July 14, 2015 edition

AFTER his preoccupation with the controversy over the Javanese-intonation reading of the Qur'an, Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin now must focus his attention on the Nusantara Islam issue. This involves the debate of a genre of Islam that is unique to Indonesia, one that is being unofficially supported by the government.
The rejection by hard-line Islamists has not dampened the government's plan to keep pushing for a Nusantara (archipelagic) Islam. "They got it wrong. Nusantara Islam is not an ideology," said Lukman, in a special interview with Tempo reporters Sugiharto and Sunudyantoro, last week.

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More Cover Story articles in other editions

July 10, 2015 edition

NOVEL Baswedan stood by his testimony at the Constitutional Court on May 25. Even though his superiors at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) contradicted him, Novel, a senior KPK investigator stressed there was recorded proof of intent to terrorize, intimidate, and threaten KPK leaders and employees last January to February. "My statements remain the same," said Novel, last week.

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July 7, 2015 edition

ON four separate occasions over the past month, Jasrul had heard disturbing reports. The TNI (Indonesian Military) retiree learned that the engine on the C-130 Hercules plane which his son flew on had often experienced engine failure. He heard this from Captain Riri Setiawan, Jasrul's son, a navigator on C-130 Hercules planes. Riri also informed his two younger siblings of the issue.

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June 30, 2015 edition

CABINET Secretary Andi Widjajanto carried a large folder as he quickly exited the back door of his office at the State Secretariat main building, located at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta, two weeks ago. The folder bearing the logo of the Cabinet Secretariat contained the reports of 34 cabinet ministers, as requested by President Joko Widodo. "The president is waiting for me. I'm in a hurry," Andi told Tempo.
This was the final day to submit the ministers' performance reports. The deadline was 3pm last Thursday. Andi's job was to collect all the reports and turn them over to the president. It took just two minutes for a golf cart to swiftly deliver him to the State Palace, located on the grounds of the Presidential Palace complex.

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June 23, 2015 edition

SUGENG Suparwoto was back on the list of candidates to be a member of a selection committee. His application was sent to the State Civil Administration Commission. After having been dropped from a list at one place, his name appeared as a candidate for a selection committee for echelon-1 officials at the Creative Economy Agency. Triawan Munaf, head of the Creative Economy Agency, had submitted the name of Sugeng, and others, in a letter at the end of last April.

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June 16, 2015 edition

A MEETING of the board of directors of state-run electricity company PLN held in the second half 2011 was marked by worries over the possible failure to construct 21 power relay stations for the Java-Bali and Nusa Tenggara electricity grids. One director reported to Dahlan Iskan as the project leader that if the relay station material procurement bidding process was not completed that year, the target would likely be delayed by four to five years. If this happened, it would be nearly assured that an electricity crisis would be unavoidable. Rolling blackouts on the country's most populated islands would be almost inevitable.
The problem was, according to Finance Minister Regulation No. 194/2011, the tender process could only start if the land for the project had been secured. At that time, most of the land had not yet been purchased. All of those attending the meeting understood that if they broke the rules they might face legal risks in the future. "If I have to be arrested, just arrest me," said one senior PLN official who attended that meeting, quoting Dahlan.

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June 9, 2015 edition

THE mood at the rest area for Rohingya and Bangladeshi people in Kuala Langsa, East Aceh, was quiet on Tuesday night two weeks ago. There were only a few youths about, some chatting together. Many were reciting the evening prayer. "Assalamualaikum," greeted Zaidul Haq.

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