Learning the Indonesian words for 'yes' and 'no' is easy, right? Well, yes and no...

Hilmar Farid rejects the notion that his new position as director-general of culture at the education and culture department was given to him for his contribution to President Joko Widodo's campaign in 2014. Hilmar insists he had to undergo the entire recruitment procedure, beating all his rivals through a very tight selection process. Hilmar, 47, a University of Indonesia graduate, was sworn in into his new job on December 31, 2015.

There's something different about Bambang Widjojanto, former deputy chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Arriving to attend the launching of Tempo's 45-year celebration logo last week, where he was a keynote speaker, Bambang was seen to drive a shiny black sedan automobile. What's unusual about this is that Bambang almost never drove a car but always used public transportation to get around town.

Back from her trip to the Middle East, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi reported on a meeting with her Saudi counterpart Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir in Riyadh, last week. "We discussed investment projects in Indonesia, including a plan to develop oil refineries," said Retno in a text message to Tempo.

FOR a week now, Budi Supriyanto has disappeared from his office on the 13th floor of Gedung Nusantara I in the parliament complex at Senayan, Jakarta. As Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators searched his office on Friday two weeks ago, the Golkar Party politician was nowhere to be found. "After the raid, he never came to the office," said Zaki, a member of his staff, last Wednesday.

The legal defeat at the Palembang District Court late last year did not deter the environment and forestry ministry to continue filing lawsuits against land-torching companies. This time, the ministry targeted National Sago Prima.

When the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested Damayanti Wisnu Putranti, an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker from Commission V, two serious concerns emerged. First, being arrested and thrown in jail for corruption is apparently not scary or shameful enough to motivate changes. Secondly, the House of Representatives (DPR) has failed to cleanse itself of the taint of corruption, despite the many cases that have afflicted many of its members. The ugly face of our parliament could be seen, once again, when Damayanti and her two assistants were nabbed in the process of accepting a bribe.

THE public is split on whether to legalize street racing in Jakarta. Last week's Tempo poll indicates that many respondents support the Jakarta government's plan to provide a venue for racing wannabes. However, almost as many respondents oppose the idea, the difference in opinion being 19 respondents from a total of 696.

INFRASTRUCTURE
Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway Project Inaugurated

Orders from Aman Abdurrahman, the leader of Jemaah Ansharut Daulah, came from Kembang Kuning prison on Nusakambangan island last December. According to sources at the Police Counterterrorism Detachment 88, Aman, who committed himself to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and who now leads ISIS members in Indonesia, announced, "Now is the time for amaliyah (action)."

This year, Indonesia and India mark 75 years of diplomatic relations. However, the ties between the two nations have existed much longer, predating the establishment of the Republic of Indonesia and the Republic of India. These connections span social, cultural, religious, economic, and trade aspects. But do those close ties of the past have any bearing on the present relationship? Why is there no direct flight between the capitals of the two countries?

Indian Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor-Leste, Sandeep Chakravorty, shares his views on this matter at TEMPO TALKS.