May 31, 2016 edition
Ahead of President Joko Widodo's visit to Russia two weeks ago, the Indonesian embassy in Moscow hosted frequent visits from top Rosoboronexport officials. The Russian company, which is the nation's sales agent for defense equipment, sent seven representatives to meet Ambassador Wahid Supriyadi and bring him an important message.
One government official said they urged him to get the signing of the Sukhoi-35 fighter aircraft purchase included as one of the items in a memorandum of understanding to be signed in the presence of President Jokowi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Their request was very odd as, from the outset, such an agenda was never discussed," he said.
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May 24, 2016 edition
RIDWAN Bae and I Ketut Sudikerta had to wait outside the entrance to Setya Novanto's villa at Mulia Resort, Nusa Dua Bali last Tuesday. The chairmen of Golkar's Southeast Sulawesi and Bali chapters wanted to meet their host, the incoming Golkar Party chairman. Setya was doing the rounds, greeting all the guests who were paying him a visit. Not all were able to enter, some were forced to queue up outside the villa's entrance. Two people close to Setya, Nurul Arifin and Roem Kono, were acting as visitors' guides.
Yorrys Raweyai was also there, accompanying Setya while various media people interviewed the latter. In his villa, costing Rp250 million a night, Setya was assembling Golkar's core management team. Roem Kono revealed many people had come proposing various names. "That's normal. After he won, of course lots of people will come," the chairman of the Kinship and Mutual Help Council told Tempo.
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May 17, 2016 edition
A special meeting held in President Joko Widodo's office at the Merdeka Palace last Monday ended with Vice President Jusuf Kalla venting his frustration on the Golkar Party's recently begun extraordinary national congress.
He complained to the President of the steps Luhut was taking to help Setya Novanto in his bid to be party chairman. Kalla took exception to Luhut's claims that Setya had won the government's support.
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May 3, 2016 edition
When Joko Widodo entered the State Palace 18 months ago, he did so with less than a decade of political experience, and with little knowledge of world affairs.
This inexperience, combined with the urgent need to rejuvenate a flagging economy, led many to worry Jokowi would tether Indonesia's foreign affairs to a domestic reform agenda, backpedaling from his predecessor's committed internationalism.
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April 26, 2016 edition
THIRTY Islamic scholars crowded into the front room of former Deputy Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin's residence in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, on Friday three weeks ago. His guests included K.H. Abdul Rashid Abdullah Shafi, leader of the As-Syafi'iyah Islamic Studies Center; the former chair of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Jakarta Regional Advisory Board, K.H. Maulana Kamal Yusuf; as well as the head of Husnayain Islamic Boarding School, K.H. A. Cholil Ridwan. Also present were Head of the Crescent Star Party's (PBB) Advisory Board M. S. Kaban; one-time Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) advisor Abdullah Hehamahua; and KPK's former Deputy Chief Chandra M. Hamzah.
The men sat in a circle sampling fresh fruits and sipping on mineral water. The conversation centered on the theme of nostalgia, with scholars reminiscing about their time with Sjafrie when he was Jayakarta Military Command chief from 1997 to 1998. For three hours, they took turns expressing grievances about the problems facing Jakarta.
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April 19, 2016 edition
THE 10 Indonesians kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group have yet to be released nearly a month since their capture. As of last Friday, the hostages were still hidden in the southern Philippines, with the armed group demanding a 50 million peso ransom, about Rp15 billion. Cabinet Secretary Pramono Agung said the government had decided to negotiate for their releasea resolution through 'soft diplomacy', as he put it.
The 10 hostages were taken from the Brahma 12 tugboat and the Anand 12 barge, on which all worked as crew members. They were intercepted in Tambulian waters near Tapul Island, an area close to the Indonesian-Filipino border and near Malaysian territorial waters.
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April 12, 2016 edition