One of the Pacific's smaller island states, Vanuatu stands taller than the larger nations with its consistent, principled stand on social justice, parliamentary democracy and corruption.

Where other countries have fallen short, Vanuatu has punched well above its weight, holding its leaders to account and going beyond its borders to call on foreign leaders act justly.

For more than 30 years – since independence and the leadership of Father Walter Lini – this former condominium has called for self-determination in West Papua. Its parliamentarians have marched in the streets to show Jakarta their displeasure over the failure of successive Indonesian governments to address human rights abuses carried out on Papuans by members of the security forces.

Papuan dissidents have been welcomed with open arms and the people of Vanuatu have embraced their cause in the name of Melanesian solidarity. The same cannot be said of its larger neighbours and Melanesian brothers – Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

Despite having greater influence with Indonesia, Fiji and PNG have chosen to acquiesce to diplomatic overtures and turn a blind eye to human rights abuses in Papua. They have taken the convenient step of labelling systematic genocide and arbitrary arrest as internal matters.

Source: http://www.islandsbusiness.com/ibi/component/k2/item/1446-vanuatu-standing-above-the-rest

President Widodo did not discuss human rights violation during Papua visit

Tabloid JUBI - January 7, 2016

Victor Mambor, Wamena, Jubi – President Joko Widodo's visit to Papua in late December 2015 failed to address the issue of human rights violations, rights activist and religious leader Pastor Jhon Djonga said.

Djonga, the religious leader in the Papua Central Highlands, said the president's visit on 30 December failed to live up to his promise during his previous visit for campaigning in Papua to tackle rights issues.

"He talked about the development and infrastructure issues as promised and it was discussed during his visit in Wamena and other locations. I highly appreciate that he was very eager to build and develop Papua, but a little disappointed because he didn't address the human right violations that occurred in Papua," Father Djonga told reporters in Wamena on Tuesday (5/1/2015).

He said Widodo did not address many related issues of human rights violation during his visit to Papua, such as the unstable prices of goods that people experienced in the Central Highland, a number of mortality among people including children because of disease, the national program that is not suitable for Papuans, as well as the business opportunity that not taking sides to Papuans.

"Arbitrarily violence by security forces, Papuans arrested and accused as separatist, democratic space shut down, intimidation towards journalists, Tolikara case that only resulted suspects from citizens while the shooting perpetrators never been investigated, Paniai case that was drowned and many cases could not be answered by president," he said.

Therefore he and other human rights activists urged the President Widodo to enforce the relevant minister to work hard to resolve the existing human rights cases, and the government to guarantee no longer human rights violation, to resolve the human rights violation cases impartially, to guarantee the freedom of press to make coverage, to guarantee people to express their voice, to investigate the cases of human rights violation thoroughly and to ensure all law enforcement and security operations could be transparent and accountable in its implementation.

"Hopefully people's aspirations on human rights issues could be answered by Mr. President because if not him, to whom people could talk about this injustice," he said.

Meanwhile, during in Wamena, the President Joko Widodo observed the road construction in Kenyam Village, Nduga Regency, which is one of the most isolated regions in Papua.

Besides being isolated, the road connecting Nduga and Wamena is located in the red zone or categorized as high-risk security area. The road construction is expected to improve this region. "Therefore, the road access is a must. The distribution of goods should be done and the prices must be cheaper," Jokowi as cited from the release issued by Presidential Communication Team on Thursday, 31 December 2015. Widodo is targeting the road could be completed next year.

According to him, the conflict resolution in the isolated area is not always done through security approach, but regional development could be alternative solution, he said. "All roads in Papua should be connected in 2018," he said.

In addition to road facility in Nduga Regency, the government also would build a large seaport in Mumugu. The construction of seaport is expected to ensure the distribution of logistics and goods in that area to be better. (Islami/dominggus/rom)

Source: http://tabloidjubi.com/eng/president-widodo-did-not-discuss-human-rights-violation-during-papuas-visit/

Hundreds of Papuans hide in the woods after the death of TNI officer

Jakarta Post - January 7, 2016

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Hundreds of villagers in Mamberamo Raya in Papua have fled into the woods to live as they fear the Indonesian Military (TNI) will blame them for the death of an officer last year, a regional lawmaker said on Thursday.

A member of the Papuan House of Representatives (DPRP) Tan Wei Long said that at least 120 families from three villages – Namunaweja, Anggreso and Kasonaweja all in Mamberamo Raya regency – had fled into the forest in early December. The villagers were afraid of being arrested after the murder of Maj. John De Fretes by a group of people suspected of being part of an armed group in Namunaweja village in Mamberamo Tengah subdistrict on Nov. 30, 2015.

"They are afraid of being arrested for involvement in the criminal act. It [the murder] was carried out by rogue individuals, but they are scared of being dragged into the case so they ran away into the woods," he said in Jayapura on Thursday.

During the DPRP's recess, Tan visited Memberamo Raya to meet with local officials, religious and community leaders as well as local security officers to discuss ways to persuade the 120 families to return to their village.

"All parties have agreed to use the persuasive approach with the people hiding in the forest," he said.

Separately, Papua's Indonesian Christian Church's (GKI) Rev. Albert Yoku urged the local government and security officers to find a solution soon considering that the villagers had been living in rough conditions in the forest for more than a month.

"The forest in Mamberamo Raya is not suitable for humans to live in. There are many leeches and not much food in the forest. They could starve," he said.

Yoku also urged that a persuasive approach be used to convince the villagers to return to their homes. He said that if the government did not take immediate action, it would cause other problems such as health issues and the children skipping school.

He suggested that the authorities search the forest carefully as the villagers were spread out in several locations in the forest.

Maj. John was shot dead by an armed group in late November after he visited Namunaweja upon hearing that a military wing of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) led by Cosmos Makabori had approached local villagers. He was accompanied by subordinates Lance Corp. Affan and Lance Corp.

Simon Sopacua to meet with the villagers. However, as they arrived in Namunaweja, they were suddenly attacked by a group of people. John, who was also a local pastor, was tortured and shot with his own pistol by a member of the group while the two officers managed to escape.

Police have not identified the perpetrator. After his death, the TNI promoted him to lieutenant colonel and covered the education costs of two of his children. (rin)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/07/hundreds-papuans-hide-woods-after-death-tni-officer.html

Sinak community declares its opposition to OPM

Jakarta Post - January 7, 2016

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The community in Sinak district has declared its opposition to the presence of the National Liberation Army/Free Papua Movement (TPN/OPM), a Papuan separatist group, and will impose customary sanctions against residents who are found accommodating or harboring the rebels.

The declaration was made, according to Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw, because the community in Sinak are tired of disturbances, especially the attack and murder of security personnel.

"The community there strongly object to the group's presence and will not allow members to enter their villages. Residents are now guarding their villages and helping authorities to locate and capture the perpetrators who shot and killed three members of the Sinak District Police," Paulus said on Wednesday.

First approved by tribal chief Daibenus Murib and religious leader Zakarias Tabuni and witnessed by Sinyo and Sinak District Military Command chief First Let. Yusuf Rumi, the declaration letter was handed to Waterpauw by the 12 village chiefs and Sinak District Police Second Insp. Sinyo R. Walean.

"If any of the residents of the 12 villages in Sinak district are found to be harboring, providing food or providing the TPN/OPM rebels with a place to stay, we, on behalf of the residents of the 12 villages, will impose customary fines," reads part of the declaration statement.

The Sinak District Police station was attacked by 25 members of the armed civilian group on Dec. 26, 2015. Three police officers were killed while two others were injured. The group also managed to seize seven firearms and a box of ammunition.

Waterpauw was in Sinak on Tuesday to provide support to the security personnel who have been conducting the manhunt and providing food aid to local residents.

The manhunt, added Paulus, was being conducted in order to accelerate the capture of the armed civilian group. He said that the Papua Police will cooperate with Cenderawasih Military Command chief Maj. Gen. Hinsa to develop a strategy for the manhunt.

Paulus has asked for community-wide support to help capture members of the group who have caused unrest among residents and disturbed development in Sinak.

"Residents don't have to lift arrows against the group, but simply guard the area and report their presence to authorities," he said.

Papua legislative speaker Yunus Wonda expressed a similar stance, asking that the community cease to show support for the armed group.

Papua People's Assembly chairman Matius Murib expressed a similar sentiment, saying that the actions taken by the criminal group had not made the people of Papua prosperous but instead interrupted development and thus reinforced poverty.

"People have long yearned for development, but the group continues to create disturbances. How can people benefit from development, like other people, if such security disturbance continues?" said Murib.

Murib urged the community to work together with the authorities to expel the group from their region. "Just provide the authorities with information. Residents don't have to fight because information is adequate. The security personnel will face the rebels," said Murib.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/07/sinak-community-declares-its-opposition-opm.html

West Papua activist questions credibility of Indonesia's head of police

Radio New Zealand International - January 7, 2016

A prominent West Papua independence activist has questioned the credibility of the head of Indonesia's police over claims made against him that were later retracted.

Last week, Badrodin Haiti was reported by media of accusing Benny Wenda, who lives in exile in Britain, of organising an attack against Indonesian police officers in West Papua.

Mr Wenda denied the claims, and Mr Haiti later said he never mentioned Mr Wenda's name or suggested he was responsible for organising the shooting of a police officer in Senak.

In a statement, Mr Wenda says Mr Haiti has been caught lying, which he suggests raises questions about what statements other police and military officials in West Papua are able to get away with.

He also says he was indirectly threatened by the head of the country's intelligence agency, Sutiyoso, who told media that 'dark methods' would be used against him if he refused to cooperate.

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/293660/west-papua-activist-questions-credibility-of-indonesia's-head-of-police

Church leaders denounce killings in Papua

UCA News - January 5, 2016

Benny Mawel, Abepura – Protestant and Catholic leaders in Indonesia's easternmost province of Papua have denounced a series of killings that occurred last month and have urged an end to the violence in the troubled region.

The first incident occurred Dec. 1 when four separatists were allegedly tortured and shot to death by Indonesian security officers on Yapen Island. In another killing, a Papuan was allegedly shot dead by a soldier on Dec. 20 in Keerom district, which borders Papua New Guinea.

The Rev. Socratez Sofyan Yoman, chairman of the Communion of Baptist Churches in Papua, expressed concerned about the shootings. "These shootings are ignoble acts and cruel crimes. We denounce such incidents. (The government) must end them," he told ucanews.com on Jan. 2.

Yoman added that on Dec. 8, 2014, four students were killed -� and many others injured -� when security forces opened fire on a crowd of Papuans who were protesting the beating of a child, allegedly by soldiers.

"All those shootings are part of the state's intelligence operations because they want to get a reaction. The state wants to label Papuans as criminals and separatists," Yoman said.

Father Neles Tebay, coordinator of the Papua Peace Network, said the shootings are a clear indication of the unresolved conflict between the Indonesian government and indigenous West Papuans, particularly those who support the Free Papua Movement.

Father Tebay, also rector of the Fajar Timur School of Philosophy and Theology in Abepura, said such shootings have been part of the circle of violence that has been evident since Papua was made part of Indonesia in 1962.

"Violence is paid with violence," said Father Tebay, adding that the Indonesian government and the Free Papua Movement should instead join in dialogue to find a solution to the conflict.

Andreas Harsono, an Indonesian researcher for New York-based Human Rights Watch, said that the Indonesian police must conduct a thorough investigation into the shootings.

"But the Indonesian police must be careful in conducting the investigation, so as to prevent legal violations during the process," said Harsono.

"It commonly happens in Papua, where security forces – because of emotion – fail to work professionally. As a result, innocent people become victims," he said.

Police officers killed

Three police officers also were shot dead by a group of armed men stealing weapons and ammunition from Sinak Police Station in Puncak district on Dec. 26. Harsono, said the Free Papua Movement and Lekhaka Telenggen, who is chief of the rebel group in that area, have claimed responsibility for these shootings.

Papua Police Chief Inspector Gen. Paulus Waterpauw said that all of these shootings are under investigation.

"For the shootings of police officers, we keep hunting down the perpetrators. Also, we are still dealing with the other cases," he told ucanews.com.

[Additional reporting by ucanews.com reporters in Jakarta.]

Source: http://www.ucanews.com/news/church-leaders-denounce-killings-in-papua/74875

Government to take 'soft approach' in Papua

Jakarta Post - January 5, 2016

Ina Parlina, Jakarta – The government said on Monday that it would prioritize a soft approach in addressing separatism, including by engaging in negotiation and dialogue, as well as the possibility of granting clemency and unconditional release to political prisoners.

However, it added that it may still take a hard approach met with resistance.

The instruction to use a soft approach was issued by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo during a plenary Cabinet meeting on Monday.

"A soft approach will always be the priority of the government, since we believe that a soft approach is better than other means," Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said after the meeting at the State Palace.

Pramono added the government would implement a similar mechanism to that used in handling the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), including the chance of granting amnesty and unconditional release, as stated in a 2005 presidential decree.

"The pattern used for resolving [issues related to] GAM, in line with Presidential Decree No. 22/2005 [on amnesty and unconditional release for GAM members], will be implemented in various regions," Pramono said.

"However, if it is not possible because there are differences in terms of [political] views, including an intention to separate from the country, then the government will keep using a hard approach," Pramono added.

National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti said the President had indeed made the call to adopt the soft approach used in handling the GAM issue to settle separatism in other areas, including Papua, adding that Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan had been tasked with assessing whether granting amnesty was possible.

"Such a pattern was able to solve violence in Aceh," Badrodin said. "However, if it is used to no avail and [a person] still carries out violence, stern action will be needed."

In May, during his second visit to Papua, Jokowi said the release of political prisoners incarcerated in Jayapura was only the beginning. At the time, Jokowi granted clemency to five prisoners as part of efforts to foster peace in the restive province.

"There will be a follow-up by granting clemency or amnesty to other [political prisoners] in other regions," the President said, referring to around 90 political prisoners incarcerated nationwide.

Jokowi has also called on security personnel to promote dialogue with Papuan people in order to build mutual trust, saying he wanted to change the repressive security approach of the past to a development and welfare approach.

The move sparked mixed responses from activists, with some expressing doubt over how Jokowi's administration would follow up.

Budi Hernawan, a research fellow at the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM), criticized the government for using a security-oriented approach in Papua instead of a social approach. According to Budi, building mutual trust was indeed the key to addressing the Papua issue.

"Mutual trust is essential. Papuan people want to have dialogue with the central government. However, the two sides interpret dialogue differently," he said on Sunday, adding that Papuans wanted a way to freely voice their aspirations, including political aspirations, where they could also discuss past human rights abuse cases in Papua.

According to Budi, assigning the coordinating political, legal and security affairs minister to handle issues in Papua instead of the coordinating human development and culture minister or coordinating economic minister showed the government was still taking a security-oriented approach.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/05/govt-take-soft-approach-papua.html

Sutiyoso's approach could be replicated in Papua: Observer

Antara News - January 5, 2016

Jakarta – The approach adopted by State Intelligence Agency (BIN) Chief Sutiyoso to handle the Din Minimi-led armed rebel group in Aceh could be implemented in Papua, University of Indonesias political observer, Arbi Sanit, stated here, Tuesday.

"This is the first time that the state is adopting a peaceful approach and dialog to counter separatism in the country," he pointed out.

The repressive approach earlier adopted by security forces has proven to be wrong and ineffective in solving conflicts.

On the other hand, the action taken by the BIN chief tends to be more political and considered to be a win-win solution as it provides space and opportunity to the opponent to engage in a dialog.

Moreover, the BIN, as the representative of the state, also provides what is needed by the rebel group. "As long as they do not ask for something that could harm the country's integrity, I think it will be wise to fulfill it," Sanit stated.

Peaceful approach and dialog should be adopted against separatist groups in Papua who have threatened the country's security and integrity for years. "I hope Sutiyoso also goes to Papua and finds a solution to the conflict there," Sanit affirmed.

In the process of delivering a peaceful solution, he suggested the government to involve international bodies as witnesses and mediators.

Specifically in Papua, Sanit has urged the government to involve a party that could represent the US government as the United States is concerned about the security situation in Papua in connection with its mining company, Freeport. (Reporting by Indriani)

Source: http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/102345/sutiyosos-approach-could-be-replicated-in-papua-observer

Papua has highest number of election disputes: Constitutional Court

Jakarta Post - January 5, 2016

Jakarta – Papua has lodged the most regional head election dispute claims with the Constitutional Court, a court official has said.

"The highest number of requests for the handling of disputes on the results of gubernatorial, regental and mayoral elections on Dec. 9, 2015, is from Papua, which reaches 16," court spokesperson Budi Ahmad Johari said as quoted by Antara in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He further said that North Sumatra ranked second with 15 disputes. Meanwhile, Yogyakarta was the only region not to dispute its election results. "Yogyakarta held three regional head elections but it lodged no election dispute," said Budi.

After the simultaneous Dec. 9 regional elections, the court accepted election dispute claims until Dec. 26 and received 147 requests from 132 regions.

One hundred and twenty-eight disputes were submitted by regent and deputy regent candidate pairs, followed by 11 submitted by mayor and deputy mayor candidate pairs, six by governor and deputy governor candidate pairs and one by observers of a regional election with only one candidate pair in Tasikmalaya regency.

The one remaining election dispute, namely in Boven Digoel regency, Papua, was also not lodged by a regional head candidate pair.

Election dispute claims were lodged by governor and deputy candidate pairs in Bengkulu, Central Sulawesi, North Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, Riau Islands and West Sumatra. (ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/05/papua-has-highest-number-election-disputes-constitutional-court.html

Plenty of bullets seized, but no arrests yet in Papua shooting

Jakarta Globe - January 2, 2016

Farouk Arnaz, Jakarta – Police say they have identified two suspected members of the group that attacked a police station in Papua's Puncak district on Dec. 27, killing three officers and wounding one.

Gen. Badrodin Haiti, the National Police chief, named the suspects as Kalenak Murib and Iris Murib. It is not clear whether the individuals are related; Murib is a common clan name in Puncak district.

Badrodin told the Jakarta Globe on Saturday that a joint team of police and military personnel had raided the two men's homes in Sinak subdistrict and seized a large stash of ammunition, some of it stolen from the Sinak police station that was attacked last Sunday.

The haul included 150 rounds of ammunition for an AK-47 assault rifle; 239 rounds for a Pindad SS1, the standard Indonesian police and military issue assault rifle; and 82 rounds for an M14 rifle. Police also seized seven firearms, but Badrodin did not say what kind they were. It is believed the houses' occupants had fled prior to the raids.

Puncak and the neighboring district of Puncak Jaya in the Papuan hinterland are hotbeds of the province's long-running separatist insurgency, with police identifying six clan-based groups as being responsible for much of the armed attacks against security forces in the two districts.

In Puncak, they include the Murib Military, based in Sinak and Gomeh subdistricts, as well as a group led by Titus Murib in Kepala Air subdistrict and a third led by Peni Murib in Muara subdistrict.

A fourth group, the one alleged to be responsible for the attack on the Sinak police station, is led by Kalenak Murib and Alex Gagak Murib, and based out of Ilaga, the Puncak district seat, according to district chief Puncak Willem Wandik.

The group has also been blamed for a similar attack on a group police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel in December 2014. The weapons seized by the perpetrators in that earlier incident are believed to have been used in the recent attack, authorities say.

Police allege that the groups are all affiliated to varying degrees with the Free Papua Organization, or OPM, which has for decades waged a low-level war for independence from Indonesian rule.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/plenty-bullets-seized-no-arrests-yet-papua-shooting/

Armed groups stole 32 firearms from police

Antara News - January 1, 2016

Jayapura, Papua – Armed groups in the easternmost Indonesian province of Papua have stolen 32 firearms of different types from the police in 2014 and 2015, a senior police officer stated.

The firearms included 10 AKs, 15 SS 1s, and five pistols, Chief of the Papua Provincial Police Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw stated on Friday. Most of the weapons were taken away from police officers stationed in the provinces hinterland, he remarked.

While the number of attacks on police posts has declined, the number of firearms stolen by armed groups was on the rise, he pointed out.

Late last year, a group of unidentified people attacked the Sinak police precinct in the province, killing three police officers and leaving two others injured. The attackers also took away seven firearms of different types and several rounds of ammunition.

Source: http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/102294/armed-groups-stole-32-firearms-from-police

VFWPA responds to Indonesian outburst

Vanuatu Daily Post - January 1, 2016

Godwin Ligo – "Christian churches are the conscience of the nation, and therefore have the duty to be the voice of the voiceless and must continue to stand in solidarity with our Melanesian brothers and sisters in West Papua who are still under oppression, and are still living in the current environment which can only be described as one of institutionalized enslavement and suppression of human rights.

"Indonesian Government must stop state killings and human rights abuses and brutality in West Papua," said Pastor Allen Nafuki, who is the Chairman of Vanuatu Free West Papua Association (VFWPA) and Unification Committee.

He was responding to an article in the Daily Post on December 24, 2015 which the Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu targeted Vanuatu at a press conference in relation to the West Papua issue.

The 64-year-old retired army general, Ryacudu, reminded "other countries" to refrain from encouraging separatist movements in resource-rich Papua, hinting that serious consequences would entail if Indonesia's position were ignored.

"For us, Papua is still part of the Unitary State of the Indonesian Republic. That's non-negotiable. [The area] from Aceh to Papua is the jurisdiction of Indonesia. There's no two ways about it. I hope that's understood," the Defense Minister said at a press briefing.

The Jakarta Post reported that during his stint as Army chief Ryacudu became notorious for cracking down on separatist movements in Aceh and Papua. Ryacudu later said his remarks were directed at Vanuatu.

Meanwhile Nafuki stated: "The Office of the Vanuatu Free West Papua wishes to make these comments as a form of response on behalf of the Christian churches, the chiefs, women, youth, civil societies and the people of Vanuatu.

"Vanuatu foreign policy on self-determination for countries which are still colonized remained the same.

"In many ways our foreign policy continues to promote United Nation General Assembly Resolution as stipulated in Article 2 of 1514 Decolonization Resolution (XV) of 14th December 1960, which states clearly that: 'Every nation has the right to determine their own fate, and based on this right they are free to choose their political status and also free to continue their development in the fields of economic, social and culture'.

"Therefore all the countries that are the members of the United Nations including the United Nations, especially the Decolonization Committee, are under the obligation to observe and strictly implement this resolution.

"For this reason the continued existence of any form of colonialism certainly impedes the social, cultural and economic development of dependent peoples, such as the West Papua and certainly militates against the United Nations' ideal of universal peace.

"The Christian churches as the conscience of the nations, and therefore have the duty to be the voice of the voiceless, must continue to stand in solidarity with our Melanesian brothers and sisters in West Papua.

"Regardless of what the world may say about the West Papua issue, Vanuatu will continue to support the self-determination for West Papua, and through God's power and wisdom, West Papua will become a free nation, because self-determination is a human rights issue," a statement from Nafuki as Chairman Vanuatu Free West Papua Association and Unification Committee said.

Nafuki made the statement on December 30, 2015.

Source: http://dailypost.vu/news/vfwpa-responds-to-indonesian-outburst/article_7a7282cf-2bdd-5a3a-ad70-c98b9357b302.html

Jokowi sees in New Year in Raja Ampat

Jakarta Post - January 1, 2016

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo witnessed the first sunrise of 2016 at the Waiwo Beach dock in Raja Ampat, West Papua, on Friday.

Antara news agency reported that Jokowi walked out onto the dock at about 6:15 a.m. local time before the sun had completely risen. Seeing the beauty of Raja Ampat, Jokowi said that he wanted more tourists to visit Indonesia.

Wearing a white shirt and sarong without sandals, he sat on the dock and fed the fish below. West Papua Governor Abraham Oktavianus Ataruri, Raja Ampat Regent Markus Wanma and several other officials accompanied him.

Jokowi and First Lady Iriana arrived in Papua on Tuesday. The First Family planned to see in the new year in the country's easternmost province.

Jokowi also inaugurated several projects in Papua and installed a time capsule in Merauke that contained dreams for the country from 2015 to 2085.

Prior to New Year's Eve, Jokowi visited a grouper fish farm in Raja Ampat on Thursday afternoon. The local administration pioneered a grouper fish farm by providing spawn for local fishermen. Raja Ampat regency hopes to export the fish to China and Hong Kong. (rin)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/01/jokowi-sees-new-year-raja-ampat.html

Aceh

Aceh's most-wanted criminal ineligible for amnesty, say expert

Jakarta Post - January 8, 2016

Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – The government must rule out an option of granting amnesty to former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) combatant Din Minimi and his fellow insurgents as such a move could create legal uncertainty and inspire an upsurge of terrorist activities, a public discussion in Banda Aceh concluded on Thursday.

Despite Din's recent surrender to the government, offering clemency to the combatant and his group members could undermine the country's legal system in the future because their history of taking up arms was categorized as a crime, said the military's Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) former chief Soleman Ponto.

"Amnesty given to former GAM combatants who previously took up arms on political grounds was very different from the case of Din Minimi, who has been categorized as a criminal," Soleman said.

According to Soleman, it was agreed in a peace agreement in Helsinki, Finland, that GAM members would be given amnesty as part of the deal after surrendering their arms. The agreement, which was signed by the now-defunct GAM and the Indonesian government in 2005, did not mention that those who returned as rebels would still be ineligible for clemency.

"It is already clear which parties have taken up arms for political reasons and those who use guns for other reasons," said Soleman, who also previously served as an Indonesian representative for the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM).

Aceh finally saw the end of a three-decade separatist conflict that had killed 15,000 people after GAM and Indonesian leaders agreed to sign the Helsinki peace accord.

Din's group has often been linked to armed violence in Aceh, In March last year, two military officers were found dead in Alue Mbang village, Nisam Antara subdistrict, North Aceh. The two officers, Indra and Hendri, were abducted while gathering intelligence on the armed group led by Din.

Last month, Din finally surrendered after three years on the run. The combatant and his 30 followers turned themselves in, witnessed by National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Sutiyoso.

Din claimed he had decided to surrender because President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo had guaranteed that the government would listen to his demands, including a request for amnesty.

Banda Aceh-based Syiah Kuala University legal expert Syaifuddin Bantasyam said clemency for Din would inspire others to carry out similar actions to those committed by the former combatant.

"Despite Aceh's background of conflict, it doesn't mean criminal acts can be regarded as political actions that should be given amnesty," he said.

Din was born Nurdin bin Ismail Amat in Keude Buloh village, Julok, East Aceh, 38 years ago. His father, Abu Minimi, was a prominent GAM fighter who was killed in late 1990s.

Din's supporters have portrayed him as a Robin Hood figure who abducted corruptors and drug dealers and used the ransom money to assist orphans and widows neglected by GAM leaders who are now in power.

Din shot to fame in 2014 when he opened links with journalists, delivering a consistent message that the GAM-led Aceh government had failed to fulfill its promises to former combatants.

Earlier this week, Jokowi said legal moves would still take place despite Din's amnesty request being approved. "We will grant the clemency for sure, but we will also consider our legal system," Jokowi said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/08/aceh-s-most-wanted-criminal-ineligible-amnesty-say-expert.html

Din's amnesty could set a bad precedent: Rights activists

Jakarta Globe - January 6, 2016

Jakarta – Rights activist are calling the Indonesian government's decision to provide amnesty to former Aceh fugitive Din Minimi inappropriate, arguing that he was more the leader of a crime ring than a group with a specific political ideology.

The pardon, they warned, could lead to a wave of similar requests from criminals.

President Joko Widodo announced on Tuesday his decision to grant amnesty to Aceh's most wanted man, nearly a week after Din – alongside 30 group members – turned himself in to authorities following months of talks with intelligence officials.

State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Sutiyoso had lodged the pardon request a mere day before, despite protests from the National Police who maintained the former rebel leader must face 14 criminal charges, ranging from murder to robbery.

"They are criminals, not rebels with political ideologies," said Al Araf of Jakarta-based human rights watchdog Imparsial. "They are different from GAM [Free Aceh Movement]."

Din's group is a splinter of the now-disbanded separatist group GAM. His gang has publicly criticized the Aceh government for their perceived indifference to the welfare of former GAM members, ever since the group signed a peace deal in 2005 with the state.

The pact saw GAM leadership transition into the local government via the Aceh Party. This shift to formal politics effectively ended the "political visions" of Din's faction, Al Araf said.

Hariz Azhar of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) echoed Imparsial, saying: "I have no idea why the government suddenly approached Din to grant him amnesty."

The government should first follow the necessary legal processes, Haris added. "This could set a bad precedent for other militant or armed groups to do the same," Al Araf warned.

Amnesty was one of six terms of surrender proposed by Din.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/dins-amnesty-set-bad-precedent-rights-activists/

Immunity pledge for Aceh militant Din Minimi riles police

Jakarta Globe - January 3, 2016

Jakarta – The Indonesian police chief has taken issue with a move by the country's spy chief to promise amnesty to a militant who turned himself in, saying he must still face justice for a number of murders and other crimes.

Sutiyoso, the head of the State Intelligence Agency, or BIN, personally negotiated the surrender of Nurdin bin Ismail, better known as Din Minimi, who is wanted for attacks on security officials and civilians in Aceh province over the past year. As part of the agreement, Sutiyoso said he had promised Din immunity from prosecution.

However, National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti questioned Sutiyoso's authority to make such an offer.

"From the perspective of the police, even if [Din] gave himself up he still has to face due legal process," Badrodin said at the National Police headquarters in Jakarta.

"What right does the BIN chief have to grant him amnesty? What legal basis? The only one with the authority to grant amnesty is the president, and that's only after [Din] has been tried," he said.

He added he was not averse to offering Din some kind of leniency in exchange for his cooperation, but that he should still be prosecuted for his litany of alleged crimes.

Insp. Gen. Anton Charliyan, the National Police spokesman, said separately that Din was wanted in 14 different cases, ranging from murder to robbery. Din and his gang, a splinter group of the now-disbanded Free Aceh Movement, or GAM, itself a separatist group, are accused of attacking police and military personnel as well as civilians out of a sense of disenfranchisement, having been sidelined from the GAM leadership's largely peaceful transition to local government in the form of the Aceh Party.

Anton echoed Badrodin's argument that Din's surrender should not preclude him from criminal prosecution.

"By that logic, I can commit a robbery and then give myself up in exchange for being set free," he said. "Is that what you'd like to see?"

Sutiyoso negotiated Din's surrender late on Monday night, after contacting the militant through relatives and associates, and visiting him at his home in East Aceh district. He claimed that 30 of Din's men agreed to surrender with him, with another 120 to follow.

According to police, Din's gang consists of no more than 20 individuals.

Sutiyoso also emphasized that amnesty for Din was part of the deal. He said, "I promised him amnesty after consulting on the matter with the justice minister and Komnas HAM" – the National Commission for Human Rights.

Neither the justice minister nor the rights commission has the authority to grant immunity from prosecution to any individual. That power is reserved by the police and prosecutors, both of which operate independently of the government.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/immunity-pledge-aceh-militant-din-minimi-riles-police/

Military ties

Brothers in arms forge lifelong international bonds

The Australian - January 5, 2016

Brendan Nicholson – John Sanderson well remembers trudging through the jungle in northern Cambodia in 1993 with a young Indonesian battalion commander trying to find feared Khmer Rouge fighters.

At the time, Lieutenant General Sanderson was the Australian officer in command of 16,000 peacekeepers from 34 countries sent to rescue Cambodia from the carnage of the Pol Pot years as the military component of the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia.

The then Lieutenant Colonel Ryamizard Ryacudu commanded an Indonesian battalion that was a key part of that force.

They were tough and dangerous times long remembered by both officers. The shared experience was also crucial to the establishment of a network of professional relationships which have, in times of tension, provided Australia with effective channels into regional capitals as geographically diverse as Jakarta and Beijing.

Sanderson went on to become chief of the Australian Army and later governor of Western Australia and Ryamizard rose to the rank of general and became Indonesia's Defence Minister.

When Ryamizard and his colleague, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, came to Sydney for talks with their Australian counterparts, Marise Payne and Julie Bishop just before Christmas, the Indonesia Defence Minister said he wanted to catch up with the retired Sanderson and another former army commander, retired Lieutenant General Peter Leahy.

They had dinner in Sydney and discussed at length Cambodia and the current relationship between their two nations. Payne noted the importance in international relations of what she called the people-to-people links – close friendships that grew out of professional relationships.

The three men are part of a largely below-the-radar process of military diplomacy.

Members of alumni groups made up mainly of former military and police personnel and diplomats who have kept in close contact since working or studying together as young officers have provided a highly effective back channel to keep open communications between Canberra and Jakarta at times of tension between the two governments.

That was the case during the row over claims that an Australian spy agency had monitored the phone calls of senior Indonesians including then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife, tensions over asylum-seeker policies and anger over the executions of Australian drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

At one point, the now Professor Leahy was chosen by Tony Abbott to carry a letter to the Indonesian government. It's part of a very effective exercise in military diplomacy that runs separate to but in parallel with more formal links between intelligence agencies.

The Australian reported a year ago that despite tensions between Jakarta and Canberra, a decision had been made that Australia would inform Indonesia immediately if its intelligence agencies uncovered evidence of terrorist threats in that country. Tensions at the top would not interfere when lives were at stake.

Australian agencies have provided crucial intelligence to their Indonesian counterparts since the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians. That information has led to the arrests of significant numbers of terrorist suspects.

Much of that intelligence has come from comprehensive surveillance carried out for decades by the Australian Signals Directorate, formerly the Defence Signals Directorate, over a vast part of the region using a network of bases shared with the US and from the "Five Eyes" intelligence-sharing network involving the US, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Indonesian officials have told Australian counterparts that given the heightened security tensions in the region, they were keen to become a "sixth pair of eyes".

A key alumni group is Ikahan Alumni Pertahanan Indonesia-Australia, which has many hundreds of members. Close and confidential contact is maintained by a "senior advisory group" of former generals and their equivalents in the two �nations' navies and air forces.

Members of the group meet regularly in Australia and Indonesia to talk on matters of mutual concern. They can pass on messages to Australian Defence Force chief Mark Binskin or his equivalent, the Panglima, commanding general of the Indonesian armed forces, the TNI.

This process has created throughout the region and far beyond it links that can be crucial in providing help quickly in an emergency or defusing a crisis.

In March 2011, when Japan was devastated by a tsunami that killed thousands and devastated a huge area that included the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the then Air Marshal Binskin sent a text to his counterpart there asking if the ADF could help.

Over many years, Binskin had built up a strong personal contact with Shigeru Iwasaki, who now heads the Japan Self Defence Forces. General Iwasaki had replied that help would indeed be appreciated, and two RAAF C-17 transport aircraft were dispatched. They flew in a search-and-rescue team, and rushed a water cannon to Fukushima to help cool reactors.

Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/defence/brothers-in-arms-forge-lifelong-international-bonds/news-story/8c7d4fcff6d2d63305a13b4eeec139f2

Human rights & justice

NGOs fume after Malaysia kicks out Indonesian activist

Jakarta Post - January 8, 2016

Indonesian NGOs have condemned the Malaysian government's decision to deport human rights activist Mugiyanto Sipin as he attempted to enter the country to attend an event organized by the Bersih 2.0 coalition.

Antara news agency reported on Thursday that 62 NGOs, all members of the Indonesian Civil Society Coalition for the ASEAN Community, stated that the Malaysian government's action contradicted the spirit of the newly established ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).

Mugiyanto, a senior program officer for human rights and democracy with the International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID), was deported upon arrival in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

In a joint statement, the NGOs slammed the Malaysian government for what they deemed an attack on freedom of movement and freedom of thought, speech and expression.

Freedom of expression is guaranteed in the political and security cooperation within the official document "ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together", as well as the 2012 ASEAN Human Rights Declaration.

The NGOs include INFID, Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW), the ASEAN Youth Forum Indonesia, the Human Rights Working Group (HRWG), the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH), Migrant Care, YLBHI, Indonesia for Humanity (IKA) and the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM).

Separately, INFID executive director Sugeng Bahagijo urged the Indonesian government to condemn the deportation and demand the Malaysian government stand up for freedom of expression.

"The incident runs contrary to the ASEAN commitment to advance human rights in Southeast Asia," Sugeng said as reported by Antara.

As previously reported, Mugiyanto traveled to Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to speak at an event organized by the Coalition of Free and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0).

He was due to speak at the forum, entitled "People's Movement can Bring Change", about his experiences relating to democratization in Indonesia during the 1990s with Maria Chin Abdullah, chairman of Bersih 2.0 and a prominent local human rights activist.

Mugiyanto explained on his Facebook account on Thursday that Malaysian security officers had been ordered by the political authorities to ban him from entering as his presence was considered representative of foreign interference. (liz/rin)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/08/NGOs-fume-after-malaysia-kicks-out-indonesian-activist.html

Indonesian rights activist banned from entering Malaysia

Jakarta Post - January 7, 2016

Liza Yosephine, National – Indonesian human rights activist Mugiyanto Sipin was detained by Malaysian immigration officials at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at noon on Thursday and was immediately deported back to Indonesia, a representative from the organization has confirmed.

Mugiyanto had arrived in Kuala Lumpur to speak at an event organized by Bersih 2.0 when he was stopped and returned to Indonesia by immigration officials, Bersih 2.0 secretariat member Mandeep Singh told thejakartapost.com. Mugiyanto is confirmed to have arrived back in Jakarta on Thursday afternoon.

He made a statement on his Facebook account that read, "Three police officers who interrogated me said that they were ordered by political authorities to ban me from entering Malaysia. They said that my presence at the Yellow Mania Forum discussion was considered political interference by a foreigner."

Mugiyanto was due to attend the Yellow Mania Forum where he was scheduled to speak alongside Bersih 2.0 chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah at an event titled "People's movement can bring change" at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH).

Bersih 2.0 strongly condemned the authorities' decision to prohibit Mugiyanto from entering Malaysia, according to an official statement.

Bersih, which means "clean" in Malay, refers to the Coalition of Free and Fair Elections. It is a civil society group consisting of 84 non-government organizations calling for a thorough reform of the electoral process in Malaysia.

"This is yet more proof of the need for the Barisan Nasional [party] to prevent the right to protest and speak out," the statement said.

Despite Mugiyanto's deportation, he will still be speaking at the event, which organizers will facilitate through Skype.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Herman Prayitno confirmed Mugiyanto's deportation. "[The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Malaysia] respects Malaysian authority and law," said Herman when contacted today.

Mugiyanto, who held the chairman position of the Families of Missing Persons Association (IKOHI) for 12 years from 2002-2014, was a student leader in the anti-Suharto reform movement in 1998 and helped organize student resistance and action against Suharto's 'Orde Baru' regime. He was among pro-democracy activists who were kidnapped and later released.

Mugiyanto is currently the senior program officer for Human Rights and Democracy at the International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID). (dan)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/07/indonesian-rights-activist-banned-entering-malaysia.html

Jokowi wants Indonesia to resolve its human rights past records

Tempo - January 5, 2016

Tika Primandari, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has asked Attorney General M. Prasetyo to resolve Indonesia's past human rights abuses cases during a meeting on the issue of law and human rights.

"I want our Attorney General to put an end to our legacy of human rights issues that is still left unresolved, so that it won't come back to bite us later on," said President Jokowi at the President's Office on Tuesday, January 5, 2016.

According to Jokowi, there are plenty of things that need to be decided in order to expedite the process of resolving Indonesia's human rights issues – as such, he has asked the Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Affairs, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan to lead the efforts to resolve the issues.

To date, the Indonesian government has been criticised for its' reluctance to touch on Indonesia's shady human rights history – even though the National Commission on Human Rights have recommended the government to act quickly to resolve the issues. To date, the government has leaned towards a reconciliatory approach in dealing with its' human rights record.

During the occasion, President Jokowi also expressed his gratitude to the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) and the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) for successfully dealing with Din Minimi – whom Jokowi ensured will receive an amnesty for his cooperation. "We hope similar successes would take place in Papua and Poso," Jokowi said.

Furthermore, President Jokowi said that the government will continue to use a combination of a soft power and hard power approach in dealing with issues of radicalization, terrorism, and that the government will extend this approach to deal with human rights issues.

"In addition to the application of the security and law enforcement paradigm, we will also be using a discursive approach," Jokowi said.

Previously on Monday, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said that President Jokowi will make the resolution of Indonesia's human rights past a priority – preferably using the approach used in dealing with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which was resolved under Presidential Decree No. 22/2005.

The Decree – which contains clauses of general amnesty and the abolition of penalties, which is extended to all GAM members – is chosen as a model for its' delicate use of a soft-power approach, said Pramono, before adding that a soft approach can only go so far and that the government will not hesitate to use force should all else fails.

Source: http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2016/01/05/055733274/Jokowi-Wants-Indonesia-to-Resolve-its-Human-Rights-Past-Records

Indonesia told to prioritize human rights

UCA News - January 5, 2016

Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – A Jakarta-based nongovernmental organization is urging the government to prioritize human rights and not focus merely on economic development.

"The administration of President Joko Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla paid little attention to human rights and democracy. It could be seen from various foreign policies focusing merely on economic interests," said Rafendi Djamin, executive director of the Human Rights Working Group, during the launch of the organization's annual report on Jan. 5.

The annual report highlights last year's situation of human rights in the country.

Djamin criticized the government's slow response to several humanitarian crises, citing humanitarian aid for Rohingya asylum seekers and haze disaster victims as examples.

In May, an estimated 2,000 refugees -� mostly Rohingyas from Myanmar, but also Bangladeshi migrants -� came ashore in northern Aceh.

In the same year, haze caused by slash-and-burn farming techniques used by palm oil, pulp and paper plantations hampered for several months residents in Central Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Jambi, Riau and South Sumatra provinces.

Djamin said that instead of fighting corruption and holding violators accountable, the government criminalized the actions of activists.

In its annual report, the group said Indonesia's persistent use of the death penalty shows that the "government hasn't yet moved forward to become a state which can be counted on in the context of human rights."

Muhammad Hafiz, a researcher at the organization, noted that 27 people have been executed in Indonesia since 1999. No executions were carried out between 2009 and 2012. However, last year, the government executed 14 people, including 12 foreigners on drugs charges.

On religious freedom, Hafiz said the government also has failed to promote religious freedom. "The government wasn't strong enough to prevent radicalism, intolerance and discrimination, which became too massive and cut away the values of national life," he said.

"The government must make human rights a foundation of the national development," he said.

Source: http://www.ucanews.com/news/indonesia-told-to-prioritize-human-rights/74886

Business and human rights principles should be aligned: HRWG

Jakarta Post - January 5, 2016

Marguerite Afra Sapiie, Jakarta – The Human Rights Working Group (HRWG) has called on President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to uphold human rights and democratic values in line with economic growth, stressing that development should be carried out with respect for human rights.

HRWG executive director Rafendi Djamin said the government's economic-oriented goals in 2015 had neglected its commitment to upholding human rights, while ideally business and human rights principles should be aligned because they had similar objectives, namely to improve welfare of the people.

"The government needs to be consistent in upholding human rights ahead of boosting economic growth with projects that involve Indonesians," Rafendi told thejakartapost.com.

Rafendi said that Jokowi's administration had failed to include human rights principles in its domestic policies that aimed to boost economic and investment growth.

However, HRWG's program manager for the United Nations and Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Muhammad Hafiz, said in contrast to domestic policy, Indonesia had played a significant role in promoting human rights at the global level through the UN in 2015.

Hafiz said that at the foreign policy level, Indonesia had demonstrated the country's commitment to upholding democratic values by endorsing a number of UN resolutions related to human rights.

For example, Indonesia pushed for Resolution A/HRC/28/L.4 on combating intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief to be adopted by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) during its 28th session and contributed to the drafting of Resolution A/HRC/RES/23/9 on the negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights, which was adopted at the UNHRC's 23rd session, both in 2015.

"Indonesia's foreign policy in the UN is not in line with its domestic policy. Indonesia pushes other countries to be tolerant and to promote anticorruption efforts, but it's not the same at the domestic level," Hafiz said.

According to Hafiz, the government should translate its foreign policy at the domestic level by integrating human rights principles into policies that were made to propel business growth, particularly in investment.

Hafiz said the central government needed to ensure that companies investing in Indonesia respected human rights principles and insist that it be stated in the working contract between companies and their workers.

He also stressed the need for the central government to help local governments that mostly lacked the ability to adopt human rights principles into their policies.

Rafendi said human rights violations would keep happening as long as the government did not align business and human rights principles. (bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/05/business-and-human-rights-principles-should-be-aligned-hrwg.html

Sexual & domestic violence

Jakarta province tops criminal cases involving children list: KPAI

Jakarta Post - January 4, 2016

Indra Budiari, Jakarta – The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has named Jakarta the province with the highest rate of criminal cases involving children, both as victims and perpetrators, in 2015.

In its recently published annual report, the commission recorded 649 legal cases involving minors in Jakarta last year, while West Java and Banten came in second and third place with 391 and 362 cases, respectively.

The figure was collated from reports received by the KPAI throughout the country. After Banten, North Sumatra was in fourth position followed by Lampung, East Nusa Tenggara, East Java, South Sulawesi, East Kalimantan and Bali.

During a press conference announcing the findings of the year-end report, KPAI chairman Asrorun Ni'am said that many Jakartans were marginalized and found it difficult to keep up with the fast-paced life in the capital.

"Poverty can lead to parents ignoring their children and neglected children are more likely to commit crimes," he said.

According to Asrorun, a lack of mental toughness among Jakarta residents was another contributing factor to the high number of crimes involving children in the capital.

In 2015 the Jakarta Police handled several homicide cases that centered on child protection.

In October, a 9-year-old girl was found dead in a cardboard box in a dump near her house in Kalideres, West Jakarta. A forensics examination found that she had been raped and murdered.

A neighbor of the girl, Agus Darmawan, who was known to be friendly to children and teenagers, was named a suspect weeks later.

In the same month, residents of Jasinga found a dead teenage girl wearing only a skirt and bra in a forest in Bogor, West Java. A month later, the police named one of the teen's relatives a suspect in the rape and murder case.

"A lot of people come to Jakarta, however, some of them are stuck in poverty and are vulnerable to becoming perpetrators of crime. Sadly, some of these crimes have targeted children," Asrorun said.

The KPAI also highlighted a rising number of children reported for bullying in schools, from 67 in 2014 to 79 in 2014. The number of reported student brawls more than doubled to 103 in 2015 from 46 in 2014.

KPAI deputy chairman Susanto said that the commission was still paying attention to street brawls and bullying among students as this negative aspect of school life in the country remained a serious problem.

According to him, unlike crimes against children, bullying is mostly committed by children from privileged families as a way to achieve personal recognition.

"The alarming fact is that students have started to believe that bullying is nothing unusual and victim have started to accept it. This is wrong. Teachers and principals must do something to stop this perspective from spreading," he said.

However, the number of children who committed physical violence outside schools decreased in 2015 to 76 from 105 in 2014. The number of children reported to have verbally abused their peers, by making threats and intimidating others for example, decreased to 16 in 2015 from 27 in 2014.

"A long history of rivalry between certain schools is among the primary reasons students are involved in street brawls with other school students," he told The Jakarta Post.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/04/jakarta-province-tops-criminal-cases-involving-children-list-kpai.html

Freedom of speech & expression

UNJ student expelled over Twitter posts

Jakarta Post - January 7, 2016

Jakarta – Jakarta State University (UNJ) Student Executive Board (BEM) head Ronny Setiawan was expelled from the university due to remarks he made on social media platform Twitter about the university's rector.

UNJ spokesman Asep Sugiarto said that Ronny, a student at UNJ's Mathematics and Natural Sciences Faculty, class of 2011, often made remarks through his Twitter handle @ronnyunj about the university's rectorate that were untrue. Asep said that as head of UNJ's BEM, Ronny's remarks were inappropriate. Asep did not mention which of Ronny's tweets were harmful to the university.

According to a decree signed by UNJ rector Djaalil, Ronny was expelled from the university due to "technology-based crime, defamation and incitement which could disrupt the peace and the implementation of the program implemented on campus." Further, the decree claimed that Ronny used his position as BEM head to threaten Djaalil.

Separately, Ronny said that he regretted UNJ's decision to expel him, which he said was "subjective," adding that he would attempt to restore his status as a student at UNJ.

Ronny said that he hoped no other students would become "a victim of UNJ's misconduct".

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/07/greater-jakarta-unj-student-expelled-over-twitter-posts.html

Freedom of information & press

Press freedom still under threat this year

Jakarta Post - January 8, 2016

Callistasia Anggun Wijaya, Jakarta – Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Pers) has said that freedom of the press declined last year and would most likely continue to as there were still a number of bills to be debated this year that posed a threat to press freedom.

One of the bills is the contempt of court bill, which is expected to be passed into law this year as it is part of the 2016 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas).

"Several provisions in the bill threaten [the freedom of the press]. For example, if someone is suspected to have defamed a judge, he can be sentenced to 10 years in prison. If we criticize a judge's decision, according to the bill, we can be arrested," LBH Pers executive director Nawawi Bahrudin told thejakartapost.com on Thursday. He said that the draft bill did not deserve to be adopted as law.

Nawawi also criticized the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law amendment bill, which regulates defamation and has also been included in the 2016 Prolegnas.

He said that the nation's bad record on press freedom could also be seen in the number of reported threats and attacks against journalists.

Based on LBH Pers data, there were 47 violent acts committed against journalists in 2015, 12 of which were committed by the police. These attacks against journalists have included beatings, intimidation and the destruction of journalists' working tools.

LBH Pers said that the organization would talk to relevant institutions to increase their appreciation of the work of journalists.

"This year, we plan to visit the institutions that we believe have a duty to ensure the safety of journalists, such as press organizations, the Press Council and also the police," Nawawi said. (bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/08/press-freedom-still-under-threat-year.html

Political parties & elections

Aburizal camp demands government recognition

Jakarta Post - January 4, 2016

Haeril Halim, Jakarta – The Golkar Party leadership under Aburizal Bakrie has called on the Law and Human Rights Ministry to issue a decree to recognize the party's new leadership structure following the ministry's decision to revoke the leadership of Agung Laksono.

The government has decided to comply with a Supreme Court verdict that annulled a decree recognizing Agung's leadership. The verdict also ordered the party leadership to be returned to the structure formed at a national congress in Riau in 2009 and recognized Aburizal as party chairman.

Golkar secretary-general Idrus Marham of the Aburizal camp said on Sunday that recognizing the central board committee formed by Aburizal would effectively end the prolonged conflict that has plagued the nation's oldest political party for more than a year, arguing that it would encourage Agung's camp to lay down their arms.

Idrus made the statement in response to Agung's suggestion that the ministry's revocation of his leadership did not necessarily constitute recognition of Aburizal's.

Idrus further said that the party would not hold a national congress to settle the conflict, as suggested by Agung's camp and a number of senior Golkar members, adding that Aburizal would provide a win-win solution by including Agung and his followers on a leadership list to be submitted to the Law and Human Rights Ministry.

The party was plunged in late 2014 into a series of disputes that have seen Aburizal and Agung battling for government recognition. The issue surrounding Aburizal's leadership is his use of a structure set at a Bali congress deemed invalid by Agung's camp.

Idrus said he would visit the ministry on Monday to discuss Aburizal's intention to register a new committee line-up, which would incorporate Agung partisans, as an addition to the structure set up in Bali.

"If the ministry agrees to approve the new committee line-up, then we will hold a consolidation meeting to include all members of the Golkar party including those from Agung's camp, in the new leadership," Idrus told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

The ministry earlier issued a decree to recognize Agung's leadership after a Golkar internal tribunal issued a ruling in favor of Agung in March, though without explicitly naming him legitimate chairman.

In May, the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN Jakarta) annulled a decree issued by Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly that endorsed the leadership of Agung, thus restoring the party's leadership to Aburizal.

The annulled decree was later restored by the Jakarta State Administrative High Court (PTTUN Jakarta) before the Supreme Court finally annulled it in October, further stipulating that the PTUN decision be honored.

Separately, Golkar Party treasurer and Aburizal camp follower Bambang Soesatyo, who earlier supported calls to hold a national congress to resolve the conflict, said on Sunday that holding a congress was not the only solution.

The party, he said, would decide whether to hold an immediate congress during a meeting with regional Golkar representatives in Bali on Monday, adding that the party was preparing to hold a national meeting in Jakarta on Jan. 18.

A senior political analyst from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Syamsuddin Haris, meanwhile said on Sunday that the ministry's revocation of Agung's leadership did not provide any legal ground for Aburizal's camp to lay claim to legitimacy.

"Now that the ministry has annulled the decree on Agung's leadership, there is legally no legitimate leadership of Golkar. The annulment means the leadership reverts to the leadership that was formed during the party's congress in 2009 in Riau, and the Riau leadership expired [on Dec. 31]," Syamsuddin said.

Legal battles, he added, would not offer a solution, as each camp would always find a new legal recourse to try to trump its rival. "The solution must be political, not legal. Agung and Aburizal should sit together to discuss the possibility of holding a congress in the near future," he said.

On Thursday, Agung called for the Golkar's party tribunal forum to rule for an immediate congress in January. "In order to maintain the existence of Golkar, holding a congress in January is the only means to fill the vacuum of power at the top of the party," Agung said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/04/aburizal-camp-demands-govt-recognition.html

Rough road ahead for Red-White Coalition, predicts Fahri Hamzah

Jakarta Globe - January 3, 2016

Jakarta – House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Fahri Hamzah predicts a rough year ahead for the opposition bloc, the Red-White Coalition, with his own party starting to show signs of support for President Joko Widodo's administration.

Fahri sees his party, the Prosperous Justice Party or PKS, straying further away from the opposition bloc as the year progresses.

"The year 2016 will be an arduous year for the KMP [the Red-White Coalition]," Fahri said on Sunday, highlighting several political stances the PKS took that went against the alliance last year.

The clearest example, he continued, was the PKS's reluctance to defend former House speaker Setya Novanto – whom Fahri said was a driving force for the Red-White Coalition in the legislature – as he was being investigated for attempting to extort mining giant Freeport Indonesia for billions of dollars worth of shares.

Last moth, several PKS leaders had a private meeting with the president, from which Fahri was noticeably left out.

PKS advisory board chairman Salim Segaf Al Jufri said on Sunday that the meeting "was scheduled to build togetherness," adding that the party would support all of the government's programs "as long as they are pro-people."

"We didn't come to ask for seats or positions. We wanted to show that [the PKS] is an independent party committed to growth. But we will continue to provide constructive criticisms and maintain checks and balances. One way to show that is through such courtesy visits," Salim said.

The stance is similar to that shown by the Democratic Party early last year when it announced it was never a part of the Red-White Coalition – founded during the 2014 presidential election to support the nomination of Joko's rival, Prabowo Subianto.

Last year also saw the National Mandate Party (PAN) switching sides in favor of Joko's Awesome Indonesia Coalition (KIH).

With PAN's departure and the Democrats and PKS wavering between the two blocs, Fahri said, the Red-White bloc will only be truly supported by the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Golkar and the United Development Party (PPP).

The last two are currently split between members who wish to stay in the alliance and those who wish to join Joko's coalition.

Fahri said regardless of his party's decision, he will remain loyal to the opposition bloc. "If all political powers side with the government then a dangerous oligarchy will be formed. There can never be a healthy democracy [without opposition]," he said.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/rough-road-ahead-red-white-coalition-predicts-fahri-hamzah/

Opposition coalition no longer solid: PKS politician

Jakarta Post - January 2, 2016

Jakarta – The members of the opposition parties grouped in the Red-and- White Coalition (KMP) are no longer solid, following the wish of the National Mandate Party (PAN) to join the ruling coalition to get ministerial posts in President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's government, according to a politician of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

Fahri Hamzah, who is also House of Representatives deputy speaker, said on Saturday that the PKS' stance during the recent hearings of the House's ethics council to probe into an alleged violation of ethical codes by then House speaker Setya Novanto also showed its different stance from other KMP members.

"PAN has announced its decision to join the government, while the PKS and the Democratic Party had supported the stance of the ruling coalition in the recent council hearing," said Fahri in Jakarta as reported by tribunnews.com.

According to Fahri, the remaining solid KMP members are the Gerindra Party, the Golkar Party and the United Development Party (PPP).

Initially, the KMP consisted of five political parties: Gerindra, PAN, the PPP, Golkar and the PKS. Those parties supported Prabowo Subianto during the presidential election and they established an opposition coalition in the House of Representatives. Because of its solidity, they managed to dominate the House's leadership positions.

But later, PAN openly announced its wish to join the ruling collation known as the Great Indonesia Coalition (KIH), whose members include the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the NasDem Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Hanura Party. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party had decided not to join either the KIH or the KMP.

According that Fahri, 2015 was a year of political maneuvering to weaken the KMP, which was marred by leadership schisms in Golkar and the PPP caused partly by government intervention, and it was a year that ended with the downfall of the House speaker.

However, he believed that the KMP would still exist and remain an important political group to balance the government's executive power. As well, the leadership within the KMP could be convinced that maintaining its position would strengthen their stance in the elections in 2019.

He believed that currently the popularity of Prabowo was higher than that of President Jokowi. (bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/02/opposition-coalition-no-longer-solid-pks-politician.html

Environment & natural disasters

Tomohon mudflow still gushing

Jakarta Post - January 8, 2016

Manado – The hot mudflow from a drilling site of Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) Lahendong, a subsidiary of state-owned gas and oil company Pertamina, in Tondangow subdistrict, Tomohon, North Sulawesi, was still spouting on Thursday.

PGE Lahendong spokesperson Dimas Wibisono acknowledged the mudflow was still gushing in some parts of the drilling site. "That's why we closed access to the area to avoid it impacting residents," Dimas said.

Police tape has been installed to close access to the site. Residents have complained about the access closure as their farmland is located in the site.

"We are now just waiting and worrying. We hope the government can solve the problem," said Weddy Ch Pongoh, a resident of Tondangow.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/08/islands-focus-tomohon-mudflow-still-gushing.html

Residents powerless over Bakrie plans to drill for gas in Sidoarjo

Jakarta Post - January 8, 2016

Indra Harsaputra, Surabaya – Residents of Tanggulangin, Sidoarjo, East Java, have protested without avail against planned gas drilling by Lapindo Brantas Inc., a company affiliated with the family of businessman and Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie.

Slamet, a resident whose house is located 200 meters from the location, could only watch as dozens of trucks carried gravel and excavators for the Tanggulangin I well in Kedungbanteng village, Tanggulangin district.

"The heavy machinery commenced working yesterday under police supervision. We actually oppose the operation and even organized a petition in 2012 in protest against it," Slamet told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Slamet claims residents opposed the gas drilling activity as they were traumatized by the Lapindo Brantas mudflow disaster at the Banjar Panji I well in Porong, Sidoarjo, which engulfed thousands of homes, several villages and swathes of rice fields.

The Tanggulangin well is located 5 kilometers from Banjar Panji 1 well, the center of the mudflow in Porong.

"I'm at a loss as to why residents eventually did not respond when the heavy machinery entered the village after they received food packages filled with 10 kilograms of rice and a kilo of sugar from Lapindo Brantas Inc.," said Slamet.

A similar opinion was expressed by another resident, Sholiq, who said Lapindo was already equipped with an exploration permit.

"We are just villagers who are unaware of legal matters. To be frank, I disagree with the exploration activity for fear a similar disaster will take place again," said Sholiq.

Lapindo Brantas spokesman Arief Setya Widodo claimed his company had communicated with the local residents and provided them with social aid. "The social aid is part of our corporate responsibility toward residents in the relevant villages. The compensation is in line with their needs," said Arief.

He added that all activities carried out by Lapindo were part of the company's commitment to the country becoming self sufficient in oil and gas supply, especially in the community of Sidoarjo.

Lapindo Brantas gas production volume at the Tanggulangin I well is predicted to reach 5 million cubic meters daily. If combined with the 30 wells that operate in Sidoarjo, the total volume of gas could reach 8 million cubic meters daily.

In addition to the Tanggulangin 1 well, Lapindo will also explore the Tanggulangin 2 well, also located in Kedungbanteng village. Both wells are expected to be able to produce 10 million cubic meters of gas daily.

The company admitted earlier that drilling activities would be continued although the disbursement of compensation to dozens of the Lapindo mudflow disaster had not been completed.

The government earlier agreed to bail out the powerful family to settle the remaining compensation for victims of the mudflow disaster, providing a Rp 781 billion (US$62 million) loan to PT Minarak Lapindo Jaya, a company tasked with handling the disbursement of the compensation.

The company, which is also associated with the Bakrie Group, claims it has so far spent Rp 6.1 trillion in resolving both social and physical issues stemming from the mudflow.

Separately, PT Minarak Lapindo Jaya director Andi Darussalam Tabussala acknowledged 83 mudflow victims had yet to be compensated.

"It's not that we refuse to pay. We are always willing to settle the issue immediately. The problem is, some parties apparently disagree with the amount of compensation," he said.

Andi added that those who disagreed could seek settlement in court because the dispute centered on land values. "We are equipped with complete data but they demand sums above the value of their land," said Andi.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/08/residents-powerless-over-bakrie-plans-drill-gas-sidoarjo.html

Lapindo Brantas to resume Sidoarjo drilling

Jakarta Post - January 7, 2016

Indra Harsaputra, Sidoarjo, East Java – Oil and gas company PT Lapindo Brantas, controlled by the family of businessman and Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie, plans to redrill a gas well near the center of a mudflow in Porong, Sidoarjo, East Java, while compensation to mudflow victims has not yet been fully disbursed.

Hundreds of police officers and security guards were seen on Wednesday guarding the Tanggulangin 1 well in Kedungbanteng subdistrict, Tanggulangin district, Sidoarjo, which is located some 5 kilometers from the center of the mudflow in Porong.

The company's spokesman Arief Setya Widodo said the drilling activity at Tanggulangin 1 would be for gas rather than for oil, as had been the case with the Banjar Panji-1 well. The Banjar Panji-1 well is believed by many to have caused the 2006 flow of hot mud that inundated thousands of houses in Porong.

"We will drill some 3,000 feet or a kilometer deep here," Arief told The Jakarta Post. At Banjar Panji-1, he said, the drilling had gone 3.5 kilometers deep, while in Tanggulangin, the drilling would only need some two to three weeks to complete.

He said the company was currently conducting drill site preparation (DSP), while exploration activities were expected to be conducted by the beginning of March. Arief said the drilling had initially been scheduled for early December 2015 but had been postponed due to social problems.

"We understand local people's concern due to the trauma from the Sidoarjo mudflow. We don't want to repeat the same incident and we are open to all parties wanting to participate in supervising [the drilling]," Arief said.

Geologically, he said, the drilling would not cause problems. He added that his office had been granted a license for drilling activity from the Sidoarjo Environmental Agency that was also signed by former Sidoarjo regent Saiful Ilah.

He said the geological analysis included environmental management scheme and environmental monitoring scheme (UKL-UPL) issued by the environment agency.

"The UKL-UPL includes everything, including technical matters, geological matters and other things. It is safe," he said. He added that the drilling activities at Tanggulangin 1 had to be conducted soon, because gas output was decreasing.

Apart from that, he said, the government through the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas), had also been encouraging the company to increase production to meet demand for gas in East Java.

PT Lapindo Brantas' gas production at the Tanggulangin 1 well is predicted to reach 5 million cubic meters per day. If combined with the production of some 30 wells already in operation in Sidoarjo, the production would reach 8 million cubic meters daily.

Arief said the company, of which the majority of shares was owned by the Bakrie family, used to produce 80 million cubic meters of gas per day.

In the meantime, PT Minarak Lapindo, which was tasked with paying compensation to the mudflow victims, has not yet finished paying out the funds. There are 86 remaining files certifying land ownership in the affected area that have not yet been paid, out of a total of 3,331 files it has to deal with.

The government earlier agreed to bail out the powerful family to settle the remaining compensation for victims of the Lapindo mudflow disaster, providing a Rp 781 billion (US$62 million) loan to PT Minarak Lapindo Jaya.

The company claims it has so far spent Rp 6.1 trillion to handle both social and physical issues stemming from the mudflow. Separately, the Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency's (BPLS) validation and complaints coordinator, Khusnul Khuluk, confirmed on Wednesday that some 86 files had not been paid out. "We will meet soon with the company to discuss the matter," Khusnul said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/07/lapindo-brantas-resume-sidoarjo-drilling.html

Sand, gravel quarrying under spotlight in Tomohon

Jakarta Post - January 6, 2016

Lita Aruperes, Archipelago – Extensive sand and gravel quarrying (classified as "Galian C") is threatening the environment and public health in Tomohon city in North Sulawesi, residents and an environmentalist have warned.

Galian C quarrying is happening at various locations in the area, such as Kakaskasen and Kinilow subdistricts, with several companies conducting exploration and exploitation activities close to the Mount Lokon forest preserve.

The extraction work threatened the environment by causing deforestation and water shortages, residents said, expressing particular concern about the health impact on the community living around the mines, who daily inhale dust from the Galian C quarry.

"We are currently facing water shortages, especially during the dry season, whereas water was in fact abundant here previously," Yongki Lolong, a local resident, said recently.

Galian C entrepreneur Jemmy, who operates in Kinilow subdistrict, said he had a permit for his business.

"We operate based on permits. Obviously, we try to minimize environmental damage from mining activities," said Jemmy, adding that he had been involved in the business for two years. According to him, his company would restore the exploited land, as required.

Separately, Tomohon Energy and Mineral Resources Office head Jeane Bolang said the current Galian C quarrying activities in Tomohon were based on an environmental impact analysis and recommendations from relevant agencies, including the Environmental Agency and the Development Planning Board (Bappeda).

"The Galian C sites in Tomohon are all based on environmental impact analysis," said Jeane. She added that only four Galian C companies were equipped with official permits, while the rest were still applying for permits, despite the fact that they were currently carrying out exploration.

Jeane said her office would continue to monitor the activities to prevent negative impacts on the environment, stressing that the mining work contributed to local revenue. Similarly, Tomohon Environmental Agency head Lily Solang said the Galian C activities were based on environmental document ownership.

"If they are equipped with permits, they are then equipped with environmental documents. So, we monitor through the documents. If they are not equipped with the required documents, they have to face the consequences, including stopping their mining activities," Lily added.

She said her agency was also taking additional steps to prevent environmental damage by providing counseling on what should and should not be done.

"Environmental destruction will always occur in the presence of mining activities, and deforestation will take place as well. The deforested areas must be reforested [afterwards]. That is what we are doing," claimed Solang.

Environmentalist Chris Hombokau said the Galian C quarrying was clearly detrimental to the ecology, acknowledging, though, that the extraction activities helped to meet people's needs.

"However, it also has negative impacts, such as water and air pollution as well as environmental change," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/06/sand-gravel-quarrying-under-spotlight-tomohon.html

Minahasa residents fear Lapindo-esque mudflow

Jakarta Post - January 6, 2016

Lita Aruperes, Manado – Residents in Leilem village, Minahasa regency, North Sulawesi, have expressed serious concern as a hot mudflow at the PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) Lahendong exploration site in nearby Tondangow subdistrict has begun to affect them.

Leilem villagers said they hoped the responsible party would immediately deal with the mudflow and urged the Minahasa regency administration to immediately investigate the matter.

"North Sulawesi interim governor Sonny Sumarsono has arrived at the location and even went to Leilem village to provide an explanation to the public at a New Year service at the Immanuel Church in the village," said Leilem villager Ronny Sepang on Tuesday.

Ronny urged PGE to immediately respond to the mudflow and conduct analysis on the river and well water. "There should be a policy and decision made because the mudflow has threatened the safety of the residents who have been affected by it," said Ronny.

The mudflow, which has been compared to the Lapindo mudflow in Sidoarjo, East Java, has raised public concern because of its proximity to the river that flows through Leilem village. As a result, river water and a number of residents wells has changed color since Jan. 3.

Based on observations on Sunday, the color of water in the river and a number of wells in Leilem village had started to turn brown. Residents believe the river has been contaminated by mud from the mudflow gush point in Tondangow.

Residents daily activities have been interrupted as farmers are afraid to use the murky water from the river, which is used to water pig sties and for animal consumption.

The Lapindo disaster, which many believe was caused by drilling conducted by Lapindo, a firm owned by the family of businessman and Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie, has drowned thousands of houses in mud since 2006.

In Minahasa, five gush points have reportedly been found in cluster 24 at the Lahendong PGE. Separately, PGE operations manager Ahmad Yani said the first incident took place on Nov. 30, 2015, the second in early December and the third in mid-December.

He added that the mudflow was different to the Lapindo one, and that it was just the result of the earth surface interacting with steam. He added that the incident was a natural occurrence and could also be related with wells.

Yani said that PGE was currently moving the drilling rig from Lahendong 25, or Leilem village, to Cluster 24, and was observing the well. "Should there be a leak in the casing, we will immediately repair it," said Yani.

He added that PGE would carry out other restoration methods if there were indications of leaks from the well, to save assets and protect the environment.

Yani reiterated that residents should know that the steam emissions did not contain hazardous gases. Despite that, he said, PGE and the local administration would continue to monitor the situation.

Although interim governor Sonny urged locals not to be concerned by the mudflow, residents have continued to hold protests.

Consequently, PGE promised to temporarily close three wells while waiting for further analysis, which was being conducted by experts from Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada University.

"For the time being, we will close three wells emitting the hot mudflow, especially in light of the protests," said PGE chief spokesman Dimas Wibisono on Monday.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/06/minahasa-residents-fear-lapindo-esque-mudflow.html

Government to appeal forest fire case

Jakarta Post - January 5, 2016

Jakarta – The government is preparing to appeal a Palembang District Court verdict declaring that the operations of pulp producer PT Bumi Mekar Hijau (PT BMH) did not cause any environmental damage.

In the verdict delivered on Wednesday, the court said the evidence collected in the case against PT BMH failed to prove it illegally set fire to 20,000 hectares of its concession in Ogan Komering Ilir, South Sumatra, in 2014.

"We are preparing for the appeal," said Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya as quoted by kompas.com on Monday. Siti said she was waiting for a copy of the court verdict.

The lawsuit lodged by the ministry sought Rp 7.8 trillion in damages, which would have been the largest financial award ever levied against a company accused of forest burning in the country, with the intention of sending a strong message to those responsible for the annual haze.

The court said no damage could be proven as the burned land was still fertile and had been replanted with acacia trees afterward. The judges also failed to take into account the air pollution caused by the fire in the company's concession.

The verdict on PT BMH has been criticized as it is deemed to set a bad precedent for similar cases that have yet to go to trial, with the government pursuing other companies allegedly responsible for forest fires that have eased on account of monsoon rains.

The government has sanctioned 23 companies over the fires, with three having land-use or environmental permits revoked while 16 had permits suspended."

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/05/national-scene-govt-appeal-forest-fire-case.html

Health & education

West Java calls for tougher regulation against 'oplosan'

Jakarta Post - January 4, 2016

Arya Dipa, Bandung – West Java Police have expressed pessimism over the battle to effectively contain the distribution of oplosan (bootleg liquor) within its jurisdiction due to the absence of a regulation banning the purchase of methanol, a key ingredient used to make the illegal product that has killed dozens of local residents in the last year alone.

The West Java Police narcotics and intelligence directorate head Sr. Comr. Ermy Widiatmo said that the absence of such a basic regulation had created opportunities for oplosan producers to distill and distribute their product in small clusters throughout many parts of the province, making it difficult for the police to track down their operations.

"It [methanol] can be bought anywhere because it is also used as an antiseptic," Ermy said in Bandung recently.

According to police data, more than 80 people died last year from drinking bootleg liquor in the province. The highest number of victims, 12, died in Garut regency in September last year. Each were found to have consumed a mixture of energy supplement drink and bootleg liquor, reported to have been 70 percent pure, a purity level generally reserved for antiseptic purposes.

Another deadly incident occurred on Dec. 20 in Jatinangor district, Sumedang regency, in which seven people died following a drinking spree at an ojek motorcycle taxi shelter. The victims died despite having received emergency hospital treatment.

"We are making an effort to prevent any further loss of life. As of now, police have confiscated 49,243 bottles of illegal liquor and 165,593 liters of alcohol," Ermy said.

West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Moechgiyarto said that the rate of alcohol-related crime last year had risen slightly over 2014, with statistics reporting a total of 2,399 cases and 2,322 cases respectively.

The number of suspects held in 2015 stood at 2,986 in comparison to 2,887 the previous year, added Moechgiyarto, but did not specify whether those held were consumers, suppliers or producers. "We are still enforcing the law," he said.

Meanwhile, University of Indonesia anthropologist Raymond Michael Menot has said that the high popularity of oplosan within society is partly triggered by existing regulations on alcohol consumption.

"Based on government regulation, alcohol can only be sold in restaurants, cafes and hotels. Due to this, it can only be consumed by higher economic groups. What about those with a middle to low income?" asked Raymond.

When there are restrictions, added Raymond, consumers seek alcohol in other places. "Those who cannot afford to spend large amounts of money seek cheap alcohol and sometimes mix it with alcohol that is unfit for human consumption," he said.

"With regard to the phenomenon, the government should really consider alternate restrictions, efforts that prevent further loss of life. Do the police have equipment to measure the alcohol levels of motorists? The issue must be dealt with methodically and not in half measure," added Raymond.

Last year, all 10 party factions at the House of Representatives agreed to continue deliberating the alcohol prohibition bill. Lawmakers who support the bill have argued that the country requires a stronger legal standing in order to control the production and consumption of illicit alcohol.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/04/west-java-calls-tougher-regulation-against-oplosan.html

Marriage & polygamy

Government urged to issue Perppu to end child marriage

Jakarta Post - January 7, 2016

Jakarta – The Indonesian Coalition to End Child Marriage (Koalisi 18+) has urged the government to issue a government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) to stop child marriage to save the future of millions of Indonesian children.

Koalisi 18+ coordinator Supriyadi Widodo Eddyono said child marriage was one of most untouchable methods of operation of sexual violence against children.

He said that based on National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) data, in 2013 there were 263,285 cases of violence against women reported, including domestic violence against child wives.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) data show that 649 cases of violence against children occurred in Jakarta throughout 2015.

"With such a huge figure, the national emergency concerning violence against children must become the main focus of attention for the government," said Supriyadi as quoted by kompas.com on Wednesday.

The activist further said a married female adolescent was considered inferior to her spouse in their relations, especially if the spouse was much older.

Unfortunately, the condition of children in Indonesia has continued to worsen as it now ranks second among Southeast Asian countries with the highest number of child marriage.

A 2012 national census showed that one out of five female children in Indonesia married before the age of 18. It was also discovered that many maternal and infant deaths in the country were a result of child marriage.

"Based on the facts, Koalisi 18+ is calling on President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration to immediately respond to this emergency situation by issuing a Perppu to eliminate child marriage," said Supriyadi.

Koalisi 18+, a social movement that aims to stop child marriage and the forced marriage of young people, filed a judicial review against Law No.1/1974 on marriage, specifically Article 7 (1), which sets the minimum age of marriage for females at 16.

In a hearing on June 18, 2015, the Constitutional Court rejected the review, saying there was no guarantee that increasing the minimum age of marriage to 18 would reduce divorce cases, alleviate health problems or minimize other social problems affecting women.

Supriyadi said there was an urgency to issue a Perppu to stop child marriage as violence against children in Indonesia was at an alarming level. "The number of child marriages has also entered a dangerous state," he said.

Supriyadi said a Perppu was needed due to the absence of a proper law that prevented child marriage from happening. "The 1974 Marriage Law has become obsolete and is incompatible with today's generation," said Supriyadi. (mas/ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/07/govt-urged-issue-perppu-end-child-marriage.html

Polygamists to file judicial review on marriage law

Jakarta Post - January 3, 2016

Arya Dipa, Bandung – Amid a long-standing controversy surrounding polygamy in Indonesia, a group promoting the polygamous lifestyle has announced a plan to file a judicial review against a number of articles in the 1974 Marriage Law, as it deems the articles discriminative against those committing the controversial practice.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post on Saturday, Sakinah Polygamous Family Forum (FKPS) secretary-general Fakhrul said Article 3 of the law, which stipulates that a husband is only allowed to have one wife, for example, had led to the issuance of other discriminative regulations against those practicing polygamy.

"The one-family-one-wife rule has made it difficult for a polygamous family to obtain a family card, or birth certificates for their children. This is clearly discriminative as it [polygamy] is a part of the implementation of Article 29 of the 1945 Constitution that promotes religious freedom," he said on the sidelines of the group's annual congress in Sumedang, West Java.

Fakhrul, who claimed to have two wives, said Islamic teachings allowed Muslims to practice polygamy. The two-day congress, which will end on Sunday, will discuss and formulate the group's recommendations on the review of regulations on polygamy in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country.

"The recommendations, as the outcome of the congress, will later be submitted as a judicial review. We are now completing its final draft," said Fakhrul, adding that the event was attended by around 60 participants from several cities.

The Marriage Law upholds the principle of monogamy, but allows husbands to have multiple wives under certain conditions, including that of being married to a woman who is suffering from a serious illness and unable to bear a child.

Human rights and religious activists, for example, have been campaigning for the banning of polygamy, arguing that the practice could trigger violence against women.

The National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) has urged the government to speed up an amendment to the Marriage Law to strengthen principles of monogamy. It recorded more than 70 polygamy cases involving public officials that ended up as sexual abuse cases in 2015.

Last year, the Defense Ministry received wide criticism after it issued a circular that said polygamy was permitted under certain conditions. A number of leading political figures, including former Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) chairman Anis Matta and suspended North Sumatra governor Gatot Pujo Nugroho, have also been criticized for their polygamous lifestyles, which they do not hide from the public.

Bandung-based Padjajaran University law expert Sony Dewi Judiasih underlined that the Marriage Law actually promoted the principles of monogamy by applying strict requirements on those who attempting to practice polygamy.

"According to the law, polygamy is actually not a simple practice as the husband has to secure permission from several parties, including the court," she told the Post.

Sony said she respected the FKPS's plan to file a judicial review of the law, but quickly reiterated that the law actually provided guidance to control polygamy practices. "The court's permission [to practice polygamy] serves as a filter, so that polygamy is not practiced abusively," she said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/03/polygamists-file-judicial-review-marriage-law.html

Graft & corruption

Luhut tells KPK to focus on money laundering not minor graft

Jakarta Post - January 8, 2016

Haeril Halim, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) says it has received an instruction from Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan to drop minor graft cases and instead focus more on pursuing large-scale money-laundering cases involving the country's high-profile businessmen in the coming years.

KPK commissioner Laode Muhammad Syarif said Luhut had delivered the instruction during a closed-door meeting with KPK commissioners on Thursday at the KPK headquarters.

In the talk, the KPK was also told to pay more attention to the effort to curb tax evasion to help with the government's plan to establish the controversial tax amnesty, which had been opposed by the previous KPK leadership and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK).

"We have yet to discuss specific cases, but we will focus on money laundering and tax [cases] in the future," Laode told The Jakarta Post on Thursday. He declined to elaborate on what other instructions Luhut gave to the newly inaugurated KPK leaders during the meeting.

Speaking after the meeting, Luhut said that under the tax amnesty plan tax evaders who paid their taxes could avoid criminal charges.

He said the plan was to increase government revenue and that the KPK would be the last resort, working to bring charges of money laundering against persistent tax evaders.

To realize the plan, Luhut said the KPK and the anti-money laundering task force established by his office as well as the Finance Ministry's directorate general of taxation, would work out details for the joint cooperation in the near future.

Luhut said the government already had lists of tax evaders to be submitted to the KPK in the future for prosecution should they fail to take advantage of the tax amnesty once it was enacted.

"As we all know that thousands of trillions of rupiah in tax remain unpaid, we want swift action. This is part of the effort to implement clean governance," Luhut said on Thursday at the KPK headquarters.

The government of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has been working to meet increased tax revenue targets. On Dec. 1 the director general of taxation Sigit Priadi Pramudito resigned just 10 months after his appointment amid reports that tax revenue had fallen well short of target.

In the meeting, Luhut also reminded the KPK to avoid stirring controversy in its future investigations into graft and money-laundering cases, adding that the KPK should work effectively in silence.

President Jokowi has repeatedly urged the KPK to avoid creating publicity stunts when investigating graft cases, following the anti-graft body's standoff with the National Police early last year, after it named then National Police chief candidate Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan a bribery suspect in January.

Ever since, the government has repeatedly called on law enforcement institutions, including the KPK, to work cooperatively to prevent conflicts. In addition, the government has also sought to establish a regulation to limit public exposure of cases being handled by law enforcement institutions.

Luhut meanwhile denied suggestions that he had also instructed the KPK to launch a money-laundering probe into former president director of state-owned port operator PT Pelindo II, Richard Joost Lino, who is a close confidant of Luhut's political rival Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

In a separate investigation, the National Police suspect that a significant amount of money from Pelindo II has been laundered by still unidentified persons. "We didn't talk about it [Lino's case] because it's already ongoing. We talked about future investigations," Luhut said.

Responding to critics of the tax amnesty plan, Luhut said the government would not grant any amnesty to graft, narcotics or terrorism convicts under the plan, and that money-laundering charges would only be used against high-profile businessmen should they refuse to pay their taxes in the future.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/08/luhut-tells-KPK-focus-money-laundering-not-minor-graft.html

Soeharto foundation files suit against AGO

Jakarta Post - January 8, 2016

Fedina S. Sundaryani, Jakarta – The foundation of former president Soeharto, Yayasan Supersemar, has filed a lawsuit against the Attorney General's Office (AGO) for what it deems an illegal move to freeze the foundation's bank accounts.

The AGO moved to block the foundation's bank accounts following the Supreme Court's ruling to order the foundation to pay a Rp 4.4 trillion (US$316 million) fine for misusing scholarship funds.

Denny Kailimang, the foundation's lawyer, said that his client had filed the suit with the South Jakarta District Court in early December last year and a hearing has been scheduled for next Thursday.

"We have filed a lawsuit because the President only gives the AGO the authority to implement the Supreme Court's decision via the South Jakarta District Court. It does not give them the authority to freeze bank accounts," he told The Jakarta Post.

"The Attorney General does not have any such authority and thus they are violating the law."

Denny argued that due to the unwarranted account blockages, the Supersemar Foundation has not been able to pay their employees' salaries or to distribute the scholarships it had promised to students.

"I hope that the lawsuit results in the President reprimanding the Attorney General for abusing his authority and that the President will remind him that any court decision must be implemented through the courts. I also hope that the AGO will lift its decision to freeze the accounts as it has no legal basis," he said.

The case dates back to 2008 when the AGO filed a lawsuit at the South Jakarta District Court accusing the Soeharto family and the foundation of misusing scholarship funds by diverting them to their own companies.

The South Jakarta District Court found the foundation guilty and ordered it to pay a penalty.

The Supreme Court upheld the decision in 2010 and demanded that it pay $315 million and Rp 139.2 billion, which together equal Rp 4.4 trillion under the present valuation.

However, an earlier decision by the lower court contained a typographical error, stating that the rupiah portion of the ordered payment should be only Rp 139.2 million, instead of Rp 139.2 billion.

Denny said that the fine could not be justified given that the foundation only controlled assets worth only of Rp 309 billion based on an audit conducted by the AGO in 1998.

"The financial audit on seven foundations, including the Supersemar Foundation, published in October 1998, shows that our assets in state-owned banks from 1978 to 1998 was only Rp 309 billion, and it was not in dollars. So where did they get the numbers from?" he said.

On Wednesday, the foundation missed a second summons by the South Jakarta District Court for a hearing to prepare for the fine payment.

Court spokesman Made Sutisna said that if the foundation does not appear before court on the next scheduled hearing on Jan. 20, then the court will authorize a forced confiscation of its assets. However, Denny gave assurance that he would attend the hearing on Jan. 20.

Meanwhile, AGO spokesman Amir Yanto said that the prosecutors were prepared to defend themselves against the Supersemar Foundation's lawsuit. "We will face this counter lawsuit. The execution [of the fines] will continue while we are dealing with this lawsuit," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/08/soeharto-foundation-files-suit-against-ago.html

AGO waits for President's approval to question Setya

Jakarta Post - January 5, 2016

Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) is seeking permission from President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to summon former House of Representatives speaker Setya Novanto in its investigation into an alleged conspiracy surrounding the possible misuse of Jokowi's and Vice President Jusuf Kalla's names in Freeport contract negotiations involving the Golkar Party politician.

AGO spokesman Amir Yanto said the office's summons to Setya would have to first wait for President Jokowi's permission, which he has not yet granted.

"We have been discussing the questioning. About the timing, it will be discussed today," said Amir, implying that the AGO had gathered enough information from witnesses in the case. He made the statements to journalists at the AGO compound in South Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon.

As of Dec.30, 2015, the AGO had questioned 16 witnesses for the case. They include mining company PT Freeport Indonesia president director Maroef Sjamsoeddin, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said, who initially reported Setya to the House ethics council over an alleged ethics violation case, Freeport commissioner Marzuki Darusman, who is also a former attorney general, and Darmawan "Darmo" Prasodjo, an assistant to the presidential chief of staff.

"We will first gather information from witnesses," Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo said in a statement as quoted by tempo.co on Dec. 18, 2015.

"Pak Setya Novanto will be summoned only after we gather enough information, including from Reza," said Prasetyo, referring to oil tycoon Muhammad Reza Chalid, who apparently attended a meeting between Maroef and Setya, during which the latter was suspected to have asked the Freeport executive to give 20 percent of Freeport shares to Jokowi and Kalla to secure the company's mining contract extension.

Article 245 of the 2014 Legislative Institution Law (MD3 Law) stipulates that a president's permission is needed to summon a House member.

The AGO is currently investigating an alleged conspiracy in connection with Setya's meeting with Maroef and Reza to discuss the extension of Freeport's mining contract.

Setya was accused of claiming to have won the approval of Jokowi and Kalla to secure shares and projects from Freeport in exchange for helping the company extend its contract and continue operating its gold mine, one of the world's largest, in Papua. The AGO has yet to name any suspects in the case. (ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/05/ago-waits-president-s-approval-question-setya.html

KPK, police to form joint unit

Jakarta Post - January 5, 2016

Jakarta – The National Police and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) have agreed to form a quick response unit to handle graft cases in the regions.

"[Police and the KPK] will form a quick response unit, a pilot project to handle regions with many corruption cases," said KPK chairman Agus Raharjo on Monday after meeting with the police.

Agus said cooperation would be beneficial for law enforcement, especially in complicated cases that required many investigators.

National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti said the unit would be tasked with mapping corruption motives in local administrations. The team will also assess and recommend fixes to the regions' budgeting systems so that such practices can be prevented.

He cited as an example social assistance funds that were often misused by regional heads, including in the latest case implicating suspended North Sumatra governor Gatot Pudjo Nugroho. "Funding in the form of social assistance should be scrutinized so that in the future there will be no corruption related to it," said Badrodin.

Badrodin said it was also common for corruption to occur in the recruitment of civil servant in which officials asked for money to pass an applicant in a test.

The newly installed KPK leadership has been criticized for its aim to focus on prevention instead of prosecution. Many worry that focusing on preventive measures may reduce deterrent effects and perpetrators would not fear committing corruption.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/05/national-scene-KPK-police-form-joint-unit.html

Terrorism & religious extremism

Groups join interfaith movement against extremism

Jakarta Post - January 7, 2016

Jakarta – A number of minority groups have joined Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Muslim organization, to launch a nationwide, grassroots movement aimed at combating extremism.

The organizations, which include the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI), the Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI), the High Council of Confucianism in Indonesia (Matakin) and the Indonesian Buddhist Association (Walubi), joined the movement in its effort to maintain the country's foundation of pluralism, which is under threat from extremism.

The organizations plan to hold a mass rally at Lapangan Banteng Square on Jan. 17 in which thousands of their members are expected to participate.

"With this mass rally we want to bring the message home that diversity should be this nation's strength. We must show that peaceful coexistence is possible," Father Guido Suprapto of the KWI told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

NU central board chairman Marsyudi Syuhud said that the rally would be the start of a nationwide movement campaigning for tolerance and pluralism under the banner of Islam Nusantara (Islam of the Archipelago).

The NU promoted the concept of Islam Nusantara during the organization's 33rd congress last year, where it espoused that Islam was compatible with nationalism and indigenous values.

Marsyudi said the peaceful and tolerant brand of Islam was currently under threat from the rise of fundamentalism.

"This is the start of a movement to counter the perception that Islam is not a peaceful religion because we now see Muslims attacking one another, between Sunni and Shia. And this is before we talk about our relations with other faiths like Hinduism and Buddhism," Marsyudi said.

Marsyudi also said the interfaith movement would guard the country from the intrusion of extremism that came from abroad in the form of radical groups like the Islamic State (IS) movement and others that wanted to impose a single interpretation of Islam.

"The danger is clear and present. Now we see they have the courage to fly the IS flag at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle. We also had people rallying at Senayan Stadium and openly expressing their wishes for changing Pancasila as the state ideology," he said.

The interfaith group also expressed concern that the growing extremism sprung from what it deemed a government failure to address radicalism.

"We have people returning from fighting with IS in Syria and the government does nothing. This makes people believe that the Arab Spring will certainly come to Indonesia soon," Marsyudi said.

The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) assured those concerned on Thursday that 149 Indonesians returning from war-torn Syria, home to the radical IS, would not cause security problems here. BNPT said that IS returnees would undergo thorough screening before being allowed to rejoin society.

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said recently that at least 800 Indonesians had joined IS and that 284 of these had been identified and 52 had died.

Father Edy Purwanto of the KWI said that Catholics in the country would join the NU-initiated movement. "We are aware that the NU always gets divine help to deal with problems in the country. We will support the movement and six million Catholics in the country will join the effort," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/07/groups-join-interfaith-movement-against-extremism.html

Densus 88 castigated for wrongful arrests, torture

Jakarta Post - January 2, 2016

Jakarta – A member of the House of Representatives has criticized the National Police's counterterrorism squad, Densus 88, which on Friday wrongly arrested two men on suspicion of terrorism in Surakarta, Central Java. The men were physically and psychologically tortured before they were released.

"It is a matter of deep regret that these men, these innocent men, were tortured," said Saleh Partaonan Daulay, a member of House Commission III overseeing legal affairs, in Jakarta on Saturday, as reported by tribunenews.com.

Densus 88 officers, Saleh said, needed to prepare for operations with utmost thoroughness, to avoid charges of unprofessionalism.

"The two men were arrested on their way to the mosque. Over the course of their interrogation, the police realized that they were not terrorists," said the National Mandate Party (PAN) lawmaker in his written statement. According to Saleh, Densus 88 has made similar mistakes on numerous occasions, but has never issued a public apology.

Saleh noted that in May 2014, counterterrorism officers wrongly arrested Kadir, a resident of Banyu Harjo in Surakarta. In July 2013, two Muhammadiyah members – Sapari and Mugi Hartanto – were also wrongly arrested. In December 2012, a further 12 Surakartans were wrongly detained by the counterterrorism force. "There have certainly been many other incidents that have not come to light," he added.

The lawmaker demanded that the National Police publicly apologize to the families of those wrongly arrested, stressing that accusations of terrorism, especially public accusations, were a serious matter.

The National Police also needed to overhaul the procedures used in arresting suspected terrorists to avoid a repetition of such mistakes, he went on. "Terrorism is undoubtedly a grave threat to the nation. But arrests must be carried out properly," Saleh concluded. (bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/02/densus-88-castigated-wrongful-arrests-torture.html

Islamic law & morality

Batang issues 'salat berjamaah' circular

Jakarta Post - January 4, 2016

Semarang – Batang Regent Yoyok Riyo Sudibyo has issued a circular calling on civil servants, military and police officers, schools, Islamic boarding schools and private companies in the regency of Central Java to conduct a salat berjamaah (joint prayer).

"People should stop all activities upon hearing adzan [prayer call] and immediately go to a nearby mosque to conduct the obliged prayer," demands the circular as quoted by tempo.co.

The Religion and Social Studies Institute (Elsa) director Tedi Kholiluddin viewed the circular as a good move but said that it should not have been issued on behalf of the regency administration.

"Why did he use his authority? As leader of the regency, he should be neutral from any religious claims," Tedi said on Sunday.

Yoyok along with Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini received the prestigious Bung Hatta Anti-Corruption Award 2015.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/04/islands-focus-batang-issues-salat-berjamaah-circular.html

Poverty & social inequity

NTT poverty rate rises at 22.58 percent

Jakarta Post - January 6, 2016

Kupang – The number of underprivileged people in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) as of September 2015 stood at 1,160,530, a rise of 22.58 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2014.

"The BPS [Central Statistics Agency] recorded the poverty rate at 22.58 percent, or 1,160,530 people, most of them found in rural areas," NTT BPS social and statistics affairs head Martin Suanta said in Kupang on Tuesday.

Martin said that between March and September last year, the poverty rate dropped 0.03 percent from 22.61 percent.

He added that during the March to September period, the poverty line increased 3.14 percent, or Rp 297,846 (US$21) per capita monthly to Rp 307,224.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/06/islands-focus-ntt-poverty-rate-rises-2258-percent.html

Poverty on the rise in Indonesia: Statistics agency

Jakarta Globe - January 5, 2016

Jakarta – The number of Indonesians living in poverty continued to be on the rise as of last September, as weakening economic growth curbed income opportunities among the country's most underprivileged, data from the Central Statistics Agency showed on Tuesday.

More than 28.5 million people, or 11.1 percent of Indonesia's population, earned an income considered to be below the poverty line at Rp 344,809 ($24.8) a month.

The figure is a marked increase from 27.7 million Indonesians living in poverty, or 10.9 percent of the population, in 2014. However, it is still a decline from 28.6 million people recorded in March 2015.

The statistics agency, or BPS, conducts its poverty survey twice a year in March and September, to capture the cyclical effects of harvest seasons on poverty.

Maluku and Papua remain the country's poorest regions, with 22 percent of their population living under the poverty line. On the other hand, only 6.45 percent of Kalimantan's residents are low-income earners.

The Indonesian economy likely expanded by 4.7 percent last year, the weakest growth since 2009 and slowing down from 5 percent in 2014.

The country's income has been under pressure from the drop in global demand for commodities, the main source of income for most underprivileged workers.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/business/poverty-rise-indonesia-statistics-agency/

Soaring food prices lead to increase in poverty

Jakarta Post - January 5, 2016

Arya Dipa, Apriadi Gunawan and Panca Nugraha, Bandung/Medan – Due to the increase in staple food prices, the number of underprivileged people, especially in urban areas, has increased, especially in West Java and North Sumatra.

The number of poverty-stricken people in West Java, the most populated among the country's 34 provinces, increased to 4.48 million people as of September 2015, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), compared to 4.43 million people in March last year, a rise of 9.57 percent of the total population, in a province of 45 million people.

The BPS West Java chapter's statistics affairs head, Dyah Anugrah Kuswardani, said that the increase in the number of underprivileged people, as shown in the agency's September survey, was due to the soaring prices of staple foods.

"The dominant factor affecting the poverty line is food commodity. People in the lower economic class spend more on food than housing, clothes, education and health," Dyah said on Monday.

The survey also recorded a higher number of underprivileged people were found in West Java's urban areas, she added, saying that poverty had affected 2.7 million people in urban areas and 1.77 million in rural areas.

The number of underprivileged people increased by 68,137 people, while in rural areas the figure had decreased by 18,182 people, she added.

Nationally, the number of poverty-stricken people in West Java ranked 19, better than Central Java, which ranked 13, Yogyakarta 14 and East Java 15. "Jakarta is the last, Banten province ranked 30, that's better than West Java," Dyah said.

Meanwhile, in 2014, the number of underprivileged people in North Sumatra stood at around 1,360,000 people, or 9.85 percent of its population. The figure rose further in March 2015 to 1,463,670 people and increased again in September to 1,508,140 people, or 10.79 percent of the total population of the province.

North Sumatra BPS head Wien Kusdiatmono said the increase in the number of underprivileged people in the province had been heavier in urban, rather than rural areas.

In the period between March and September 2015, the number of underprivileged people in urban areas had increased from 699,000 to 727,760 people, a rise of 28,460 percent, Wien added.

In rural areas, according to Wien, the growth in the number of underprivileged people had been lower, from 764,370 people in March 2015, to 780,380 people in September 2015.

He added that in urban areas, an underprivileged person was likely to earn an average monthly income of Rp 369,878 (US$26), compared to Rp 352,637 in rural areas.

He said the rise in the number of underprivileged people in North Sumatra had been caused by various factors, including the 1.43 percent inflation rate rise.

Meanwhile, the BPS office in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) recorded 802,290 underprivileged people as of September 2015, 16.54 percent of NTB's total population of 4.85 million.

"The number of underprivileged people in September 2015 dropped by 21,600 people, 0.56 percent, compared to the March 2015 figure of 823,890 people," said NTB BPS head Wahyudin at his office in Mataram on Monday.

The decrease in poor people in the province had been due to lower inflation caused by a decrease in the price of rice, explained Wahyudin.

According to BPS, the number of poverty-stricken people across the country had reached 28.59 million by March 2015, 11.22 percent of the total population of 255 million, an increase from the previous survey figure of 27.73 million.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/05/soaring-food-prices-lead-increase-poverty.html

Land & agrarian conflicts

Firms becoming more hostile in agrarian conflicts: Report

Jakarta Post - January 6, 2016

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Companies in land-use conflicts have turned increasingly hostile towards local communities, a year-end report from the Agrarian Reform Consortium (KPA) found.

KPA secretary-general Iwan Nurdin said that 2015 marked the first time companies accounted for the largest number of cases of violence in agrarian conflicts, overtaking the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police.

"In the past, there was no such thing as companies committing violence. The most violent institutions [in agrarian conflicts] were the military and the police. But now, it is companies that commit most violence and murder in their areas," Iwan said at a press briefing on Tuesday.

In 2015, there were 35 cases of companies committing violence, followed by the police with 21 cases, the military with 16 cases, other government institutions with 10 cases, gangs with eight cases and local communities with three cases.

In 2014, police were responsible for most violent cases in agrarian conflicts with 34 cases, followed by local communities with 19, companies with 12, gangs with six and the military with five cases. "So 2015 was the first time companies became the main violent actor in agrarian conflicts," Iwan said.

In 2015, the KPA recorded 252 agrarian conflicts concerning 400,430 hectares of land and involving 108,714 households, down from 472 conflicts in 2014.

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) confirmed the trend. "The trend [of companies becoming more hostile] has actually been ongoing for the past few years," Komnas HAM commissioner Dianto Bachriadi said on Tuesday.

Dianto said companies usually hired civilian security forces (Pamswakarsa), first established by the TNI in 1998 to secure the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly.

"After the New Order regime, there has been a shift. The police and thugs are being hired to suppress people's demands and resistance. This is wrong, their duty is to find the root cause of the problems [in agrarian conflicts], not to suppress it," said Dianto.

He added that companies were becoming more hostile after hiring members of Pamswakarsa, as they expanded their businesses.

Dianto also said that KPA's findings matched with those of Komnas HAM. "The violators of human rights that are most reported to us by the public are companies. In 2015, we received more than 6,000 reports and 25 percent of them were related to agrarian conflicts," he said. "And these conflicts mostly involved companies."

In the past, Pamswakarsa had been reported to commit human rights violations, with some of members of the group convicted for murdering local residents.

One of the most prominent cases was the Sungai Sodong incident in Mesuji district, Ogan Komering Illir, in 2011, where Pamswakarsa members hired by PT Sumber Wangi Alam (SWA) committed sadistic murders.

In 2012, five Pamswakarsa members were sentenced to between eight and 10 years in prison for murdering Syaktu Macan and Indra Syafei, who came to the plantation of PT SWA to claim land ownership in early 2011.

Indra tried to block the Pamswakarsa members from taking over the land, because the local court had not decided the status of the land yet. The move was responded to with beatings, stabbings and shooting, with Indra's throat being slit. "This is extremely worrying, because it is one more step from becoming a full-blown horizontal conflict. So this trend needs to be arrested," Iwan said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/06/firms-becoming-more-hostile-agrarian-conflicts-report.html

Government aims to establish 500,000 ha of community forests by 2017

Jakarta Post - January 4, 2016

Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, Padang – The West Sumatra provincial administration has expressed optimism that it can complete a plan to hand over the management of 500,000 hectares of protected forests to local communities by next year despite the relatively slow progress of the policy, which was initiated in 2012.

West Sumatra Forestry Agency head Hendri Octavia said that three years after the launch of the program, the local administration had been able to introduce community-based forest management for 43,821 ha of forest land, only 19 percent of the designated target.

To meet the full target, Hendri said his agency aimed to complete the establishment of at least 200,000 ha of community-run forests this year and another 200,000 ha next year.

"In 2016, we will deploy 60 field officers assigned with completing the establishment of community-based forest management in at least two locations per year. We are optimistic the target will be met," Hendri said at a recent media conference.

West Sumatra has 4.3 million ha of forests, with 962,000 ha of them protected forests that have the potential to be converted into production forests under the management of local communities.

In 2012, West Sumatra Governor Irwan Prayitno pledged that his administration would facilitate the conversion of 500,000 ha of protected forests into nagari (village) forests, social forests and community plantation forests (HTRs).

In August 2014, then forestry minister Zulkifli Hasan, for example, officially handed over letters of instruction on the allocation of nagari production forests to four villages in the province, covering a total area of 18,985 ha.

Three of the four villages are located in Solok regency, namely Nagari Sirukam, Nagari Sungai Abu and Nagari Sariak Alahan Tigo. The other village, Nagari Paru, is located in Sijunjung regency.

The latest Environment and Forestry Ministry data, however, shows that between 2012 and 2015, only 32,788 ha were officially declared village forests, 4,098 ha as social forests and 6,935 ha as HTRs.

At least 50,000 ha of forest land is currently awaiting for approval from both local and central government to be administered under local community-based forest management schemes.

"We have a commitment to establish community forests. However, our forest area is vast while at the same time we have a limited number of field officers to implement the policy," Hendri said.

Indonesian Conservation Community (KKI Warsi) director Diki Kurniawan, meanwhile, urged the local administration to speed up the establishment of community forests in the province, arguing that the policy would better protect forests from various threats, particularly forest fires and illegal logging.

"The management of [community] forests rely on local customs. This is partly the reason West Sumatra did not see extensive forest fires last year," he said.

Last year, many provinces, such as Riau, Jambi, North Sumatra, South Sumatra and Central Kalimantan, struggled for several months to cope with the impacts of smoke from both man-made and natural land and forest fires in their respective and neighboring areas.

The disaster was also exacerbated by last year's long dry season triggered by the El Ni�o weather phenomenon.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/04/government-aims-establish-500000-ha-community-forests-2017.html

Governance & administration

AGO worst performer in 2015

Jakarta Post - January 6, 2016

Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) was the worst-performing government institution last year, according to a report issued by the Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Ministry.

In a performance accountability report for last year, the ministry recorded that the AGO scored the lowest among government institutions.

Arsul Sani, a member of House of Representatives Commission III overseeing legal affairs, human rights and security, said the AGO had scored poorly for the past three years, making it important for the government to reform the institution.

"Attorney General [Muhammad Prasetyo] must have a strong commitment to make [major changes]," he said on Tuesday as quoted by jpnn.com. The United Development Party (PPP) politician said the AGO could risk losing public trust if it failed to introduce reforms.

Arsul declined to comment on whether Prasetyo should be axed in the next Cabinet reshuffle, saying that was the prerogative of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Jokowi has disclosed that there will be another reshuffle, explaining that several ministries had been slow in implementing infrastructure projects.

Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Yuddy Chrisnandi said leaders of poor performing institutions would not be subjected to the shake-up. He said Jokowi would take more things into consideration before moving top bureaucrats.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/06/national-scene-ago-worst-performer-2015.html

Shortfall deepens budget hole

Jakarta Post - January 4, 2016

Tassia Sipahutar, Jakarta – The state budget deficit in 2015 was far wider than had been estimated, the latest Finance Ministry data show, after numerous state income components fell short of their targets.

According to the data, the budget deficit widened to Rp 318.5 trillion (US$23.09 billion) or 2.8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), far greater than the Rp 222.5 trillion, 1.9 percent of GDP, envisaged in the revised 2015 state budget.

The wider deficit was caused by low realization of revenue, especially tax revenue, with the government forced to seek alternative sources of financing to plug the gaping deficit, which approached the legal limit of 3 percent of GDP.

Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro previously said that part of the additional funding would come from loans provided by several multilateral institutions, including the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Bambang brushed off concerns that growing external loans would put the state finances at risk. In an email sent to The Jakarta Post, he said that the country's debt-to-GDP level was still within a safe margin.

"Outstanding loans as per Dec. 31, 2015, reached Rp 3.09 quadrillion. That means the debt-to-GDP ratio stood at 27 percent, below the safe level of 60 percent as stipulated by Law No. 17/2003 on state finances," he insisted.

Meanwhile, ministry data show that total government revenue reached Rp 1.49 quadrillion by the end of December, representing 84.7 percent of the target.

As widely predicted, the government failed to attain its ambitious tax revenue target, with net revenues of Rp 1.05 trillion, equal to 81.5 percent of the target. Combined with customs and excise, total taxation revenues stood at Rp 1.23 quadrillion, falling short of the targeted Rp 1.5 quadrillion.

In a statement, the government attributed the disappointing revenues to the effects of a sluggish economy on the manufacturing and mining sectors, which in turn affected tax revenues from the two key sectors.

Weak commodity prices played a role as well, according to the statement, especially as they influenced the country's main exports, such as crude palm oil and mining products.

Falling coal and oil prices in the international market also led to a decline in non-tax revenues (PNBP). By year-end, non-tax revenues reached Rp 252.4 trillion, 93.8 percent of the targeted sum.

The government also missed its spending target as a result of the shortfall in revenue that would have been used to finance spending. According to the statement, the government disbursed Rp 1.81 quadrillion, 91.2 percent of the year's total spending allocation.

The central government spent 90 percent of its own spending allocation, including funds disbursed through ministries and agencies, and channeled almost 94 percent of the funds reserved for regions and villages.

The government said that nomenclature changes at several ministries at the beginning of the year – soon after the new administration took office – had impeded optimum spending, but added that spending realization had picked up significantly in the third quarter onward.

Meanwhile, the government's latest estimate puts 2015 GDP growth at 4.73 percent and the inflation rate at 3.1 percent. The economic growth rate will be lower than the previously forecast 5.7 percent; the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) is slated to announce the official result in February.

Maybank Indonesia economist Juniman and Bank Central Asia (BCA) economist David Sumual said the results were "unsurprising" and stressed the ambitiousness of the government's original targets. "The tax target was set too high; the annual increase should've been realistically set at 15 percent," Juniman said.

Both economists urged the government to revise the 2016 state budget, calling for a more realistic outlook. The government needed to revise down its targets, David said, as the economy was not set for any immediate major improvements.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/04/shortfall-deepens-budget-hole.html

Jokowi supporter named director general

Jakarta Post - January 2, 2016

Jakarta – Historian and social activist Hilmar Farid has been sworn in as the new culture director general at the Culture and Education Ministry on Thursday.

Replacing Kacung Marijan, Hilmar is the first non-civil servant to be appointed a director general at a ministry.

Speaking after his inauguration, Hilmar defended his appointment saying that he was not selected because of his close connections to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Hilmar said he applied for the job like everybody else. "Minister Anies explained that this was an open recruitment process and applicants were judged based on their performance," Hilmar said as quoted by tempo.co.

Hilmar is known to be an ardent supporter of Jokowi and campaigned for the then Jakarta governor in 2014's presidential election.

Hilmar, the son of translator Agus Setiadi, was born in Bonn, Germany, on March 8, 1968. He received his bachelor's degree in history from the University of Indonesia in 1993.

Two years after graduating, Hilmar taught at the Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ) for four years. In 1994, he, along with artists, researchers and activists, established the Culture Working Network. Hilmar also established the Indonesian Institute of Social History (ISSI) in 2002.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/02/national-scene-jokowi-supporter-named-director-general.html

Parliament & legislation

Aburizal purges House faction of rival politicians

Jakarta Post - January 7, 2016

Tama Salim, Jakarta – The camp of Aburizal Bakrie has consolidated its power over the Golkar Party by approving a shake-up of the party's faction at the House of Representatives, removing members believed to be loyalists of House speaker candidate Ade Komarudin, the current faction leader.

A letter from the Golkar faction circulated on Wednesday requested that House leadership immediately approve a new line up for the party's faction at the legislative body, a move that many saw as a precursor for Setya Novanto's aim to take over the faction leadership.

Following the decision from Setya to vacate his position as House speaker, Ade was nominated to replace him. Setya resigned from the leadership post to avoid political embarrassment in an alleged conspiracy to renew the contract of PT Freeport Indonesia in exchange for government projects. Instead of being stripped of his authority, Setya, whom many believe to be competing with Ade to succeed Aburizal as party leader, signed the letter detailing the new line-up for the Golkar faction after having received support from Aburizal.

Ade is known to have forged close ties with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, most notably with the President accepting his invitation to the activities of the Central Organization for Indonesian Employees (SOKSI). SOKSI is chaired by Ade and is a major contributor of votes for Golkar.

Unlike Setya, Ade has openly praised the Jokowi administration and has pledged to extend his support in passing crucial issues in the House.

Nurdin Halid, deputy chairman of Golkar's central board under Aburizal, confirmed the authenticity of the letter, saying that it was a follow-up to the central board's decision that was approved by Aburizal and secretary-general Idrus Marham.

"The letter follows up on the party's central board decision from Dec. 24. It already conforms [to the instruction of the chairman]," Nurdin told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Nurdin brushed off speculation that the fresh shake-up was related to infighting among party bigwigs. "That's just a common misconception," he said.

"Certainly there are objective and subjective considerations. Objectively speaking, the central board wishes to have strong teamwork within the faction, while subjectively, we have a need for certain individuals to take certain types of jobs," said Nurdin, who is a former chairman of the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI).

Apart from the Setya-Ade swap, the letter also ordered other changes in the faction line up, most notably by replacing current faction secretary Bambang Soesatyo with Azis Syamsuddin, the chairman of House Commission III overseeing legal affairs.

Bambang, who had been critical of Setya during the Freeport incident, claimed not to know about the faction reshuffle, but said he would not resist the decision.

"Even if the news about the reshuffle is true, I don't mind it one bit [...] It doesn't change my stance or conviction. If someone makes a mistake, I will definitely criticize them," he told the Post on Wednesday.

Bambang did, however, point out that there had yet to be any formal change to the faction roster, saying that the changes needed to go through the formal mechanisms and be approved by a definitive House speaker, not an acting official. "Besides, we're still in recess," he added.

The circulating letter also ordered the replacement of House budget committee (Banggar) chairman Ahmadi Noor Supit with Kahar Muzakir, the former House ethics council chairman brought in by the party to defend Setya in his recent ethics case. The letter also listed Robert Joppy Kardinal as faction treasurer. Ahmadi confirmed the reshuffle, indicating that it was motivated by competition among factions. "All [of the replacements] come from Setya Novanto's gang," Ahmadi said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/07/aburizal-purges-house-faction-rival-politicians.html

Jakarta & urban life

Elections won't stop evictions

Jakarta Post - January 8, 2016

Callistasia Anggun Wijaya, Jakarta – More squatters and people occupying state land will be forced to abandon their homes this year as the city administration intends to bulldoze their houses to make way for urban infrastructure, including flood mitigation projects.

Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, however, has vowed to relocate those affected to low-cost apartments that have and will be built by the Jakarta administration.

The governor said on Friday that his intention to run for reelection in the 2017 gubernatorial election would not discourage him from carrying out unpopular policies such as evictions.

"Considering the political perspective, I should not conduct many evictions this year because it may make Jakarta residents decide not to give me photocopies of their IDs and they may not vote for me. But if I did that, I would be violating my oath of office" Ahok told journalist at City Hall.

He added that he was appointed governor to ease traffic congestion and mitigate flooding and so he had to widen rivers so they could accommodate more rainwater and for that he needed to evict people from structures built on riverbanks.

"To widen rivers, I should conduct evictions. I will stop conducting evictions when low-cost apartments are fully occupied," Ahok said.

To run as an independent candidate in 2017, Ahok needs the support of at least 7.5 percent of eligible voters in Jakarta. To prove he has the support, he needs to collect 532,000 photocopies of Jakartans' IDs. Ahok said he had so far collected 500,000 photocopies of IDs, but he called on supporters to collect 1 million.

Ahok said Teman Ahok (Friends of Ahok), a group of Ahok supporters, had questioned his decision to conduct more evictions this year because they feared it would jeopardize his popularity prior to the gubernatorial election. (bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/08/elections-wont-stop-evictions.html

City, central government lack integrated transportation plan

Jakarta Post - January 2, 2016

Corry Elyda, Jakarta – Transportation agency head Andri Yansyah revealed his vexation over the lack of coordination between the city administration and the central government in handling giant transportation projects.

"Take the LRT [Light Rapid Transit], for example, why do we not ask those who are truly authorized to make decisions on the matter. We have not even finished determining the routes," Andri said in a recent discussion with the Jakarta Transportation Council (DTKJ).

He was referring to two LRT projects, one of which was initiated by the Transportation Ministry and is handled by state-owned developer PT Adhi Karya, and another that was initiated by the city administration and will be handled by city-owned property developer PT Jakarta Propertindo (Jakpro).

Andri said the Transportation Ministry and the city administration disagreed on the routes and the location of the stations. "They have different interests. They argue about whether routes should pass this place or that place," he said.

He added that the two authorities should have integrated their plans, so that more commuters would take public transportation. "They should have just handed over the route planning to the Transportation Ministry and Jakarta's Spatial Planning Agency," he said.

Adhi Karya is set to construct two elevated LRT lanes in Greater Jakarta, while the city administration will build seven routes inside the city.

Jakarta has plans for at least six major transportation projects. Besides the two LRT projects, these comprise the ongoing mass rapid transit (MRT), the airport rail line, the elevated Transjakarta busway system and elevated toll roads.

However, many of the routes of the projects were drawn separately, without planners consulting each other and without a masterplan. Stakeholders are now trying to iron out the problems, including overlapping routes.

One of the salient problems is having three giant projects that connect Jakarta with Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten: state-owned railway company PT KAI's two projects – the extension of the current Greater Jakarta commuter line from Batu Ceper in Tangerang to the airport and the elevated rail line from Gambir station in Central Jakarta to the airport via Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) and Kamal Muara in North Jakarta – and the LRT project connecting Kemayoran in Central Jakarta to the airport.

Other routes that overlap include the controversial six inner elevated toll roads to be built by PT Jakarta Tollroad Development (JTD).

Commenting on the overlapping routes, JTD president director Frans Sunito said recently that it was merely a technical issue and would be discussed later. "We can talk and resolve it," he said.

Even though the routes are not yet fixed, the central government already conducted a groundbreaking ceremony for the LRT project in Taman Mini in East Jakarta on Sept. 10.

While the city administration and the central government are dreaming of big projects, the improvement of existing transportation modes like buses is making little progress.

The year of 2015 ended with a series of deadly accidents involving minibuses, one of which claimed 18 lives. According to the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda), only 10 percent of the 1,600 buses operated by Metromini are in good condition.

Responding to the accidents, Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama ordered the Transportation Agency to take off the streets any Metromini buses that were in poor condition or had no proper registration documents. More than 200 buses have been seized, prompting hundreds of minibus owners to hold a strike.

Meanwhile, another bus company, the Jakarta Transportation Cooperative (Kopaja) has officially joined Transjakarta. Transjakarta recently launched the operation of 320 air-conditioned Kopaja buses to mark the integration of the two public transportation systems. The buses serve as feeders connecting to Transjakarta routes.

DTKJ head Ellen SW Tangkudung admitted that residents could not yet see much improvement in public transportation, but added that the city administration and the government were trying to revamp their efforts on transportation.

"They are now formulating the Greater Jakarta Transportation Plan that will be managed by the Greater Jakarta Transportation Body [BPTJ]," she said. BPTJ was formalized by presidential regulation in October.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/02/city-central-government-lack-integrated-transportation-plan.html

Transport & communication

Indonesian airlines rank lowest in world for safety

Sydney Morning Herald - January 6, 2016

Jewel Topsfield, Jakarta – Indonesia's accident-plagued aviation industry has more airlines with the lowest safety ranking than any other country in the world according to an annual survey.

The plane safety rating website AirlineRatings.com surveyed 407 of the world's major airlines, giving each a safety score out of seven.

Of the 10 airlines that scored just one point or less, all but one was from Indonesia. Qantas was ranked the world's safest airline for the third year in a row.

The rating system takes into account factors including audits from aviation's governing bodies and lead associations as well as government audits and the airline's fatality record.

There were multiple plane crashes in Indonesia in 2015, several involving loss of life. In December the previous year, 162 people were killed when an Indonesia AirAsia plane en route to Singapore ditched into the Java sea.

"Australians need to exercise extreme caution when travelling to and around Indonesia and ensure they chose an airline that meets world standards," says AirlineRatings.com editor Geoffrey Thomas.

"Aviation is critical to the economic development of Indonesia yet the government appears unwilling or incapable of meeting its international obligations by upgrading its oversight of its airline industry," he said.

"Also many Indonesian airports don't meet international standards while navigation aids in some locations don't work or are sub optimal."

Indonesian ministry of transport spokesman J. A. Barata questioned the validity of the research and rankings. He said Merpati Airlines was listed by AirlineRatings when it had not been operating for some time. Merpati Airlines, which had a "rating pending" status on the website, suspended flights in February 2014 due to falling revenue according to the Jakarta Globe.

Mr Barata also said Malaysia Airlines received quite a high safety ranking (five out of seven) despite a couple of major accidents.

Most of Indonesia's airlines are banned from flying within the European Union. Garuda Indonesia, which has passed many tough operational audits and was given a safety rating of three by AirlineRatings, is a notable exception to the EU ban.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has also certified Garuda Indonesia and AirAsia to operate flights between Australia and Indonesia, according to the Australian government website smarttraveller.gov.au

However the website says Australian officials in Indonesia have been directed not to use airline Susi Air for official travel after fatal crashes in 2011 and 2012. Susi Air is not one of the carriers ranked by AirlineRatings.com and the safety rating for Indonesia AirAsia is pending.

The Australian government website also says the United States Federal Aviation Administration has determined that Indonesia's Directorate General of Civil Aviation is not in compliance with international safety standards for the oversight of Indonesia's air carrier operations.

Last year a Twin Otter from the small regional airline Aviastar crashed in Sulawesi in October, killing all 10 on board.

In August a plane operated by Trigana Air Service – which received a 0 in the AirlineRatings safety score – crashed in remote Papua with 54 fatalities.

A Hercules aircraft belonging to the Indonesian Air Force crashed in Medan in June, killing more than 100 passengers on board and more than 20 people on the ground.

Indonesia's biggest budget carrier Lion Air has also been in the news after police announced on Monday that four employees had been arrested on suspicion of stealing from passengers' luggage in the hull.

And in November a Lion Air pilot was reportedly grounded for allegedly offering a female, divorced flight attendant to passengers to make up for the delay.

The airlines awarded the lowest safety rating by Airlineratings.com

Trigana Air Service – Indonesia Batik Air – Indonesia Citilink – Indonesia Kalstar Aviation – Indonesia Lion Air – Indonesia Sriwijaya Air – Indonesia Tara Air – Nepal TransNusa Air Services – Indonesia Wings Air – Indonesia Xpress Air – Indonesia

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/indonesian-airlines-rank-lowest-in-world-for-safety-20160106-gm0hx4.html

Airline industry to remain stagnant this year amid safety worries

Jakarta Post - January 4, 2016

Jakarta – Safety and security concerns will remain top challenges for Indonesian airlines in 2016 after several accidents were recorded last year despite the government's ambitious plan to improve the country's international safety category.

The country recorded 14 airline-related accidents and incidents in 2015, an increase from the four accidents of the previous year, according to data compiled by airline consulting firm CSE Aviation.

One of the most notable accidents was the crash involving Trigana Air in Oksibil, Papua, killing all 54 passengers on board.

"Operational wise, 2015 didn't look good with so many accidents and incidents. There hasn't been much improvement in safety and security," said aviation expert Samudra Sukardi.

He added that the government had failed in 2015 to upgrade the country's Category 2 status to Category 1. These categories are set by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The FAA downgraded Indonesia's aviation safety to Category 2 seven years ago, signaling that the country lacked the regulations necessary to oversee air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards.

Transportation Ministry director for air transportation Muzaffar Ismail previously stated his office had undertaken corrective actions from 21 findings outlined by the organization, which mainly focused on training. The FAA has given Indonesia an auditing slot for February 2016.

The ministry also highlighted the fact that it had fulfilled 94.9 percent of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety standards in November, an increase from 45.3 percent in May 2015. It also allocated Rp 12.03 trillion (US$871.4 million) for transportation safety and security in 2015, a 139 percent increase from 2014.

However, accidents and incidents kept on happening, including the Aviastar plane crash in South Sulawesi that resulted in 10 casualties in October.

Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan also said the ministry had actively promoted safety by freezing route permits for airlines whose aircraft were involved in crashes, as well as issuing regulations on the maximum age limit for airplanes at 30 years.

The ministry issued around 30 regulations this year to improve the safety, service and security of air transportation.

"The government did issue regulations, but did the airlines comply? The companies have to be audited by inspectors and there are not enough inspectors," he said, adding that the ministry had just 100 inspectors. It is thought that around 600 inspectors are needed in order to effectively audit all the airlines operating in Indonesia at present.

He said given all the problems, the safety issue would likely remain a major challenge for this year.

Aviation expert Edwin Soedarmo said safety concerns would also contribute to stagnant growth in passenger numbers this year. "The accidents will make people a bit choosy. But they can't retreat from using aircraft," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/04/airline-industry-remain-stagnant-year-amid-safety-worries.html

Criminal justice & prison system

BNN wants farmers to stop growing marijuana

Jakarta Post - January 7, 2016

Nani Afrida, Jakarta – The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) has stepped up its campaign to encourage marijuana farmers to give up their work and start growing more sustainable crops.

BNN said that it would continue to expand its campaign to other places in the country. "We started the program in Aceh in 2015 and will continue by taking the program to other areas in Indonesia," BNN spokesperson Slamet Pribadi told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Pribadi said that the campaign in Aceh had begun to show success as farmers had started to grow regular crops and plants.

BNN data shows that, in Aceh, at least 60 hectares of marijuana plantation had now been transformed into plots where farmers could grow cacao, patchouli, soybeans and turmeric.

"We also facilitate training for the farmers on how to plant these types of plants so they do not return to growing cannabis," Pribadi said.

Throughout 2015, BNN held training on how to plant cacao for 150 marijuana farmers in the Aceh Besar and Aceh Jaya regions, according to BNN chief Comr. Gen Budi Waseso.

"Within one or two years, we expect the cacao plantations to start production and then the farmers will earn money so that they don't have to grow cannabis in the mountains anymore," Budi told reporters.

In 2016, BNN plan to establish a similar project in West Java. "We have found marijuana plantations in Garut, West Java, for instance. We will take a similar approach to the weed farmers there," Pribadi said, adding that marijuana plantations had also be found in Papua.

Although soil in most places across the country is suitable for growing cannabis, Aceh, he said, remained the country's biggest marijuana producer. BNN investigation, Pribadi added, had found that a high quota of marijuana plantations in Aceh were actually controlled by investors from outside the province.

"They just ask local Acehnese to plant the weed and then, within several months, they return to claim the harvest," Slamet said. He said that the weed planting business involved a large number of female workers.

BNN plans to focus their attention on investors and will not prosecute marijuana growers, Slamet said. "We hunt the investors and spare the farmers," he said.

During 2015, BNN destroyed around 64 hectares of marijuana, mostly located in Aceh and Bengkulu. BNN acknowledged that its data on the size and extent of marijuana plantations was far from complete.

"This is data from BNN, we believe that police must have more comprehensive data than this," Slamet said.

The 2009 drug law stipulates that anyone found guilty of growing at least five stalks of marijuana could be sentenced to death. However, capital punishment had not deterred people from growing or trafficking the illegal plant.

In August last year, BNN arrested one member of a marijuana drug ring carrying 235.379 kilograms of dried marijuana from Aceh.

In the same month, Bogor Police foiled an attempt to smuggle 3.8 tons of marijuana, carrying a black market value of Rp 7.6 billion (US$544,000), from Aceh to Greater Jakarta via Bogor, West Java.

In October, BNN also arrested two suspects in Jakarta for selling cookies and chocolate made with marijuana via the website www.tokohemp.com. During the raid, the agency found four kilograms of marijuana leaves.

In December, the National Police arrested a truck driver who had been attempting to smuggle 1.5 tons of dried marijuana worth Rp 6 billion.

In 2015, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo declared the nation to be in the midst of a "narcotics emergency" and called for the death penalty for drug dealers; he also rejected clemency pleas from numerous convicted traffickers.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/07/bnn-wants-farmers-stop-growing-marijuana.html

Police & law enforcement

National police usher in 2016 with reshuffle of top cops

Jakarta Globe - January 2, 2016

Jakarta – Seven regional top cops have been replaced in a major shake-up of Indonesia's police ranks at the end of 2015, according to a Dec. 31 telegram signed by National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan.

South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Iza Fadri will serve as the National Police's expert staff for social and political affairs. He is to be replaced by the police's Security and Intelligence Agency deputy chief Insp. Gen. Djoko Prastowo.

Meanwhile, Jambi Police chief Brig. Gen. Lutfi Lubihanto was promoted to Iza's post and will be replaced by Central Java Police chief Gen. Musyafak.

Riau Islands Police chief Brig. Gen. Arman Depati is set to head back to the National Police's Criminal Investigations Unit (Bareskrim), where he will work with the National Narcotics Agency (BNN).

Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Murad Ismail was promoted to Mobile Brigade (Brimbob) chief, while North Sumatra Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Ilham Salahuddin will serve as his replacement.

Meanwhile, East Nusa Tenggara Police chief Brig. Gen. Endang Sunjaya will serve as Region III Inspector at the General Supervision Inspectorate, and will be replaced by Brig. Gen. Widiyo Sunaryo of the National Police's International Relations Unit.

West Sumatra Police chief Bambang Sri Herwanto was assigned as Police Academy program director, while Brig. Gen. Basarudin, head of the Personnel Treatment Bureau at the National Police's Human Resources Unit, will assume his post.

Lampung Police chief Brig. Gen. Edward Syah Pernong will serve as main policy analyst in the National Police's expert team, and is set to be replaced by Brig. Gen. Ike Edwin, deputy chief of the South Sulawesi Police.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/national-police-usher-2016-reshuffle-top-cops/

Mining & energy

Fuel levy plan postponed amid growing controversy

Jakarta Post - January 5, 2016

Ina Parlina and Raras Cahyafitri, Jakarta – The government decided on Monday to postpone a plan to impose a levy on sales of fossil-based fuels amid growing controversy over the idea.

With the postponement, the price of Premium gasoline outside Java and Bali will be Rp 6,950 per liter and Rp 7,050 per liter in Java and Bali beginning on Tuesday. Meanwhile, diesel will be sold at Rp 5,650 per liter nationwide.

Under the previous plan, customers were to pay a levy of Rp 200 per liter for Premium and Rp 300 per liter for subsidized diesel. The levy was to be used for an energy security fund.

The decision to postpone the levy was made during a limited Cabinet meeting on Monday afternoon.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said announced that the government had decided in the meeting that the establishment of the energy security fund would be deliberated further during the state budget revision with legislators.

However, he said the government would continue preparing the mechanism and regulations related to the implementation of the fund.

"The President and the Vice President have decided that we must prepare everything related to the fund, including regulations. Moreover, the implementation must go through the deliberation of the state budget," Sudirman told a press conference at the Presidential Palace on Monday.

"[This is] so [we] can avoid controversies that were already here and I believe [the issue] is now clear," Sudirman added.

Initially, the government planned to impose the levy on Tuesday, when the new gasoline and diesel prices were to be implemented.

Under the initial plan, the energy security fund was to be managed by Sudirman's office. Sudirman previously said that the levy for the energy security fund would be reviewed every three months, when the government also reviews fuel prices.

The reserve fund was first considered following an overhaul of energy subsidies in late 2014.

The fund, should it be implemented in the future, would be also used to support the electricity sector, to help build strategic petroleum reserves and to diversify energy resources given a 2025 target to have 23 percent of renewable energy in the total energy supply, according to Sudirman.

However, the planned fuel levy has been widely criticized because the government has yet to issue a legal basis for its implementation.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry's director general for oil and gas, IGN Wiratmaja Puja, highlighted that the government would likely need to draft an additional regulation if it wanted to impose the levy on fuel sales to finance the country's energy security program.

Apart from the implementation of new fuel prices starting on Tuesday, Pertamina will also lower prices of a number of its fuels to adjust to the fall of oil prices in the world market.

Pertamina president director Dwi Soetjipto said the company would reduce the price of Pertalite gasoline to Rp 7,900, Pertamax gasoline to a range of Rp 8,600 to Rp 9,600 and non-subsidized diesel fuel to Rp 8,050. The price of 12-kilogram liquid petroleum gas canisters will be lowered by an average of Rp 5,800 per canister.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/05/fuel-levy-plan-postponed-amid-growing-controversy.html

Illegal fuel levy to spark political uproar: Reforminer

Jakarta Post - January 1, 2016

Ayomi Amindoni, Jakarta – The government should consult with the House of Representative before imposing a fuel levy as such a levy had no legal basis and could even spark a political uproar, according to an energy expert.

Reforminer Institute executive director Komaidi Notonegoro said Law 30/2007 mandated that the government go through the state budget mechanism with the House of Representatives before implementing a fuel levy.

"If the fund were to be imposed early January 2016, it would have no chance for a discussion with the House because the 2016 state budget has been sealed. If the government wants to implement a fuel levy, they must wait for the state budget revision," he told thejakartapost.com on Thursday.

He warned of political risks if the government insisted on imposing the levy on Jan. 5. "The purpose of the measure is good but without careful execution, there will be political turmoil."

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said claimed that the energy security fund was enshrined in the 2007 Energy Law and Government Regulation (PP) 79/2014 on national energy policy.

However, PP 79/2014 stipulates that a premium shall be imposed on contractors of nonrenewable resources, not on the public. The government uses the funds gathered from exploitative activities to maintain the sustainability of energy resources.

According to the plan, the government will collect Rp 200 from every liter of Premium and Rp 300 from every liter of subsidized diesel.

A sensitive matter Komaidi recommended that the government discuss the levy with the House, mainly because the levy will burden consumers and that is always a politically sensitive matter.

"An additional rule is necessary, otherwise the levy would be considered illegal. As it is related to the public interest, it should be discussed first with the House," he said.

Furthermore, Komaidi urged the government to review the levy. Instead of charging the public, he suggested that an energy security fund be taken from state revenues from oil-and-gas, which stood at around Rp 350 trillion per year.

Alternatively, the government could raise the fund from an alternative source, such as a 10 percent value added tax or a 5 percent tax on vehicle fuel.

"Instead of charging the consumers with additional costs, the government should increase the vehicle fuel tax," he said. (ags)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/01/illegal-fuel-levy-spark-political-uproar-reforminer.html

Fishing & maritime affairs

Lack of cold storage hampers fish processing industry

Jakarta Post - January 2, 2016

Jakarta – Fishing industry players have urged the government to address supply chain issues in the distribution of fresh fish to the local fish processing industry.

Fish Cannery Association (Apiki) chairman Ady Surya said that the organization, an association of 41 processing companies, saw a drop in exports of at least 50 percent this year due to an insufficient supply of fresh fish.

"Fish stocks are now abundant [after the government took drastic action to combat illegal fishing] but they are not fresh so we cannot process them," he said recently.

The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has recently limited fish imports and banned fishermen from directly selling fish to traders while still at sea.

"The journey back to the port just to sell the fish raises logistics costs even higher and makes the fish less fresh," Ady said, adding that if the government wanted to continue with its current program, it should provide better cold storage facilities near ports to keep fish fresh.

The ministry's fishing port director Syahril Fauzi has acknowledged the lack of cold storage facilities and said that the government was currently in the process of attracting more investors to open cold storage facilities and increase electricity supply in regions to increase ice production.

However, Ady said that poor coordination among state institutions was a common problem.

The association also suggested the government allow imports during bad fishing seasons as it needed at least 360,000 tons of tuna and 265,000 tons of sardines annually. It hopes to see its exports increase by 20 percent from 2014 rates.

Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) fisheries division head Thomas Darmawan shared the same concerns as Ady.

"The state needs to eventually integrate markets and cold storage facilities near all ports. Now they are located far from one other. Consumers mostly live on Java Island and the ports are all across the archipelago with cold storage facilities located hours from there," he said.

Today the country has 816 fishing ports, with only 22 under the ministry, according to Syahril. The ministry plans to upgrade the 22 ports next year and is calling for private parties and financial bodies, such as banks, to contribute to improving the other 794, including provision of cold storage and ice production facilities nearby.

The total capacity of cold storage facilities that were available to fisheries in 2014 was 7.2 million tons, insufficient for the nation's 14 million tons of fish annually, based on Indonesia Cold Storage Association (ARPI) data.

The ministry allocated Rp 235 billion (US$17.1 million) for the opening of 58 cold storages and 38 ice factories this year. In the future, it also plans to allow local cold storage facilities to be 100 percent foreign owned. Currently, foreign investors can only partially own the facilities.

It also plans to collaborate with Indonesia Fisheries Public Company (Perindo) to revamp the 110-hectare Muara Baru fish market in North Jakarta using state budget funds in 2016. "We want to make it modern and convenient for people to buy fish there, just like Sydney Fish Market," Syahril said.

According to Perindo president director Agus Suherman, Muara Baru is 110 hectares in size, 40 ha of which is the docking area for ships and the other 70 ha are rented to businesses.

By next year, the firm aims to have increased its cold storage capacity, from 600 tons to 5,000 tons, open a warehouse for equipment reparation and have a sea water reverse osmosis unit that will be able to supply 1,500 cubic meters of clean water daily. (rbk)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/02/lack-cold-storage-hampers-fish-processing-industry.html

Economy & investment

Launch of delayed infrastructure projects brings hope to builders

Jakarta Post - January 8, 2016

Anggi M. Lubis, Jakarta – The construction sector is set to enjoy a more positive outlook in 2016 with a handful of delayed projects from last year expected to be carried over to this year, though funding remains the biggest concern in ensuring projects stay on track.

After struggling through 2015, with publicly listed state-run builders working hard to meet initial annual contract targets amid slow infrastructure spending, companies are set to see significant growth this year.

Wijaya Karya (Wika), for instance, is seeking around 20 percent growth in new contracts this year from its estimated Rp 25 trillion (US$1.79 billion) full-year contract in 2015, its corporate secretary Suradi Wongso said.

The company fell short of its initial goal of Rp 31.6 trillion last year, but Suradi said Wika was more optimistic this year about meeting its target, citing tenders of a number of delayed projects.

"The year 2015 was challenging due to economic slowdown and bureaucratic changes, and tenders – especially for power plants – moved so slowly. Now it has started to advance and we have been involved in a number of power plant project tenders," he said.

Pembangunan Perumahan (PP) has set a higher growth target than Wika, aiming to book around a 30 percent increase in new contracts to Rp 35 trillion from last year's Rp 27 trillion.

PP corporate secretary Agus Samuel Kana agreed with Suradi, saying his company believed that this year would be better than last year with the government's infrastructure projects expected to boost the firm's performance.

"We are looking to increase contributions of government-funded projects to our contracts from 20 percent in 2015 to 40 percent this year," he said.

The construction sector has been in the spotlight of late after the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry, responsible for some of the most important infrastructure projects touted by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration, was allocated Rp 119.84 trillion in the 2015 state budget.

The government has pledged to provide 35,000 megawatts of power through state electricity firm PLN and independent power producers (IPP), to connect toll roads in Java and Sumatra and build dams and other utilities nationwide.

The ministry, however, had spent only 87.23 percent of its budget as of Dec. 22, still 6 percent short of its initial spending target of 93 percent by the end of the year.

Armando Marulitua from Danareksa Sekuritas said in a written statement that state-owned contractors would be the primary beneficiaries of the government's accelerated infrastructure programs.

Danareksa forecast that publicly listed state-run builders' total order books – comprising new and carried-over contracts – would hit Rp 208 trillion in 2018, a 24.55 percent increase compared to last year.

"We remain overweight in the construction sector, as the sector benefits directly from the government's accelerated infrastructure program. We have seen evidence of major progress on several infrastructure projects since Jokowi's administration took office," Armando said.

"This encourages us to believe that the program will yield positive results, especially for the construction sector. This would consequently boost contractors' order books and bolster their earnings with expected growth of 28 percent CAGR [compound annual growth rate] in FY15F-17F."

With a huge order-book backlog, Armando said revenue streams would be secured for at least the next two to three years, also impacting profitability.

Construction consultant BCI Asia, on the other hand, projected the overall construction market would face a slight decline this year on the back of economic slowdown, but emphasized a significant increase in civil works thanks to rampant power plant projects.

According to BCI Asia's data, the total value of Indonesia's construction starts was expected to reach Rp 393.78 trillion in 2015, an increase of 28.5 percent compared to 2014, but in 2016 was expected to decline slightly by 2 percent.

The expected decline was significantly affected by a projected downturn in the building sector, which is predicted to fall by around 15 percent next year to Rp 192.74 trillion.

Civil construction starts, however, are expected to increase a further 14 percent to Rp 201.04 trillion with the utilities sector the biggest contributor at 52 percent of the total figure.

"We predict that the development of the civil sector will be the major driver of growth and within the civil sector, we see utilities dominating construction starts in 2016 particularly as there is a government commitment to prepare for electricity needs expected over the next five years," BCI Asia country manager Agus Dinar said.

However, infrastructure, though also part of the civil sector, is expected to decline during 2016, even considering a large investment for the trans-Sumatra toll road.

Agus said the situation was partly due to expected funding restraints, citing difficulties in providing the Rp 5,500 trillion five-year infrastructure spending pledged by Jokowi.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/08/launch-delayed-infrastructure-projects-brings-hope-builders.html

New regulation aims to attract investment to industrial zones

Jakarta Post - January 7, 2016

Khoirul Amin, Jakarta – The government is hoping to see more investors become involved in developing industrial zones following the issuance of a new regulation.

The Industry Ministry's director general for industrial-estate development, Imam Haryono, said on Tuesday that the new government regulation was expected to attract more investors and help expedite the development of industrial zones across the archipelago.

"We want to make [the incentives] more attractive and wide-spread," he said.

The new regulation was officially issued on Dec. 28 and serves as a legal basis for the issuance of more detailed ministerial regulations that will set out incentives for industrial zone operators and tenants. The new regulation is hoped to turn the heads of investors, offering tax and regional incentives for both industrial zone operators and industrial tenants based on category of zone.

The tax incentives will be in the form of tax holidays and tax allowances, details of which will be stipulated in a subsequent finance minister's regulation.

The regional incentives, meanwhile, will be in the form of reductions, allowances or exemptions on regional taxes and/or levies. Among the regional taxes and levies are land and building acquisition fees, property tax (PBB) and street lighting tax (PPJ).

Imam added that the incentives would be based on industrial-zone categories, with the least developed zones to see the greatest incentives.

The regulation divides industrial zones into four categories, namely developed industrial development estates (WPI) in Java; developing WPIs in southern Sulawesi, eastern Kalimantan, northern Sumatra (other than Batam, Bintan and Karimun) and southern Sumatra; potential WPIs in northern Sulawesi, western Kalimantan, Bali and Nusa Tenggara; and potential WPIs in Papua and West Papua.

With greater incentives for less developed zones, Imam said, the government expected more investment in areas where it was most needed. "We'll review the implementation every five years," he added.

The new regulation also replaces certain elements in Government Regulation No. 24/2009 on industrial zones. The new regulation removes the requirement for tenant companies in industrial zones to carry out environmental impact analysis (Amdal) if the operator had already obtained one, including for waste management.

It also allows industrial zones initiated by the government to be operated by a public service agency.

Jongkie Sugiharto, the cochairman of the Association of Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers (Gaikindo), welcomed the new regulation, saying that it would help the automotive industry pick up amid sluggish sales caused by economic slowdown. "Any incentives would be significant," Jongkie said.

Car sales have been squeezed by weakening consumer purchasing power, hitting around 1 million units last year, according to Jongkie. National auto sales, he said, would probably slightly increase to around 1.1 million units this year, still below annual sales of around 1.2 million units in 2013 and 2014.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/07/new-regulation-aims-attract-investment-industrial-zones.html