The Joke of Eradicating Online Gambling
The investigation into the Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry employees backing online gambling is expanded to include many people. Ill-gotten gains from a political operation.
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The investigation into the Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry employees backing online gambling is expanded to include many people. Ill-gotten gains from a political operation.
One of the suspects of the online gambling case is a regular in the ministers’ social circles, and active in the arts scene.
The future of BRIN is uncertain in the administration of Prabowo Subianto. It is caught up in a political deal with the PDI-P.
The position of BRIN remains uncertain under Prabowo Subianto’s administration. The restructuring of the research agency is hampered by political interests.
Tom Lembong’s lawyer on the irregularities of his case.
The plan for a super-holding for state-owned enterprises dates back to the New Order era. The SOEs Ministry will be replaced by a giant corporation.
With the Supreme Court’s judicial mafia, when one branch is lopped off, another 10 grow in its place. It needs to be comprehensively cleaned up.
After Sritex, other major textile companies are also collapsing. Incentives and support are needed to curb imported goods.
Former Trade Minister Thomas Lembong is arrested by the Attorney General’s Office over corruption allegations. When will other ministers be questioned?
The obligation to obtain halal certification leads to higher economic costs and corruption. Labeling products that are non-halal would be more efficient.
Entrepreneurs complain about the costly and complicated halal certification process. They must pay monthly fees for supervision.
There is an increasingly real threat to Indonesia’s biodiversity. It cannot be overcome through empty slogans at international forums.
KPU Chair Mochammad Afifuddin on turbulence within his institution following the dismissal of Hasyim Asy’ari, and the Constitutional Court’s decision on the regional head elections.
Uncertain future looms over Rohingya refugees in Indonesia. They are also struggling with various limitations.
The KPK uncovered alleged embezzlement of the Taspen pension fund involving Sinarmas Sekuritas. The result of poor supervision by the OJK.
Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono revives a shutdown port. There is indication that the minister’s son is involved in the fisheries business.
Jokowi’s campaign promoting his successes is considered as not portraying actual conditions. Customary communities are among the victims of his administration.
Officials are all trying to avoid responsibility for illegal gold mining in protected forests. The dangers to the environment and to health are being ignored.
Instead of paying its debts, the Bakrie Group is suing 12 creditors. This could become a bad precedent for the investment climate.
The contest for the selection of the Supreme Court Chief Justice is heating up. There are indications it is riddled with the interests of the government and tycoons.
The police arrested a drug baron who was operating from inside a prison. It is a chronic problem that remains unsolved.
The sea sand export policy benefits financial backers close to tycoons. Also, it is a gift for Singapore.
Egianus Kogeya quietly freed Susi Air pilot Phillip Mark Mehrtens. His hope to trade the pilot for Papua’s independence failed.
Indonesia is poised to fall into the middle-income trap. Only a few people enjoy the economy pie.
The food estate projects in Merauke are at risk of failure. There are suspicions about the way the projects are shared out.
The food estate project in Merauke has the potential to repeat the failures of MIFEE in the past. Developing large-scale agriculture is challenging.
Preparing 2.9 million hectares of land under the food estate program in Merauke, South Papua, the government aims to achieve rice and sugar self-sufficiency within three to four years. Mirroring the previous failed food estate initiative.
Pope Francis was enthusiastically welcomed on his visit to Indonesia. It was the simple journey of a religious leader and campaigner for social justice.
Indonesia and the Vatican enjoyed a good relationship long before the Pope’s visit. The Vatican reportedly helped Indonesia lobby the European Union.
The culinary businesses of Gibran Rakabuming and Kaesang Pangarep are fading. This seems to contradict their massive financing.
Chair of the Presidium of the Indonesian Bishops' Conference (KWI) Monsignor Antonius Subianto Bunjamin spoke about the preparations for Pope Francis’ visit.
Wong cilik or commoners and Ratu Adil or the Just Ruler are terms that come to life from a certain mindset. Has that mindset begun to change?
The name of Brig. Gen. Mukti Juharsa is implicated in the tin corruption case. The Attorney General’s Office must not be soft and slow.
The Indonesia Onward Coalition failed to materialize the ‘empty box’ scenario in several regions in the 2024 regional head elections. Some coalition members have jumped ship.
The transition to nuclear energy must be accelerated to meet the ever-increasing demand for electricity. It is more environmentally friendly.
Jokowi reshuffles his cabinet two months before the end of his administration. This is only to serve his own political interests.
Jokowi is believed to have intervened in making Bahlil Lahadalia general chairperson of the Golkar Party.
The trial of the free nutritious meal program involves military personnel and private parties. Authorities manage everything from communal kitchens to food distribution.
Mohammad Hoesni Thamrin put the interests of the people above everything. He fought hard for our independence.
The name of M.H. Thamrin is immortalized in Jakarta’s main road and village improvement projects. He also played a role in the media.
During the last days before his death, M.H. Thamrin was under house arrest, accused of attempting to subvert the Dutch colonial government.
M.H. Thamrin and Sukarno were often seen as opposites in cooperative and non-cooperative movements. In reality, they were close friends.
The Bocor Alus Politik podcast receives the Udin Award that we dedicate to our viewers and readers.
The PDI-P plans to nominate Anies Baswedan in the Jakarta gubernatorial election and is preparing to face candidates supported by Jokowi in other regions.
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.
Consumers are downtrading their cigarette choices as tax rates rise, leading to an increase in cheap cigarettes and a persistent smoking prevalence.
The government revives plans to impose taxes on sweetened beverages and other food products. There are also plans to implement a color-coded label as a replacement for the tax.
Tommy Hermawan Lo’s name emerges following the mention of Mr. T in online gambling that involves human trafficking case. He is a director at a casino management company.
The proposal to extend the tenure of the Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Agency is suspected to be driven by the Environment and Forestry Ministry’s desire to take over the management of all mangroves. The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry strongly rejects it.
The financial market optimism on the Fed’s stance is beginning to falter. There are indications that Donald Trump will influence the Fed’s independence.
The battle in the presidential election is set to continue in regional head elections. The PDI-P is determined to challenge President Joko Widodo’s candidates.
Five Irrawaddy dolphins died over the past six months in the Mahakam River. Three carcasses were found in conservation areas.
Jokowi was initially considered as a good person and a man of the people. But he broke the hopes of those who voted for him.
The KPK becomes a legal institution lacking in authority. There are threats from political party coalitions amid the controversy over the revision of the KPK Law.
During his presidency, Joko Widodo failed to reform the National Police. There is a Solo Gang at the National Police Headquarters.
The Papua conflict continues to rage during Jokowi’s administration. The fate of the refugees is neglected.
The Whoosh fast train project continues to burden the state budget. It is Jokowi’s ambition to develop a flagship project worth hundreds of trillions of rupiah.
Tempo examined the achievements of Jokowi’s nine priority programs called Nawacita. There are numerous critical notes.
Frederick Bailey freed himself by learning to read and write. His speeches changed the racial perspective of Americans.
Several police generals are preparing to participate in the selection of the KPK leadership. The KPK must not become a nest of ‘crocodiles’.
Jokowi and Prabowo Subianto plan to revive the Supreme Advisory Council. Is it true that Jokowi will become its chair?
BRIN and Griffith University scientists found cave paintings in Leang, South Sulawesi, believed to be the oldest in the world.
Development for the IKN project is impacting Central Sulawesi. The excavation of rock and sand is becoming increasingly massive to supply construction materials for the new capital city.
Jokowi is involving Prabowo Subianto’s team in the drawing up of the 2025 Draft State Budget. He ignores the principle of caution in budget management.
Lecturers and politicians are manipulating the title of professor. They are colluding with assessors using predator journals.
The city rushes to alienate people. Diners and food are the lifeboats that keep them from drowning.
The guilty verdict for Karen Agustiawan shows that in Indonesia, even business decisions can easily lead to prosecution. This will have a long-term negative impact on our economy.
The hacking of the Temporary National Data Center revealed a number of issues. From vulnerable security systems, non-sterile networks, to personnel negligence. Data recovery encountered problems because the government did not have a data backup of the hacked digital files.
The police must establish an independent team to investigate the murder of Vina in Cirebon. It is possible there was manipulation.
The KPK actually knows Harun Masiku’s location. He was once in Moro rebel territory in the Philippines.
An interview with Titin Prialianti, the lawyer for two convicts in the murders of Eky and Vina, on the irregularities of the case.
Thousands of companies are registered with the National Registry System to provide services for carbon trading through ecosystem restoration.
A number of Prabowo Subianto supporters have been appointed as SOE commissioners. This risks compromising their oversight function.
Invasive alien species are attacking dozens of national parks in Indonesia. This is a serious threat that could have a negative impact on the ecosystem.
The PDI-P is quietly planning to support Anies Baswedan in the Jakarta gubernatorial election. Other political parties are wavering in their support.
The government grants mining concessions to religious organizations. What are the considerations behind the policy?
The Public Housing Savings program will only burden workers and companies. It is a way for the government to evade its responsibility to provide people’s housing.
The government is asked to reduce the quota for premium Haj pilgrimages to shorten the waiting time in standard pilgrimages and to buy hotels and guesthouses for pilgrims.
A conflict between the Police and the Attorney General's Office involving Densus 88 has weakened legal institutions. It is a violation of the Anti-Terror Law.
State losses due to the trade of protected wildlife amounts to Rp13 trillion annually. These animals are being pooled in Makassar, South Sulawesi.
PDI-P cadres and volunteers refuse to let the party join the Prabowo Subianto coalition. The party’s stance remains unclear.
PDI-P has yet to decide whether to become the opposition or join Prabowo Subianto’s coalition. There is concern about losing the seat of House Speaker.
The price of garlic continues to soar as a result of a shortage of supplies. This is further evidence of the problems caused by the import quota system.
There were many irregularities with the sale of the assets relating to corruption in Jiwasraya. The auction winner received special treatment.
The state is yet to receive compensation payments totaling Rp19 trillion from companies that burned forests. A slow implementation of court rulings.
The Attorney General’s Office claims the tender process of coal mining company Gunung Bara Utama complied with the regulations.
The auction value of the seized assets from the corruption case of Asuransi Jiwasraya is allegedly below the market price. It is linked to an ex-convict in a bribery case.
At least Rp20.7 trillion in fines for land and forest fires are not collected. The government is prepared to forcibly seize assets.
Communication and Informatics Minister Budi Arie Setiadi talks about the polemic over the planned revision of the Broadcasting Law and the Starlink Internet service.
The impact of the disaster in West Sumatra is more serious because the regional government was busy chasing revenue.
Syahrul Yasin Limpo is alleged to have taken money from Agriculture Ministry officials. Those paying the money must also be held responsible.
Starlink starts to enliven the competition in the provision of internet services. There must be no protectionism that disadvantages the public.
The latest revision to the Constitutional Court Law severely restricts the independence of Constitutional Court judges. Perpetuating authoritarian power.
Domestic Internet service providers are up in arms over the government’s decision to grant Starlink operating licenses and a project to provide networks for community health centers.
Constitutional Court’s Ethics Council Chair I Dewa Gede Palguna on his stance rejecting a revision to the Constitutional Court Law.
The risk of rupiah depreciation might come from both the real sector and the financial market.
Alleged ethical violations by Supreme Court justices who were treated to a meal by an attorney underlines the sorry state of our judicial system. The Judicial Commission is weak.
A number of Jokowi’s ministers are busy producing simulations of the free lunch program. There is a risk it will become a cash cow.
A number of institutions are pushing the free lunch program. The Constitutional Court dismisses an appeal for a judicial review.
Political parties that supported the Prabowo-Gibran presidential ticket plan to form a permanent coalition for the 2024 regional head elections. They are strengthening themselves in the provinces.
Ridwan Kamil’s electability remains stagnant in the Jakarta regional head election. His supporting parties are not actively campaigning for him, leaving him hoping for support from Prabowo and Jokowi.
Jakarta's regulations were considered as failing to fulfill the aspirations of differently-abled people
Jakarta governor and deputy governor candidates promise improvements in inclusive public transportation.
Gubernatorial candidates are trying to win over the votes of Anies Baswedan supporters in the Jakarta regional election. Jokowi reportedly shifted his support.
Pramono Anung and Ridwan Kamil shed light on the dynamics surrounding their appointments as Jakarta gubernatorial candidates.
The PDI-P canceled its plan to nominate Anies Baswedan for the Jakarta gubernatorial election. Pressure came in the form of legal cases and revisions to the MD3 Law.
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.
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.
President Jokowi is plotting for his youngest son to run for the deputy governor of Jakarta. This is a repeat of the presidential election.
Jokowi allegedly tries to thwart Anies Baswedan’s candidacy in the Jakarta gubernatorial election. There are efforts to include Kaesang in the 2024 regional head elections.
The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train is considered less competitive than the Argo Parahyangan regular train service. The company is working to boost its non-passenger revenue.
The Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed train will disrupt other modes of transportation. Tariffs would depend on the investment value.
China and Indonesia have begun an assessment of the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed train. The project would add to the Belt and Road Initiative’s achievements.
Acting Jakarta Governor, Heru Budi Hartono, on pollution and the future of Jakarta after it is no longer the capital city.
The government is scrambling to deal with air pollution in the greater Jakarta area. They set policies while using old data.
Jakarta’s pollution is also caused by coal-fired steam power plants and industries. The government only focuses on emission tests and traffic engineering.
Excessive extraction of groundwater has been the greatest contributor to Jakarta’s land subsidence. The construction of drinking water pipes will be accelerated.
A Jakarta public transportation user’s letter to interim Jakarta Governor Heru Budi Hartono and Supreme Court Justice Takdir Rahmadi’s right of reply.
A letter suggesting Oakland’s concept for building an environmental-friendly Jakarta.
Readers’ letters about an access road plan around the Jakarta Governor’s private residence and the exemplary deeds of Hoegeng, Hatta, Gus Dur and Habibie.
It is pointless for the government to deny Jakarta’s air is once again heavily polluted. Denial will only gives people a false sense of security.
Some governors question the appointment of acting regional heads by Jakarta. Maneuvering in the regions, and complaining to political parties.
The massive construction of infiltration wells in Jakarta to prevent floods is almost a waste of money. The Jakarta administration should focus on restoring the functions of rivers and reservoirs instead.
Jakarta’s perennial flooding problem will be controlled using a system of massive water containment. Infiltration wells are deemed unsuitable for the soil characteristics of the city.
BRIN researchers discover concentrations of pain and cold relief medicine pollution in the Jakarta Bay. This acetaminophen waste is known to have an impact on shellfish, but its effects on humans are yet to be determined.
Greenpeace predicts that Jakarta would be inundated in 10 years. The government must save the capital, not abandon it.
The latest Greenpeace study warned about the impact of the rise in sea levels on Jakarta’s flooding by 2030. A more progressive strategy in lowering carbon dioxide emissions is imperative.
JAKARTA flooding is nothing new.
The large scale cutting down of trees in Jakarta must be stopped. Economic development needs an ecological perspective.
FOR the third time, the Vatican has chosen an Indonesian archbishop to be Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. On October 5, last year, Jakarta Archbishop Monsignor Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo was installed by the head of the Holy See Pope Francis as one of the 13 new cardinals or ‘princes’ of the Church.
The central government and the regional administration are busy accusing each other to the cause of the floods that inundated Jakarta. Weak public service management occurred at all levels.
SEVERAL coastal zones in Indonesia, including Jakarta, Semarang and Demak, face the threat of disappearing because of rising sea levels and subsiding land.
A mid severe floods that saw parts of Jakarta submerged at the end of April, President Joko Widodo rekindled the plan to move the capital city.
Jakarta government decides to take over clean water management in the city. They have met with Salim Group, private operator for Jakarta water management.
A report that South Korean citizens were extorted by Jakarta police must be followed up. This kind of deplorable behavior tarnishes the reputation of law enforcement.
Dozens of invaluable items at the Jakarta Maritime Museum were destroyed in a fire. The building is no longer in appropriate condition for a maritime museum.
Developers working on the Jakarta Bay’s reclamation are lobbying Jakarta’s new governor, Anies Baswedan, to resume the project. Anies is yet to make his position clear.
On Friday, June 9, Adolf Heuken and Tempo magazine took a stroll along old buildings in the Harmoni vicinity all the way to Kota Tua, or Jakarta old's town. Heuken remembered details of the buildings' histories with astonishing accuracy. He easily recalled the year the Portuguese Church--known as the Sion Church--was built, and how old the clock in its yard is. It had been a while since his last visit to Kota Tua, and Heuken was sorely disappointed to find the deteriorated condition of several buildings. Some, he noted, had even disappeared.
Reclamation of Jakarta Bay can potentially damage the city's northern coastal environment. So why is the city government issuing a license for its development?
Twice a week, Alfred Sitorus rides his bicycle from Depok, West Java, to his office at the Sarinah complex in Central Jakarta. It takes around two hours for him to cover the distance of 25 kilometers, but he is determined to stick to the routine. "The dirt is clearly visible when I wipe my face with tissue or a wet cloth," said Alfred, chairman of the Coalition of Indonesian Pedestrians, last week.
ITALIAN Navy multirole frigate, ITS Carabiniere, visited Jakarta last week. With 180 crews on board, the warship set sail from La Spezia, Italy, on December 20 and has visited Saudi Arabia and Australia.
Campaigns for the election of regional chief executives in the past three months have exposed the dirty side of democracy. Most candidates running for office this Wednesday have fallen into the trap of debating primordial issues, instead of proposing anything substantive.
Meanwhile their supporters, particularly in Jakarta, have even been using religious and racial sentiment in their campaigns. News reports attacking candidates have appeared in social media. Fake news has spread widely. This show of hatred, which endangers social harmony, has been served up in the most brutal fashion.
The on-going battle in the virtual world between the campaign teams of candidates running for Jakarta governor has become fierce and more explicit.
Investigation by the KPK into the role of Sunny Tanuwidjaja in the Jakarta Bay reclamation scandal is expected to reveal the extent of middlemen's role in our chaotic bureaucracy.
The government and Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama should take advantage of the Island G status quo to reexamine all the regulations concerning the reclamation of Jakarta Bay. The ruling will cause many problems if the Jakarta government does not immediately resolve this legal dispute.
Governor Basuki must immediately lodge an appeal against the ruling so the judicial process goes on to the Supreme Court. A binding decision must be forthcoming so there is legal certainty for Agung Podomoro, the owner of Island G, and for the people who bought land on it.
BASUKI Tjahaja Purnama has been dragged into a whirlpool of bribery charges by reclamation developers over his decision to impose additional contributions to the local government without any legal basis. The Jakarta governor claims it was his discretion to set the additional contributions necessary for accelerated development.
He said the requirement for the additional contributions as a precondition for issuing the reclamation permits was not bartering. "A barter would be if I benefited from it," he declared. Refusing to be specifically interviewed on this, Basuki was willing only to answer the questions submitted by Tempo reporters Ananda Teresia and Erwan Hermawan at two different opportunities on Wednesday and Thursday last week.
FIVE Hino trucks plied back and forth on Island D as 10 construction workers prepared to enter the North Jakarta coastal area last Wednesday afternoon. A security guard stood by a bridge leading to the Pantai Indah Kapuk housing complex to check the workers' tool kits.
Activities on the 312-hectare island, managed by Kapuk Naga Indah, continued apace despite Jakarta Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama's order that they be stopped pending the issuance of building permits. "We've already sealed off the area," Ahok claimed.
It is not enough for the shophouses built by Kapuk Naga Indah company on Island D to be sealed off. They had begun to be sold, without ever holding building permits. Their exclusive right to continue building should be revoked.
Furthermore, Kapuk Naga's parent company Agung Sedayu is now being investigated for allegedly bribing Mohamad Sanusi, a Jakarta City Council (DPRD) member. The owner of the property company had objected to a 15-percent contribution in the proposed bylaw on the Land Use Plan for the North Jakarta Shoreline Strategic Area. He paid Sanusi to have it removed.
According to Governor Basuki, or better known as Ahok, the audit of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) on the 2014 finances of the Jakarta administration was full of holes. He claims the audit was carried out to undermine his credibility. Last week, Ahok sat with Tempo to share his annoyance at the fuss over the Sumber Waras land deal.
A one-on-one meeting between Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil and businessman Sandiaga Salahudin Uno took place on January 31 under the media's radar. Oddly enough, no one was aware of the mayor's agenda that day. The two met at the mayor's official weekend residence. During the meeting that lasted an hour-and-a-half, the two men talked about the plan to modernize 37 traditional markets in Bandung.
Just before the call to prayer at sunset, however, Sandiaga brought up the topic of the election for the next Jakarta governor. As the meeting was coming to an end, he asked Ridwan abouthis readiness to be a candidate. Ridwan said he would think about it. "In that case, I'll start (campaign) activities before you in Jakarta," Sandiaga said. Last Thursday, Ridwan dismissed the news that their meeting had been specifically to discuss the election. "It's only about investing in the markets," he said.
ONE hundred and six members of the Jakarta Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD) seemed pleased when their four demands were granted. In the 2016 Jakarta Regional Administrative Budget (APBD), four components in the council's expense budget were significantly increased. These include budgets for travel and recesses, new meeting tables and chairs and new laptops.
The budget for travel expenses, for instance, was raised from Rp430 thousand to Rp1.5 million. Jakarta DPRD Deputy Chairman Muhammad Taufik, a Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party politician, said it had been twelve years since the travel budget was last increased. "We often had to cover the excess," he said.
JAPANESE and Chinese investors are competing to be chosen to build the Jakarta-Bandung bullet train project. The train would be able to travel up to 300 kilometers per hour.
After living under five different governors, residents of Jakarta's Kampung Pulo who built homes on the banks of the Ciliwung River will be relocated and their homes demolished. The government plans to widen the river at that particular area so the 3,000 families living around the area are not flooded everytime the rainy season comes around.
After nine months of negotiations and three surveys, the Broadway Entertainment Group is ready to stage Beauty and the Beast in Jakarta. The musical drama, derived from the Disney animation film, will be staged from May 26 to June 27 at the Ciputra Artpreneur Theater in Ciputra World I, Mega Kuningan, South Jakarta.
THE public is tired of watching the feud between Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama and members of the Jakarta Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD). The 2015 Regional Budget (APBD) has still not been decreed as a regional regulation because of the crisis between the two parties. As a result, Rp73.08 trillion of funds cannot be disbursed. A number of development projects are stuck and employee benefits have not been paid for the two months.
Of the 1,328 respondents that joined last week's Tempo poll, 63.1 percent agreed the government could use the 2014 Regional Budget instead. However, doing so would create complications, because not all the programs outlined in the 2015 budget were budgeted last year. For example, in the 2015 budget plan, funds allocated for Jakarta civil-servant allowances amount to Rp10.8 trillion, or 16.09 percent of the total budget. In the 2014 budget, such funds are drastically reduced.
AT the end of February, Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama dropped off a bundle of documents at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) headquarters. Inside was information on a number of procurement projects in the 2014 and 2015 Regional Budget (APBD) that Basuki suspected of being marred by 'phantom programs'. "The phantom budget hiding in the 2015 APBD comes out to around Rp12 trillion," he said.
After 28 years of diplomatic relations with Indonesia, Costa Rica will open an embassy in Jakarta. The plan was conveyed by Costa Rican Deputy Foreign Minister Alejandro Solano Ortiz to Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in Jakarta on March 10, 2015. "Costa Rica has launched the 'trans-Pacific strategy' policy and Indonesia is an important spot in the region," he said.
THE four-story building is located just 50 meters from the Jakarta Regional House of Representatives (DPR) building in Central Jakarta. The white paint on the walls is peeling and the yard is a mess. Despite its dilapidated condition, this office building is the most important part in the unofficial budget added to the 2014 Jakarta Budget.
A Jakarta government official said that some companies in that old office building were awarded projects for uninterruptible power supply (UPS) equipment last year. "It is now known that some of the winners were just shell companies, rented out by others," said that official.
DID you know that there is a 900-square-meter river delta area in the middle of the Ciliwung River? The 109-kilometer long river, which runs from the foot of Mount Pangrango in Bogor to the Bay of Jakarta, is currently in very bad shape. It is polluted and its channel is getting increasingly narrow and shallow. Despite the river's dire conditions, though, various creatures live and survive in the river's delta located in Cilawet village, Depok, West Java.
During his campaign three years ago, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama- familiarly known as Ahok-promised that Jakarta would be free of floods and traffic congestion, if he was elected deputy governor of the capital city. Today, he is governor of Jakarta, but a flood-free Jakarta remains a distant dream.
Tucked away behind a house and a small unsuspecting laundry business in Duren Tiga, South Jakarta, is a dairy farm with 35 heads of cattle. Though barely noticeable from the road, the farm forms a unique element of Jakarta's history.
It was a long night for the occupants of the Jakarta Raya Drinking Water Company (PAM Jaya) headquarters in Central Jakarta, that second week of April 2012. As dawn approached, the executives of the company-the directors and senior managers-each stood their ground, after a seemingly unending debate.
"The bosses were quarantined on the second floor. None of them were allowed to go home," recalled Suhaimi, one of the PAM Jaya employees who was at the office that evening. He was a unionist. Alamsyah Panjaitan, expert staff to the PAM Jaya directors, confirmed the information. "They held meetings for several nights running," he added. Both were interviewed by Tempo in early June.
The Jakarta government is relaunching its Old Town restoration project, for the umpteenth time. Today's efforts will actively involve a consortium business people, led by financial expert Lin Che Wei and jababeka (property developers) boss, Setyono Djuandi Darmono. Will they succeed in transforming oud batavia from a sleazy neighborhood to a well-restored old town on a par with others in the world? or will it go by the wayside, as previous attempts under previous governors? tempo looks at the history of restoration efforts and the current ambitious project.
One cause of the devastating flooding in the capital lies beneath the Jakarta's surface-literally. There is no law regulating underground management.
Megawati has different ways of testing Jokowi, whose popularity is unparalleled. The PDI-P chairperson has signaled that she will not run again for the presidency, boosting the Jakarta governor's chances of nomination.
The Jakarta Governor approved the continuation of the monorail project. The new investors' financial competence remains unclear.
An investment firm with no more than Sin$435 in cash had hoped to buy Palyja shares. Meanwhile Jakarta deputy governor hopes regionally- owned enterprises will be able to manage the city's water supply.
The Google Street View project for Jakarta has begun. Will it violate citizens' privacy?
The Jakarta Bay floating gas terminal is not supplying enough gas to fuel Muara Karang and Tanjung Priok power plants, leading to blackouts. The terminal is marred by repeated technical hiccups and a lack of LNG supply.
Pluit has been hardest hit by the recent flooding in Jakarta. Land continues to subside, the dam area is increasingly narrow and shallow, and there is weak supervision of embankments and land use. The fate of Pluit hangs on the system of dams, embankments, and water pumps.
Candidates vying to be governor of Jakarta are spending massive amounts of money on their campaigns. Contributions also come in the form of goods and services.
Groups of men armed with swords, machetes and bamboo sticks have been attacking illegal motorcycle racers on the streets of Jakarta. A gang war has broken out, resulting in victims. Reportedly, members of the military are involved in this spate of violence.
In its eighth year, Java Jazz has featured quite a few Grammy award winners. The chemical bond between Jakarta and the jazz world is growing. stronger.
A poetic picture capturing father-daughter interactions with Jakarta's night-life as the backdrop.
Jakarta plans to build a sea embankment to follow in Holland’s footsteps. It will change the face of Jakarta Bay.
Ruang Rupa developed a form of arts based upon collaborative projects and research. Their works criticize Jakarta with humor.
The 2010-2030 Spatial Plan for DKI Jakarta still includes reclamation as part of the development plan for North Jakarta, although controversy over this issue continues. A series of environmental damages must be repaired first. A Citizens Coalition will also file a class action suit requesting revisions to the spatial plans for the region.
The period for the Jakarta Regional Spatial Master Plan for 2000-2010 will soon be coming to an end. However, until now, mid-2009, the Jakarta Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) has not yet received the 2010-2030 master plan from the Jakarta regional government as required by Law No. 26/2007 on City Planning. Despite the fact that according to the plan prepared by the Jakarta City Planning Agency, the master plan which covers Jakarta city planning for the next 20 years should already be under discussion by the DPRD. This means that the time accorded has already been exceeded leaving Jakarta in the precarious position of not having a new city plan in place before the period for the old master plan comes to an end.
The Governor of Jakarta, Fauzi Bowo, as well as an array of high-ranking regional officials in charge of city planning, say they are in the middle of finishing the master plan. “At present we have finished the zoning map which we have been trying to prepare at the same time as we have been preparing development plans,” said the head of the Jakarta City Planning Agency, Wiryatmoko.
According to head of the Jakarta City Development Planning Agency, Nurfakih Wiriawan, the contents of the 2010-2030 master plan still need to be explained to many parties. “We sincerely hope that the bill for the regional regulations for this can be finished this year. After that it can be discussed in the regional parliament,” he said.
The Jakarta Stock Exchange continues to set records in the Composite Share Price Index.
Religious life in Indonesia never seems to be immune from civil unrest. After the attack on the Ahmadiyyah sect last year, a mob recently burnt down the home of the founder of the Al-Qiyadah al-Islamiyah sect. The followers of Ahmad Moshaddeq, a Betawi or native Jakartan, who claims to be a prophet, are on the run. The Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) condemns the sect as deviant. Is it true they can be convicted for their religious beliefs? What makes these new sects so appealing that youths become their followers?
Voters in Jakarta are more rational in making their choice. Jusuf Kalla and Sultan Hamengku Buwono X have minimal support.
ENVIRONMENTAL experts say that Jakarta is committing ecological suicide. The air quality in Indonesia’s capital city has become so bad that in 2006 the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that Jakarta had become the third most-polluted city in the world after Mexico City and Bangkok. In one year of living in Jakarta we only enjoy clean air for 22 days, 223 days of medium-quality air, 95 days breathing unhealthy air and four days of extremely unhealthy air. Around 80 percent of Jakarta’s air pollution is caused by vehicle exhaust emissions and 20 percent from industry.
During the massive floods last February, around 69 percent of the city was inundated. During a similar disaster in 2002, “only” around 25 percent was submerged. And during the dry season Jakarta runs short of water. It turns out that the ground level is sinking by 2-8 centimeters per year. According to the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), seawater intrusion has already reached as far as the National Monument in Central Jakarta.
The largest cause for the slump in the quality of Jakarta’s environment is the increasing decline of open green space. As we know, open green space not only functions as the city’s lungs, but also as a buffer against all of the effects of environmental damage. This is truly regrettable because Jakarta once had a city administration plan that was very pro-environment, the 1965-1985 Jakarta Master Plan, which was also the city’s first master plan. Included in the design was the concept of a greenbelt which would be a part of open green space covering 37.2 percent of the city’s land area. Only around 10 percent of this open green space now remains.
In order to add some spice to the start of Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo’s term in office, in this issue Tempo is featuring a report on Jakarta’s city administration and green open spaces. We want to illustrate just how much Jakarta’s environment has changed—and for the negative. Some believe it is the time to halt this decline. One example is what is being done by residents such as Chaerudin at the Pesanggrahan River and Abdul Khodir in Condet (see Safeguarding Our Grandchildren’s Future). They are now enjoying a small slice of a greener Jakarta.
Young Achmad Aidit was introduced to politics in Jakarta where he changed his name to Dipa Nusantara (D.N.) Aidit, his better-known appellation.
Jakarta Green Monster’s activities bring luster to the Muara Angke and Rambut Island Wildlife Reserves.
Retired army generals complain of being fleeced out of billions of rupiah by political parties with promises of nomination as candidates for Jakarta Deputy Governor.
On Citamiang Hill, Puncak, they build resorts as luxurious as five-star hotels. The owners include former government officials, governors, businesspeople, and—most of all—generals. A Tempo investigation discovered that these getaways were constructed by breaking the rules. They ignored the fact that this area plays a special role in preventing floods in Jakarta.
If this situation is allowed to continue, the damage to Citamiang will result in increasingly severe flooding in the Indonesian capital. This matter has become very important in the run-up to the Jakarta gubernatorial election, which will take place in August. On their shoulders is the burden to reduce the factors which contribute to flooding in Jakarta. The following is a report of Tempo’s investigation on this hilly area called Puncak, where illegal bungalows spring up like wildflowers.
New malls are mushrooming. In Jakarta alone there are almost 100 new units.
Traffic jams in Jakarta are getting worse. Indonesias capital city needs a mass transportation system that is efficient and runs consistently.
THE State Electricity Company (PLN) stumbled again. An internal audit report conducted by the companys Internal Monitoring and Supervision Unit discovered two improper practices in the implementation of the Customer Information System (CIS) Project in Jakarta and Tangerang. The inappropriate practices include weak procedures and financial loss on the part of the state. Last week, the management of PLN discussed the results of the report with Tempos investigation team. Valued at Rp137 billion, the CIS Project was assignedwithout proper tender proceduresto PT Netway Utama. What is the background of this improper procedure?
Tempos investigation follows.
There is concern that the death of Basri Sangaji may lead to a gang war in the streets of Jakarta. Stronger laws are needed to prevent such occurrences.
Apartments and shopping malls are flooding Jakarta.
More than 1,000 hectares of mangrove forests were destroyed in Jakarta in the past four decades.
Old temples, mosques and churches are dotted across Jakarta, some retaining their original architecture, most having undergone imprudent renovation. TEMPO retraces the origins of Jakartas old houses of worship, examines the work of historian Adolf Heuken in the area, and draws attention to the need for better conservation programs.
The Jakarta city government is drafting a new regulation on air pollution, including a provision on indoor pollution.
The war is happening not only in Aceh: in Jakarta the governor has instructed that the comings and goings of all Acehnese in the capital city be monitored.
Five years have passed since Jakarta was rocked by riots, transforming the city into a frenzy of destruction and chaos. The Joint Fact Finding Team (TGPF) which investigated the tragedy recorded 1,200 deaths in various fires that swept the city, 8,500 buildings and motor vehicles either destroyed or damaged, and over 90 Chinese women and girls raped or sexually harassed. Now, five years later, an investigation initiated by TEMPO is uncovering new facts. Doctors and volunteers who have worked with those victims of rape speak of their continued suffering: one rape victim is now mentally ill, and others have given birth or chosen abortion. The TGPF's conclusions about mobs and riots are gaining ground. The tragic story of Jakarta in May 1998 did not occur naturally and unallied. A military officer has disclosed to TEMPO his disturbing account of events that had long weighed on his conscience. TEMPO interviews General Wiranto and Prabowo regarding that fateful afternoon, and reveals the recent findings of the TEMPO investigation team.
For a long time they swarmed together, begging and later handing over part of their earnings to bosses. Now already familiar with Jakarta, some even have bank deposits.
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