October 13, 2015 edition

A long queue has already formed at the registration counter of the Doris Sylvanus Regional Public Hospital in Palangkaraya early last Wednesday. Most of those lining up were mothers with babies. Until late in the afternoon, the hospital was flooded with children suffering from ailments caused by the polluted air.
As the children-only Flamboyan Ward filled up, only those whose condition were considered serious were put in the emergency care unit. When Tempo visited last Wednesday, 10 of the beds were occupied by patients aged under eight. They included 8-month-old Alika, who had been hospitalized for three days. "Before coming here, Alika was hospitalized in Kuala Kurun's hospital in Gunung Mas Regency," said Rita, Alika's mother.

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More National articles in other editions

October 6, 2015 edition

It is rare to find anyone at the State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) minister's official residence in South Jakarta. Normally, SOE Minister Rini Soemarno will stop by the house only about once a month. "On Wednesday last week, some 15 wives of government officials visited the house," said Andi, the house security guard, at the Widya Chandra housing complex.
The house has come under the public spotlight after Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Masinton Pasaribu filed a report with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on alleged gratuities carried out by Pelindo II CEO Richard Joost Lino. As evidence, Masinton produced an official note from Pelindo II to its subsidiary, Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok, dated March 16, regarding a transfer of Rp200 million for the procurement of goods for Minister Rini's official residence.The note, a copy of which was obtained by Tempo, indicates that the money was spent on one long sofa worth Rp35 million, two small sofas worth Rp25 million and a set of office equipment worth Rp59 million. In addition, there was also the purchase of a Rp10 million sofa table plus six dining-room table seats, priced at Rp3.5 million each.

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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

Soleh bin Husein Alaydrus' house was filled with concerned citizens last week. As the evening progressed, more and more people came to the home of the well-known village figure, now 61, located in a basin of the Ciliwung in Kampung Pulo, East Jakarta.

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