September 29, 2015 edition
Setya Novanto found himself under the gun Wednesday two weeks ago. The House of Representatives (DPR) executive board had summoned him to ask why he met with US presidential candidate Donald Trump during a trip to New York in early September.
As the meeting was about to end, Setya suddenly brought up the issue of allowances. He instructed Roem Kono, chairman of the Household Affairs Board (BURT) to announce an increase in allowances for DPR members.
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September 22, 2015 edition
Despite two plenary sessions, the Indonesia Ombudsman failed to issue a recommendation concerning Novel Baswedan's complaint. Novel Baswedan, a Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator, filed a complaint with the Indonesian Ombudsman concerning the alleged administrative violation by police who arrested and detained him.
Budi Santoso, member of the Ombudsman board, said a draft recommendation was ready to be signed by the Ombudsman chairman, Danang Girindrawardana. "But there were dissenting views among the leaders," he said Thursday last week. Budi said the eight-member team had produced a draft recommendation raised in the Ombudsman executive plenary sessions on August 11 and 31, but it was not agreed upon.
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September 15, 2015 edition
HASRUL Azwar appeared agitated. At his House of Representatives (DPR) office last Friday, the chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) faction quickly took a stack of documents from the book shelves. The thick collection of documents contained charges against former Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali and was heavily marked with scrawls and blue highlights. "I've marked everything; not one says I was involved," Hasrul said.
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September 8, 2015 edition
President Joko Widodo listened intently as the head of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) selection committee Destry Damayanti explained the selection process to him at the State Palace last Monday, describing the number of registered contestants, selection phases, background checks and interviews. The President who was quietly paying attention asked, "What if I want to reject?" Destry, seemingly taken aback by the question, turned to team member Harkristuti Harkrisnowo. Hastily, Harkristuti chimed in. "By law, Bapak has two weeks to study the selection results." Before being interrupted by the President, Destry then went over the overview of the candidates' track records and the reasons why they were chosen. This time, Destry asked the President first, "Are you surprised because there are no big names in the list, Bapak?" to which the President replied, "I'm not surprised. I agree with your picks." All the team members breathed a sigh of relief.
After the closed meeting, President Jokowi, accompanied by the selection team, announced the list: Saut Sitomorang, expert staffer at the State Intelligence Agency, and Surya Tjandra, labor activist, for the prevention category; Alexander Marwata, corruption court judge, and Basaria Panjaitan, lecturer at the national police leadership academy for the law enforcement category; Agus Rahardjo, former head of Government Goods and Services Procurement Policy Institution, and Sujanarko, Director of KPK's Inter-commission and Agency Cooperation Network Development, for the management category; and Johan Budi Sapto Pribowo, acting KPK leader, and Laode Muhammad Syarif, lecturer of Law at Hasanuddin University, for the supervision and monitoring category.
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September 1, 2015 edition
August 25, 2015 edition
Patrice Rio Capella was enjoying his year-end holiday in Munich, Germany, when he received a call from Jakarta. At the end of line was Andi Widjajantothen the cabinet secretarywho wanted Patrice to recommend three politicians from the National Democrat (NasDem) Party for ambassadorships abroad. The NasDem Secretary-General wanted to know which countries were available. "That will be determined by the President." Patrice quoted Andi as saying.
Soon afterward, Patrice contacted NasDem chief Surya Paloh, who was vacationing in London. Surya gave Patrice permission to identify suitable candidates. Patrice ended up submitting two names, after which he was not consulted again.
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August 17, 2015 edition