Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology: We Don’t Want to Come Off as Authoritarian
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro explains BRIN’s position in the Prabowo government.
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Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro explains BRIN’s position in the Prabowo government.
The position of BRIN remains uncertain under Prabowo Subianto’s administration. The restructuring of the research agency is hampered by political interests.
Danantara will reduce the authority of the SOEs Minister. Transferring the management of major SOEs will make the Ministry almost powerless.
Interviews with Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita and Sritex President Commissioner Iwan Setiawan Lukminto on the company’s bailout.
The term “Medan Block” emerged during the trial of former North Maluku Governor, Abdul Gani Kasuba. Medan Block is believed to refer to pre-allocated nickel mining concessions in Halmahera.
Sri Mulyani and several economic ministers from Jokowi join Prabowo’s cabinet, with encouragement from two former presidents.
Indonesia’s delegation at COP16 CBD in Cali, Colombia, is not led by a minister. Biodiversity funding is at risk of not being agreed upon.
A number of policies from Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono are riddled with conflicts of interest. They benefit his son, Indra Trenggono.
Explanations from State Secretary Minister Pratikno and Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry on fishery business and the case of illegal ships in eastern Indonesia.
Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono revives a shutdown port. There is indication that the minister’s son is involved in the fisheries business.
Tempo’s interview with Minister of Communication and Informatics Budi Arie Setiadi about Jokowi’s campaign before the end of his tenure.
Jokowi’s campaign promoting his successes is considered as not portraying actual conditions. Customary communities are among the victims of his administration.
Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan on the issues ranging from sea sand export policy to Prabowo Subianto’s bureaucratic management style.
There is a strong aroma of politics around the appointment of Saifullah Yusuf as Minister for Social Affairs. President Jokowi should focus on dealing with the problems of poverty.
Just months before the end of his term, Jokowi appointed Bahlil Lahadalia as Energy and Mineral Resources Minister. The position is considered prone to conflicts of interest.
Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah explains the issues surrounding the mass layoffs in the industrial sector.
The willingness on the part of Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama to accept mining concessions will turn into a problem. This is prone to corruption and could lead to horizontal conflicts.
Muhammadiyah accepts the government’s mining concession offer. Many members are against it. Busyro Muqoddas, Chair of Muhammadiyah’s Law and Human Rights Council explains.
Muhammadiyah cadres and administrators are divided in their response to the mining concession. There are whispers from the government and the entrepreneurs.
The Papua conflict continues to rage during Jokowi’s administration. The fate of the refugees is neglected.
In a decade of Jokowi’s administration, deforestation reached 4.37 million hectares. This is partly attributed to national strategic projects in the food and energy sectors.
The DPR and the Religious Affairs Minister disagree regarding an additional quota of haj pilgrims. The DPR deems Yaqut Cholil Qoumas has broken the law.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology clarified the matter of the network of professor assessment teams. It is suspected that journals were engineered in addition to suspicious transactions.
Indigenous people and villagers in Central Halmahera are facing clean water crisis. Community wells and river water are contaminated by nickel mining.
Communication and Informatics Minister Budi Arie explains the cyberattack on the Temporary National Data Center. He dismisses allegations of negligence.
Infinite Earth responds regarding the revocation of Rimba Raya Conservation’s ecosystem restoration permit.
The government grants mining concessions to religious organizations. What are the considerations behind the policy?
Communication and Informatics Minister Budi Arie Setiadi talks about the polemic over the planned revision of the Broadcasting Law and the Starlink Internet service.
Agriculture Ministry high-ranking officials routinely took up collections to raise money for Syahrul Yasin Limpo from 2020 to 2023. They often used the treasurer’s cash account.
Prabowo Subianto intends to form a cabinet of 40 ministers. This will result in a bloated bureaucracy and wasted public money.
Illegal tin mining is rampant in the waters of Bangka Belitung. The environmental damage is much greater than investigators estimated.
An interview with Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan on mining permits for mass organizations and his relationship with Bahlil Lahadalia.
Interview with Minister of Investment Bahlil Lahadalia about mining business permits IUP for mass organizations, and the debate with Luhut Pandjaitan.
The role of Bahlil Lahadalia in revoking mining business licenses draws attention of the House of Representatives and civil society groups, amidst concerns of possible licensing corruption.
Luhut Pandjaitan and Bahlil Lahadalia discussed the allocation of mining permits. For the sake of delivering Jokowi’s promise.
The legalization of illegal mining and oil palm plantations in forest areas is rife with irregularities. This is plundering of natural resources using the Job Creation Law.
Corruption Eradication Commission’s Deputy for Prevention, Pahala Nainggolan, on the mechanism of administrative sanctions for companies mining illegally in forest areas.
Administrative fines for whitewashing illegal mining are deemed ineffective to battle environmental damage. The fines are also vulnerable to corruption.
Bahlil Lahadalia explains the uproar over the revocation of mining permits as well as alleged extortion of money and shares in exchange for reinstatement of the permits.
Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas explains the regulation regarding the use of loudspeakers in mosques and outlines plans to ensure that religious affairs offices provide services for all faiths.
The declining trade surplus is the culprit of the rupiah’s weakening recently. Partly, it is the fruit of the government’s own doing.
The Attorney General's Office is investigating alleged corruption over tin mining permits in Bangka Belitung. The investigation must also reveal the backers.
Three Timah directors become suspects in a tin mining corruption case in the Bangka Belitung Islands. Estimated losses sustained by the state amount to Rp217 trillion.
Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has revoked mining permits and then reissued them. There are indications of illegal buying and selling of permits.
Deforestation and illegal nickel mining continues in Halmahera. It became widespread after Minister Bahlil revoked some mining licenses.
Allegedly, there are tributes to Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia. This coverage is supported by International Media Support
An interview with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry’s Director-General of Climate Change Mitigation Laksmi Dhewanti about the REDD+ program.
An interview with Juniver Girsang, the lawyer of Fajar Bhakti Lintas Nusantara directors, on the role of the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan in the internal dispute of a nickel company.
Ministry of Religious Affairs and Ministry of Agriculture’s right of reply on support for presidential candidates.
What are the functions of the cabinet minister’s special staff?
The Palestinian homeland neither originates from the distant past, nor is it a hope for the future.
A number of President Joko Widodo’s ministers campaign for their respective political parties ahead of the 2024 elections. How to scrutinize a possible misuse of state facilities?
Helmut Hermawan, who admitted to bribing Deputy Justice and Human Rights Minister Eddy Hiariej, is indicted in 11 criminal cases. It is the fallout from fighting over company stocks.
The water of the Sagea River in North Maluku is polluted by nickel mining. The environmental danger is becoming more real as the price of nickel on world markets plummets.
Sagea River is polluted as a result of deforestation by a number of nickel mining companies. Its water is no longer safe for drinking.
Syahrul Yasin Limpo is the sixth of Jokowi's ministers to be caught up in a corruption case. This is a sign of failure in the recruitment of cabinet members.
The appointment of the Environment Ministry Director-General of Planning appears to have been made based on a forged signature. His track record is also controversial.
The signature of Sarwono Kusumaatmadja was used to validate the names of candidates for echelon-I officials of the Environment and Forestry Ministry. The announcement letter was issued when he was hospitalized in Malaysia.
Former government employees at the Foreign Affairs Ministry are demanding the disbursement of unpaid wages. How did it come to happen?
The National Genome Center set up in 2018 is gone. Does it change into the Biomedical and Genome Science Initiative of the Health Ministry?
A former campaign volunteer for President Jokowi is named a suspect in relation to an illegal nickel mining worth Rp5.7 trillion. A crooked syndicate that must be investigated.
Businessman Windu Aji Sutanto is caught up in a case of illegal nickel mining at the Mandiodo Block. He is known as a broker for arranging the outcomes of legal cases.
The mining downstreaming policy gives rise to issues. Mineral processing has not been optimal without processed materials being absorbed by manufacturing industries.
Minister Mahfud Md’s statement regarding a loan claim by Jusuf Hamka could be considered influence peddling. This is treading on very thin ice.
Through people close to him, Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo allegedly received tributes to fund his personal needs.
Sandiaga Uno and Erick Thohir are cozying up to political parties. Even opposition parties have been lobbied to support the current administration.
Small islands face the threat of disappearing under the water as a result of the sand mining. This worsens the abrasion caused by rising sea levels.
Sand mining exacerbates threats for smaller islands. It creates environmental damage and less catch for fishermen.
Police seized a Lamborghini Aventador with a fake license plate from a Russian tourist. The car disappeared twice.
A summary of the week’s news on the huge transactions discovered in the finance ministry, the transfer of the Haris-Fatia case to the prosecutor's office, and the verdict received by the Kanjuruhan Tragedy defendants.
An investigation by Tempo found illegal nickel mining by people claiming to be close to the authority.
Ferdy Sambo, who is currently facing trial in the case of the killing of his adjutant, is suspected to be connected to an illegal mining bribery case involving Ismail Bolong.
Discussions to decide the provincial minimum wage for 2023 get hot. Workers are lobbying the president to issue a discretion, while employers are suing manpower minister regulation.
Minister Erick Thohir promises to ban former corruptors from becoming directors of state-owned enterprises. Mere gimmicks are inadequate for a comprehensive cleanup of state-owned enterprises.
Nadiem Makarim has outside teams attached to some directorate-general offices at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology. Consisting of about 400 people, these shadow organizations create waves inside the ministry.
PT PNM put 100 Jakarta Branch Account Officers as training participants so they can be more aware and obey the traffic rules. #Infotempo
Barring the entry of five foreign researchers underlines the anti-science and anti-criticism stance of Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya. This is a danger for the environment.
The training and provision of NIB is one of the supports for MSMEs in advancing the people's economy. #Infotempo
The Agriculture Ministry has a letter on the right of reply to Tempo’s report about the procurement of the foot-and-mouth disease vaccines.
Through this training and mentoring, PNM builds emotional relationships and provides support to customer assistants. #Infotempo
Through this training and mentoring, PNM builds emotional relationships and provides support to customer assitants. #Infotempo
President Joko Widodo again chooses deputy ministers from political parties. It is part of his accommodation politics.
The attorney general names Lin Che Wei the fifth suspect in the graft case surrounding the export of crude palm oil and its derivatives. Investigators are also looking into Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi’s role in the affair.
The police are investigating Rudy Salim following videos of the sale of a Lamborghini Huracán to a binary option fraud suspect, Indra Kenz. The car should not have been sold because it was imported using the ATA Carnet facility.
Russian Ambassador to Indonesia, Lyudmila Vorobieva, claims that the assault on Ukraine is carried out to prevent the country from being used as a weapon to attack Russia.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Ambassador to Indonesia, Vasyl Hamianin points out that it is wrong for Russia to use such fear as an excuse to invade Ukraine and kill civilians in the process.
Letters on a note to Minister Nadiem Makarim, digital detoxification and the US-China tension.
The inspectorate-general at the ministry of education, culture, research and technology backs the accusations of plagiarism against the rector of the Semarang State University. This is a stain on the face of the education system.
Local communities protested against Aneka Tambang for polluting the mangrove area in Tanjung Moronopo, East Halmahera North Maluku, with waste from its mining operation. The mine is changing both the waters and the lives of fishermen.
Objection of the Ministry of Villages Regarding a Government Official Suspected of Brokering Personnel Recruitment.
ASEAN leaders finally came to a number of consensus, such as finding a peaceful solution through dialogue and sending a special envoy to Myanmar. Further steps are still needed. Tempo interviewed Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno marsudi.
Ministry of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration writes a response to the article titled Fees for Positions in Kalibata in Tempo English April 12-18, 2021 issue.
Taman Mini reflects the view that life is only the status quo—as though in every phenomena, every difference, there is only the everlasting.
Alleged trading of postings within the Villages Ministry shows a major flaw in the practice of good governance. Placement of politicians in ministries are most often problematic.
Problems abound for village assistants. These problems are in part due to structural changes at the villages ministry.
Julia Suryakusuma received an award from the Kingdom of Belgium for her struggle to voice human rights through writing. She is uncomfortable with being called a feminist.
The ministry of health clarifies a sentence on the article Vaccine Opportunist in Tempo English, 22-28 March, 2021 issue.
Several rectors are still in office despite having committed plagiarism. They have the support of education ministry officials
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin
Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment conveys objection to the report of Dragons in Trouble in Tempo English of January 4 edition.
Some new cabinet ministers were selected in line with the wishes of President Joko Widodo. Candidates for the cabinet reshuffle suggested by political parties were pushed aside.
Paloh residents are helping protect sea turtles along the regency’s coast. WWF offered to provide guidance.
Early evening two weeks ago, National Democrat (NasDem) Party Chairman Surya Paloh arrived unscheduled at the headquarters of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in South Jakarta. He came a few hours after the NasDem Party Secretary-General Rio Capella was arrested.
Surya came to the KPK in response to a summons for his testimony as a witness in a case. "I am a witness for Rio and Gatot Pujo Nugroho," said Surya. "The faster I do it, the better."
SURYA Paloh, 63, is never far from the center of power. From the time of the New Order era up to the government of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono which recently ended its term, Surya has managed to be in the orbit of the political elite. Today, at the start of the Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla administration, Surya placed functionaries of his NasDem Party in key positions of the Working Cabinet.
Last week, the president appointed NasDem legislator Prasetyo as the new attorney general. Barely five years old, the NasDem Party can now claim to have succeeded in securing three ministries. They are the Forestry and Environmental Affairs Ministry led by Siti Nurbaya, Spatial and Agrarian Affairs Ministry led by Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, and the Coordinating Ministry for Politics, Law and Security, which is led by Admiral (ret.) Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno.
Bobby Nasution is suspected of managing the Medan Block nickel mine since 2021. He met with Abdul Gani Kasuba before becoming the Mayor of Medan.
The PDI-P will be nominating Anies Baswedan in the Jakarta gubernatorial election. A popular candidate against Jokowi’s coalition.
The opportunity for Anies Baswedan to contest the Jakarta gubernatorial election is slipping away after the coalition of parties supporting him fell apart. There is a guerrilla from the Palace.
An exclusive Tempo interview with Anies Baswedan regarding his chances to run in the Jakarta regional head election.
Jokowi and Prabowo’s coalition are maneuvering to thwart Anies Baswedan’s candidacy in the Jakarta regional head election. Cabinet posts are being offered as inducements.
Chances for Anies Baswedan to run in the Jakarta regional head election are beginning to open up. A number of political parties support Prabowo Subianto intend to nominate Anies.
Thirteen-year-old Afif Maulana was found dead under a bridge in Padang, West Sumatra. He had allegedly been tortured by the police.
The number of Indonesian umrah minor pilgrimage travelers grows during the fasting month of Ramadan. The nation’s umrah economic potential has not been fully harnessed.
A defendant of the Supreme Court justice bribery case is allegedly subjected to extortion by someone claiming to represent the leadership of the KPK. The name Firli Bahuri is also implicated.
Anies Baswedan talks about the campaign. He admits there are talks with the Ganjar-Mahfud team.
The claim that the Gunung Padang site is the oldest pyramid in the world is strongly challenged. A collaboration of researchers from around the world is needed.
Foreign archeologists doubt the site of Gunung Padang as the world’s oldest pyramid. A journal publisher is going to investigate.
Moh. Wijdan, Head of Ketapang Jaya village, Ketapang, Sampang, East Java, replies to Pressure from the Police and Prosecutors article.
Anies Baswedan is campaigning aggressively through TikTok. It is forbidden to talk about politics and campaigns.
Several high-ranking veterans formerly supporters of Jokowi and Prabowo switched their allegiance to Anies Baswedan. Several officers held disappointment.
Anies Baswedan choses Muhaimin Iskandar to be his vice-presidential running mate. Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono is eliminated in the final turn.
The concept of Kampung Madani is to optimize the business and economic potential of the region. #InfoTempo
A family of Sumatran tigers died after being caught in snare traps in Aceh. With a population of about 600, this endangered wild animal is threatened by poaching, loss of habitat, and conflict with humans.
Poaching produce in the North Natuna Sea is not only triggered by economic need. According to the Director of the Fleet Monitoring and Operations of the Marine and Fisheries Resources Directorate-General in the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, Pung Nugroho Saksono, a conflict similar to the Sipadan-Ligitan case between Malaysia and Indonesia should not be allowed to recur.
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator, Novel Baswedan, has doubts about his alleged assailant Brig. Rahmat Kadir Mahulette’s statement, calling him a traitor.
MEDAN Mayor Tengku Dzulmi Eldin’s alleged bribery case has roped in a number of parties, from bureaucrats to businessmen.
THE ivory hornbill or rangkong is a symbol of courage and bravery for Dayak community in Kalimantan. The bird is also considered a protector, and acts as the bridge which connects the souls of their ancestors with the Dayaks. Despite this, in the past three years, the population of the ivory rangkong has depleted alarmingly. In 2015, international conservation organizations announced its status as critically endangered.
Parking attendants in Makassar were given paralegal training by the Makassar Legal Aid Institute. The program aims to improve legal awareness and embolden participants to fight corruption.
THE Civil Society Coalition has worked with Change.org to launch a petition demanding President Joko Widodo to form a joint fact-finding team (TGPF) to investigate the attack using acid against Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan.
Sartono Kartodiredjo’s dissertation Pemberontakan Petani Banten 1888 (The Peasants’ Revolt of Banten in 1888) and Catatan Harian Imam Samudra (Imam Samudra’s Diaries) were two texts that significantly influenced Jompet Kuswidananto’s work On Paradise, exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Arts, Grand-Hornu, Belgium.
Organic coffee farming in Kiadan Plaga is the main source of income. It is also a vehicle for the village’s brand of ecotourism.~
Rizieq Syihab, charged in a pornography offense, did not show up at his scheduled questioning at the Jakarta police headquarters on April 25. He said he wanted to travel to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to perform the lesser pilgrimage (umrah). This Grand Imam of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) promised he would be present for questioning upon returning from the Holy Land in mid-May. However, the post-Ramadan fasting month holiday has passed and he has yet to return to Indonesia.
Anies Baswedan took advantage of the final week of the campaign to emphasize his rejection of land reclamation work on the north shore of Jakarta. On Wednesday last week, Anies, who is running for the office of the Jakarta governor, endorsed by the Gerindra Party and Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) went to the dock in Cilincing, North Jakarta. He took part in the parade with the theme "Fishermen Reject Land Reclamation."
There were 150 ships there, each carrying 10 fishermen, which sailed in a convoy on Jakarta Bay, from Kalibaru dock to Cilincing. These fishing boats visited Island G, an island where work had once stopped, which is being worked on by the Agung Podomoro Land company. They put up a banner there which read "Reject Land Reclamation."
Friday last week was a busy day for 47-year-old Anies Baswedan, who began his day's activities from early morning. His schedule was full and it did not end until nearly midnight. "I haven't slept much," said Anies.
That day, Anies, the former education and culture minister, was selected a candidate in the Jakarta gubernatorial election, by the Gerindra Party and the Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS). His running mate is Sandiaga Uno, a Gerindra member and businessman. There was a series of events he had to attend following his nomination: the public declaration of his candidacy, registration at the Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPUD) and political meetings. At the end of that Friday, Tempo reporter Prihandoko had a chance to interview Anies about his nomination
THE four big mammals that have always been the focus of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Indonesia, according to Arnold Sitompul, are tigers, orangutans, elephants and rhinoceroses. It is not just because they are endemic to the islands of Sumatra, Java and Kalimantan. The animals are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as critically endangered. "These species have always been our main concern because they are endemic to Indonesia, and so they've always been our priority," Arnold told Tempo.
Out of the four endangered mammals, the most threatened are the Sumatran rhinos (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), of which only about 300 are left in the wild. Meanwhile, the population of Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus) plummeted by 50 percent in less than 10 years. Arnold recently spoke to Tempo English reporter Amanda Siddharta on WWF Indonesia's efforts to conserve these iconic beasts. Excerpts:
The huge education budget20 percent of the total state budgetdemands a significant improvement in the quality of the national education system, something that Indonesians have been yearning for years. Now, it is up to Education and Culture Minister Anies Baswedan to respond to those demands.
The first step that Anies has started is publicizing all data on public education. The Education Balance Sheet publication contains information that until recently was not available to the public, such as the number of students in schools, the proportion of students to teachers, the number of damaged and broken-down schools, the quality of teachers based on teacher competence evaluations, the different education budgets between national and regional budgets, the budget allocation per student and the number of accredited schools.
This is the story of death. It is begun with somebody's death and ends with your own death. Yes, your death. No need for surprises," Faisal Oddang opens his story in his maiden novel Puya ke Puya. Death is the frame of the whole narrative, binding the subplots throughout the 218-page novel.
Yet, death here is not described in fear or anxiety. Faisal sets it with the background of the Toraja community that views death as something intimate. "Most Torajans celebrate death and keep it as close as possible in their memories," writes Faisal.
It is increasingly clear that the charges against Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan were mostly fabricated. The National Ombudsman found suspected fraud in the police investigation. The prosecution's case against Novel, concluded the Ombudsman, should not even have qualified for a court hearing.
Irregularities were first suspected when a 2004 resolved case involving Novel was regurgitated. He was, at the time, posted in a Bengkulu district police precinct and charged with allegedly allowing his subordinates to torture some bird-nest thieves. The case should have been closed after Novel was given a strong warning that same year. Unfortunately, the police dug it up when Novel, as a KPK investigator, exposed the corruption inside the National Police traffic division.
After the noon prayers, Irzal Rakhmadani, 24, packed his things in a rucksack and went out. Two items he never goes without are his stethoscope and sphygmometer. He would ride on his motorbike to the office of the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, three kilometers away. There, he would treat people suffering from the effects of forest fire smoke around Palangkaraya. In 2015, he treated some 1,000 patients.
In mid-September, Irzal and his colleagues visited a camp for workers who had been laid off by an oil palm company. Fifteen volunteers of Earth Hour Palangkaraya had gathered to help the smoke victims there. Irzal saw something that distressed him. About 300 people were crammed into a 5x15 meter barrack. Because there was not enough room, tarpaulin tents had been set up outside the barracks. People lived alongside chicken and their pet dogs.
ON the first day that Anies Baswedan began his job as minister for culture and elementary and secondary education a year ago, he knew there would be piles of work ahead of him. Among the many issues that needed to be sorted out was the scarcity of teachers in Indonesia's remote areas. Yet, statistically, there should have been enough teachers to go around. The student-teacher ratio is around 16 to 1. "That's an excess, while in South Korea, the ratio is 30 to 1. Ideally it should be 25 to 1," said Anies, admitting that the problem in Indonesia was one of unequal distribution. In some places such as Papua, the ratio dropped significantly to 75 students for every teacher. So, in May this year, the education ministry initiated the Guru Garis Depan (Frontline Teachers ) program to address the shortage of teachers in the outer parts of the country. So far, 798 teachers have been sent out to teach at 28 regencies. Next year, the number is expected to increase to 3,500. Anies discussed the Frontline Teachers initiative with Tempo English reporters Sadika Hamid, Syari Fani and Amanda Siddharta. Excerpts:
THE Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has an ambitious plan for next year: raising the budget for the development of renewable energy by 10 times. "The future of Indonesia's development depends on seeking and building renewable energy. We can no longer rely solely on fossil fuel energy, which is bound to become scarce," said Dadan Kusdiana, director of the ministry's section on bio-energy.
A strain of wheat developed by researchers at the Andalas University School of Agriculture in Padang, West Sumatra-the Galur SO-3, or GURI 6 UNAND-has been identified as one of four superior varieties of wheat by the Cereal Plant Research Center last November.
Rice, rendang beef stew, jackfruit curry and many kinds of sambal (chili paste) sit in the front lanjar (guestroom) of Etek Nuraini's traditional rumah gadang house in Nagari Sumpur, in the Tanah Datar regency of West Sumatra. It is early in the month of February. Some 40 guests have gathered, including village elders and West Sumatra Governor Irwan Prayitno. Guests sit on the floor, eating side-by-side. Prayers are recited for the safety and wellbeing of those who will inhabit the house. Family photos hang on the wall. Windows are left open to let sunlight in.
From the vantage of the dining area, the house's spacious interior is in clear view. Six jua (Cassia siamea) pillars grace the building's 17-meter-long sides. Jua, a type of ulin ironwood, is extremely durable: once dry, its impossible to cut it down to size. The walls, meanwhile, are made of surian (Toona ciliata), and floors from bayur (pterospermum javanicum) tree trunks.
Forty young men strain and groan, taut muscles shining with sweat as they haul a jua tree (Cassia siamea) out from a ravine near Singkarak Lake, West Sumatra. The trunk is 11 meters long and will be used as the main pillar in a rumah gadang (traditional Minangkabau house). The house is being built for the heirs of Etek Siti Fatimah in the hamlet of Nagari, Sumpur village, Tanah Datar regency. Etek is what locals call an aunt, or a respected female figure.
The men take turns pulling the tree up and out of the gully. Shortly after noon, they reach the top. After clearing another small rise they toss the trunk down the other side, watching it tumble downhill.
PHOTOGRAPHS of elementary school students hang on the walls of the Ki Hajar Dewantara Building of the Elementary and Secondary Education and Culture Ministry in Jakarta. Most of them show children in remote areas, wearing shabby uniforms but genuine smiles on their faces. The photographs were put up at the request of the new minister, Anies Baswedan, who asked that they be hung everywhere, including in all meeting rooms. "So that when we meet, their faces will remind us that we work for them," said Anies, in his office last week.
Barely two months into his new assignment, Anies has created a buzz in Indonesia's education sector. He changed the function of national school examinations from determining a student's passing grade to merely a tool to measure the quality of education. A recent bombshell was when Anies halted the Curriculum 2013 and reverted to the Curriculum 2006 on December 6. He rejected the new curriculum because he noticed that teachers and schools were not ready to use it. "It's like being told to suddenly switch to an iPhone when you're used to using BlackBerry," Anies explained.
His name is Sekarpandan. He is short, with a huge behind. In Cirebon style wayang kulit, he is one of the nine clown-retainers who accompany the five Pandawa.
Sekarpandan got his bodily form after taunting Semar, who wanted to marry Sekarpandan's older sister Sudiragen. In the fight that ensued, Sekarpandan lost and was thrown into a clump of pandanus, immediately changing form: he became a replica of the person he had been taunting. Also in character.
PERHAPS he was born with a gun in his hand. At the age of 13, Benny Moerdani fought as a member of the military academy cadets. He nearly died when Dutch gunfire destroyed his rifle barrel. Fragments flew into his face, causing him to bleed profusely.
Without being trained as a paratrooper, Benny once jumped from an airplane over Pekanbaru to win back the Caltex oilfield which had been taken over by rebels from the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PRRI). During a different assault in Padang, his parachute failed to open. The cord wrapped around his leg, and his body slammed against the plane's fuselage. Fortunately he was able to use his reserve chute. With his leg in a cast, he insisted on going to the battlefield.
A national research team has discovered ancient buildings and artifacts at the Mount Padang archaeological site in, Cianjur regency, West Java. The team's deputy chairman for geology, Danny Hilman Natawidjadja, said they had found a 22-centimeter-long stone rod on the mountain's southern slope, about two or three meters below the surface. The rod has pores and magnetic characteristics that attract it to metal. "It resembles Harry Potter's magic wand, which is fit for gripping," Danny said last week.
Other finds included knife-shaped metals, metal waste and burned soil with stacks of stones beneath. Based on laboratory tests, the burned residual materials have been in the location since 5,200 BC.
FOR almost a year, Hamdan Zoelva has only managed to sleep five hours a day. As the chief justice of the Constitutional Court he has had to bear the consequences of his predecessor Akil Mochtar's actions. Last year Akil was arrested, tried and sentenced to jail by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). "Many people don't trust the Court anymore," said 52-year-old Hamdan.
Akil was guilty of accepting bribes from regional chief executives whose elections were in dispute. He was arrested in early October 2013, in the process of receiving money from Hambit Bintih, district chief of Gunung Emas. The case shook the Court. When Hamdan took over, public trust in the judiciary was at its lowest.
CONSTITUTIONAL Court Chief Justice Hamdan Zoelva turned red and his voice rose one decibel higher as he presided over the lawsuit submitted by the Jambi-based National Democrat Party. Two of the three witnesses had given conflicting information. When they were questioned further, they had no valid data. "It was very clear they were making it all up," Hamdan told Tempo.
The inaccurate testimony, according to Hamdan, was one among many problems in the court proceedings looking into disputes arising out of the recent legislative election. Some 700 cases submitted by political parties and legislative candidates were pending, with only three weeks to go before the deadline on June 30. "This week we will evaluate the cases so that a week before the deadline, all is in place."
The government has appointed PGN and Bakrie to complete the Kepodang-Tambak Lorok gas pipeline project. PLN has missed out on Rp3 trillion in savings.
On the eastern part of Sumba Island, Mbatakapidu village chief Jacob Tanda is synonymous with bountiful harvests. He succeeded in turning around a perennial food shortage into abundance and resilience, thanks to his innovative farming ways. He urged his villagers to plant 10 kinds of crops and to re-use the traditional barns to store food. He persuaded women active in the local Community Welfare Program (PKK), to carry out a 'love your local products' campaign. In just four years, he altered an impoverished village into a bountiful, resilient community. Tempo reporter Syari Fani flew to eastern Sumba to report on this success story on the occasion of World Food Day on October 16.
A cross-disciplinary team of scientists is studying a controversial archeological site: Mount Padang. Is it true the site is 10 times larger than Borobudur?
This is a portrait of how things have changed in the first elite neighborhood in the Dutch Indies. The area in question was formerly called Nieuw-Gondangdia. Later its name was changed to Menteng. This is where the wealthy lived, from top government officials and governors to ambassadors and businesspeople. Over the years, however, its beauty has faded. It has grown in an irregular fashion, due to the inconsistent application of city regulations, as well as its residents' lack of concern for the environment.
On this year's anniversary of the city of Jakarta, which coincides with Menteng's 100th anniversary, Tempo attempts to write extensively about Indonesia's first modern tropical residential area. This is where the Indische (Indies) architectural style originated. Not many buildings of this style exist today. Now it is a crowded, polluted area, used by motorists avoiding carpool roads. Menteng is a typical example of Jakarta's muddled zoning regulations.
In the village of Lendang Nangka, East Lombok, residents have attained self-sufficiency in their clean water supply. In addition to receiving an award for their efforts, the villages water supply has made it easier for residents to conduct their business.
The month of Ramadan (fasting) will end with the Idul Fitri holidays, a cause for joyous celebration. Young and old, the high and the low, will come together in a new beginning, marked by day-long feasting and fun. But there will also be a sobering moment of spiritual reconnection, of forgiveness and joint prayers, giving thanks to the greatness of God Almighty. At this joyous time, Tempo English Edition presents a special photo essay of Ramadan celebration in eastern Indonesia.
Artists from Indonesia used various actions to capture the attention of audiences in Berlin. Sundanese language was not an obstacle when it appeared as a performance.
Located in the middle of the World Coral Triangle, Indonesia plays an important role in determining the fate of the tuna, the highly popular food fish that is slowly but irrevocably diminishing from the earth’s oceans, no thanks to years of excessive fishing. Processing plants can no longer meet fish production capacity, fishermen must sail farther out to sea for their catches yet exports are declining. Can government regulations bring back the endangered tuna? A special report by the Tempo English Edition team.
The winner of the Rancage Literary Award was announced. Ajip Rosidi has begun to pass on the judging of Sundanese literature to his colleagues.
The Special 88 Detachment has been deployed in pursuit of the Medan Bank CIMB robbers. They are suspected of having links to former GAM members and other groups.
The high bovine mortality rate drove researchers at Nusa Cendana University to create a supplement that fattens cows and makes them resistant to disease.
How will corruption eradication fare in 2009? The optimistic will reply: “full of challenges”, while the pessimists are bound to say: “dismal”. We prefer the word “endangered”.
Lombok’s Sasak Muslims enjoy unique traditions during Ramadan.
Tan Deseng is recognized as a skilled Sundanese ethnomusicologist. He set up a workshop with ethnic-Chinese students who love Sundanese culture.
The Cendana Axis
The Ups and Downs of the Cendana Family
After Suharto stepped down, the range of business activities as well as the wealth of the Cendana family seemed to decline. But the sons and daughters of the former president still hold key positions in a number of corporations.
The Medan District Court has rejected Adelin Lis’s defense. Forestry Minister Kaban will be presented as a witness.
Researchers find pandanus (screw pine) with potential similar to buah merah on the Island of Yapen, Papua.
The grandson of former President Suharto, Danny Indra Rukmana, married celebrity Lulu Tobing. A lavish wedding was held.
THE life rhythm of this youth suddenly changed in mid-July. He is now spotlighted, photographed, interviewed and gets to meet all kinds of people. Jonathan Pradana Mailoa is receiving praises galore because he is the shining star in a nation that is going through so much darkness: earthquakes, floods, famine and that endless disease called corruption. Indonesias reputation went up a notch through the brilliance of this 16-year-old, when he became the absolute winner of the 37th International Physics Olympics, held in Singapore and participated in by 86 countries.
The World Cup ended last Sunday, but people are still talking about soccer. Not Italys victory over France, but the duel between Zinedine Zidane, the captain of the French team, and Marco Materazzi, the Italian back.
LAST month, the Philippine government began identification of Indonesian migrants in Mindanao. They were offered a choice of repatriation to Indonesia, legalization or naturalization. Legalization allows the immigrants to stay in the Philippines and retain their Indonesian citizenship while naturalization provides the migrants with full Filipino citizenship. Most of the migrants came from the islands of Sangihe and Talaud in northern Sulawesi. The forefathers of these Indonesians, who have since taken Philippine citizenship, arrived in the southern Philippines in the 15th century. Locally called the Sangil, they considered themselves natives of Mindanao Island, although they spoke a language originating in Sangihe. Tempo correspondent Verrianto Madjowa traveled to Mindanao last September to observe the lives of the Indonesian migrants and filed this report.
Last week, Siti Hardijanti Rukmana was nominated PKPBs candidate for the 2004 presidential election. What is the extent of preparations by the Cendana family?
Like Malin Kundangthe folklore character who disowns his own motherYLBHI once fought the Jakarta City administration, which played a key role in establishing YLBHI and funding its first years of operation.
Even before the verdict handed down in The Hague last Tuesday, Malaysia had long been occupying Sipadan and Ligitan. TEMPO journalist Wenseslaus Manggut, who recently traveled to the islands, was unceremoniously told to leave in no uncertain terms by the Malaysian Police.
While a fugitive, Tommy Suharto often came to the family compound on Jalan Cendana. A long-time employee now tells TEMPO how he eluded capture.
The High Court is investigating six Medan District Court judges on charges of accepting bribes. However, they have only been suspended from duty pending further inquiry.
Semen Padang has rejected the governments wish to replace the companys board of directors. The reason for this was that financial performance was improving. Whats going on?
Expanding Padang restaurants apply a variety of business models to produce a remarkably consistent cuisine.
The planned sale of Semen Gresik-Padang-Tonasa has become extremely complicated since the West Sumatra DPRD and local government took over Semen Padang.
Surprise! I Putu Gde Ary Suta has been appointed chairman of IBRA. Can he win public confidence, bearing in mind he used to be close to the Cendana family?
This is the testimony of those involved in a 1998 bomb scare in Medan. They say they were obeying orders from an intelligence officer.
Omar Dani's Plea offers up a new fact regarding Bung Karno's presence at the Halim Perdana Kusuma air base. It's another piece of information from an actor with a role in history, muzzled for 30 years.
Two journalists investigate the Mindanao rebellion. What was the role of President Abdurrahman Wahid in negotiations between the Philippine government and the Salamat Hashim group? Why were they inspired by the liberation of Timor Leste?
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