [to continue the movement], which we call participation units," said Raharja Waluya Jati, a presidium member of one of the volunteer organizations, which calls itself Seknas Jokowi.

Jati said that the purpose of the units was to maintain people's participation, not only during the election process but also during the implementation of the programs of Jokowi's government.

According to Raharja, the reason the volunteer groups initiated such a movement was the awareness that Jokowi's plan for reform could be thwarted by the bureaucracy.

"Bureaucracy in Indonesia is still 'gripped' by the old bureaucratic tradition, so Jokowi needs new and fresh people who can be involved to monitor the implementation of the government programs that have been promised," he added.

"It is useless if Jokowi has good programs, but in the middle of the process or at the grassroots level they are sabotaged."

On Monday, several volunteer organizations, including Seknas Jokowi and Projo, launched the movement, which they called Ge-ruduk – an acronym for "Gerakan Rakyat 20 Oktober" (People's Movement on Oct. 20) – initially intended solely to see the inauguration through without a hitch. The movement appears set to ensure the same for the fledging administration.

More than 40,000 people were involved in inauguration festivities, the first such occurrence in Indonesian history.

"If previously people were only mobilized for development, then Monday's events showed us that people's participation could become the new pattern for Jokowi's government," said Muhammad Yamin, another presidium member of Seknas Jokowi.

Meanwhile, Siti Zuhro, a political analyst at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), said that there was a possibility for those volunteer organizations to create a political party, after successfully mobilizing their networks for the inauguration and proving their solidity.

"When their network is strong enough and they are politically ready, they could transform into a political party. It is like the Prosperous Justice Party [PKS] with its network in colleges," she told The Jakarta Post. She further said that in such a scenario, a political figure would be needed, and Jokowi would probably become a political figure who could lead them.

"Maybe Jokowi would be prepared for the 2019 presidential election. Such a possibility is open. In politics, everything is possible and we can see where this goes," she added.

She said, however, that such a move would only be possible in one or two years, because currently those organizations were still focusing on supporting Jokowi's administration.

Separately, political analyst Maswadi Rauf of the University of Indonesia discounted the idea that Jokowi's volunteer organizations should form a political party. "Maybe they are still euphoric, after successfully supporting Jokowi to become the president. These volunteers are overzealous," he added. (ask)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/23/jokowi-s-volunteers-continue-movement.html

Governance & administration

Clean Jokowi Cabinet 'a must'

Jakarta Post - October 22, 2014

Yuliasri Perdani and Ina Parlina, Jakarta – In the wake of revelations that some of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's ministerial candidates could have questionable histories, the country's new leader has been urged take more time to carefully rethink his choices.

Leading anti-graft group Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) called on Jokowi on Tuesday to not pick a number of candidates the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deemed unfit for the posts because of their alleged involvement in cases of graft and human rights violations.

"Jokowi should delay the Cabinet announcement to follow up on the KPK report. It is better to spend one more week rearranging his choices, rather than rushing and eventually facing problems in the next five years," Donal Fariz, from the ICW's legal and judicature monitoring division, said on Tuesday.

The KPK has revealed that it reported to Jokowi that some ministerial candidates implicated in graft cases were given "red" marks, while those with "orange" marks were likely to be implicated in future graft probes. Those with "bright yellow" marks had been mentioned in graft allegations submitted by members of the public.

"Jokowi needs to drop those with red and orange marks and conduct further assessments on those in the 'bright yellow' category," Donal said.

Jokowi, in his efforts to build a clean administration, had involved the KPK and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) in assessing 43 short-listed candidates to fill 33 ministerial posts – four of which will be coordinating ministers.

Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) coordinator Haris Azhar suggested that Jokowi conduct a further assessment to ensure that his Cabinet picks were committed to eradicating corruption and defending human rights.

"[Former Indonesian Military chief and chairman of the Hanura party] Wiranto is implicated in violent cases in East Timor and Semanggi [a shooting incident during the fall of Soeharto's rule]. Muhaimin, during his tenure as minister, failed to protect migrant workers," Haris said.

On Tuesday, Jokowi once again decided to delay the announcement of the members of his Cabinet. Throughout the day, Jokowi summoned a number of politicians to the Presidential Palace, including some who had been touted as ministerial candidates.

Jokowi had earlier revealed that he had finished interviewing all ministerial candidates at the Palace on Monday evening and into the early hours of Tuesday.

The politicians summoned by President Jokowi were Muhaimin, former National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Gen. (ret) Hendropriyono, former army chief of staff Gen. (ret.) Ryamizard Ryacudu, Hanura's Yuddy Chrisnandi, Bank Indonesia senior deputy governor Mirza Adityaswara and former coordinating economic minister Chairul Tanjung.

Jokowi also summoned two transition team members, Andi Widjajanto and Rini Soemarno, the latter a former president director of the giant PT Astra International who was made trade minister by the then-president Megawati Soekarnoputri. Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Hasto Kristiyanto arrived at the Palace on Tuesday as well. Both Hasto and Rini are believed to be among the candidates.

Jokowi declined to give more details on Tuesday, but hinted that the KPK assessment report gave him the guidance to form a clean Cabinet. "It has to be [a clean Cabinet]. For what else did [we] come to the PPATK and the KPK?" Jokowi said.

Another PDI-P politician, Aria Bima, who was also summoned by Jokowi, said that Jokowi had yet to finalize his Cabinet lineup as he was now following up on the KPK and PPATK findings.

"What I know was the initial plan [to announce it today], but he has yet to reach a conclusion," he said. "I believe so [that it was because of the KPK]."

Aria also said that Bima had agreed to bring in the United Development Party (PPP). "Finally, he agreed to accommodate the PPP in the Cabinet," Aria said.

Meanwhile, KPK spokesman Johan Budi denied speculation that one of the current KPK commissioners was on Jokowi's ministerial candidates list. "None of the KPK commissioners are included on the list," Johan told reporters.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/22/clean-jokowi-cabinet-a-must.html

Indonesia president to make new cabinet picks after eight rejected

Reuters - October 22, 2014

Jakarta – Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who won election on a vow of clean government, said on Wednesday he would have to find new people to fill some of his cabinet posts after the anti-graft agency rejected eight of the people he picked.

Widodo has tried to steer clear of the traditional trading of cabinet posts for political support and has said he wants a ministerial team dominated by professional technocrats.

He took the unprecedented step as president of submitting his list of candidates to anti-corruption agencies for vetting before announcing the team.

"Yesterday, we were told by (anti-graft agencies)... there were eight names that weren't allowed," Widodo told reporters in his first news conference as leader of Southeast Asia's largest economy.

"Of course we have to change. If we don't, who will fill the posts?" he said. He declined to identify the candidates the anti-graft agencies had flagged as problematic.

Widodo had originally planned to announce his cabinet of 33 ministers on Tuesday, the day after his inauguration. He has said his team would be made up of 18 technocrats and 15 political appointees.

It was not clear when an announcement would be made. "Everyone wants us to work quickly but what happens if we are mistaken? We need to be quick, but also correct," Widodo said.

All eyes are on Widodo's choices for the main economic ministries. They will inherit problems in Southeast Asia's biggest economy ranging from a widening current account deficit and cooling investment to the slowest growth since 2009.

"The market hopes that in ministries related to the capital market – like finance ministry and the state-owned enterprises ministries – will be run by technocrat individuals," said Harry Su, head of research at Bahana Securities.

[Reporting by Kanupriya Kapoor, Dennys Kapa, Fergus Jensen and Fransiska Nangoy, writing by Randy Fabi, editing by Robert Birsel.]

Source: https://news.yahoo.com/indonesian-president-says-eight-cabinet-choices-not-approved-074613779 – business.html

After the party, piles of problems await Jokowi

Jakarta Post - October 21, 2014

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – As the dust of festivities and the euphoria settle, civil society groups have highlighted programs that the newly inaugurated President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo should prioritize in his administration.

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) deputy coordinator Agus Sunaryanto said on Monday that the pressure was extremely high for Jokowi to deliver on his promises, considering how enthusiastic people were in celebrating his inauguration.

"If we look at the enthusiasm of the people, this is a president who many people hope will be able to create change," he told The Jakarta Post. The homework is particularly piling up in combating rampant corruption and enforcing the law, according to Agus.

"He can learn from SBY [former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono] who issued a lot of regulations like the one on speeding up corruption eradication. However, the implementation [of those regulations] is weak, such as the lack of supervision," he said.

For example, he said Yudhoyono had planned to implement e-procurement throughout the country, but with little success. "Therefore, how to monitor the implementation in regions has to be speed up so that the regional heads can force their officials to [implement regulations]," he said.

Other things that Jokowi needed to work on were revising regulations on sectors that are prone to corruption, such as forestry and other natural resources, he said.

Besides improving law enforcement, Jokowi should also strengthen coordination among all law enforcers, such as the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the Attorney General's Office (AGO) and the police, as well as improve their quality, said Agus.

Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM) executive director Indriaswati D. Saptaningrum, meanwhile, said that Jokowi had a lot of work to do to clean up the mess left by the past administration in terms of protecting human rights and solving past human rights abuse cases.

"Until the end of SBY and [former vice president] Boediono's tenure, none of the past human rights abuse cases had been solved," Indriaswati said in a press statement on Monday. "Moreover, minority groups also keep being repressed by intolerant groups without sufficient protection from the state."

To make things worse, Yudhoyono issued some regulations that are harmful to human rights, such as the state intelligence law and social conflict law, according to Indriaswati. "These laws give ample space for the government to control and monitor civil societies," she said.

Another controversial law recently passed during Yudhoyono's administration was that on regional elections, in which the mechanism of regional election voting was reverted to Regional Legislative Councils (DPRD), instead of the direct voting mechanism introduced during Yudhoyono's era in 2005.

Facing heavy criticism from the public, Yudhoyono issued a government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) to return the voting mechanism to the direct-elections system. However, the Perppu needs to be approved by the House of Representatives for it to become law.

"Therefore, Jokowi has to really guard and monitor [the process in the House] so that the direct-election mechanism can be approved," Titi Anggraini of the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) told the Post.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/21/after-party-piles-problems-await-jokowi.html

Swearing-in of President, VP celebrated nationwide

Jakarta Post - October 21, 2014

Kusumasari Ayuningtyas and Andi Hajramurni, Surakarta, Central Java/Makassar – The swearing-in on Monday of Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Jusuf Kalla as President and Vice President, respectively, was celebrated across the archipelago, albeit in different ways.

In Surakarta, Central Java, two transportation vehicles that Jokowi, the city's former mayor, left to boost the city's tourism – namely the Jaladara steam train and the double-decker Werkudara bus – undertook a special journey from Purwosari train station to Gladag. "The train and the bus have helped Solo's branding," said Surakarta Mayor FX Hadi Rudyatmo, referring to Surakarta's more familiar nickname.

In another corner of the city, namely Pasar Gede, people gathered together to watch a live TV broadcast of the swearing-in ceremony on a giant screen that was installed at a corner of the market. After the inauguration ceremony had ended, market traders distributed free fruit tumpeng (rice cone) for people to enjoy.

In Makassar, South Sulawesi, some 300 employees and volunteers from the Kalla Group joined a program held at Wisma Kalla, the offices of Jusuf Kalla's company, where they enjoyed the 45 tumpeng prepared for the occasion.

A thanksgiving ceremony and a music concert were also organized by Jokowi- Kalla volunteers in Karebosi Square, Makassar, from 5 p.m. local time, which ended with the release of 500 lanterns into the sky.

Jokowi and Kalla's inauguration has also given hope to displaced Ahmadis, who have been living in the Wisma Transito shelter in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), since they were driven from their homes in West Lombok in 2006.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post on Monday, several Ahmadis said they hoped Jokowi's presidency would bring a positive change to their lives after living with uncertainty for eight years, while the previous government dragged its feet on addressing the problem.

"We hope that after the Jokowi-Kalla inauguration, we can have the same basic rights and freedoms enjoyed by other Indonesians. There must be no more discrimination and intimidation. The government should be fair in its treatment of Indonesian citizens, regardless of their faith," said Syahidin, 52, the coordinator of displaced Ahmadis in Mataram.

Thirty Ahmadiyah families comprising 118 people live at the Wisma Transito shelter. They were forced from their homes in Ketapang, Gegerung village, Lingsar district, West Lombok, at the beginning of 2006.

In Medan, North Sumatra, Jokowi volunteers celebrated the swearing-in of the new President with a thanksgiving ceremony marked by the cutting of a giant tumpeng at the Ade Irma Suryani orphanage. The 7-meter tumpeng was cut while Jokowi took his oath as President in Jakarta at 10 a.m.

In Bandung, West Java, celebrations and a thanksgiving ceremony were held on the banks of the Cikapundung River.

This celebration was different in that it was hosted by only by six people: fine art practitioners and lecturers from the Bandung Institute of Technology's (ITB) school of art; namely, Tisna Sanjaya, Isa Perkasa, Rahmat Jabaril and Wawan Husin; artist Dodo Abdullah and Gerbong Bawah Tanah activist Eko Agung.

They held the ceremony by placing a tumpeng on a table covered with a white cloth and a red cloth.

They hung a 2 meter by 1 meter canvas that bore the words: "Thanksgiving for Jokowi as Indonesia's President. Three-finger Greeting", while a Red- and-White flag was flown to accompany the eating of the tumpeng.

[Panca Nugraha, Apriadi and Arya Dipa contributed to the story.]

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/21/swearing-president-vp-celebrated-nationwide.html

Ministerial candidates' track records raise red flags

Jakarta Post - October 21, 2014

Haeril Halim, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) revealed Monday that a probe had found that some of the 43 ministerial candidates proposed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo could be implicated in future graft cases investigated by the antigraft body.

KPK chairman Abraham Samad, accompanied by his three deputies, Bambang Widjojanto, Zulkarnain and Adanan Pandu Praja, submitted a report of the KPK's findings to Jokowi on Sunday, following the President's request to look into the candidates' track records.

Zulkarnain said Monday that the commission urged Jokowi not to appoint candidates that the antigraft body considered "problematic" or "potentially problematic".

"I don't want to comment on specific individuals, but in general we expect that [Jokowi] will not appoint individuals whom we consider problematic," Zulkarnain said on Monday, adding that the KPK had no authority to force Jokowi to acceding to its request.

The People's Consultative Aseembly (MPR) swore in Jokowi as the country's seventh president on Monday, and he is expected to announce the structure of his Cabinet on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Zulkarnain said the commission had presented a color-coded report to Jokowi, according to which ministerial candidates implicated in a graft case were given a "red" mark, while those with a "yellow" mark were prone to being implicated in a graft probe in the future.

Zulkarnain refused to reveal the names of the candidates who had "red" marks. "We do not have any authority to claim that certain candidates should or should not be appointed ministers. We are just offering our views regarding the candidates Jokowi submitted to the KPK," Zulkarnain said.

The Jakarta Post has learned that National Police chief for education and training, Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, who in 2010 faced allegations of dubious transactions in his bank accounts, and RJ Lino, the president director of state port operator PT Pelindo II, who was summonsed by the KPK earlier this year in its investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding the purchase of US$20 million worth of port equipment, were two of the 43 names on the list of candidates selected by Jokowi.

Budi is a confidant of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, also the country's fifth president, while RJ Lino is rumored to have a close relationship with Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

Also included on the list of ministerial candidates is former Bank Indonesia (BI) governor Darmin Nasution, who has been questioned as part of the KPK's investigation into the high-profile tax scandal involving the nation's third-largest lender, Bank Central Asia (BCA). Darmin was questioned as a witness in his capacity as the Finance Ministry's former director general of taxation.

Another of Jokowi's ministerial candidates is former manpower and transmigration minister and National Awakening Party (PKB) politician Muhaimin Iskandar, who has also been linked to a high-profile graft case at his office. The PKB is one of the parties in the PDI-P-led coalition that supported Jokowi's presidential bid.

Other ministerial candidates examined by the antigraft body are the PDI-P's Hasto Kristiyanto; Eva Kusuma Sundari; Pramono Anung Wibowo; Puan Maharani, who is Megawati's daughter; Tjahjo Kumolo; Paramadina University rector Anies Baswedan, who was Jokowi's campaign spokesman, and state-owned rail company PT KAI's president director, Ignasius Jonan.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/21/ministerial-candidates-track-records-raise-red-flags.html

Involvement of anti-graft agency in cabinet selection criticized

Jakarta Globe - October 20, 2014

Carlos Paath, Jakarta – A deputy speaker at the House of Representatives, or DPR, has criticized President Joko Widodo's decision to allow the Corruption Eradication Commission, KPK, to vet cabinet candidates.

Fadli Zon, who is also deputy chairman of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), said although the selection process was the president's prerogative, Joko should not allow the KPK to have the final decision.

"He can ask for the KPK's recommendation, but don't let the KPK decide whether one could be a minister.... Who actually appoints the ministers, the KPK or the president?"

Fadli took particular issue with the KPK's "red flag" notes on each candidate, saying it undermined the president's right to choose the makeup of cabinet. He said the process should be made transparent. "Suggestions from the KPK are okay, but don't give the decision to them," Fadli said.

Joko's transition team submitted the names of ministerial candidates for vetting to the KPK last week. The anti-graft body met with Joko to return the list on Sunday.

KPK deputy chairman Zulkarnain said the organization did not use "pass/fail" notes, but red or yellow marks signifying the level of corruption risk associated with each candidate.

"We just give the asked suggestion, we give individuals with high risk [of corruption] a red mark and those with lower risk a yellow mark," Zulkarnain said.

The vetting was based on the individual's wealth report, gratification cases, potential corruption involvement and public reports.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/involvement-anti-graft-agency-cabinet-selection-criticized/

Worrying picture emerges about Jokowi's cabinet

Jakarta Globe - October 20, 2014

Jakarta – Politicians, businessmen, graft fighters, academics, former officials and generals are some of the names rumored to be among President Joko Widodo's cabinet members, garnering mixed reactions from activists and analysts.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Financial Transactions Report and Analysis Center (PPATK), the government's anti-money-laundering agency, are currently scrutinizing Joko's ministerial candidates, and said on Sunday that 43 names had been submitted on Friday by Joko's transition team.

The figure indicates that Joko has not finalized his list of ministers, the newly inaugurated president saying earlier that he would have 34 ministerial posts.

KPK deputy chairman Zulkarnaen on Monday confirmed that there were some "problematic" candidates in the list. "We are merely providing input as requested [by Joko's team]. Those who are very problematic, we mark in red. Those we consider somewhat [problematic] we mark in yellow," he said.

Zulkarnaen said the KPK's assessment was based on whether the candidates had been implicated in corruption cases as well as how up-front they were about declaring their wealth and any gifts they received.

The KPK is also vetting the candidates against complaints filed by independent antigraft watchdogs and the public.

Murky candidates

Zulkarnaen declined to name any of the candidates, but a list of 25 names said to have been leaked from the transition team has been doing the rounds in the local media.

They include Muhaimin Iskandar, the current manpower minister and chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB), one of the four parties in Joko's ruling coalition. Muhaimin has been implicated in a corruption scandal at his ministry, but never questioned.

Another name that has raised eyebrows is that of Budi Gunawan, a police general who was among a group of top officers identified in a Tempo investigative report in 2010 as having suspiciously "fat bank accounts." Budi, the magazine wrote, received billions of rupiah from several contractors mired in legal problems.

Budi was more recently the subject of another controversy when he met with Trimedya Panjaitan, an adviser to Joko's campaign and legislator from the president's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) shortly before the election.

Both men gave conflicting statements about the nature of their meeting, prompting accusations that they were drawing the police into the election. Budi previously served as an assistant to Megawati Soekarnoputri, the PDI-P chairwoman and Joko's political patron.

Taken hostage

Indonesia Corruption Watch, a leading antigraft organization, urged Joko to stick to his promise of reminded Joko's own promise of building an "unconditional coalition" and not to acquiesce to the political interests of those around him when filling his cabinet posts.

"Ministers and agency chiefs must be appointed based on integrity, track record, capacity and strong commitment to eradicate corruption inside their respective ministries and agencies," ICW coordinator Ade Irawan said.

"This is important so that the administration isn't disrupted or has its credibility tarnished or gets taken hostage by the corruption committed ministers or ministry officials."

He said that Joko "must ensure that [his ministers] won't become a graft suspect or have suspicious financial transactions or be tax evaders."

Ade said this was the case with the administration of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, whose second term was effectively undermined by the litany of graft cases that beset his cabinet.

Andi Mallarangeng, the sports minister, was earlier this year convicted and jailed in a bid-rigging case, while Suryadharma Ali, the religious affairs minister, and Jero Wacik, the energy minister, resigned after being named suspects in separate graft cases.

Two members of Yudhoyono's first cabinet, former health chief Siti Fadillah Supari and former social affairs minister Bachtiar Chamsah, were named corruption suspects after leaving office.

Political graft

Joko previously said that 16 of his 34 ministers would come from the political parties that supported him. ICW's Ade said that ideally these ministers should resign from their party posts once appointed to the cabinet, to avoid any conflicts of interest.

Corruption cases over the years have tended to indicate that ministries led by politicians are more prone to graft than those led by technocrats.

In July, the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court sentenced Andi, the sports minister, to four years in prison for conspiring with fellow members of the Democratic Party to rig a tender to build a sports complex in exchange for kickbacks.

The same court also ruled that Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq, the president of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), took kickbacks in exchange for promising to award lucrative beef import contracts to a private company.

The import quota was determined by the Agriculture Ministry, led by another PKS politician, Suswono. The latter has been questioned but not charged in the case. Luthfi is now serving a 16-year prison sentence.

Besides Muhaimin, there are nine other politicians said to be in Joko's prospective cabinet, including Megawati's daughter Puan Maharani and fellow PDI-P veterans Tjahjo Kumolo, Hasto Kristiyanto and Pramono Anung. Others include the PKB's Marwan Jafar, the National Democrat Party's (NasDem) Ferry Mursyidan Baldan and the People's Conscience Party's (Hanura) Yuddy Chrisnandi.

None of these politicians has much experience leading a government agency, much less a ministry.

Proven potential

But the list also includes some better-qualified politicians, including the PDI-P's Eva Kusuma Sundari, known for her outspoken views in defense of religious freedom.

Several high-profile figures without any political party affiliations are also said to be in the running for cabinet seats. They include Anies Baswedan, a leading education activist from Paramadina University who is credited with setting up the "Indonesia Mengajar" ("Indonesia Teaches") program that sends gifted young people to serve stints as teachers in remote areas throughout the country.

Anies previously took part in the Democratic Party's convention to pick a presidential candidate, and impressed many by his vision for the country. The convention was eventually scrapped.

Also reportedly in with a chance is Jimly Asshiddiqie, a former chief justice of the Constitutional Court, who built the institution into one of the only bastions of integrity, alongside the KPK, in the fight against corruption.

Another prominent figure is Darmin Nasution, a former Bank Indonesia governor who is also credited with helping overhaul the country's tax system during his time as director general of taxation.

Then there is the former PPATK chief, Yunus Husein, and antigraft activist Mas Achmad Santosa.

Two businessmen are also rumored to be in Joko's cabinet: Johnny Darmawan, a former chief executive of Toyota Astra Motor, and Sudhamek Agung Waspodo Sunyoto, chairman of Garuda Food. It is not clear what seat, if any, they would occupy in Joko's cabinet.

Vice President Kalla said on Monday that the final list of ministers would be announced "in the next day or two."

Leo Agustino political observer from Banten's Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University, said the list of leaked names circulating in the media could be Joko's way of "testing the water."

Tellingly, the list does not contain any names of politicians from the United Development Party (PPP), a member of the opposition Red-White coalition, or KMP, which is seen as the most likely party to switch sides.

"We leave it up to the president. It's his prerogative," M. Romahurmuziy, the PPP's newly elected chairman, said of the apparent omission of PPP figures from the prospective cabinet. He added the party "never demanded this post or that. We just want to say that the PPP supports the Jokowi- J.K. administration."

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/worrying-picture-emerges-jokowis-cabinet/

Jakarta street party as Jokowi fever hits city

Sydney Morning Herald - October 20, 2014

Michael Bachelard, Jakarta – The iconic Hotel Indonesia Traffic Circle – usually aptly named – in central Jakarta, became the country's Party Circle on Monday afternoon as Joko Widodo fever hit the city.

Food vendors lined the street offering free Indonesian treats, the sounds of euphonium marching bands clashed with the beat-heavy pop music known as dangdut and waves of cheers, for no apparent reason, coursed through the sweltering crowd.

Ondel ondel – giant papier mache figures – towered above the crowd and, of course the phone system crashed as Indonesia's social-media obsessed population tried to share the profundity of their day.

But if anyone imagined that the day of Jokowi's inauguration would run on time, they did not know him very well. The man who became famous during his campaign appearances for keeping people waiting for hours, had not magically transformed into a well-oiled machine in the two hours since he officially became president.

To the crowd, though, it did not seem to matter. They waited patiently, if loudly, cramming every surface that would give them some elevation from the street to allow them to catch a glimpse of their idol as he paraded past.

This was the first street ceremony Indonesia had put on for a new president – the swearings in of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in both 2004 and 2009 were notably more sedate, according to old hands.

"It was quiet, business went on as usual," dancer and poet Putri Minangsari recalled on Twitter. "This kind of euphoria has never happened before with any other president."

And as with euphoria, so with hope. Jokowi comes to the palace – late, slowly, and loudly perhaps – with the enormous expectations of the mass of Indonesia's people snapping at his heels.

Everyone from human rights activists and environmentalists to investment bankers is hoping that their particular issue will get the attention of the president under a new, more decisive, regime. Perhaps, in the way of politics, from here the only way is down.

But on the streets of Jakarta on the day of Jokowi's inauguration, nobody was thinking about that. All they knew was that Jokowi, someone like them, was in the palace, and for the moment at least, all was right with the world.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/jakarta-street-party-as-jokowi-fever-hits-city-20141020-118y5s.html

Rock star or politician as Jokowi takes presidency

Jakarta Globe - October 20, 2014

Jakarta – He could have easily forgotten for a moment that he is a newly inaugurated president, not a rock star. Or probably he was just enthusiastic and euphoric, like the huge crowd around him, when he ran back and forth along the rectangular stage as a rock star would in a concert, during one of many celebrations of his presidential inauguration in Jakarta on Monday.

Joko Widodo, a self-proclaimed fan of heavy metal, is officially Indonesia's seventh president after his inauguration during a plenary session of the People's Consultative Assembly, or MPR, on Monday morning.

While to many of the country's political elites, his theatrical act at the National Monument (Monas) stage during the evening might look silly and tacky, to most Indonesians who love him, it was somewhat endearing, staying true to his humble and honest populist persona.

These are in fact among the very traits that contributed his instant rise to popularity, and which later won him the nation's top job, despite politicians largely being considered aloof and unapproachable by ordinary people.

Joko rose from obscurity and a life as a furniture maker, before becoming the mayor of Solo, a Central Java city, and then governor of the nation's capital. Now he has taken over leadership of the world's third-largest democracy from Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, following his second five-year term.

His inauguration at the MPR plenary was attended by three former Indonesian presidents – Yudhoyono, Megawati Soekarnoputri and B. J. Habibie – as well as leaders of political parties including defeated presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto.

Foreign dignitaries in attendance included Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Prior to the inauguration ceremony, flanked by family members, Joko – wearing a dark suit, white shirt and red tie – appeared lighthearted and upbeat. Asked about his preparation and mood, Joko's nonchalance elicited laughs:

"I slept soundly last night... woke up as usual at 5:30 a.m.," Joko said. "I ate half a fried banana for breakfast; had a herbal drink. I have a herbal drink [jamu] each day with turmeric and ginger."

Political communication expert Hamdi Muluk of the University of Indonesia said the attendance of several leaders from Prabowo's Red-White Coalition, including Prabowo himself, indicated improved political communication between Joko's coalition and the opposition. This elicits positive signals for the next five years of Joko's administration.

Hamdi said the Red-White Coalition, also known as KMP, probably finally bowed to the sentiment of the Indonesian public at large, who enthusiastically welcomed their new president on Monday.

"It seems that the KMP is finally aware of the enthusiasm of the Indonesian public in supporting their new president Joko Widodo. There has never been such great public enthusiasm about a presidential inauguration before in this country. The KMP has also realized this," Hamdi said.

"If they keep going against Joko, it means that the KMP stands against the public. That will harm their position in the coming years, especially in terms of gaining public sympathy. It seems that they are now more open in communication with the government."

However, political analysts Muhammad Qodari and Aleksius Jemadu disagreed. "It simply shows improved communications between the two coalitions. But competitions between [them] in the parliament will continue to go on no matter what," said Qodari, the executive director of Indo Barometer.

Aleksius, the dean of Pelita Harapan University's School of Political Sciences, similarly said despite Prabowo's attendance at Monday's plenary and his meeting with Joko a few days earlier – after months of hostility – things were not likely to easily change between the two camps.

"It is too early to say that Joko's administration will simply run well following recent communications with KMP leaders. Competition in the parliament will remain inevitable," Aleksius said. "But, Joko shouldn't be bothered by this. This is normal in a democracy."

Resembling his election victory speech of July 22, Joko addressed the issue of unity in his inaugural speech – which critics have praised as a positive gesture after what is dubbed the most fractious and bitterly fought election in Indonesia's history.

"I believe we will be able to tackle these heavy historical tasks together – united in partnerships and hard work," Joko said. "Unity and partnerships are required for us to be able to grow into a great nation. We will never become great if we're still trapped in discord and fractures."

"To the fishermen, laborers, farmers, meatball sellers, hawkers, drivers, academics, teachers, the Indonesian Military, the National Police, business people and professionals, I'm calling on [all of us] to work hard, hand-in-hand, together." 'Sea-centric' speech

In his inaugural address, Joko also reiterated his intention of turning Indonesia into a global maritime axis.

"The oceans, seas, straits and bays are the future of our civilization. We've neglected the seas, oceans, straits and bays for far too long," Joko said. "This is the time to return to jalesveva jayamahe," he added, citing the motto of Indonesian Navy, which is the Sanskrit for "In the sea we will triumph."

Joko said it was important for Indonesia, once a collection of disparate kingdoms renowned for their maritime prowess, to build on its wealth of maritime resources.

"To build Indonesia into a great, prosperous and peaceful country we must posses the soul of Cakrawati Samudra," he said, again using Sanskrit to refer to a maritime nation with a strong merchant navy.

"As a captain mandated by the people, I'm asking the entire nation to board this ship that is the Republic of Indonesia and sail together toward a great Indonesia. We will stretch sturdy sails. We will face storms and ocean waves using our own power."

As part of his focus on maritime issues, Joko is expected to announce a new cabinet post of coordinating minister for maritime affairs, natural resources and environmental affairs when he reveals his cabinet lineup today.

Economist Wellian Wiranto of the OCBC Bank noted Joko's penchant for maritime issues. He believes Joko's "sea-centric" inaugural speech underscored that, and that maritime development would be beneficial for Indonesia – whose archipelagic geography has been seen as a development constraint, especially in remote regions.

He recalled how Joko and Vice President Jusuf Kalla, in the night after the General Elections Commission (KPU)'s announcement of the ticket's win in the July 9 presidential election, made their victory speech from on board a pinisi, a traditional seafarer, at Sunda Kelapa port in North Jakarta.

"For someone who was born in the inland city of Solo and first earned his stripes in the rather land-based trade of furniture-making, Jokowi has quite an outsized penchant for all things maritime," Wellian said on Monday.

"While he did not mention it directly, he is probably imbued with the sense that Indonesia should be inspired by the seafaring legacy of the Sriwijaya Kingdom, which ruled a sizable chunk of Southeast Asia between the seventh and 14th centuries."

Wellian added it was a "relief" that Joko was focusing on Indonesia's maritime sector and sea-based connectivity, citing the president's campaign documents highlighting plans to build a series of deep-sea ports across the country – which will allow more vessels of larger tonnage to ply between islands.

"The resulting network can help to integrate the country better through trade linkages, boosting growth for the hinterland and ultimately reduce structural inflation," he said.

People's celebrations

Indonesians took to their social media accounts to welcome the country's seventh president. The hashtag #PresidenJokowi became the top trending topic on Twitter worldwide on Monday.

Social media users in Jakarta took to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Path to post pictures of the street celebrations taking place outside Hotel Indonesia.

For a while "Jalesveva Jayamahe", the motto of the Indonesian Navy, also made it onto the worldwide trending topic list.

Various versions of posters depicting Joko just moments before his inauguration with varying quotations have been circulated online.

Ade Mardiyanti, an Indonesian living in Sydney, posted a picture of her standing next to a television showing footage of Joko's inauguration ceremony on her Facebook account.

"Chose to stay at home after I finished work only to witness the inauguration of Indonesia's new president. Rocky road ahead for him. Good luck, Mr. President!" Ade wrote.

Renowned director Joko Anwar tweeted several pictures of the celebration. "Rock 'n'Roll, Mr. President," Joko said.

The Tiga Jari music concert was held at Monas in the evening to celebrate the inauguration, featuring Joko at the opening, with performance by a string of musicians including Indonesian rock band Slank and British band Arkarna.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/rock-star-politician-jokowi-takes-presidency/

Joko Widodo's first speech as President focuses on maritime power

Sydney Morning Herald - October 20, 2014

Michael Bachelard, Jakarta – Joko Widodo has used his first speech as Indonesian president to call his people to "work together, and work and work and work" to make a stronger nation, with a particular emphasis on maritime power.

In front of Prime Minister Tony Abbott and other foreign dignitaries, including US Secretary of State John Kerry, Indonesia's seventh president quoted the first president, Sukarno, to challenge Indonesia to reassert itself as a maritime nation.

"I would like to call all fellow Indonesians to remember one thing stated by Sukarno: 'In order to build Indonesia into a strong, nation we need the spirit of courage to face the waves."

"As captain of the ship I would like to call everyone to come aboard the ship of Indonesia and to say to them we will sail and we will will face all storms and waves based on our strengths."

Addressing the question of foreign policy specifically, he suggested no change to Indonesia's historical approach, vowing to continue Indonesia's history of a "free and active" foreign policy "to be able to contribute to the world based on peace and just values".

However, he quoted the motto of the Indonesian navy "Jales Veva Jaya Mahe", which means "In the water, we are triumphant", and said that for too long it had turned its back on the "bays and straits and oceans".

"The time for us is to return to make Indonesia a maritime nation... to be as great in the oceans as our ancestors were in the past." Indonesia, a nation of 13,000 islands, has long been concerned about its maritime sovereignty, partly because its navy is not well enough equipped to ensure it.

The comment reinforces his intention, expressed in a blunt warning to Mr Abbott in an exclusive Fairfax Media interview, to be "stronger" on maritime sovereignty, and to invoke maritime law against any Australian incursions.

Mr Abbott has made no comment about the question of borders and sovereignty, offering only very limited comments on Monday.

"Our relations with Indonesia are very important. This relationship matters. It's a strong relationship. The challenge is to make it stronger in the future that it has been in the past," he said.

"I'm very encouraged by everything that President Jokowi has said up until now – I really am encouraged. He's obviously a charismatic and inspirational figure... I'm looking forward to Australia's opportunities to take part in the renewal and the reinvigoration of this important neighbour and partner."

Mr Joko's former bitter rival for the presidency, Prabowo Subianto, attended the inauguration ceremony at the parliament building in Jakarta furthering a process of reconciliation begun last Friday.

As Mr Joko acknowledged him at the beginning of his speech, Mr Prabowo stood and saluted, to rapturous applause from the 675 Indonesian members of parliament and dozens of dignitaries. The gesture suggests that, though Mr Prabowo's forces, which dominate the parliament, may still work as an opposition to Mr Joko's government, it may not be as obstructive as had earlier been feared.

Mr Joko said he would work to ensure that "every person in this great nation will get the help that they need from the government", even those living in remote areas.

Reaffirming his reputation as a president for the orang kecil, or ordinary people, he called on "fishermen, workers, farmers, bakso [meatball] sellers and street vendors, professionals, scholars, the military, police, businessmen" to work together.

"This is a truly historic moment for all of us to be able to work together, and to work and work and work," he said.

The inauguration, the first time in Indonesian history that one democratically elected president has handed over to another, has inspired great hope in the country of 240 million people.

Mr Joko promised, in his oath to to govern "to the best of my ability and in the most just and fair manner".

After the swearing in, outgoing president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono vacated the president's seat, effectively swapping with Mr Joko.

The short ceremony will be followed by a parade down Jakarta's central thoroughfare, to the presidential palace, where Mr Joko has said he will live with his family. A series of bilateral meetings, including with Mr Abbott, are planned in the afternoon.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/joko-widodos-first-speech-as-indonesian-president-focuses-on-maritime-power-20141020-118tcp.html

Jokowi, Kalla sworn in as president and vice president

Jakarta Post - October 20, 2014

Jakarta – Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Jusuf Kalla have been officially sworn in as Indonesia President and Vice President for the period of 2014-2019. As the nation's new leaders, Jokowi said he and the Vice President were committed to working diligently for the development of the nation.

Jokowi was sworn in as the seventh Indonesian president in a plenary session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) led by MPR speaker Zulkifli Hasan on Monday.

"[...] I will faithfully uphold my commitments as the President of the Republic of Indonesia to work hard for the development of the nation," said Jokowi during his speech.

Jokowi also greeted the former Indonesian presidents – Baharudin Jusuf Habibie, Megawati Soekarnoputri, and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono – who were present for the ceremony.

The former Jakarta governor also greeted Prabowo Subianto, his former rival during the July 9 presidential election.

"[...] a man whom I respect, my friend Prabowo Subianto," Jokowi said. Prabowo stood up for a brief moment after Jokowi mentioned his name and the MPR broke into applause.

Several leaders of neighboring countries, including Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Australia Prime Minister Tony Abbott, and Sultan Hasanal Bolkian of Brunei Darussalam, attended the inauguration ceremony. US Secretary of State John Kerry and former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda were also present. (alz/ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/20/jokowi-kalla-sworn-president-and-vice-president.html

Indonesia's new president Joko Widodo promises hope and change

Sydney Morning Herald - October 19, 2014

Michael Bachelard and John Garnaut – Indonesian President-elect Joko Widodo sits composed on his last afternoon in the Jakarta governor's office as the noise of angry ranting drifts in from the street outside.

The Islamic Defenders Front, Indonesia's nastiest religious-zealots-cum- street-gang, are hurling rocks and racist abuse because deputy governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, a Christian and ethnic Chinese man, is within hours of assuming the governorship, the first time for a Chinese-Indonesian.

Mr Joko, 53, might be a Muslim from the heartland of Central Java, but his election as Indonesian president is no less revolutionary.

The man known as Jokowi grew up in a riverbank humpy and made his mark as a furniture manufacturer, then as a regional mayor in Solo. He's self- effacing to a fault, lays claim to no special abilities or qualifications, was never a military general, loves heavy metal music and is widely regarded by ordinary Indonesians as an orang kecil, literally a small person – "one of us".

It's made him insanely popular, particularly in the villages where the majority of Indonesians still live.

The Jakarta political elite, however – cliquey, wealthy and tied together by strong bonds of patronage – hate it. Led by failed presidential aspirants Prabowo Subianto and Aburizal Bakrie, they are throwing rocks at him not in the street, but in parliament, where they control a 63 per cent majority and have passed a flurry of laws designed to thwart him.

Jokowi himself, speaking in halting English, is as unperturbed by what pundits call the elite assault on democracy as by the distant cries of the rabble outside.

"In my experience when working in Solo, I had only 40 per cent [parliamentary support]. Here in Jakarta I have only 11 per cent. Until now I don't have a problem with the council," he says with his trademark grin.

In person, the next president is immediately likeable. He speaks in an unpolished baritone and has a wide smile and an infectious chuckle. An Indonesian newspaper editor complained during the election campaign that his reporters, male and female, kept coming back to the office having fallen in love with the candidate on their first encounter.

When he met roadblocks as governor, Jokowi says, he took his case direct to the people – in some cases posting Youtube videos of himself dressing down officials. Popular support then forced the parliament into line.

In conversation with Joko Widodo, the subject of "the people" comes up constantly. Democracy, in his mind, should be a constant process of ordinary Indonesians keeping their representatives honest. To harness people power more permanently, he wants to become Indonesia's first social media president.

"Now is the horizontal era [of politics]," he says. "Social media is very important now when we want to send our messages. So we started to get together with our volunteers."

The idea of government-by-volunteer was inspired by his experience of winning support and subsequent activism from Indonesia's net-obsessed young.

"We have the social media group, we have farmers policies, we have fishermen's groups, they go door to door, and they inform [people] about Jokowi," he says.

In the presidential campaign, his own party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), led by Megawati Sukarnoputri, badly dropped the ball, offering limp endorsement and little funding or strategy nous.

Added to his own rampant disorganisation and lacklustre oratory, it nearly lost Jokowi the election. He squandered a 20-plus per cent poll lead to the energetic and professional tilt of former army strongman Prabowo.

It was only in the final week or two that the volunteers, known as relawan, came to the rescue, providing mass support and some memorable campaign images.

Then, as the vote was being counted and Prabowo challenged the election's legitimacy with a series of bogus claims, Joko called on ordinary people to "guard" the vote. Volunteer netizens responded in droves, making it much more difficult to corrupt.

Jokowi has kept tight links with the relawan since. He makes time for them regularly and after Monday's inauguration, hopes to escape the formalities for long enough to attend a heavy metal concert (guest stars Slank) that the volunteers are organising in his honour. Then he wants them to continue their work for him in government.

"I will ask them to control our program, to control our project after we start," he says.

It's a typical ground-up approach from a man who is determined not to take on the trappings of office. President-elect Jokowi still eats in local street cafes, wears his signature white shirt (untucked), flies economy class and clearly relishes being buffetted by the masses at public appearances. He drives the presidential security detail crazy.

Ground-up also describes his approach to policy. "He's not a high-concept individual," warns one of his minders before our interview. "He's not an orator, he's a storyteller. That's why he likes blusukan", his patented political tactic of making surprise visits to the field.

Ask high-concept questions about foreign policy or international relations: sovereignty, asylum boats and South China Sea diplomacy, and he consults his notes or looks to adviser Rizal Sukma, whose knowledge on these matters is widely respected.

He admits freely that, on these matters he'll rely on the ministers he'll appoint, likely in the week or two after the inauguration. His job, as he sees it, is to "manage our ministers".

But he is not unaware of the world, including Australia. He has visited as a tourist and is keen for tourism to expand. His son was a student at the University of Technology in Sydney and, as a businessman, he exported goods there.

"I sent a lot of my furniture to Australia for more than 15 years. Many of my Australian buyers came to my city and chose products... flooring and furniture and outdoor furniture... I sent many containers," he says.

Mostly, in these very early days, he views international relations as a businessman might. Ask what might ease the bilateral business relationship, and he talks not about tackling "economic nationalism" (which he broadly favours) but about licensing, logistics, power supply and fuel subsidies.

Jokowi's singular focus on the practical is the inverse of the world view of predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, whose grand gestures and international glad-handing left little room for actual management.

And it's Indonesia's long neglect of the practical that makes life so tough for so many: the right to clean drinking water and to get goods to market; to have your child's teacher turn up to school and stay the day, or to have an interaction with a government official that does not involve a threat or a bribe.

Government inadequacy at every level, particularly in health and education, blights a country that by now should be doing much better. Ask about what he sees as Indonesia's key challenges, and Joko Widodo has no need for notes.

"The gap between the haves and the have-nots is the one. Income inequality is my challenge," he replies. "I will deliver by the end of this month our Indonesian smart card to the students from poor families, and this month also I will send Indonesian health cards to the people from poor families."

The cards entitle poor people to free health treatment which, at the moment, they cannot afford. In Jokowi's world view, the demands of the people will drive change through the system. Raise their expectations and they will force government to rise to the challenge.

It's difficult to know if Jokowi thinks of it in this way, but if his bottom-up program succeeds, the flow-through of an Indonesia that works better are clear internationally.

Richer, healthier, better educated Indonesians mean a bigger market for Australian goods and services (including tertiary education), more places outside Bali for Australians to easily visit, and more ballast in business-to-business and people-to-people links.

It would improve bilateral relations more surely than a generation of summit-hopping politicians could hope for. Both countries need this. Fourteen years into the Asian Century, two-way trade with our enormous neighbour is a measly $15 billion.

It would also create a more stable and self-confident Indonesia and a more united regional voice against common threats such as terrorism, dangerous asylum seeker voyagers, or territorial provocations from China. If it fails, of course, the sky-high expectations Joko has raised could come crashing down on his head.

One thing that might stop him is the inability to get legislation through parliament, something that so far, his enemies appear to be highly motivated to do.

The Prabowo team is now promising to be a "constructive" opposition, but while Prabowo on Friday congratulated his erstwhile rival for the first time and called him "a patriot", their track record of bloodyminded obstructionism and the recent promise of Prabowo's brother Hashim Djojohadikusumo to "control the legislative agenda" confer little confidence.

Prabowo is backed by a majority coalition of six parties, a billion dollar fortune, the electoral support of the vast majority of military families (soldiers themselves are prohibited from voting), and the unswerving belief of some parts of the elite that this impostor from the village must be stopped.

Until he has the full machinery of government in place, Jokowi, by contrast, has behind him a crowd of volunteers and netizens, a few former generals and his party, whose scions, Megawati and her daughter Puan Maharani, are lukewarm about him and feuding with other key figures (particularly Yudhoyono). They have been constantly outflanked by the opposition.

International observers and diplomats are starting to worry. Though Friday's gesture by Prabowo may mollify them a little, it's still unclear how Jokowi will get through crucial but unpopular measures, particularly a reduction in crippling fuel price subsidy?

Jokowi has never looked anything but blithely unfazed. "In five, six months, you will see that we have more than 50 per cent [support in parliament]. I am very confident," he tells us. "Politics, every year, every month, every day, always changes... you'll see after the inauguration".

But Prabowo, we insist, is rich, strategic, an unreasonably determined individual. Surely he can block you? "No," Jokowi replies. "Because the people, they can see."

The rumour de jour as we interview the incoming president is that his enemies are planning to prevent Monday's inauguration itself.

Several hours after we leave his office, his minder calls us to a late- evening press conference at a nearby hotel. Jokowi has just met the three MPs who lead the People's Consultative Assembly, which will conduct the ceremony. They jointly announce that the inauguration will proceed unmolested.

Across the crowded room, Jokowi flashes us his happy smile. It says, as clear a bell, "I told you so".

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/indonesias-new-president-joko-widodo-promises-hope-and-change-20141017-117ijm.html

PDI-P defends Andika's appointment

Jakarta Post - October 17, 2014

Yuliasri Perdani and Dicky Christanto, Jakarta – An executive of the Indonesian Democratic of Struggle (PDI-P) has defended the decision of president-elect Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to appoint Brig. Gen. Andika Perkasa as commander of the Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres) amid speculation that his promotion was politically connected.

Andika, who currently serves as the Indonesian Army spokesman, is married to the eldest daughter of former National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief AM Hendropriyono, a confidant of PDI-P chair Megawati Soekarnoputri and an advisor to Jokowi's transition team.

Puan Maharani, a PDI-P top official and Megawati's daughter, shrugged off speculation that Andika's appointment was based on Hendropriyono's close ties with the party and Jokowi.

"We should not judge from his [family] background, we must look at his track record," she told reporters at the House of Representatives complex on Thursday.

Puan said that Andika would show his professionalism when he took the job. "The main issue here is that he can work professionally and guarantee the safety of the new president and vice president," Puan said.

Andika, a 1987 graduate of the Military Academy, is known for his stellar military career and impressive academic achievements.

He served in the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) before taking the leadership position at the Jakarta "Jaya" Regiment Military Area (Rindam) in 2011 and North Sumatra's Sibolga military command in the following year.

He is the best graduate of the Army Staff and Command School (Seskoad) Class of 2000 and has earned several degrees from top US universities, including a PhD from George Washington University.

TNI commander Gen. Moeldoko on Thursday confirmed that Andika was handpicked by Jokowi. "I asked him [Jokowi] whether he had prepared a candidate. He answered 'Mr. Commander, I have chosen Brig. Gen. Andika as Paspampres chief'," he said on the sidelines of a joint drill for the presidential inauguration at Senayan, Jakarta.

Moeldoko also confirmed that with the promotion, Andika would be the first from the Class of 1987 to hold a two-star Major General ranking. "It is normal," the general said in response to a journalist's question on whether Andika's promotion was too soon.

M. Choirul Anam, the deputy director of the Human Rights Working Group (HRWG) Indonesia, suggested that Andika's appointment could reflect the strong influence of Hendropriyono, who is known for his sketchy human rights record, in Jokowi's inner circle.

"The appointment is clearly a political deal with Hendropriyono. He was involved in the murder of human rights campaigner Munir [in 2004], the Talangsari killings [in 1989] and several other cases," said Choirul, who is also the executive secretary of the Solidarity Alliance for Munir.

"The appointment gives the wrong impression that Jokowi is close to a perpetrator of human rights violations," he added.

A military expert from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Hermawan Sulistyo, praised Jokowi's decision and suggested that Andika would remain loyal to the president-elect.

"The fact that Andika's father-in-law, Gen. (ret.) Hendropriyono, is his security advisor could confirm Andika's loyalty, which is an important issue for the incoming president," Hermawan said on Thursday.

Besides, he added, Andika being named as the new chief of the presidential guard could be a good trade-off for the possible dropping of Hendropriyono from Jokowi's Cabinet line-up.

He said Andika shared many of the qualities of his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Doni Monardo, who had been appointed as the new commander of Kopassus.

"Just like Doni, Andika is known as one of the most promising Army officials. He takes education seriously and has the ability to mix well with others. So far I have never heard anything bad about him," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/17/pdi-p-defends-andika-s-appointment.html

Parliament & legislation

Red-and-White Coalition looks to dominate House

Jakarta Post - October 22, 2014

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Recent efforts at reconciliation from President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and losing presidential contender Prabowo Subianto do not appear to apply to the two political coalitions that support them, with the fiery rivalry between the two coalitions alive and well at the House of Representatives.

Prabowo's Red-and-White Coalition, which has a majority of House seats, is resisting sharing power with lawmakers from Jokowi's Great Indonesia Coalition and looks to be insisting on complete control of all leadership positions in the House's internal bodies.

"The Gerindra Party has tolerated too much," Gerindra secretary-general and the leader of the party's faction at the House, Ahmad Muzani, said on Tuesday.

Muzani, who has been touted as a member of House Commission I overseeing defense and foreign affairs, declined to elaborate, rushing back into the plenary room where the 10 political factions were expected to present the names of their lawmakers for 11 House commissions and four other internal bodies.

Only parties from the Red-and-White Coalition – Gerindra, the Golkar Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Democratic Party – presented proposals before the meeting.

The United Development Party (PPP) and members of Jokowi's coalition – the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the NasDem Party and the Hanura Party, refused, requesting more time for internal discussion.

Members of the PDI-P-led Great Indonesia Coalition and the PPP, the latter of which has been shunned by the Red-and-White Coalition, insisted on the delay to buy more time to lobby in an attempt to secure some of the leadership positions.

"We have proposed musyawarah mufakat [deliberations with consensus] in the installment [of House internal body leaders], but we haven't reached agreement," PDI-P senior politician and former House deputy speaker Pramono Anung Wibowo said.

"It's clear we will lose the vote even if we have five factions [including PPP] in the coalition. Will we sacrifice the peace we've achieved, for full control [of the House]?"

A House internal regulation mandates a package system in the selection of representatives in its internal bodies, which requires a party or coalition of parties to endorse representatives from different factions for the chairmanship.

Although the Great Indonesia Coalition may not face a challenge in submitting candidates for the leadership of internal bodies, as each body requires only four candidates – one leader and three deputies – it will lose the battle should each body arrange a voting mechanism to make the final decisions.

Excluding the PPP, the Red-and-White Coalition still controls the majority of 314 seats in the House, while the rival coalition, including the PPP, has a total of 246 seats.

During a lobbying session on the sidelines of Tuesday's plenary meeting, the PDI-P's Aria Bima said his coalition expected to obtain six leadership positions and 25 deputy leader positions in the House's 15 internal bodies.

"There should be room for compromise. We're proposing a proportional selection mechanism, but our ideal proposal is musyawarah mufakat," Aria said.

The proportional selection mechanism allows the selection of leaders based on votes garnered by each political party, paving the way for the PDI-P to secure some positions as the winner of the legislative election last April.

"If we must compromise, we will set aside five leader and deputy leader positions [for the rival coalition], no more," said Golkar politician Bambang Soesatyo.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/22/red-and-white-coalition-looks-dominate-house.html

Jakarta & urban life

Jakarta and Bogor top list of Indonesian cities with worst traffic: Report

Jakarta Globe - October 21, 2014

Jakarta – Jakarta and Bogor topped a list issued by the Transportation Ministry of Indonesian cities with the worst traffic conditions, according to media.

"Traffic in those cities need attention," Yugi Hartiman, head of research and development at the ministry, was quoted as saying by news portal Detik.com.

Jakarta was first on the list, with vehicles said to be traveling at an average speed of 10 kilometers per hour and the volume-to-capacity ratio (VC ratio) standing at 0.85 percent. A VC ratio of higher than 0.70 percent indicates busy traffic, as it means roads are accommodating more vehicles than its capacity.

"The slow speed results from the fact that the capacity of the road could not accommodate the volume of traffic," Yugi told Detik.com.

The ministry said Jakarta's plan to implement an automated toll-paying system, known as the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP), at some its main roads could be effective in addressing congestion in the capital but emphasized that efforts to limit the number of private vehicles in the city should be done parallel with the improvement of public transportation.

In Bogor, the average road speed is said to stand at 15.32 kilometers per hour, while the VC ratio stands at 0.86.

Third on the list is the city of Tangerang, Banten, where vehicles travel at an average speed of 22 kilometers per hour and the VC ratio is 0.82 percent. Ranking fourth and fifth are Bekasi and Depok, of which are both neighboring cities of the capital.

Other cities that topped the list include Surabaya, East Java; Medan, North Sumatra; Makassar, South Sulawesi; Semarang, Central Java; and Palembang, South Sumatra.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/jakarta/jakarta-bogor-top-list-indonesian-cities-worst-traffic-report/

Jakarta police defends on-site shooting policy

Jakarta Post - October 18, 2014

Jakarta – Backing deputy chief Brig. Gen. Sudjarno's statement that police officers should shoot criminal suspects that attempt to evade arrest, the Jakarta Police defended on Friday its on-site shooting policy.

Jakarta Police chief detective of general crimes, Sr. Comr. Heru Pranoto, said, however, that shooting criminal suspects was a last resort that came with certain qualifications.

"Police officers can shoot criminal suspects if they are attacked. However, police officers must announce that they are about to shoot before shooting the suspects," Heru said at the Jakarta Police headquarters in South Jakarta.

National Police chief decree (Perkap) No. 1/2009 on police use of force stipulates that police officers can only fire at suspects if it is clear that others are in danger. Officers who make the decision to fire at suspects are required to explain in writing the reason behind the shooting.

Heru said that the police's on-site shooting policy was necessary in Greater Jakarta, where officers often faced armed criminals. According to Jakarta Police data, 37 armed-robbery cases were solved from August to October, an increase from the 25 cases solved in the May-July period.

Heru acknowledged that some on-site shootings led to death, despite a ban on shoot-to-kill deterrent measures. On Oct. 3, police officers shot dead two armed robbers during their attempts to evade arrest in Pondok Indah and Kebayoran Lama, both in South Jakarta.

According to Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto, many of the suspects involved in armed robbery used homemade guns, as civilians are prohibited from owning firearms according to Perkap No. 4/2008 on firearm possession. Only government officials, company CEOs, lawyers, doctors, commissioners and law enforcement officials are allowed to own guns in Indonesia.

According to 2011 data from gunpolicy.org, however, some 16,000 illegally held guns exist in Indonesia.

Rikwanto told reporters that the Jakarta Police were continuously investigating the source of these homemade guns. In September, the Jakarta Police arrested four men involved in an online homemade gun-trafficking operation based out of Bekasi, West Java. "We also suspect that there are many illegal gun-makers in Sumedang, West Java," he said.

Separately, National Police Commission (Kompolnas) member Hamidah Abdurrahman told The Jakarta Post that the on-site shooting policy was unacceptable, as innocent bystanders could be harmed.

"We have received at least four reports in October and September of suspects being shot and injured by the police during an arrest. These reports make it seem like the police are in a hurry to finish the job, and shooting is used to speed up the process," she said.

She added that Perkap No. 1/2009 stipulated that police officers should use rubber bullets before resorting to live rounds. "Those who do not follow the steps described by the Perkap could face legal sanctions. However, unlawful shootings are often covered up by other policemen," she said.

Hamidah added that the police shootings had elicited international criticism and that Amnesty International had already sent several letters to the commission expressing concern over the number of suspects being shot by police. (fss)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/18/jakarta-police-defends-site-shooting-policy.html

Judicial & legal system

Supreme Court get four new justices

Jakarta Post - October 21, 2014

Jakarta – Supreme Court Chief Justice Hatta Ali has sworn in four new justices – Amran Suadi, Is Sudaryono, Purwosusilo and Sudrajat Dimyati – in a ceremony at the court in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Court spokesman Ridwan Mansyur said the installation of the four new justices would hopefully help the court accelerate its work to settle cases.

"With the four new justices, the number of justices has increased to 51," he said as quoted by Antara news agency.

Ridwan further said the court was thankful to the Judicial Commission and the House of Representatives, which endorsed the four justices.

Ridwan said the four new justices were career judges. "They are all career justices, so they won't need adjust to their new positions. They can just start working," he said.

Ridwan said that next year, the court would propose the recruitment of new justices to bring the number up to the required 60.

In the selection of Supreme Court justice candidates in 2014, the Judicial Commission recommended five justice candidates to the House for approval. Only four judges passed House screening, however, while Papua High Court judge Muslich Bambang Luqmono was rejected.

Justices Amran and Purwosusilo will be assigned to handle cases in the court's religious affairs division, Justice Dimyati to the civil court division and Justice Sudaryono to the administrative high court division. (dyl/ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/21/supreme-court-get-four-new-justices.html

Foreign affairs & trade

World leaders applaud Jokowi, no confirmation on G20 attendance

Jakarta Post - October 21, 2014

Hasyim Widhiarto and Ina Parlina, Jakarta – Foreign leaders congratulated Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Monday on his presidential inauguration, saying that they were looking forward to working with Indonesia's seventh president to strengthen ties and boost bilateral cooperation.

Speaking to local reporters after attending Jokowi's swearing-in ceremony at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) building in Senayan, Central Jakarta, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said that he saw Jokowi's leadership as a "good sign" for future relations between the neighboring countries.

"I congratulate Mr. Joko and Mr. [Vice President Jusuf] Kalla who have just begun their duties. This is a good sign. I hope relations between Indonesia and Malaysia continue to move forward," he said.

Later in the day, Najib paid a visit to Jokowi at the State Palace for their first meeting. Shortly before bidding farewell, Najib asked Jokowi to take a selfie with him.

Jokowi held four separate courtesy call meetings with four different world leaders on Monday evening.

Jokowi first held a 15-minute meeting with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at 5 p.m. Five minutes after his meeting with Lee, he welcomed Najib.

President Jokowi later met with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott around 7 p.m. and with US Secretary of State John Kerry at 8 p.m.

Jokowi's meeting with Kerry lasted less than 30 minutes.

None of the guests, who all looked jovial during their meetings with Jokowi, gave statements to the media.

Speaking after his meeting with Abbott, Jokowi said he talked about a number of issues with the foreign leaders. Jokowi said he and Najib discussed "regulations that are often seen as obstacles to investment in certain areas". With Lee, Jokowi said they mostly talked about issues related to the economy.

"Singapore, for instance, asked about subsidized fuel and infrastructure. The prime minister also asked about bureaucratic reform," Jokowi said. "Investors who come here often complain about those things, as well as electricity."

Jokowi said that he discussed a number of issues with Abbott. "During my meeting with the Australian Prime Minister, [we] talked about many things, including investment and Indonesian students who study there," Jokowi said.

"We also discussed an invitation [from Australia] to attend the G20 forum. But I cannot confirm my attendance as I have not yet formed a Cabinet that can arrange the details of the meeting and schedule," he said.

The G20, set to be held this year in Brisbane, is a prestigious annual powwow of leaders from the world's 20 biggest economies.

Earlier in the morning, Abbott, on the sidelines of Jokowi's inauguration, shared his optimism regarding the future of Indonesia-Australia ties under Jokowi's leadership.

"Australia and Indonesia are very good friends. I am looking forward to building a stronger friendship in the months and years to come," Abbott said after the ceremony.

Other foreign dignitaries that attended Jokowi's inauguration included, among others, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah and Timor Leste President Taur Matan Ruak.

Prior to the ceremony, various foreign leaders shared their enthusiasm about attending the inauguration.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Lee, for instance, posted on his official Facebook account a photo of the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle taken from a room at the Hotel Indonesia Kempinski in Central Jakarta, where he spent the night before attending Monday's inauguration.

"Looking forward to meeting with President Jokowi and other leaders attending the ceremony tomorrow," he said via his Facebook account.

A number of foreign leaders who were unable to attend the ceremony sent their best wishes to Jokowi through their envoys.

Russian Trade and Industry Minister Denis Manturov said Russian President Vladimir Putin was eager to meet with Jokowi to discuss future relations between the two countries.

"We expect the two leaders to meet in the near future to discuss bilateral cooperation in various fields," Manturov said as quoted by Antara news agency.

Manturov said Russia was particularly interested in developing its metallurgy industry in Indonesia, which would enable the transfer of the country's metallurgy technology to Indonesian counterparts.

[Margareth S. Aritonang also contributed to this report.]

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/21/world-leaders-applaud-jokowi-no-confirmation-g20-attendance.html

Tony Abbott builds bridges as Indonesian leader Jokowi takes power

The Guardian (Australia) - October 19, 2014

Daniel Hurst, Canberra – Australia wants to move on from past disputes over spying, asylum-seeker policies and live-cattle exports to focus on building trade links with Indonesia under the new president, Joko Widodo.

The former Jakarta governor leader, widely known as Jokowi, was due to be sworn into the role on Monday and is expected to take less personal interest in foreign affairs than his predecessor, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The Australian prime minister, Tony Abbott, affirmed his desire to strengthen the relationship with "our most important neighbour". Before leaving Australia to attend the inauguration ceremony in Jakarta, Abbott said: "Australia wants the new president to succeed – because a strong, prospering, democratic Indonesia has so much to offer the world."

Professor Andrew MacIntyre, who is RMIT University's deputy vice-chancellor for international matters and has published widely on the Asia Pacific region, said Jokowi was likely to bring a greater domestic focus to the presidential role.

"I think what we should expect is at a fundamental level a 'steady as she goes' approach with the qualification that this president will be less activist in international affairs than his predecessor," he said. "I don't see any significant departure in direction as far as relations with Australia go."

MacIntyre said the president's focus reflected his background but also current political priorities for the Indonesian public.

"In the broad I would say there's deep frustration with corruption, there's a deep frustration with government that seems not to be able to make much headway tackling national issues and there's growing concern about economic inequality," he said.

One of Yudhoyono's final diplomatic acts was to oversee the formal settlement of the dispute that arose after disclosures of Australia's past attempts to spy on the Indonesian president, his wife and his inner circle.

Indonesia recalled its ambassador to Australia after Guardian Australia and the ABC published the revelations in November 2013. Abbott refused to apologise, saying every country gathered information and Australia should not have to apologise for steps taken to protect the nation.

Australia's foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, and her Indonesian counterpart, Marty Natalegawa, finally signed a memorandum of understanding in August this year. The deal promoted intelligence cooperation and committed each country not to use surveillance capacities in ways that would "harm" the other country.

Yudhoyono said at the time that he hoped military cooperation and other elements of the relationship could be restored.

MacIntyre said the spying dispute was resolved "in formal terms" but the brief document the two countries had endorsed was widely regarded as a "fig-leaf that allowed Yudhoyono to declare the matter closed".

Professor Tim Lindsey, director of the Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society at the Melbourne Law School, said Yudhoyono had a "strong personal enthusiasm for Australia" but the phone tapping was seen as a personal betrayal.

Aaron Connelly, a research fellow in the east Asia program at the Lowy Institute, said Yudhoyono "never gave Australia a free pass" but did have "an active interest in the relationship and sought positive working ties with his Australian counterparts".

"Jokowi is no stranger to Australia, having travelled to Indonesia's southern neighbour for business, holidays, and to visit his son when he was in school in Sydney; nor is he ill-disposed to the country," Connelly said in an analysis piece for the Lowy Institute.

"Yet precisely because the bilateral relationship lacks ballast, when crises emerge it takes a greater effort at the political level to bridge the differences between the two... This is particularly the case with issues that impinge on Indonesia's sovereignty or dignity and capture the imagination of Indonesian nationalists in the legislature and foreign ministry, such as the espionage scandal that damaged ties between Australia and Indonesia in 2013. Any repeat of the latter, for example, could be more difficult to resolve under Jokowi than it was under [Yudhoyono]."

Refugee policy presented another strain on the relationship, with Australia admitting that its patrol vessels had "inadvertently" entered Indonesian waters six times between December 2013 and January 2014 during operations to turn back asylum-seeker boats.

In this case, however, government ministers apologised to Indonesia, saying such incursions were never Australian policy.

Jokowi was quoted by Fairfax Media on Saturday as saying he would take a tough approach to preserving Indonesia's sovereignty. "We will give a warning that this is not acceptable," the incoming president said during the interview. "We have international law, you must respect international law."

MacIntyre interpreted the comment as one of "continuity" – restating Indonesia's pre-existing stance on the need for Australia to respect its sovereignty.

Lindsey said Indonesia was "not happy" about Australia's asylum-seeker policies, which it viewed as unilateral, "and the way it became a political football during our long nine-month election campaign".

Labor's foreign affairs spokeswoman, Tanya Plibersek, said it was "a very big deal for Indonesia that the government is making announcements about what happens on Indonesian soil and in Indonesian waters without ever talking to the Indonesian government".

"I think the navy has been put in an extremely difficult position by the government and the cost of that is to our very important strategic and economic relationship with one of our closest neighbours," she told the ABC's Insiders program on Sunday.

Abbott is looking to the future, making a pitch for closer trade links. He said the countries had moved on from the suspension of live animal exports under the former Labor government, saying the cattle trade was "now back to its pre-cancellation peak".

Describing Indonesia as "the emerging democratic superpower of Asia", Abbott said almost one million Australians visited the country each year, while more than 17,000 Indonesian students studied here each year.

"On present trends, Indonesia will be the fourth biggest economy in the world by mid-century. Yet despite this, two-way trade with Indonesia is only $15bn," he said.

"In fact, our two-way trade with New Zealand, with just four million people, exceeds our current two-way trade with Indonesia and its 250 million people. This is why I have often said that our foreign policy needs a 'Jakarta' focus rather than a 'Geneva' one."

Abbott pointed to his government's New Colombo Plan, designed to allow more young Australians study in Indonesia, and the new Australia Indonesia Centre at Monash University promoting greater understanding of Indonesia's importance.

He described Yudhoyono as "a great friend of Australia" but said Jokowi would take office with "enormous goodwill" in both countries. The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said Labor similarly looked forward to working closely with the new president.

MacIntyre and Lindsey said it was positive that Abbott would attend the inauguration and seek to increase trade between the two countries. Lindsey said the arrival of the new president was a chance to "reset" the relationship.

MacIntyre noted, however, that the trade ambition was "easier said than done" and there were some obstacles on the Indonesian side. Australia also needed to to make an effort in focusing on the market of its northern neighbour, he said.

MacIntyre said the countries should start a dialogue about the role of China, suggesting over the long term there was potential for shared Australian and Indonesian interest on regional security issues.

"They should be asking the Indonesians their views about wider regional security and their views about developments in north-east Asia," he said. "Australia should be having discussions with Indonesia about regional security that includes discussions about China."

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/19/tony-abbott-builds-bridges-indonesian-leader-jokowi-power

Joko Widodo tells Tony Abbott he will not tolerate navy's incursions

Australian Associated Press - October 17, 2014

Indonesia's incoming president has sent a blunt message to the Australian prime minster, Tony Abbott, about asylum seeker boat turnbacks.

The president-elect, Joko Widodo, has told Fairfax Media that it's not acceptable to Indonesia for the Australian navy to enter its waters uninvited.

Widodo said Australia and Indonesia had similar strategic interests but he promised a tough approach to issues of sovereignty.

The former Jakarta governor detailed plans for closer ties, including through military and intelligence links. But he said he would be "stronger" on sovereignty than his defeated election opponent, Prabowo Subianto.

Joko mentioned concerns about Australia's asylum seeker policies and told Australia not to allow naval vessels to enter Indonesian waters without permission. This happened on five occasions last year.

"We will give a warning that this is not acceptable," he told Fairfax Media. "We have international law, you must respect international law."

Bilateral relations were damaged by revelations of Australia's naval incursions and its spies tapping the phone of the wife of the outgoing president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

But Joko said he would rebuild security ties, including cooperation to combat terrorism.

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/oct/18/joko-widodo-tells-tony-abbott-he-will-not-tolerate-navys-incursions

Mining & energy

Indonesia to clamp down on coal industry's worst excesses

Jakarta Globe - October 23, 2014

David Fogarty – Out of the jungles of East Borneo in Indonesia comes the fire that fuels Asia's burgeoning economies: coal.

Miners dig deep, open pits, clearing forests and farmlands to extract coal from thick, black seams, which is then crushed and loaded onto trucks and barges for shipment to China, India, Japan and other destinations in Asia.

Indonesia, itself a large and growing customer, produced 421 million metric tons last year, according to official government figures, with about 350 million tons exported to feed the region's growing demand for energy. India and China are the top two buyers.

Output has tripled within a decade and Indonesia is now the world's top exporter of thermal coal used in power stations, earning the government billions of dollars in royalties. Coal taxes are a vital source of revenue for the country, helping plug a budget deficit running at about 3 percent of gross domestic product.

But with this success has come a multitude of ills, including large-scale deforestation, water pollution, conflict with local and indigenous communities and health costs from coal dust. Add to this corruption, tax evasion, illegal mining and illegal exports, which are costing the government millions of dollars in revenue.

The industry is becoming a threat to itself, the economy and the national and global environment. Burning coal is the single largest source of carbon dioxide emissions blamed for climate change.

In response, the central government has launched a major drive to clean up the sector and weed out the worst players, mostly small mining companies, but it remains to be seen if the authorities can claw back greater control. The aim is to limit the sector's rapid growth and to impose tougher enforcement of regulations – crucial if the government is going to able to manage growing demand for Indonesia's coal.

About half the coal comes from the resource-rich province of East Kalimantan. To get a sense of the scale of the industry, you only need to stand on the main bridge across the Mahakam river, which flows through the provincial capital Samarinda. Barges the size of an Olympic swimming pool flow past every few minutes, pulled by tugboats to bulk carriers waiting along the coast nearby.

Each barge carries about 8,000 tons of coal, most loaded up river from myriad coal terminals that jut out into the river. Samarinda is ringed by coal mines and vast coal stockpiles that constantly feed the barges via conveyer belts.

Energy security

As Indonesia's oil reserves dwindle, coal's importance grows. "The idea is that we have to consider our energy security. We consider that coal is our prospective energy in the near future," said Bambang Tjahjono, the director of coal business supervision at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources' Directorate-General of Mineral and Coal.

About 60 million Indonesians are not connected to the grid and the government is pushing rapid investment in coal-fired power stations to fix power shortages. Like the resource booms of oil and gas, logging and oil palm before it, coal is regarded as a quick and easy fix and a cash cow, with environmental concerns often secondary.

NGOs say Indonesia needs to focus more on renewable energy investment and curbing conflict between mines and local communities, whose land is increasingly under threat. To clean up the sector, the government has called in the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which is leading a sweeping review of mining permits.

"The focus for KPK is to increase government revenue and avoid revenue leakage," Tjahjono said in a recent interview.

In another major initiative, new trade rules that took effect Oct. 1 target illegal coal exports. Combined, Tjahjono hopes both initiatives will lead to a leaner, more tightly regulated sector.

For NGOs, the crackdown is essential but some fear it won't head off looming environmental and social problems because of the large number of mines and permits. And, depending on where global coal prices go, more mines could come on line.

"I think there will be more problems because half the mining permits will be finishing up in the next 10 or 15 years. Our prediction for 2020, we will have very serious environmental damage. That's only one problem. It will also be with other problems, such as health and land conflict," said Merah Johansyah, who leads the East Kalimantan branch of Indonesian mining NGO Mining Advocacy Network, or Jatam.

According to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, there are 3,922 permits for coal exploration, operations and production across the country. Most are in Kalimantan and Sumatra, which contain the majority of Indonesia's coal reserves.

Central and local governments do not have the resources to monitor these permits, analysts, NGOs and the ministry say.

"There are a lot of mining companies in this place and the administration is not nearly as strong as, say, Australia or the United States," said a senior mining executive on condition of anonymity.

Of the total permits, 1,461 are listed as non-clean and clear because of irregularities, such as mines overlapping with other mining or agricultural concessions, the ministry says.

A province-by-province analysis of all coal permits shows they totaled just over 21 million hectares in 2013, roughly the size of the US state of Kansas or three times the size of the Republic of Ireland. While many of these will never become mines, the scale highlights the risk of social conflict and environmental damage in a country with 250 million people, many of whom rely on farmland, forests and rivers for their livelihoods and customs.

Top challenge

Most of the problems are at the district level. Regional autonomy laws gave districts much greater powers, and this triggered the explosion of mining permits.

In East Kalimantan, district heads have issued about 70 percent of all mining permits, with the money boosting district revenues, funding re- election campaigns and, at times, for personal enrichment.

"One of the top challenges for the industry is the coordination between government departments and between the central and regional governments, because this is one of the keys to sustainable development that meets the needs of investors," said Sacha Winzenried, a senior adviser in energy, utilities and mining for PricewaterhouseCoopers, the multinational business services firm.

"Whether it's managing the level of production, because the district head has different interests to the central government, or whether it's environmental, health and safety, that level of coordination doesn't work as it should," he said.

Regional government mining offices often lack the resources, the budget or the will to up-skill themselves, he added.

The lack of oversight means the central and local governments do not know the exact number of mines that are producing coal in Indonesia – roughly estimated at 400. And no one knows how much coal is illegally produced and exported. While 421 million tons is the official production figure for 2013, the ministry says it is closer to 500 million because of 50 million to 60 million tons of what it calls "missing exports." However, others say illegal production is much higher.

Not all coal mines are the same and most of the problems stem from the multitude of smaller, loosely regulated mining outfits. These operate for relatively short periods, have little regard for local communities and often abandon their mining pits once they cease operation, government officials and NGOs say.

Most of Indonesia's coal is produced by a handful of large companies that have direct contracts with the government. These also pay higher royalties than companies granted mining permits called IUPs.

"Within Indonesia, you can see a marked difference between what may be called the formal sector and the other less formal end of the markets. And where there are clearly environmental issues is with the less regulated sector, either illegal miners or the very small players," said PwC's Winzenried.

Working with the KPK and the Supreme Audit Agency, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and other agencies are focusing on the 12 provinces with the highest number of mining permits. The aim is to review the legality of the permits, check if mining companies have valid tax identity numbers, are paying their taxes fully and whether the permits overlap palm oil and other mining concessions and protected forest areas – a common problem in Indonesia.

To date, the program has led to the suspension of more than 300 mining permits by local officials, with more expected.

The new trade rules state that only coal mining companies that have business permits assessed as clean and clear can export coal. Exports will also have to go through designated ports.

"This should stop or decrease poor mining practices, those that are unsafe and non-compliant with environmental rules," said Tjahjono. "That means we can close those companies."

Good regulations, lax enforcement

Indonesia has another tool at its disposal: stringent environmental regulations governing mining practices. But they need much stronger enforcement, government officials, analysts and NGOs say.

Companies must submit detailed environmental impact assessments and prepare detailed rehabilitation and post-mining reclamation plans. Companies have to place large deposits into a bank account to ensure they carry out mandatory rehabilitation and reclamation of affected areas.

However, lack of qualified mining inspectors, lack of expertise at the district and provincial level and, most likely, graft, mean many smaller mines are not inspected as often as they should be, laws are not enforced and permits are rarely terminated for bad practices.

Tjahjono said the ministry was trying to train up more mining inspectors. "The problem is not many engineers are interested in this training," he said.

In total, the mining ministry says there are 10,992 permits for mining of all types across the country, raising questions about how to effectively monitor all of them. According to a source involved with the KPK-led investigation, these 10,922 permits are owned by 7,834 companies. Of these, 17 percent do not have a tax number.

The mining concessions covered by these permits include 26 million hectares of the national forest estate. According to the source, the permits cover 1.3 million hectares of conservation forests, which are no-go zones for mining. In addition, the permits cover five million hectares of protection forest, which are prohibited for open-pit mining.

A study published earlier this year found that coal mining was one of the top causes of deforestation after palm oil, logging and clearing for pulp plantations. The study examined forest loss within industrial concessions between 2000 and 2010 and found that coal mining had caused 300,000 hectares of forest loss versus 1.6 million hectares in oil palm concessions. With more coal mining comes an increased threat to remaining forests.

Changing the mindset

Jatam takes a harder line on coal mining than most NGOs. It wants coal mining stopped altogether, an unlikely scenario since the Indonesian government expects domestic coal demand for power generation, currently around 73 million tons per year, to double by 2022.

"We agree that everyone needs energy. But we don't want the energy to come from threatening the people, coming from land grabbing. We need to change the mindset of people," said Johansyah's colleague, Hendrik Siregar.

Jatam works with local communities under threat from coal mines, advising on legal options and encouraging villagers and farmers not to sell. It's easy to see why. Samarinda is known as the city of coal mines. Roughly 70 percent of the city and surrounding area is under mining permits and the landscape is littered with the scars of mines and abandoned coal pits, many now filled with water.

About a 40-minute drive from the city is the village of Makroman. Farmers earn a living growing rice and fruit, such as rambutans and durians. The village is under threat of being cleared and developed by an adjacent coal mine run by an Indonesian firm called CV Arjuna.

About six years ago, a company official came to the village to take soil samples and measurements. This was the first the villagers heard about the company or the planned mine.

"He was like a thief," said farmer Niti Utomo, 66, who, like many of the other villagers, has been resisting CV Arjuna's efforts to buy their land.

The company began developing its mine several years ago and it now surrounds the village and its farmlands on two sides. Huge pits have been dug to extract the coal, leveling hills and forests and disrupting water supplies for the rice fields.

While the mine has built a dam for irrigation, this sometimes runs dry, leaving the rice crops to wither in the dry season. Ultimately, CV Arjuna wants to acquire all of the 365 hectares in the village and has offered large sums of money to owners, some of whom have accepted.

Utomo, who has farmed in the area for over 40 years, has refused the money. "I will fight till I die to keep the land," he said as we spoke next to his rice field.

In an e-mailed response to questions, a company official said CV Arjuna's permit to operate, granted by the city government in 2011, was fully legal. The official provided a list showing the company had met the mining ministry's clean and clear status and said the company would rehabilitate the large coal pit next to the village.

There are about 200 coal mines in East Kalimantan, according to the provincial environment office, which handles environmental impact assessment reports and helps carry out mining inspections. Of these, about 20 percent were not complying with the government's environmental regulations, officials said. The situation was not improving.

"Tidak bagus," said Wiwit Guritno, head of water pollution control for the provincial government, meaning "not good." "It's getting worse, I think," he added after conferring with his colleague Priyo Harsono, the provincial head of environmental impact assessments (EIAs).

A major problem was the quality of oversight at the district level, which issues most of the EIAs. While the quality of the EIAs was generally good, it was the monitoring of mines and enforcement of regulations that was a consistent problem.

Mines are rated according to water quality, how they manage solid and hazardous wastes and particularly whether mines have followed the strict reclamation and re-vegetation of mined-out pits. Companies failing to comply are given warnings and the environmental office can recommend law enforcement action.

"We have given the information to the district head but they haven't closed the mining," said Harsono.

Abandoned pits remain a big problem in the province but new rules aim to incentivize companies to rehabilitate their pits before they can expand production. While efforts to improve the sector are laudable, some question the value of coal mining.

Greenpeace wants coal exports wound back and says coal mining acts like a double-whammy for climate change because of toxic emissions caused during production and burning.

"I think coal mining is the silent killer for Indonesia, not only for the environment but also for people," said Arif Fiyanto, climate and energy campaigner for Greenpeace Indonesia.

"The government is always using the argument of coal is the key contributor to Indonesia's economic growth. In reality, the coal export contribution to our GDP is three percent. "The benefit doesn't justify the damage coal mining causes."

[This article was first published on Mongabay.com and has been edited for reprint on the Jakarta Globe. A continuation of this story will appear in the Globe on Monday.]

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/indonesia-clamp-coal-industrys-worst-excesses/

Microeconomic realities of a fuel subsidy cut

Jakarta Globe - October 22, 2014

One of the first issues to confront President Joko Widodo after taking office is the proposed plan to drastically cut fuel subsidies. The general consensus among economists is that fossil-fuel subsidies are detrimental to the economy as a whole, as they are in effect consuming funds that could be better applied elsewhere.

Both Joko and his running mate Jusuf Kalla used this argument during their election campaign, saying the funds could be allocated to infrastructure development, education and other essentials.

While the macroeconomic rationale for abolishing fuel subsidies appears to be iron-clad, the microeconomic realities on the ground may be vastly different. This is especially true in an economy lacking both adequate infrastructure and mass-transportation facilities.

To say Indonesia is in serious need of infrastructure development is an understatement. Our infrastructure quality ranked among the worst within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in the 2010-11 Global Competitiveness Report.

According to the report, the country scored 3.7 out of 7 overall, with our roads standing at 3.5 and our railroads at 3.0. By comparison, Malaysia scored 5.7 overall with its roads and railroads at 5.7 and 4.7 respectively.

Research by Standard Chartered in 2011 came to the conclusion that Indonesia's poor infrastructure is the main reason our gross domestic product growth has so far failed to reach its optimum growth rate of 8 percent. Worse, it is also the chief culprit for high inflation, which Indonesia is prone.

The causal link between dismal infrastructure and inflation in Indonesia is real enough, even on Java, where most of the country's infrastructure is located. Due to the poor condition of roads, the distribution of goods from urban to rural areas relies heavily on small vehicles such as pickup trucks and often motorbikes.

The narrowness of most of our rural roads also rules out bulk-haulage by big lorries, which could significantly cut transport costs. That there are no railroads to most rural centers is another factor that puts cost- efficient transport out of reach.

Hence, the economically viable distribution of goods and essentials, as well as transport of people, depend mostly on the available road network, part of which has not been upgraded since colonial times.

So the substantial fuel price increase of more than 40 percent envisaged by the government will inevitably drive inflation up considerably in rural areas.

While the government may justify the subsidy cuts by channeling the funds into major infrastructure projects, it will be years, even decades, before their benefits can manifest. In the meantime, it is the poorest of Indonesians who will be asked to bear the brunt of high inflation when the subsidies are cut.

It is also important to bear in mind that most of the nation's poor work in the informal sector of the economy.

Indonesians in this category don't work in factories or companies that comply with the minimum wage regulations. So even when there is a general order for a wage rise in the formal sector, most workers in the informal sector may not benefit from it.

The proposed fuel subsidy cuts may also adversely affect small-scale entrepreneurs in the informal sector. This category includes all the self- employed, albeit non-income-tax paying, food hawkers, technicians and other tradesmen and women. Most of these rely on the motorbike – and cheap petrol – for increased mobility.

For many Indonesians, the theory of the trickle-down effect of economic growth is far from real. In a country where quality health care and education are out of most people's reach, cheap fuel may seem like the long-promised sweet fruit of progress. So, when it is taken away, the bitter taste of betrayal is hard to swallow.

If the government is convinced that there is no other way but to cut fuel subsidies, it must soften the blow through policies that deliver immediate social benefits.

Indeed, it must do more than that. Finance Minister M. Chatib Basri told the media a few weeks ago that fuel subsidies are an unnecessary burden on the national budget. Economists have likened it to literal money burning.

By the same token, the government's score on efficiency leaves much to be desired. Unwieldy and yet growing in size, our civil service consumes more than half of the national budget and somehow manages to remain ineffectual compared to private-sector counterparts.

Vice President Kalla once told the press that the current subsidy system is prone to siphoning by the so-called petro-mafia. Yet, so far nothing has been done to ascertain the extent of their illicit operations, or whether this corrupt practice is a major contributor in the ballooning size of fuel subsidies. Nor have any of the perpetrators been brought to justice.

Joko's upcoming policy on fuel subsidies will no doubt become one of the defining moments of his presidency. He frequently pledges to devote himself to the people. Let us hope the new fuel subsidy policy will be consistent with this pledge.

[Johannes Nugroho is a writer from Surabaya.]

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/microeconomic-realities-fuel-subsidy-cut/

Mineral output plummets, new government urged to lay out policies

Jakarta Post - October 20, 2014

Raras Cahyafitri, Jakarta – The national output of a number of commodities has dropped significantly this year, as expected, on account of the government's mineral ore export ban.

The incoming administration, led by president-elect Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, is expected to soon lay out clear policies in the mineral sector, which has been severely impacted by the ban.

Only a few million tons of ore were produced during the January to August period this year, most likely only to meet domestic demand, figures from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry's directorate general of mineral and coal showed.

The production of bauxite, for example, was a mere 2.8 million tons during the January-August period, compared to almost 60 million tons throughout last year. This year's output is expected to see a few additional tons by year-end.

"The production of several minerals was from newly established smelters, such as nickel pig iron products," mineral and coal director general R. Sukhyar said.

On Jan. 12, the government banned overseas shipments of mineral ores as part of an attempt to boost the country's downstream industry. Only processed minerals with a regulated purity level and end products of metal are allowed to be exported.

The government expects that in 2017, the country will only export mineral end products, instead of raw ore. In the meantime, it is still allowing the export of concentrates, such as copper concentrate produced by PT Freeport Indonesia and PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara, until 2017.

Despite an ongoing legal battle at the Constitutional Court over the 2009 Mining Law, which is the legal basis for the controversial export ban policy, foreign investors are seeking to develop smelters to process bauxite and nickel ores – the two main commodities in Indonesia – with the help of local partners.

"However, in general, foreign investors are still waiting for the new government. It will soon assume office, but investors are waiting for specific policy in the sector," Tony Wenas, the deputy chairman of the Indonesian Mining Association, said.

Most bauxite miners closed down their businesses following the ore export ban because domestic processing facilities were unable to absorb the entire nation's bauxite output.

The only bauxite processing facility that exists in the country is a smelter called the chemical grade alumina (CGA) plant owned by state-owned diversified miner PT Aneka Tambang. The CGA plant only needs around 850,000 wet metric tons of bauxite a year to produce at its capacity of around 200,000 tons of alumina.

Should foreign investors build partnership with local players and the process of obtaining business permits be streamlined, new bauxite smelters will be ready by 2017, when the country will fully ban the export of minerals that have not been refined into end products. More smelters mean that bauxite mining can resume.

There are currently 64 smelters being worked on, ranging from bauxite to manganese processing facilities, according to government figures. Freeport Indonesia is currently working on a plan to develop a copper smelter to process its copper concentrate in the country. The mineral and coal office had also asked Newmont Nusa Tenggara to build its own smelter.

The director for mineral at the mineral and coal directorate general, Edi Prasodjo, said mining firms that were still without processing facilities should start thinking about developing them to survive in Indonesia.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/20/mineral-output-plummets-new-govt-urged-lay-out-policies.html

Adviser: Jokowi plans steep fuel price rise next month

Reuters - October 17, 2014

Kanupriya Kapoor & Michael Taylor, Jakarta – Indonesia's President-elect Joko Widodo plans to raise subsidized gasoline and diesel prices by around 50 percent next month in a bid to bring down the budget deficit in Southeast Asia's largest economy, an adviser told Reuters on Friday.

The new government will be taking a highly unpopular step, but some worries for the minority coalition's future were eased by opposition leader Prabowo Subianto offering qualified support for Joko's administration at a joint news conference following the rivals' first meeting since a disputed election in July.

Due to be sworn in on Monday, Joko has to urgently address Indonesia's biggest fiscal problem – a $23 billion fuel subsidy bill that is the main driver behind the country's twin budget and current account deficits.

The adviser said the incoming president plans to raise the price of gasoline by 46 percent, and diesel by 55 percent, possibly as early as Nov. 1, in a move that will save the government nearly $13 billion next year.

"It's safe to say they are likely to do it within the first two weeks of taking office," said the adviser, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Raising fuel prices is a sensitive issue that typically sparks protests and contributed to the downfall of long-serving autocrat and then president Suharto in 1998.

Joko could still amend his plan, the aide said, but whereas the size of the increases will be criticized by opposition parties, the government does not need parliamentary approval to raise fuel prices.

The former Jakarta governor will need support for future tricky decisions, however, and he has sought to mend ties Prabowo after a disputed election that was the closest in Indonesia's history.

Their meeting on Friday appeared to ease tensions, though it was unclear whether they discussed a hike in fuel prices. "Our objectives are the same... everything will be done for the good of the nation," Joko said.

Prabowo, a former general, congratulated Joko and saluted him once the press conference was over. "I conveyed that the party I lead, my supporters, I will ask them to support Joko Widodo and the government he will lead," Prabowo said. "When there are things that we judge to not be for the benefit of the people...we will not hesitate to criticize."

The prospect of a fuel price hike to bring down a worrying fiscal deficit, and Prabowo's soothing words gave heart to investors in Indonesian assets. The stock market rose around 1 percent, as did the rupiah currency, while 10-year government bond yields eased.

Widodo currently plans to raise the price of both gasoline and diesel by Rp 3,000 ($0.25) per liter by November, the adviser said. Indonesian fuel prices are now among the cheapest in the region, with gasoline costing Rp 6,500 a liter, and diesel costing Rp 5,500.

"We would probably oppose it on the grounds it would be too much of a shock to the system," Hashim Djojohadikusumo, a top aide and brother of Prabowo told Reuters last week. He said opposition lawmakers would likely favor a smaller increase in pump prices, of around Rp 1,000-1,500.

The government is expected to save Rp 156 trillion ($12.76 billion) next year in fuel subsidy costs, the adviser said. In the 2015 budget, fuel and gas subsidies make up 13.5 percent of government spending.

Joko's advisers say the money saved would be diverted to spending on infrastructure, agriculture, education, and health projects.

To offset the higher fuel prices, Joko plans to provide the poorest families with Rp 300,000 per quarter until the first quarter of 2016, the adviser said. A further fuel price will be considered in the fourth quarter of 2015, the adviser added.

The 2014 budget deficit had been targeted at 2.4 percent of gross domestic product, but it is in danger of busting a budget law setting the limit at 3 percent because of a shortfall in tax revenues and the slowest economic growth in five years. A fuel price hike of 3,000 rupiah in November would save the government Rp 21 trillion in the last two months of this year, the current Finance Minister, Chatib Basri, said.

The planned fuel price hike would add an additional 3-3.5 percentage points to inflation this year, and the inflationary pressures would last around three months, said the deputy central bank governor Perry Warjiyo. The current estimate for 2014 inflation is 5.3 percent.

The fuel price hike will help ease the current account deficit to below 2.9 percent of gross domestic product in 2015 from a projected 3.2 percent this year.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/adviser-jokowi-plans-steep-fuel-price-rise-next-month/

Economy & investment

Market greets Jokowi as rupiah, stocks rally

Jakarta Post - October 21, 2014

Anggi M. Lubis, Jakarta – Indonesia's new President, Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, received a warm welcome from the financial market as local stocks, bonds and the rupiah all strengthened on the day of his inauguration over expectations that the seventh president will push for reforms and bolster growth in Southeast Asia's largest economy.

The Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) – the main price barometer in the Indonesia Stock Exchange – hit 5,101.21 shortly before Jokowi's 10 a.m. inauguration ceremony and closed at the highest level in two weeks at 5,040. The rupiah gained 0.64 percent to trade at Rp 12,032 per US dollar.

The yield on the government's 8.37 percent bonds maturing in March 2024 fell 15 basis points, the steepest since Feb. 14, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Yields move in the opposite direction to prices, so lower yields mean higher prices.

"This might only be the beginning. At least for this week, if investors are happy with his ministerial configuration, the rupiah might strengthen to below the Rp 12,000 level," Mandiri Sekuritas economist Aldian Taloputra said. Jokowi is expected to announce his Cabinet this week.

Another event that is expected to spur on investors in the financial market is a move to raise the state budget-straining subsidized-fuel prices, which will possibly occur next month, at the soonest. The fuel-price hike could bolster growth if spending is re-directed to more productive expenses such as infrastructure.

"The euphoria might last the week but if the market becomes unhappy about the political situation, a big correction in the stock market might be seen," said Satrio Utomo, head of research at Universal Broker Indonesia.

On Monday, foreign investors bought Rp 760.6 billion worth of shares more than they sold, with trading increased with 5.43 billion shares worth Rp 7.58 trillion being traded – all above the daily average figures.

All indices on the stock exchange ended in the green and shares of several blue chips – including state-run lender Bank Mandiri (BMRI), telecommunication company Telekomunikasi Indonesia (TLKM) and cement firm Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa (INTP) – were among the top movers.

The so-called "Jokowi effect" could be seen on the stock market throughout the election year, pushing up the index to hover above the psychological barrier of 5,000 thrice to see an all-time foreign net record buy of Rp 57 trillion in September.

Skeptics, however, still question the sustainability of the rally in the financial market, with Morgan Stanley, the rupiah's most-accurate forecaster in the past year, expecting the rupiah to extend its slide to Rp 12,600 per dollar by year-end as Jokowi struggles to gain support from the legislature.

With the opposing Red-and-White Coalition controlling 63 percent of seats and leadership in the House of Representatives, Jokowi might face hardships during his tenure to realize his programs centering on the economy, infrastructure and fuel consumption.

But following meetings between Jokowi and former presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto as well as Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie, who are both members of the opposition coalition, political tensions have seemingly eased with the JCI gaining 1.6 percent following the Jokowi-Prabowo meeting.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/21/market-greets-jokowi-rupiah-stocks-rally.html

Analysis & opinion

Jokowi's new honest and open era begins

Jakarta Globe Editorial - October 21, 2014

Indonesia has never had a president closer to the people than Joko Widodo. After his inauguration on Monday, for instance, he simply walked onto a crowd of people and talked with them. Whenever he is in public, he is always cheered by the people. It seems there is no barrier to engagement, and people identify him as one of their own.

In this way, he can listen directly to their complaints. No president in Indonesian history has been in a better position to understand what people really need.

In this sense, he has sincerity and honesty without having to try to polish his image. Looking at how he interacts with people, including other politicians, such as his predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono – who is always busy trying to be a likable guy – Joko just showed his true colors: relaxed and being himself.

The way he called his rival Prabowo Subianto in his inauguration speech as his good friend, shows his genuine capability to handle differences and opposition. We believe that most animosity between him and Prabowo was dispersed that very moment.

Fresh from being sworn in as Indonesia's seventh president, Joko met with several high-profile leaders, including Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and US Secretary of State John Kerry.

If there was any lingering doubt regarding his lack of confidence and ability to converse directly with world leaders, people just have to look how he handled Lee, Abbott and Kerry.

In meetings open to the media we witnessed how Joko trades jokes without hesitancy. Again, this is the first time that an Indonesian president has so openly engaged in conversation and engaged in unassuming laughter with foreign guests.

Joko has begun the era of openness and an age of innocence in Indonesia.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/editorial-jokowis-new-honest-open-era-begins/

A strong mandate

Jakarta Post Editorial - October 21, 2014

Millions of Indonesians in Jakarta and across the country held a merry festival to welcome their new President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

Never underestimate the people's power. They know very well that the pair will not be able to fix the country's problems instantly, but they strongly believe in one thing: Jokowi is a man they can trust to lead them over the next five years.

People from all walks of life and various socio-economic levels thronged the main streets in Jakarta to glimpse the former Surakarta mayor and Jakarta governor. They jostled to shake hands with the seventh president. They wanted to see Jokowi enter the Presidential Palace.

Jokowi and Kalla have a strong mandate and trust from the people. The public is particularly banking on Jokowi's track record in the fight to eradicate corruption and poverty and overcome urgent problems such as poor infrastructure and unemployment.

The people, including those who did not vote for him in the July 9 election, see big hope in the face of Jokowi, a leader who always pays atention and listens to their aspirations and grievances. We can say that almost all Indonesian leaders at all levels like to have their voices heard by their people, but they are very reluctant to use their own ears to absorb what ordinary citizens need.

Indonesians fully realize that stagnant economic growth, mounting fuel subsidies, strong dependence on fuel imports and sizable unemployment requires a long period to settle, but they have lost their patience due to rampant corruption, poor law enforcement and the collusion of politicians and government officials.

People are fed up with the absence of public services. They have lost access to health and education to greedy bureaucrats and power holders.

The peaceful festivals and parties in Jakarta once again were undisputed evidence that Indonesians are ready for democracy. They are mature enough to excercise their rights to directly elect their leaders both at national and regional levels.

In his inauguration speech, the new President made it very clear that he wanted the government's presence to be felt by Indonesians in all parts of the country.

The people look impressed with his sincerity and honesty in communicating with them. They appreciate Jokowi's attentive attitude that he displays when they go to him and convey their messages.

Some say Jokowi's honeymoon as President will be very short, because both the people and the opposition are already impatient for real improvements in the country.

Jokowi should be able to convincingly prove to the nation that he is the right person for the job of "captain" of the "Indonesian ship". Jokowi will not be able to work alone and he will soon announce his Cabinet. Nevertheless, the President has very strong working capital in the form of strong trust from the nation.

As long as he does not betray his people, as the elite has often done, Indonesians throughout the archipelago will not allow Jokowi's political opponents to disrupt his administration.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/21/editorial-a-strong-mandate.html

Dawn of the Joko era brings opportunities for Australia

The Australian - October 20, 2014

Tom Clarke – Indonesia's incoming president presents a promising opportunity for Australia to recast both its military and human rights relationship with our northern neighbour.

Joko Widodo, referred to almost universally within Indonesia as Jokowi, will be sworn in as the Republic's seventh president today. The sense of hope and expectation he carries with him is significant, but so are the challenges that his reform agenda faces.

External voices, including those of Australian public figures, will be important in bolstering the case for much-needed change.

Until now, successive Australian governments have held firm to the position of unwavering cheer-squad for some of the more retrograde elements of Indonesia's political class. However, there are indications that Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is aware that Australia needs to change its tune when it comes to the human rights problems in Indonesia.

Australian Greens senator Richard Di Natale has persistently tried to focus attention on Indonesia's troubled Papuan provinces by introducing numerous Senate motions on the various human rights problems there – most of which have been instantly voted down by the major parties.

This month was different. News came through that the Foreign Minister's office was throwing its support behind his latest motion calling for the release of two French journalists detained in West Papua.

In contrast to Australia's last foreign minister, Bob Carr, who merely sneered that such motions were "cruel", "deceitful" and "self-indulgent", Bishop apparently provided constructive input on the wording of the motion before supporting it.

This may not sound like much, but it's a significant departure from Australia's longstanding approach to the persistently troublesome topic of West Papua. It's quite a different tone to the comments Prime Minister Tony Abbott made in Indonesia last year that he would not tolerate anyone being given a "platform to grandstand against Indonesia" after West Papuan students had entered the Australian consulate in Bali.

This subtle, but pivotal change is likely down to one thing: Jokowi.

For decades Australian political leadership has turned a blind eye to the human rights abuses occurring on our doorstep in West Papua and successive Australian governments have failed to challenge what is effectively Indonesia's ban on journalists travelling to and reporting from West Papua. But such a position is hardly sustainable, when the new president himself has flagged these as issues he wants to tackle.

During the election campaign this year, Jokowi was the first presidential candidate to ever campaign in the Papuan provinces and he made very promising comments about ending the media ban.

He has since indicated that he will spend Christmas in Papua – a symbolically laden move for a Muslim president given Christianity is the dominant faith among the Melanesian Papuans – and wants to build a presidential residence in Papua.

Whether Jokowi can overcome the political old guard, which is likely to be well represented in his cabinet, remains to be seen. Or from a more cynical viewpoint, perhaps this is all merely manoeuvring from a populist politician.

Either way, the election of Jokowi presents Australia with a prime opportunity to revisit its relationship with Indonesia when it comes to human rights.

Jokowi has presented himself as a cleanskin, as someone who wants to do things differently. Bishop should jump at this chance and ensure Australia does things differently.

In addition to calling for the release of the two French journalists, Bishop should do more to support media freedom in West Papua in general and insist that human rights monitors and NGOs also be allowed in. Until this occurs, the world can only continue to assume the worst about why and how activists continue to die – like Marthinus Yowame who was found dead in a sack floating in the ocean in August.

Bishop and Defence Minister David Johnston should also review Australia's relationship with the Indonesian military.

When parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Treaties reviewed the Lombok treaty Australia signed with Indonesia in 2006, its bipartisan findings recommended the government "increase transparency in defence co-operation agreements to provide assurance that Australian resources do not directly or indirectly support human rights abuses in Indonesia".

It is simply unacceptable that adequate safeguards are not in place to ensure Australian money and resources are not supporting the worst human rights abusers.

Reports that Australia supports Indonesia's counter-terrorism unit, Detachment 88, should be of particular concern given the unit's alleged involvement in a number of human rights abuses – including the murder of West Papuan activists.

Australia has obligations under international law to conduct due diligence to identify the "risks and potential extraterritorial impacts of their laws, policies and practices on the enjoyment of human rights".

In the US, the Leahy Law attempts to ensure recipients of military aid are vetted by the State Department and Department of Defence. Australian legislators should explore how a similar mechanism might work here. There's obviously no magic-wand solution, but Australia can and should do more to reduce the risk of supporting people or units that commit gross violations of human rights.

It's time to start a serious discussion about what isn't currently working and to look at ways to avoid repeating the unprincipled mistakes of the past. Jokowi represents the best chance to date for such dialogue.

[Tom Clarke is director of communications at the Human Rights Law Centre.]

Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/dawn-of-the-joko-era-brings-opportunities-for-australia/story-e6frg6ux-1227095430357

Australia needs to talk human rights issues with Indonesia

Brisbane Times - October 20, 2014

Andreas Harsono – Prime Minister Tony Abbott had the opportunity to restart his "more Jakarta, less Geneva" foreign policy when he attended the inauguration of Indonesia's new president, Joko "Jokowi" Widodo yesterday. Abbott now also has a rare and vital opening to engage on human rights issues.

Such engagement is crucial for Australia to maintain a strong and sustainable bilateral relationship with its northern neighbour. Indonesia's human rights situation has deteriorated over the decade of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's presidency, and Australia can and should play an important role in encouraging Widodo to act quickly to end increasing abuses.

The alarming rise in religious intolerance and related violence in Indonesia should be a priority in Australia's engagement with Widodo and his government. Yudhoyono was reluctant to act against Islamist militants who attack religious minorities, or to revise discriminatory regulations. Those targeted include Muslim sects such as the Shia and the Ahmadiyah as well as Christians and adherents to nativist beliefs.

According to the Setara Institute, a non-profit think tank monitoring religious freedom, incidents of religious violence increased from 91 cases in 2007 to 220 cases in 2013. Widodo himself has made a good start by stating that he will protect the constitutional rights of the country's minorities.

Since 1963, successive Indonesian governments have blocked international media form visiting Papua – including Australian media – to allow only those foreign reporters who get special official permission. Two French reporters, detained in Papua since August 6 for "illegal reporting," are the most recent victims of Indonesia's Papua censorship obsession.

Widodo visited Papua on June 5 and told reporters that if elected president he would open access to Papua for foreign journalists and international organisations. On October 1, the Australian Senate passed a motion calling for Indonesia to release the two journalists as a sign of Jokowi's "commitment to a more open" Papua. Abbott should support Widodo's intention to lift restrictions on foreign journalists from freely reporting in Papua.

The Australian government should also support redress for Indonesia's many victims of abuses committed by government security forces over the years. Ten years ago, outspoken Indonesian human rights advocate Munir was murdered. Despite evidence implicating Indonesia's domestic intelligence agency, the masterminds of his killing have evaded justice. Munir is one of many victims of aculture of impunity rooted in Indonesia's three decades of authoritarian rule where successive Indonesian governments have failed to prosecute the worst offenders or provide redress.

Widodo has publicly committed to investigating the arrest, torture and enforced disappearance of dozens of pro-democracy activists by security forces in the dying months of the Suharto regime. The Australian government should impress upon Widodo that the rule of law requires a meaningful and transparent accounting of all serious abuses.

The Australian and Indonesian governments also have an opportunity to work together to address their mutual failings in respecting international standards of protection for refugees and asylum seekers.

In 2013, the Australian government introduced pernicious policies designed to deter asylum seekers, including mandatory offshore processing of asylum seekers arriving by boat, "enhanced screening" or fast-tracked deportations after cursory interviews, and withdrawing government-provided legal assistance to asylum seekers. Australian defence officials charged with the asylum-seeker response now regularly refuse to answer questions from journalists, citing vague "national security" concerns at the expense of the public's right to information.

The Indonesian government likewise has a dismal record in respecting the rights of migrant and asylum-seekers, including children. Hundreds of migrant and asylum-seeking children are detained every year in sordid conditions, without access to lawyers, and sometimes beaten. Others are left to fend for themselves, without any assistance with food or shelter.

The Australian government should respect its obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention, which it ratified in 1954. The Indonesian parliament should ratify the convention as soon as possible to ensure that refugees and asylum seekers, including children, receive the convention's protections.

Addressing Indonesia's human rights problems demands that President Widodo allocate no small amount of political capital and sustained political will. Abbott can play an important role in the success of those efforts by signalling his support for Widodo's moves to make universal rights a key part of his administration.

[Andreas Harsono is Indonesia researcher for Human Rights Watch.]

Source: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/comment/australia-needs-to-talk-human-rights-issues-with-indonesia-20141020-118k68.html

Yudhoyono's legacy: the great democratic leader who became a follower

Sydney Morning Herald - October 18, 2014

Michael Bachelard – Just a month ago, on the cusp of the end of his long term as Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono trended globally for several days on his beloved social media platform, Twitter.

"Shame on you SBY. The big liar!!! Thanks for 10 years wasting time," wrote @Skazie; "Dear Mr. President@SBYudhoyono thanks for showing us the real you. Just so that u know, we are #ShamedByYou," said@MikhaelaChan among tens of thousands of others.

The outrage was over SBY's Democratic Party clearing the parliamentary path for new laws that eliminated direct elections for all three lower levels of government in Indonesia.

The law was seen as a challenge to the country's democracy and an indirect attack on the popular president-elect Joko Widodo, who started as a regional mayor.

Yudhoyono (who was in the US at the time of the vote) responded with a Twitter flurry of his own – 38 tweets in 30 minutes – the gist being, "It's not my fault and I oppose the new law". Popular outrage redoubled.

The vote and SBY's response crystallised what millions of Indonesians now believe of their outgoing president: that he is an absent, dithering and self-regarding leader who would rather make grand speeches and bathe in global plaudits than focus on their country's pressing problems.

After 10 years in power, SBY is being booed off stage. Talk to senior Indonesians in the twilight of Yudhoyono's presidency and they express scathing disappointment.

"He eliminated the will of the president from the fabric of power... there was no alpha male in the government," Wimar Witoelar, a former spokesman for the fourth Indonesian president, Abdurrahman Wahid, told Fairfax Media.

"He's always afraid – he only wants to be praised for what he's doing," said Sofjan Wanandi, the chairman of the Employers' Association of Indonesia. "Everyone surrounding him have become yes men. Nobody wants to tell him the truth."

"He's susceptible to the wishes and demands of some of the most sleazy and corrupt members of his coalition," said a one-time cabinet minister.

This response was unthinkable in 2004 when Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, "the Thinking General," became Indonesia's first popularly elected president with a 61 per cent majority and huge optimism for the future. Still less in 2009, when he extended his mandate even further.

Even now his staunchest critics are not entirely negative. Ask if, in retrospect, they would have voted for any other candidate in either election, and most say no: "It's a mediocre record, but it's not an appalling one," Wimar says.

Crucial to understanding Yudhoyono's mixed legacy is the sharp distinction between his first term and his second.

In 2004, there was no certainty that Indonesia's democracy would even survive its birth. Dictator Suharto's ouster in 1998 had unleashed unfamiliar freedoms which, in the early chaotic days, saw East Timor win its independence and violent separatist or sectarian conflicts unleashed in Aceh and Maluku. Islamic radicalism was on the rise, while the long campaign for independence in West Papua simmered on.

In 1999, the most popular candidate, Megawati Sukarnoputri, had been denied the presidency only for her vanquisher, Wahid, to be impeached two years later. A tumultuous period of constitutional reform had thrown into question the whole bold concept of a single Indonesian state.

But Yudhoyono's election in 2004 with 33 per cent of the vote in the first round, and 61 per cent in the run-off against Megawati, proved immediately reassuring. "He toned down the acrimony in public; he made people feel good," Wimar says.

Perhaps Yudhoyono's greatest achievement, then, is to have consolidated Indonesia's democracy. The success and lack of violence of the 2014 presidential poll in which two populist candidates ran robust campaigns – and in the case of loser Prabowo Subianto, a testing post-campaign challenge – shows how deeply Indonesia's democratic habits took root under Yudhoyono.

His first term was marked by good luck and some good management. Driven by a commodity boom, the economy grew quickly – accelerating to 6.3 per cent in 2007 – and poverty fell, albeit slowly.

The Boxing Day tsunami just months after he was inaugurated was devastating, but Indonesia rebuilt quickly with international help. Better still, his administration seized the opportunity to negotiate an end to the bloody, 20-year separatist battle with Free Aceh Movement insurgents, GAM. A peace agreement was signed in Helsinki in 2005.

He engaged his former foes in East Timor, courting and mollifying its leaders, and forged a strong anti-terrorism police force. He consolidated the power of the anti-corruption commission, KPK, even as it cut a swath through the Jakarta elite – even, in 2008, arresting Bank Indonesia's former deputy governor, Aulia Pohan, the father of Yudhoyono's daughter-in-law.

"He never spoke for the KPK and never against it, even when it was eviscerating his cabinet and his party," a former minister tells Fairfax Media.

Yudhoyono burnished his image and performance in the international community, where he was regarded as a democrat and reformer. He travelled widely, selling the image of Indonesia to the world. Through their joint work against terrorism after the Bali bombings, he and Australian prime minister John Howard forged close ties. The Australian foreign policy establishment regards him as one of the best friends Australia had in the world.

"That was SBY at his best," says retired Lieutenant-General Agus Widjojo, a former comrade of Yudhoyono's and a military reformer.

But it was in this, his favoured arena, that Australia first glimpsed his hypersensitivity. In 2006 he withdrew his ambassador to Canberra for three months over Australia's decision to grant refugee status to 42 activists who'd escaped West Papua.

The move enlivened the unkillable Indonesian delusion that Australia wants an independent West Papua, and it fed widespread anti-Australian feeling. Yudhoyono simply bowed to the mob.

Domestically, Yudhoyono, though himself soft, had hard men around him. The hardest was vice-president Jusuf Kalla, known as JK, from the Golkar party (who has now taken a role as Joko Widodo's deputy).

Some analysts now credit JK with some of the first administration's biggest successes, including the Aceh peace deal: "There are times that JK took risks to come to a decision, which, maybe if that had gone to the president, wouldn't have been agreed upon," Agus says.

But Kalla's strength and power ruffled the president's feathers and threatened him. "JK was too strong... his body charge was too hard against SBY," Agus says.

Importantly, Yudhoyono's wife, Kristiani Yudhoyono, known as Ani, "always disliked Kalla for his direct style", according to a 2009 US embassy cable released on Wikileaks, and "Ani is very influential, making many of Yudhoyono's decisions".

When it came to the 2009 election, Yudhoyono spurned Kalla and found someone less confronting, the technocrat and academic, Boediono, as a running mate. That campaign was virtually the last that Indonesians saw of their new vice-president.

SBY's appeal, though, was unassailable. He won against all comers in 2009 with a crushing 61 per cent in the first round, avoiding the need for a run-off. He enjoyed a 75 per cent personal approval rating.

Starting in October 2009, his second term was Yudhoyono's alone to succeed or fail. According to ANU academic Greg Fealy, who has made a study of the Yudhoyono years, it was a turning point.

"The election itself had a powerful effect on his psychology. He felt it had elevated him to a unique place in history," Fealy says. Suddenly, a lifelong desire, forged by an unhappy childhood, to "become someone" was realised, and "a deep and cosseting self-satisfaction" overtook him.

"Stability" became a virtual obsession."The most liberal of democracies prioritise stability for their country so that their lives may be tranquil and their economy functioning," Yudhoyono opined recently.

To ensure his own tranquillity, SBY built a sprawling multi-party parliamentary coalition by granting ministries to people from across the political spectrum, no matter how venal or incompetent. He then exercised little, if any, authority over them.

He commissioned opinion polls for virtually every decision, according to Fealy, becoming "a follower rather than a leader". He employed staff whose job it was to seek out international honours for him to be awarded.

The hard men were still there, but not all had the national interest at heart. Businessman and minister Aburizal Bakrie, for example, kept his Golkar Party in line, but in 2010 forced the resignation of the talented and reformist finance minister, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who was trying to make Bakrie pay his companies' substantial back taxes.

"I was very disappointed in SBY," Wimar says. "It exemplified his attitude that would rather keep the peace in the coalition than stick his neck out. He is more loyal to his enemy than to his friends."

Sri Mulyani left the country to be a highly regarded managing director of the World Bank. Later, when a drilling operation of Bakrie's caused the world's biggest mud volcano to swamp villages in East Java, Yudhoyono paid much of the tab from the public purse.

Driven by the commodity boom, the economy kept growing at or slightly above 5 per cent, Indonesia became part of the G20 and was given an investment grade rating in 2012. Of all this, Yudhoyono said recently: "Indonesia has become one of the key players in the global economy".

A former minister, though, says he painted a more realistic picture when talking to investors: "We have lots of volcano eruptions, clashes, bomb explosions; you take the risk. We are a BBB minus country, you get what you pay for. We're quite corrupt," he recalls saying.

It became increasingly obvious that Indonesia should have been growing faster and distributing the wealth better. "The economy is holding up, but only just" said ANU Indonesia expert Hal Hill this year, because of "policy drift... a polite word for inaction".

Deplorable and degrading infrastructure – both social and economic – constrained growth. Manufacturing companies are desperate to invest in Indonesia's low labour-cost environment, and the country needs their money, but power demand now exceeds supply and the roads, particularly around Jakarta and its port, have become clogged. Only 4 per cent of GDP was spent during SBY's tenure to improve infrastructure.

Corruption, low pay and incompetence renders the Indonesian justice system unworthy of the name, and its bureaucracy virtually impenetrable. Only about 70 per cent of the police and military budgets are covered by the state, the rest comes from the (sometimes criminal) enterprises they run. Between 30 and 40 per cent of the economy remains under the control of state-owned enterprises, and there has been no move to privatise or reform them.

Indonesia spends a lower proportion of its economy on health than sub- Saharan Africa; 20 per cent of the national budget is mandated to go into education, but performance is declining; 43 per cent of the population earns less than $2 per day and the Gini coefficient, which measures inequality, is rising fast. The rich take a growing proportion of the spoils generated by digging up or cutting down national resources, then they fly to Singapore to see the doctor.

Yudhoyono said little or nothing as religious minorities were being persecuted and sometimes killed. Yet last year he flew to New York to accept a global religious tolerance award.

After eight years of solemn pledges at global confabs to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 41 per cent, Indonesia's tropical deforestation rate (and the approaching extinction of unique species) kept increasing and, in 2011, overtook Brazil's to become the world's worst.

He has visited his easternmost territory of West Papua just three times in a decade, and never engaged deeply with the issues of poverty and disenfranchisement that fuel separatism.

Even in international relations, SBY's strongest suit, there are questions about what he's actually achieved. The 2006 withdrawal of the ambassador from Australia was followed by the same move in 2013 over the spying issue – this time the envoy stayed home for six months.

"I think it's very irresponsible for SBY to have done it twice," says former intelligence analyst Ken Ward. "It means if a future president takes offence, he's likely to go one step further... He's raised the bar high for his successors."

His failure to stop local elections being abolished has most raised the ire of local activists, but Yudhoyono's other parting shot will leave at least as damaging a legacy.

Successor Joko Widodo asked him in August to use his final weeks in office to cut the country's budget-crippling fuel subsidy. It would have allowed the newcomer more fiscal room to manoeuvre, and as importantly, saved him from wasting early political capital on a deeply unpopular petrol price rise.

Yudhoyono, who had nothing to lose but some of his remaining popularity, refused. "He told me, 'Now is not the right time,'" Jokowi reported after their meeting.

Ten years in power and it was still not the right time for SBY to make a stand.

Achievements

Consolidated democracy

5.7 per cent average economic growth
Peace and rebuilding of Aceh after tsunami
Consolidated anti-corruption commission, even as it was tearing apart his own party
Strong anti-terrorism record
Credible figure on global stage
Good, if rocky, relationship with Australia
Began bureaucratic, military, police reform
Press freedom

Failures

Indecisiveness, sense of national drift
Little infrastructure spending
Little attempt to fix national budget by winding back wasteful fuel subsidies
Bureaucratic, military, police, judicial reform stalled
Poor tax collection
Health, education outcomes poor
Parliament and other institutions corrupt
Weak law enforcement
Environment/deforestation (big talk, no action)
Insufficient attention to West Papua
Growing religious intolerance (little law enforcement)
Human rights: proposed truth and reconciliation commissions, apologies, but never followed up
Allowed passage of anti-democratic laws last month

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/susilo-bambang-yudhoyonos-legacy-the-great-democratic-leader-who-became-a-follower-20141016-116tdc.html

Equity for sustainable growth

Jakarta Post Editorial - October 17, 2014

Outgoing Deputy Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro has suggested that the incoming government of president-elect Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and vice president-elect Jusuf Kalla prioritize policy measures that can effectively reduce income inequality.

The recommendation was made because the average annual economic growth of almost 6 percent under the outgoing government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono between 2005 and 2013 was marred by a widening income gap, as indicated by the rising Gini coefficient ratio from 0.35 to 0.41 (with one reflecting perfect inequality).

Increasing inequality has not only occurred among the people. The geographical distribution of the gross domestic product (GDP) growth also showed a yawning disparity in that the country's most-developed and densely populated island of Java accounted for 57.8 percent of GDP.

Another worrisome trend concerned the poor quality of growth, as the highest growth mostly took place in the service sector, covering financial, trading, transportation and communication services, which did not generate many jobs. Labor intensive sectors such as manufacturing and agriculture remained the laggards, growing slower than the GDP expansion rate.

Hence, we think the best way to fight inequality in the short run is to provide good jobs for working-class households and ensure through progressive taxation and corrective distribution that workers receive their fair share of the value of the output they produce. The government should fix the distributional problems that have allowed those at the top to capture more than their fair share of income.

The incoming Jokowi administration should expand the affirmative programs of the Yudhoyono administration that have been designed to increase the income of the poorest segment of the people and to enhance a more equitable asset ownership.

For example, national community-driven empowerment programs in subdistricts have contributed greatly to reducing poverty in rural and urban areas.

The government should ensure that Bank Indonesia's ruling – requiring commercial banks to allocate at least 20 percent of their total lending to small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) – is properly implemented. This requirement has been imposed to give SMEs easier access to credit financing.

Another affirmative program requiring quicker implementation is the regulation that requires plantation firms to serve as development agents for smallholders in their areas, as this cooperation arrangement in financing, processing and marketing has proven to be effective in enhancing a more equitable distribution of income.

Jokowi should also deliver his campaign promise to increase investment in the agricultural sector by expanding irrigation networks, helping farming extension workers to provide better services to farmers.

Such affirmative programs cannot serve as the driving force behind high growth but are necessary to secure socially and politically sustainable growth in the long run.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/17/editorial-equity-sustainable-growth.html