He did not believe in religion of any kind. Voltaire believed only in Godof whom he was always mindful because of God's hard, fundamental cruelty. And incessant.

Alfred Riedl, 67, has proven himself again. The strategy of this Austrian trainer managed to take the Indonesian national football team to the finals of the 2016 AFF Suzuki Cup. This was certainly an achievement given that Riedl trained the 23 players in the team for only four months, following FIFA's suspension on the All-Indonesia Football Association (PSSI), last May.

Leonard Lueras has spent more than half his lifetime traveling across this "incredibly rich and great archipelago," as he described Indonesia, and publishing books about it.

"I'm one of the [few foreign] journalists or writers who actually live here," the 71-year-old American veteran journalist told Tempo English. He has lived in Bali for over 40 years.

Jennifer Lindsay*

Sitting at the airport in Bali on my way home from the Ubud Readers and Writers Festival, I had a great conversation with the psychologist and writer Danny Yatim about Indonesian emphasis words. All those dong-deh-nih-sih type words I wrote about in the last column. I find people always love to talk about fine details of Indonesian like these once you start asking interesting questions. And there is always so much to learn.

Ten ASEAN foreign ministers reconvened at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat in Yangon, Myanmar, on December 19 to discuss the recent development of Rakhine State and the plight of the Rohingyas. "Protection of human rights for all citizens, including the Muslims in Rakhine State, must be upheld with inclusive approach," said the Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

Hugo Hans Siblesz did not deny that the result of the South China Sea arbitration, facilitated by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), has turned the Philippines and China's relationship sour. On July 12, the tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines and denied China's claim on the area, based on the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Although China has rejected the result, Siblesz said, "It is legally binding." But the PCA does not only solve disputes through the tribunal. Siblez, who has headed the PCA since 2012, explained that parties can resolve their issues through reconciliation, mediation or fact-finding. "The Permanent Court of Arbitration is a platform," he said. Siblesz spoke to Tempo journalists Natalia Santi, Mahardika Satria Hadi, Sukma Loppies and Amanda Siddharta during his visit to Jakarta two weeks ago. Excerpts:

What is the purpose of your visit to Jakarta?

I'm here to [have an] exchange with the Indonesian authorities on the benefits of Indonesia becoming a member state of the organization. Indonesia is one of the few (countries) in Southeast Asia [that is not a member]. All other Asian countries are member states, except for Myanmar and Brunei. Some of them, like China, are even founders of the institution, created in 1899.

Zakia Tan Munira traveled a long way from Banda Aceh, Aceh's provincial capital, to visit two elementary schools in North Aceh's remote subdistricts.

Two weeks ago Eko Susilo Hadi spent one and a half hours alone in his office on the first floor of the Marine Security Board's (Bakamla) old building in Pasar Baru, Central Jakarta. Bakamla's deputy for information, law and cooperation was supposed to join his colleagues for the general rehearsal of an official ceremony for the board's anniversary. Eko had asked for his superior's consent to be absent in the preparations, saying he had to attend the funeral of a family member.

After the midday prayers, the silence in Eko's room was finally broken. Two visitors, delegated by Melati Technofo Indonesia, Hardy Stefanus and Muhammad Adam Okta, arrived, delivering a packet containing US and Singapore dollar banknotes worth Rp2 billion. Their mission completed, Hardy and Adam hurriedly returned to the parking lot. But the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) task force team, who had been following them, immediately arrested both men.

Brexit forced economists to redo their projections for 2017. And, rightly so, as not long after the United Kingdom (UK) decided to leave the European Union (EU), its currency slumped to its lowest level in many years. The concern is that this nationalistic, anti-trade and anti-migration sentiment is gaining followers in other EU countries, which raises uncertainty over the future of the EU and its euro currency, especially with the upcoming elections in France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.

National Police Chief Tito Karnavian could be accused of shackling the law if he does not withdraw the circular, or telegram, containing rules governing searches and confiscations on police installations. The document states that permission is required from the National Police chief or Provincial Police chief if the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), prosecutors or courts plan to summon officers, or search, confiscate items from or enter police installations in the center or in the provinces.

There is a new phenomenon in Indonesia's terrorism movement, specifically within the ISIS sector: female suicide bombers. New recruits are obtained, among others, by marrying women and conditioning their children to become terrorists at a very early age.

BRI Replies

IN response to the complaint lodged by Miss M. W. Silaban in the November 21-27, 2016 edition of Tempo magazine, we extend our apologies for any inconvenience regarding the report. We would like to inform that we have contacted Miss M. W. Silaban and settled the matter.

The National Police headquarters issued a circular memo regarding searches conducted on its premises and interrogation of its members by other law enforcement institutions. The memo signed by Profession and Security Chief, Idham Aziz, states that any such searches must be approved by the national police chief first.

THE restructuring of Asuransi Jiwa Bersama Bumiputera 1912 has yet to happen. In fact, the state of finances of this, the oldest insurance company in Indonesia, is very worrying. As of the end of last year, Bumiputera's assets were worth just Rp15 trillion, half of the company's liabilities of Rp30 trillion. That is why the Financial Services Authority [OJK] completely reworked the management of Asuransi Jiwa Bersama Bumiputera 1912 in the middle of last month. It then appointed a number of people as statutory managers. Their job: to source fresh capital to inject. "We must protect the fates of our 6.7 million policy-holders," the OJK Deputy Chief Supervisory Commissioner II for the Non-Bank Financial Industry, Dumoly F. Pardede, told Tempo Ayu Prima Sandi by telephone last week.

On what basis did the OJK say Bumiputera is unhealthy?

In the last five years, its claims have risen very significantly, while the income from premiums did not match that. In the end, over the past five years, the management sold off assets to cover claims. If they had waited until next year, its risk-based capital (a ratio for measuring financial health) could go awry. We had to take over Bumiputera through statutory means to source new investors.

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.