October 20, 2015 edition
A meeting held on the 46th floor of the Bakrie Tower in Kuningan, South Jakarta, last Monday gave Golkar Party leaders a chance to make their pitch. Ade Komarudin, chair of the Golkar faction at the House of Representatives (DPR), was given the task of explaining the party's draft of a National Amnesty Bill to assembled party heads.
The bill had yet to undergo scrutiny at the DPR. According to Gerindra Party Secretary-General Ahmad Muzani, furthermore, those present were unpersuaded by the presentation. "The bill offers undue leeway, generous tax amnesties and will be hotly debated by the public," Ahmad noted. Ade Komarudin declined to comment.
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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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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