October 20, 2015 edition
Two months have passed since the onset of the haze over Sumatra and Kalimantan. Even intermittent rains have failed to get rid of the haze. In Riau and Jambi, it continues to cause the death of many who suffered from respiratory diseases.
The government is not being idle. Police is dealing with dozens of companies suspected of setting the forest on fire, and they face penalties ranging from warnings to a revocation of their licenses. The offer of assistance from Singapore was finally accepted because the haze emergency had become impossible to manage alone. Other countries have also offered their help.
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More Interview articles in other editions
October 13, 2015 edition
For Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, this year's haj pilgrimage turned out to be an ordeal he had never bargained for: having to deal with two major tragedies in the Holy Land in a matter of weeks. One was the crash of a construction crane over the Haram Mosque and the other was the fatal stampede at Mina, when thousands of pilgrims rushed all at once toward the stone-throwing ritual. More than 100 Indonesians died as a result.
Lukman, a United Development Party (PPP) executive and head of the Indonesian haj pilgrims, along with the Haj Pilgrimage Organizing Committee (PPIH), had to bear responsibility for the two tragic incidents. In particular, he felt he needed to be directly involved in the process of seeking and identifying the Mina tragedy victims. It was a heavy burden to bear, given the constant public pressure for an explanation for the two incidents.
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October 6, 2015 edition
Richard Joost Lino, the current CEO of state-owned Pelindo II, is known for his straight talk and penchant for betting. This is evident in how he faces challenges and opposition, whether from his own employees, his colleagues or even government ministers. Recently, Lino was reported to the police by Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician, Masinton Pasaribu, who is also a former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) official, for allegedly giving a gratuity to State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno.
The public is unlikely to forget how Lino stood up against Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Natural Resources Rizal Ramli, also known for his sometimes injudicious language, over the damage at the port area caused by a project overseas by Rizal, as well as charges that Lino used State funds to place ads in a number of major media organizations.
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September 29, 2015 edition
The heat did not seem to bother Johannes 'Jan' Pronk, 75, even though it has been 13 years since he last visited Indonesia. Perhaps it was a residue from the past, when he frequently travelled to Indonesia in his capacity as the Netherland's foreign minister and the UN's special envoy, and when he got acclimatized to the tropical, humid heat.
The bespectacled Pronk fits the description of a professor, rather than a politician and a diplomat of his yesteryears, given his current job as visiting professor at the United Nations University of Peace in Costa Rica and a lecturer at Amsterdam University College in the Netherlands.
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September 22, 2015 edition
A few days back, the hash-tag #melawanasap (battling the haze) was a hot topic on Twitter, posted by tens of thousands of Tweeps who vented their anger over the destructive haze caused by forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Residents in provinces there had become seriously alarmed, as the haze penetrated into everything, homes and even hospitals.
Once again, the haze was seriously affecting the air over most of Indonesia's western provinces and neighboring countries, to a dangerous level. The National Disaster Management Board (BNPB) officially declared the air quality over Riau and Sumtara to be below standard and becoming increasingly worse. The evidence was clear in the pollution levels over towns on the Andalas Island, which was classified as dangerous to human health.
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September 15, 2015 edition
The last time former Bank Indonesia governor Darmin Nasution involved himself with the government was in 2013. Yet when he did rejoin, it was straight towards an economic morass. This time around, he was made coordinating minister for the economy, replacing Sofyan Djalil. Darmin is new in the cabinet, yet he faces a daunting task: to ensure that Indonesia gets away from the global economic storm.
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September 8, 2015 edition