June 28, 2016 edition

With the end of Ramadan fast approaching, Bambang Brodjonegoro's busy schedule has just begun. His days are filled with one ministerial meeting after another. He must also keep monitoring two legislative bills currently being discussed by the House of Representatives (DPR) to ensure that they are passed by the end of the month as scheduled. One bill concerns the revised state budget (RAPBN-P) and the other is on the tax amnesty.
The revised state budget will be slashed by Rp90 trillion to account for declining revenues. Another way of addressing the shortfall is through tax amnesty, which is expected to bring additional revenues of up to Rp165 trillion. Bambang sincerely hopes the DPR will enact the two legislations. "The government's program, including the revised state budget, should be backed by the parties claiming to support the government," said Bambang.

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More Interview articles in other editions

June 21, 2016 edition

Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian was recently nominated as the sole candidate for the position of National Police chief. Last week, President Joko Widodo submitted Tito's name to the House of Representatives (DPR) as a replacement to the incumbent police chief, Gen. Badrodin Haiti, who will retire next month.
Tito admits he could not refuse the President's order, although there are quite a few other more senior officers who qualify for the post. In fact, Tito, a 1987 graduate of the Military Academy, will leapfrog four other higher-ranking generals. "This is the President's choice and that's an order," Tito said during his visit to the Tempo office last Friday.

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June 14, 2016 edition

Setya Novanto announced his support for the government of President Joko Widodo right after he was elected chairman of the Golkar Party for the 2016-2019 term. He made the announcement at the Golkar national convention in Nusa Dua, Bali, last May, saying that his party was oriented towards development for the people, a vision that was in line with the development programs espoused by Jokowi. "In order to achieve our mission, Golkar must work with the government," asserted 60-year-old Setya, who hails from Bandung, West Java.
He claims that his party's support of the government had nothing to do about securing his legal status over a number of pending cases, among them the 'Papa Wants Shares' scandal. "I don't feel there are any pending cases against me," Setya stressed.

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June 7, 2016 edition

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.
Convicted for crimes of terrorism, Umar, 49, who has many aliases, was prominently mentioned last May as having played a role in the release of 10 Indonesians held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf armed separatist group in the Philippines. Umar claimed to have offered his services in negotiating for the release of the hostages, crew members of the Brahma 12 tug boat. "I wanted to help because they were my fellow compatriots. Everything I did was above board, I asked no pre-conditions," said Umar Patek, whose real name is Hisyam bin Ali Zein.

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May 31, 2016 edition

Supreme Court Chief Justice Muhammad Hatta Ali feels the current negative media reports about the court system are excessive and unjustified. "When it comes to reports about our justice system, they tend to be exaggerated," said Hatta during a recent interview.
The reputation of the Supreme Court was once again in question after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) nabbed Central Jakarta Court Clerk Edy Nasution red-handed accepting a bribe from a businessman.

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May 24, 2016 edition

Minister for Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Yohana Susana Yembise, 58, cannot afford to take it easy yet, even though Law No. 35/2014 is ready to be enacted. Better known as the Bill on Castration, this piece of legislation will soon be deliberated on at the House of Representatives (DPR).
The bill was drafted by three ministries at the instruction of President Joko Widodo as a response to the emerging cases of sexual abuse. The ministries involved are the ministries coordinating human development and culture, social affairs and women's empowerment and child protection. "The President has instructed the attorney-general and me to monitor the passage of the bill," said Yohana in a recent interview.

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May 17, 2016 edition

Public service is something new to 52-year-old Amzulian Rifai, the new chairman of the Office of the Ombudsman. After all, he spent the past 25 years in the academic affairs of Sriwijaya University in Palembang, South Sumatra. But he is ready to dedicate himself to a new assignment, which is to be the people's 'ear', to listen to those disappointed by the quality of public services rendered. Amzulian believes the Ombudsman is the right place to dedicate his time and his resources. He decided to apply for the job, and in an open session, was elected chairman for the 2016-2021 period.
Amzulian is aware that leading the Office of the Ombudsman will not be an easy task. Right from the start, he has had to face the snide comments that the Ombudsman is nothing more than a toothless institution with no specific objective in mind. The building alone, he observed when he first went there, looked no better than a warehouse. "It was in really bad condition," he said in an interview last week.

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