January 5, 2016 edition
Dawn was breaking when four men gathered in front of the security post of the Taman Harapan Baru housing complex in Bekasi on Wednesday two weeks ago. The four mostly remained silent, absorbed in their cell phones. Their eyes were alert, scrutinizing passing cars. Now and again, they glanced east toward the complex's exit gate that led to the main road. There, too, several men were observing incoming and outgoing cars.
A security officer, Dalman, had the chance to ask, "Anything I can do for you, Mas?"
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December 29, 2015 edition
The maneuver performed by the T-50i Golden Eye jet fighter in Yogyakarta under a clear sky on Sunday last week ended in disaster. Pilot Marda Sarjono applied an afterburner so that the nose of the aircraft rose upright. The jet owned by the Indonesian Air Force then took a plunge while performing a loop maneuver.
The fighter should have ascended before it was too close to the ground, but the aircraft seemed to have lost the power to lift off. In the end, the 6-ton fighter hit the south part of the airbase at 9:53am.
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December 22, 2015 edition
Sarifuddin Sudding, a People's Conscience (Hanura) Party politician, cracked a joke last Tuesday during the fit-and-proper test of one of the candidates to head the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Basaria Panjaitan. "Actually, I would like to ask more questions, but I see Trimedya keeps looking at me. He's not even blinking," he said to the laughter of those present at the meeting. Trimedya Panjaitan, an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician, only smiled weakly when his colleague cracked a joke at his expense.
The suitability test of the retired police officer with the rank of inspector-general was the only one Trimedya fully attended. The deputy chair of the House of Representatives' (DPR) law commission stayed seated throughout the session from the start. That was understandable as Basaria was one of PDI-P's favorite KPK leadership candidates. Trimedya said her track record is clean because she was never made a regional police chief. "She's unblemished," he said.
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December 8, 2015 edition
THE rain that began to fall in Mojokerto regency, East Java, forced Dwi Heru Kendoyo to rack his brain. The Mojokerto General Elections Commission (KPU) secretary had think up a way to keep the election materials set to be distributed throughout the regency dry. The vote was just a few days away.
Mojokerto is one of the 269 regions set to hold regional head elections on December 9. The vote will be the first-ever simultaneous regional election in Indonesia.
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December 1, 2015 edition
Debate raged on last Monday in an important meeting of the House of Representatives' (DPR) ethics committee. At hand was the question of whether Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said had the requisite legal standing to report an ethical violation by DPR Speaker Setya Novanto. Members of the panel were divided in their views.
Golkar Party and Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party lawmakers were the loudest voices opposing Sudirman's standing. Their argument referred to DPR Regulation No. 2/2015 on committee procedures. Sudirman's position as a minister, they argued, meant he could not be classified as an 'informant'.
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November 24, 2015 edition
Debate among members on the House of Representatives' (DPR) Law Commission spread over a record-breaking three days last week as lawmakers struggled to come to consensus on the status of four of eight candidates for Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) commissioner. "The selection committee did not work systematically," complained Taufiqulhadi, a commission member from the National Democratic (NasDem) faction.
From eight candidatesSaut Situmorang, Surya Tjandra, Alexander Marwata, Basaria Panjaitan, Agus Rahardjo, Sujanarko, Johan Budi Sapto Pribowo, and Laode Muhamad Syariffive will be chosen on November 30. They will join Busyro Muqoddas and Robby Arya Brata, who were selected last year.
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November 17, 2015 edition