April 19, 2016 edition
Cover Story
Drops of sweat appeared continuously on the woman's body. In her arms, she held a newborn baby in a similar state. Both were bathed in sweat as they were sleeping on a platform with burning wood underneath it. The baby, less than a week old, was coughing. "Why wouldn't it cough? The whole room was already filled with smoke," commented Rosalinda Delin, recounting what she saw in 2003 when she first began visiting the homes of mothers who had just given birth.
Rosalinda, now Midwives Coordinator for the Village Maternity Clinic (Polindes) of Jenilu village at Atapupu Clinic for Belu Regency in East Nusa Tenggara, was stunned by what she saw. She was concerned this tradition would have a bad effect on the health of both mother and infant. "If it was allowed to go on, many newborns would not survive because they would get pneumonia and mothers would become anemic."
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Weekly Business
SOES
Angkasa Pura II Issues Bonds
Angkasa Pura II has issued Rp2 trillion in bonds. According to CEO Budi Karya Sumadi, the funds from the issuance will be used to boost the state-owned airport management company's capital expenditures. Danareksa and Mandiri Sekuritas have been named the underwriters.
Angkasa Pura II Issues Bonds
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Economy
Early this year, after the lowering of Bank Indonesia's interest rate to 6.75 percent, the rupiah surprisingly strengthened to Rp13,100 per US dollar level from Rp14,000 in December last year. Incoming foreign portfolio funds have helped this trend as it bought our government bonds. This is not surprising, given the 7 percent interest on our government bonds, compared to near zero rates in advanced market bonds. Inflation at home has also been kept at 4.45 percent and the current account deficit at 2 percent of GDP. Still, market players have doubts whether this positive trend will last.
This is because business activity remains weak. For the first few months this year, auto and motorcycle sales have not shown any significant improvement. With exports still sluggish and consumer spending low, the sole driver of economic growth now is government spending. But with tax revenue still below target, there are doubts whether this can be relied on.
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National
SUNNY Tanuwidjaja rose from his chair when Sugianto Kusuma, alias Aguan, approached him in the waiting room at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) building last Wednesday. Sunny invited Aguan to sit down. A short while later, Sunny excused himself.
Five minutes later, Aguan followed him up to the eighth floor. Both are witnesses in the suspected bribery of Mohamad Sanusi, a Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party lawmaker at the Jakarta City Council (DPRD). Both were questioned for eight hours.
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Sidelines
Religion and science keep on clashing, even in the 21st century. So it was in another century, on April 12, 1633 when Galileo, an old man of almost 70, was held for two weeks by the Inquisition, the Church's tool for probing and investigating the conviction of one's faith.
The Vatican considered Galileo a heretic. He had to admit that he did believe in the Copernican theory of the earth and the sun, even though 17 years earlier he had promised to abandon it. That day, Galileo recanted: he would adhere to the theory that the earth circled the sun and not the reverse. He recanted and for this he was imprisoned. Eventually though, he did confess his sin, apologize and express his doubt of the Copernican system, and returned to the path determined by religion: "I hold the opinion...that the earth does not move and it is the sun that does."
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Law
THE relaxed chat between Ojang Sohandi, the regent of Subang, West Java, and District Commander Lt. Col. Budi Mawardi Syam came to an abrupt halt on Monday last week when Subang Police Chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Agus Nurpatria strolled into the office with two Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) commissioners in tow.
Budi told Agus that KPK officers would have to take him to Jakarta. Ojang made no effort to resist. He did, however, request he be allowed to use his own car.
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Opinion
The recurring scandals of bribes paid by regional chiefs to prosecutors should cause Attorney-General H.M. Prasetyo to hang his head in shame. It is a sign that he has failed to put matters right and to reform the system and the people who run it. His promise to rid his department of prosecutors who take advantage of cases they work on is still far from a reality.
Before the Brantas Abipraya case, which seems to have led to the bribery of Jakarta Attorney-General's Office (AGO) chief Sudung Situmorang, has even been resolved, Deviyanti Rochaeni, prosecutor for special crimes at the West Java AGO was caught red-handed herself. She was handling the case of Healthcare Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) funds abuse by two Subang Health Service officials, Budi Santoso and Jajang Abdul Kholik. She is now alleged to have accepted Rp528 million from Subang Regent Ojang Sohandi, possibly to keep his name out of the case.
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Interview
The attention given to the police, in particular Counterterrorism Detachment 88 (Densus 88), over for the questionable death of Siyono, cannot be disassociated from the role of the Muhammadiyah. This religious organization founded by K.H. Ahmad Dahlan has been the driving force advocating justice for Siyono's family. But this has led to charges that Muhammadiyah is pro-terrorism.
Haedar Nashir, 58, chairman of Muhammadiyah's executive board, stated that support for Siyono's family was purely in the interest of humanity. "In addition to looking after humanitarian values, we also have an interest in seeing that the law is enforced," said Haedar.
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Diplomatic Bag
Federica Mogherini, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, made a two-day official visit to Jakarta on April 8-9 in a bid to intensify the partnership between the EU, Indonesia and ASEAN. "Indonesia is a key partner in a key region," she said during a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi at the foreign ministry.
Mogherini and Retno cochaired the first EU-Indonesia Strategic Dialogue. They discussed the cooperation on counterterrorism and antiradicalization. The EU High Representative noted that Indonesia has a larger Muslim population than all the Arab countries put together, emphasizing the significance of the country in combating misrepresentations of Islam.
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Outreach
Indicator
JAKARTA Governor Basuki Tjahaja 'Ahok' Purnama says no one can manipulate his leadership. The pledge was made after the Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK) slapped a travel ban on staff member Sunny Tanuwidjaja for allegedly bribing a Jakarta lawmaker from the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party, Mohamad Sanusi, in relation to the Jakarta Bay reclamation project.
The KPK confiscated Rp140 million and US$8,000 from a Rp1 billion agreed-upon fee. Sunny is suspected of acting as the middle man between Sanusi and a group of investors involved in the reclamation project. These firms were united in opposition to a hike in 'added contribution' that was then being debated at the Jakarta City Council (DPRD).
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Tempo Talks
Improving Connectivity, Boosting Cooperation
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.
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