STROKING his beard and looking pensive, Abraham said, in a low voice, "Some untouchable people will be arrested." The chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) added, "Be patient, we will reveal all."

Imagine, there is no country.

With fresh haze plaguing cities in Sumatra and Kalimantan this month, Indonesia finally ratified the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution last week, making it ASEAN's final member to ratify the pact signed in 2002.

JALAN Kiai Saleh 12 in Semarang testifies to the history of Oei Tiong Ham. On the road, the mansion of the wealthiest tycoon in the Dutch East Indies during the early 20th century-he was known as Asia's 'Sugar King'-still stands imposingly. The sugar magnate occupied a grand residence of classical European architecture with eight pillars supporting its terrace, beautified by several chandeliers. A Javanese touch of architecture is seen on the eaves with wooden shingle ornaments.

Dewi Anggraeni*

Tunisia captured world attention three years ago when protests in the North African state ignited a political fuse that spread a political revolution across the Middle East, known as the Arab Spring. On December 18, 2010, 26-year-old fruit vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in the town of Sidi Bouzid, in protest over police corruption and ill treatment, triggering nationwide protests that led Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to flee the country. But unlike similar rebellions that followed in countries like Egypt, Lybia, Yemen and others, it is only Tunisia which has persevered and overcome the challenges of democratization.

A national research team has discovered ancient buildings and artifacts at the Mount Padang archaeological site in, Cianjur regency, West Java. The team's deputy chairman for geology, Danny Hilman Natawidjadja, said they had found a 22-centimeter-long stone rod on the mountain's southern slope, about two or three meters below the surface. The rod has pores and magnetic characteristics that attract it to metal. "It resembles Harry Potter's magic wand, which is fit for gripping," Danny said last week.

THE speculation was answered on Monday evening last week. In front of the press, President-elect Joko Widodo and Vice President-elect Jusuf Kalla announced how many ministries will exist after they take office on October 20. "Thirty-four," said Joko in front of the office of his Transition Team in Central Jakarta.

IT is an open secret that there are often illegal practices in the procurement of oil from overseas. Brokers pretending to be traders look for profits by manipulating the price when there is a domestic oil deficit. These illegal practices by the oil mafia have continued for decades-and have cost the state hundreds of trillions of rupiah.

The regional elections bill has become a national scandal. Lawmakers are talking about changing Indonesian democracy so that governors, regents and mayors are elected not directly by the people, but by members of the Regional Houses of Representatives (DPRD).

Regulating Foreign Workers

THERE is no need for the House of Representatives (DPR) to insist on passing the Advocates Bill it is currently deliberating. It would be a complete waste of time if the Bill was passed but later caused problems. The politicians should delay discussions and ask the opinions of more legal experts, academics and most of all, from their own organization.

SIX men in dark brown uniforms walked back and forth on floor 7C in the Graha Pos Indonesia building in Bandung last week. Between afternoon working hours, two members of the Attorney General's Office's (AGO) Corruption Eradication Task Force emerged from behind a glass wall. The partition separates the lobby from Pos Indonesia CEO Budi Setiawan's workspace.

SUBSIDIZED FUEL
Pertamina To Launch Fuel Card

Mitsubishi Motors announced plans to build a new automobile factory in Bekasi in May 2017. According to plan, the new factory will produce multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) with a production capacity of 160,000 units and will continue to develop until it reaches 240,000 units a year.

EKO Prasojo, the minister for administrative reform, was not surprised when president-elect Joko Widodo's transition team focused on the government's Rp18 trillion budget on official travel. During his term he pondered over it and tried to reduce the amount. "I offered three alternatives on the cabinet's new structure," Prasojo told Tempo reporters Bagja Hidayat and Muhammad Muhyiddin.

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.