Frantic Last-Minute Move

Eventually President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono agrees that the criminal case involving the two KPK leaders should not go to court. There is a maneuver to get Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah to resign.

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THE seven leaders of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrived at the Wisma Negara (State House) on Jalan Merdeka Utara, Central Jakarta, in a little hurry. In addition to the three acting officials and two KPK leaders on active duty, the two suspended KPK deputy chairmen—Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra Hamzah—were also asked to come along. On that particular day, Monday afternoon last week, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono suddenly asked to meet with the seven of them at the State Palace.

“The President wanted to hear the KPK’s input,” said the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal & Security Affairs, Djoko Suyanto, last week. In addition to Djoko, Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi and Minister of Justice & Human Rights, Patrialis Akbar, also accompanied Yudhoyono.

Six hours after the meeting at 7:30pm the President was scheduled to deliver a speech about his reaction to the Team of Eight’s recommendations. As widely reported by the media, the team wants the case of alleged extortion and abuse of power with which the police charged Bibit and Chandra to be dropped. They consider that the evidence and witnesses as stated in the case dossier are weak.

The President told the KPK leaders his plan to carry out the Team of Eight’s recommendations. “I don’t want this to continue to drag on,” he affirmed. The President’s statement was received with a big smile. “We’re very supportive,” said acting KPK Chairman Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean.

Chandra and Bibit were most relieved. Chandra told Yudhoyono he did not hold grudges against anybody over the conspiracy. “I’ve forgiven all of them,” said Chandra as quoted by Patrialis Akbar.

When seeing his visitors to the door after the meeting, Yudhoyono whispered to Chandra, “Be strong.” Pointing at Chandra, the President said to other KPK leaders, “Pak Chandra is very patient.” Patrialis Akbar admitted it was a very amicable meeting. “Yes, [the atmosphere of] the meeting was very good,” confirmed Patrialis.

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Govt eyes 46 percent growth in oil and gas infrastructure

The government announced Tuesday its long-term oil and gas management road map, revealing its ambitious target to attract US$31.2 billion in investment for oil and gas infrastructure between 2010 and 2014.

Of the figure, 69.49 percent or $21.68 billion is targeted for investment in gas facilities, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas, LPG refineries, receiving terminals and residential pipeline networks.

The remaining 30.51 percent or $9.52 billion is for oil facilities, including refineries and rigs.
In 2010, the government is targeting $2.94 billion of oil and gas infrastructure investment while in 2011 it is expected to increase this by 7.99 percent to $3.18 billion.

The government is looking at  2013 as the peak year for investment in oil and gas infrastructure during the period. With a target of $ 10.57 billion, this would represent more than double the level of investment in the previous year, at $ 4.32 billion.

The investment target is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 46 percent from 2010 to 2014.

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House, ulema push for anti-smoking laws

The continued might of Indonesia’s far-reaching tobacco industry is being questioned, with the House of Representatives and an influential ulema group calling for anti-smoking laws.

Legislator Atte Sugandi of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party said Monday a bill being pushed for deliberation by the House would curb tobacco-related advertising, promotions, sponsorships, production and sales.

“Once it is passed into law, there will be no retail cigarette sales for students,” he said on the sidelines of a seminar on tobacco farmers.

The House will set up a special committee before the year’s end to deliberate the bill, a move that has been delayed for three years.

“We expect to pass the bill before our term ends next year,” Atte said of the draft, which has 87 articles.

“We are extremely worried about the recent development as most activities ranging from sports to education are sponsored by tobacco companies. They also sponsor students who want to pursue master’s degrees at the University of Indonesia, which is extremely dangerous,” he said.

He blamed the government’s poor monitoring and law enforcement for the excessive cigarette advertising.

Deputy chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Ma’ruf Amin said ulema from across the country would gather in a West Sumatra town in January next year to discuss the issue of smoking.

“We have so far received many opinions from Muslims about smoking. Many ask the MUI to issue an edict banning Muslims from smoking, some others reject the idea,” said Ma’ruf, who heads the fatwa commission.

“It’s a tough issue to deal with, therefore we will handle it with care.”

Anti-smoking groups have repeatedly called on the government to take measures to reduce cigarette consumption in the country.

The government has rejected the request, citing the millions of jobs that would be at stake in the sector.

A recent survey by the University of Indonesia’s (UI) School of Economics shows that tobacco farmers earn Rp 413,347 on average per month, far lower than the average minimum monthly wage of Rp 883,693.

“We found that 65 percent of the surveyed tobacco farmers wanted to shift jobs to become (rice) paddy farmers or vendors. So, the government’s argument is wrong, only a few people benefit from tobacco,” UI researcher Abdillah Ahsan said.

By Adianto P. Simamora
Source : The Jakarta Post

Blogger named as suspect for defaming lawmaker

Jakarta Police have named a blogger, who is also a journalist at Tempo magazine, as a suspect for allegedly maligning a lawmaker in an article posted on an Internet Web log.

The blogger, Narliswandi Piliang, had said a lawmaker had accepted a bribe in conjunction with an attempted cover-up of a House of Representatives probe.

Narliswandi told tempointeraktif.com he had learned he was a suspect in the case from a police investigator but had not yet received any formal notification from the police.

Narliswandi said he would cooperate with the police and their investigation. “I will come down to their offices if they need me. I won’t avoid a police summons.”

According to the law, Narliswandi could serve up to six years in prison or could be fined Rp 1 billion (US$100,000) if found guilty.

The defamation case started when Narliswandi allegedly posted an article “Hoyak Tabuik dan Soekanto” (Hoyak Tabuik and Soekanto), on the Web site presstalk.info. In the story Narliswandi said Alvin Lie, a lawmaker from the National Mandate Party, had accepted money from coal producer PT Adaro so the House would cancel a probe into questionable circumstances surrounding the company’s initial public offering.

The story was later reposted on several Web sites, and distributed to the e-mail list of Kompas Readers’ Forum.

Source : The Jakarta Post

Bung Tomo, Natsir named national heroes

In an apparent bid to promote national reconciliation, the government on Friday named freedom fighter Sutomo and former prime minister Mohammad Natsir national heroes.

The government also awarded hero status to the former chairman of the Indonesian Islamic Community (Persatuan Islam Indonesia), Abdul Halim.

Sutomo, better known as Bung Tomo, led a heroic fight against British troops in Surabaya on Nov. 10, 1945 — a day that was eventually declared Heroes Day. A former minister and military general, Bung Tomo was jailed from 1978 to 1979 for his criticism of then president Soeharto.

Natsir, founder of the Islamic-based party Masjumi, once led a rebellion launched by the Indonesian Republic Revolutionary Government (PRRI) as disappointment settled in nationwide over the government of then president Sukarno in the late 1950s.

Sutomo died in 1981, and Natsir in 1993. There have been constant demands since their deaths that the government recognize the two prominent figures as national heroes.

Last week, hundreds of youths in Surabaya signed a petition urging the government to immediately grant Sutomo national hero status.

“The truth will always prevail, and there it is,” Sutomo’s widow Sulistina, 82, said after receiving the Mahaputera Adipradana Medal from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in a ceremony at the State Palace.

Social Services Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah denied allegations the government had deliberately delayed granting the awards to Sutomo and Natsir. He said it was up to the Hero Assessment Agency, under his ministry’s supervision, to nominate people for national hero status upon recommendation from provincial administrations.

Historian Anhar Gonggong said both Sutomo and Natsir deserved the awards because of their meritorious dedication to the state, regardless of their critical stand on the government.

“What the government is doing now is giving room to review history,” Anhar said on the sidelines of the ceremony.

He said the awards conferred on Sutomo and Natsir were an attempt to promote national reconciliation.

President Yudhoyono also granted the Mahaputera Utama Medal to Petta Lolo La Sinrang, a freedom fighter from the former Sawitto kingdom in South Sulawesi.

Film director Wahyu Sihombing and writer Marah Rusli each received the Budaya Parama Dharma Medal.

By Desy Nurhayati
Source : The Jakarta Post

Indonesia to develop horticultural zones to boost exports

The government is set to develop horticultural zones to support agrobusiness and serve the domestic market, an academic said in Denpasar, Bali, on Thursday.

“Efforts have been undertaken within the last five years by way of rehabilitating existing plots and developing new ones,” Dean of Agricultural Technology of Udayana University in Bali Bambang Admadi said, as quoted by Kompas.com.

The efforts, he said, were spearheaded by the Agriculture Ministry’s Horticulture Directorate.

Bambang said there were no less than 1.7 hectares of horticultural land already being developed in 66 regions accross Indonesia.

“The results have so far been positive. We have had a steady 10 percent increase of fruit harvest per year,” he said, adding that such growth had allowed the country to produce 14,313,101 tonnes of fruit per year.

Vegetables followed closely with an average growth rate of 5.4 percent or 9,011,417 tonnes annually.

Despite positive trends, Bambang argued that the level of the country’s production was still not sufficient when compared to the exports of neighboring countries.

“The value of Indonesia’s current horticultural export is merely 0.6 percent with a total output of 345,642 tonnes,” he said. “This pales in comparison to other countries in Asia and Australia.”

Source : The Jakarta Post

ABG race official stranded on unknown island

Asian Beach Games (ABG) British jetski race director Jeremy Holland is reportedly stranded on an unknown island.

“I managed to get through to him by cellphone, but he said he did not know where he was,” Grace, an ABG official, told Kompas.com Saturday morning.

“He then said he was thirsty,” she said, adding that the contact was made Friday evening.

Meanwhile, search and rescue officers continue the search with the help of the Bali Police cyber crime unit in tracing the location of the call.

“The exact location is still unknown as the connection of the call was not that clear,” a Bali police officer said.

Holland reportedly went missing when he and three other jetski race judges took off to Lembongan for a jetski ride.

He is thought to have lost his way enroute back to Tanjung Benoa beach, one of the ABG locations.

Source : The Jakarta Post

Conservationists Reject Plan to turn Nusa Barong into a Tourist Site

Jember Nature Conservation Center (BKSDA) rejected plans of the regency administration to turn Nusa Barong Island into a tourist destination. They said the uninhabited island locating 4,5 kilometer in the Puger coast in Southern Jember is a nature conservation area.

“If they want to change the status of the island, they must get authorization permission from the Forestry Minister and the House of Representatives (DPR),” said East Java BKSDA chief, Abdullah Efendi Abbas yesterday.

Abdullah said he was shocked to hear the regent’s plan to turn Nusa Barong Island as a tourist site for national and international visitors. “We, as the island’s manager and people in charge, were never informed,” he said.

Yet, at the end of 2007, the BKSDA sent a map and regulations covering nature conservation areas to all provincial executive chiefs, including the Jember regent. “This is intended to anticipate such conflicts,” Abdullah said.

Jember regent M.Z.A. Djalal revealed his plans to change the island’s status last week, following his visit to Nusa Barong island together with Puger sub-district head Wahyudi Abdullah and members of the leaders of the executive council. Djalal also brought along two prospective investors to the island. None of the BKSDA members were invited to come along.

Until this report went to print, Djalal could not be contacted.

Sub-district chief Wahyudi, who accompanied regent Djalal’s group, confirmed the plan. According to him, development on the nature conservation area will begin next year.

However, he said, so far there has been no agreement between the investors and Jember regent over the area’s development. “There are also interested investors coming from Surabaya, Canada, and China,” he said.

By Mahbub Djunaidy
Source : TEMPO Interactive

Tourists inaugurated as Bali’s `kings, queens’

As many as 12 tourists had crowning moments when they were inaugurated as Baliandduring an event organized as part of the Kuta Carnival on Wednesday.

Wearing Balinese traditional attire, the tourists were crowned and warmly welcomed as kings and queens after presenting their comments about the resort island on stage at the Kuta Carnival compound.

On stage, the tourists were asked to honor the Balinese people before making their speeches. Each of them was given around five minutes to perform.

After each performance, a group of judges commented on the candidate’s appearance and their speeches.

“I just love Bali and the Balinese. That is why I keep coming to this place. For me, you never have a bad day because you always throw your best smile at us,” Hans Barkmeijer of the Netherlands said on stage.

It was Barkmeijer third visit to Bali and yet he said the island and its people never failed to mesmerize him.

Natasha, an Australian tourist, said she admired the island’s beautiful scenery and the Balinese’s culture.

“The rather short distance between here and Australia has made me want to visit this place from time to time,” said Natasha, who, with her friends, had stayed for three weeks on the resort island.

Before performing, the nominees surrendered to a painstaking process of professional makeup application, which lasted for at least three hours.

The tourists actually sacrificed a lot as they dressed in the scorching heat and annoying humidity.

Most of the candidates were registered by the hotels they were staying at. Some voluntarily registered a few hours before the contest begun.

I Made Supatra Karang, one of the judges, said that contest was a gesture to welcome the tourists choosing to visit the island.

“We want to treat them more than just the usual tourists. This is what the festival is all about, to warmly welcome them,”he said.

Featuring 33 activities varying from culinary exhibitions to a traditional wrestling competition, this year Kuta Carnival was organized for tourists to enjoy their stay just that little bit more. The carnival, which kicked off last Saturday, will last until Oct. 26, 2008.

The judges announced their favorite king and queen.

“We make our choice based on the performance and candidates’ comments on stage,” he told The Jakarta Post.

Jules Toelanie from the Netherlands was crowned this year’s Carnival king and Ashley Greavef from Auatralia, Carnival queen.

“All that matters for me is enjoying the vacation,” Jules said. Jules Toelanie, who came to Bali with his wife Ritie, said Bali provided them with a memorable holiday and inspiration.

“My wife Ritie is a painter and she is the one who is able to capture the inspiration the most while we stay here,” Jules said.

“Dozens of paintings about Bali and its sceneries have been created and right now are stored safely in our house,”Ritie added.

Ritie said she was never bored on the island because she found new inspiration every visit.

By Dicky Christanto and Luh De Suriyani
Source : The Jakarta Post

Jakarta to host “Pesta Blogger” on Saturday

Information and Communication Minister Mohammad Nuh said on Wednesday that Jakarta would host this year’s national blogger gathering on Saturday, heralding the theme “Blogging for Society”.

Nuh said the event was to be titled Pesta Blogger 2008 and would be held in the BPPT II building on Jl M.H. Thamrin, Central Jakarta. Nuh added that the gathering would be attended by the U.S. ambassador to Indonesia Cameron R. Hume.

“To establish an information-based society, we need creativity. Events like this undoubtedly give people room to express themselves,” Nuh said, as quoted by kompas.com.

The event’s administrative chairman, Wicaksono, said bloggers from across Indonesia would participate, and that his team expected to double the attendance levels seen at last year’s gathering.

“We hope this event will make a positive contribution to society,” Wicaksono said.

Source : The Jakarta Post