"Not only we, the officers had come the rain keep coming of Obama," said one police officer which were wet soaking rain in front of the State Palace on Tuesday (11/09/2010).
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Keep Coming of Obama, the officer was soaked Participate
"Not only we, the officers had come the rain keep coming of Obama," said one police officer which were wet soaking rain in front of the State Palace on Tuesday (11/09/2010).
Obama secured 18 thousand police visit to Indonesia
Inspector General Police Headquarters, Public Relations, said Iskandar Hasan Kadiv Pol, except for police, army and security forces, including Paspampres.
Eyes on Indonesia to Put Pressure on Burma's Human Rights Record
Even if Indonesia could help bring changes to Burma after this week’s summit for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, reforms there would not come easily, political and human rights experts said on Tuesday.
Teuku Rezasyah, an international relations expert from Bandung’s Padjadjaran University, said Indonesia had the opportunity to take the lead and encourage other members of Asean to influence Burma.
“Indonesia’s diplomacy has always used the soft approach, speaking heart-to-heart. Our president should use this summit to push for a democratic government in Burma,” he said, adding that Indonesia was well-respected in Burma.
Leaders of Asean’s 10 member states are scheduled to hold their biennial talks on Thursday and Friday in Hanoi, Vietnam.
A spokesman for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Dino Patti Djalal, said the president would leave for Hanoi today and return on Saturday. Aside from attending the opening ceremony, Yudhoyono is expected to attend working dinners, plenary sessions and an interparliamentary assembly, as well as meetings with other heads of state.
Dino said that Yudhoyono “mainly supports” the seven-step roadmap to democracy as promised by the Burmese government. Although the issue would not be discussed formally at the summit, it might be discussed at a working dinner if Burma brought it up, he added.
Yudhoyono had sent a letter to Sr. Gen. Than Shwe, Dino said, although he declined to go into further detail about what was in it.
Asked whether Indonesia would become involved as an observer in Burma’s polls, which are expected to be held later this year, Dino said the government first wanted to know plans for the elections, which Burma had yet to release as promised.
Rezasyah said that considering the current good relations between Asean countries, including Burma, there was general confidence that the region could influence Burma to take the path to democracy.
But Thant Myint-U, a Burmese human rights expert, said Indonesia should give its assistance at the grassroots level instead of focusing on Burma’s military junta. “There is a lot to be done,” he said, adding that it was time for a broader take on the issue.
Only person-to-person contacts and empowering nongovernmental organizations would lead to democracy, he added.
Other experts were less optimistic. Christopher Roberts, a lecturer in Asian politics and security at the University of Canberra in Australia, said Asean was still divided between conservative governments and those seeking change, such as Indonesia.
Yap Swee Seng, executive director of Forum Asia, an umbrella group for regional human rights organizations, said that unlike many other Asean countries, including Vietnam, rapid economic development and rising education levels had not created a strong middle class in Burma that could help push for democracy.
Hirim, an activist with the Indonesia-based Human Rights Working Group, said that even if Asean supported democracy in Burma, the change would not come easy. “It will not be quick,” she said. “It will take a strong commitment, starting with that from civil societies.”
The Asean summit is expected to produce a joint declaration on the region’s economic recovery and sustainable development, as well as a joint response on climate change.
Teuku Rezasyah, an international relations expert from Bandung’s Padjadjaran University, said Indonesia had the opportunity to take the lead and encourage other members of Asean to influence Burma.
“Indonesia’s diplomacy has always used the soft approach, speaking heart-to-heart. Our president should use this summit to push for a democratic government in Burma,” he said, adding that Indonesia was well-respected in Burma.
Leaders of Asean’s 10 member states are scheduled to hold their biennial talks on Thursday and Friday in Hanoi, Vietnam.
A spokesman for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Dino Patti Djalal, said the president would leave for Hanoi today and return on Saturday. Aside from attending the opening ceremony, Yudhoyono is expected to attend working dinners, plenary sessions and an interparliamentary assembly, as well as meetings with other heads of state.
Dino said that Yudhoyono “mainly supports” the seven-step roadmap to democracy as promised by the Burmese government. Although the issue would not be discussed formally at the summit, it might be discussed at a working dinner if Burma brought it up, he added.
Yudhoyono had sent a letter to Sr. Gen. Than Shwe, Dino said, although he declined to go into further detail about what was in it.
Asked whether Indonesia would become involved as an observer in Burma’s polls, which are expected to be held later this year, Dino said the government first wanted to know plans for the elections, which Burma had yet to release as promised.
Rezasyah said that considering the current good relations between Asean countries, including Burma, there was general confidence that the region could influence Burma to take the path to democracy.
But Thant Myint-U, a Burmese human rights expert, said Indonesia should give its assistance at the grassroots level instead of focusing on Burma’s military junta. “There is a lot to be done,” he said, adding that it was time for a broader take on the issue.
Only person-to-person contacts and empowering nongovernmental organizations would lead to democracy, he added.
Other experts were less optimistic. Christopher Roberts, a lecturer in Asian politics and security at the University of Canberra in Australia, said Asean was still divided between conservative governments and those seeking change, such as Indonesia.
Yap Swee Seng, executive director of Forum Asia, an umbrella group for regional human rights organizations, said that unlike many other Asean countries, including Vietnam, rapid economic development and rising education levels had not created a strong middle class in Burma that could help push for democracy.
Hirim, an activist with the Indonesia-based Human Rights Working Group, said that even if Asean supported democracy in Burma, the change would not come easy. “It will not be quick,” she said. “It will take a strong commitment, starting with that from civil societies.”
The Asean summit is expected to produce a joint declaration on the region’s economic recovery and sustainable development, as well as a joint response on climate change.
SBY Urges Indonesian Mafia-Busters Urged to Chase After ‘Big Fish’
President Yudhoyono wants anticorruption watchdogs tofocus on major players in the judicial mafia
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday ordered the Judicial Mafia Eradication Task Force to concentrate on catching the “big fish,” as reports emerged of corruption cases far bigger than the Rp 28 billion ($3.1 million) uncovered in a mid-ranking tax official’s bank accounts.
“He hopes we can catch big fish, or expose really big cases and reveal problems that have been hidden,” task force head Kuntoro Mangkusubroto said after a meeting at the Presidential Palace.
Yudhoyono called on the team to focus on the so-called judicial mafia, especially law enforcers who fixed cases in exchange for cash.
For that reason, the president told the task force to monitor not only the central government but also regional administrations.
State corruption was again in the spotlight when Rp 28 billion was found in tax official Gayus Tambunan’s accounts. He was acquitted of embezzlement last month, prompting a former National Police chief of detectives to accuse high-ranking police officials of taking bribes from Gayus to unfreeze his accounts and insure a favorable ruling at his trial.
Mahfud MD, head of the Constitutional Court, was also at the meeting and said there was a bigger case on the horizon unrelated to the tax office.
“It is more than Gayus, it is worth nearly Rp 100 billion,” he said. “It is cross-institutional corruption.”
Mahfud said he had obtained a report on the case from a member of the House of Representatives, but declined to elaborate, saying it was not up to him as a Constitutional Court justice to reveal it.
The chief of the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), Yunus Husein, said on Tuesday that there was another case involving a former high-ranking tax official. He declined to mention any amount, however.
Yunus said his agency had uncovered another tax official with billions of rupiah in assets.
He said the case had been reported to the chief of the National Police and the Attorney General’s Office in March last year.
“It is up to the [National Police chief] whether his detective unit investigates the case,” he said.
Attorney General Hendarman Supandji said after meeting the president that his office had been investigating yet another tax case involving a larger sum than Gayus’s case. He also did not provide further details.
Kuntoro said his task force had not received information regarding the big cases but he hoped to receive it soon.
National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Ito Sumardi said a PPATK report showed many tax officials had more money than Gayus in their accounts.
“We will check the PPATK report again,” Ito said, adding that the law required the center to alert the police to any suspicious transactions, with the police expected to determine if there were indications of crime.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati vowed to take action against any of her officials linked to tax crimes.
“Gayus has been discharged, and there are two others who are being processed, and if there is enough proof to warrant sanction, the cases will be processed this week according to the regulations,” she said.
She also warned that anyone with knowledge of irregularities but who declined to report it would also be sanctioned.
Sri Mulyani said nonperforming high-ranking officials would be moved to other posts and the first transfers of directors, especially those related to the Gayus case, were imminent.
Her ministry’s inspector general, Hekinus Manap, said Gayus had told police others in his office were involved in brokering tax cases and named 13 people, including some outside the office.
He said that so far only one official had been discharged, while the fate of nine others would be announced on Monday.
“He hopes we can catch big fish, or expose really big cases and reveal problems that have been hidden,” task force head Kuntoro Mangkusubroto said after a meeting at the Presidential Palace.
Yudhoyono called on the team to focus on the so-called judicial mafia, especially law enforcers who fixed cases in exchange for cash.
For that reason, the president told the task force to monitor not only the central government but also regional administrations.
State corruption was again in the spotlight when Rp 28 billion was found in tax official Gayus Tambunan’s accounts. He was acquitted of embezzlement last month, prompting a former National Police chief of detectives to accuse high-ranking police officials of taking bribes from Gayus to unfreeze his accounts and insure a favorable ruling at his trial.
Mahfud MD, head of the Constitutional Court, was also at the meeting and said there was a bigger case on the horizon unrelated to the tax office.
“It is more than Gayus, it is worth nearly Rp 100 billion,” he said. “It is cross-institutional corruption.”
Mahfud said he had obtained a report on the case from a member of the House of Representatives, but declined to elaborate, saying it was not up to him as a Constitutional Court justice to reveal it.
The chief of the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), Yunus Husein, said on Tuesday that there was another case involving a former high-ranking tax official. He declined to mention any amount, however.
Yunus said his agency had uncovered another tax official with billions of rupiah in assets.
He said the case had been reported to the chief of the National Police and the Attorney General’s Office in March last year.
“It is up to the [National Police chief] whether his detective unit investigates the case,” he said.
Attorney General Hendarman Supandji said after meeting the president that his office had been investigating yet another tax case involving a larger sum than Gayus’s case. He also did not provide further details.
Kuntoro said his task force had not received information regarding the big cases but he hoped to receive it soon.
National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Ito Sumardi said a PPATK report showed many tax officials had more money than Gayus in their accounts.
“We will check the PPATK report again,” Ito said, adding that the law required the center to alert the police to any suspicious transactions, with the police expected to determine if there were indications of crime.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati vowed to take action against any of her officials linked to tax crimes.
“Gayus has been discharged, and there are two others who are being processed, and if there is enough proof to warrant sanction, the cases will be processed this week according to the regulations,” she said.
She also warned that anyone with knowledge of irregularities but who declined to report it would also be sanctioned.
Sri Mulyani said nonperforming high-ranking officials would be moved to other posts and the first transfers of directors, especially those related to the Gayus case, were imminent.
Her ministry’s inspector general, Hekinus Manap, said Gayus had told police others in his office were involved in brokering tax cases and named 13 people, including some outside the office.
He said that so far only one official had been discharged, while the fate of nine others would be announced on Monday.
Megawati Launches Congress of Struggling Party
Former President Megawati Sukarnoputri raising a trademark fist in the airduring the opening of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's
three-day national congress in the party stronghold of Bali on Tuesday
As allegations of deep-seated corruption within the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) continue to persist, the party opened its three-day congress at the Grand Inna Bali Beach Hotel in Sanur on Tuesday.
The party of former President Megawati Sukarnoputri has steadily lost support since its peak during the 1999 elections and with Megawati likely to be again nominated party chairwoman, observers say this will achieve little in the way of regenerating and reinvigorating the PDI-P.
Present at the opening ceremony, attended by 1,700 delegates and guarded by 1,200 police or security officers, were Great Indonesian Movement Party (Gerindra) Chairman Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto, who was Megawati’s running mate in last year’s presidential elections, and Golkar Chairman Aburizal Bakrie.
Notably, there was nobody present from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party, indicating that previous talk of bringing the PDI-P in from the cold after six years in opposition was wishful thinking on behalf of the Democrats, who have been looking for alternatives given ongoing problems with Golkar.
A notably absentee was Megawati’s brother Guruh Sukarnoputra, a choreographer-cum-politician, who claims every five years that he has the support to ascend to the position as chairman of the party.
The only potential flash point expected at the congress is just who will be appointed to the new post of deputy chairperson of the party, with two candidates in the running, both of them offspring of Megawati and grandchildren of founding President Sukarno.
Both, however, have different fathers, with Megawati’s husband, PDI-P advisory council chairman Taufik Kiemas, reportedly pushing for Puan Maharani, with unsubstantiated speculation arguing that Megawati is pushing for her son, Prananda Prabowo, who has emerged from a comparatively obscure and mysterious past.
Puan said Bali was chosen because it was home to some of the party’s greatest achievements. “We hope Bali can revive our spirit of 1999. The spirit which has vanished into thin air,” Puan told SCTV.
On Monday, PDI-P lawmaker Dudhie Makmum Murod testified before the Anti-Corruption Court in Jakarta that two party members, one of whom was identified as Kiemas, attempted to influence him to cover up details of the scandal involving the House of Representative’s selection of Miranda Goeltom as Bank Indonesia senior governor.
The scandal has implicated a number of PDI-P lawmakers, as well as legislators from at least two other parties, including Golkar. It also highlighted the depth of graft within the House of Representatives.
Indonesia Must Toughen Up on Tax Crimes: SBY
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered law enforcers to get serious about tackling tax-related crimes.
His comments on Monday came as a corruption case involving a middle-ranking tax official continued to grip the nation.
“I want them [the tax criminals] to be revealed, hunted until everything has been cleaned up and the state no longer suffers losses,” Yudhoyono said before a cabinet meeting on the economy.
He said reports of tax embezzlement “bothered” him and the Gayus Tambunan case should be used as a catalyst to clean up the entire tax office.
“This is the time for us to seriously cleanse those things that could hamper our development in the future, so that future governments will inherit a better situation,” Yudhoyono said.
The president said the case of Gayus, who was found to have Rp 28 billion ($3.1 million) in his bank accounts, was not merely a case of an errant tax official.
“A corrupt tax officer is a crime, a taxpayer who does not pay tax is a crime, a conspiracy that causes state loss is also a crime,” Yudhoyono said.
The president said tax conspiracies meant taxpayers paid only a fraction of what was due and tax officers cooked up the figures and pocketed a portion of the money.
“Of course we cannot tolerate this, especially when the state needs to fund our development agenda,” he said.
Yudhoyono called on law enforcers and the Judicial Mafia Eradication Task Force to report to him on what was being done to tackle the problem and how to prevent more offenses.
“The tax court is in reality fully loaded with mafia practices,” he said. “Such practices must be eliminated.”
Yudhoyono also reminded law enforcers to comprehensively deal with other crimes.
“I have to remind everyone that there are also other crimes, such as Bank Century,” he said. “I have received reports that crimes related to Bank Century have reached Rp 1.8 trillion. This must be solved.”
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said she would re-evaluate her whole ministry, including the tax office, after the revelations of the Gayus case.
“The most important thing is we have to secure our state revenue targets,” she said after the cabinet meeting.
“Reforms [will be done] from the aspects of integrity and performance, and violations will be corrected,” she added.
Sri Mulyani said she had asked the government’s Tax Supervision Committee and outsiders such as tax law expert Hikmahanto Juwana for advice.
“I have made a short-term plan,” she said. “I’ve also stated the eight steps we are working on, including checking wealth reports, officers’ attitudes and rebuilding the reputation and credibility of all officials at the Tax Directorate General.”
His comments on Monday came as a corruption case involving a middle-ranking tax official continued to grip the nation.
“I want them [the tax criminals] to be revealed, hunted until everything has been cleaned up and the state no longer suffers losses,” Yudhoyono said before a cabinet meeting on the economy.
He said reports of tax embezzlement “bothered” him and the Gayus Tambunan case should be used as a catalyst to clean up the entire tax office.
“This is the time for us to seriously cleanse those things that could hamper our development in the future, so that future governments will inherit a better situation,” Yudhoyono said.
The president said the case of Gayus, who was found to have Rp 28 billion ($3.1 million) in his bank accounts, was not merely a case of an errant tax official.
“A corrupt tax officer is a crime, a taxpayer who does not pay tax is a crime, a conspiracy that causes state loss is also a crime,” Yudhoyono said.
The president said tax conspiracies meant taxpayers paid only a fraction of what was due and tax officers cooked up the figures and pocketed a portion of the money.
“Of course we cannot tolerate this, especially when the state needs to fund our development agenda,” he said.
Yudhoyono called on law enforcers and the Judicial Mafia Eradication Task Force to report to him on what was being done to tackle the problem and how to prevent more offenses.
“The tax court is in reality fully loaded with mafia practices,” he said. “Such practices must be eliminated.”
Yudhoyono also reminded law enforcers to comprehensively deal with other crimes.
“I have to remind everyone that there are also other crimes, such as Bank Century,” he said. “I have received reports that crimes related to Bank Century have reached Rp 1.8 trillion. This must be solved.”
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said she would re-evaluate her whole ministry, including the tax office, after the revelations of the Gayus case.
“The most important thing is we have to secure our state revenue targets,” she said after the cabinet meeting.
“Reforms [will be done] from the aspects of integrity and performance, and violations will be corrected,” she added.
Sri Mulyani said she had asked the government’s Tax Supervision Committee and outsiders such as tax law expert Hikmahanto Juwana for advice.
“I have made a short-term plan,” she said. “I’ve also stated the eight steps we are working on, including checking wealth reports, officers’ attitudes and rebuilding the reputation and credibility of all officials at the Tax Directorate General.”
House Set to Summon Susno
The House of Representatives Commission III overseeing law is holding a meeting today to discuss summoning the National Police’s controversial former chief detective, Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji.
Commission chairman Benny Kabur Harman said on Monday that it was likely that the controversial general would be asked to appear this week in relation to the corruption case involving allegedly corrupt tax official Gayus Tambunan.
The level of corruption involving Gayus and by implication the Directorate General of Taxation came to light after the renegade Susno broke with the long-held rule against implicating collegues in corruption and idenfified two senior police officers as being involved in graft.
Benny said it was hoped that Susno would shed light on other major cases of corruption, adding that the commission would protect Susno.
"We will protect his bravery because we hope that he will give us more information," he said. "Gayus and Susno should be protected so they will be brave in revealing other cases."
The commission also plans to summon National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri.
The House of Representatives Commission III overseeing law is holding a meeting today to discuss summoning the National Police’s controversial former chief detective, Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji.
Commission chairman Benny Kabur Harman said on Monday that it was likely that the controversial general would be asked to appear this week in relation to the corruption case involving allegedly corrupt tax official Gayus Tambunan.
The level of corruption involving Gayus and by implication the Directorate General of Taxation came to light after the renegade Susno broke with the long-held rule against implicating collegues in corruption and idenfified two senior police officers as being involved in graft.
Benny said it was hoped that Susno would shed light on other major cases of corruption, adding that the commission would protect Susno.
"We will protect his bravery because we hope that he will give us more information," he said. "Gayus and Susno should be protected so they will be brave in revealing other cases."
The commission also plans to summon National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri.
Catholic Youths Mar Easter Mass in Papua
Bearing a candle holder depicting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ,a Catholic worshipper prays during a Mass to mark Easter Sunday
at St. Theresia Church in Cipanas, Bogor, West Java
As millions of Catholics in the country spent Saturday evening praying in churches to mark the night before Easter, youths marred the occasion in Papua by vandalizing the home of a man they said was disturbing the Mass.
Angered by the deafening sound of firecrackers, young worshipers at St. Fransiskus Asisi Koperapoka Church in Timika ran outside to investigate.
They found that firecrackers were being lit near the home of Kadir Sadipun, 65, who was busy preparing for a wedding.
The firecrackers had been set off by teenagers, but this did not stop the youths from stoning Kadir’s home and breaking his windows.
Kadir managed to flee, but a wedding tent set up outside his home was destroyed. The youths then returned to the church.
The priest leading the proceedings, Father Amandus Rahadat, said the congregation had heard the continuous sounds of firecrackers and he had seen the youths run from the church.
“I had asked them to remain calm and not react to the noise coming from outside,” Father Amandus said, adding that he had asked all churchgoers to keep the peace and respect one another, particularly during religious celebrations.
Police were seen guarding Kadir’s house after the attack.
Christian communities across Papua welcomed the dawning of Easter by lighting torches in their backyards.
The backyards in villages such as Bouw, Amroben, Swapodibo, Burokub and Mandala cast a festive flow to mark the special religious event.
“Churchgoers at 3 a.m. on Sunday held a dawn Easter parade carrying lit torches,” Father George Korwa said.
Easter Sunday marks the day Jesus Christ is believed to have risen from the dead, two days after his crucifixion, which is marked on Good Friday.
In Jakarta, celebrations were concentrated at the cathedral in Central Jakarta, the largest Catholic church in the city.
The cathedral celebrated five Masses on Sunday to accommodate the thousands of parishioners.
In the city of Ambon, incessant rain that started just after midnight did not stop worshippers from celebrating the resurrection of Christ.
Easter celebrations in the city began on Saturday evening.
Drenched churchgoers were forced indoors for their celebrations, which included a reenactment of the biblical story.
In Yogyakarta, thousands of Catholics attended celebrations on Saturday night at the Santo Antonius Church in Kotabaru.
In his sermon, Father Wisnu Murti told parishioners that the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ had saved mankind.
“All our sins and mistakes were wiped out with the crucifixion. We rise today with Jesus and begin our new lives, with hope that we should not sin,” Wisnu said.
Angered by the deafening sound of firecrackers, young worshipers at St. Fransiskus Asisi Koperapoka Church in Timika ran outside to investigate.
They found that firecrackers were being lit near the home of Kadir Sadipun, 65, who was busy preparing for a wedding.
The firecrackers had been set off by teenagers, but this did not stop the youths from stoning Kadir’s home and breaking his windows.
Kadir managed to flee, but a wedding tent set up outside his home was destroyed. The youths then returned to the church.
The priest leading the proceedings, Father Amandus Rahadat, said the congregation had heard the continuous sounds of firecrackers and he had seen the youths run from the church.
“I had asked them to remain calm and not react to the noise coming from outside,” Father Amandus said, adding that he had asked all churchgoers to keep the peace and respect one another, particularly during religious celebrations.
Police were seen guarding Kadir’s house after the attack.
Christian communities across Papua welcomed the dawning of Easter by lighting torches in their backyards.
The backyards in villages such as Bouw, Amroben, Swapodibo, Burokub and Mandala cast a festive flow to mark the special religious event.
“Churchgoers at 3 a.m. on Sunday held a dawn Easter parade carrying lit torches,” Father George Korwa said.
Easter Sunday marks the day Jesus Christ is believed to have risen from the dead, two days after his crucifixion, which is marked on Good Friday.
In Jakarta, celebrations were concentrated at the cathedral in Central Jakarta, the largest Catholic church in the city.
The cathedral celebrated five Masses on Sunday to accommodate the thousands of parishioners.
In the city of Ambon, incessant rain that started just after midnight did not stop worshippers from celebrating the resurrection of Christ.
Easter celebrations in the city began on Saturday evening.
Drenched churchgoers were forced indoors for their celebrations, which included a reenactment of the biblical story.
In Yogyakarta, thousands of Catholics attended celebrations on Saturday night at the Santo Antonius Church in Kotabaru.
In his sermon, Father Wisnu Murti told parishioners that the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ had saved mankind.
“All our sins and mistakes were wiped out with the crucifixion. We rise today with Jesus and begin our new lives, with hope that we should not sin,” Wisnu said.
Gayus Grab a Model for How Indonesia Should Handle Fugitives: Police
After successfully convincing rogue tax official Gayus Tambunan to return to Indonesia, the National Police said on Sunday that similar methods of persuasion could be used to root out other corruption suspects hiding in Singapore.
“This is a breakthrough for the National Police. It is possible that this method could be used to arrest more white-collar criminals who escape to Singapore, even without an extradition agreement,” the National Police’s chief detective, Comr. Gen. Ito Sumardi, told on Sunday.
Singapore has long been the destination of choice for businesspeople and government officials on the run from the law in Jakarta, especially for financial crimes. Billions of dollars were stolen in the aftermath of the 1997-98 financial crisis in Indonesia and much of that money is thought to have ended up in Singapore, along with the businesspeople who stole it.
Ito said that bringing home criminals without coercion was possible if the Singaporean authorities were willing to help.
“As long as we can convince the Singaporean government that these people are indeed criminals and need to be arrested, I believe they will assist us, because I don’t think they want to be dubbed a safe haven for Indonesian corruption perpetrators,” he said.
Ito and two members of the Judicial Mafia Eradication Task Force, Denny Indrayana and Mas Achmad Santosa, met Gayus in Singapore last Tuesday and persuaded him to return to Jakarta. They told him it was only a matter of time before Singaporean police arrested him for entering the country on a fake passport.
Gayus flew back to Jakarta with poice officers on Wednesday and was formally arrested and charged with perjury for statements he gave during his recent embezzlement trial.
However, Ito said, the National Police would step carefully to avoid offending Singapore.
“When we are in another country we can’t act based on the laws in our country,” he said.
Ito said there were many other criminals using Singapore as a home base. He said the police would have to tailor their tactics to the individuals involved.
“Different approaches should be used for different cases, and it also depends on the criminal’s personality. Not everybody would surrender that easily; the most important thing is that we know their location,” he said.
Indonesian fugitives reportedly living in Singapore include Sjamsul Nursalim, a suspect in the massive Bank Indonesia liquidity assistance fraud scheme in 1997; Hesham al Warraq and Rafat Ali Rizvi, former owners of PT Bank Century; and businessman Anggoro Widjojo, who is charged with obstruction of justice and attempted bribery.
Hikmahanto Juwana, an expert on international law and tax issues from the University of Indonesia, said he doubted the tactic used with Gayus would succeed with other fugitives. He said Gayus’s case was a rare exception.
“Gayus surrendered because he was not ready to leave his whole life in Jakarta. Other white-collar criminals are often ready to say goodbye to their whole family,” he said.
Hikmahanto said the best way to bring to justice Indonesian fugitives in Singapore was to implement an extradition treaty between the two countries. An agreement was signed in April 2007 after more than 30 years of delay, but the House of Representatives has yet to ratify the deal.
Gayus Ready to Play Ball in National Police Bribery Probe
Former tax official Gayus Tambunan looks set to cooperate with investigators delving into alleged bribery at the National Police, according to his new lawyer and the Judicial Mafia Eradication Task Force.
When Adnan Buyung Nasution, a reform-minded attorney and former presidential adviser, agreed to take Gayus as a client on Saturday, many people were surprised, but the choice of advocate may herald a move to open up to investigators.
Adnan said on Sunday that part of the appeal of handling such a case was it offered the opportunity to uncover illicit practices inside the police and the Directorate General of Taxation, where Gayus worked as a prosecutor.
“It’s like killing two birds with one stone,” Adnan said, adding that allegations of graft within the National Police “have disrupted Indonesia’s legal system. Inside the Directorate General of Taxation, the case has marred people’s confidence in the taxation system.”
Denny Indrayana, the task force’s secretary, said Gayus had agreed through Adnan to cooperate.
“One of the terms that Adnan gave to Gayus is for Gayus to be completely honest and help the investigation,” Denny said. “Gayus could plead for leniency in exchange for his full cooperation in unraveling the practices of case brokering.”
The task force is confident Gayus will finger the rogue police officials he allegedly bribed as well as the people who bribed him, Denny said.
Gayus returned to Jakarta last week after surrendering to Indonesian police in Singapore. He faces charges related to Rp 28 billion ($3.1 million) in his bank accounts and allegations that National Police officials had intervened to have charges against him watered down by prosecutors. The Tangerang District Court in Banten acquitted him of embezzlement on March 12.
The case re-emerged after former National Police Chief Detective Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji told the task force that Gayus had bribed senior police to unfreeze his accounts and ensure a favorable outcome to his trial.
Comr. Gen. Ito Sumardi, Susno’s replacement, said police had established three teams to investigate the case. An independent team will evaluate earlier police handling of Gayus’s case, while internal affairs will investigate allegations of unprofessional conduct.
“The bribery allegation itself will be handled by the detectives unit, because it is a criminal act,” Ito said.
Neta S Pane, chairman of Indonesian Police Watch, an independent watchdog, said the National Police were still trying to protect their own.
“How can the examination be objective when the ones conducting the investigation are other detectives?” Neta said.
Police have so far declared seven people suspects, including Gayus.
His former lawyer, Lambertus, and tax consultant Alif Kuncoro were charged on Saturday. Alif allegedly bribed Gayus, while Lambertus allegedly gave money to a police officer on Gayus’s behalf.
“This is a breakthrough for the National Police. It is possible that this method could be used to arrest more white-collar criminals who escape to Singapore, even without an extradition agreement,” the National Police’s chief detective, Comr. Gen. Ito Sumardi, told on Sunday.
Singapore has long been the destination of choice for businesspeople and government officials on the run from the law in Jakarta, especially for financial crimes. Billions of dollars were stolen in the aftermath of the 1997-98 financial crisis in Indonesia and much of that money is thought to have ended up in Singapore, along with the businesspeople who stole it.
Ito said that bringing home criminals without coercion was possible if the Singaporean authorities were willing to help.
“As long as we can convince the Singaporean government that these people are indeed criminals and need to be arrested, I believe they will assist us, because I don’t think they want to be dubbed a safe haven for Indonesian corruption perpetrators,” he said.
Ito and two members of the Judicial Mafia Eradication Task Force, Denny Indrayana and Mas Achmad Santosa, met Gayus in Singapore last Tuesday and persuaded him to return to Jakarta. They told him it was only a matter of time before Singaporean police arrested him for entering the country on a fake passport.
Gayus flew back to Jakarta with poice officers on Wednesday and was formally arrested and charged with perjury for statements he gave during his recent embezzlement trial.
However, Ito said, the National Police would step carefully to avoid offending Singapore.
“When we are in another country we can’t act based on the laws in our country,” he said.
Ito said there were many other criminals using Singapore as a home base. He said the police would have to tailor their tactics to the individuals involved.
“Different approaches should be used for different cases, and it also depends on the criminal’s personality. Not everybody would surrender that easily; the most important thing is that we know their location,” he said.
Indonesian fugitives reportedly living in Singapore include Sjamsul Nursalim, a suspect in the massive Bank Indonesia liquidity assistance fraud scheme in 1997; Hesham al Warraq and Rafat Ali Rizvi, former owners of PT Bank Century; and businessman Anggoro Widjojo, who is charged with obstruction of justice and attempted bribery.
Hikmahanto Juwana, an expert on international law and tax issues from the University of Indonesia, said he doubted the tactic used with Gayus would succeed with other fugitives. He said Gayus’s case was a rare exception.
“Gayus surrendered because he was not ready to leave his whole life in Jakarta. Other white-collar criminals are often ready to say goodbye to their whole family,” he said.
Hikmahanto said the best way to bring to justice Indonesian fugitives in Singapore was to implement an extradition treaty between the two countries. An agreement was signed in April 2007 after more than 30 years of delay, but the House of Representatives has yet to ratify the deal.
Gayus Ready to Play Ball in National Police Bribery Probe
Former tax official Gayus Tambunan looks set to cooperate with investigators delving into alleged bribery at the National Police, according to his new lawyer and the Judicial Mafia Eradication Task Force.
When Adnan Buyung Nasution, a reform-minded attorney and former presidential adviser, agreed to take Gayus as a client on Saturday, many people were surprised, but the choice of advocate may herald a move to open up to investigators.
Adnan said on Sunday that part of the appeal of handling such a case was it offered the opportunity to uncover illicit practices inside the police and the Directorate General of Taxation, where Gayus worked as a prosecutor.
“It’s like killing two birds with one stone,” Adnan said, adding that allegations of graft within the National Police “have disrupted Indonesia’s legal system. Inside the Directorate General of Taxation, the case has marred people’s confidence in the taxation system.”
Denny Indrayana, the task force’s secretary, said Gayus had agreed through Adnan to cooperate.
“One of the terms that Adnan gave to Gayus is for Gayus to be completely honest and help the investigation,” Denny said. “Gayus could plead for leniency in exchange for his full cooperation in unraveling the practices of case brokering.”
The task force is confident Gayus will finger the rogue police officials he allegedly bribed as well as the people who bribed him, Denny said.
Gayus returned to Jakarta last week after surrendering to Indonesian police in Singapore. He faces charges related to Rp 28 billion ($3.1 million) in his bank accounts and allegations that National Police officials had intervened to have charges against him watered down by prosecutors. The Tangerang District Court in Banten acquitted him of embezzlement on March 12.
The case re-emerged after former National Police Chief Detective Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji told the task force that Gayus had bribed senior police to unfreeze his accounts and ensure a favorable outcome to his trial.
Comr. Gen. Ito Sumardi, Susno’s replacement, said police had established three teams to investigate the case. An independent team will evaluate earlier police handling of Gayus’s case, while internal affairs will investigate allegations of unprofessional conduct.
“The bribery allegation itself will be handled by the detectives unit, because it is a criminal act,” Ito said.
Neta S Pane, chairman of Indonesian Police Watch, an independent watchdog, said the National Police were still trying to protect their own.
“How can the examination be objective when the ones conducting the investigation are other detectives?” Neta said.
Police have so far declared seven people suspects, including Gayus.
His former lawyer, Lambertus, and tax consultant Alif Kuncoro were charged on Saturday. Alif allegedly bribed Gayus, while Lambertus allegedly gave money to a police officer on Gayus’s behalf.
Bakrie Junior to Honeymoon in Africa to Watch World Cup
Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie's son Ardie Bakrie tied the knot with actress Nia Ramadhani during a lavish wedding ceremony in Jakarta on Thursday.
The wedding reception — which the rumor mill estimated would have cost Rp 10 billion ($1.1 million) — took place at the Hotel Mulia on Thursday evening.
It was the first night of celebrations that span a total of three nights, ending with a leather puppet performance in Senayan on Saturday.
Here are some of the details:
Ardie married Nia after two years of courtship. Before Nia, he was reportedly dating teenage model and former television soap opera actress Manohara Odelia Pinot;
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was a witness to the marriage vows, which is politically significant given the battle between Aburizal Bakrie and the president;
Nia designed nine dresses for the wedding, saying she did not use creations from famous designers "to save money;"
Ardie gave Nia a Rp 2,015 dowry. He said 2015 came from adding the date (1), month (4) and year (2010) of their wedding;
Their wedding bands were solid gold with stains of their blood. She said, “I don't want any diamonds on my wedding band. I'd rather have my husband's blood's in it to symbolize our lives together;”
The newly weds are heading to South Africa for their honeymoon. “We want to watch the [Football] World Cup,” Ardie said.
The wedding reception — which the rumor mill estimated would have cost Rp 10 billion ($1.1 million) — took place at the Hotel Mulia on Thursday evening.
It was the first night of celebrations that span a total of three nights, ending with a leather puppet performance in Senayan on Saturday.
Here are some of the details:
Ardie married Nia after two years of courtship. Before Nia, he was reportedly dating teenage model and former television soap opera actress Manohara Odelia Pinot;
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was a witness to the marriage vows, which is politically significant given the battle between Aburizal Bakrie and the president;
Nia designed nine dresses for the wedding, saying she did not use creations from famous designers "to save money;"
Ardie gave Nia a Rp 2,015 dowry. He said 2015 came from adding the date (1), month (4) and year (2010) of their wedding;
Their wedding bands were solid gold with stains of their blood. She said, “I don't want any diamonds on my wedding band. I'd rather have my husband's blood's in it to symbolize our lives together;”
The newly weds are heading to South Africa for their honeymoon. “We want to watch the [Football] World Cup,” Ardie said.
Claims of Pig Blood in Cigarette Filters Coughs Up a Cloud of Controversy
Not only is smoking deadly, but new research alleges that pigs' bloodis used in the manufacture of filters of the kind used in Indonesian cigarettes
In a claim likely to cause consternation from Muslim smokers, a Dutch author has published a book that claims that pig blood is used to make cigarette filters.
Pig 05049, written by Christien Meindertsma, lists 185 different ways that pigs’ body parts can be used, including in the manufacture of sweets, shampoo, bread, beer and bullets.
Pig hemoglobin is, according to the book, used to filter harmful chemicals in cigarettes.
The Indonesian Consumer Protection Foundation (YLKI) called on authorities to investigate the claims. “If the claim is true then the National Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), the Ministry of Health and the Indonesian Ulema Council’s Food and Drug Analysis Agency (LPPOM) should immediately conduct a sampling test,” Tulus Abadi, chairman of the YLKI, told the Jakarta Globe.
Tulus said that Indonesian cigarette producers were using imported filters because they are not produced locally.
If the claims are true, Tulus said, the government has a stronger case to take a stand against tobacco. “As the most populous Muslim country, we should be really careful, most smokers in Indonesia are Muslims. How would they feel if they found out that the cigarettes they smoke were made using pig hemoglobin?” he said.
MUI chairman Amidhan said that MUI would not comment on the matter and would not conduct any certification test unless there was a request from the cigarette industry or the importer.
“Smoking is offensive and for now that’s our stance. However this information should be regarded as a warning for smokers to be more aware,” he said.
Professor Simon Chapman from the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney was quoted on the university’s Web site as saying, “many devout Islamic and Jewish smokers and some vegetarians would be horrified to think they were putting a filter in their mouth which contained a pig product.”
Pig 05049, written by Christien Meindertsma, lists 185 different ways that pigs’ body parts can be used, including in the manufacture of sweets, shampoo, bread, beer and bullets.
Pig hemoglobin is, according to the book, used to filter harmful chemicals in cigarettes.
The Indonesian Consumer Protection Foundation (YLKI) called on authorities to investigate the claims. “If the claim is true then the National Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), the Ministry of Health and the Indonesian Ulema Council’s Food and Drug Analysis Agency (LPPOM) should immediately conduct a sampling test,” Tulus Abadi, chairman of the YLKI, told the Jakarta Globe.
Tulus said that Indonesian cigarette producers were using imported filters because they are not produced locally.
If the claims are true, Tulus said, the government has a stronger case to take a stand against tobacco. “As the most populous Muslim country, we should be really careful, most smokers in Indonesia are Muslims. How would they feel if they found out that the cigarettes they smoke were made using pig hemoglobin?” he said.
MUI chairman Amidhan said that MUI would not comment on the matter and would not conduct any certification test unless there was a request from the cigarette industry or the importer.
“Smoking is offensive and for now that’s our stance. However this information should be regarded as a warning for smokers to be more aware,” he said.
Professor Simon Chapman from the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney was quoted on the university’s Web site as saying, “many devout Islamic and Jewish smokers and some vegetarians would be horrified to think they were putting a filter in their mouth which contained a pig product.”
Gayus Case Topples Indonesian Police General
After rogue tax official Gayus Tambunan was questioned by police following his surrender in Singapore, National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri on Friday removed a police general accused of taking bribes in the case.
The former National Police head of economic crimes, Brig. Gen. Edmond Ilyas, has been pulled off the job as Lampung Police chief.
“I issued a letter today removing Edmond and several investigators at the economic crimes unit ... because they need to face the investigation,” Bambang said.
Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji, the former National Police chief detective, last month accused three police officials, identified only by rank and initials, of taking bribes from Gayus, a mid-ranking tax official, to bury a criminal probe. Gayus appeared on the police radar when he was found to have Rp 28 billion ($3.1 million) in his bank accounts. The Tangerang District Court, however, acquitted him of embezzlement on March 12.
Bambang said Edmond faced two investigations: one by the internal affairs division and another by an independent team from the police’s detective unit.
Brig. Gen. Radja Erisman, the director of economic crimes at the National Police believed to be another official implicated by Susno for graft, remains in his post.
Edmond and Radja have filed a criminal defamation complaint against Susno over his allegations, saying they were innocent of the charges.
Bambang stressed to the Jakarta Globe that Edmond was not yet a suspect. “We must uphold presumption of innocence,” he said, adding that he would wait for the results of the investigation into the police general.
A senior police source told the Globe on condition of anonymity that investigators had evidence Edmond had received at least Rp 1.1 billion from Gayus and Andi Kosasih. Andi is a businessman who had claimed to own the money in Gayus’s account, but he has since been declared a suspect for giving false information.
The source said that there was no evidence yet that Radja took bribes, but police uncovered an administrative offense.
“Radja unfroze Gayus’s account, which is a breach of the Money Laundering Law. Only the National Police chief has authority to remove the freeze.”
Radja also allegedly let Comr. Arafat Enanie and Adj. Comr. Sri Sumartini question Gayus at hotels, not at National Police headquarters, during the earlier probe of the taxman this year.
The two are now suspects, with Arafat said to have received a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a Toyota Fortuner and a house from Gayus, the source said. “We already seized all of that as evidence, while Sumartini got Rp 100 million in cash, which she used to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca.”
A police source added that Arafat also received bribes from PT Mega Cipta Jaya Garmindo, a company that allegedly transferred funds into Gayus’s accounts.
Gayus surrendered to Indonesian police in Singapore on Tuesday after fleeing to the city-state.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s Office has yet to take action against its prosecutors who handled the case that ended with Gayus’s acquittal.
On Wednesday, Attorney General Hendarman Supandji aired doubts that his staff had dismissed charges against Gayus for money. Instead, he blamed “thoughtlessness,” saying they were overloaded with big case
The former National Police head of economic crimes, Brig. Gen. Edmond Ilyas, has been pulled off the job as Lampung Police chief.
“I issued a letter today removing Edmond and several investigators at the economic crimes unit ... because they need to face the investigation,” Bambang said.
Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji, the former National Police chief detective, last month accused three police officials, identified only by rank and initials, of taking bribes from Gayus, a mid-ranking tax official, to bury a criminal probe. Gayus appeared on the police radar when he was found to have Rp 28 billion ($3.1 million) in his bank accounts. The Tangerang District Court, however, acquitted him of embezzlement on March 12.
Bambang said Edmond faced two investigations: one by the internal affairs division and another by an independent team from the police’s detective unit.
Brig. Gen. Radja Erisman, the director of economic crimes at the National Police believed to be another official implicated by Susno for graft, remains in his post.
Edmond and Radja have filed a criminal defamation complaint against Susno over his allegations, saying they were innocent of the charges.
Bambang stressed to the Jakarta Globe that Edmond was not yet a suspect. “We must uphold presumption of innocence,” he said, adding that he would wait for the results of the investigation into the police general.
A senior police source told the Globe on condition of anonymity that investigators had evidence Edmond had received at least Rp 1.1 billion from Gayus and Andi Kosasih. Andi is a businessman who had claimed to own the money in Gayus’s account, but he has since been declared a suspect for giving false information.
The source said that there was no evidence yet that Radja took bribes, but police uncovered an administrative offense.
“Radja unfroze Gayus’s account, which is a breach of the Money Laundering Law. Only the National Police chief has authority to remove the freeze.”
Radja also allegedly let Comr. Arafat Enanie and Adj. Comr. Sri Sumartini question Gayus at hotels, not at National Police headquarters, during the earlier probe of the taxman this year.
The two are now suspects, with Arafat said to have received a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a Toyota Fortuner and a house from Gayus, the source said. “We already seized all of that as evidence, while Sumartini got Rp 100 million in cash, which she used to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca.”
A police source added that Arafat also received bribes from PT Mega Cipta Jaya Garmindo, a company that allegedly transferred funds into Gayus’s accounts.
Gayus surrendered to Indonesian police in Singapore on Tuesday after fleeing to the city-state.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s Office has yet to take action against its prosecutors who handled the case that ended with Gayus’s acquittal.
On Wednesday, Attorney General Hendarman Supandji aired doubts that his staff had dismissed charges against Gayus for money. Instead, he blamed “thoughtlessness,” saying they were overloaded with big case
Police General's Head Destined for Chopping Block, Lawmaker Says
Alleged corruption suspect Gayus Tambunan returning home after fleeing to Singapore.National Police Chief General Bambang Hendarso Danuri says
at least one senior officer has also been implicated in tax fraud
A senior member of the National Police was likely to be named a suspect in the increasingly tangled tax evasion and money laundering case alleged to have been committed by rogue tax official Gayus Tambunan, a legislator from the House of Representatives says.
The possible charges against the officer was revealed during a meeting on Thursday between National Police Chief General Bambang Hendarso Danuri and the House Commission III for law and legislation.
“[The police chief] disclosed the possibility of a one-star police general being named a suspect in the case,” Golkar lawmaker Bambang Soesatyo said after the meeting. “Examinations are moving toward a brigadier general.”
Soesatyo said the commission expected Bambang to keep his promise for a thorough and transparent investigation of all aspects of the case involving Gayus, who returned to Jakarta on Wednesday after fleeing to Singapore.
Though Soesatyo did not identify the officer, renegade former chief detective Commissioner General Susno Duadji has implicated two high-ranking officers.
Susno said the generals were Brig. Gen. EI, the former director II for special economic affairs at National Police headquarters and Brig. Gen. RE, another former director of the same department.
The pair have previously been identified as Lampung Police Chief Brig. Gen. Edmond Ilyas and Brig. Gen. Radja Erisman. They are currently being questioned by National Police.
Laode Husein of the National Police Commission said the officers should be suspended to enable a smooth investigation, a call echoed by Indonesian Corruption Watch.
Susno was the first to implicate the generals in case brokering. The claims, initially furiously denied by National Police headquarters who named Susno as a suspect for defamation, arose after Gayus was acquitted of embezzlement when the Financial Transactions Report and Analysis Center (PPATK) discovered Rp 25 billion ($2.75 million) in his bank accounts.
The case implicates the Attorney General’s Office, National Police and the Tangerang District Court, as well the Directorate General of Taxation and a number of companies.
Soesatyo, still speaking after Commission III’s meeting with the National Police chief on Thursday, said 149 companies had been identified as being involved with Gayus.
“This is relevant to Gayus, and some of them are covered by Gayus’s bank account,” Soesatyo said.
Indonesia Widens Sidoarjo Mudflow Damage Probe
Thousands of hectares of industrial and agricultural land have beeninundated by the mudflow in Sidoarjo, East Java
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered an investigation into whether the Sidoarjo mudflow in East Java has affected people beyond the immediate area.
Yudhoyono, making his second visit to the devastated region since taking office in 2004, also called on Monday for the compensation process to be speeded up.
“I am asking all sides to coordinate and synergize to accelerate the compensation payment process,” Yudhoyono said during a flying visit to Jatirejo, on the rim of the sprawling mud lake near the center of the mudflow.
“I have instructed the public works minister, the East Java administration and a team from ITS [Surabaya Institute of Technology] to work together in studying the impact of the mud on areas beyond the directly affected areas, whether it affects their agriculture and life,” the president said.
Yudhoyono said the “good news” was that the mud was now flowing out of the ground at just less than 70,000 cubic feet a day, compared with 1.7 million cubic meters initially.
He said his visit was intended to ensure that his instructions regarding mudflow management programs were implemented effectively.
PT Lapindo Brantas, which has been blamed by some parties for the mudflow because of negligence during a gas-drilling operation in the area, is obliged to pay compensation to all those who lost property and can provide evidence of ownership.
The government is compensating those from three other villages affected by the spreading mud.
Andi Darussalam Tabussala, vice president of PT Minarak Lapindo Jaya, which handles compensation claims, said his company hoped to complete the settlements by 2012.
He said about 7,500 of the 13,237 claims had been settled.
Akhmad Dhuha, a spokesman for residents of Mindi village, said the president’s visit was disappointing.
“Unfortunately his visit did not improve conditions because residents were not given the chance to talk to him directly,” Dhuha said.
In Mindi village alone, nearly 5,000 people have been living in fear for four years because they are only 50 meters from the main dike containing the mud lake.
In March 2006, mud began spewing from a crack near a gas-drilling well operated by Lapindo, a company under the umbrella of the Bakrie group controlled by the family of the then coordinating minister for people’s welfare, Aburizal Bakrie.
The mudflow inundated hundreds of hectares, swallowing homes, fields and factories and leaving thousands homeless.
Yudhoyono also asked East Java Governor Sukarwo and the Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency to work together on the agency’s proposal to turn the area into a mud volcano park that would allow volcanologists and geologists to study the phenomenon and also serve as a recreational area.
“Maybe this can be turned into some kind of geological tourism place, a fishing or agriculture source or something else,” Yudhoyono said.
Celebrity Candidate Julia Perez has 'Much to Learn' About Politics
Jupe on the cover of her 2008 album, "Kamasutra"Actress, singer and newly-minted political candidate Julia Perez doesn’t know much about the world of government, but says she is ready to learn.
“I still have much to learn about politics but I will do it for my country,” said Julia, popularly known as Jupe, who is running to become the head of Pacitan district in East Java.
Eight parties, including Hanura, Gerindra and the National Resurrection Party (PKB), asked Jupe to be their candidate even though she was not born or raised in Pacitan.
The star of “Beranak Dalam Kubur” (“Birth in the Graveyard”) said she did not immediately agree when the parties approached her last month, but finally relented after a lengthy discussion. Jupe said she felt flattered because the parties trusted her to carry out such an important role.
“They came to Jakarta just to see me and convince me to run in the election,” she said.
She said she had not yet made plans to meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who hails from Pacita, to ask for his blessing.
“I can’t confirm that yet, I must discuss it with my success team,” she told detik.com.
The Pacitan district head election will take place in September 2010. Jupe’s running mate has not yet been announced.
Known for her sexy onscreen and onstage moves, Jupe grabbed headlines in 2008 for including a free condom in every copy of her album, "Kamasutra". The move aroused protests from conservative Muslim groups, but helped her get appointed as Indonesia's "condom ambassador" by the National AIDS Commission.
“I still have much to learn about politics but I will do it for my country,” said Julia, popularly known as Jupe, who is running to become the head of Pacitan district in East Java.
Eight parties, including Hanura, Gerindra and the National Resurrection Party (PKB), asked Jupe to be their candidate even though she was not born or raised in Pacitan.
The star of “Beranak Dalam Kubur” (“Birth in the Graveyard”) said she did not immediately agree when the parties approached her last month, but finally relented after a lengthy discussion. Jupe said she felt flattered because the parties trusted her to carry out such an important role.
“They came to Jakarta just to see me and convince me to run in the election,” she said.
She said she had not yet made plans to meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who hails from Pacita, to ask for his blessing.
“I can’t confirm that yet, I must discuss it with my success team,” she told detik.com.
The Pacitan district head election will take place in September 2010. Jupe’s running mate has not yet been announced.
Known for her sexy onscreen and onstage moves, Jupe grabbed headlines in 2008 for including a free condom in every copy of her album, "Kamasutra". The move aroused protests from conservative Muslim groups, but helped her get appointed as Indonesia's "condom ambassador" by the National AIDS Commission.
Police Too Slow as Gayus Flees Indonesia
Police on Friday declared a tax official who was found with Rp 25 billion ($2.75 million) in his personal bank accounts a suspect in a case of obstruction of justice — just days after the suspect fled the country, leaving behind many red-faced investigators.
The change of heart on declaring Gayus Tambunan, 30, a suspect came two days after he fled to Singapore, which has no extradition treaty with Indonesia and has been a frequent haven for the country’s white-collar criminals.
During a telephone interview earlier in the week, Gayus told an Indonesian television news program that he was already in Singapore. An immigration official on Friday confirmed that Gayus had left the country on Wednesday, bound for the city-state.
Gayus is also the subject of allegations by Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji, the National Police’s former chief detective, who says Gayus bribed senior police officials to stop investigating a case. As a result of his allegations, however, police this week declared Susno a suspect in a defamation case for implicating two police generals in the scandal.
National Police deputy spokesman Brig. Gen. Sulistyo Ishak said Andi Kosasih, a businessman from Batam whom Gayus said was the actual owner of the bulk of the money found in his accounts, was also declared a suspect.
Sulistyo alleged that both men gave false testimony to the police and the court. He said they could each face up to seven years in prison.
On Friday, Andi surrendered to police.
Susno has told the presidential Judicial Mafia Elimination Task Force that several of his former subordinates had received bribes from Gayus in return for halting an investigation into source of the money in his account.
Gayus had been charged with embezzlement in relation to the Rp 25 billion in his accounts, but was acquitted by the Tangerang District Court in Banten.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Harifin Andi Tumpa said the court would examine Gayus’s acquittal and question the judges involved in the case.
The Judicial Commission, which monitors the performance of judges, visited the Tangerang court on Friday to interview the judges involved.
“The curtains concealing this case must be fully pulled back,” commission chairman Busyro Muqoddas said after the visit.
The Attorney General’s Office pledged to speed up an internal inquiry into the prosecutors that handled Gayus’s initial case, with results expected by Tuesday at the latest. The prosecution was under fire for ignoring initial charges of money laundering and corruption filed by the police.
Sulistyo said the police had formed an independent team to evaluate the earlier investigation of Gayus.
“We noticed several irregularities only after the court reached a verdict,” he said.
Maroloan Barimbing, a spokesman for the Directorate General of Immigration at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, said Gayus was able to leave the country on Wednesday because the police had failed to issue a travel ban against him.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said that if Gayus was in Singapore, an extradition agreement was still possible.
“For a special case such as with financial crimes, extradition is possible based on a good understanding between the two countries,” he said.
The change of heart on declaring Gayus Tambunan, 30, a suspect came two days after he fled to Singapore, which has no extradition treaty with Indonesia and has been a frequent haven for the country’s white-collar criminals.
During a telephone interview earlier in the week, Gayus told an Indonesian television news program that he was already in Singapore. An immigration official on Friday confirmed that Gayus had left the country on Wednesday, bound for the city-state.
Gayus is also the subject of allegations by Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji, the National Police’s former chief detective, who says Gayus bribed senior police officials to stop investigating a case. As a result of his allegations, however, police this week declared Susno a suspect in a defamation case for implicating two police generals in the scandal.
National Police deputy spokesman Brig. Gen. Sulistyo Ishak said Andi Kosasih, a businessman from Batam whom Gayus said was the actual owner of the bulk of the money found in his accounts, was also declared a suspect.
Sulistyo alleged that both men gave false testimony to the police and the court. He said they could each face up to seven years in prison.
On Friday, Andi surrendered to police.
Susno has told the presidential Judicial Mafia Elimination Task Force that several of his former subordinates had received bribes from Gayus in return for halting an investigation into source of the money in his account.
Gayus had been charged with embezzlement in relation to the Rp 25 billion in his accounts, but was acquitted by the Tangerang District Court in Banten.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Harifin Andi Tumpa said the court would examine Gayus’s acquittal and question the judges involved in the case.
The Judicial Commission, which monitors the performance of judges, visited the Tangerang court on Friday to interview the judges involved.
“The curtains concealing this case must be fully pulled back,” commission chairman Busyro Muqoddas said after the visit.
The Attorney General’s Office pledged to speed up an internal inquiry into the prosecutors that handled Gayus’s initial case, with results expected by Tuesday at the latest. The prosecution was under fire for ignoring initial charges of money laundering and corruption filed by the police.
Sulistyo said the police had formed an independent team to evaluate the earlier investigation of Gayus.
“We noticed several irregularities only after the court reached a verdict,” he said.
Maroloan Barimbing, a spokesman for the Directorate General of Immigration at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, said Gayus was able to leave the country on Wednesday because the police had failed to issue a travel ban against him.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said that if Gayus was in Singapore, an extradition agreement was still possible.
“For a special case such as with financial crimes, extradition is possible based on a good understanding between the two countries,” he said.
Anti-Porn Statute to Remain Law of the Land in Indonesia
A Manadonese girl dancing the Tumatendentraditional dance of North Sulawesi in front of Constitutional Court
head Mahfud MD, right, and judge A Mukhtie Fadjar
in a hearing on the porn law in August
The Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled to maintain the controversial 2008 Anti-Pornography Law, but failed to put an end to a debate that has divided the nation for years.
“The postulations of the applicants have no legal base,” Mahfud MD, the chief of the Constitutional Court, said on Thursday in the 405-page ruling.
The decision comes more than a year after the court began hearing three judicial review requests filed by 47 applicants ranging from representatives of youth groups and churches to housewives, women’s activists and legal aid foundations.
In seeking a judicial review, the applicants argued that the law’s definition of pornography was vague, misleading and open to multiple interpretations.
The law defines pornography as “sexual material made by people in the forms of pictures, sketches, illustrations, photos, writings, voice, sounds, motion pictures, animation, cartoons, poems, conversations, body movements and other forms of communication through various mass media or public displays that can arouse sexual desires and/or violate public moral values.”
The applicants also contended that the law, which forbids the production, distribution or sale of anything that can be categorized as pornography and bans displays of nudity, intercourse or any other “pornographic” actions, was unconstitutional. The law stipulates sentences of up to 15 years in jail and fines of up to Rp 7.5 billion ($795,000).
Achmad Sodiki, one of the judges, said the law’s stated definition of pornography was clear.
“The first article of the Anti-Pornography Law is a definition that adheres to the aim when the law was drafted,” he said.
The court’s sole female judge, Maria Farida Indrati, gave a dissenting opinion, arguing that the law’s first article “opposes the people’s right to legal certainty according to the Constitution,” and “that the law could lead to public judgments among the people because of different definitions of the term pornography.”
Critics of the law were quick to slam the decision, with many saying they would ignore it.
One applicant, Tenny Assa, said the people of North Sulawesi would not implement the law. “It gives us more reason to free ourselves from Indonesia,” he added.
Critical voices could also be heard in Bali.
“Bali is the island of peace. We reject the evil of pornography, but the law cannot be applied to the variety of sociological conditions in Indonesia,” Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika said in Denpasar.
“If the law was effective, there would be no more television or Internet content that is close to the definition of pornography in the law. But we still can see it.”
Taufik Basari, a lawyer for the applicants, said they would seek a legislative review at the House of Representatives. “The court only tried to please a certain group, but it did not solve the problem,” Taufik said.
Constitutional expert Refly Harun said he believed the court had played it safe. “Because the public desire to see the law annulled is not really strong, the court did not dare to annul it.”
He said experience showed the strongest groups had the greatest influence on court rulings.
Ifdhal Kasim, head of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), said: “The court should have seen this from a progressive point of view, to protect individuals in pursuing their rights.” He warned the law would especially hinder the rights of women and minority groups.
The law has already been used to jail at least eight people, mostly female erotic dancers.
Thirteen Years of Controversy: The History of Indonesia's Porn Debate
1997: The House of Representatives begins discussing a pornography and lewd acts bill
2003: A House special committee begins discussing the draft in earnest after popular dangdut singer Inul Daratista reveals her overtly sexual dance moves that are imitated by several singers attempting to mirror her success
2006: The first draft is issued in February, leading to several protests both for and against the law. The Utan Kayu community group issues the “ Bhinneka Tunggal Ika ” (“Unity in Diversity”) declaration, supported by arts and cultural figures, while the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) issues a religious edict declaring that the bill needs to be immediately passed into legislation
2007: “Lewd acts” is dropped from the title and it becomes the draft bill on anti-pornography
2008: On Oct. 30, eight parties in the House vote to pass the draft, although lawmakers from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) walk out in protest
2009: From February to March, three diverse community groups file for a judicial review of the Anti-Pornography Law with the Constitutional Court
2010: On March 25, the judicial review is denied by the Constitutional Court
“The postulations of the applicants have no legal base,” Mahfud MD, the chief of the Constitutional Court, said on Thursday in the 405-page ruling.
The decision comes more than a year after the court began hearing three judicial review requests filed by 47 applicants ranging from representatives of youth groups and churches to housewives, women’s activists and legal aid foundations.
In seeking a judicial review, the applicants argued that the law’s definition of pornography was vague, misleading and open to multiple interpretations.
The law defines pornography as “sexual material made by people in the forms of pictures, sketches, illustrations, photos, writings, voice, sounds, motion pictures, animation, cartoons, poems, conversations, body movements and other forms of communication through various mass media or public displays that can arouse sexual desires and/or violate public moral values.”
The applicants also contended that the law, which forbids the production, distribution or sale of anything that can be categorized as pornography and bans displays of nudity, intercourse or any other “pornographic” actions, was unconstitutional. The law stipulates sentences of up to 15 years in jail and fines of up to Rp 7.5 billion ($795,000).
Achmad Sodiki, one of the judges, said the law’s stated definition of pornography was clear.
“The first article of the Anti-Pornography Law is a definition that adheres to the aim when the law was drafted,” he said.
The court’s sole female judge, Maria Farida Indrati, gave a dissenting opinion, arguing that the law’s first article “opposes the people’s right to legal certainty according to the Constitution,” and “that the law could lead to public judgments among the people because of different definitions of the term pornography.”
Critics of the law were quick to slam the decision, with many saying they would ignore it.
One applicant, Tenny Assa, said the people of North Sulawesi would not implement the law. “It gives us more reason to free ourselves from Indonesia,” he added.
Critical voices could also be heard in Bali.
“Bali is the island of peace. We reject the evil of pornography, but the law cannot be applied to the variety of sociological conditions in Indonesia,” Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika said in Denpasar.
“If the law was effective, there would be no more television or Internet content that is close to the definition of pornography in the law. But we still can see it.”
Taufik Basari, a lawyer for the applicants, said they would seek a legislative review at the House of Representatives. “The court only tried to please a certain group, but it did not solve the problem,” Taufik said.
Constitutional expert Refly Harun said he believed the court had played it safe. “Because the public desire to see the law annulled is not really strong, the court did not dare to annul it.”
He said experience showed the strongest groups had the greatest influence on court rulings.
Ifdhal Kasim, head of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), said: “The court should have seen this from a progressive point of view, to protect individuals in pursuing their rights.” He warned the law would especially hinder the rights of women and minority groups.
The law has already been used to jail at least eight people, mostly female erotic dancers.
Thirteen Years of Controversy: The History of Indonesia's Porn Debate
1997: The House of Representatives begins discussing a pornography and lewd acts bill
2003: A House special committee begins discussing the draft in earnest after popular dangdut singer Inul Daratista reveals her overtly sexual dance moves that are imitated by several singers attempting to mirror her success
2006: The first draft is issued in February, leading to several protests both for and against the law. The Utan Kayu community group issues the “ Bhinneka Tunggal Ika ” (“Unity in Diversity”) declaration, supported by arts and cultural figures, while the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) issues a religious edict declaring that the bill needs to be immediately passed into legislation
2007: “Lewd acts” is dropped from the title and it becomes the draft bill on anti-pornography
2008: On Oct. 30, eight parties in the House vote to pass the draft, although lawmakers from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) walk out in protest
2009: From February to March, three diverse community groups file for a judicial review of the Anti-Pornography Law with the Constitutional Court
2010: On March 25, the judicial review is denied by the Constitutional Court
Indonesian Police Try to Shut Susno Up in Defamation Case
Susno Duadji has grabbed headlines with his accusationthat high-ranking National Police officers took bribes to drop a case
The National Police on Wednesday followed through on threats to silence renegade Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji by naming him as a suspect in a criminal defamation complaint filed by two senior police officials. They say he accused them of taking bribes in return for halting a probe into a Rp 25 billion ($2.75 million) corruption case.
Lampung Police Chief Brig. Gen. Edmond Ilyas and Brig. Gen. Radja Erisman, the National Police director of economic crimes, based their complaint on television footage of Susno speaking to reporters. They were among three officials believed to have been identified by Susno by their ranks and initials during a televised news conference last week.
Susno, the former National Police chief of detectives, said after being declared a suspect that he was ready for the consequences. “I am ready to face every possibility including facing a libel case.”
Susno has gone from jailing two senior Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) officials on questionable bribery charges to being a criminal suspect in just six months. He said he was also ready for an police hearing this week to address professional misconduct for his being off duty for 78 days without notice after being relieved of his post on Nov. 30, after he was implicated for allegedly framing the KPK commissioners.
National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri said the hearing on Susno’s conduct was an internal police matter. “I will take responsibility and I will decide what kind of punishment we will make,” he said.
Bambang acknowledged, however, that something “strange” occurred during the investigation into Gayus Tambunan, 30, a tax official who was investigated last year concerning Rp 25 billion he had in two bank accounts.
Susno claims the sum was a bribe for the three police officials he identified by name and rank.
Police say they only found Rp 395 million of the funds in Gayus’s accounts to be illegal, which they reported to prosecutors. In October, police charged Gayus with money laundering, corruption and embezzlement. Prosecutors, however, only indicted him for embezzlement, for which the Tangerang District Court acquitted him on March 12.
“Its abnormal because my investigator never arrested the suspect [Gayus] even though he was charged under the anticorruption law,” Bambang said. “And there is another suspect involved with this case with the initial ‘R’ [believed to be tax official Robertus Santonius] but his dossier was never transferred to the prosecutor. What happened?”
Bambang said he would establish an independent team to investigate the tax case and invited the judicial mafia task force and National Police Commission to join.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Edward Aritonang said the time had come to take firm action against Susno.
“It’s not because we are running out of patience, but because we need to protect the morale of our 400,000 officers who are now waiting to see how we handle this case,” he said, adding that Susno would be summoned to appear at the internal affairs division on Friday.
Lampung Police Chief Brig. Gen. Edmond Ilyas and Brig. Gen. Radja Erisman, the National Police director of economic crimes, based their complaint on television footage of Susno speaking to reporters. They were among three officials believed to have been identified by Susno by their ranks and initials during a televised news conference last week.
Susno, the former National Police chief of detectives, said after being declared a suspect that he was ready for the consequences. “I am ready to face every possibility including facing a libel case.”
Susno has gone from jailing two senior Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) officials on questionable bribery charges to being a criminal suspect in just six months. He said he was also ready for an police hearing this week to address professional misconduct for his being off duty for 78 days without notice after being relieved of his post on Nov. 30, after he was implicated for allegedly framing the KPK commissioners.
National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri said the hearing on Susno’s conduct was an internal police matter. “I will take responsibility and I will decide what kind of punishment we will make,” he said.
Bambang acknowledged, however, that something “strange” occurred during the investigation into Gayus Tambunan, 30, a tax official who was investigated last year concerning Rp 25 billion he had in two bank accounts.
Susno claims the sum was a bribe for the three police officials he identified by name and rank.
Police say they only found Rp 395 million of the funds in Gayus’s accounts to be illegal, which they reported to prosecutors. In October, police charged Gayus with money laundering, corruption and embezzlement. Prosecutors, however, only indicted him for embezzlement, for which the Tangerang District Court acquitted him on March 12.
“Its abnormal because my investigator never arrested the suspect [Gayus] even though he was charged under the anticorruption law,” Bambang said. “And there is another suspect involved with this case with the initial ‘R’ [believed to be tax official Robertus Santonius] but his dossier was never transferred to the prosecutor. What happened?”
Bambang said he would establish an independent team to investigate the tax case and invited the judicial mafia task force and National Police Commission to join.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Edward Aritonang said the time had come to take firm action against Susno.
“It’s not because we are running out of patience, but because we need to protect the morale of our 400,000 officers who are now waiting to see how we handle this case,” he said, adding that Susno would be summoned to appear at the internal affairs division on Friday.
Surabaya Police Withhold Permit for Gay Conference
Surabaya Police have buckled to continuing threats from Islamic clerics in conservative East Java and refused to issue a permit for a regional conference to discuss the rights of members of the gay, lesbian and transgender communities in Asia, scheduled to commence on Friday.
Adj. Sr. Comr. Sri Setyo Rahayu, who heads the city’s community policing department, confirmed that the force had decided not to provide a permit for the fourth regional conference of the Asia chapter of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Association from Friday to Sunday due to strong protests from the local branch of the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI).
“We will not issue the permit due to security reasons,” Sri said. “If it is allowed to be held, many parties will stage protests.”
She said the police were concerned that allowing the conference to proceed had the potential to create unrest, including the possibility of clashes given that many groups had expressed opposition.
She said the group concerned had been informed of the decision and that if it chose to proceed, police would not hesitate to take action to prevent it from holding the conference.
The event, hosted by gay rights group Gaya Nusantara, had been expected to attract more than 150 activists to discuss how gay, lesbian and transgender communities across the region might move toward a “common vision, mission and goal,” according to the ILGA Web site.
Abdusshomad Buchori, chairman of the East Java chapter of the MUI, said the conference was an attempt “to ruin the people and the young generation.”
“According to Islamic teachings, the same-sex relationships of gays or lesbians as well as bisexuals are condemned by the Almighty,” he said, adding that his organization had sent a formal request to the National Police headquarters and the East Java administration not to permit the conference to go ahead.
Abdusshomad said his organization would not hesitate “to use our own methods” to break up the event should authorities allow it to go forward. “If there are parties that insist on holding the event, we will play hard,” he warned.
Abdusshomad criticized the activists for using human rights to defend their movement, saying “their actions are contrary to human rights because people feel disturbed by their activities.”
Pujiatiam, who chairs the organizing committee of the conference, said the group would negotiate with the police to try and secure the permit while discussing other possibilities to ensure the conference went ahead in some form or another.
Adj. Sr. Comr. Sri Setyo Rahayu, who heads the city’s community policing department, confirmed that the force had decided not to provide a permit for the fourth regional conference of the Asia chapter of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Association from Friday to Sunday due to strong protests from the local branch of the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI).
“We will not issue the permit due to security reasons,” Sri said. “If it is allowed to be held, many parties will stage protests.”
She said the police were concerned that allowing the conference to proceed had the potential to create unrest, including the possibility of clashes given that many groups had expressed opposition.
She said the group concerned had been informed of the decision and that if it chose to proceed, police would not hesitate to take action to prevent it from holding the conference.
The event, hosted by gay rights group Gaya Nusantara, had been expected to attract more than 150 activists to discuss how gay, lesbian and transgender communities across the region might move toward a “common vision, mission and goal,” according to the ILGA Web site.
Abdusshomad Buchori, chairman of the East Java chapter of the MUI, said the conference was an attempt “to ruin the people and the young generation.”
“According to Islamic teachings, the same-sex relationships of gays or lesbians as well as bisexuals are condemned by the Almighty,” he said, adding that his organization had sent a formal request to the National Police headquarters and the East Java administration not to permit the conference to go ahead.
Abdusshomad said his organization would not hesitate “to use our own methods” to break up the event should authorities allow it to go forward. “If there are parties that insist on holding the event, we will play hard,” he warned.
Abdusshomad criticized the activists for using human rights to defend their movement, saying “their actions are contrary to human rights because people feel disturbed by their activities.”
Pujiatiam, who chairs the organizing committee of the conference, said the group would negotiate with the police to try and secure the permit while discussing other possibilities to ensure the conference went ahead in some form or another.
Indonesian Police Arrest More Terrorism Suspects
Police have arrested three more people suspected of links to the armed group being hunted down in Aceh, a national police spokesman said on Wednesday.
Comr. I Ketut Untung Yoga Ana said the three men, identified as Aman Abdurrahman, Abu Musa and Kuncoro, were arrested in Bekasi and Sumedang, West Java, over the weekend.
“They were involved with the armed group that held military training in Aceh,” he said.
News of the arrests came as Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar announced on Wednesday that all convicted terrorists would in the future be allowed to have cellphones inside their cells.
“I am confirming that we will allow all terrorist suspects to have cellphones inside their cells as long as they ask permission from us,” he said.
Patrialis was speaking on the sidelines of the 12th anniversary of the founding of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) in Central Jakarta.
However, he refused to explain this controversial policy. “I can’t talk about the reason because it is related to national secrets,” he said.
The government has been criticized for letting down its guard after jailed terrorists were found to be in possession of cellphones and communicating with active terrorist networks outside of prison.
Sidney Jones, a terrorism expert at the International Crisis Group, said earlier on Wednesday that poor monitoring in prisons had allowed new militant groups to develop.
“[The Indonesian government] must escalate its current monitoring in prisons,” she said, adding that the country has no need for a special prison for terrorists.
At a discussion on terrorism held by the Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club, Jones said the lack of surveillance of imprisoned terrorists made it easier for them to expand their networks and plan attacks. She said some of the militants arrested in Aceh last month had met in prison.
She noted that Aman served time at the Sukamiskin Penitentiary in Bandung. Aman was arrested for his involvement in a bomb-making cell in 2004. “He gained a large number of followers in Jakarta after he was released in July 2008,” she said.
Jones said her research team had found militants with several cellphones inside their cells, including one with 15 cellphones.
Earlier this month, convicted terrorist Iwan Dharmawan, also known as Rois Abu Syaukat, was reported to have had eight cellphones with him while serving time at Jakarta’s Cipinang prison and to have been communicating with his networks in Aceh.
Meanwhile, in Denpasar on Tuesday, Untung Sugiyono, the director general of penitentiaries at the Justice and Human Rights Ministry, vowed to “reevaluate where we failed” in handling militant inmates.
Nasir Abbas, a former JI member who is now assisting the police, said new militant groups had been formed after key terrorist leaders Noordin M Top and Dulmatin were killed in raids in 2009 and this year. “Several members of JI now think the group is sleeping and not productive, so they are frustrated and have formed new groups,” he said.
UN spokesman Michele Zaccheo said a temporary ban on foreign staff traveling to Aceh remained in place despite the arrests.
Captured members of the Aceh militant group claimed to have made surveys on possible targets in Aceh, including UN-related offices, according to the police.
Comr. I Ketut Untung Yoga Ana said the three men, identified as Aman Abdurrahman, Abu Musa and Kuncoro, were arrested in Bekasi and Sumedang, West Java, over the weekend.
“They were involved with the armed group that held military training in Aceh,” he said.
News of the arrests came as Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar announced on Wednesday that all convicted terrorists would in the future be allowed to have cellphones inside their cells.
“I am confirming that we will allow all terrorist suspects to have cellphones inside their cells as long as they ask permission from us,” he said.
Patrialis was speaking on the sidelines of the 12th anniversary of the founding of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) in Central Jakarta.
However, he refused to explain this controversial policy. “I can’t talk about the reason because it is related to national secrets,” he said.
The government has been criticized for letting down its guard after jailed terrorists were found to be in possession of cellphones and communicating with active terrorist networks outside of prison.
Sidney Jones, a terrorism expert at the International Crisis Group, said earlier on Wednesday that poor monitoring in prisons had allowed new militant groups to develop.
“[The Indonesian government] must escalate its current monitoring in prisons,” she said, adding that the country has no need for a special prison for terrorists.
At a discussion on terrorism held by the Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club, Jones said the lack of surveillance of imprisoned terrorists made it easier for them to expand their networks and plan attacks. She said some of the militants arrested in Aceh last month had met in prison.
She noted that Aman served time at the Sukamiskin Penitentiary in Bandung. Aman was arrested for his involvement in a bomb-making cell in 2004. “He gained a large number of followers in Jakarta after he was released in July 2008,” she said.
Jones said her research team had found militants with several cellphones inside their cells, including one with 15 cellphones.
Earlier this month, convicted terrorist Iwan Dharmawan, also known as Rois Abu Syaukat, was reported to have had eight cellphones with him while serving time at Jakarta’s Cipinang prison and to have been communicating with his networks in Aceh.
Meanwhile, in Denpasar on Tuesday, Untung Sugiyono, the director general of penitentiaries at the Justice and Human Rights Ministry, vowed to “reevaluate where we failed” in handling militant inmates.
Nasir Abbas, a former JI member who is now assisting the police, said new militant groups had been formed after key terrorist leaders Noordin M Top and Dulmatin were killed in raids in 2009 and this year. “Several members of JI now think the group is sleeping and not productive, so they are frustrated and have formed new groups,” he said.
UN spokesman Michele Zaccheo said a temporary ban on foreign staff traveling to Aceh remained in place despite the arrests.
Captured members of the Aceh militant group claimed to have made surveys on possible targets in Aceh, including UN-related offices, according to the police.
Pre-Dawn Prayer Too Early? Indonesian Clerics Suggest Wiggle Room
After recently shocking many by issuing a religious edict banning smoking, the country’s second-largest Islamic organization has stirred a new controversy by saying it would discuss whether the predawn prayer time for Muslims was too early.
“The time for the predawn prayer in Indonesia is the earliest, compared to other countries,” Syamsul Anwar, the chair of the Muhammadiyah’s lawmaking council, said on Wednesday from Surabaya.
While there, he met with East Java Governor Sukarwo to inform him of the organization’s national meeting in Malang on April 1-4.
“If the morning prayer is a bit later, maybe more [Muslims] will perform the prayer,” Syamsul added.
He said the issue of the predawn prayer was one of the things Muhammadiyah’s central board was planning to take up at the meeting.
The morning prayer for Indonesian Muslims starts when the sun is 20 degrees under the horizon (the point when the sun starts rising), or about 4:45 a.m. in the western part of the country.
Syamsul said the time for the predawn prayer in Morocco starts when the sun is 18 degrees under the horizon, while in Egypt it is when the sun is 19.5 degrees under the horizon.
“Actually, the predawn prayer time here does not violate the rule as according to the Islamic law. It should be done between 20 degrees to zero degrees,” he said.
The Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) and the Religious Affairs Ministry were quick to brush aside the idea, saying the prayer times have been considered thoroughly.
“The predawn prayer time in Indonesia is correct,” said an MUI chairman, Ma’ruf Amin.
Nasaruddin Umar, the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ Islamic directorate general, concurred, saying the prayer time had been determined after a thorough consideration involving all elements of Muslim society and experts, including astronomers.
Nahdlatul Ulama’s West Java chairman, Havidz Usman, took a more conciliatory approach to the question.
“We set the time based on the Koran, but we welcome a discussion should there be strong evidence that our predawn prayer time is not correct,” he said.
“The time for the predawn prayer in Indonesia is the earliest, compared to other countries,” Syamsul Anwar, the chair of the Muhammadiyah’s lawmaking council, said on Wednesday from Surabaya.
While there, he met with East Java Governor Sukarwo to inform him of the organization’s national meeting in Malang on April 1-4.
“If the morning prayer is a bit later, maybe more [Muslims] will perform the prayer,” Syamsul added.
He said the issue of the predawn prayer was one of the things Muhammadiyah’s central board was planning to take up at the meeting.
The morning prayer for Indonesian Muslims starts when the sun is 20 degrees under the horizon (the point when the sun starts rising), or about 4:45 a.m. in the western part of the country.
Syamsul said the time for the predawn prayer in Morocco starts when the sun is 18 degrees under the horizon, while in Egypt it is when the sun is 19.5 degrees under the horizon.
“Actually, the predawn prayer time here does not violate the rule as according to the Islamic law. It should be done between 20 degrees to zero degrees,” he said.
The Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) and the Religious Affairs Ministry were quick to brush aside the idea, saying the prayer times have been considered thoroughly.
“The predawn prayer time in Indonesia is correct,” said an MUI chairman, Ma’ruf Amin.
Nasaruddin Umar, the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ Islamic directorate general, concurred, saying the prayer time had been determined after a thorough consideration involving all elements of Muslim society and experts, including astronomers.
Nahdlatul Ulama’s West Java chairman, Havidz Usman, took a more conciliatory approach to the question.
“We set the time based on the Koran, but we welcome a discussion should there be strong evidence that our predawn prayer time is not correct,” he said.
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