The Danger of Jokowi’s Intervention in Regional Elections
Jokowi is backing a number of candidates in the regional elections, including in Jakarta and Central Java. It is time Prabowo drew a line under his relationship with the former president.
maaf email atau password anda salah
Jokowi is backing a number of candidates in the regional elections, including in Jakarta and Central Java. It is time Prabowo drew a line under his relationship with the former president.
Cases of sexual violence remain high on campuses.
As a form of public participation, Tempo provides Lapor Tempo to accommodate reports from victims of sexual violence on campuses.
The Sexual Violence Prevention and Handling Task Force often encounters obstacles when dealing with sexual violence cases on campus. Victims feel they do not receive justice.
The PDI-P is wary about Jokowi and Prabowo's support for Ahmad Luthfi in the Central Java gubernatorial election. Police are suspected of pressuring business owners for support.
The government writes off non-performing loans of fishermen and small business owners. Detailed criteria can prevent moral hazards.
National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) Chair Atnike Nova Sigiro on human rights enforcement in the Prabowo Subianto era.
The number of people suspected of protecting online gambling sites increases to 18. Employees of the Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry are involved.
The Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry is tidying up house now that 10 of its employees are accused of participating in online gambling. Their flow of cash is being scrutinized.
Former Communication and Informatics Minister Budi Arie Setiadi is implicated in an online gambling case. He allegedly met with representatives of gambling operators.
The disbursement of People’s Business Credit faces numerous challenges. Farmers and small business owners are vulnerable to loan sharks and middlemen.
The future of BRIN is uncertain in the administration of Prabowo Subianto. It is caught up in a political deal with the PDI-P.
There are indications that the police are taking sides in local elections in a number of regions. This is the next setback for democracy after the presidential election.
Jokowi and the police are helping to bring Ahmad Luthfi-Taj Yasin to victory in the Central Java Regional Head Election, allegedly pressuring village heads to show support.
The Attorney General’s Office is still withholding the evidence in the sugar import case involving Tom Lembong. State losses remain unclear.
In the face of ambivalence, who is evil? It is those who choose greater evil or lesser evil.
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.
Judge bribery suspect Zarof Ricar was once a high-ranking Supreme Court official. He bankrolled a film about a judge.
The Supreme Court dismissed three judges suspected of accepting bribes in the Ronald Tannur case. This adversely impacts efforts to improve the judiciary.
The three judges who acquitted Ronald Tannur often reported for ethics violations. Their bank accounts show transactions amounting to the billions.
Judicial Commission Chair Amzulian Rifai on the corruption in judicial institution involving judges.
The food estate program, or rice field creation initiative in Central Kalimantan, was neglected and instead converted into oil palm plantations owned by private companies.
After Sritex, other major textile companies are also collapsing. Incentives and support are needed to curb imported goods.
Capital outflow becomes increasingly clear at the outset of Prabowo’s administration. The large cabinet undermines investors’ confidence.
Kamala Harris champions women’s legal and political rights, countering Donald Trump’s machismo.
The obligation to obtain halal certification leads to higher economic costs and corruption. Labeling products that are non-halal would be more efficient.
Former North Maluku Governor Abdul Gani Kasuba acknowledged meeting with Bobby Nasution but claimed he gained no advantage from it.
Entrepreneurs complain about the costly and complicated halal certification process. They must pay monthly fees for supervision.
Halal certification is slow due to inadequate supporting infrastructure. It has the potential to trigger a high-cost economy.
Entrepreneurs are pressured by the mandatory halal certification regulations. The costs associated with obtaining halal labels are considered expensive, and the procedures are complicated.
Three East Java gubernatorial candidates—Luluk, Khofifah, and Risma—talk about the competition in the 2024 regional head elections.
The rupiah is weakening amid the power transition, with global factors also exerting heavy pressure.
Rohingya refugees in Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines are treated differently than those in Indonesia.
How did Prabowo Subianto decide on the composition of his cabinet? There are indications that several prospective ministers were proposed by tycoons.
President Jokowi entrusted his confidants to join Prabowo’s cabinet. Several ‘volunteers’ also received positions.
Prabowo Subianto formed a large cabinet to accommodate the interests of parties, businessmen, and his supporters. Mining entrepreneur Haji Isam is suspected of proposing several ministerial candidates.
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.
South Kalimantan Governor Sahbirin Noor is suspected of receiving commissions on three projects in the e-catalog. He has not been seen since being named a suspect.
Farwiza Farhan, the winner of the 2024 Ramon Magsaysay award talks about conservation of the Leuser Ecosystem in Aceh.
Various parties from the National Police Chief to the State Palace are accused of interfering in the KPK leadership candidates selection process. The candidates are divided into four clusters.
Illegal fishing and slavery continue to occur in Indonesian waters. Crew members are vulnerable to abuse.
After stepping down, Jokowi will return to Solo, accompanied by his loyal supporters. He is not having a lavish farewell in order to avoid any negative sentiment.
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.
Illegal gold mines that collapsed in Solok Regency, West Sumatra, damage the Batanghari watershed. Authorities are suspected of protecting investors.
The race for the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is heating up amid a flurry of allegations against certain candidates. There is suspicion of backing from business circles.
Political parties replace elected legislative members over alleged vote manipulation.
United States Ambassador Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir speaks about women, education, and Indonesia’s new administration.
The partnership between Riau regional company and Kingswood Capital Ltd resulted in criminal charges, with two top executives now facing allegations of embezzlement.
Dozens of companies are seeking permits to process marine sediment. They include businessmen, regional head candidates, and former cabinet ministers.
The hand of the government is apparent in Kadin’s internal conflict between Arsjad Rasjid and Anindya Bakrie. This has no effect on the public.
Arsjad Rasyid and Anindya Bakrie both claim support from regional Kadin branches. Legal battles continue.
The clearing of forests for the food estate project does not yet have an environmental impact assessment. It will be issued later.
Anindya Bakrie ousted Arsjad Rasjid as the Chair of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin). The organization is becoming like a political party and enjoys large funds coming in from overseas.
The selection of the KPK leadership is being forced through before the end of the terms of the DPR and Jokowi. Watch out for Presidential Palace appointees.
Two rivals in Jakarta’s upcoming regional elections are sharpening their winning strategies. There is a rift in the Indonesia Onward Coalition.
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.
Police uncover baby trafficking syndicate operating in Java-Bali since 2023. Five babies were already sold.
The Language Agency uses artificial intelligence to preserve endangered regional languages, starting with the creation of a vast corpus data.
The business of digital signatures and e-stamps is booming, as regulations push digital certificate providers to rake in profits.
The first agenda item on Pope Francis’ visit was to meet with marginalized communities. The Pope encourages Catholic Church leaders to welcome Muslim refugees.
A biomass plant has the potential to clear 693,795 hectares of Gorontalo’s forest. The raw material for the wood pellets intended for export comes from deforestation.
The free lunch program needs to be selective that the provinces with high prevalence of malnutrition should be put on the priority list.
Startups owned by Gibran Rakabuming Raka and Kaesang Pangarep are flooded with venture capital injections. Assisted by a presidential advisor.
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 trial of the defendants in the tin corruption case revealed the involvement of Brig. Gen. Mukti Juharsa. He evaded scrutiny from the Attorney General’s Office.
Commission XI of the House of Representatives will elect five BPK members. Several political parties are forming a coalition to support their strongest candidates.
The police continue to resort to brutality to silence demonstrators. This is a violation of human rights.
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 Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) strives to counter candidates supported by the Palace. It is an early projection for the 2029 General Elections.
Police act excessively in handling the demonstrations nationwide in support of the Constitutional Court decision. Where are the President and Vice President?
The PDI-P will be nominating Anies Baswedan in the Jakarta gubernatorial election. A popular candidate against Jokowi’s coalition.
Jokowi is believed to have intervened in making Bahlil Lahadalia general chairperson of the Golkar Party.
The government and the House failed to pass a revision of the Regional Head Election Law. Prabowo suggested that Kaesang Pangarep not run in the 2024 regional head elections.
The trial of the free nutritious meal program involves military personnel and private parties. Authorities manage everything from communal kitchens to food distribution.
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.
The hijacking of the Constitutional Court’s decision on the Regional Head Election Law affects investor confidence, and political commotion hurts Prabowo’s government.
During the last days before his death, M.H. Thamrin was under house arrest, accused of attempting to subvert the Dutch colonial government.
Airlangga Hartarto steps down as Golkar General Chair, an abrupt decision that stirs speculation that senior politicians and regional party leaders are being lobbied ahead of the party’s extraordinary national congress.
Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah explains the issues surrounding the mass layoffs in the industrial sector.
The government wants to impose duty on sugar, salt and fat. It would make more sense to optimize the role of the BPOM.
An exclusive Tempo interview with Anies Baswedan regarding his chances to run in the Jakarta regional head election.
Golkar finally aligned with Gerindra for the West Java and Jakarta regional head elections but faces the threat of being left behind in Banten.
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.
An interview with Jerry Hermawan Lo. He denies the allegation that he runs an online gambling scheme.
The conflict between the PKB and PBNU escalates following the establishment of the Special Committee for Haj by the DPR. Nahdlatul Ulama feels the DPR is targeting the Religious Affairs Minister, the younger brother of the PBNU General Chair.
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 PDI-P opens itself up to supporting Prabowo Subianto. Testing the water through the simultaneous regional head elections.
The KPK named three suspects in the corruption case involving personal protective equipment. Other high-ranking officials are also implicated.
Personal protective equipment corruption suspect, Budi Sylvana, denied inflicting up to Rp300 billion of losses to the state. He revealed the roles of other officials in the case.
Chair of the Indonesian contingent, Anindya Bakrie, explains the team’s medal target in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The government revises regulations on solar panel and photovoltaic power station’s local content requirement. Investors are hesitant due to unreasonable requirements.
During his presidency, Joko Widodo failed to reform the National Police. There is a Solo Gang at the National Police Headquarters.
Jokowi’s maneuvers to extend the presidential term. He laid down a red carpet for his political dynasty.
Investigations into corruption cases at the Attorney General’s Office often fail to catch the elite. Several cases are suspected of having political nuance.
Deputy VI for Regional Development and Spatial Planning Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy, Susiwijono Moegiarso, explains the development of national strategic projects, their economic benefits and impact on the environment.
Several police generals are preparing to participate in the selection of the KPK leadership. The KPK must not become a nest of ‘crocodiles’.
The construction of the new capital (IKN) resulted in environmental damage and health problems in other regions. It should be halted.
The Religious Affairs Ministry allocated an additional quota for the special haj. There is an aroma of corruption.
Pramono Anung successfully secured Anies Baswedan’s support in the Jakarta gubernatorial election. There seems to be a political deal ahead of 2029.
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.
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 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.
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?
Independent journalism needs public support. By subscribing to Tempo, you will contribute to our ongoing efforts to produce accurate, in-depth and reliable information. We believe that you and everyone else can make all the right decisions if you receive correct and complete information. For this reason, since its establishment on March 6, 1971, Tempo has been and will always be committed to hard-hitting investigative journalism. For the public and the Republic.