June 21, 2016 edition

TRADITIONALLY, prices go up during Ramadan fasting month, especially for food. This year, Joko Widodo's government would like it to be different. "Every year, as we approach Idul Fitri, prices increase. (This time) we would like to have a discount," Jokowi said on the second day of fasting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.
The government has since taken steps to bring down prices. The ministry of trade lifted import restrictions on beef, sugar, shallots and rice, while the state logistics agency (Bulog) was tasked with reining in soaring prices on rice, corn and soy beans.

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More Indicator articles in other editions

June 14, 2016 edition

LAST Tuesday, a state administrative court judge ruled the license held by Muara Wisesa for the reclamation of Samudra G Island to be null and void. The judge ordered a halt to all reclamation activities until a ruling is delivered by the Supreme Court.
Fishermen welcomed the news with joy. Together with a legal aid institution, they proceeded to forward a lawsuit against the licenses covering other islands. In total, there are 17 islands set for reclamation in the Jakarta Bay.

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June 7, 2016 edition

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 latest case involves Kepahiang District Court Chief Janner Pure who was apprehended by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) last week. Together with his colleague, Toton, the judge was caught accepting Rp150 million in bribes. The KPK also found Rp500 million while raiding his office.

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May 31, 2016 edition

A COMEDY. This seems to be the proper way to describe the recent Golkar Party chairman election.
Setya Novanto, a former party treasurer and disgraced speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR), won the election somewhat anticlimactically. His closest challenger was Ade Komarudin, the current DPR speaker.

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May 24, 2016 edition

HISTORY has proven that communism is unable to mature in most societies. Currently, only a few countries still practice the ideology, with some adjustments. For instance, Vietnam adopted capitalism in 1986 through their Doi Moi policy. China, too, has slipped in democratic principles into its government.
What about Indonesia? Officially, a 1966 People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) provision remains in force, meaning communism is banned. However, security forces and several mass organizations insist communism is coming back. To eradicate the perceived-some would say manufactured-threat, they have confiscated t-shirts, books with 'leftist' teachings and even shut down discussions and films about the lives of political prisoners.

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May 17, 2016 edition

A letter from FIFA, the world football organization, provided relief that the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) was looking for.
The letter recommended that the government lift a freeze issued in April 2015 by Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi that banned the PSSI from competition.

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May 10, 2016 edition

Over the past year, the government has been aggressively pursuing negligent taxpayers. President Joko Widodo set a goal of Rp1.29 quadrillion for 2015, but the government was only able to collect Rp1.06 quadrillion. This year, the target has been increased to Rp1.55 quadrillion.
Several factors have prevented the government from reaching its target. One is that businessmen have stashed huge sums of untaxed money abroad. To reach its target, the government is planning to pardon these tax dodgers in the hope they will start paying taxes again.

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