IN areas of west and north Kalimantan along the border separating Indonesia and Malaysia, life is hard for most of the local residents, economically, socially, and in matters pertaining to education. Across the border in Sabah, Malaysia's largest oil palm plantation region, over 200,000 Indonesians work on plantations and the refineries, mostly as unskilled labor or domestic helpers. According to the National Migrant Worker Placement and Protection Agency out of that number, about 140,000 are illegal workers.

THE Indonesian legal system is at the end of the line. The public no longer trusts in the judges after so many have been caught taking bribes.

The Term Yahweh in Bible

Jails can no longer be relied on to rehabilitate lawbreakers. After four years behind bars, Muhammad Nazaruddin seems as free as ever to influence the procedures of government projects. From Sukamiskin Correctional Facility in Bandung, West Java, the former Democrat Party treasurer is alleged to have pressured and threatened H.M. Wardan, the regent of Indragiri Hilir in Riau, to follow his instructions.

The partnership between state oil and gas company Pertamina and Russian oil firm Rosneft in building the Tuban refinery in East Java seems to have been a tight competition between the ministries of state-owned enterprises Ministry (SOE) and that of energy and mineral resources (ESDM). Pertamina CEO Dwi Soetjipto asserted that Rosneft's win was in line with company procedures. "We have also reported it to our shareholders," he told Tempo reporters Agus Supriyanto and Ayu Prima Sandi at the Pertamina headquarters in Jakarta, last week.

TRANSPORTATION
Government Legalizes Ride-Hailing Apps

Indonesia has missed an opportunity to graduate this month. Last Wednesday, Standard & Poor's (S&P) global ratings confirmed that Indonesia's rating will remain in non-investment grade territory. In S&P language, that means BB+, just one notch short from getting out of the junk category. No offence taken, in financial market lingo, non-investment grade bond is simply a junk bond.

Activities at the central meeting room at the Golkar Party's offices in Slipi, West Jakarta, paused abruptly last Thursday when the power went out during Golkar Executive Chairman Nurdin Halid's speech. The officials rose from their chairs. Some headed for the table filled with food. Others snuck out to get some fresh air. Darkness and stuffiness filled the room.

Anti-PKI Symposium Held

TWO bangs of the gavel were greeted with rapturous applause and calls of 'praise be to God' as dozens of fishermen from North Jakarta cheered the decision handed down by the Jakarta State Administration Court (PTUN) on Tuesday last week. "This is victory for the people and fishermen," said Kuat, one of the plaintiffs in the case.

The flight from Sumbawa disgorged a planeload of small businessmen, missionary families with young children, a few white-veiled nuns, a smattering of French and Dutch tourists, two Australian surfers and myself onto the tarmac of West Sumba's Tambolaka airport. We rode through a dry countryside of steepled churches atop hills, fields of galloping horses, clusters of stone slab graves, roofs of riotous bougainvillea blossoms, and rows of scraggly shops and squealing pigs being loaded into pickup trucks. In the late 1990s, I remember seeing loin-clothed wild pig hunters carrying spears along the road with their dogs, but not this time.

PRENJAK
Director: Wregas Bhanuteja
Screenplay: Wregas Bhanuteja
Actors: Rosa Winenggar, Yohanes Budyambara, Hosea Hatmaji, Banyu Bening

The past two months have been eventful for Vincent Guerend, 47, the European Union Ambassador to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam.

With his flaming red hair and grinning face, Umar Patek greeted Tempo at Surabaya's maximum correctional facility in Porong, Sidoardjo, East Java, three weeks ago. He was allowed out of his cell in Block F to meet us at the visitors' room.

The man in the army hat and black ski mask smoking a small pipe has disappeared. He is not in San Cristobal de las Casa, not in other towns, and not in the Mexican interior. That was where he once took up arms, fought, spoke, wrote, and mingled with the poor Chiapas framers who were fighting for their rights. Ten years later, Subcomandante Marcos, the most prominent figure in the Zapatista rebellion, vanished.

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.