July 15, 2014 edition
Sidelines
We are probably going to live as a society exhausted by lies. This year, 2014, is the year of the most brutal elections-brutal in the form of words-in the history of Indonesia since 1945. In this bitter process, we are almost constantly bombarded with 'facts' uttered only to be turned around, rebuttals made with no intention of finding out what is true, and, slowly but surely, the spread of mutual distrust-even hatred. And with this: the loss of serious conversation.
Serious conversation contains the desire to listen to each other, without necessarily having to agree. Serious conversation does not mean humorless conversation: no, humor can be important. In serious conversation it is assumed that words have power in sound and sense, in thinking and feeling-power that is sometimes called 'meaning' or 'maksud'. In Indonesian, the word maksud can mean both 'meaning' and 'intention'. But when lies are uttered constantly, then 'meaning' is carried off-and sometimes drowned-in the flow of jostling sounds that grammar calls (to use Hamlet's expression of irritation) 'words, words, words'
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Arts
Not Just a Memento
Interview
BEHIND the massive stage of the 'Two-Finger Salute Concert at Bung Karno Stadium' in Jakarta on July 5 last week, Abdee Negara appeared very busy, giving instructions to the performers-both singers and orators-in the public event to support Joko Widodo's bid for the presidency. Abdee was, after all, the leader of the artists and musicians who had gathered at the giant arena.
Although the free concert was put together in only five days, Abdee succeeded in attracting more than 100,000 spectators who patiently lined up in long queues hours before the start of the event. They came because they were fans-not of political parties-but because they were avid supporters of Jokowi.
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Arts
All the local people want to have white skin. If they could become white-skinned people by cutting off their little fingers, certainly the entire Indies would be full of people without little fingers
The above passage was written by Willem Walraven, a Dutch soldier posted in colonial times to Indonesia, known to the Netherlands as the Dutch East Indies. Walraven married an Indonesian woman named Itih and had nine children. Later he became an administrator at a sugar plantation and eventually was better known as a journalist. The aforementioned quote is from a letter he wrote his nephew in Europe.
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Asean & Beyond
The peace talks between Israel and Palestine became uncertain when violence escalated with the deaths of three Israelis and a Palestinian last week. Palestine's ambassador to Indonesia, Fariz Mehdawi, said his people were still waiting for a peace negotiation, and a two-state solution would have Israel and Palestine coexist peacefully as free countries. However, Mehdawi reminded that if the atrocities continued to occur, Palestinians would retaliate and the situation would spiral even further out of control. Tempo journalists Natalia Santi, Rosalina and Atmi Pertiwi interviewed Meh-dawi in his office in Jakarta on Monday last week.
What are the prospects of Israel-Palestine peace talks amid the ongoing violence?
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Investigation
As the corporate head of a province-owned company supplying drinking water to Jakarta's millions of people, Sriwidayanto is in a big mess. He is constantly on the receiving end of public criticism over the poor quality of the service and the high cost of the water.
But Sriwidayanto remains unruffled. He claims there is nothing he can do when it involves the basic agreement of cooperation signed between the Jakarta Raya Drinking Water Company (PAM Jaya) and two foreign concerns which have been their partners since 1998: PAM Lyonnaisse Jaya (Palyja) and Aetra Air Jakarta (Aetra). "That agreement has been a mess since day one," he said openly.
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National
A day before the July 9 presidential election, a plenary session was held at the House of Representatives (DPR) in Senayan. The session commenced at 7:30pm local time and was attended by 467 lawmakers. Its convening was generally unknown to the public, with many people preoccupied with the excitement of the contest between the two presidential candidates, Joko Widodo and Prabowo Subianto.
The session was held to revise Legislative Institution Law No. 27/2009, known as the MD3. There was disagreement in the room because with the revision of Article 82, the position of House speaker would no longer be automatically granted to the party that won the legislative election. Instead, the speaker would be elected by legislators.
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Opinion
The Indonesian government must take immediate concrete steps to halt the killing of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The government's commitment to support Palestine's goal to gain independence, requires real evidence as the world sits back and watches the unbalanced battle between the Hamas militias-the faction that has controlled Gaza since 2007-and the Israeli army.
As of Friday last week, some 85 people are believed to have been killed, many of them civilians, children and old people. Houses and buildings have been destroyed by rockets, something that the Israelis have never done since the Intifada uprising in 2005. If this situation is allowed to go on, Israel's army offensive can lead to genocide.
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Indicator
DURING the presidential campaign, the public seemed torn apart. One side was for Joko Wododo-Jusuf Kalla, the other for Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa. A tug-of-war in both real and virtual worlds was unavoidable.
In Yogyakarta, hundreds of Jokowi volunteers clashed with Prabowo supporters when their campaign processions passed at the Ngabean Terminal junction. Both sides threw stones, causing a serious traffic jam. Supporters from both candidates also taunted each other at the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout in Jakarta. Meanwhile the war in the virtual world was just as violent, from bantering with rhymes to slandering.
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Letters
Comfort and Security in Commuting
For five years I have gone to work every day by the Jakarta-Bogor commuter train. It is not only cheap, but also free of the traffic one finds on the crowded streets of Jakarta. Recently, however, I have been worried about comfort and security with the integration of the train's economy and business classes.
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Outreach
Ascobat Gani's expertise requires him to travel to the country's remotest areas. He advises regional and local administrations on the management of mental health following the enactment of decentralization. What he found was shocking: mental health in most places he visited is a neglected problem. "We are too involved in global (health) issues, like infant and mother mortality," said Gani. Yet, according to a study he carried out in 2005, mental health cases constituted 13.8 percent of all illnesses in Indonesia. To properly address this problem, Gani-who is chair of the Rajiman Notodiningrat Psychiatric Hospital governing board in Malang, East Java-is of the opinion that health services throughout Indonesia must be made efficient. Tempo English contributor Amanda Siddharta interviewed Gani by telephone two weeks ago. Excerpts:
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Law
Anggoro appeared emotionally defeated as the Corruption Court judges read out his verdict: five years behind bars and a Rp250 million fine. "I accept it," Anggoro said softly when the presiding judge, Nani Indrawati, asked the director-cum-owner of Masaro Radiokom if he had a response on Wednesday afternoon two weeks ago.
Only those words emerged from the 61-year-old man's mouth. Upon leaving the courtroom, Anggoro stayed silent as reporters fired questions at him. His attorney, Thomson Situmeang, said his client had resigned himself to his fate over the court ruling in the scandal, one of corruption in the Forestry Ministry's Integrated Radio Communication System project. "He's exhausted," said Thomson. "In his defense plea, he stated he would not appeal the verdict, whatever it was."
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Economy
MINING
Freeport accepts Renegotiated Contract
Coordinating Economic Minister Chairul Tanjung said the process of renegotiating the government's contract with Freeport Indonesia had ended. After agreeing to the six renegotiation points the government asked for, Freeport has been permitted to export its minerals again. "It has all been completed and will be signed by the president at an upcoming cabinet meeting," he said on Monday last week.
Freeport accepts Renegotiated Contract
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Cover Story
DECLARED the winner of the presidential election by a number of reputable polling organizations, Joko Widodo claims to have been sure from the start that he would make it. But to ensure that nothing happens to the ballots when they are transported from the polling stations to the office of the General Elections Commission (KPU), the Jakarta governor said he has witnesses posted at all levels of the vote recapitulation process.
Two days after the vote Jokowi went on a safari to media organizations in Jakarta, including Tempo. He arrived at dusk, just before breaking the fast last Friday, and led the communal prayer. It was not the first visit for 53-year-old Jokowi, whom the magazine named as one of the best regional chief executives in 2008, when he was still mayor of Solo in Central Java. "I am here because I miss Tempo," said Jokowi, to raucous applause. He was accompanied by his advisors, Anies Baswedan, Teten Masduki and Budiman Sudjatmiko. The following are excerpts of an informal interview Jokowi gave at our editorial office:
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Tempo Talks
Improving Connectivity, Boosting Cooperation
This year, Indonesia and India mark 75 years of diplomatic relations. However, the ties between the two nations have existed much longer, predating the establishment of the Republic of Indonesia and the Republic of India. These connections span social, cultural, religious, economic, and trade aspects. But do those close ties of the past have any bearing on the present relationship? Why is there no direct flight between the capitals of the two countries?
Indian Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor-Leste, Sandeep Chakravorty, shares his views on this matter at TEMPO TALKS.
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