The Australia West Papua Association says there was no improvement in the human rights situation in the region in 2014, despite some governments claiming abuses against Papuans are a thing of the past. Its new report outlines events and abuses in West Papua last year.

The Association's secretary, Joe Collins, says there were regular clashes and shooting incidents between Indonesian security forces and the rebel OPM organisation, or unidentified armed groups.

He says these operations resulted in military sweeps which commonly resulted in citizens' houses, food gardens and livestock being destroyed and the people left traumatised.

"The year began in January 2014 with the military conducting a couple of sweeps in response to an attack on a police station, and of course ended tragically with the killing of five civilians in December when the security forces shot into a civilian crowd of approximately 800 people, killing five."

Joe Collins says the security forces seem to have difficulty distinguishing between separatists and the public.

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/263762/west-papua-situation-did-not-improve-in-2014-report

Suspected Brimob killers arrested

Jakarta Post - January 15, 2015

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The police in Papua have arrested two civilians suspected of murdering two personnel from the South Sumatra Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) in Utikini village, Tembagapura, Mimika, Papua.

The two are also suspected of stealing weapons in the village on Jan. 1. They were identified only by the initials JW and MW.

"Both have been named suspects and are currently under intensive investigation," Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Yotje Mende said in Jayapura on Wednesday. Yotje said they had been named suspects after a series of investigative processes.

JW admitted having participated in the attack on the two murdered Brimob personnel. While, MW was caught red-handed carrying a bayonet covered in blood a moment after the Brimob personnel were found dead.

MW was sent for medical treatment in Jakarta because of injuries received during his arrest, while JW was treated at Tembagapura Hospital for gunshot wounds incurred during crossfire between an armed civilian group and the police-military joint team on Jan. 7.

The crossfire took place in a fight between the joint team and the civilian armed group under the leadership of Ayub Waker, who is suspected of being behind the killing the two Brimob personnel and a PT Freeport Indonesia security guard.

The two Brimob personnel killed in Utikini were First Brig. Ryan Hariansah. 22, and First Brig. Muhammad Andriadi, 22. The Freeport security guard was Suko Miartono, 33. The guns of both the murdered Brimob men went missing in the killing and are believed to have been taken by the murderers.

The same joint team also raided an illegal gold mining area along the banks of Kabur River, between Camp David and Utikini village. They evicted some 1,000 illegal miners from the area and sent them home. They also built 51 security posts along the area.

"We built the posts to prevent illegal miners from returning," said Yotje, adding that the authorities were concerned about security, as well as the safety of the miners as the area was prone to landslides. The unauthorized miners, according to Yotje, had also been targeted for extortion by civilian armed groups, making them a source of funds for these groups. "We dispersed the miners as a way of cutting off funds and food supplies used by the civilian armed groups," Yotje said.

In relation to another deadly shooting, National Police Headquarters has set up a fact-finding team to investigate a shooting in Enarotali, Papua, during which four civilians were killed and dozens of others injured on Dec. 8.

The four were named as Yulian Yeimo, Simon Degei, Alpius Gobay and Alpius Youw. The fact-finding team was set up under the orders of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, who during a Christmas visit to the province instructed the police to carry out a thorough investigation of the case.

Yotje said his side had encountered difficulties investigating the case, especially in getting information from witnesses. So far nobody has been named a suspect in the case.

Head of Paniai Customary Council, John Gobay, said that local people had lost trust in law enforcement. "They feel it is useless to say anything about the incident, because they saw for themselves what happened. They are angry and hurt," John said.

The incident occurred when local people launched an attack on the local military office following the removal of logs put in the road to stop traffic into the town.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/15/suspected-brimob-killers-arrested.html

Police fact-finding team to investigate Enarotali shooting

Jakarta Post - January 14, 2015

Jakarta – The National Police Headquarters have set up a fact-finding team to investigate a shooting in Enarotali, Papua, during which four civilians were killed and dozens of others injured on Dec. 8, 2014.

Papua Provincial Police chief Yotje Mende said in Jayapura on Wednesday that he had already received information from Jakarta on the fact-finding team's establishment, but he did not know whether the team was already in the field.

Yotje said his side had encountered difficulties investigating the case, especially in arresting those who had opened fire during the incident and in determining who had been behind it, although a number of witnesses had been questioned. So far nobody has been held as a suspect in the case.

"I can be certain that the shooters were not police officers," Yotje said as quoted by Antara News Agency. He said that the shooting was committed from a distance of 300 meters, while the police used only SS-1 rifles that could not be used effectively at that range.

The incident occurred when local people launched an attack on the local military office following the removal of logs put on the road to stop traffic into the town. Four died in the incident and dozens of others were injured. The four were named as Yulian Yeimo, Simon Degei, Alpius Gobay and Alpius Youw.

The fact-finding team was set up under orders from President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, who during a Christmas visit to the province instructed the police to carry out a thorough investigation into the case.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/14/police-fact-finding-team-investigate-enarotali-shooting.html

Indonesia targeting Papuans with mass arrests and home burning – reports

The Guardian (Australia) - January 13, 2015

Helen Davidson – Indonesian authorities have conducted mass arrests and burned down the homes of West Papuan villagers in response to the deaths of two police officers, a West Papuan independence leader in exile has claimed.

Benny Wenda, who is also an international lobbyist for the Free West Papua campaign and spokesman for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, told Guardian Australia Indonesian military police raided the village of Utikini near Timika on the southern coastline last week and found pro- independence banners in the house of a villager.

More than 100 people were arrested, including women and some children, and dozens of houses were burned down, he said. Most people were released but some are still being detained.

Remaining villagers had fled further into the mountains, he said. "Yesterday I got a phone call, many of them are hiding and some of them have run away – the women and children and elderly people," he said.

On Friday Papuan police chief inspector general Yotje Mende confirmed the arrests but said just 13 people had been detained by a joint police and military team, the Jakarta Post reported, and two were being treated in hospital.

The 13 were part of a group led by a man suspected by police of being behind the recent shooting of two officers and a Freeport mine security guard, Yotje claimed. The three men – members of the mobile brigade – were killed on 1 January.

Yotje said on Monday that a 500-strong joint police and military force was still conducting a search for other members of the group, and that those held in custody were being questioned as witnesses, not suspects.

Wenda queried the speed of Indonesia's response to the police shootings, when there was still no resolution over the deaths of five protesters allegedly shot by the Indonesian military in Paniai last month. Another 21 were injured.

"It was mostly high school students [who] were killed by Indonesia special force," said Wenda. "Indonesia police and military don't want to admit it. Five students were killed by Indonesia and no one brought justice – the Indonesia police can't find the perpetrator. But in this case in Timika they know who is killed. There is never justice brought for Papua."

The crowd was protesting after the alleged beating of a child by soldiers the previous day, Wenda and Amnesty International Australia claim. In the days following the deaths, Indonesia's police and military denied involvement.

Amnesty International has called for the investigation launched by National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) into the security forces' use of lethal force to be "thorough and impartial" and for the findings to be released.

In a statement it said initial findings showed live ammunition was used to disperse the crowd, despite there being no evidence of a threat to security personnel.

"Amnesty International has documented numerous cases of human rights violations by Indonesian security forces in Papua and other parts of the country, that have been swept under the rug with no investigations or prosecutions," it said.

"The new administration, under President Joko Widodo must reverse this trend with the Paniai case and signal an end to the climate of impunity."

Widodo last year told Fairfax media he would make West Papua a priority, focusing on education and health, but critics said an open political dialogue was needed first.

Josef Benedict, a campaigner for Amnesty International, said the organisation was still working to confirm the allegations of house-burning, but said they had received reports of it occurring, and of police rounding up West Papuans. He thought the number of arrests may be lower than the 100 reported, but expressed concern that some were still being detained.

"This is the larger problem with the Indonesian justice system," he told Guardian Australia. "Under current criminal law someone can be detained for long periods for questioning. Obviously Amnesty would also be concerned around the treatment of people being questioned. This is something we have seen in other incidents, particularly to elicit confessions."

He called for assurances from Indonesia that those detained would not be mistreated and would be given access to lawyers. "The difficulty about Papua is there are very few companies willing to send their lawyers to represent people who are detained for crimes like this."

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/13/indonesia-targeting-west-papuans-with-mass-arrests-and-home-burning-reports

Joint police, military team hunt Ayub Waker group

Jakarta Post - January 12, 2015

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – A joint team of National Police (Polri) and Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel is pursuing an armed civilian group led by Ayub Waker suspected to be behind the recent killing of two members of a police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) unit and the theft of their weapons in Tembagapura, Mimika, Papua.

"The joint team is focused on the pursuit of the Ayub Waker group as there is a strong indication that they are responsible for the killing of the two Brimob personnel," Papua Police spokesperson Sr.Comr. Patrige Renwarin said in Jayapura on Monday.

Second Brig. Ryan Hariansah, 22, and First Brig. Muhammad Andriadi, 22, were killed in the attack in Utikini village, Tembagapura, on Jan. 1. A Freeport Indonesia security official, Suko Miartono, 33, was also killed in the incident. The Brimob personnel's firearms are missing and presumed taken by the attackers.

Patrige explained the assumption that the Ayub Waker group was the perpetrator of the killings was based on a letter, from someone purporting to be Ayub Waker, to the Tembagapura sub-precinct police, which claimed responsibility for the murder of the two officers.

Shortly after the incident on Jan. 1, security officials detained two civilians who were drunk at a location near the scene of the killings and they claimed to be Ayub Waker's men.

"The letter was sent to the Tembagapura sub-precinct police on Jan. 7. The police's investigators do not automatically believe the claims in the letter, but we continue to hunt the Ayub Waker group because this group is operating in areas around Tembagapura and Timika," said Patrige. He said the police had dispatched 500 personnel to pursue the group.

The joint team took into custody 12 people suspected to be Ayub Waker's men who were arrested in Utikini village on Jan. 7. They were arrested when picking up their colleague, identified only as JM, who was shot during an exchange of gunfire with security officials on Jan. 6.

Patrige said the police were questioning the 12 people and JM, who was undergoing medical treatment at Tembagapura hospital. "None of them have been named as suspects. The 12 people are still being questioned as witnesses," he said. (ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/12/joint-police-military-team-hunt-ayub-waker-group.html

Papuans have heard Jokowi's promises, but is the president listening?

Jakarta Globe - January 12, 2015

Andreas Harsono – In December, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo promised the long-suffering residents of Indonesia's easternmost area of Papua something extraordinary: The opportunity to be heard by their government.

"I want to listen to the people's voices, and I'm willing to open dialogue for a better Papua. The people of Papua don't only need health care, education, the construction of roads and bridges, but they also need to be listened to," Joko said.

During a Dec. 27-29 visit to the cities of Jayapura, Wamena and Sorong, the president implicitly rejected the government's unsuccessful and abusive twin-prong governance strategy in Papua of development spending backed by an iron-fisted security presence. Instead, Joko offered a vision of a more responsive and caring government.

Papuans know better than most Indonesians that talk is cheap and political reform rhetoric even cheaper. So Joko's first test of more responsive and rights-respecting governance in Papua is his follow-though on his pledge to thoroughly investigate the killing of five peaceful protesters by Indonesian security forces in the town of Enarotali on Dec. 8. Joko should demonstrate his commitment to revealing what happened in Enarotali by supporting a joint investigation by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), to ensure that police and rights agency investigators can question military personnel, including members of the 753rd Army battalion, who were present during the incident. Joko can back up that investigation by deploying the official Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) to Enarotali to protect witnesses, victims, and victims' families from possible security force reprisals for cooperating with investigators.

The president told Papuans on Dec. 27 that he wanted the circumstances behind the shooting "solved immediately so it won't ever happen again in the future... as well as to find the root of the problems." For Joko's convenience, the "root of the problems" in Papua is already well- documented. If his government is serious about tackling the chronic human rights abuses and impunity that have defined life in Papua for five decades, there are four immediate steps his government can take that will have serious impact in addressing such violations.

First, the president should lift official restrictions on access to Papua for independent observers, including international journalists, donor agencies and human rights organizations. Journalists and international nongovernmental organizations seeking official permission to visit Papua currently require the sign-off of 18 separate government agencies which meet weekly at the so-called clearing house at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Those agencies, which include the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) and the military intelligence body, carefully vet all applications. Official approval for Papua visits requires all 18 agencies to be in unanimous agreement, an extremely rare occurrence. Joko's business background should teach him that any bureaucracy that demands 18 signatures for a single approval is as ludicrous as it is inefficient. That application and approval process once prompted an ambassador to Jakarta to joke that, "Even Jesus Christ cannot get the permit to go to Papua."

Second, Joko should put an end to the impunity that Indonesian security forces have enjoyed in Papua for decades. The routinely heavy-handed response by security forces to Papuans who exercise their rights of association and peaceful expression has bred deep resentment among the local population. Although the ongoing low-level armed conflict with the small and poorly organized Free Papua Organization (OPM) places responsibilities on the government to ensure security for the population, far too often Indonesian security forces have abused the rights of Papuans with impunity.

On Sept. 23, 2013, Indonesian security forces fired on a rock-throwing crowd in the town of Waghete, killing a 17-year-old high school student and wounding at least three others. The government failed to investigate the circumstances for that apparently excessive use of force. In at least one case, personnel of the same 753rd battalion convicted of abuses against Papuans were later promoted after serving short jail terms. Second Lt. Cosmos, one of seven soldiers convicted in 2010 by a Jayapura military tribunal of torture that involved sexual mutilation of a Papuan farmer, was subsequently promoted to first lieutenant after his seven-month jail term.

Papuan theologian Benny Giay told Joko last month that his challenge was to accomplish what all previous Indonesian presidents had failed to do: Win "the hearts and minds of Papuans." Joko could go a long way toward that goal by releasing the 65 Papuan political prisoners currently imprisoned on charges of "treason." They include Filep Karma, a civil servant who is serving 15 years for raising the Morning Star flag – a West Papua independence symbol – in December 2004. Human Rights Watch takes no position on the right to self-determination, but opposes imprisonment of people who peacefully express support for self-determination. By releasing Filep, Joko would be honoring the request made in 2011 by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention calling for his immediate and unconditional release.

Finally, Joko's administration should order the Indonesian Military (TNI), including the Special Forces (Kopassus), to cease the unlawful surveillance of peaceful activists, politicians, and clergy immediately, and to ensure that civilian authorities in Papua retain responsibility for basic law enforcement. That requires Joko to address the chronic paranoia among military, intelligence and police officers in Papua. A trove of official documents leaked to the public in 2011 revealed that Kopassus deploys a vast network of Papuan informants to spy on a broad swathe of Papuan political, traditional, and religious leaders, and civil society groups. That surveillance is fueled by official fears that nongovernmental organizations primarily work to discredit the Indonesian government and the armed forces by using the "human rights issue" to garner international condemnation of Indonesia's military presence in Papua and to promote Papuan independence. Joko needs to make it clear that such paranoia and its related abuses are an unwanted throwback to Indonesia's authoritarian past that he won't tolerate.

The good news is that addressing the problems in Papua isn't a matter of rocket science. It's a matter of political will and a commitment by his government to protect the rights and freedoms of Papuans enshrined in Indonesia's constitution and international law. Papuans have heard Joko's promises. Now they're waiting to see if he's really listening.

[Andreas Harsono is a Human Rights Watch researcher based in Jakarta.]

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/papuans-heard-jokowis-promises-president-listening/

Claims of torture by security forces in West Papua

Radio New Zealand International - January 10, 2015

The spokesperson for the global Free West Papua Campaign claims up to 1000 police and military deployed to the Timika region in West Papua have tortured people in the area.

In a statement, Benny Wenda says up to 116 people living in the region surrounding the Freeport McMoran mine have been tortured and detained since the deployment. The deployment was in response to the killing of two police officers in Utikini village last week, in which 13 people have been arrested.

Attached to the statement are pictures of dozens of people sitting in front of a house with their hands tied behind their banks, surrounded by armed plain clothed police officers, although the picture has not been verified.

Mr Wenda says houses have been burnt down after independence banners were found inside. He says he believes the deployment is a deliberate attempt to divert public attention away from the killing of 5 schoolboys in Paniai last month.

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/263394/claims-of-torture-by-security-forces-in-west-papua

Human rights committee readies Papua investigation of Paniai shooting

Jakarta Globe - January 9, 2015

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Indonesia's Human Rights Committee announced on Thursday that it had formed a team to investigate possible human rights abuses committed in the fatal shootings of at least five young civilians by security forces in Papua early last month.

Komnas HAM commissioner Natalius Pigai said in a statement that the team – which includes the committee's other leaders Manager Nasution, Hafid Abbas and Siti Nurlaila – would take three months to complete their report into the shootings in Paniai district on Dec. 8.

"The team's task is to investigate and gather evidence – information, data and facts," Natalius said. "They will also have to conduct an extensive investigation on everyone suspected to have been involved in the case."

Indonesian security forces are accused of having opened fire on a crowd of 800 peaceful demonstrators, including women and children on Dec. 8. Five protesters were killed and at least 17 others – including elementary school students – were injured, according to a report by Human Rights Watch.

President Joko Widodo visited Indonesia's restive easternmost province over Christmas and committed to a thorough inquiry in a speech at the Mandala stadium in Japayapura, the capital.

"I want this case to be solved immediately so it won't ever happen again in the future," the president said on Dec. 28. "By forming a fact-finding team, we hope to obtain valid information [about what actually happened], as well as find the root of the problems."

The team will disclose its report during a plenary meeting held by Komnas HAM in April.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/human-rights-committee-readies-papua-investigation-paniai-shooting/

Aceh

Pluralist lecturer told to apologize

Jakarta Post - January 10, 2015

Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – Amid calls for the government to protect a lecturer at Ar-Raniry State Islamic University (UIN) who is under threat for efforts toward peace and tolerance, the university is asking her to apologize to the public.

UIN authorities, in a recommendation, have asked lecturer Rosnida Sari to apologize publicly through the media and admit she was mistaken to take students to a Protestant church in Banda Aceh – not a Catholic church as previously reported – to visit and hold a dialogue with church ministers as part of a study tour. The visit was part of a subject on Islamic gender studies taught by Rosnida.

UIN Propagation and Communication School dean, A. Rani Usman, said the recommendation was the result of a senate meeting and a hearing with lecturers on the issue. "This is a form of sanction we have recommended to the [university] leadership through a senate meeting," said Rani.

Rosnida, a Muslim lecturer, is required to apologize publicly to the school's leadership and academics, UIN rector, parents, community leaders and the entire Aceh community through the media. The university authorities have also suspended Rosnida from teaching to appease her critics.

According to Rani, the apology was aimed at saving Rosnida and calming the situation as there was pressure from various circles less familiar with the situation trying to take advantage of the situation.

The UIN management will also provide religious guidance and counseling to Rosnida during her suspension from academic duties. "However, it's still a recommendation. The rector decides the sanctions," said Rani.

Rosnida has been intimidated by Acehnese clerics and fellow university lecturers and bullied on social media after she invited a number of her students to visit and hold a dialogue in a church last week.

Rosnida said she and her family had been intimidated and she had been accused of "Christianizing" her students. She said the voluntary visit to the church was part of a creative teaching method for Muslim students to understand faiths and build mutual understanding and religious tolerance.

"Rosnida's mistake was probably her ignorance of the social and cultural conditions in Aceh and the implementation of sharia," said Rani.

UIN Rector H. Farid Wajdi Ibrahim said Rosnida's action was not an academic violation. "It is commonplace for academics to conduct a comparative study to houses of worship because we also have courses related to Christology," Farid said, adding the university did not restrict students or lecturers from anything for the sake of education and knowledge. "Freedom in the academic field must be upheld," said Farid.

However, Farid said the university had received pressure from various parties to impose sanctions on Rosnida. Farid said he would not immediately impose any sanction before holding an executive meeting.

Personally, the rector said, he did not think Rosnida had made a mistake. "Let's cool down first. There are two different perspectives in the case, academic and social," said Farid.

The rector said that the Aceh community could not yet accept such matters socially and wisdom from academics was essential in carrying out educational activities.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/10/pluralist-lecturer-told-apologize.html

Aceh's sharia law: raped and beaten, then formally whipped

Melbourne Age - January 9, 2015

Michael Bachelard, Banda Aceh – Last November, a young pregnant woman we'll call "Yasmeen"* was led onto a high platform in a city square in the Indonesian province of Aceh and prepared herself to be publicly flogged.

Friday's Islamic prayers had just finished, and her husband, "Naseer"* was to be punished as well. He was flogged first. But as the masked enforcer beat the man's back with a long rattan switch, once, then again – nine times in total, to the gasps of the assembled crowd – Yasmeen passed out.

"She felt humiliated," says an intermediary, who does not want her real name used either. "She was on stage for a few minutes and then she fainted. They had to take her off and wait until she was conscious."

Aceh is the only province in Indonesia that uses Islamic sharia law to punish offences against religion. After some discussion, the sharia authorities agreed to delay Yasmeen's whipping until after she had her baby. She is due to give birth in July and the punishment hangs like terror over her.

Yasmeen is 25. Her "crime" was to be found by a mob of her neighbours alone (but fully clothed) in her own house with Naseer – a man she was not married to at the time. For that, which under Aceh's sharia law is considered khalwat, or indecency, both were sentenced to the maximum penalty of nine strokes of the cane.

But even before the flogging, both have already paid richly in pain and humiliation.

According to Ibrahim Latif, the chief of sharia police, on May 1 last year, a group of 10 villagers near the rural Acehnese town of Langsa were watching Yasmeen's house at 1am when the couple came home together. After the pair went inside, eight people – seven men and one 13-year-old boy – broke in. They found Naseer in his underwear, Yasmeen fully dressed.

They tied Naseer up with cloth and took Yasmeen into another room and stripped her naked. Then seven men took turns to rape her. The boy said later he was innocent because he had only touched her a little. Naseer, they beat.

When they had finished, the mob, in Latif's words, "paraded [them] around the town". One stop was a local fish pond where they scooped up the filthy water and poured it over the traumatised couple.

At 5am, four hours after the attack began, the men took the pair to the village head and reported their alleged indecency. He rang Latif, the enforcer of sharia law.

In Latif's office, it became clear that while the couple may have breached sharia law, the mob had breached the criminal law against rape. Latif called the police, who began an investigation.

Eight months later, three of the mob have been dealt with under civilian law for the gang rape, including the boy. He was released because he was underage and proclaimed his innocence. Two men were sentenced to three years in jail – they're likely to spend less than two.

The other five men, according to police, are "still on the run". Even though this is a tight-knit semi-rural community, apparently the police have been unable for eight months to locate them.

"Everything is being done in accordance to regulations," Langsa police chief Hariadi assured Fairfax Media. Not everyone agrees.

"Police should really put more effort into finding them," says the intermediary. She is trying to advocate for her friend in an environment hostile to anybody questioning how sharia law is implemented in Aceh.

Yasmeen and Naseer, meanwhile, have married. The baby she's carrying is his. Out of fear of further reprisal, they declined an interview, but they did pass on a question: why is sharia law still intent on giving Yasmeen the maximum possible punishment for khalwat, but has nothing to say about the adultery involved in the multiple rape?

"At the moment the way the sharia law is implemented in Aceh, it's only subjecting women [to punishment]," says the friend. "[Yasmeen] says the rape perpetrators should've received both punishments, from the sharia and the criminal law."

Sharia policeman Latif defends his approach. Adultery and rape did not become crimes under sharia until late in 2014, after this offence took place, he says. Under the new law, which will be implemented this year, adultery (along with homosexuality) is subject to 100 lashes, and rape to 150.

"Many say whipping is against a person's human rights, but our punishment stops there. Ordinary criminal law can send people to prison for years," Latif says. "That is more inhumane – preventing a person from seeing his family, stopping his ability to work and support his family."

In the Islamic media, Latif was even more forthright. He told hardline website Hidayatullah.com that Western journalists had been unfair to confuse the indecency and the rape charges.

A spokesman for the hardline Islamic Defenders Front said the media had a "hidden agenda" to give a bad impression of Islamic sharia.

As for Yasmeen, she'll be flogged some time after she's had the baby. "As soon as her condition allows the whipping, in the opinion of a doctor, we will continue with the punishment," Latif said. "Nine lashes. We will do it."

(*) Not their real names

Source: http://www.theage.com.au/world/acehs-sharia-law-raped-and-beaten-then-formally-whipped-20150109-12kucb.html

Aceh lecturer threatened for pluralism stance

Jakarta Post - January 9, 2015

Ridwan Max Sijabat and Hotli Simanjuntak, Jakarta/Banda Aceh – An alliance of NGOs and individuals has called on the government to protect a lecturer at Ar-Raniry State Islamic University in Banda Aceh, who has been intimidated and is under threat for her efforts to develop peace and tolerance.

Dian Kartika, spokesperson for the NGO alliance, said President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo had to guarantee the protection of the lecturer, Rosnida Sari, to uphold academic freedom and allow her to promote tolerance among her students.

"The National Police chief and the Religious Affairs minister should make immediate and strong coordinating efforts to calm the tension in Banda Aceh," he told The Jakarta Post by telephone on Thursday.

The NGOs include the Indonesian Coalition for Women, Empowerment and Development of Society Foundation in South Sulawesi, Migrant Care, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), Women's Education Watch and the Institute of Global Justice.

Rosnida, a Muslim lecturer, is being heavily intimidated by Acehnese clerics and fellow lecturers in the university and has been bullied on social media after she invited a number of her students to visit and hold a dialogue in a Catholic church in Banda Aceh last week.

Following mounting protests from numerous sides, Rosnida has been suspended and asked to stop teaching for the time being.

Rosnida said she and her family had been intimidated and she had been accused of "Christianizing" her students, as well as being temporarily suspended by the university.

She admitted that she invited her students to voluntarily make a visit to the Catholic church so that they could understand the religion and hold a dialogue with the church minister.

"The church visit, conducted voluntarily, is part of my creative teaching method to have Muslim students understand other faiths and build mutual understanding and religious tolerance.

"The creative teaching method is aimed at [...] phasing out the prejudice formed by print and electronic media," she said.

Meanwhile, UIN Ar-Raniry lecturer Yusni Sabi believes that Rosnida's article in online media had triggered misunderstandings by readers because they could not understand what she was trying to express.

The writing referred to by Yusni was Rosnida's article on australiaplus.com, in which she talks about how she was inspired to invite students to learn gender studies in Islam at the church after she had studied in Australia.

He said that in the academic context, it was usual to visit other houses of worship, especially in the context of a comparative study with another religion. Before Rosnida's case surfaced, the university had often sent students on field trips to churches and temples as part of the learning process.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/09/aceh-lecturer-threatened-pluralism-stance.html

Sexual & domestic violence

Jakarta government to establish domestic abuse hotline

Jakarta Globe - January 12, 2015

Lenny Tristia Tambun, Jakarta – The Jakarta City Council has announced plans to set up a hotline for victims of domestic abuse.

Noor Syamsu, head of the council's One-Stop Integrated Service Agency (BPTSP), said the telephone support service would connect victims to authorized agencies, which in turn could provide specialist support. A consultation office and sessions with a psychologist would also be available.

"We have asked P2TP2A [Center for Women's and Children's Empowerment] to send their psychologists to our regional units, whether the psychologists should come daily or weekly is up to them," Noor said. The BPTSP would coordinate with the P2TP2A to establish the service.

Noor said his agency would not have the authority to follow up or investigate domestic abuse cases. The agency would only facilitate the victims by connecting them to the authorized agencies. A memorandum of understanding with the P2TP2A would be signed on Jan. 21, Noor said.

The National Commission on Violence Against Women, or Komnas Perempuan, reported 11,719 domestic abuse cases in 2013, although the figure is likely higher as in most cases abuse goes unreported.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/jakarta/jakarta-govt-to-establish-domestic-abuse-hotline/

Activists question lack of information in JIS case

Jakarta Post - January 12, 2015

Indra Budiari, Jakarta – A number of activists and legal experts have questioned a panel of judges who have denied attempts to access information in a high-profile child abuse case implicating two members of teaching staff at Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS).

Last week, the trial entered the witness hearing stage, where JIS kindergarten and elementary school principal Elsa Donohue gave her testimony.

JIS teacher Neil Bantleman and teaching assistant Ferdinant Tjiong could face up to 15 years behind bars as prosecutors charged them under Article 82 of the Child Protection Law for allegedly sexually abusing three kindergarten pupils of the prestigious school.

Limited information on the trial is available. The law stipulates that any trial involving an underage person must be held behind closed doors.

However, last week a panel of judges chaired by Nur Aslam Bustaman added to the sense of isolation surrounding the case by prohibiting any related parties in the trial from making statements to the media, to maintain the trial's "privacy".

Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) coordinator Haris Azhar said the judges had overstepped their authority by taking such a position. "The judges have no right to make any regulation beyond the courtroom," he said.

According to him, the main consideration in holding a closed-door trial requirement for cases involving underage persons was to protect the child's psychological condition instead of creating a barrier between the public and any information on the trial.

"A closed-door trial does not mean information must be kept inside [the court]. The public has a right to know what happened in the trial, even if it is only from lawyers or prosecutors," Haris told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Meanwhile, National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas PA) chairman Arist Merdeka Sirait emphasized that a closed-door hearing for a case involving a child was important to protect the child's identity as it could affect the child emotionally and psychologically.

However, Arist said that if the trial did not require the child to be present or mention the identity of the child, it could be opened to the public.

"The essence of a trial being closed to the public is to protect the child's identity. It is regulated in international and national law. But if the child is not present in the trial, it should be fine for the public to attend," Arist said.

During a hearing last Thursday, both lawyers and prosecutors refused to provide any statement to the media. The prosecutor said she would not give any information because "this is the point of having a closed-door hearing".

Society of Justice Observation coordinator Choky Ramadhan said there was no legal grounds for the judges to prohibit lawyers or prosecutors releasing information to the public.

"It is more like an ethical code, but the most important thing is the verdict hearing must be open and the court must release the documents to the public," he said on Friday.

Since the beginning, the case has attracted public attention as it allegedly took place in the prestigious school. The mother of one of the alleged victims launched a separate civil suit, seeking US$125 million in compensation from the school.

Previously in December, the South Jakarta District Court declared five PT ISS Indonesia cleaners guilty in the sexual abuse case and sentenced them to seven and eight years' imprisonment, despite defense lawyers' insistence there was a lack of evidence in the three-page indictment.

The prosecutors had earlier demanded 10-year sentences for each defendant.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/12/activists-question-lack-information-jis-case.html

Political parties & elections

Megawati to carry on as PDI-P chief for another five years

Jakarta Globe - January 10, 2015

Hotman Siregar, Jakarta – Megawati Soekarnoputri announced her own appointment on Saturday as the chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle for another five-year term, extending her leadership of the party which she has held since 1999.

"During the party's fourth National Working Meeting, all the participants asked me to lead the PDI-P for the upcoming period 2015-2020. With all my heart, I accept the task," Megawati said during her speech at the party's 42nd anniversary celebration in Jakarta.

There had been some speculation that Megawati would be appointed a member of President Joko Widodo's nine-member Presidential Advisory Board (Wantimpres).

Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto refuted the rumours, however, saying that a political party leader would not be eligible to take a seat on the board.

Andi noted the 2006 Wantimpres Law which precluded members from holding any other official position, which included being an officer in an Indonesian political party. "Megawati is still a political party leader so she will not become a member of the Wantimpres," Andi said.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/megawati-carry-pdi-p-chief-another-five-years/

Disagreement on opposition role blocks Golkar reconciliation

Jakarta Post - January 9, 2015

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – The reconciliation process to unite the divided Golkar Party is seeing early signals of deadlock as the conflicting groups insist on their different stances regarding the fate of the party in the opposition Red-and-White Coalition, which Golkar currently leads.

Negotiators representing the two competing leaderships within the political party met again on Thursday to discuss on solutions to end the ongoing fight that has resulted from attempts to silence opposition voices challenging the leadership of chairman Aburizal Bakrie; and cited debate over Golkar's involvement in the opposition as "the crucial point blocking an agreement".

Former Industry Minister MS Hidayat, one of the negotiators representing the Aburizal group, explained that the closed-door peace talks at Golkar's headquarters in West Jakarta on Thursday had to put aside the discussion on the party's membership in the Red-and-White Coalition to allow "more fruitful results" than the first meeting last month.

However, he highlighted that Golkar's role in the opposition coalition, which nominated presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto of the Gerindra Party and running-mate Hatta Rajasa of the National Mandate Party (PAN), was "part of Golkar's commitment". "The most important discussion is more about Golkar's role as a partner to the government [regardless of its political stance in the coalition]. We want to be the government's partner in terms of our support for all populist programs and critics of programs deemed disadvantageous to the people," Hidayat told the press on the sidelines of the meeting.

Contrary to Hidayat, negotiators from counter-group led by its chairman Agung Laksono, a former Coordinating People's Welfare minister, reiterated a demand to leave the Red-and-White Coalition to support President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration as one of the conditions for reconciliation.

Yorrys Raweyai told the press after the meeting," We have no business with KMP [Red-and-White Coalition]. They [Aburizal's group] still want to be part of it, but we don't."

Hours before the reconciliation talks took place, Agung, who was seen at the party's headquarters, had affirmed that "Golkar's withdrawal from the KMP is a must".

"We do not need any coalitions after the election," Agung said, adding that he had also personally informed Jokowi about his group's decision on the matter.

Contributing the largest seats for the Red-and-White Coalition's 314 seats at the House of Representatives, Golkar, with its total 91 House seats held a significant role in determining the fate of the coalition as well as its political stances regarding the House's programs in the future.

Besides the party's official membership in the opposition coalition, an earlier peace talk had outlined issues that would base the reconciliation process including, among others, Golkar's stance to uphold the direct elections, which the party had earlier rejected, and to agree on other technicalities ahead of the legislative election in 2019 such as the implementation of an open and proportional system.

Negotiators claimed that both parties have achieved agreement on such technicalities and were scheduled to meet again next week to press the discussion on "more crucial issue" related to the plan to jump to the government's ship.

In addition to Golkar, PAN is also preparing for potential rift due to the party's participation in the Red-and-White Coalition.

PAN is set to hold a national congress to select new chairman in March, an event that members have referred as a door to unlock rising aspirations to leave the coalition as the race will contest two powerful party figures, incumbent chairman Hatta and Zulkifli Hasan, a current People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

In order to avoid the party being split like Golkar, founder Amien Rais had said that he would bring the two hopefuls in a talk that would offer win- win solution to allow the installment of Zulkifli as a new chairman while Hatta the head of the party's advisory assembly; a compromise that reportedly had been agreed by related parties earlier.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/09/disagreement-opposition-role-blocks-golkar-reconciliation.html

Rift deepens as National Mandate Party prepares for congress

Jakarta Globe - January 9, 2015

Jakarta – Political observers are predicting the National Mandate Party's congress, scheduled for Feb. 28, to be yet another heated stage for a power struggle, one which will likely decide the fate of the opposition bloc.

The party, known as the PAN, held a leadership meeting at its headquarters in South Jakarta on Wednesday to discuss preparations for next month's congress.

The gathering resulted in the decision to nominate only two names for the post of party chairman: incumbent Hatta Rajasa and People's Consultative Assembly speaker Zulkifli Hasan.

In his opening speech, party founder and the most influential figure in the party, Amien Rais, expressed his desire to see a "change" within PAN, effectively throwing his support for Zulkifli.

"If Hatta doesn't create changes, Zul can step forward and be a symbol of renewal," Amien said. "For me, five years [as party head] is enough. There should soon be a regeneration, but it all depends on the congress."

A third politician, Drajad Wibowo, had communicated his interest in running for the position of PAN chairman, but with the urging of Amien renounced his bids to "focus on other party affairs."

"Hatta and Zulkifli are the stronger candidates," he told PAN leaders, including Hatta and Drajad.

Amien added that he wished to see "the more senior" of the two candidates, Hatta, to sit at the advisory board and "the younger [candidate] be the next chairman," highlighting that past PAN congresses have always produced a new leader. Both Hatta and Zulkifli declined to comment on Amien's speech.

Dwindling support

Amien's latest stance is a far cry from the years of support he has shown for Hatta's five-year reign.

Amien reportedly lobbied then-President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2009 to appoint Hatta to a key position in the cabinet, namely as coordinating minister for the economy, despite having only served as state secretary during Yudhoyono's first term and very little credentials as an economist.

Amien also threw in his support when Hatta became the running mate for losing presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto in last year's election.

But Hatta has been seen distancing himself from Prabowo and his Red-White Coalition, known as the KMP, particularly on the issue of regional elections.

The Red-White Coalition, of which PAN is a member, successfully abolished regional elections last year in favor of a legislative appointment of governors, district heads and mayors.

PAN quickly switched sides, however, after Yudhoyono issued a regulation in lieu of law, or perppu, annulling the legislation during his final days in office.

Hatta recently suggested that PAN should follow examples made by Yudhoyono's Democratic Party by staying neutral, backing neither the Red- White Coalition or the ruling Awesome Indonesia Coalition (KIH).

The sentiment stirred resentment within PAN, said a party insider who asked not to be named. Hatta's daughter is married to Yudhoyono's son, and his unwavering support of the former president's every political move is now being seen as a point of weakness.

"Enough is enough," the source said of Hatta's reign under conditions of anonymity. "We want a new leader. If Hatta continues to be in charge, [PAN] will forever be dictated by [Yudhoyono]."

Maneuvers

Lucius Karus, a senior researcher from the political watchdog Concerned Citizens for the Indonesian Legislature (Formappi) agreed that Amien's support will significantly boost Zulkifli's chances at next month's PAN congress.

"Amien Rais's influence runs deep [inside the party] – all the way to cadres and officials in the provinces. This will make the Hatta-Hassan race for chairmanship a tight one," Lucius said.

But Hatta is not giving up without a fight. With powerful connections forged during his years as economy minister, Hatta is better financed than his opponent.

"He is also an incumbent," Lucius pointed out, a position that would grant Hatta access to various provincial leaders and swing their votes in his favor. "This gives Hatta an advantage over Zulkifli," he added.

Hatta has been in talks with several provincial chapter chairmen, making lucrative offers in exchange for their support, the source confirmed.

Farhad Hamid, a member of Hatta's campaign team, claimed the incumbent has the support of at least 400 voting congress participants out of the total 536.

But his counter part at Zulkifli's camp, Yahdil Abdil Harahap, denied the numbers, saying his candidate has the support of "nearly 80 percent" of voting congress participants.

Nico Harjanto, executive director of local think tank the Populi Center, fails to see Zulkifli offering anything new to help PAN garner more votes in the 2019 elections.

Zulkifli "does not have strong support in the provinces, he is still in Amien's shadow and he has been summoned by the KPK," Nico said, referring to the Corruption Eradication Commission.

The KPK has made requests to question Zulkifli, a former Forestry Minister, a number of times in relation to the illegal clearance of a forest area in Riau. The anti-graft body has so far labeled Zulkifli as "a witness," but a number of court testimonies have pointed to the PAN politician's alleged involvement in the bribery case.

Nico said Hatta is offering a way for PAN to come out from under the thumb of Amien and the Red-White Coalition.

"PAN must step away from the KMP's shadow so it may independently determine its own political positions without being held hostage by the coalition," he said, adding that the Feb. 28 congress will ultimately boil down to a power struggle between Hatta and Amien.

With both figures holding equal support within the party and both remaining headstrong about their respective agendas, PAN may suffer the same fate as the United Development Party (PPP) and Golkar by falling victim to a crippling schism.

The only way to avoid such a rift is for both sides to reach a compromise before the congress, Lucius said. "They should reflect on what happened to Golkar. They must take steps to anticipate a split," he added.

PAN politician Azis Subekti conceded the party has polarized into two opposing camps ahead of next month's gathering. "Some [politicians] want Hatta re-elected; some want a new leader. Some want to stay with the Red- White Coalition; others want to switch to the KIH," Azis said.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/rift-deepens-national-mandate-party-prepares-congress/

Health & education

Studies shed doubt on future of universal healthcare

Jakarta Post - January 15, 2015

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Two recently released studies predict that the government will be unable to achieve universal health coverage by 2019.

The two studies, conducted by the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Center for Health Service and the Paramadina Graduate School of Diplomacy, respectively, concluded that it would be impossible for all Indonesian citizens to access health insurance by 2019 due to unequal access in the current national health insurance (JKN) program.

The UGM study, conducted in 2014, identified a huge gap in access between developed and underdeveloped regions. "It [the gap] is caused by differences in the numbers of hospitals and doctors," UGM researcher Laksono Trisnantoro said during an event marking the release of the report on Wednesday. "In the last three years, new hospitals were only built in Java."

The lack of hospitals in underdeveloped regions had prevented JKN participants from accessing healthcare, leading to low claim rates, the report said.

Laksono cited the example of Central Java, where a single major hospital, on average, claims up to Rp 60 billion per month from the program. Meanwhile, combined, hospitals in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) claim just Rp 30 billion.

"Then, in 2014, NTT received Rp 700 billion [from the JKN program] for 2.3 million premium payment assistance [PBI] beneficiaries. But it turned out that only Rp 300 billion was spent due to the lack of doctors and hospitals there. So where did the rest of the money go? It actually went back to the Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan)," he said.

Unspent funds in provinces like NTT were later channeled to more developed regions, where there were more people who could pay the premiums themselves, the research found. However, non-PBI beneficiaries – 7 million Indonesians as of November 2014 – absorb more money from government, Laksono said.

Citing data from the BPJS Kesehatan in November 2014, Laksono said that the medical cost for each non-PBI beneficiary was Rp 282,139, while each paid an average premium of Rp 27,062 per month, resulting in a claim ratio of an astounding 1,380 percent.

Meanwhile, PBI beneficiaries average Rp 21,977 for each medical service that they receive, while their premiums, paid by the government, are Rp 27,478 per person a month, which translates to an 88 percent claim ratio.

"The claim ratio is really high for non-PBI beneficiaries because they usually only register for the JKN program once they get sick," Laksono said.

With such a disparity, the report predicts that only seven provinces will have universal health coverage by 2019: Jakarta, Yogyakarta, South Sumatra, West Sumatra, as well as some regencies in East Java, Central Java and South Sulawesi.

The report by the Paramadina University reached similar conclusions, but focused more on the regulatory weaknesses of the JKN program. The report, which evaluated the myriad laws governing the program, found that the regulations failed to cover certain groups of people.

"Newborn babies [from the non-PBI beneficiary group] are not automatically covered [by the JKN program]. Also poor people who have not yet been registered, including inmates, orphans and others, are sidelined because their names have to be recommended by officials to be able to become PBI beneficiaries," said Paramadina University researcher Dinna Wisnu. "So if there's no change [on the regulations], it's not possible [to have universal health coverage by 2019]."

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/15/studies-shed-doubt-future-universal-healthcare.html

12-year compulsory education to start next June: Minister

Jakarta Post - January 13, 2015

Jakarta – The government will start implementing a 12-year compulsory education program next June, according to Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani.

"We are planning to implement the program beginning June 2015," the minister said after a working visit to Bandung, West Java, on Monday, as quoted by Antara news agency.

The implementation of the 12-year compulsory education program is in line with the outline of President Joko Widodo's Cabinet's educational plan.

Through the program, all parents will be obliged to send their children to school and the government has the obligation to cover all the costs and provide all the facilities needed, the minister explained.

"The government wants all children to go to school and to be educated at least up to the higher secondary school level," Minister Puan added. (hhr)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/13/12-year-compulsory-education-start-next-june-minister.html

Graft & corruption

Governor inaugurates crime suspect as provincial secretary

Jakarta Post - January 15, 2015

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – North Sumatra Governor Gatot Pujo Nugroho swore in Hasban Ritonga on Wednesday as provincial secretary at the gubernatorial office in Medan. Hasban, a suspect in a land-dispute case, had been picked by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo for the position.

The inauguration, which was attended by a number of officials, was conducted a day after Hasban filed a motion to dismiss the case, which was rejected by judges at the Medan District Court, who instructed prosecutors to resume the case involving the defendant.

Gatot said before the swearing-in ceremony that he had consulted with the Home Ministry. The governor said he was not worried about Hasban's appointment as provincial secretary as the legal proceedings he was facing would not interfere with his duties within the North Sumatra provincial administration.

Gatot rejected responsibility for appointing Hasban as North Sumatra provincial secretary despite his current status as suspect, because Hasban was sworn in based on a presidential decree.

"I appointed him in accordance with the President's instruction. I am implementing the President's policy. The President appointed Hasban from among three candidates I proposed, so I swore him in," Gatot told journalists after the swearing-in ceremony.

The three candidates Gatot proposed as provincial secretary to Jokowi were North Sumatra legislative secretary Randiman Tarigan, provincial inspectorate head Hasban and North Sumatra Development Planning Board head Arsyad Lubis.

Hasban was appointed as North Sumatra provincial secretary based on Presidential Decree No. 214.M/2014, dated Dec. 29, 2014. In the decree, Jokowi dismissed Nurdin Lubis as provincial secretary and appointed Hasban as his replacement.

Gatot said his office had discussed the matter with the central government, including the case Hasban was currently involved in. However, Gatot is certain Hasban can overcome his legal problems if he is given support.

"The weak won't be strong without support. On the other hand, the strong won't be strong without support," said Gatot, and expressed the hope Hasban would be able to lead of the staff at the North Sumatra provincial administration.

Hasban was named a suspect by the National Police's Criminal Investigation Directorate (Bareskrim) in March 2014, based on a report by Ito Suhardi, lawyer for PT Mutiara, in a land dispute involving the Indonesia Motorsports Association (IMI) race circuit on Jl. Pancing, Deli Serdang regency. Hasban was detained by Bareskrim in October 2014 on the charges, but he was bailed out by the North Sumatra provincial administration.

Medan District Court commenced hearing Hasban's case on Dec. 4, 2014 and while the trial was ongoing Jokowi picked him as North Sumatra provincial secretary. Hasban said he would still attend the court hearings despite being appointed as provincial secretary and was convinced the case would not interfere with his duties in the province. "It will never interfere with my duties," he said briefly.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/15/governor-inaugurates-crime-suspect-provincial-secretary.html

Lawmakers delay KPK leader selection until December

Jakarta Globe - January 13, 2015

Hotman Siregar, Jakarta – The selection of a new leader to fill a vacancy at Indonesia's anti-graft agency has been delayed until December in order to appoint all five leaders simultaneously.

Commission III in the House of Representatives, or DPR, which is responsible for law, legislation and human rights, announced the decision on Tuesday.

"In today's meeting we discussed the delay of KPK leaders' selection. We want the selection to be held simultaneously in December 2015," commission member Trimedya Panjaitan said at the DPR complex.

The administration of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono formed a selection committee to find a replacement for then-KPK deputy chairman Buysro Muqoddas last year. Buysro's term ended on Dec. 16, 2014.

The field of candidates has been narrowed to two: Busyro, who has reapplied for the position, and anti-corruption activist Robby Arya Brata.

"We'll wait until December to hold a simultaneous fit-and-proper test," Trimedya said. "[The other four] KPK leaders' terms end in December. So, we'll do it then all together."

Trimedya said the government will put forward eight candidate names to fill the positions to the DPR.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/lawmakers-delay-kpk-leader-selection-december/

Terrorism & religious extremism

Indonesian terrorist suspect shot dead in police crackdown

Sydney Morning Herald - January 13, 2015

Jewel Topsfield, Jakarta – Indonesian police shot dead a man linked to one of the country's most dangerous terrorist fugitives in a crackdown in which seven terror suspects have been arrested since Saturday.

National police spokesman Agus Rianto said the seven suspects were "core members" of the terrorist group known as Mujaheddin Eastern Indonesia, led by Abu Wardah Santoso.

Mujaheddin Eastern Indonesia is responsible for several attacks around Poso in Central Sulawesi, which has been a flashpoint for conflicts between Muslims and Christians since the late 1990s. The terror cell is also blamed for the murders of policemen in Sulawesi in late 2012.

Greg Fealy, an academic from the Australian National University and former intelligence analyst, said Santoso's group – Mujaheddin Eastern Indonesia – was one of the most wanted terrorist groups in Indonesia. "We know they are a group that still has an eye for Western targets," he said.

Ilham Syafii, who was shot dead by Indonesia's anti-terrorism police unit Detachment 88 on Saturday, was thought to have been close to Santoso.

But Mr Rianto said there were also others among those arrested who were close to the fugitive, including a husband and wife who helped the terrorist network with logistics and funds.

"It is our hope that by arresting the suppliers or logistics people, we may go closer to arresting Santoso," Mr Rianto said. "They are not small fish. Some helped other terrorists we arrested earlier with assembling bombs, some participated in military-style training."

Mr Rianto said Santoso had late last year pledged allegiance to Islamic State, also known as ISIL or ISIS. "But we still don't know if it is just himself or if his group also supports ISIS," Mr Rianto said.

In 2013, Santoso posted an online video urging his followers to keep killing members of the Indonesian counter-terrorism police squad, Detachment 88. "Detachment 88 is the real enemy, the real Satan," he says in the video. (With Karuni Rompies)

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/indonesian-terrorist-suspect-shot-dead-in-police-crackdown-20150113-12nc3c.html

BIN, security authorities to watch extremist groups

Jakarta Post - January 9, 2015

Jakarta – The National Intelligence Agency (BIN) and security authorities are keeping an eye on radical groups in anticipation of potential incidents following the recent bloody attack on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris.

"Both apparatus of the National Counterterrorism Agency [BNPT] and personnel from the police's special detachment continue to watch out and we will not give any chance to the radical groups to move freely," BIN chief Marciano Norman said at the State Palace in Jakarta on Friday.

He added that radical and terrorist groups would emerge when they found a chance to act.

"When a group of terrorists launches an attack in one country or other place, they act when they find any chance to do so.

"Therefore, security apparatus boost cooperation with the intelligence agency; we have to close down their movement so that we can limit their movement. And if the target has been made clear, we will take necessary action depending on their response," he said as quoted by tribunnews.com.

He said when radical groups acted, intelligence and security apparatus would closely monitor them, adding that "when they undertake actions threatening public order, it has to be responded to rapidly".

Those suspected of launching attacks would be kept under surveillance and necessary action would be taken to prevent them from doing so, he said as quoted by kompas.com.

Marciano also called on Indonesians staying in France to avoid any crowded public places. While condemning the bloody shooting, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi also issued a travel warning to Indonesian citizens living in France.

Twelve people, including two police officers, were killed and many others were seriously injured when three unidentified gunmen opened fire on the Charlie Hebdo office on Wednesday. The attack was believed to be linked to the magazine's publication of a cartoon referring to the Prophet Muhammad. One of the gunmen has already surrendered while French police continue to hunt for the two others. (rms)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/09/bin-security-authorities-watch-extremist-groups.html

Freedom of religion & worship

Jokowi 'not doing enough' to promote religious pluralism

Jakarta Post - January 15, 2015

Fedina S. Sundaryani, Jakarta – Four months into his term, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and his administration have still not made any serious attempts to stop persecution of religious minorities, according to an analyst, in spite of the President's campaign promise to uphold the country's founding principle Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity).

Ahmad Fuad Fanani of the Maarif Institute for Culture and Humanity said on Tuesday night that Jokowi had made next to no statements on religious intolerance since he took office in October.

"Jokowi has become just another government official who promises one thing but doesn't deliver, even though he was very outspoken during his campaign," he said.

Religious freedom watchdog Setara Institute reported that there had been 135 cases of religious-based violence across the country in 2007, rising to 264 cases in 2012.

Members of the Ahmadiyah and Shia communities have been subjected to repeated attacks by Sunni Muslims who condemn the groups for their teachings.

Religious conflict was also evident during president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's tenure from 2004 to 2014, during which he received a statesmanship award from a US interfaith foundation in 2013.

Fuad said that Jokowi could silence his critics by passing new regulations criminalizing violent acts against minority groups and monitoring their implementation.

"Jokowi and his administration must be firm against these violators and remind people that we are a pluralist nation, or else the trend will continue," he said.

Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) secretary-general Jerry Sumampouw acknowledged, however, that it might be too soon to say that Jokowi has failed to fulfil his campaign pledges. He said that the government was at times caught between doing what the majority wanted and listening to the demands of the minority.

"One example is the GKI [Indonesian Christian Church] Yasmin case in Bogor. PGI met with several members of the government to try to resolve the issue but they all told me nothing could be done," he said.

Members of the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Yasmin in Bogor were denied for a fifth year the right to hold a Christmas service at their church, which was sealed by the city administration because of local pressure in 2010.

With regard to radicalism, Fuad said that the new government had not done enough to suppress growing fundamentalism in the country, the lapse contributing to the rising number of Islamic State (IS) movement supporters.

"The Religious Affairs Ministry earlier said it would revoke the citizenship of anyone found traveling to Syria or Iraq to join IS, but in reality nothing has been done, even though we've caught several people who've confessed they were going to join IS," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/15/jokowi-not-doing-enough-promote-religious-pluralism.html

NU offers help in Bogor's Yasmin church saga

Jakarta Post - January 12, 2015

Sita W. Dewi, Jakarta – The country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has revved up efforts to reach a resolution to the prolonged Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Yasmin saga in Bogor, West Java, by volunteering to mediate between the disputed parties.

NU executive council Bogor chapter head Ifan Haryanto said on Sunday that he had started communications with disputed parties to pave the way for a conclusion.

The newly installed leader said the organization opted to get involved in the dispute because it was bothered by the impact the prolonged saga had created.

"The issue has attracted international attention so this is not only about Bogor but about Indonesia. Whenever we meet with ambassadors, they often ask us about GKI Yasmin updates. So this case clearly has a political impact," Ifan told The Jakarta Post.

"We don't want Indonesia to be perceived as a radical and intolerant country. We also don't want the international community to think Indonesian Muslims are barbaric. As a Bogor resident and as a Muslim, I am committed to upholding Islam that follows the value of rahmatan lil alamin [grace for all people]," he added.

Ifan admitted that the efforts had not always been easy, despite the fact that the organization had strong influence in society.

"The parties have conflicting stances that can never be reconciled; one of them wants to build a church while the other opposes it. So we use different approaches to communicate with the parties, including the Bogor administration, the GKI Yasmin congregation and Islamic fundamentalists who oppose the construction of the Yasmin church.

"I have separately talked to them as their friend and said that if this goes on, the case would not only hurt Bogor residents, but all Indonesian citizens," he said.

To make room for progressive discussions, Ifan called on the parties "to take one step backward because that's the only possible way to make progress".

Ifan acknowledged that the responses shown by the parties, including "radical groups that uphold different schools of thought", had been positive.

"We are using different approaches for different parties. But we mostly use informal approaches, except when communicating with the Bogor administration. Thus far, we have received strong signs that all of them want this case to be resolved. I am upbeat that it will be, though I can't predict how long it will take to achieve a conclusion," he said.

GKI Yasmin spokesman Bona Sigalingging said the congregation had responded positively to NU's gesture on the matter.

"We have a long history with NU as NU figures have long been assisting us in fighting for our rights to build our church. We also feel comfortable with them because we know that they are committed to upholding the Constitution," he told the Post.

Wahid Institute deputy director Rumadi lauded NU's move to intervene in the dispute. "Large Muslim organizations like NU and Muhammadiyah can't turn a blind eye to the matter as they are perceived as organizations that have deep roots and can maintain balance in society," he said.

He said he was upbeat that the gesture would have a positive impact, "so long as the organizations can earn trust from all disputed parties".

In 2010, the Supreme Court rejected a request from the Bogor City Planning and Parks Agency to overturn a decision made by the Jakarta High Court, which ordered the agency to revoke a decision to freeze the church's building permit (IMB).

However, then Bogor mayor Diani Budiarto eventually revoked the church's IMB. Despite campaign promises that Bogor Mayor Bima Arya would prioritize finding a resolution to the GKI Yasmin saga, Bona admitted there had been few signs of progress on the matter.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/12/nu-offers-help-bogor-s-yasmin-church-saga.html

Land & agrarian conflicts

Komnas HAM demands farmers' rights be upheld

Jakarta Post - January 10, 2015

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has urged the North Sumatra provincial administration and police to get involved and uphold the rights of members of the Padang Halaban farming community in a land dispute with PT Sinar Mas Agro-Resource and Technology (SMART) in North Labuhan Batu regency, North Sumatra.

The commission on Friday met Governor Gatot Pujo Nugroho, members of the Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD) and the police at their respective offices in an effort to resolve the dispute.

Komnas HAM commissioner Dianto Bachriadi said his commission appreciated that all the parties had expressed their willingness to support a peaceful resolution of the dispute.

"The governor, DPRD and police have agreed to settle the dispute peacefully. We appreciate their support," Dianto told The Jakarta Post in Medan on Friday.

Dianto said Komnas HAM had investigated and visited the disputed area in November last year and issued several recommendations, including asking North Labuhan Batu Regent Kharuddinsyah Sitorus to protect and uphold the rights of the farming community.

Dianto added that Komnas HAM had asked PT SMART to be transparent and accountable in every activity carried out by the company in resolving the dispute and to develop its plasma farm spanning at least 20 percent of its concession area by involving residents in Padang Halaban and Panigoran villages.

Komnas HAM also specifically urged the police not to get involved in intimidation of residents in either village.

The land dispute between the residents and PT SMART has been ongoing since 1969 when residents claimed the 3,000 hectares of land they had cultivated since 1945 were taken over by the company.

With the opening of the Reform era in 1998, residents promoted their claims to the seized land by forming a farming community and sending several letters to the government.

There was no response from the government until 2009, so the farmers took over 83 hectares. However, the residents were then subject to abductions and shootings. Now, the land dispute has become a legal case and residents have filed an appeal against a case won by PT SMART in 2013.

PT SMART is a subsidiary of Sinar Mas Group, one of the biggest oil palm plantation companies in Indonesia.

Governor Gatot said his administration was committed to resolving the dispute peacefully and would mediate at a meeting on Jan. 13. The police said they would support efforts to resolve the dispute amicably in a win- win solution.

"If there was a peaceful way, it would be better," said North Sumatra Police Supervisory Insp. Syafril N. in a meeting with Komnas HAM at the North Sumatra Police headquarters on Friday afternoon.

When asked about a peaceful resolution, PT SMART spokesman Sanal Sihombing declined to comment. "That's for my superiors to say, I don't have the authority to answer," Sanal told the Post on Friday.

The Padang Halaban land dispute is among many similar disputes that Komnas HAM has been working on since last year.

In 2014, the commission held a national inquiry forum, a seven-month program to gather information from indigenous communities, government institutions and companies to map out possible solutions for the country's rampant customary-land disputes.

Launched in April, the national inquiry forum included six public hearings in Central Sulawesi, North Sumatra, Banten, West Kalimantan, Papua and Maluku, which included parties involved in prominent land disputes in those regions.

Agrarian reform activists have said the lack of formal recognition by the state of indigenous communities and their customary lands is the main reason behind the increasing number of customary-land disputes in the recent years.

Data from the Indigenous People's Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) shows that 143 customary-land disputes occurred throughout the country last year.

In 2012, AMAN filed a judicial review with the Constitutional Court to challenge several articles in the 1999 Forestry Law that prevent indigenous people from collectively using natural resources in their customary territories, saying they contravened the Constitution.

Although the court approved the judicial review in 2012, formal recognition of indigenous communities and their customary rights cannot be immediately implemented due to the absence of formal procedures and lack of coordination among state institutions.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/10/komnas-ham-demands-farmers-rights-be-upheld.html

Agriculture & rural life

Indonesian ministry stand-off leaves villages without crucial funding

Jakarta Globe - January 13, 2015

Yeremi Sukoyo & Hotman Siregar, Jakarta – Intervention from President Joko Widodo is needed to a resolve dispute between two ministries fighting over control of annual village funding to the tune of Rp 20 trillion ($1.5 billion).

The funds are mandated by the Village Law, passed by the House of Representatives last year, which allows all villages across the archipelago to receive Rp 1 billion assistance from the central government to develop their economies and infrastructure.

However, the law does not stipulate who controls the disbursement with both the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Village, Underdeveloped Regions and Transmigration laying claim to authority over the funds.

"Admittedly, the overlapping claims between the two institutions [over the funds] is not something that can be resolved easily," Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) rural economics expert Anas Saidi said.

He said only the president has the power to resolve the dispute. "Whichever ministry that is assigned to manage the funds should have the power and authority to ensure that the funds are spent transparently and effectively," Anas said.

"The overseeing ministry should conduct a comprehensive study on what each village requires to stimulate economic growth, monitor use and effectiveness." Both ministries have failed to show they are up to the task, the LIPI expert said.

Anas said even the now defunct National Program for Community Empowerment (PNPM), which was controlled by its own dedicated body, failed to perform, reducing poverty levels by only 0.88 percent despite trillions of rupiah in soft loans disbursed to micro-entrepreneurs, fishermen and farmers since it was founded in 2007. The PNPM program ended this year and was replaced with the direct village funding.

The government has earmarked Rp 20 trillion for the implementation of the Village Law, which will be distributed to 73,000 villages across Indonesia this year.

Anas said the issue had become political. The Home Affairs Ministry is headed by Tjahjo Kumolo, a senior politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), while the village ministry is headed by Marwan Jafar of the National Awakening Party (PKB).

Saldi Isra, a state administrative law expert at the Andalas University in West Sumatra, said politics aside, the better-staffed Home Affairs Ministry should be the one managing the funds.

The Home Affairs Ministry, which monitors all levels of government, would allow transparency and accountability. "If the Ministry of Village Affairs should manage [the funds], the villages can do whatever they want," he said.

But putting the funds under the Home Affairs Ministry would allow provincial, district and sub district governments to monitor how the funds are used, he said.

The Ministry of Village Affairs could be given the authority to formulate programs suited for each village, but the funds would still be managed by the Home Affairs Ministry.

"Everyone must sit together. All levels of government must ensure that villages are developed as much as possible," he said.

Better planning

Arie Sujito, a political expert from Yogyakarta's Gajah Mada University said that while the central government sorts out the dispute, village chiefs and other local leaders must also prepare themselves.

"They need to train and educate the villagers as well as local officials to create better planning, provide better services and create transparent and accountable fund and asset management," he said. Arie said involving local officials should make the scheme to be a more effective system than the PNPM.

The PNPM, he said, only focused on individuals and groups while the new scheme would allow village officials to create strategic programs to stimulate growth. "The Village Law can adopt the PNPM's participative approach but the implementation is still left to villagers and officials," he said.

Joko has been criticized for dissolving the PNPM, which left some 20,000 PNPM facilitators without jobs. Although favoring the new scheme, Arie said Joko should have created a road map before dissolving the PNPM.

Yuni Satia Rahayu, vice district head of Sleman, Yogyakarta, said that there are now hundreds of PNPM facilitators who need to be reassigned. "We don't know what to do about them," she said. "It is a shame. Because these facilitators are people with skills to empower locals."

Yuni said the central government must decide whether they are planning to use these facilitators in the new scheme or not. "We have not received any confirmation [about the issue] so far," she said.

Districts across Indonesia are also waiting for resolution before they draft a local regulation on the mechanism of the funds. The regulations will include anything from how villages propose programs, to how the funds are disbursed, managed and monitored to reporting and evaluation.

Gili Yoseph, secretary of the East Nusa Tenggara's Village Development Agency, said the dispute had stopped the central government from providing technical details about the program.

"Considering that to this day there are no clear rules, such funds will be prone for misuse for certain political agendas," he said.

Gili said that the province has already created plans for how the funds will be used including on health, education, irrigation, farming and agriculture. The province has also proposed reporting on the funds every three months.

Danang Kristiawan, the village chief of Tirtomartani in Sleman, said the central government should also create a program to inform villagers about the new scheme. People in his village, he said, have been pounding on his door demanding a piece of the Rp 1 billion.

"A lot of people think that the Rp 1 billion fund is some kind of cash assistance for villagers. It's not like that at all. We must create a program first. So the funds are not disbursed instantly. A lot of people got it wrong," he said.

Village Affairs Minister Marwan Jafar said the funds had also created another problem: fraud. According to him, dozens of village chiefs in South Cianjur, West Java, were recently duped by a couple who claimed to be close associates of the president, saying that they can expedite the funds' disbursement.

"Since the village funds are introduced I have expressed my concerns about the possibility of such scams," he said adding that the alleged fraudsters have collected Rp 15 million from each village chief," he said. "I have reminded all village chiefs not to be tempted by such fraudulent scheme. I hope there are no more cases like this in other villages."

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/indonesian-ministry-stand-leaves-villages-without-crucial-funding/

Jakarta & urban life

Jakarta to cancel monorail construction

Jakarta Post - January 13, 2015

Dewanti A. Wardhani, Jakarta – The Jakarta administration has decided to cancel its contract with monorail project operator PT Jakarta Monorail (JM) to develop the monorail routes proposed by the firm.

The problematic monorail project began in 2004 under then governor Sutiyoso. The construction resumed in October 2013, with JM as contractor.

However, its construction has not progressed following disagreements between the city and the company. Moreover, the city administration is doubtful of the company's ability to fund the project.

Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama said that the city was currently drafting a letter to JM to end cooperation.

"We have decided that the project cannot go on with PT Jakarta Monorail. We will send a letter to the company to cancel cooperation and halt all activities," Ahok told reporters after a meeting with apparatus working units at City Hall in Central Jakarta on Monday.

Ahok went on that the route JM proposed to build was not feasible. JM had planned to construct the first route, the green line, extending 14.3 kilometers from the city police headquarters (Komdak) to Satria Mandala Museum, both in South Jakarta, including 16 stations.

The stations and depot were to be built in Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta and Setiabudi in South Jakarta, among other places. Ahok said that the station in Tanah Abang would increase traffic congestion in the area as it would be built on existing roads.

Meanwhile, he said, the planned station in Setiabudi would be built on a reservoir. "It is written in the laws that existing reservoirs cannot be touched," he said.

JM also proposed to build a blue line, a 13.7-km route extending from Kampung Melayu in East Jakarta to Grogol in West Jakarta, with 14 stations.

Ahok added that the city would consider continuing monorail construction through a new tender. "If JM still wants to develop the monorail system in Jakarta, they must compete with other companies through a tender. They must also propose different routes. The current routes are not feasible," he said.

Separately, regional secretary Saefullah said that the city was ready for any repercussions from JM. "We expect that there will be legal problems when we cancel the contract, but it is better that way rather than leaving the project in limbo," Saefullah said.

Meanwhile, JM director Sukmawati said that the firm had not received an official letter or confirmation from the city administration and therefore declined to comment on the matter.

"We are still waiting for the letter so we can't comment yet. Pak Ahok has already threatened to cancel the city's contract with JM once, last October," Sukmawati said via text message on Monday.

She also revealed that the firm had been in intensive discussions with the city administration and the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) on technical issues in the construction, but that Ahok had yet to attend.

"Its strange that the city would cancel the contract over station or depot location because there are many alternatives and solutions. Our main obstacle is that we do not have the support of the governor or the bureaucracy [...] the fate of the Jakarta monorail construction is in the hands of the governor now," she said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/13/jakarta-cancel-monorail-construction.html

'Punkers' netted during city raids

Jakarta Post - January 12, 2015

Jakarta – The West Jakarta Social Affairs Agency raided at least 30 street singers donning punk attire, locally known as punkers, during an operation held over the weekend.

The authorities netted the youngsters because, according to officials, punkers often used intimidating gestures to ask for cash from passengers of public transportation, creating anxiety among residents.

The unemployed youngsters were part of a total of 70 people with social issues raided over the past week, all of whom were transferred to Bina Insan Bangun Daya social shelter in Kedoya, West Jakarta.

"They have made residents anxious because they often appeared intimidating," shelter head Ahmad Dumiyani said as quoted by beritajakarta.com on Sunday.

Dumiyani said the youngsters netted were mostly under 20 years old. He also alleged that some of them were drug users. "If proven, we will transfer them to the Khusnul Khotimah rehabilitation center in Pamulang," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/12/punkers-netted-during-city-raids.html

Loyal supporters ask Jokowi to fulfill campaign promises

Jakarta Post - January 9, 2015

Sita W. Dewi, Jakarta – Men, women and children from the Network of Urban Poor (JRMK) and the Urban Poor Consortium (UPC) came to meet with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Thursday, waiting for hours outside the State Palace to talk to him about promises he made during his campaign to be president and earlier as Jakarta governor.

The strict protocol at the State Palace proved very different from their experience when Jokowi was at City Hall, when residents could talk to him without having to make an appointment.

Is it still the same man, humble and caring, standing behind the strict palace protocol, or has the people's leader changed into a different person?

"I understand that everything is different now that he is the President. Back then, I came to City Hall almost every week. I came just before he arrived at the office in the morning and he would give us 15 minutes to two hours to listen to our grievances," group representative Marno "Ujang" NP told The Jakarta Post in front of the State Palace.

During his term as Jakarta governor, Jokowi was known as an approachable leader who disliked bureaucratic procedure and loved to meet and talk to the people. City Hall was practically open to the public and ordinary citizens would come to speak to the governor daily.

Ujang was among about 30 residents of slums across Jakarta who came in the hope of meeting with the President, whom they supported during the 2012 Jakarta gubernatorial and 2014 presidential elections. They came with the purpose of persuading Jokowi to fulfill his campaign promises.

During last year's presidential campaign, Jokowi and the UPC signed a political pact on the eighth anniversary of the Lapindo disaster at the mudflow site in Sidoarjo, East Java.

The contract comprised a series of key demands from the Lapindo disaster victims and from poor people, the fulfillment of which by Jokowi and his running mate, Vice President Jusuf Kalla, was to be in exchange for absolute support from the pairing.

The key demands included healthcare and education benefits, as well as job opportunities. The contract also stipulates that Jokowi would not evict squatters without providing them with new shelter.

"I have heard your demands and I understand. In a case like this, the state should be present as a symbol of the people's sovereignty," Jokowi said after signing the pact.

UPC coordinator Edi Saidi said that the group had decided to come to the State Palace because the situation was "urgent".

"We submitted a letter asking to meet with the President about a month ago but we didn't hear anything. Evictions are rampant across the country and some people simply cannot wait any longer," Edi said. Ujang added that his group did not trust the bureaucracy.

Among the group were squatters living on Jl. Tongkol in North Jakarta who face eviction this week. They have yet to receive any confirmation regarding their future housing. Gatot Sudarto, 61, revealed that about 200 people living in the area were being forced by authorities to leave their homes by Friday at the latest.

"We weren't told anything before, so we're completely unprepared," he said, adding that Jokowi had promised that squatters would not be evicted unless the government could provide low-cost apartments.

The squatters said that heavy equipment had been on standby near their houses and that they preferred to stay overnight in front of the State Palace rather than return home.

The Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta) revealed that of 26 evictions that rendered 3,751 families homeless last year, 19 were carried out without notice, leaving residents homeless for months.

After the group waited for hours in the heat, the presidential motorcade arrived at the State Palace, passing the demonstrators, who waved and called enthusiastically, hoping to attract the President's attention. Jokowi rolled down the car window, waving at the group.

He also sent one of his aides, Eko Sulistyo, to meet with the group. However, there was no sign that Jokowi would come outside and meet them.

Though the group failed to meet with Jokowi, Assyifa, 24, said she still had high hopes. "I couldn't vote for him during the presidential election last year. But if I could have, I would have, because I believe that he understands people like us," she said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/09/loyal-supporters-ask-jokowi-fulfill-campaign-promises.html

Transport & communication

AirAsia incident lays bare unresolved woes plaguing ATC

Jakarta Post - January 13, 2015

Hasyim Widhiarto, Jakarta – For air traffic control (ATC) official Dio Resnu Aditya, dealing with a lack of personnel has become a day-to-day challenge.

Stationed at Supadio International Airport in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, after being recruited in 2012, Dio and his colleagues have to cope with an exceptionally heavy workload.

"When someone's absent, it's common to see two ATC officials handling duties that are supposed to be done by four. An official may also work for four consecutive hours without a proper break for similar reasons," he revealed.

Despite the sharp growth in Indonesia's airline industry over the last decade, ATC officials across the nation have struggled with arduous workloads and an uncomfortable working atmosphere as a result of a shortage of staff to direct aircraft to avoid collisions.

Last year, the Transportation Ministry estimated that Indonesia would need more than 800 additional ATC professionals to support the existing 1,200 officials providing air navigation services for the country's 237 airports.

Despite their vital role in maintaining air safety, and unlike pilots or cabin crew, ATC officials received scant public attention until AirAsia flight QZ8501 crashed into the sea off Central Kalimantan en route to Singapore from Surabaya, East Java, on Dec. 28. All 162 people on board have either been confirmed or are presumed dead.

ATC at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has been in the spotlight following revelations of its refusal, because of heavy air traffic, to immediately grant a request from the pilot of the ill-fated plane to climb higher to avoid a threatening storm.

According to state navigation operator AirNav Indonesia, ATC took around three minutes to coordinate the request with its Singaporean counterparts before allowing AirAsia to ascend.

However, by that point, ATC could no longer establish contact with the aircraft. ATC officials have claimed that such coordination is not uncommon for international flights.

The cause of the crash remains unknown – the flight data recorder was not retrieved by searchers until Monday – and experts have criticized as too hasty speculation that the ATC bears some responsibility for the incident.

However, analysts are almost unanimous in their agreement that Indonesia's air navigation system needs immediate reform.

With air travel becoming more and more affordable over the past decade, Indonesia posted an average of 13.8 and 19.3 percent growth in domestic and international passenger numbers, respectively, between 2009 and 2013, according to the Transportation Ministry.

However, the rapid increase has come amid a lack of well-equipped domestic airports, trained professionals and navigation infrastructure.

Aviation observer Aminarno Budi Pradana said the shortage of ATC personnel had inevitably affected the quality of air-navigation services in Indonesia, whose airline industry served over 53 million domestic passengers last year.

"The public discussion on human resources [for air navigation] must consider not only the number of ATC personnel, but also their competence, training and diversity of skills," said Aminarno, who is also a veteran air navigation instructor at the Indonesian State Aviation School (STPI) in Curug, Banten.

"With the limited number of personnel, many ATC officials complain that it is very difficult for them to receive advanced training, let alone to take days off."

Although the government established AirNav in 2013 to take over the management of air navigation services from state airport operators PT Angkasa Pura (AP) I and II, Aminarno argued that the new agency did not yet constitute a comprehensive solution.

"Referring to the level of our air traffic density, it is necessary for the authorities to ease the burden on ATC officials by, for instance, providing [computer-assisted] tools to help them handle arrival and departure management or detect aircraft movement on the ground at night and during bad weather," he said.

The slow increase in the number of ATC professionals may partly stem from the limited supply. There are only four training institutions that are licensed to provide air navigation courses – the STPI, plus the Transportation Ministry's semi-military aviation schools in Surabaya, Medan and Makassar.

The STPI's head of aviation safety, Djoko Jatmoko, said that although the school's navigation program attracted around 1,000 applicants every year, it could only admit up to 90 new students annually because of its limited facilities.

AirNav standards and safety director Wisnu Darjono acknowledged the shortage in staff, but insisted that the company would never compromise the safety of air travel. He claimed that the company currently needed at least another 250 ATC professionals to support its existing 1,200 staff stationed at 193 airports.

He added that the company's newly upgraded Emergency-Jakarta Automated Air Traffic System (E-JAATS) and the MATSC (Makassar Air Traffic Service Center) could help improve the handling of more than 10,000 aircraft movements per day.

As for personnel fatigue, Wisnu said that the company required its on-duty ATC officials to take a 45-minute break every two hours to maintain their concentration, although no international rule stipulates such a practice.

"Referring to the international standard, our on-duty officials are allowed to take a break whenever they are tired. However, the break must be taken after working for two consecutive hours," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/13/airasia-incident-lays-bare-unresolved-woes-plaguing-atc.html

11 officials suspended in flight-permit violation case

Jakarta Post - January 10, 2015

Khoirul Amin, Jakarta – The Transportation Ministry announced on Friday the suspension or transfer of at least 11 aviation officials at the ministry for their alleged involvement in allowing several airlines to fly without proper permits.

Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan said the disciplinary measure were required to prevent similar reckless actions from occurring in the future. "This is also part of our effort to improve and supervise all officials at our ministry," he said in a press conference.

The suspended officials, who are all from the ministry's directorate general of air transportation, comprise three officials of echelon II level and seven officials of echelon III level, while one principal operations inspector (POI) has been transferred.

On Wednesday, at least six airport and navigation officials were also suspended due to their alleged involvement in the unauthorized flights.

Jonan said the government also realized that there were a lot of improvements that needed to be made among regulators, state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura, state-run Indonesian Flight Navigation Service (AirNav) and the Indonesia Slot Coordinator (IDSC).

Besides cracking down on its officials, Jonan also announced on Friday that his ministry had frozen 61 flights of five airlines found flying without proper permits during the period of Jan. 5-8. He did not, however, provide specific details about which scheduled flights or routes had been suspended.

The airlines involved are Garuda Indonesia with four unauthorized flights, Lion Air with 35 flights, Wings Air with 18 flights, TransNusa with one illegal flight and Susi Air with three flights.

The Transportation Ministry's chief spokesman JA Barata said the ministry would allow the carriers to resume flights on the frozen routes as soon as they obtained the required permits.

"We can guarantee that those airlines will be granted flight permits [for the schedules and routes] in a day if complete and submit the required documents," Jonan added.

Responding to the suspension of one of its scheduled flights, TransNusa president director Juvenile Jodjana said that his firm would try to clarify the matter with the ministry.

"We are surprised with the finding. We were audited in Bali and we submitted all required documents. Aviation authorities in Bali also said that we had no problems with our flight schedules," he said.

Juvenile informed The Jakarta Post that his airline had obtained approval for the Denpasar (Bali)-Labuan Bajo (Nusa Tenggara) route for seven days a week.

Voicing similar concerns, Garuda Indonesia corporate communications vice president Pujobroto stated that his firm had not received any detailed information on which flight schedules Garuda had violated. "All Garuda Indonesia's flights operate after getting approval from regulators," he said.

Before freezing the 61 fights, the Transportation Ministry had previously suspended the Surabaya-Singapore route of AirAsia flight QZ8501, which crashed in the Karimata Strait between Belitung and Kalimantan on Dec. 28 with 162 people on board.

The A320-200 aircraft flew the Surabaya-Singapore route every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, despite only being approved to fly every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, according to the ministry.

Former Indonesian Air Force chief of staff and aviation observer Chappy Hakim said the ministry's move to suspend flight QZ8501 did not make sense, saying that it was impossible for the airline to fly without prior approval.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/10/11-officials-suspended-flight-permit-violation-case.html

Sputtering start for the dream car for millions of Indonesians

Jakarta Globe - January 9, 2015

Hayat Indriyatno & Basten Gokkon, Jakarta – Dewi has been saving up for the past year and a half to buy a car. "I could get a loan from my office, but I'd rather not," says the 27-year-old bank worker.

Like many commuters in Jakarta, Dewi gets around by a combination of buses and motorcycle taxis. And like millions of the country's much talked-about middle class, she aspires for something higher: a car of her very own.

The previous administration of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono put that dream within reach of the middle class – which the Boston Consulting Group puts at 74 million and McKinsey & Company at a more sober 45 million – with the introduction in 2013 of its so-called low-cost, green car policy, under which locally manufactured cars that met certain requirements would be exempted from a luxury goods tax, capping their price initially at less than Rp 100 million, or $8,000. (Carmakers have since been allowed to raise their prices slightly.)

With other passenger cars costing at least one-and-a-half times that much, the stage was set for a boom in car ownership and the resultant personal mobility that would turbocharge Indonesia's economic growth. Except, of course, that it hasn't gone quite that way.

The advent of the first LCGCs in September 2013 was preceded by a sharp drop in August sales of non-sedan passenger vehicles – which account for more than half of all cars sold in Indonesia – as buyers put off their purchases to wait for the promised cheaper cars.

But LCGC sales figures since then have failed to make up for what the segment cannibalized from non-sedan cars, which have been on a steady monthly decline – from more than 71,000 in September 2013 to fewer than 46,700 in November 2014, the latest month for which data are available from the automotive industry association, known as Gaikindo. In that time, LCGC numbers have hovered around an average of 15,000 vehicles a month.

The tepid sales have put Gaikindo's projection of 1.25 million units for 2014 in question. The target figure is only a slight increase from the 1.229 million cars sold in 2013. But sales through November totaled just 1.129 million units, and with average monthly sales of 100,000 units, it seems unlikely the 2014 target will be reached. (Gaikindo's full-year figures for 2014 are due out in the next few days.)

Executives from the local units of Toyota, Honda and Nissan – which all produce LCGCs, the last through its Datsun brand – have expressed doubt about making the target, citing consumer concerns over the hike in subsidized fuel prices by the administration of President Joko Widodo in November and the subsequent increase in interest rates by the central bank. Some industry insiders have privately expressed worries that the domestic car market could see its first annual decline in sales since 2009.

Gaikindo's outlook for the overall market in 2015 is flat, with LCGCs, which it refers to as "affordable, energy-saving cars," still expected to account for about 14 percent of all cars sold, says the association's chairman, Sudirman M.R.

Fuel-proof

It wasn't supposed to be this way. The LCGC concept was of a car largely immune to the vagaries of the oil price, thanks to its frugal engine with a mileage of at least 20 kilometers per liter, or 47 miles per gallon – not far off the performance of Toyota's gasoline-electric hybrid Prius, in a car one-sixth as cheap.

The same regulation mandating the engine capacity and mileage also obliged manufacturers to ensure that 80 percent of the components used in the cars were locally produced, thereby encouraging the growth of the domestic automotive manufacturing industry.

It seemed a winning combination for all involved – consumers, industry and the government. But one person was far from pleased.

Joko, the governor of Jakarta at the time the LCGC policy was rolled out in mid-2013, was unequivocal in his criticism of the program. Having just launched a mega project to build Indonesia's first subway line and midway through an overhaul of the TransJakarta bus system, Joko was adamant that introducing LCGCs would only make Jakarta's notoriously traffic-choked streets even more crowded and defeat his administration's attempts to get more people to switch from using private vehicles to public transportation.

"The policy is contrary to Jakarta administration's efforts to accelerate the management of traffic congestion in the city," Joko wrote in a letter to then-Vice President Boediono in September 2013. "We are currently speeding up the preparation of the facilities and infrastructure to reduce the traffic and then suddenly there is this cheap car policy."

Mixed messages

Since then, Joko has become president, and the LCGC program has become a crutch for the sputtering domestic car industry – without which annual sales would have (and may yet have) declined in 2014, says Andrey Wijaya, an automotive industry analyst at Jakarta-based RHB Research Group.

For industry watchers, the question remains, what, if anything, Joko intends to do about the program that he once opposed.

"I think Jokowi will support the LCGC program," Andrey tells the Jakarta Globe, referring to the president by his nickname. "Notably, Jokowi's main concern about LCGCs was increased subsidized fuel consumption from the impact of the higher number of cars. This higher fuel consumption hurts the government's budget. But since much of the fuel subsidy has been removed, any change in the LCGC policy is likely be remote."

With Joko silent on the issue since his inauguration in October, the message from the administration has been mixed.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla, whose family conglomerate holds the lucrative distribution rights for Toyota cars in the eastern regions of Indonesia, insists the program will continue, saying Joko has had a change of view since becoming president.

"Back then he was speaking as the governor, so his viewpoint was limited to Jakarta," Kalla said in November about Joko's initial objections to the program. "But now we have to look at all of Indonesia. And of course the view won't be the same."

But the president's populist Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P, doesn't see it that way.

"Jokowi's priority has always been on the usage of mass public transportation, like trains, buses and so on, which can carry a lot of people," says Hasto Kristiyanto, the acting secretary general of the PDI-P and an adviser to Joko during the transition from the Yudhoyono administration.

"And as the supporting party [of the president], we're proposing that there shouldn't be any incentives given for private vehicles. Instead, incentives should be shifted to the development of affordable and safer public transportation," Hasto tells the Globe.

He notes that the decision on whether the program is scrapped is Joko's to make, but that the PDI-P will continue to "urge the government to review that cheap car program."

Andrinof Chaniago, the minister for national development planning, has taken a more equivocal stand on the LCGC program, saying that "maybe we will continue to support it," while Industry Minister Saleh Husin says the program will remain – "for the time being."

'Unfeasible' exports

For David Sumual, the chief economist at Bank Central Asia, the poor state of public transportation in cities like Jakarta is a good reason to retain the LCGC program. "Low-cost, green cars have potential as city cars as long as public transportation in cities remains underdeveloped," he tells the Globe.

He also warns that killing the program would see Indonesia "lose a lot of business opportunities" from car and parts makers who have made hefty investments in the production of the vehicles.

Still, he argues that the ideal scenario is to improve public transportation systems in the country and redirect the LCGC focus to the export market.

"We should take the opportunity to be the production base for LCGCs aimed for export purposes. That will surely boost our manufacturing industry, increase our foreign exchange income, improve the current account and also help the country's economic growth," David says.

But prospects for sales of the cars in neighboring markets are not very strong, says May Arthapan, the Bangkok-based director of Asia-Pacific forecasting at LMC Automotive.

"There could be an opportunity for Indonesia to ship LCGC vehicles to smaller Asean markets like Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia," she tells the Globe.

"But this will most likely be [on a] small scale since new vehicle sales in these markets [...] are still very small [in hundreds and thousands per annum]. Majority of the market is in imported used vehicles. LCGCs would be competing with these cheaper used imports in these markets which might not be feasible."

Besides, Thailand, dubbed the "Detroit of Southeast Asia," already has a strong grip on the fast-growing Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam car market, says Jakkrit Lerksomboonsiri, a senior analyst at IHS Automotive in Bangkok. "It will be tough [...] for Indonesia to compete with Thailand in CLMV when it comes to reality," he says.

Here to stay?

So with little hope of making it big abroad, and less than stellar sales at home after more than a year on the market, what will become of LCGCs?

"I think Joko shouldn't be afraid to scrap the program, because ending it is a matter of public policy, and a rather good one," says Arbi Sanit, a political analyst from the University of Indonesia.

He argues that the program, like the fuel subsidy, has missed its mark – "The cars are just for the interest and livelihood of the middle class trying to look like the elite by having a cheap car while still using subsidized fuel" – and that the government would be better off fixing the public transportation system instead of encouraging greater car ownership.

"It's already clear that Jokowi wants to focus on developing mass transportation for the middle class in the country instead of serving them with private cars," says Yunarto Wijaya, executive director of the Jakarta-based think tank Charta Politika.

"I don't think he's going to change his views. It's clear that Jokowi doesn't support that program and he won't make it a priority," Yunarto tells the Globe.

Djoko Setijowarno, an observer with the Indonesian Transportation Society, or MTI, which advocates for improved public transportation, agrees that the president should scrap the program.

"I believe Jokowi is still committed [to ending it]; when he was governor he backed phasing out LCGCs," Djoko said as quoted by Tribunnews. "I'm sure he'll end it, as long as he's not influenced by the vice president."

But for all the naysayers, there is no indication that LCGCs are going away any time soon. If the government can balance car production with much- needed improvements in public transportation infrastructure, there is no reason why the LCGC program cannot be sustained over the long term, says IHS's Jakkrit.

"Infrastructure development is the right thing for most Indonesians and [has been] put at the top of the to-do list by the new president," he says. "However, LCGC provides competitiveness for the Indonesian auto industry, given that the program has been successful in attracting car OEMs' investment."

For Joko "to curtail the program is one of our scenarios, but unlikely to happen in the short to mid term. Jokowi has further cut the fuel subsidy and this will strengthen the demand for LCGCs in the wake of the [higher] fuel price," Jakkrit says. "Thus, we conjecture that LCGCs still have a future in the Indonesia market."

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/jakarta/sputtering-start-for-the-dream-car-for-millions/

Armed forces & defense

TNI still needs imported weapons

Jakarta Post - January 14, 2015

Jakarta – Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Moeldoko has said the country's military still needs foreign-made weapons.

"For weapons systems that have a high level of competitiveness, we need weapons made by foreign manufacturers," Moeldoko said. Moeldoko also said that he personally preferred to see TNI members using foreign-made weapons.

The TNI chief said he was excited to see modern weapons systems being used by foreign nations during the search and rescue operation for the doomed AirAsia flight QZ8501. "I salivated looking at those systems," he said as quoted by kompas.com.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said in December last year that Indonesia should stop relying on imported defense equipment, adding that the country needed to focus on building its own integrated defense equipment systems.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/14/tni-still-needs-imported-weapons.html

More soldiers abandon duty in 2014

Jakarta Post - January 14, 2015

Nani Afrida, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) will review leadership in the force on account of a high number of desertion cases last year.

The military's information center reported 865 soldiers abandoned their duties in 2013 while the number had increased to 927 soldiers as of September last year.

TNI commander Gen. Moeldoko acknowledged the increasing number of deserters in his institution, saying he would try to find the root cause and resolve the issue.

"When I was the commander of a military command [Korem], one of my subordinates abandoned his duties and I asked [him] why. Pressure and feeling unprepared were the main reasons," Moeldoko told reporters after a ceremony at TNI headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta on Tuesday.

TNI spokesperson Maj. Gen. Maliki Mufti said another reason soldiers abandoned their posts was to avoid punishment for misconduct. "In some cases, soldiers abandon their duties because of family matters," Maliki said.

The missing soldiers will be placed on the military police's most wanted list (DPO) so that military police officers nationwide can help search for them.

Moeldoko said strong leadership was important to prevent desertion and promote good ties between commanders and soldiers.

"We have to evaluate the leaders. I admit there is a problem," the military chief said, criticizing young commanders for being more interested in technology and environmental influences rather than taking care of their soldiers.

Besides the rising number of military desertion cases, the military police also revealed other violations committed by soldiers. Maliki said the number of cases involving narcotics and torture had dropped as of September 2014.

Tuesday's ceremony, held to remind soldiers to remain disciplined, was attended by 1,052 military personnel. Gen. Moeldoko also encouraged the soldiers to cooperate with the police. "The police and military are respected institutions. I won't tolerate anymore disputes," he said.

It was reported the TNI had imposed sanctions on 100 soldiers from the 134 Tuah Sakti infantry batallion in Batam, Riau Islands, for attacking the police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) headquarters on Nov. 19 last year.

The soldiers will be dispatched to various regions in the eastern part of the country as part of their punishment and to deter other troops from committing such a serious breach of military discipline in the future. "We have to evaluate the leaders. I admit there is a problem."

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/14/more-soldiers-abandon-duty-2014.html

Judicial & legal system

Arief Hidayat appointed Constitutional Court chief

Jakarta Globe - January 12, 2015

Jakarta – Arief Hidayat, a law professor, was on Monday appointed the new chief justice of Indonesia's troubled Constitutional Court.

Arief, who only replaced former chief Mahfud M.D. to become a Constitutional Court justice in 2013, will take over the top role from Hamdan Zoelva, whose leadership term ended on Jan. 7.

He was appointed chief justice at a plenary meeting between the nine court justices in Jakarta on Monday, news portal Kompas.com reported. He will lead the court until 2017.

Arief's deputy, Anwar Usman, was also appointed on Monday. Anwar has been a justice with the Constitutional Court since 2011.

Arief, born in 1956, was head of the masters program of law at Diponegoro University in Semarang, Central Java, before he was appointed to Indonesia's top court. He earned his doctorate degree from the same university in 2006.

The new chief justice will have a tough job rebuilding faith in Indonesia's Constitutional Court, the reputation of which was badly damaged when former Chief Justice Akil Mochtar was convicted of corruption last year.

The Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court sentenced Akil to life in prison. He was found guilty of having sold off Indonesia's powerful local government seats to corrupt politicians.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/arief-hidayat-appointed-constitutional-court-chief/

Police vs KPK

KPK doubts Jokowi's antigraft commitment

Jakarta Post - January 15, 2015

Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has said it will doubt President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's anticorruption commitment if he goes ahead with his plan to swear in troubled Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as the new police chief.

"Reading Jokowi's anti-corruption statement, he will betray this in the next five years and thus his commitment will be in doubt," KPK deputy chairman Adnan Pandu Praja said Thursday.

He was referring to the white book containing eight points on corruption eradication signed by all presidential and vice presidential candidates during the presidential campaign.

He made the statement at the KPK building when receiving volunteers who supported Jokowi during the recent presidential election. The volunteers visited the KPK building to show support for the commission in its investigation of a graft case implicating Budi and to call on the President to suspend Budi's inauguration as police chief.

Adnan said if the President swore in Budi, it would be very difficult. "You can imagine if Budi is sworn in and we raid National Police headquarters to confiscate documents relating to the police chief, who is named a suspect in a graft case. We will be deemed as harassing the institution of the police. This could lead to inter-institution conflict and political chaos. So this kind of impact must be avoided," he said, as quoted by Antara news agency.

He added that Budi's inauguration would also damage the cooperation between the two institutions, including the police in provinces, regencies and municipalities. KPK chairman Abraham Samad had said previously that he would speed up the commission's investigation into the graft case and would arrest Budi, despite his position in the police, after more than 50 percent of Budi's dossiers were completed.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/15/kpk-doubts-jokowi-s-antigraft-commitment.html

Jokowi dodges responsibility

Jakarta Post - January 15, 2015

Margareth S. Aritonang and Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo broke silence on Wednesday on the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) move to name his pick for the next National Police chief, Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, a suspect.

Amid high expectations that Jokowi would withdraw Budi's nomination, the former Jakarta governor went against the tide by refusing to immediately adjust his missteps amid escalating protests from antigraft activists.

Jokowi has yet to take any action following the KPK's decision, arguing that he was still waiting for Budi's official endorsement from the House of Representatives during a plenary session on Thursday. "We respect the KPK. However, we also respect the political process at the House," Jokowi said.

Jokowi has also refused to take the blame for the controversy surrounding the nomination, arguing that his decision was based on a recommendation from the National Police Commission (Kompolnas), whose chairman is Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno.

"I asked about the issue surrounding the [bank] account. I asked Kompolnas and I also received this letter [...] clarifying the [bank] account transactions and an inquiry found no irregularities."

Later on Wednesday evening, the KPK called on Jokowi not to inaugurate Budi. "I still believe that Pak Jokowi will respect the law and abide by the Constitution. Our stance is always consistent and firm with regard to graft suspects, whether regional heads or House lawmakers. Anyone who has been named a suspect by the KPK must not be sworn-in as a government official," KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto said.

Jokowi previously ruled out Budi for the post of administrative and bureaucratic reform minister in October due to the concerns of the KPK about his vulnerability to corruption investigations.

Earlier in the day, the House thumbed its nose at the KPK's move to name Budi a suspect by endorsing his nomination, paving the way for his inevitable inauguration.

House Commission III overseeing law and human rights unanimously endorsed Budi's controversial nomination in a confirmation hearing, during which the lawmakers allowed him to clarify the graft allegations leveled against him.

In the hearing, Budi deemed the KPK's move to name him a suspect in a bribery case as "illegal" given that he had not been questioned by the antigraft body prior to the announcement.

Budi also convinced lawmakers to back his nomination by outlining his agenda for the force, which included prioritizing corruption prevention efforts, instead of graft prosecution.

"I think a figure that can skillfully focus on preventive measures is more important because prevention is better than enforcement. Punishing corruptors will fail to provide a deterrent effect. Doing so will instead breed more corruptors," Budi said, responding to a request for his thoughts on the quality of two candidates for KPK commissioners, one of whom is to be endorsed by the House later this month.

His response quickly won support from Commission III lawmakers, including deputy speaker Desmond Junaidi Mahesa.

"The KPK has never educated people on prevention," said Desmond, a politician from the Gerindra Party who is known as a staunch critic of the KPK. "The KPK always thinks it's right. It's like God of this republic," he said.

When the confirmation hearing wrapped up, Budi secured endorsements from nine out of the 10 political factions at the House. Once he takes the oath of office, Budi will be the first graft suspect to lead the country's highest law enforcement institution.

"The majority of factions in Commission III gave their support for Pak Budi's nomination for a variety of reasons that I cannot and will not reveal to the public. We have done our job, so now it's up to President Jokowi to make the final decision," Commission III chairman Aziz Syamsuddin said after the hearing.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker Trimedya Panjaitan was confident that Jokowi would inaugurate Budi," We really hope Pak Jokowi inaugurates him [Budi]".

Trimedya said PDI-P chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri had instructed the party's lawmakers to fight for Budi's nomination.

In the confirmation hearing, only the Democratic Party faction objected to Budi's nomination and ordered its lawmakers to skip the session. "We want to help Pak Jokowi avoid making a mistake," Democratic Party lawmakers Erma Suryani Ranik said.

Speculation was rife that lawmakers gave their solid support to Budi because the police general had a plan to undermine the KPK in the future.

The KPK has arrested dozens of top politicians and lawmakers since its establishment in 2003. All of them were found guilty by the courts, creating anxiety among politicians.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/15/jokowi-dodges-responsibility.html

Police chief set to defy House, President

Jakarta Post - January 15, 2015

Hasyim Widhiarto and Fedina S. Sundaryani, Jakarta – The National Police is poised to block the installment of Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as police chief by setting up an ethics hearing that will determine whether or not to suspend the graft suspect for breaching the police's code of ethics.

The plan has been put in motion despite a decision on Wednesday by House of Representatives Commission III overseeing legal affairs and laws, human rights and security, to endorse Budi, clearing the way for his confirmation as police chief during the House's Thursday plenary session.

"Whether or not Budi should stay on as an active officer will be decided by the ethics hearing," said National Police chief Gen. Sutarman, whose term will be cut short prior to his retirement in October by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

An existing regulation stipulates that an officer cannot be nominated or inaugurated as police chief should he or she be found by the hearing to have violated the code of ethics. Sutarman said that the hearing would be arranged by National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti.

Badrodin, however, declined to disclose when the hearing would be set up, saying that it would also depend on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)'s investigation. "I really cannot say whether or not he will be suspended right now. We have to see how the case goes."

Several days after Jokowi announced Budi's nomination, the KPK named the latter, who currently serves as chief of the National Police's educational division, a graft suspect.

The KPK began investigating Budi's allegedly ill-gotten funds, worth some Rp 54 billion (US$4.26 million), in July of last year. The suspiciously large sums, contained in bank accounts linked to Budi and his family members, were first detected in 2010 by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK).

KPK investigators have evidence indicating the money could have been sourced via bribes and gratuities.

Likely due to pressure from political elites, including from his patron, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, Jokowi abruptly sent Budi's nomination letter to the House on Friday for endorsement.

Jokowi did not consult with Sutarman and requested that the National Police Commission (Kompolnas), a police watchdog, to produce a list of candidates in less than two days.

Sutarman expressed regret that Jokowi chose not to involve him and the National Police in the screening of his potential successors as was done in previous selections of police-chief candidates.

He added that the National Police possessed an internal assessment system that could have provided the President with candidate track records.

"Ideally, the National Police would have been asked to provide information about the candidates' track records, as we already have an assessment mechanism in place," said Sutarman, who is widely credited with keeping the police force independent during the recent legislative and presidential elections and for maintaining order during the brittle and divisive period.

Sutarman, however, said he would respect Jokowi's "prerogative rights" to endorse his preferred candidate as the next police chief. "Although I was not consulted by the President, I remain loyal to him," Sutarman said.

He dismissed speculation that the sudden naming of Budi as a graft suspect was fueled by his disappointment in Budi's nomination, or because of infighting among the force's three-star generals.

"We don't have any internal problems with Budi's nomination. I assembled all the three-star generals this morning to discuss the issue and we all agreed to support the President's decision," he said. Sutarman added he was prepared to recommend another candidate, should Jokowi request one.

Kompolnas member M. Nasser said that the saga surrounding Budi's nomination could be related to "internal rivalry".

"There may have been a power struggle within the force. I've heard that the KPK's decision may be related to some sort of disappointment by a group of police officers. But, you know, Budi, for his part, also has a rank of loyalists behind him," he said.

During the confirmation hearing at the House, Budi revealed he had information indicating that a police general – one who had also been touted as potential police chief – had provided the KPK with evidence used to charge him with graft. "But I don't want to be trapped by negative thinking. Let's just wait and see," he said.

Indonesian Institute of Police Science (PTIK) lecturer Sr. Comr. (ret.) Alfons Loemau suggested that Sutarman's remarks on the hearing and his regret for being left out of the candidate-selection process might be perceived as insubordination, as the latter had no right to challenge the President's prerogative rights for naming his top cop nominee.

"The police chief serves as the President's aide. The President can use any available information from relevant sources to screen police chief candidates, as the existing law does not require the President to seek an incumbent police chief's advice for the nomination," he said.

[Bagus BT. Saragih and Margareth S. Aritonang also contributed to the story.]

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/15/police-chief-set-defy-house-president.html

'Stacked' House confirms 'fat account' officer to head up national police

Jakarta Globe - January 14, 2015

Hotman Siregar & Fana F.S. Putra, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo's sole nominee for police chief, Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, told legislators at a confirmation hearing on Wednesday that his wealth came from legitimate sources and that he was committed to the fight against corruption – a day after being charged with bribery by the nation's vaunted antigraft body.

"All my wealth is legitimate and can be accounted for," Budi told members of the House of Representatives' Commission III, which oversees legal affairs and approved his nomination.

The confirmation hearing was held despite the Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, having named Budi a suspect on Tuesday in connection to irregular transactions in his bank accounts, as flagged by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center, or PPATK, the government's anti- money-laundering watchdog, in 2010.

Despite the KPK's move, the House decided to go ahead with the hearing, while Joko refused to withdraw the suspect's nomination.

Budi rose to national infamy in 2010 following an investigative report by Tempo magazine, based on the PPATK reports, that identified him as being among several police generals linked to "fat bank accounts" through which transactions amounting to millions of dollars were regularly being made.

Budi courted controversy again in 2013, when, upon filing a mandatory wealth report after being appointed the governor of the police academy. It was revealed that his personal wealth had ballooned from Rp 4.6 billion to Rp 22.6 billion ($364,000 to $1.79 million) between 2008 and 2013.

Budi told the House that the increase was largely due to appreciating prices of the dozens of properties that he owned.

"My title deeds [for the properties] had not been issued [by the time of the 2008 filing]. Since then, there have been several transfers of ownership, price increases, as well as assets sold. I have not manipulated [the wealth reports] in any way," he claimed.

He cited the example of a property he owned in Bogor, south of Jakarta, that he said was worth Rp 300 million when he bought it in 2005 and was now valued at Rp 2.3 billion. He also said he had an apartment, bought in 2004 for Rp 508 million, that was now worth Rp 2.5 billion.

According to Budi's 2008 asset declaration, he owned 13 properties in Jakarta, West Java and Banten provinces. The number rose to 37 in his 2013 report and the value of each of the properties he had owned rose significantly.

Budi did not explain how he was able obtained so much property based on his legitimate earnings in the police force. Budi submitted the 2008 wealth report shortly after being named chief of the Jambi provincial police.

Before that, he served only minor roles in the force, as a security aide to former president Megawati Soekarnoputri between 2001 and 2004; chief of the police's career development bureau (2004 to 2006); and head of the National Police's training center (2006 to 2008).

Budi acknowledged several large transactions through his bank accounts, as detected by the PPATK, but claimed they were related to his family's business.

"The transactions were linked to my family's business and several third parties as creditors," he told the House, claiming that he had formal documents with the said creditors to prove it. He did not specify what the business was.

According to his 2008 wealth report, Budi stated that he owned a restaurant and "a tourism object." His 2013 report states that the two enterprises were later sold.

The PPATK report "had been submitted to the National Police criminal investigation division and was investigated in a professional manner," Budi claimed. "The outcome [of the police] investigation concluded that the transactions were legitimate. There is no criminal violation."

PPATK chief Muhammad Yusuf said the transactions were made between 2005 and 2006. "They are worth tens of billions [of rupiah, in total]," he said as quoted by Detik.com.

The PPATK spent the next four years conducting an analysis, and in March 2010 sent the final analysis to the National Police for investigation. "In May 2010 we received a letter [from the police] saying that the transactions were not related to any criminal act," Yusuf said.

The PPATK chief said that in mid-2014, the KPK asked for a copy of the same analysis. "Our analysis just complements [the KPK's investigation]. The KPK already had enough [to start a case] from [Budi's] wealth reports," he said.

KPK chairman Abraham Samad on Tuesday declined to reveal more details about Budi's case, saying only that the bribery case "took place when he was serving as the head of the [police's] career development bureau [...] and other positions within the National Police."

Budi is charged under three articles in the 2009 Anti-Corruption Law, including for taking bribes. If found guilty, he faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.

On Wednesday, Budi reiterated that he was "clean" and called the KPK's decision to charge him "character assassination." The KPK "violated the principle of presumption of innocence. [The charges] could shape people's opinion that I am guilty," he said.

Budi described himself to legislators as someone who stood against corruption, and pledged to make graft eradication his key priority if he was confirmed as National Police chief.

There will be "commitment for anticorruption, upholding ethics and morality [...] transparency in the handling of cases [...] upholding supremacy of the law [...] working with stakeholders to improve the competency and integrity of police human resources," he said.

Speculation is rife that the legislators, who did not challenge any of Budi's claims, were paid off to approve his nomination.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/stacked-house-confirms-fat-account-officer-head-indonesias-national-police/

Samad photos show risk of uncovering huge cases

Jakarta Post - January 14, 2015

Jakarta – Former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman and murder convict Antasari Azhar says he isn't surprised that photographs of current KPK chairman Abraham Samad kissing a woman are currently circulating in social media.

He commented that what Abraham is being subjected to is similar to what happened to him after he uncovered a certain case, saying that it is one of the risks of challenging a huge case and that nobody should pay much attention to it.

"This is a similar situation to what I am facing now," Antasari said on Wednesday as quoted by Antara news agency.

The former KPK chairman refused to comment on the declaration the KPK made on Tuesday naming National Police chief hopeful Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as a graft suspect, as he is still preparing to finish his own legal case, which he has been battling for seven years.

Antasari is currently behind bars after having been convicted of being the mastermind behind the murder of businessman Nasruddin Zulkarnaen in 2009, a crime in which he has denied involvement to this day.

During his trial in 2009, a senior witness from the police testified that Antasari was framed in a conspiracy orchestrated by high-ranking police officials in the murder case. The testimony was dismissed and Antasari was sentenced to 18 years in prison. (dyl/nfo)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/14/samad-photos-show-risk-uncovering-huge-cases.html

KPK denounces leak of Abraham Samad's kissing photos

Jakarta Post - January 14, 2015

Haeril Halim, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said on Wednesday that the spreading of intimate photographs showing its chairman Abraham Samad and "Miss Indonesia" pageant winner Elvira Devinamira Wirayanti kissing each other was aimed at hitting back at the antigraft body following its decision to name National Police chief hopeful Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan a graft suspect on Tuesday.

KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto said that an examination of the pictures, which were sent to reporters from an email purportedly belonging to Elvira early on Wednesday, had confirmed them to be fake.

"We understand that in this kind of situation the KPK always becomes the target of de-legitimation efforts," he said at the KPK headquarters on Wednesday.

Bambang said that the antigraft body was considering taking legal action to report the incident to law enforcement institutions. However, he further said that he did not want to speculate on who might have been responsible for the alleged retaliation.

Separately, Abraham also claimed that the pictures had been edited by irresponsible parties, whose identities he did not disclose. "I think the pictures have been edited. People take pictures with me at many public appearances," said Abraham.

The email address purporting to be that of the pageant winner sent three pictures to reporters along with a summary of information about the 21-year-old Elvira, who was crowned in 2014. However, the email did not provide any caption or clear description of the pictures and it also did not explain what kind of relationship Abraham had with Elvira.

On Tuesday, the KPK slapped corruption charges on Budi, who was recently nominated by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo for the police chief position despite the KPK's earlier confirmation that the three-star general had cropped up in its graft investigations, just one day prior to the House of Representatives Commission III overseeing law and legal affairs was to hold a confirmation hearing for his nomination on Wednesday.

The KPK's move will likely cause the cancellation of his nomination as a police chief candidate. As of Wednesday the President had yet to decide whether to cancel Budi's nomination. (ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/14/kpk-denounces-leak-abraham-samads-kissing-photos.html

KPK to Indonesia's rescue from 'dirty' national police chief candidate

Jakarta Globe - January 14, 2015

Fana F.S. Putra & Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Jakarta – Indonesia's House of Representatives insists it will go ahead with a confirmation hearing for Budi Gunawan, President Joko Widodo's sole candidate for National Police chief, despite his being named a corruption suspect on Tuesday.

The announcement by the Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, follows a six-month investigation into irregularities in Budi's bank accounts as flagged by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center, or PPATK, the government's anti-money-laundering watchdog, in 2010.

"The KPK's decision to name Budi a suspect is not our concern," Desmond Junaedi Mahesa, a member of House Commission III, which oversees legal affairs and is scheduled to vet Budi, told reporters in Jakarta.

"We have a schedule to stick to. Besides, it's not certain that [Budi] will be selected as police chief," added Desmond, from the opposition Great Indonesia Movement Party, or Gerindra. He said the House had been given a mandate by the president to vet his nominee, and such a mandate could not be easily dropped.

The Democratic Party of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was the only one of the 10 parties at the House whose members called for the confirmation hearing, scheduled for today, to be scrapped in light of the KPK's announcement. Democrat legislators also called on Joko to put forward a new nominee.

The Golkar Party, meanwhile, requested that the House speaker and his deputies convene "an emergency consultation meeting" with the president to gauge whether Joko still wanted Budi to go through the confirmation process.

But Gerindra's Desmond insisted there was nothing the House could do to stop the process, short of Joko withdraw Budi's nomination. He added that following the confirmation hearing today, the House planned to call in the KPK's leaders on Thursday for questioning about their decision to name Budi a suspect just days after he was nominated.

Fat account

The nomination by Joko on Friday rankled antigraft watchdogs and activists who had hoped the president would appoint a reformer to clean up the police force, long identified as Indonesia's most corrupt government institution.

Budi rose to national infamy in 2010 following an investigative report by Tempo magazine, based on PPATK reports, that identified him as being among several police generals linked to "fat bank accounts" through which transactions amounting to millions of dollars were regularly being made.

The police denied the accusation, though not before buying up all copies of the magazine with the damning article from agents and distributors. Tempo's office was firebombed shortly after the publication, but the police somehow never managed to identify the perpetrators.

Budi courted controversy again in 2013, when, upon filing a mandatory wealth report after being appointed the governor of the police academy, it was revealed that his personal wealth had ballooned from Rp 4.6 billion to Rp 22.6 billion ($364,000 to $1.79 million) between 2008 and 2013 – an increase impossible to justify based on his legitimate earnings in the police force.

In Tuesday's announcement, KPK chairman Abraham Samad said Budi would be charged under three articles in the 2009 Anti-Corruption Law, including for taking bribes. If found guilty, he faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.

Abraham declined to reveal more details about the KPK's investigation, saying only that the bribery case "took place when he was serving as the head of the [police's] career development bureau" – an office that Budi held from 2004 to 2006 – "and other positions within the National Police."

"As to who [the money came from], how much and in what way [it was paid], sorry, we can't divulge that just yet," KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto said.

Budi also served as provincial police chief in Jambi, from 2008 to 2012, and Bali, from 2012 until 2013.

PDI-P meddling

Joko on Tuesday addressed criticism of his decision to nominate Budi, speaking just hours before the KPK declared the nominee a suspect.

The president said the decision was based on recommendation from the National Police Commission, or Kompolnas, a government-appointed watchdog for the law enforcement agency.

He declined to comment about Budi's suspiciously large wealth and transactions, or why he had not consulted the KPK when deciding on nominees, as he had when picking cabinet members.

The PDI-P has also denied that the party or its chairwoman – who Budi served as security aide when she was president – had anything to do with the nomination.

"Choosing a police chief is Joko's prerogative as head of state. There is no intervention from Megawati as PDI-P chairwoman," senior PDI-P politician Trimedya Panjaitan said on Monday.

Trimedya also said that Joko had only acted according to Kompolnas' recommendations adding that Joko remained committed in the fight against graft.

Kompolnas commissioners said on Tuesday that Joko's decision to name a replacement for the current police chief, Gen. Sutarman, who only retires in October, was so sudden that the commission had failed to check beyond the administrative requirements of possible candidates.

"There was no time to ask for opinions from the KPK, the PPATK or Komnas HAM," the National Commission for Human Rights, said Kompolnas commissioner Adrianus Meliala.

He added that Kompolnas had recommended five nominees who fit the administrative requirements, but that Joko had settled on just one name to forward to the House.

'We warned Joko about Budi'

The KPK's Abraham said Joko "knew very well" that Budi was on the antigraft commission's radar, and had been probed by the KPK when Joko was forming his cabinet back in October.

At the time, the KPK flagged him as unsuitable to serve in the cabinet because of the likelihood that he was implicated in a corruption case. "We have warned [Joko] about [Budi]," Abraham said.

Bambang said the KPK had been trying to meet with Joko ever since he made the controversial decision to nominate Budi.

He said that the decision to charge Budi was made on Monday, but that as of Tuesday morning, Joko was still not available to meet the KPK leaders to discuss the matter.

Budi, for his part, called the KPK's decision "unfair." "If there is indeed a legal violation that need to be investigated, why [charge me] now when I am being nominated as police chief? What is the meaning of this?" he told reporters at his house after meeting several legislators to discuss the next day's confirmation hearing – itself an ethically questionable move.

Budi called on House Commission III to scrutinize the KPK's decision. "I don't want [the KPK leaders] to lose their jobs, but I also can't allow myself to be the victim of people's oppression. This is not about [me]. This is about the president and the National Police's honor," he said.

The National Police, meanwhile, claimed that Budi's eye-watering wealth came from "legitimate sources," while police investigators had attributed the hefty transactions through his accounts to be "not of an illicit nature."

"Maybe the KPK is investigating a different case entirely. But the police have not investigated any criminal cases [implicating Budi]," said National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Ronny F. Sompie.

Activists were quick to applaud the KPK's move to charge Budi, but also demanded a probe of House Commission III legislators insisting on continuing with the confirmation hearing, amid speculation that Budi had paid them off to approve his nomination.

"I say it's not impossible that there have been some political transactions between Budi and people inside Commission III," said Erwin Oemar, a researcher with the Indonesia Legal Roundtable.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/kpk-indonesias-rescue-dirty-national-police-chief-candidate/

KPK nixes Jokowi's choice for top cop post

Jakarta Post - January 14, 2015

Haeril Halim and Fedina S. Sundaryani, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) declared on Tuesday National Police chief hopeful Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, whose candidacy has been challenged by antigraft activists, a graft suspect just one day before the House of Representatives holds a confirmation hearing for his nomination. KPK chairman Abraham Samad said that his office, which began investigating the alleged ill-gotten funds worth Rp 54 billion (US$4.28 million) detected in 2010 by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) in the bank accounts of the police general in July 2014, had evidence that the money might be related to criminal offenses such as bribes and gratuities.

Budi, who is currently National Police Educational Division chief, has been charged under Article 12 of the 1999 Corruption Law, on bribery and gratuities, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

"Based on our case expose conducted last night, we have strong grounds to charge Comr. Gen. BG with corruption for allegedly receiving bribes or gratuities when serving as former head of the National Police's internal affairs division from 2003 until 2006 and when serving other posts at the National Police," Abraham told a press conference at KPK headquarters on Tuesday.

Clarifying intensifying rumors that the KPK's move against Budi was politically motivated, KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto said the KPK's probe into Budi was not a "sudden" investigation as it all started back in June 2010 when it received reports from NGOs regarding Budi's alleged corruption, which provided a basis for the KPK to launch a preliminary investigation in 2012.

"We held our first case expose into the case in July 2013. Since then we have been collecting evidence on his involvement in the case," said Bambang.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo nominated Budi on Friday as the next police chief to replace incumbent chief Gen. Sutarman, who will retire in October. Budi was a former adjutant to former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is also Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman.

Budi's nomination had been met with a positive response from lawmakers and prior to the KPK accusing him in the graft case; he was expected to get an easy pass from the House.

Abraham said he was surprised to learn that Jokowi nominated Budi on Friday without consulting the KPK, as the antigraft body, along with the PPATK, had dropped the candidate when he was also tipped for a ministerial post in October.

"The KPK red-flagged him [Budi] during the ministerial candidate screening in October," Abraham said, adding that the KPK did not announce the graft- prone status of Budi at that time because such a move could hamper its ongoing investigation.

Budi is the first three-star general to be netted in a KPK investigation. The KPK previously sacked two-star general Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo and Brig. Gen. Didik Purnomo, who is a one-star general, in its investigation into the procurement of driving simulators at the National Police.

After meeting with Abraham on Tuesday night, police chief Sutarman said that the police would respect the KPK's decision. "As an active member of the police force, he [Budi] will be given legal assistance. Furthermore, we will assist the KPK during its investigation."

According to Bambang, Sutarman had given his full support to the KPK and had assisted the investigation into Budi's case. Although Sutarman previously insisted that Budi's funds were clean, he acknowledged that the KPK might have found new evidence that proved otherwise.

In response to the KPK's move, Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto said Jokowi had demanded the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) prepare steps that needed to be taken by the President to address the issue. "He [Jokowi] was shocked upon learning of the KPK's decision in the case."

Vice President Jusuf Kalla visited Jokowi's office and spent more than two hours discussing the matter. Jokowi, according to Andi, will comment on Budi's status and the future decisions that needed to be taken on Wednesday.

Despite Budi's status as a graft suspect, House Commission III overseeing law and legal affairs is sticking with its plan to hold Budi's confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Eight of 10 political factions at the House approved the hearing on Tuesday.

The Democratic Party and the United Development Party (PPP) were the only factions that demanded Budi's hearing be put on hold, while the other eight, including the Gerindra Party, whose lawmakers previously openly criticized Budi's nomination, suggested that the show should go on.

According to Gerindra lawmaker Desmond Junaidi Mahesa, the KPK's decision was "suspicious" considering the timing. "We are complying with the majority voice in Commission III. Thus, we will hold the confirmation hearing tomorrow," Aziz Syamsuddin, a politician from the Golkar Party, said.

The Democratic Party believed Budi's nomination should have been dropped following the KPK's announcement and thus called on President Jokowi to submit the names of other candidates to the House. The PPP suggested that the House first hear the KPK's explanation regarding its decision.

Several lawmakers from the ruling coalition, such as Rio Patrice Capella from the NasDem Party described the KPK's move as "a slap in the President's face".

"The KPK should have respected the political process taking place in the House. Why did it make such a decision only a day before the scheduled confirmation hearing." Patrice said.

[Margareth S. Aritonang and Ina Parlina also contributed to this story.]

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/14/kpk-nixes-jokowi-s-choice-top-cop-post.html

Jokowi must let public opinion matter in police chief choice: LBH Jakarta

Jakarta Post - January 13, 2015

Dylan Amirio, Jakarta – The Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta) has warned that if President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo presses on with his choice of Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan for National Police chief, the public will seriously question the credibility of his law enforcement system.

The institution called for the House of Representatives to reject the choice of Budi Gunawan as potential National Police chief and urged President Jokowi to accept input from the people regarding the choice.

Budi Gunawan was named a suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Tuesday afternoon over allegations of bribery and graft during his tenure in the National Police's Career Development Division between 2004 and 2006.

LBH Jakarta director Febi Yonesta said that Jokowi should have used the approach that gave him his popular image, which was to consult the opinions of the people, along with those of the KPK, Tax General Directorate, the Human Rights Commission and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) before he made his choice.

"The president has more or less repeated a similar mistake to hastily change and choose a candidate for National Police chief because of political pressure, neglecting the candidate's track record in the process," Febi said on Tuesday in a statement obtained by The Jakarta Post.

Febi noted that choosing a leader for the National Police is an important priority as it will reflect the Jokowi administration's commitment toward the reform of Indonesia's law enforcement system, as well as the militaristic police culture that has lead to allegations of police brutality in some cases.

Jokowi's declaration of Budi as his sole candidate for National Police chief has raised eyebrows, particularly over the seeming hastiness of Budi's candidacy. He would replace the outgoing chief, Gen. Sutarman, who is expected to retire in October this year. (nfo)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/13/jokowi-must-let-public-opinion-matter-police-chief-choice-lbh-jakarta.html

Nomination for Indonesia's police chief meets criticism

Jakarta Globe - January 12, 2015

Jakarta – Critics in Indonesia have slammed President Joko Widodo's decision to nominate Budi Gunawan as the next National Police chief, citing his political affiliation and lingering suspicions over the police general's swollen bank accounts.

In a letter that was sent to the House of Representatives on Friday, Joko nominated the head of the police's Education Institute (Lemdikpol), Comr. Gen. Budi, as the new National Police chief.

Budi is set to replace Gen. Sutarman, although Sutarman has not planned to retire until October. The House will conduct a fit-and-proper test to determine if Budi is eligible for the position.

Based on past experiences, however, the test will likely only serve as a formality. Therefore it is almost certain that Budi will be the next police chief, another political appointment inked by Joko that has drawn the ire of antigraft activists.

Agus Sunaryanto, a deputy coordinator of Indonesia Corruption Watch, sees Budi's nomination as another example of horse-trading politics practiced by Joko.

Joko has earlier appointed Yasonna Laoly, a politician with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), as the Justice and Human Rights Minister and National Democratic Party (Nasdem) lawmaker H. M. Prasetyo as new attorney general. Both PDI-P and Nasdem are members of the pro- government coalition. Joko is a member of the PDI-P.

Budi has no membership in any political party, but he is a known close aide of PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri. He served as her adjutant during her term as president from 2001 to 2004. He also served as provincial police chief twice, for Bali and Jambi, before heading the Lemdikpol.

"The appointment of the National Police chief should not be based on horse-trading politics... It should be based on aspects of leadership, integrity, track record, capacity and strong commitment to pushing for reforms and an antigraft agenda [within the police ranks]," Agus said.

"This is important, so that in the future [Joko's] administration would not have its credibility marred by corruption issues, human rights, money laundering or other legal problems involving the National Police chief or [other members] of the police institution."

Oce Madril of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) had the same complaint, calling the law enforcement institutions "crippled" with the political appointments. "[Such appointments] will further taint the image of the police institution," said Oce, the advocacy director with UGM's Anti-Corruption Study Center.

The police force has for years now been perceived as among the most corrupt public institutions in Indonesia, according to the corruption perception index annually released by Transparency International.

More than the political affiliation issue, Budi's appointment has triggered resistance because of suspicions concerning the size of his personal bank accounts.

The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) in 2010 released a report of several police generals with suspiciously hefty bank accounts, and Budi was on the list.

Police claim that the suspicion against Budi had been cleared following the police's internal investigations as a follow-up to the PPATK finding.

"The result [of the investigation] said there was no problem [with Budi's bank accounts]. If anything suspicious was found, surely it would have been followed up at that time," National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Ronny F. Sompie said on Saturday.

Oce, however, doubts the claim, citing a complaint questioning the transparency of the process that had been filed to the Central Information Commission, a public agency handling complaints on blockades to access to public information supposedly guaranteed under the public information law.

"There was an indication that the police never investigated [the PPATK finding]. Besides, will there be a police investigator who dares probe generals?" Oce told news portal Tempo.co on Saturday.

The ICW's Emerson Yuntho said Joko should have involved the PPATK and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in the selection process to make sure the person he nominated for the top police job was clean from corruption.

Joko consulted with the KPK before he publicly announced the members of his cabinet in October, but did not do the same with Prasetyo and Budi's appointments.

"Joko should not have repeated the same 'mistake' that he did when selecting the attorney general candidate; he didn't involve the KPK and PPATK," Emerson said.

"The two institutions have been playing active roles and have been tested [for their commitment] to eradicating corruption and money laundering. They have data and information on track records of individuals concerning corruption cases and suspicious financial transactions."

Emerson on Friday began a petition at change.org asking Joko to be more careful with his selection of the National Police. On Saturday, after Budi's nomination was made known to the media, the petition was updated with an immediate rejection against the nomination. As of Sunday evening, the petition had been signed by 500 people.

KPK deputy chief Bambang Widjojanto also regrets Joko's decision not to consult with his office on the police chief nomination. Although the president is not required to do so, he should have taken an initiative to, Bambang said on Friday.

"During the era of SBY [former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono], the KPK examined financial reports and wealth of [police chief] candidates. We handed over the result directly to the president to help him decide the final nominee," Bambang said.

He added such a screening would allow the KPK to see whether a wealth amassed by a public official fitted to the incomes they receive from their official jobs. "It also examines potentials for and indications of gratuities," Bambang said.

Different opinions, however, came from Muradi, the head of Padjadjaran University (Unpad)'s political and national security study center, and Neta S. Pane, chairman of Indonesia Police Watch. "We have to respect President Joko's decision to nominate Budi Gunawan as the National Police chief," Muradi said.

He thinks Budi is "a complete figure," who is "able to understand more comprehensively the characteristics of the chief of the National Police". "He's known to be loyal and works professionally within the police organization," Muradi added.

Neta, meanwhile, believes the hefty bank account suspicion is premature. "Every time a selection is ongoing for a National Police chief, the KPK and ICW again raise the issue of fat accounts. I just don't get what they want," Neta said.

"All these times, when the KPK has evidence, they will immediately make arrests. But for this case [suspicion against Budi], to date they haven't arrested or investigated anyone."

He added that appointing the police chief was the president's prerogative, and that by law, he was only required to consult with the National Police Commission, or Kompolnas, prior to nominating any name to the House.

"They [the KPK] said they were ready to trace police officials' fat bank accounts. But this is not their area," Neta said. "By issuing such a statement, it is as though the KPK undermines the Kompolnas's authority, as though they are claiming only them are right."

Neta told the KPK to work on improving its coordinations with the police to deal with corruption cases that continue to plague the country, rather than treating the police force like an "eternal foe."

PDI-P acting secretary general Hasto Kristiyanto on Sunday defended Joko's nomination of Budi, saying the president was familiar with Budi's professional capacity because both of them had known each other for quite some time.

"There's nothing unusual about the appointment. Anywhere in politics, the president appoints people whose leadership and professional quality he has knowledge about; to help him," Hasto said. "We will fully support the president's decision."

With the Golkar Party, the largest party in the opposition bloc, also having voiced its support for Budi's nomination, there will be no likely a major obstacle to his appointment for the top police job.

"[Budi's track records] have been examined by the National Police and the result is he's clean," said the secretary of the Golkar faction in the House, Bambang Soesatyo. "Golkar supports the president's nomination of Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as the next police chief, to replace Gen. Sutarman."

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/nomination-indonesias-police-chief-meets-criticism/

Jokowi's choice on new top cop questioned

Jakarta Post - January 11, 2015

Fedina S. Sundaryani, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) wants people to respect President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's choice of party chief Megawati Soekarnoputri's adjutant Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan to lead the National Police, despite condemnation from civil society groups.

PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto said Jokowi thoroughly weighed his options and that he would chose the best candidate. "I believe we must respect his [Jokowi's] decision. It's his prerogative," Hasto told reporters.

Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto confirmed on Saturday that Jokowi signed off on Budi and wrote to the House of Representatives about the nomination. Andi said there was no urgency in replacing incumbent police chief Gen. Sutarman, who is expected to retire in October.

In nominating Budi, Jokowi did not consult with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) or the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK), as he did when nominating his Cabinet ministers.

"There has not been an official request for us to look into the track record of the [police chief] candidate," KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto said as quoted by Antara news agency, adding that the KPK could not begin its own investigation of Budi.

"It's the prerogative of the President so he has to take full responsibility [for his choice]. Don't shift the burden to the KPK," Bambang said.

Fifty-five-year-old Budi, a former adjutant of Megawati when she was president between 2001 and 2004 and a close confidant of Vice President Jusuf Kalla, is one of several police generals whose bank accounts the PPATK alleged were linked to dubious sources in 2009.

Budi's wealth disclosure to the KPK in 2013 revealed assets of around Rp 22.6 billion (US$1.8 million) despite a monthly take-home pay of less than Rp 18 million as a three-star general.

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Emerson Yuntho said Budi's nomination showed that Jokowi had bowed to political pressure. "He only did it to please his political party and its leader," he said, referring to Megawati.

Emerson said it was disheartening to see Jokowi starting to break campaign promises about running a "clean" government.

The ICW said that Jokowi should tap Budi for the position only if he had been endorsed by the KPK and the PPATK. "The only way to have 'clean' figures in powerful positions is if they go through the screening process conducted by the KPK and the PPATK," he said.

Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) coordinator Haris Azhar said Jokowi had damaged his credibility by nominating Budi.

"It becomes more obvious now that he is only a puppet. There is not a single reason to support the nomination of Budi Gunawan and there is nothing that makes him stand out except that he might have a 'fat' bank account. If he becomes the police chief, then the National Police's integrity will plummet further," he said.

Emerson said there was no reason to prevent Sutarman from serving a full term, given that he had done a good job in securing the 2014 general elections and maintaining the independence of the police during the election.

"Replacing Sutarman would only make sense if he made serious mistakes during his tenure. However, there has so far been no evidence that he failed to do his job," he said.

To amplify the call for the inclusion of the KPK and PPATK in the vetting of the new police chief, change.org has started an online petition, calling on Jokowi to allow the antigraft bodies to look into the track records of police chief candidates.

As of 7 p.m. on Saturday, 177 people had signed the petition. It required a further 23 signatories before it could be forwarded to Jokowi.

National Police spokesman Comr. Gen. Ronny F. Sompie declined to elaborate on the possible nomination of Budi. "The National Police chief [Sutarman] insists that the decision to appoint the new chief rests with the President," he said as quoted by Antara.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/11/jokowi-s-choice-new-top-cop-questioned.html

Poor choice looms for top cop job

Jakarta Post - January 10, 2015

Nani Afrida and Ina Parlina, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has been urged to involve the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the country's money-laundering watchdog in his choices for a leader for the graft-ridden National Police amid indications that a leading candidate may have been implicated in dubious dealings.

Unlike in the selection of his Cabinet members in November, Jokowi did not request input from the KPK and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) in the recent appointments of the attorney general and the chiefs of staff for the Air Force and Navy.

Jokowi's decision to skip the screening for the top law-enforcement and military personnel contradicted his pledge made last year of building a clean administration.

Civil society has now demanded that the President carefully rethink his choices after a letter revealed that Jokowi had nominated a problematic candidate, the National Police's education and training division chief Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, on Friday for the House of Representatives to endorse next week.

"Don't repeat the mistake made when appointing the attorney general. Jokowi should involve the KPK and the PPATK to prevent problematic candidates, including those with fat bank accounts, from taking the job," Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) deputy coordinator Agus Sunaryanto said.

As the letter of nomination could not be verified, State Secretary Pratikno confirmed on Friday that the President might soon submit a candidate to replace National Police chief Gen. Sutarman, who will retire in October. "There is a possibility," said Pratikno when asked about the plan. "But just wait and see how it will progress."

However, Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto was quick to deny the suggestion. "Based on existing regulations, there is no immediate need to replace him [Sutarman]," said Andi.

The National Police Commission (Kompolnas), which has the authority to recommend to the President candidates for the position of police chief, has proposed four three-star generals to replace Sutarman. One of them is Budi Gunawan.

According to a source at the Presidential Palace, Budi's nomination was due to his close ties to Jokowi's patron Megawati Soekarnoputri, the supreme leader of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Budi was formerly an adjutant of Megawati when she served as president between 2001 and 2004. He is also close to Vice President Jusuf Kalla and was widely perceived as his liaison with Megawati when Kalla sought her endorsement to pair with Jokowi in last year's presidential election.

Despite this connection, Budi is deemed controversial as he is among several generals whose bank accounts were suspected by the PPATK to be linked to dubious sources in 2009.

Budi's wealth report, as submitted to the KPK in 2013, has revealed his assets are valued at around Rp 22.6 billion (US$1.8 million) despite his limited monthly take-home pay of less than Rp 18 million as a three-star general.

Budi, who did not reply to The Jakarta Post's request for an interview on Friday, has previously denied the allegations and said the National Police had confirmed the large bank balances came from legal sources.

Harris Azhar, coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), said Jokowi's credibility would crumble should he be forced to nominate a problematic candidate.

"Undoubtedly, the KPK, the directorate general of taxation, the PPATK and National Human Rights Commission should take part in the selection, otherwise Jokowi will be no different to SBY [Jokowi's predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono]," he said.

In response to the plan surrounding his early replacement, Sutarman said that the President had the right and the authority to accelerate his retirement.

"The president has full authority to replace the police chief. I will leave the decision to him and won't comment further," said Sutarman, who has been widely credited with keeping the police force independent during the recent legislative and presidential elections and successfully maintaining order during the brittle and divisive period.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/10/poor-choice-looms-top-cop-job.html

Economy & investment

Jokowi doubles capital expenditure in revised 2015 state budget

Jakarta Post - January 10, 2015

Satria Sambijantoro, Jakarta – With a significant cut in the fuel subsidy, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo will be able to double the government's capital expenditure (capex) in the revised 2015 state budget, which will soon be submitted to the legislature for approval.

The allocation of capex spending, which includes capital investment as well as growth-generating infrastructure projects, will be more than doubled from the Rp 139 trillion it was last year to Rp 290 trillion (US$23 billion) this year, according to the latest draft of the revised budget proposed to lawmakers on Friday.

Due to the increase in capex spending, three ministries will see significant boosts in their new budgets. They are the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry, the Transportation Ministry and the Agriculture Ministry, each of which will receive an additional Rp 33 trillion, Rp 20 trillion and Rp 16 trillion, respectively.

The ministries would be told to focus on ready-to-build infrastructure projects, not on ones with sophisticated designs that were deemed difficult to execute, said Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro.

"The three ministries have been viewed by the President as strategic in fulfilling his vision and mission," Bambang explained in a press briefing on Friday.

"An interesting point worth highlighting here is the fact that ministries' spending, for the first time in years, will exceed non-ministry spending that includes fuel subsidies or others," added the minister.

Bambang, an experienced official in the Finance Ministry who has been involved in state budget design for at least four years, described the new revised 2015 state budget as "the closest to perfect" budget that Indonesia has had in recent memory.

The removal of the subsidy for Premium gasoline and the introduction of a fixed-subsidy system for diesel would also cushion the budget from unwanted fluctuations in oil prices and exchange rates, he noted.

The budget will also adopt a healthier posture as the fiscal deficit, the gap between state revenues and spending, is set at 1.9 percent this year, lower than the 2.3 percent set in the previous year.

But Bambang identified one state budget risk that should not be taken lightly: tax revenue collection, which is predicted to hit Rp 1.3 quadrillion this year, an ambitious target compared to last year's realization of approximately Rp 900 trillion.

Facing the daunting task of meeting the target are four people whose names are currently in the hands of the President, who will handpick someone to fill the post of the Finance Ministry's taxation office chief, which has been left vacant since November.

"For the taxation office's director general, I need someone who has the right chemistry so that [he or she] can work in tandem with me, someone who can implement major breakthroughs," said Bambang, who has aimed to increase Indonesia's tax-to-GDP ratio from the existing 12 percent to 13.5 percent by the end of this year.

The more ample fiscal space in the revised 2015 budget is attributed to a recent change in the government's policy that removed the subsidy for Premium gasoline and implemented the use of a fixed subsidy for diesel fuel.

Consequently, fuel subsidy spending allocations will shrink significantly from the previous Rp 276 trillion to Rp 81 trillion in the revised budget.

However, while the fuel subsidy reallocation might be a fiscal windfall for Indonesia, it remains unclear whether lawmakers could approve the new fuel price-setting scheme included in the budget, warned analysts from Japan- based fund manager Nomura.

"It [legislative approval of the revised budget] tends not to be a straightforward process," Nomura analysts Euben Paracuelles and Lavanya Venkateswaran wrote in a report.

"We think this is even more the case currently, given President Jokowi's lack of legislative control and its fragmented nature."

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/10/jokowi-doubles-capital-expenditure-revised-2015-state-budget.html

BI imposes stricter ruling on dollar debts

Jakarta Post - January 9, 2015

Satria Sambijantoro, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) announced on Thursday another foreign debt regulation involving a stricter reporting system for local companies planning to borrow US dollars amid the decline in the rupiah against the US dollar.

All Indonesian residents, banks and private companies must report any overseas borrowing transactions that involve a significant amount of foreign currency, according new central bank regulation PBI no 16/22, which took effect on Jan. 1.

"We understand the need for local businesses to get capital from overseas and the regulation is not intended to be an obstacle for them to access new loans," said Hendy Sulistiowaty, the executive director of BI's statistics and monetary department.

She explained that the central bank wanted local firms to better manage their dollar-denominated debts, which posed a risk of default and currency mismatch against the backdrop of exchange rate fluctuations.

"We do not want a repeat of 1998, when we did not possess sufficient data on the amount and the management of debts in the private sector," said Hendy, referring to the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis, when many private companies in Indonesia went bust in response to the steep depreciation of the rupiah against the dollar.

The Indonesian currency has fallen sharply in the past several months amid worries that the planned increase in the US interest rate would trigger capital outflows from the country. The rupiah fell to 12,698 per US dollar on Dec. 16, the weakest in 16 years, raising the specter of the 1998 crisis. The rupiah slightly gained to 12,674 per dollar on Thursday from 12,739 on Wednesday.

Under the new rule, every local company with an at least US$100,000-net gap between its dollar liabilities and assets must file a report with BI regarding its offshore transactions and its foreign-debt management plan.

Every three months, companies will also need to file a compliance-based activities (KPPK) report to BI, detailing the latest status of the company's dollar asset and liabilities data.

The amount of private sector debt in the economy had already reached a "worrying" level, warned Hendy. Indonesian private sector dollar- denominated debts topped $161.3 billion in October, or 54.8 percent of total external debts in the economy, latest BI data show.

The stricter reporting system will complement the central bank's last foreign-debt rule, announced by BI Governor Agus Martowardojo in October, when he invited around 100 CEOs of local companies to his Jakarta office.

The rule includes the requirement for companies to hedge at least 20 percent of their short-term dollar debts and to have a liquidity ratio of 50 percent beginning January 2015, if they want to borrow dollars.

The requirement will become stricter in 2016, when the hedging ratio will be increased to 25 percent, while the liquidity ratio will rise to 70 percent.

Beginning 2016, all companies wanting to borrow dollars must have a minimum rating of BB from international rating agencies, with the exemption of firms borrowing funds to finance infrastructure projects.

The hedging rule was intended to "manage, not squeeze" the number of foreign debts, and thus it would have a limited impact on economic financing, Mandiri Sekuritas economists led by Aldian Taloputra wrote in a note.

"We believe that several sectors with limited access to forex [foreign exchange] assets, such as rupiah earners,and high forex leverage, will be impacted by the regulation in the short term," argued Aldian, who predicted that the property, electricity and manufacturing sectors would be most impacted by BI's new regulation.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/09/bi-imposes-stricter-ruling-dollar-debts.html

Analysis & opinion

Budi's integrity tainted

Jakarta Post Editorial - January 15, 2015

It is a blunt fact that the public perceives the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) to be much more trustworthy than the National Police leadership, or even the House of Representatives.

For that reason, no amount of additional clarification given by the police would be enough to remove the dark clouds over the reputation of Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, clouds formed by the large and questionable transactions through his bank accounts and those of his son between 2005 and 2010.

Worse still, the political decision by the House's Commission III overseeing legal affairs on Wednesday to endorse President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's nomination of Budi as the new National Police chief has put the President in a big dilemma.

If Jokowi goes ahead with installing Budi within the next few days, the nation will get a new police chief with tainted integrity who will continue to be castigated by the general public and become a lame-duck law enforcer.

But if the President withdraws Budi's nomination, he will severely damage his relations with the House, where his supporting faction is the minority, and his main backer the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

The police detective leadership made a big mistake in June 2010 when it hastily announced, without the endorsement of independent examinations by the KPK or the tax office, that the huge sums of money flowing through Budi's and his son's accounts were related to legitimate businesses run by the family.

The controversy over Budi's suspicious transactions, which was capped by the KPK's decision on Tuesday to name Budi a corruption suspect, was also a result of different opinions about money-laundering. Like it or not, once a bank account arouses the suspicions of the PPATK, the responsibility to clear the suspicion lies on the account holder.

The PPATK, which is in charge of enforcing the 2002 Money-Laundering Law, thoroughly examines and analyzes bank accounts implicated in suspicious transactions. Only when PPATK lawyers and financial experts are properly convinced that the transactions have strong indications of money-laundering will they file reports to the National Police, KPK and Attorney General's Office for further investigation and eventual prosecution.

The money (allegedly over Rp 56 billion [US$4.43 million]) flowing through the bank accounts of Budi and his son between 2005 and 2010 were held to be suspicious by the PPATK because the sums did not correlate with Budi's financial profile as a senior police officer whose official salary amounted only to between Rp 4-5 million a month.

Had Budi been greatly concerned about his integrity he would have gone the extra mile, asking tax auditors to clarify and crosscheck his annual income tax returns against the transactions through his bank accounts and the audited balance sheets of his family businesses.

Without clearance from tax auditors, no amount of explanations or clarifications from the police can straighten out what the PPATK considers to be suspicious transactions.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/15/editorial-budi-s-integrity-tainted.html

Nomination problem is Jokowi's own doing

Jakarta Globe Editorial - January 14, 2015

With the House of Representatives' legal affairs commission approving in acclamation Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as the Indonesian police chief on Wednesday, his confirmation by a House plenary session today to decide whether he is fit to lead one of the country's most powerful institutions should be a mere formality.

With their approval, the legislators showed full contempt for the decision on Tuesday by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to name Budi a graft suspect.

The KPK has jailed many legislators, and many of their ilk want to take revenge. They are also afraid that they will join in the growing list of jailed public officials sooner rather than later. So this is their way of sticking it to the KPK.

The legislators will tell President Joko Widodo to immediately inaugurate Budi. That leaves the ball in Joko's court. He was the one who nominated Budi, and he should be the one who ends this farce.

But on Wednesday, rather than directly rescind the nomination, Joko delayed making a decision, saying he would wait for the outcome of the House's plenary session. If he inaugurates Budi, he will be helping the corrupt fight back, and Indonesia will be plunged into an endless war between the police and KPK.

Indonesia will become the first nation on Earth to have a graft suspect as its police chief. Even the notoriously indecisive Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made sure that no minister or top official stayed in office long once they were charged by the KPK.

If Budi becomes the police chief, he will have tremendous power, more so than even the KPK. He will fight to the end and there will be little that we can do about it. It will be tragedy for Indonesia – and it will all be because of Joko's blunder.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/editorial-nomination-problem-jokowis/

Jokowi must learn from humiliation

Jakarta Globe Editorial - January 13, 2015

Our grave concerns over President Joko Widodo's nomination of Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as Indonesia's police chief proved to have merit when on Tuesday the Corruption Eradication Commission declared the three-star police general a graft suspect.

We commend the antigraft body for its smart move in making the announcement before Budi gained power as the chief of the National Police. It's a bold move that could prevent one of the country's most powerful institutions falling further into the hands of corrupt officials.

This announcement is a big humiliation for Joko, and serves as a final warning for him to appoint figures with proven and clean track records as state officials.

We call on him to stop depending on others to decide on key policies and appointments. Otherwise, he will only continue to humiliate himself. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and its chairwoman, Megawati Soekarnoputri, must also cease causing problems for the president. The party is now a liability for Joko.

As the party that nominated him for president, it should support all the policies and programs he wants to implement because his success is also the party's success. PDI-P officials, euphoric over their victory in both the presidential and legislative elections, must remember that in the 2019 elections the voters will punish them if the government fails to meet the people's high expectations.

The KPK has a reputation to uphold. So far, it has never failed to obtain a conviction and jail sentence after naming someone a suspect. In Budi's case, it would not risk it without solid evidence. Budi is guilty until he can prove himself innocent.

Joko must withdraw Budi's nomination and find a credible officer with a cleaner record.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/editorial-jokowi-must-learn-humiliation/

Nomination of new police chief dubious

Jakarta Globe Editorial - January 12, 2015

If there is any hope that the National Police will be reformed under President Joko Widodo then we should bury it deep for at least another five years after the nomination of Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as the chief.

Joko's decision to nominate Budi is a betrayal of his own pledge of clean government. We are wondering how a president as clean as Joko can nominate a police general accused of having suspicious bank accounts of hundreds of billions rupiah to head such an important institution.

After the disappointing appointment of a politician with poor track record to become the attorney general, this nomination is another huge blow to the nation's law enforcement efforts. It is another horse-trading move.

Whether or not Budi has been taking bribes or stealing state money, Joko should take media reports and opinion from credible state institutions, such as the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), into account.

The KPK has red-flagged Budi – implying that he is allegedly involved in corruption – when he was nominated as a minister, while the PPATK reported that he has fat bank accounts containing at least Rp 54 billion ($4.2 million).

Police are key to Indonesia's law enforcement without which the country's democratization will be put to a halt. If the police stay on their current track, then Indonesia will continue to have weak law enforcement.

To put it in perspective, survey after survey has placed the police as one of the country's most corrupt institutions every year.

Even under the command of an officer with a clean track record, the police are unlikely to reform. And it's impossible under one with dubious track record.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/editorial-nomination-new-police-chief-dubious/

LSF moves to silence 'Senyap'

Jakarta Post - January 10, 2015

Jess Melvin, Melbourne – On Dec. 29, the Film Censorship Institute (LSF) banned public screenings of Joshua Oppenheimer's second groundbreaking documentary on the 1965 Indonesian genocide, Senyap (The Look of Silence). So far, the ban appears to be effective only in East Java. It nonetheless sets a disturbing precedent.

The LSF's seven reasons for the ban betray its New Order past and threaten Indonesia's democratic space. Unless challenged, attempts could be made to generalize the ban nationally.

The first reason cited for the ban is that Senyap contradicts "the principles, aims and function" of the film industry, which includes a requirement for all films to promote "belief in God, to demonstrate benefit, to foster unity and wholesomeness [kebajikan]", and support the "unity and integrity of the nation".

Beyond the probable shock of an outsider in noting that it is illegal to release a film that depicts an atheistic view of the world, Indonesia's censorship laws are quite liberal. As the many thousands of debauched and materialistic Hollywood-type films available in Indonesia suggest, concepts such as wholesomeness are usually applied in only the broadest sense.

Cases of censorship appear to be largely politically motivated, such as the 2009 banning of Balibo, for its unfavorable depiction of Indonesia's invasion of East Timor, and the 2014 banning of Noah, which LSF head Mukhlis Paeni explained was due to its controversial interpretation of the creation story shared by the Judaic, Christian and Muslim faiths. As with the banning of Senyap, these films were banned following political pressure regarding their message, rather than questions on the explicitness of their material.

This has not stopped the LSF playing the role of film critic. The second reason for the ban is that the interviews with perpetrators in Senyap have "debatable authenticity and lack objectivity" because they are conducted by the "child of a PKI [the defunct Indonesian Communist Party] member", and because the film "does not provide background information and social context" to the "bloody events of 1965/1966".

Authenticity and objectivity are crucial in film quality. They do not, however, usually determine whether a film is banned from public screening. Many biopics and historical dramas could be wrenched from the public realm for precisely this reason.

Yet Senyap is, after all, a film in which each character speaks from personal experiences of historically verifiable events and where perpetrators of serious human rights abuses incriminate themselves knowingly on film.

The problem with the film's authenticity and objectivity, according to the LSF, is that these accounts are elicited by the "child of a PKI member" – meaning they are told from the wrong perspective.

If it seems perverse to suggest that it might be possible to create a film in which the exact same story is told, but in which the characters' identities are reversed, so that the victims of widespread state-sponsored mass killings are presented as the perpetrators of this violence and those who carry out this violence become the story's victims and heroes – this is precisely how official Indonesian versions of this history are told.

Moreover, the LSF attempts to lay down its own correct interpretation of the violence. The LSF opined in its third reason that the killings in North Sumatra were the result of an outpouring of local resentment from the mid- 1940s, rather than as part of a national and coordinated campaign led by the military, as Senyap explains.

This is a serious overstepping of the LSF's mandate. Only the most draconian of regimes will presume to dictate not only its version of history, but also dictate what interpretations may even be proposed.

As exposed in the fourth reason for Senyap's banning, the film, the LSF warns, "encourages viewers to be sympathetic to the PKI and the teachings of communism", a situation which "creates social and political tensions and which weakens national resilience." The institute forgets the Cold War ended almost a quarter of a century ago and former president Soeharto's military dictatorship 17 years ago.

The LSF's partisanship is further demonstrated in its fifth reason for the film's banning – that Senyap breaks social norms for "politeness" by having "a relative of a PKI person" interview a perpetrator about their involvement in the killings.

It does not comment on whether the actual killings may have been a little less than polite or why mass murderers are free to walk the streets as survivors still fear for their safety.

This partisanship is compounded in the institute's sixth reason for the ban, that even "from an educational perspective", Senyap is unacceptable because it shows visual images that "include the articulation of hateful attitudes and behavior" that might be passed on to younger generations, including "extreme descriptions of the killing of PKI people", using sarcastic words such as "eye gouging", "throat slitting" [and] "tongue slitting" in front of primary school children.

That is, Senyap does not graphically depict these forms of violence, as seen in the government's own sadistic propaganda film Pengkhianatan G30S/PKI, which was compulsory viewing for all elementary children until 1998; but rather Senyap should be banned because it describes such acts, as a means of exposing and condemning them.

Such logic is no different to demanding that all documentaries about the Holocaust remove all mention of concentration camps, or that any documentary films about US war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan refrain from mentioning water boarding and cluster bombs, as if the mere mention of these acts of violence was an active incitement for their use.

Such a demand amounts to a whitewashing of the past. It is also hypocritical considering the institute's continued approval of Pengkhianatan G30S/PKI, which was used to justify the violence of the genocide.

"The scenes shown in this film", the LSF concludes in its last reason, "present actions that are inappropriate for viewing as they foment anger within the community which is building a social system that values diversity and [...] multiculturalism". The film also allegedly prevents the "natural reconciliation" currently underway in Indonesia.

Diversity and multiculturalism will not be served through silencing genuine and necessary debate about Indonesia's dark past any more than "natural reconciliation" can be achieved, by continuing to cling to the past, official propaganda version of the genocide while victims continue to be silenced.

Silencing Senyap will only strengthen growing perceptions both domestically and internationally that Indonesia is not serious about confronting the New Order's crimes and remains intent on stifling public debate about the topic.

President Joko "Jokowi' Widodo must revoke the film's ban to demonstrate his government's seriousness about upholding human rights and democracy, in this 50th anniversary year of the killings.

The institute should stop playing politics and allow Indonesian viewers to make up their own minds.

[The writer recently completed her PhD thesis, Mechanics of Mass Murder: How the Indonesian Military Initiated and Implemented the Indonesian Genocide, The Case of Aceh, at The University of Melbourne, Australia.]

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/10/lsf-moves-silence-senyap.html