IT was sundown when Taufik Noor Isya crossed the Indonesia-Malaysia border at Entikong, West Kalimantan, and headed for Kuching in Sarawak, two weeks ago. An hour later, just as Taufik, an Indonesian police liaison officer with the rank of commissioner, reached the town of Serian, his cellular phone rang. Although the number was unfamiliar, he took the call.
As someone who is used to efficiency, Joko Widodo expects to be running a competent cabinet following his October 20 inauguration. This is why his transition team contains a working group whose work is solely to come up with the right ministerial structure. So far, he has been given five options: maintain the cabinet with 34 ministries, cut it down to 27 ministers, set up 20-24 ministries or a cabinet based on Sukarno's Trisakti ideology and lastly, a merger of the four concepts.
IN the luxury of the 26th floor of the five-star Grand Hyatt Hotel in Jakarta last week, Prabowo Subianto watched the special televised announcement that dashed his hopes of winning the 2014-2019 presidency. The Constitutional Court's panel of judges declared that charges of electoral fraud submitted by Prabowo was unsubstantiated, re-validating the win by his rival, Joko Widodo.
ON the Lebaran (Idul Fitri) holiday at the end of the fasting month, Joko Widodo's political calendar showed no slack. After praying at the mosque, he visited the home of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri and the home of National Democrat (NasDem) Party Chairman Surya Paloh. He then summoned some of the senior members of his campaign team to the official residence of the Jakarta governor in Menteng, Central Jakarta. Those who attended that meeting two weeks ago were Rini Soemarno, Andi Widjajanto, and Hasto Kristiyanto.
PRESIDENT Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) immediately congratulated Joko Widodo when the General Elections Commission (KPU) named him as the country's president-elect. In a telephone conversation on Tuesday night two weeks ago, Yudhoyono also offered to help during the transition period. "We want the transition process to go smoothly," Jokowi told Tempo, two weeks ago.
THE rain over North Jakarta's Sunda Kelapa harbor, built in 1610, died down just before midnight on Tuesday last week. Two VIP patrol boats approached the Hati Buana Setia, a traditional cargo sailboat known as a pinisi, moored at Dock No. 9. Percussion music could be heard and colorful lights shone around the area.
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