Jakartans gather to support Japan

Jakarta (Djakarta News – The Jakarta Post)-Hundreds of Jakarta residents gathered Sunday in front of the Japanese Embassy to support the nation as it recovers from a recent magnitude 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami.

Residents placed their handprints, wrote well-wishes and signed their names inside a red circle representing Japan’s flag.

“This is from Indonesians giving moral support to Japan. We are also supported by the Japanese Embassy. Dozens of institutions are gathered here today but they are shun their identifying markers for Japan,” Hani, the coordinator for Indonesia For Japan said, as quoted by tribunnews.com. Hani said Japan had helped Indonesia during the 2004 Aceh tsunami.

“Now, with the earthquake in Japan we pooled humanitarian funds three hours after it occurred,” Hani said.

The event featured art from both countries and participants sang songs such as "We are the World" and "Bengawan Solo", an Indonesian keroncong song once favored by Japanese.

The event aimed for 10,000 signatures. The newswire reported that Japan Ambassador to Indonesia Kojiro Shiojiri and Presidential Work Unit for Development Monitoring and Controls (UKP4) chief Kuntoro Mangkusubroto were present at the event.

Source: thejakartapost.com

Former Indonesian Migrant Worker in Saudi Arabia Becomes A Lecturer

(Djakarta News – RRI News) - Former Indonesian migrant worker in Saudi Arabia, Nuryati Sulapari, has successfully realized her dream as a lecturer which can make people consider the presence of migrant workers a positive thing, a sociologist, Badaruddin.

The sociologist from the University of North Sumatra (USU) said here Wednesday that the success of Nuryati needed to become a model for other Indonesian migrant workers.

Moreover, he said, the success of Nuryati also brought good image for Indonesia. It was rare so that it should be promoted to encourage other migrant workers, especially in Saudi Arabia.

Because, he said, so far people considered them as second rate persons that could be treated badly by their employers. But instead, what Nuryati had experienced of getting her bachelor`s degree while working as migrant worker in Saudi Arabia was a great success.

Her Arabian boss was so kind because of paying her wages on time and permitting her conduct her study, and the success of Nuryati was also caused by her boss` support.

Therefore, the Saudi Arabia government awarded Nuryati for her achievement and hard work in reaching the bachelor`s degree.

In the past the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Jakarta on behalf of the government delivered an award to Nuryati Sulapari as her achievement in finishing her study and now become a lecturer.

Arabian Deputy to Indonesia Majed Abdulaziz Al-Dayel gave the award, Tuesday (28/12) in an event attended by an official of Manpower and Transmigration Ministry Abdul Wahid Maktub.

"Ms. Nuryati is a hero and she deserved the award for her persistence," Al-Dayel said in his remark.

 

Source : rri.co.id

Istiqlal to distribute meat to 5,000 for Idul Adha

Jakarta (The Jakarta Post – Djakarta News)- The Istiqlal Grand Mosque will slaughter 17 cows and 318 goats for Idul Adha, or Islam’s Day of Sacrifice, and distribute the meat to the needy using vouchers, the mosque’s manager said Wednesday.

More than 5,000 vouchers would be distributed to the needy on Wednesday after evening prayers, mosque manager Mubarok said on Wednesday as quoted by tempointeraktif.com newsportal.

"We will be distributing meat packages [Thursday] morning after predawn prayers.”

He said that the mosque decided to impose new regulations to avoid possible stampedes.

The mosque previously distributed meat immediately after the animals were slaughtered, which led to unruly behavior in awaiting crowds.

"We will mark those who have received packages so that no one will get two," he said.

One voucher will entitle the bearer to one kilogram of meat.

The Istiqlal Grand Mosque said it would also donate Rp 92.4 million (US$10,348) to aid victims of Mount Merapi’s ongoing eruption in Central Java and the tsunami which struck Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra, last month.

Source: thejakartapost.com

Jakarta Peringkat 38 Indeks Persepsi Korupsi Indonesia 2010

Jakarta (Djakarta News) – Korupsi ternyata masih menjadi masalah paling utama bagi para pelaku bisnis dalam menjalankan usaha di Indonesia. Hal ini terlihat dalam survei Indeks Persepsi Korupsi Indonesia, dimana korupsi menjadi masalah paling utama dalam menjalankan usaha di Indonesia, mengalahkan infrastruktur yang tidak memadai, birokrasi yang tidak efisien, dan ketidak stabilan politik. Survei IPK Indonesia juga menunjukkan bahwa bagi kalangan usaha, lembaga kepolisian, pajak, dan pengadilan serta kejaksaan merupakan lembaga-lembaga publik yang perlu menjadi prioritas dalam pemberantasan korupsi.

Dalam situasi pemberantasan korupsi di Indonesia yang tidak jelas arah strateginya ini, nampaknya kehadiran instrumen pengukuran yang bisa dipertanggungjawabkan metodenya, bisa memberikan arah dalam menyusun skala prioritas  pencegahan maupun penindakan korupsi. Setelah Transparency International meluncurkan Corruption Perception Index (CPI), dan Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK) mengeluarkan hasil Survei Integritas 2010, Transparency International-Indonesia (TI-Indonesia) menyampaikan pada publik Indeks Persepsi Korupsi Indonesia (IPK Indonesia).

IPK Indonesia adalah instrumen pengukuran tingkat korupsi di kota-kota Indonesia. IPK Indonesia dibuat berdasarkan survei yang metodenya dikembangkan oleh TI-Indonesia. Survei dilakukan dengan cara wawancara tatap muka terhadap 9237 responden pelaku bisnis, antara bulan Mei sampai dengan Oktober 2010. IPK Indonesia mengukur tingkat korupsi di 50 kota di seluruh Indonesia, meliputi 33 ibukota propinsi ditambah 17 kota lain yang signifikan secara ekonomi. Rentang indeks antara 0 sampai 10. 0 berarti dipersepsikan sangat korup, 10 sangat bersih. TII menyasar responden pelaku bisnis. Para pelaku bisnis dibagi menjadi 3 kategori yakni perusahaan besar (22 persen), menengah (40 persen), kecil (38 persen).

Indeks Persepsi Korupsi (IPK) Kota Jakarta hanya 4,43. Berdasarkan survei Transparency International Indonesia (TII) dari skala 0-10 nilai Jakarta masih di bawah standar. Jakarta belum bebas dari korupsi, malah jauh dari angka sempurna. Kota Denpasar mendapat skor tertinggi (6,71) disusul Tegal (6,26), Solo, (6,00), Yogyakarta dan Manokwari (5,81). Sedang dua kota yang mendapat poin terendah yakni Cirebon (3,61) dan Pekanbaru (3,61). Kota Jakarta berada di peringkat 38 dari 50 kota yang dinilai.

Kota-kota dengan skor tertinggi mengindikasikan bahwa para pelaku bisnis di sana menilai korupsi mulai menjadi hal yang kurang lazim terjadi, dan usaha pemerintah dan penegak hukum di sana dalam pemberantasan korupsi cukup serius. Sebaliknya, korupsi masih lazim terjadi dalam sektor-sektor publik, sementara pemerintah daerah dan penegak hukum kurang serius dalam pemberantasan korupsi, menurut persepsi para pelaku bisnis di kota-kota yang mendapat skor rendah

Untuk Kota Denpasar, skor IPK Indonesia 2010 sejalan dengan hasil Survei Integritas Pelayanan Publik 2009 yang dikeluarkan Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi, yang menempatkan Denpasar sebagai salah satu kota dengan skor terbaik. Kota Solo dan Jogjakarta memang saat ini sedang menunjukkan prestasi di bidang reformasi birokrasi yang terefleksi dari skor IPK Indonesia yang cukup tinggi. Hal ini sejalan dengan prestasi kedua kota yang baru-baru ini juga mendapatkan Bung Hatta Anti Corruption Award. Sementara di kota dengan skor terendah, Pekanbaru dan Cirebon, pemberitaan media lokal maupun nasional memang dipenuhi oleh kasus-kasus korupsi yang dilakukan oleh aparat di sana (infokorupsi.com). Hal ini tentunya sangat mempengaruhi persepsi para pelaku bisnis di sana.

IPK Indonesia nampaknya juga sangat berpengaruh sebagai efek “cambuk” bagi pemerintah daerah kota yang mendapatkan skor rendah. Sebagai contoh Kota Tegal dan Kupang, yang pada tahun 2008 mendapatkan skor rendah, selama satu tahun ini menunjukkan inisiatif-inisiatif reformasi birokrasi yang berdampak pada meningkatnya skor kedua kota ini secara signifikan. Kota lain yang menunjukkan peningkatan skor yang signifikan dari 2008 ke 2010 adalah Manokwari, Kendari, dan Manado.

Dengan dikeluarkannya hasil survei ini, Pihak pemerintah DKI Jakarta agar menggunakan IPK Indonesia sebagai indikator kepercayaan para pelaku bisnis terhadap penerapan transparansi dan akuntabilitas di Jakarta, dan menjadi “cambuk” untuk melakukan reformasi birokrasi dalam pelayanan publik, terutama yang berkaitan dengan usaha, dan bekerja lebih serius dalam usaha pencegahan maupun pemberantasan korupsi.

Source:  www.ti.or.id

Deadly train accidents unacceptable

Jakarta (ANTARA News – Djakarta News) - Two consecutive train accidents in the early morning of Saturday in Central Java were unacceptable and could have been prevented.

A collision between Bima executive and Gaya Baru Malam economic trains at 2.39 am in Solo, Central Java, and then followed 21 minutes later by a similar one involving Argo Bromo Angrek and Senja Utama trains in Pemalang were unbelievable.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono immediately reacted to the deadly accident by instructing a sanction against those responsible for the train collisions.

"The President has instructed a sanction against whoever was responsible for the accident," Julian Aldrin Pasha, a presidential spokesman, said at the Presidential Palace here Saturday.

In his written statement read out by Pasha, the head of state ordered the ministers of transportation, health and state enterprises to handle the accident properly including in rescuing the collided trains` passengers.

"He ordered the transportation minister to go the scene and make an investigation," Pasha said.

At 2.39 am on Saturday morning, a Surabaya-Jakarta bound Bima executive trains collided with Jakarta-Surabaya bound Gaya Baru Malam economic train at Purwosari railway station in Solo, killing at least one person and injuring four other passengers of Gaya Baru train.

The fatality, identified as Surya Catur Utomo (23), died at Kasih Ibu Hospital in Solo. He was a resident of Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta.

While the four injured passengers of the same train were identified as Mamiek Djaelani (29) of Serang in Banten province, Yudiono (33) of Semper Barat in Cilincing, North Jakarta, Supangat (80) Kebon Sari in Surabaya, East Java, and Supanggih (59) Tambakboyo in Tuban district, East Java.

Some 21 minutes later, or at about 3 am, another serious train collision also happened at Petarukan railway station in Pemalang, Central Java.

At least 33 people were reported to have been killed in the second accident involving Argo Anggrek executive train from Jakarta to Surabaya, and Senja Utama business train from Jakarta to Semarang.

The stationary Senja Utama train was rammed from behind by the speeding Argo Anggrek from Jakarta and instantly killed 9 passengers of the ill-fated train but the toll the continued to increase by 33 people later in the day.

The nine-carriage Senja Utama train, with hundreds of passengers, hurtled off the rails, leaving several coaches on their sides and one overturned.

Police, ambulances, and firefighting crews rushed to the scene in the darkness along the single-lane track and evacuated the victims to the nearest hospitals.

Pemalang Police Chief Senior Commissioner Sofyan Nugroho said two engine drivers of Argo Angrrek had been taken to the local police station for questioning.

Meanwhile, Central Java Police Chief Insp Gen Edward Aritonang when inspecting the scene said nine people including Petarukan railway station master, the ill-fated trains engine drivers, station operators, and the officials on duty when the accident happened had been questioned.

"We question them about the cause of the accident," Aritonang said, adding that he had yet to make a conclusion as to why the accident had happened.

Aritonang said police were cooperating with the National Commission for Transportation Safety (KNKT) to investigate the accident and to check the train operation system to find out whether it had been running well or not.

"If the system had run well, then we have to see the operator. If the system and the operator run well, then we have to investigate the engine drivers," Aritonang said.

Meanwhile, state railway company PT KAI has sent its internal team to investigate Saturday`s train accident in Pemalang.

"We have sent our internal team to check the cause of the accident, involving an Argo Bromo executive and Senja Utama business trains," PT KAI spokesman Sugeng Priyono said in Bandung, West Java, Saturday.

Sugeng said the team was made up of technical and administrative elements to

investigate into the accident in cooperation with the National Commission for Transportation Safety (KNKT).

The two separate accidents early Saturday morning prompted Director General of Railway Affairs Tunjung Inderawan to offer his sincere apologies.

"I apologize to the families of all the victims of the train accidents," Tunjung said before departing Jakarta for the scene of one of the accidents in the Petarukan area, Pemalang district, Central Java.

Meanwhile, the medical expenses of all victims of the train accident in Pemalang, will be borne by insurance company PT Jasa Raharja.

"All medical expenses and insurance for all victims of the train accident will be paid by

PT Jasa Raharja, while the government will only provide the medical personnel," Health Minister Endang Sedyaningsih said when inspecting the scene of the fatal accident on Saturday.

She said medical personnel including surgeons from the Dr Karyadi General Hospital in Semarang had been sent to Ashari hospital, Santa Maria hospital, and Taman Islamic hospital in Petarukan, Pemalang, where the victims were being treated.

"The medical teams including surgeons will help treat the victims, most of whom have bone fractures and head injuries," the minister said.

After the inspection, the minister and her entourage proceeded to Ashari, Santa Maria, and Taman Islamic hospitals to visit the victims.

Source: antaranews.com

President installs Agus Suhartono as mily commander

Jakarta  (RRI – Djakarta News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono installed Admiral Agus Suhartono as the new commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) at the State Palace here on Tuesday. The president and Vice President Boediono arrived at the installation scene at 3 pm.  A number of high state officials were also present, among others Chairman of the People`s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Taufik Kiemas, Constitutional Court Chairman Mahfud MD, State Audit Board (BPK) Chairman Hadi Poernomo and leaders of the House of Representatives (DPR). 

The installation ceremony began with the reading of presidential decrees No. 51/TNI/2010 on the appointment of Agus Suhartono as TNI chief and No.52/TNI/2010 on the appointment of Vice Admiral Soeparno as the Navy chief.  The two new TNI leaders then had their oath taken by President Yudhoyono. On Monday, the House of Representatives (DPR) approved the appointment of Admiral Agus Suhartono to become the next chief of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) as proposed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Chairman of the House`s Commission I Mahfudz Sidik earlier submitted the report about the fit-and-proper test result.

After the test, members of the Commission I in their meeting agreed to approve the appointment of the admiral as proposed by the head of state, and to replace outgoing TNI Chief General Djoko Santoso. The test had particularly focused on priorities to be carried out by the next TNI chief, namely military reform, more exact strategy to meet essential forces, promoting the TNI budget including for the welfare of soldiers, strengthening TNI presence in maritime border areas and areas where separatism is still rampant, Sidik said.   

Source: rri.co.id/dd/a

Population In Tangerang Regency Increases To 2,6 Million

Tangerang (RRI – Djakarta News)- The number of population in Tangerang regency is projected to increase by 4.5 percent from 2.5 million last year to 2.6 million in 2010. The estimated increase was based on a number of indicators, including the rising birth rate and arrival of newcomers especially after the Idul Fitri celebration, Tangerang Civil Registration and Population Agency head Karlina.

The Tangerang regency is the oldest among other cities and regencies in Banten province. The regency has been divided twice, namely Tangerang Municipality 15 years ago and South Tangerang two years ago. When South Tangerang was still united, the total number of population in Tangerang regency reached 3.4 million residing in 36 districts, according to the population data in 2009. Now Tangerang regency has only 26 districts after seven districts, namely Ciputat, Ciputat Timur, Serpong, Serpong Utara, Pondok Aren, Pamulang and Setu with a population of 1.2 milliion, officially joined the South Tangerang.

Karlina disclosed that the rising number of population in Tangerang regency has been registered, especially through arrivals of newcomers from other cities, including Sumatra and Jawa in search for jobs.

Source: rri.co.id 

Police call on public to watch out for hypnotizing criminals

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The crime of cleaning up the wealth of hypnotized victims had become a topic of discussions and casual talks after a video recording of a robbery of a cashier at a supermarket in Lampung reached the public, police said.

"The general public had been told to avoid going out too conspicuously and too well dressed wearing ornaments to avoid criminal eyes," spokesman for the police headquarters Brig Gen Iskandar Hasan said on Friday night.

And the public is also told to avoid speaking with people they did not known at all, because in such a meeting the criminals may succeed to hypnotize their victims, he said.

Cashier were also told to be extra careful in serving their customers. The police hope they will soon catch the perpetrators wherever they are

Source: http://www.antaranews.com/
Picture: www.causes.com

People should not be victimized with kerosene conversion program

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The people should not become victims of the government`s less carefully made kerosene-to-gas conversion program, a legislator said.

"The falling victims of gas canister explosion should not have happened, let alone if later it is found that the accidents have taken place due to the acts of certain individuals who want to reap business advantage," Boggy Adhityo Rizaldi, member of

the House Commission VII on energy affairs, said here on Sunday (25/7/10).

He said that it was revealed during a hearing with Chief People`s Welfare Minister Agung Laksono and Commission VII of the House of Representatives (DPR) recently that the increasing gas canister blasts was not caused by the gas cylinders.

Based on the result of the assessment of the Police`s Forensic Laboratory Center (Puslibfor), the main cause of the blast was substandard pipes that connected the canisters with the stoves.

This is despite the fact that gas canisters which did not attach the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) labels also circulated among the public.

At present, pipes which were made of rubber, plastics and mixture between rubber and plastics are now on circulation in the public market.

The National Standardization Agency (BSN) has stressed that based on SNI 06-7213-2006 which is the recognized SNI label for stove, pipes made of rubber were the only hoses that met the standard criteria.

Robby stressed the importance of further investigation of the frequent gas canister blasts of late through a House working committee.

Source: antaranewes.com

Foto: dok. SCTV 

Parks an alternative for spending weekend

(The Jakarta Post)-Jakarta has long been criticized for its lack of public parks where people can spend time and refresh themselves on weekends after work or as a proper place for children to play.

It's no surprise to see people flock to the few "decent" parks in Jakarta such as Ayodya Park and Martha Tiahahu Park in South Jakarta last weekend.

Visitors voiced their hope that the city administration would create more public spaces so they had more places to spend weekends economically.

The 7,500-square-meter Ayodya Park opened in March last year by Governor Fauzi Bowo after flower and pet vendors, who have occupied the area since the 1970s, were evicted.

The park boasts a pond and a fountain, and has become a key alternative for residents to pass the long weekend without spending too much money.

Some came in groups or simply with their partners and sat on benches surrounding the pond.

Ria, a sales assistant at a department store at nearby Blok M Plaza, came to Ayodya with her boyfriend after finishing her shift, "to relax a bit and enjoy an affordable date" with her boyfriend.

"I often come here after work or on weekends. I'm grateful to have this beautiful and clean park that can become a place for us to date," she said. "We usually spend our dates at home."

Hanifah, a housewife from Cipulir, came with her neighbors. She said they were visiting another neighbor at the Pertamina Hospital and decided to spend some time at the park.

If Ayodya Park is visited both by dating couples and families, Martha Tiahahu Park is filled mostly by teenagers who came in groups or in couples.

"Parks are an alternative place for us to relax. It doesn't take much money *to spend time here*," Yudhistira, a visitor, said.

Magdalena, who works at a shoe company, said parks could also double as meeting points.

"While waiting for my friend, I can enjoy the fresh air while, at the same time, refresh my mind from stressful thoughts," she said.

Source: thejakartapost.com 

Foto: jakarta-tourism.go.id



Related posts:

• Jakarta needs 200,000 more absorption wells to secure water storage 
• Jakarta City Planning Gallery opened 
• Bangunan Cagar Budaya Di Jakarta  

Jakarta needs 200,000 more absorption wells to secure water storage

Jakarta(RRI)-Jakarta needs to build more than 200,000 absorption wells to help the city maintain its groundwater level and secure water storage for future needs, an official from the Forestry Ministry says. According to our studies, Jakarta should have 261,852 absorption wells to ensure it has enough groundwater in the future,” the ministry’s watershed management director Silver Hutabarat said in a discussion Friday. 

But unfortunately, we currently have less than 3,000 [absorption wells]. Once all the wells are built, Silver said it would help the city absorb a total of 437.2 cubic meters of rain water per second, or equal to the water stream capacity of city’s West Canal.

But the difference is the canal takes rain water to the sea,” he said. The Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD) reported that the city lost 65.8 million cubic meters of its groundwater annually, mostly because the ground in Jakarta absorbs less water than the amount it should, decreasing its groundwater level. The decline of groundwater also causes land subsidence. 

Source: rri.co.id

Foto: ristek.go.id 

Related post:
Jakarta Saat Musim Hujan 

‘Barry’ Obama comes home to Menteng

Jakarta (The Jakarta Post)- The city welcomed Thursday a new icon to grace its corners.

This time, however, it is not one of the heroes from the struggle against colonialism.

It is a bronze statue of a smiling 10-year old Barack Hussein Obama in shirt and shorts, with a butter-
fly perched on his outstretched hand.

The statue, along with its pedestal, stands two meters tall. One of its sides is adorned with an adapted quote by former U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt: “The future belongs to those who believe in the power of their dreams.”

“This statue is designed to inspire Indonesia’s children, to tell them that they can be anyone they want to be,” Ron Mullers, chairman of the Jakarta-based Friends of Obama Foundation, which initiated and raised the money for the statue, said.

Those who contributed money for the statue’s construction included businesswoman Mien R Uno, and  Prananda Surya Paloh, son of media mogul Surya Paloh.

After his mother married Indonesian citizen Lolo Soetoro in 1965, U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Obama spent four years of his childhood in Jakarta from 1967. The family lived in Menteng and Obama attended a local primary school, where he was popularly known as “Barry”.

“I think what’s really nice about it is that it reminds us that the man who’s now the U.S. President grew up here, eating bakso and nasi goreng, speaking bahasa and learning about the world,” Mullers said.

The project ran for a year.

Graphic artist Leo Angelo who designed the Rp 100 million (US$10,600) statue along with sculptor Edi Chaniago, hopes the statue, aside from inspiring him to pursue higher education, will inspire the likes of street children.

“I hope [children], when disheartened, come here, see this statue, and have [their] spirits lifted,” Leo said. (dis)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/

Peringatan Hari Anti Korupsi Sedunia di Jakarta Berakhir Damai

Jakarta (Djakarta News) - Meskipun ada kekawatiran bahwa ada motif politik di belakang unjuk rasa untuk memperingati Hari Anti-Korupsi sedunia, beberapa LSM mengakhiri aksi mereka dengan damai di taman Monumen Nasional Jakarta Pusat pada hari Rabu.

Kompas.com telah melaporkan bahwa pengunjuk rasa mulai meninggalkan tempat tersebut setelah bergabung dalam waktu sekitar 45 menit dalam orasinya untuk anti-korupsi.

"Kami mengucapkan terima kasih kepada polisi dan para peserta untuk memberikan kontribusi pada unjuk rasa damai. Kami senang bisa membuktikan bahwa aksi ini tidak menimbulkan kekerasan seperti yang dikawatirkan Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, "kata salah seorang aktivis dari Koalisi Masyarakat Sipil Anti Korupsi (Kompak) Usman Hamid.

Sebelumnya, Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono telah mengungkapkan kekawatirannya bahwa ada kekuatan politik yang ingin mengambil keuntungan dari keadaan ini dan menjatuhkan dia sebagai presiden.

Dalam unjukrasa, tercatat tokoh Islam, Din Syamsuddin mendesak pemerintah untuk mengungkap bailout sebesar Rp 6.76 triliun (US $ 710 juta) yang dilakukan untuk menyelamatkan Bank Century tahun lalu.

"Skandal bank seperti kanker di dalam negeri. Mengapa bisa seperti itu, kita harus menyelesaikannya," katanya. (ewd)



Sumber: dialihbahasakan dari http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/12/09/corruption-rallies-end-peacefully-jakarta.html

Indonesia battles with widespread corruption

Jakarta (BBC News)- Ask James Sundah about corruption in Indonesia and he will tell you a story that will make you laugh out loud.

The 50-year-old musician had a simple problem - he lost his driving licence last year, so he went to his local police office thinking his details must be on file and getting a replacement would be easy

Instead, he was told he would have to get a new licence.

"The police told me it would be a quick and painless procedure," he said. "Most Indonesians would have got the hint: pay some money, and get your licence. But I wasn't having any of it."

Corruption is unfortunately a way of life here - and for many Indonesians, passing a small bribe to an official to get a job done is commonplace.

But Mr Sundah decided that he was going to try getting things done differently. What would happen if he applied for a driver's licence using the proper, official procedures?

"I took the written test three times, and each time they failed me," he said.
"I was a couple of points short each time - but when I asked to see the test papers, the officials refused. The others in my exam room told me that if I just paid an extra $20, I would get my licence."

Mr Sundah finally managed to get his licence because of his persistence - the police realised he was not going to pay them a dime.

"Finally I asked to see the exam paper - and I spotted the question: 'What would you do if you hit someone in an accident?'," he chuckled.

"I got the question wrong - because the correct answer, according to the official exam paper was to run away!"

An amusing story, but also a sad reflection of the state of corruption in Indonesia today.

Lost forests

Mr Sundah was lucky - he could afford both the money and the time to repeatedly take the driving test - but there are thousands of Indonesians who do not have that luxury.

Corruption costs the country's economy billions of dollars in losses every year.

A recent report by the US-based Human Rights Watch estimates that corruption in Indonesia's forestry industry alone costs the economy $2bn a year.

Indonesia is home to the world's third largest area of tropical rain forests but every year millions of trees are lost due to illegal logging.

According to Human Rights Watch the lost billions would be enough to provide basic healthcare to about 100 million Indonesians for almost for two years.

'Right direction'

In another damning blow to Indonesia's economy, the European Union has come out with a report saying that one of the main reasons its investors are reluctant to come to Indonesia is the perception of high levels of graft in the country.

The government acknowledges there is a problem - but says that like all developing countries, Indonesia is not perfect.

"One has to take a long term view of Indonesia," says Gita Wirjawan, the man tasked with attracting more foreign funds to Indonesia's economy.

"There may be some questions or concerns about Indonesia - but that applies to just about every country in the world. Let's face it, nobody's perfect but we're on the right trajectory and we're heading in the right direction."

Trusted institution

But that may not be how Indonesians who deal with corruption on a daily basis feel.

They have taken to the streets demanding that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, whose popularity is largely built on his reputation as Mr Clean, keeps true to his word and clamps down on corruption in the country.

While the president's clean image has not been tainted - it has certainly been tarnished.

Editorials in Indonesian newspapers have called him weak and indecisive in his handling of the case of the Corruption Eradication Commission, or the KPK as its known in Indonesia, one of the few institutions people in this country actually have faith in.

The Indonesian public was outraged last month when two anti-corruption officials were detained by the police.

Many believe the KPK had become a target of the police and the attorney general's office because of its reputation of putting corrupt officials behind bars - even those in high places.

In an attempt to placate the people, President Yudhoyono addressed the nation in a televised speech, saying the case of the two officials should be settled out of court.

The two men were finally reinstated to their original roles but the public was not satisfied.

Plot?

There is now a new corruption drama that has transfixed people in this country: the case of Bank Century, a small Indonesian lender that was bailed out by the Indonesian central bank at the height of the financial crisis last year.

Allegations of misconduct have been levelled at the two people in charge of handling the bailout - Indonesia's Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Vice President Boediono, two key members of President Yudhoyono's new cabinet.

A parliamentary investigation is underway to determine whether the two officials misused their powers to save Bank Century. After the bailout many of the bank's wealthy clients allegedly donated money to the president's election campaign.
The president, vice president and finance minister have all denied any wrongdoing.

President Yudhoyono has said the allegations are all part of a big political ploy by his enemies to topple him.

While political analysts say these conspiracy theories are unlikely to infuse further faith in the president's effectiveness as a leader, they have pointed out that President Yudhoyono could improve Indonesia's image as a graft-buster if he just put in place some simple measures.

"Many of the regulations passed by governments in the developing world are there for one purpose alone: rent-seeking," says James Van Zorge of Van Zorge, Heffernan and Associates, a political risk consultancy based in Jakarta.

"If you cut away 50% of these regulations, then you would significantly cut down corruption. It's as easy as a stroke of a pen."

While it may sound simple, completely eradicating corruption in Indonesia is anything but easy.

This country has grappled with the issue for decades, and many fear it is so deeply embedded into civic institutions and the culture of doing business that it will take generations to fix.

President Yudhoyono had promised his people, as part of his election campaign, that he will help to clean up the image of Indonesia both at home and overseas.

He now has his work cut out for him.

Source: news.bbc.co.uk (BBC News Jakarta / By Karishma Vaswani)

Indonesia leader says charges should be dropped in row

Jakarta (BBC News) - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said two officials at the centre of a high level corruption scandal should not face trial. The president said the case, which caused public outrage when it emerged the two could have been framed, should be settled out of court.

The scandal has pitted the country's anti-corruption agency against senior law enforcement officials. Anti-corruption activists criticised the president's announcement. He needed to go further to prove he was serious about clamping down on corruption, they said.

In his televised speech to the nation, the president said the two officials should not face trial so "the image of Indonesia in the eyes of the world improves". But he also said he could not interfere with the investigations.

Frequent protests

The BBC's Karishma Vaswani reports from Jakarta there had been high hopes that what the president said would draw a line under the ongoing corruption scandal that has transfixed the nation. But instead it raised even more questions about his commitment to root out graft in this country, she says.
An independent inquiry had already recommended that the police case against two anti-corruption officials accused of extortion and abuse of power should be dropped.

The two men - Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra Hamzah - have been released, but the police and the attorney general's office have so far refused to drop their case. Public sympathy has been growing for the anti-corruption agency - known by its acronym KPK - with almost daily protests on the streets of Jakarta urging the president to act decisively.

Indonesians do not have much faith in many of their institutions, like the police force or the judiciary, but the KPK is one thing many of them do believe in, our correspondent says. She says they see the case against the two KPK men as an outrageous injustice - an attempt by Indonesia's police to weaken the powerful agency, which has earned itself a reputation for putting corrupt officials behind bars, even those in high places.

The alleged conspiracy against the KPK was revealed in wiretaps played in court earlier this month, in which senior officials from the national police and the attorney general's office discussed plans to undermine the agency.

President Yudhoyono has been under pressure to come up with a solution to this problem, with mounting criticism that he has been slow to act. He was re-elected in July on his promise to clamp down on corruption.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk

2nd United Indonesia Cabinet unveiled

Jakarta (The Jakarta Post)- President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced his second United Indonesia Cabinet on Wednesday night, comprising 34 ministers, mostly politicians from his coalition of political parties.

Politicians dominated the new Cabinet lineup with Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party getting six ministers, including the lucrative energy and mineral resources minister.

The Prosperous Justice Party, the first party that supported Yudhoyono’s presidential bid, got four ministerial posts, with its chairman Tifatul Sembiring appointed as communication and information minister.

The Golkar Party, which only joined the coalition recently, got three ministerial positions with one of its former chairmen, Agung Laksono, getting the coordinating minister for the people’s welfare position.

The National Mandate Party (PAN) secured three ministerial posts with its executive Hatta Rajasa holding the prestigious coordinating minister for the economy post.

The National Awakening Party (PKB) and the United Development Party each got two ministerial posts, with their chairman all sitting in the Cabinet.

The full list of the Cabinet is as follows:

Coordinating Ministers

1 Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs : Djoko Suyanto
2. Coordinating Minister for the Economy : Hatta Radjasa
3. Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare : Agung Laksono

Ministers

4. Home Minister : Gamawan Fauzi
5. Foreign Minister : Marty Natalegawa
6. Defense Minister : Purnomo Yusgiantoro
7. Finance Minister : Sri Mulyani Indrawati
8. Religious Affairs Minister : Suryadarma Ali
9. Agriculture Minister : Suswono
10. Education Minister : Muhammad Nuh
11. Health Minister : Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih
12. Social Services Minister : Salim Segaf Aljufri
13. Transportation Minister : Freddy Numberi
14. Manpower and Transmigration Minister : Muhaimin Iskandar
15. Industry Minister : M.S. Hidayat
16. Trade Minister : Mari Elka Pangestu
17. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister : Darwin Saleh
18. Justice and Human Rights Minister : Patrialis Akbar
19. Public Housing Minister : Suharso Monoarfa
20. Forestry Minister : Zulkifli Hasan
21. Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister : Fadel Muhammad
22. Public Works Minister : Djoko Kirmanto
23. Culture and Tourism Minister : Jero Wacik
24. Information and Communication Minister : Tifatul Sembiring

State Ministers

25. State Minister for Women's Empowerment and Child Protection : Linda Amaliasari
26. State Minister for Administrative Reforms : E.E. Mangindaan
27. State Minister for State Enterprises : Mustafa Abubakar
28. State Minister for National Development Planning / National Development Planning Board chairman : Armida Alisjahbana
29. State Minister for Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises : Syarifuddin Hasan
30. State Minister for the Environment : Gusti Muhammad Hatta
31. State Minister Research and Technology : Suharna Surapranata
32. State Minister for Disadvantaged Regions : Helmy Faishal Zaini
33. State Minister for Youth and Sports Affairs : Andi Mallarangeng

VIPs

34. State Secretary : Sudi Silalahi
35. Head of the Delivery Unit at the Presidential Office :Kuntoro Mangkusubroto
36. State Intelligent Agency (BIN) Chief : Sutanto
37. The Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Chairman : Gita Irawan Wirjawan

Source: http:/www.thejakartapost.com

Jakarta still charms job seekers

Jakarta(The Jakarta Post)- Banners are strung across Senen Station in Central Jakarta, warning newcomers that working in the capital requires compliance with rules and skills. They also suggest they go back and live simple lives in their hometowns and villages.

This year, 200,000 newcomers are expected to join the city's hustle and bustle, up from 88,500 during the post-Idul Fitri holiday influx in 2008. In 2007, 109,000 newcomers were recorded. In response, the city administration conducts yearly raids to weed out and send home those without the proper documents. This year's raids are expected to kick off two weeks after the Idul Fitri celebration, or early next week.

Paulus Wirutomo, director of the Jakarta Society Reforms Organization (LPMJ), says the raids will be useless in curbing urbanization because most newcomers have calculated the economic risks of staying in their underdeveloped regions.
"There's nothing wrong with urbanization," he says.
"It's normal in developing countries. The problem here, though, is that the urbanization pattern focuses on certain big cities, especially Jakarta."
Paulus calls the influx into Jakarta "over migration", adding the number of people working in the city is far greater than its capacity.
At night, the city's 661.52 square kilometers house more than 9.1 million people, according to 2008 data from the Jakarta office of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).
During the daytime, those ranks are swelled by another 3 million people, who commute from the many satellite cities orbiting the capital.

The migration, Paulus says, is caused by a push factor, where people in rural areas are denied an adequate living, and a pull factor, in which big cities offer lucrative opportunities to make a living.
In Jakarta, he goes on, the pull factor has gradually diminished because of the myriad problems at play, including the high unemployment rate and lack of affordable housing.

Besides the notorious traffic jams, the city also has to deal with a plethora fires during the dry season and flooding during the rainy season.
There are now more than 590,000 unemployed people in Jakarta, according to data from the city's manpower agency. In 2008, 8.3 percent of the working-age population were jobless.
Manpower agency head Deded Sukandar says his office has laid out strict conditions in issuing so-called "yellow cards" - which allow job seekers to apply for government jobs - including copies of valid Jakarta ID and family cards.
The rules are in force, he says, to limit employment opportunities to only those residents with a Jakarta ID card.
"It's clear Jakarta doesn't need more formal-sector workers, except for certain positions in companies that need university graduates to be placed outside the city," he says.
He adds private companies are not obliged to demand job applicants have a yellow card; but a good company, he goes on, makes it a prerequisite, thus allowing a proper check of the applicant's qualifications and whether they still work at another company. Deded admits the yellow-card strategy has little effect in reducing the number of migrants pouring into the city to work in the informal sector.
"People who come after Idul Fitri mostly work in the informal sector, as street vendors or domestic servants," he says.

"Most of them aren't skilled workers."

He says the annual influx of unskilled workers into Jakarta will only add to the city's already-high unemployment rate.
The agency, Deded says, is struggling to reduce the number of jobless people by increasing the capacity of its training centers for work skills (BLK), aimed at churning out skillful workers in various fields, including automotive, languages, IT and food and beverage.
This year, the agency is looking to put out 6,000 graduates from it BLKs, up from 4,500 last year.
"We're also working closely with retailers to supply them with vocational school graduates to work as interns," Deded says.
One of the agency's training centers, in Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta, provides a free three-month training course for locals and migrants alike, funded as it is by the city and the government.
Paulus says the main reason for the capital's over-migration problem is its role as the country's center for a lot of industries and sector, including manufacturing, education and tourism.
Many people are forced to head to Jakarta to pursue their dreams, he goes on, because little else beckons beyond the capital.
"I believe some of these industries and sectors must be centered in other cities, otherwise people from across the country will keep coming here every year ," Paulus says.
"This requires strong political will from the government and the city administration to farm out the city's wealth to other cities."
He points out the government can provide incentives to investors to build factories in rural areas, and disincentive for those building factories in the city.
He adds the government should also reduce rural regions' dependency on Jakarta by improving infrastructure there to spur economic growth.

Source: thejakartapost.com