In response to the arrest of the KPK officials, President Yudhoyono said that the arrest is not extrordinary and that he will not intervene with the work of the National Police (Polri).

Yusro, wrote an article [id] in Politikana that highlights an odd argument made by Inspector General Dikdik Mulyana Arif Mansur, the Deputy in Chief of the Criminal Division of the Indonesian National Police:

Alasan penahanan antara lain karena ancaman hukuman atas pelanggaran hukum kedua petinggi KPK nonaktif itu di atas 5 tahun selain itu, ya, klasik. Polri khawatir, Bibit dan Chandra akan melarikan diri, menghilangkan barang bukti, dan mengulangi tindak pidana yang sama, sebagaimana tercantum dalam KUHAP.

Tapi yang lebih mengejutkan, adalah alasan lainnya yaitu: Bibit dan Chandra bisa jumpa pers. “Setidak-tidaknya faktanya sekarang kami kesulitan karena sudah dihakimi dengan cerita-cerita dan tuduhan kriminalisasi. Tersangka bisa jumpa pers, itu indikasi dia bisa mempengaruhi opini,” ujar Dikdik.

The chronology of Bibit-Chandra's arrest, which appeared on Pesatnews.com, suggests that the two non active commissioners were framed because they were leading an investigation that could involve one of Polri's big wigs.

23 JuniI 2009
KPK menyatakan Direktur PT Masaro Radiokom Anggoro Widjojo ditetapkan sebagai tersangka korupsi pengadaan alat komunikasi terpadu Departemen Kehutanan pada 2007.

30 Juni 2009
Kepala Badan Reserse Kriminal Kepolisian RI Susno Duadji, yang sedang menangani kasus Bank Century, menyatakan teleponnya disadap. Belakangan, KPK mengatakan memang sedang menyelidiki dugaan suap kepada petinggi kepolisian berinisial SD dalam kaitan dengan kasus Bank Century.

10 Juli 2009
Susno menemui Anggoro, yang jadi buron KPK, di Singapura.

To many Indonesian officials, KPK is a strong institution that could change the course of the traditional system. There are high hopes that KPK could be the master solution to a systematic corruption eradication.

Rob Baiton, who blogs at RAB Experience, said that the president's decision not to interfere with the case is rather bizarre as the case unfolds:

The fact that the president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono or SBY, gave a press conference indicating that he would not be interfering in the process. Strange because he has already imposed himself on the process when he issued an interim law to appoint three new, albeit temporary, commissioners to the KPK. So, to say he would not interfere seems a little strange.

A few days before the arrest, a transcript of a wiretapped phone call, between the corruption suspects and other unnamed persons, circulated on the internet. At one point the name of the president and two other first echelon officials were mentioned. The phone conversation suggests the arrest was staged and there's a plan to bring down the KPK as a graft fighting institution.

Baiton elaborates:

The president is also smarting because a transcript of an alleged wiretap highlighting that the police and the office of the attorney general conspired to frame Chandra and Bibit has surfaced. Why is he smarting? Maybe because his name came up as being aware of the frame.

Although the president has said he will not interfere in the process, he has nevertheless instructed the Chief of Police to take all necessary steps to uncover the wiretapper and bring them to justice. Sounds a little like closing the barn door once the horse has bolted. But, Mr. President, it is time to clean this mess up, isn't it?

As closure, Baiton highlighted what could Yudhoyono's legacy be:

Ultimately, these shenanigans are going to be a “legacy crusher” for SBY. He will be remembered as the president that talked a good game on anti-corruption but could never deliver the goods. In fact, he will be remembered for presiding over the demise of one of the few success stories in the fight against corruption in Indonesia.

On Sunday, President Yudhoyono invited four experts, one from Transparency International Indonesia and the rest are professors from big universities, to discuss about KPK situation and options.

Brett McGuire, an Intellectual Property Right expert based in Jakarta  wonders why the president consulted these four experts before consulting the Constitutional Court or the Administrative Court, blogged on Spruiked:

The fact that the President consulted with three universities is telling. It shows just how complex he considers the issue to be.

[…]

There might be a legal-constitutional reason why the President has not spoken to the judiciary  (assuming that he hasn't).

[…]

The Constitutional Court has wasted no time criticizing the President for his ill-advised actions, particularly the ridiculous PERPPU. Given the President's sensitivities (remember he said he had been “awfully hurt”), it could well be that the President can't see beyond his own personal issues.

The KPK, according to McGuire, is the institution that helped Yudhoyono won his second term. It's his duty not to see it crumbled:

What can we learn from this? The President can no longer sit back and let things happen — not when they are of national importance, and most certainly not when they have a direct impact on his credibility. He won the election because of the KPK. He has shamelessly ridden on the coat-tails of their success. He must protect them.

He owes it to the people who elected him.

Concerned Indonesian citizens are showing their support online and offline.

More than 400, 380 facebookers joined a group called A Million Facebookers Supporting Chandra Hamzah and Bibit Samad Riyanto.

Twitterers use hastag #dukungkpk or support KPK to show their support and voice opinions.

Offline, a group of people started a black shirt campaign. Last Monday, Indonesians were encouraged to wear black ribbon as a sign of mourning for the death of truth and justice and to show support for the release of the two men who represent the nation's fight against corruption.

In Indonesia, corruption is seen as vicious cycle that hampers the economy and rusting the people's trust of justice institutions such as the police and the  court. According to a survey released in 2009 by Transparency International Indonesia, the Polri is named the most corrupt institution in the country by respondents, who are mainly businessmen.

By Allah I swear I will adhere to the constitution as faithfully as possible, and will commit myself to the country and the people.

On Tuesday, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono took his presidential oath marking his second term as head of state of the world's most populous Muslim country.

Boediono was also sworned in as Vice President in the same event. He is Indonesia's first non-politician Vice President.

Twitterers and plurkers comment and welcome the new chapter of Yudhoyono's administration:

Riefky_kp: Today, October 20, was the president and vice president inauguration in Indonesia. Congrats to SBY and Boediono!

lydia_zein: TODAY is Indonesia's Presidential Inauguration! Shouldn't today be a national holiday?

brunei1234: HM arrived in Jakarta yesterday evening to attend the inauguration of the President and Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia.

czachrie: Today's inauguration..hope all goes smoothly..big step for Indonesia, let's hope we can redeem ourselves to the world!

misstashalov: Congratulations to Pak SBY and the whole team. Hopefully the new team can bring Indonesia to a better, advanced development. Ameeen!

meisyasiregar: Saw re run pelantikan SBY+Boediono I think it was alright,simple. But feel α shame for d miss spoken incident by Taufik K! He's so unfocus!

neethonk: And the inauguration has ended. Hopefully this new government will lead Indonesia into the better future.

G_liciousS: couldn't watch the inauguration of the president bcoz of this long BLACKOUT.. uuurgh, mmg katu Indonesia.. ckc…

jacksonkumaat: @presidensby @Boediono Congrats for the inauguration. pray Indonesia is run with the same level of excellence, visionary & good character

President Yudhoyono has been through a series of ultimate lows in his previous administration term, ranging from natural disasters like the 2004 Aceh tsunami and 2006 Central Java earthquake, to separatism threats coming from the country's easternmost provinces.

The former Army general also managed to reach agreement between the central government with GAM (Free Aceh Movement), a separatist group which has been aiming to establish Aceh as an independent Muslim state.

Corruption remains a big issue in Indonesia. Corruption is a known factor that chased away investors, both domestic and foreign. Because of its prevalence in the country, Indonesian development plans remain in status quo.

Back in 2004, President Yudhoyono  made corruption eradication one of his top priority on his first 100 days, since then prosecutions have been made including one of Yudhoyono's in laws but no real change among public servants  - bribery, cronyism, and nepotism are still considered as popular highways to success.

In this year's inaugural speech, the president said that the spirit of perseverance and the spirit of not giving up are important to uphold good governance and eradicate corruption, however he didn't highlight corruption eradication as his administration priority.

Despite so, according to one report the people see the president's effort in combating corruption as positive [id].

Indonesian bloggers have high hopes on Yudhoyono's new administration.

Even though the new cabinet is not yet formed, some Indonesian bloggers have already written their opinions.

Lila wrote an article on Politikana, a 2.0  platform popular among Indonesian political commentators, saying that the successor of the minister of communication might jeapordize freedom of expression and eventually, online freedom:

Dipilihnya Tifatul Sembiring dari PKS untuk memimpin Departemen komunikasi dan Informatika memberikan kesan bahwa duet SBY dan Boediono kurang menaruh perhatian yang serius pada departemen strategis.

[…]

ketakutan akan kecendrungan PKS sebagai garda depan pengusung UU Anti Pornografi untuk melakukan pensensoran internet besar besaran. Bagi pengelola situs  yang memuat Miyabi atau forum macam Kaskus (BB17) harus sudah siap siap dibredel atau tidak dapat diakses dari Indonesia.

Lila also questions the ability of the future communication minister, who comes from a hardline party, to take stern action against website admins who incite hate towards other religions, sects, or even democracy.

While Lila felt that appointing the wrong minister could end up preserving  “the enveloppe below the table” practices, Wahyudi, who also wrote a post on Politikana, states the importance of embracing the 2.0 platform to obtain the  good governance goal.

Indonesia juga sedang di tengah - tengah pesta peluncuran sistem operasi terbaru dengan dipilih dan disahkannya pemerintahan SBY 2.0. Versi 2.0 yang saya tambahkan di SBY sayangnya belum terbukti dapat menyamai paradigma internet 2.0 yang menawarkan penggunanya untuk saling menciptakan berbagai hal baru yang dapat berguna.

[…]

Sejauh ini, saya belum melihat adanya keinginan pemerintah ataupun wakil rakyat untuk mengikutsertakan elemen terpenting dalam negara demokrasi: rakyat, untuk bersama sama menciptakan lingkungan bernegara yang produktif atas dasar partisipasi elemen-elemen sebuah negara: rakyat, wakil rakyat dan pemerintah. Platform yang saya lihat kembali yang sudah kita lihat dari versi-versi sebelumnya, yaitu platform yang lebih mengutamakan elite politik. Ciri khasnya tetap sama: tidak ada transpransi, tidak ada spesifikasi yang jelas untuk dijadikan bahan acuan dan mengukur qualitas, tidak mempromosikan keikutsertaan rakyat dengan tidak diberadakannya platform yang terbuka bagi rakyat untuk mengolah data dan informasi demi kepentingan umum.

Sepertinya halnya sistem operasi, kita akan disodorkan update atau patches untuk diinstal agar dapat menutupi kekurangan-kekurangan sistem operasi tersebut saat diluncurkan ke pasaran. Mudah-mudahan kita juga aka dapat update atau patches untuk beberapa tahun kedepan demi kebaikan bangsa dan negara.

Indonesia held its first presidential election as a democratic country in 1999, after being ruled by General Soeharto for more than 30 years, making it one of the youngest democratic countries in the world. The country's president is only allowed to have a maximum of two consecutive terms.

Broadcasting a radio report in the Tetun language from Candidus Elu of Radio Atoni Oecusse, TimorToday reported that;

Polisia fronteira detein TNI nain 9 tama illegal iha Oe-Cusse [Tet.]

Border police detains 9 TNI [Indonesian Army] for illegal entry into Oe-Cusse.

The full story has an MP3 file which can be downloaded via the TimorOhin website here.

It has also been picked up by blogger TimorNewsNetwork as well.  On 5 October, the weekly Tempo Semanal blogged an internet feature out of it.

TimorOhin provides a service for previously unheard journalists from the far reaches of Timor-Leste to report to the nation at large, Timorese, abroad, and the international community.

In the story Radio Atoni Oecusse reporter Elu explains that the community of border village Naktuka in Subdistrict Nitibe, working with the Timorese Border Police detained 9 members of the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI) for illegal entry into Timor-Leste on 3 October 2009.

Google Maps shows a missing border

Radio Atoni Oecusse quotes Simao de Carvalho, Chefe Suco (village head) of Ben-Ufe (within which Naktuka is located), as saying that the TNI entered Timor-Leste at 0900 with military vehicles and that they were armed. However, by 1400 Timorese National Police Headquarters in Dili instructed local authorities to release the TNI and allow them to return to Indonesia.  Radio Atoni Oecusse quotes local youth as being upset that Timorese are jailed for illegal border crossings but not the Indonesian Army.  Local police have explained to residents that the border area remains disputed and that decision to release the TNI came from the highest levels in Dili.

This is an old border dispute.  Both the Dili Insider and East Timor Law and Justice Bulletin blogs carried news about a brewing problem in June 2009. At stake is a rice paddy complex in contested land, in addition to a betel nut forest which has significant traditional “adat” importance to people across the Oecusse Enclave.

The dispute predates June and is part of a wider set of border issues in the Enclave.  Most notably, after a show of force by the TNI, including a fighter jet and a gunboat in January 2004, Timor-Leste ceded ownership of the island Pulau Batek, or Fatu Sinai as it is known in Oecusse, to Indonesia in 2005.  Public opinion in the Enclave was resigned frustration mixed with a refusal to cede Naktuka if asked.

Significantly, this is not the first time that TNI have been detained in this area.  During the Fatu Sinai / Batek spat, Timorese police detained TNI in the same area.

In June Indonesian blogger berita hankam posted a story in which TNI border commander Lt.Col. Yunianto is quoted as saying,

TNI hanya bertugas menjaga keamanan dan pertahanan negara. Sehingga kami tidak bisa masuk ke wilayah yang diduduki untuk mengusir warga Timor Leste tersebut. Kami sudah menyampaikan protes keras kepada polisi penjaga perbatasan Timor Leste,” lanjutnya. [Bahasa]

TNI's only duty is the security and defence of the country.  So we do not go into the area which is the responsibility of someone else to order the Timorese community out.  We already sent a strong protest to the Timorese border police.

Close Up of Naktuka Area - from Dili Insider

Some important people on the Indonesian side of the border have spoken publicly and aggressively over the matter of who owns Naktuka.  The Dili Insider reveals that Robby Manoh, quoted by the Jakarta Globe saying “if this injustice continues, we have no choice but to force”, is actually the King of Amfoan community - across the border from Naktuka.

Indonesian blogger Radio Sahabat reported that Manoh had again raised the issue of Naktuka with the Governor of Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) province less than a month ago.

Interestingly, with the case of Maternus Bere, former pro-Indonesia militia commander penned up in the Indonesian Embassy, in addition to recent tri-lateral security and development meeting between Indonesian, Australia and Timor-Leste - Indonesia is putting pressure on Dili via one of its soft spots.  The soft spot being Dili's 60,000 citizens in the enclave in Indonesian West Timor - Oecusse.

Nearly 24 hours since the earthquake took place, the city is still experiencing blackout and bad cellphone reception:

andrepramana @luckytriakbar belum dapet kabar luk..padang gelap gulita..jringan hp masi eror

Many Twitter users like nenglita, is depending on their tweets to find missing relatives:

nenglita: Tlg carikan sepupu saya, Muhammad Septian Pradana,15th & Muhammad Yuniardi,13th. Almt Jl Cendana mata air no2 padang. Please<

President Yudhoyono and 6 state ministers are now in Padang to assess the situation and coordinate the emergency relief effort:

dedimasputra: Indonesia was hit by earthqueke again.The presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono stated for emergency circumstace for 2 months in West Sumatra

The Minangkabau Airport was reopened around noon local time on Thursday. However, due to massive inbound flights, ticket price sky-rocketed, reaching 3 million IDR (about 311 USD) for an economy class seat.

dinanyadonald: @sitita bandara padang udah dibuka ta,tapi sepertinya ticket jadi susah..kk sepupu g udah jalan kesana td pagi

Reponding to this situation, an official of the Ministry of Transportations told [id]  local newsportal Detik that the government has requested the commercial and chartered airlines to set a normal charges on humanitarian ground which doesn't exceed standard price of 960,000 IDR (about 100 USD).

Transporting aid and volunteers to a disaster impacted area is a big challenge for archipelagic countries like Indonesia and its neighbor country the Philippines.

Thousands of Indonesian troops are deployed to search the missing victims.

Twitterers unite in gathering  specialized volunteers to be deployed to Padang:

@chairanijk : Tweeps, Jika berminat menjadi relawan di Padang, hub saya ya, bsk brgkt jam 8 pagi. Di utamakan dokter dan paramedis thx.

RisyadRusdi : Ada yg mau jd relawan ke padang? Yg berminat hub gw, bsk pagi jam 8 naik pesawat carteran pak JK dr halim. makasih. http://myloc.me/QKHT

According to Palang Merah Indonesia's (PMI- Indonesian Red Cross) report appearing on Facebook, 529 people were found dead and 80% of houses and public infrastructure are damaged, and that more tents are still needed for quake victims.

Two more quakes felt on Thursday

On the same report, the PMI also said that another 7.0 Richter scale jolt that struck Jambi province on Thursday morning.

The Jambi volcanic quake damaged some 500 houses in 4 villages. 1 death reported and injuries.

Another rattle measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale was felt in North Sulawesi's capital in Manado around 8 AM Thursday. The undersea quake epicenter is in Tahuna Sea on the eastern part of Indonesia.

Until Thursday evening, extensive reports on Jambi and North Sulawesi are still scarce.

On 23 September 2009 a prominent former pro-autonomy leader from the Timorese southern coastal district of Cova Lima made a stunning revelation in Dili District court during the trial of those accused of shooting President Jose Ramos-Horta, and attacking Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao on 8 February 2008.  Rui Teixeira Lopes admitted to providing now deceased, rebel leader Major Reinado, and the man that lead the attack on Horta, with uniforms procured in Indonesia.

As the increasingly active Centru Jornalista Investigativu Timor Leste (CJITL), [Centre for Investigative Journalism Timor-Leste] reported in a Dili Flash news segment on 25 September 2009 states:

“Rui Texeira Lopes ne’ebe kolega diak grupu Alfredo nian mak sosa husi Indonezia.” [Tet.]

The report quotes Lopes as saying,

“ Farda Militar nebe Alfredo ho nia grupo hatais ne’e hau mak sosa husi Marina Amerika iha Indonezia” dehan Rui Lopes ba Tribunal.”

Lopes further stated:

“Maibe osan ne'e laos hau nian tanba montante osan ne’e Salsinha intrega mai hau hafoin hau ba sosa farda mai fahe ba sira iha subar fatin. Hau deklara buat ne’ebe los ba tribunal mais kuandu ida ne'e mak hau sala karik ohin kedas hau prontu ba tur hamutuk ho maluk arguidu sira ne’e” Rui Lopes hatutan.

Who is Rui Lopes?

In addition to being a former colleague of many wanted war criminals - he is the former Bupati (Indonesian term of District Head) of Cova Lima District, an honourary member of the Indonesian special forces unit Kopassus, and a successful businessman with interests in cross border trade, trucking and is known for breeding racing horses.  In 1999 he supported the pro-autonomy option until the last moment, and then turned on his Indonesian general masters and told the world about TNI plans and actions to “torch” Timor in the wake of a vote for independence. In June 2006 he lead a anti-FRETILIN protest convoy to Dili as part of the effort to oust then Prime Minister Alkatiri.  He was caught on film claiming he was “prontu atu mate - ready to die”.  As blogged by FRETILIN leaning blogger Tatoli, and posted on You Tube.

Rui Lopes Leads Anti-FRETILIN protest convoy near Dili June 2006

Meanwhile the international press, Timorese websites, blogs and newslists are flooded with stories, gossip and commentary on the Bere Case. The domestic print media has literally used up a valuable forest on the issue.

Who is Bere?

Maternus Bere, was a  subcommander of the infamous pro-Indonesia Laksaur militia, organised, funded and directed by the Indonesian military, and based in Cova Lima district on the south west border with Indonesia.  Laksaur was an extension of the pro-autonomy apparatus funded by the Indonesian military and lead by Rui Lopes and others in Cova Lima.  Laksaur, and Bere, were responsible among other crimes, for the Suai Church Massacre on 6 September 1999, in which over 200 people were killed for their support of the Independence option in the 30 August 1999 UN run Popular Consultation.  Bere was subsquently indicted by the United Nations Special Panel on Serious Crimes, along with numerous other members of Laksaur for the Suai Church Massacre along with other human rights violations.

In summary Bere, a minor government offical in Indonesia and a wanted man for the last decade, crossed the border from Indonesia into Cova Lima district in August 2009. Critically, Tempo Semanal has obtained a copy of Bere's passport, showing it was issued in July 2009 by the Indonesian government, and that he was provided a visa by Timorese police on 5 August, three days before his arrest in Suai.  Bere was arrested by local people on 8 August, handed over the police, and subsequently released on 30 August 2009 by President Ramos-Horta, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, and Minister of Justice.  Bere is currently believed to be in the Indonesian Embassy in Dili

Maternus Bere - subcommander Laksaur Militia, 1999 - Tempo Semanal

Civil society reaction has been overwhelmingly negative.  On 25 September the leading weekly newspaper Tempo Semanal, blogged a video taken from the National Commission for Victims of Human Rights Congress meeting in early September, capturing the feelings of civil society - being frustration and anger.

The leading Opposition party, FRETILIN has introduced a motion to censure the Government, and is suggesting it will quit Parliament if the vote goes in support of the Government.

FRETILIN argues that the release is grossly unconstitutional, and is the last straw after a series of allegedly illegal actions by the Government and its Ministers over the last 2 years.  These actions include but are not limited to corrupt activities by the Prime Minister, Minister of Justice, the husband of the Minister of Justice and the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, to but a few.  Tempo Semanal has published dozens of corruption stories in the last year.

Additionally, Tempo Semanal obtained a copy of dispatch by Claudio Ximenes suggesting that the release of Bere was unconstituional and thus illegal, even going so far as to indicate that the President, Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, if found in breach of the law face jail terms of 2-6 years.  Prime Minister Gusmao responded by stating. ““I know where Becora prison is so as soon as a court sentence I will go there my self.”

Indeed the grand old man of Timorese politics, the country's first President, and the Proklamador (Proclaimer) of independence on 28 November 1975, Fransisco Xavier Amaral has declared that President Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao “La Iha Klamar - Have no Soul”.

The politico-legal witch's brew emanating from Cova Lima is threatening to engulf the country in a constitutional crisis, once again.  The events of 1975, 1999, and 2006 reverberate in 2009.  And to think, the Government wants investors to join it in pumping hundreds of million of dollars into major oil and gas infrastructure projects in Cova Lima and other south coast areas.

About CJITL

Centru Jornalista Investigativu Timor Leste (Centre for Investigative Journalism Timor-Leste) - CJITL

CJITL has been online for a year or so, but is proving to be a powerful new media outlet in Timor-Leste.

CJITL Screenshot

Written almost entirely in Tetun, an obscure language to those outside of Timor-Leste, and even to most foreigners inside Timor-Leste, CJITL is a daily online publication.  It compliments the groundbreaking work that weekly Tempo Semanal is doing.  Indeed, the CJITL see Tempo Semanal as something of an inspiration.

A little known fact about CJITL is that its webmaster is a Timorese working in the IT section of a major UN peackeeping mission in Africa - he learned his trade working for the UN in Dili.  Probably one of the UN's more successful acts of capacity building, even if by accident.

A video clip posted by  a YouTube user in Padang:

The undersea quake measuring 7.6 on Richter Scale has caused massive building damage and casualties, mainly around Pariaman, a coastal area of Padang.

An international tsunami warning [id] has been issued for Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and India, but was lifted about an hour later.

Indonesian news agency Antara reported that the death toll has reached 75, but may surge since there are still victims buried under the rubble, while many still choose to stay outside [id] of their houses fearing further tremors would strike.

According to First Secretary Purnomo Sidik of  the National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) in Antara, the BNPB headquarters in Jakarta haven't received detailed information from the field due to communications disruptions in West Sumatra.

Fifty percent of the city has sustained damage and inbound flights to Padang were cancelled following damage to the runways at  Minangkabau Airport.

The Indonesian twittersphere is filled with sympathy messages, updates to and from relatives, and relief reports.

henzter: just received reply to my sms, from an acquaintance @ sumbar: still looking for brother. *am praying*

martimanurung: South and North Sumatra Provinces will help West Sumatra Province for quake relief.

veraalexandra: God please help our brothers n sisters in Padang..give them strenght n perseverance..amien.

aditdmid: bru lht dmpak gempa Padang td sore. evakuasi mlm ni trhmbt hjn deras & mati lstrk,75% kota lumpuh. smg para krbn dbri kkuatn&ktabahn. amin.

The Vice President, Jusuf Kalla, shortened the swearing in of  new parliament members and sent six ministers to the location to assess the damage.

aulia: We voted for you. Our first official request is for you to donate your pocket money to the quake victims. They need it more than you.

Around 11:45 PM local time darlingalih says:

darlingalih: RT @isatbb: Jaringan data GPRS ISAT aman terkendali di Padang, anjuran komunikasi ke Padang via fitur BB: Email, BBM, YM, FB. Please RT

Minister for Social Welfare Abu Rizal Bakrie said that infrastructural devastation caused by the recent earthquake could be as massive as that which occurred during the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake.

Top and four of his accomplices died after 9 hours of shootout.

The National Chief Police, Police General Bambang Hendarso Danuri said [id] that there are 14 points on the militant's fingers that matched with the police record. Danuri also said that the success of the raid was a blessing during the holy month of Ramadan.

The twitterers cheered the accomplishment:

Breaking the fast together with the reporters at the Presidential Palace, President Yudhoyono said that he extends his highest regards to the Police and Detachment 88 for their hard work in fighting terrorism.

The president also said that the country should remain vigilant, because despite of Noordin's death the terrorist cells he created are still eluding capture [id], therefore the world needs to join hands in combating the roots of extremism and terrorism.

]]> http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/09/18/indonesia-most-wanted-man-confirmed-dead/feed/ 0 http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/09/14/indonesia-controversial-new-film-law/ http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/09/14/indonesia-controversial-new-film-law/#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:33:21 +0000 Carolina Rumuat http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=95858 The Indonesian movie-making industry is criticizing the newly revised Film Law [id]. The law is deemed to leave a small room for creativity, and putting the survival of the industry under the government's tight supervision.

If the agonizing law is strictly implemented, the flourishing landscape of national cinema will surely turn to a different direction.

Film critic Totot Indrarto wrote an opinion [id] on local journal Kompas:

Sejak RUU disosialisasikan, sejumlah komponen komunitas perfilman Indonesia, dengan berbagai cara yang konstitusional dan saluran yang ada, telah menyatakan ketidaksetujuan atas sejumlah pasal. Antara lain, larangan membuat film dengan isi tertentu; pembatasan produser untuk menggunakan SDM dan teknologi tertentu yang dibutuhkan; pembuatan film harus dimulai dengan pendaftaran judul, cerita, dan rencana produksi; kewenangan Lembaga Sensor Film (LSF) yang masih besar; pekerja film wajib memiliki sertifikat kompetensi dari organisasi profesi, lembaga sertifikasi profesi, atau perguruan tinggi; kegiatan peredaran, pemutaran, apresiasi, pengarsipan, dan ekspor-impor film diatur dengan peraturan menteri; serta sejumlah sanksi administratif dan ancaman pidana yang mengerikan.

[…]

Substansi UU Perfilman itu jelas amat birokratis, eksesif, cenderung represif. Sementara semangatnya menafikan arus besar dalam komunitas perfilman Indonesia yang menghendaki agar urusan film dikembalikan sepenuhnya ke tangan orang film.

Some professionals feared that the law could trigger a massive wave of unemployment, since one point of the law imposed  job related certification for those who wish to remain in the industry.

Iman Fatah wondered if the law would force him turn away jobs:

Pada poin #9 (pasal 68), Itu dampaknya sangat besar mengingat di Indonesia para insan perfilman mayoritas berangkat dari otodidak dan pengalaman karena minimnya pendidikan formal di bidang film. Lalu bagaimana nasib para pekerja music scorer dan music producer otodidak seperti saya ini? apakah ini artinya saya DILARANG MEMBUAT SCORING FILM LAGI?

Herman Saksono said that the House of Representatives, though on paper has a noble intention to protect the survival of film industry, isn't choosing the right path. Saksono pointed out that imposing 60% of local film quota is an excessive protectionism move.

Pertama-tama kita harus sepakat bahwa melindungi potensi nasional kita adalah sesuatu yang mulia dan penting.

[…]

proteksi yang berlebihan justru akan melahirkan jago-jago kandang kelas teri. Adanya kuota 60% justru mendorong produser-produser film sembarangan membuat film, hanya demi memenuhi kuota hadiah dari DPR.

Akibatnya, kualitas film kita jadi buruk. Kuantitas di atas kualitas. Padahal sekitar 90% film Indonesia itu buruk. Jadi, dipastikan yang buruk akan bertambah banyak. Ini bukan sebuah hipotesis, ini sudah terbukti ketika pemerintah mewajibkan stasiun televisi menayangkan minimal 70% tayangan produksi dalam negeri di awal 90-an.

He added that the industry requires a bigger space in order to improve a more creative atmosphere:

Mungkin DPR lupa kalau untuk bersaing di kancah industri kreatif global, yang dibutuhkan adalah ruang untuk berekspresi dan kemudahan birokrasi, bukan shortcut dan cheatsheet.

Wina Armada Sukardi, a journalist and also a film critic, said there are few of weak points on the new law which systematically restrain the improvement of the currently growing movie industry:

Keempat, sistem sensor yang dipakai masih memakai sistem pemotongan dan bukan klasifikasi murni. Memang sudah ada penggolongan atau pembagian umur, tetapi produser tetap harus mengikuti ”selera” lembaga sensor film. Hal ini melahirkan sistem sensor klarifikasi setengah hati.

[…]

Keenam, peranan pemerintah terlalu dominan memasuki hampir seluruh aspek perfilman. Campur tangan pemerintah tidak hanya sebatas pada pemberian bantuan keuangan dan hal-hal yang strategis saja, tetapi juga sudah masuk ke dalam masalah-masalah tetek bengek. Makanya tak banyak lagi ruang yang tersisa bagi insan perfilman untuk mengatur dan mengekspresikan dirinya sendiri.

However, he added, the industry shouldn't cry over spilled milk and should consider this as a lesson, so that in the future everybody who's involved in the business would fight together defending their common freedom of expression…

Kelahiran UU Perfilman baru ini memberikan pelajaran lain kepada kalangan film nasional: jangan tidak peduli terhadap urusan pihak lain dalam dunia perfilman yang sama. Selama ini terdapat kecenderungan kalangan film hanya sibuk mengurus diri sendiri dan tidak begitu peduli terhadap urusan pihak lainnya. Hanya apabila terdapat kepentingan langsung mereka yang terganggu barulah mereka beraksi.

Dalam memperjuangkan substansi UU Perfilman yang baru pun agar lebih banyak unsur kemerdekaan berekspresi dan kondisi yang kondusif bagi perfilman nasional, lebih banyak dilakukan oleh kalangan nonfilm. Dari mulai kalangan aktivis prodemokrasi sampai wartawan budaya ikut memerhatikan perkembangan soal ini. Tapi kalangan perfilman baru datang belakangan, itu pun jumlahnya cuma secuil.

Tidaklah mengherankan apabila di tengah ketidakpedulian itu ada pihak lain yang mengambil inisiatif untuk menata dunia perfilman nasional berdasarkan versinya. Jadi, sebenarnya, UU Perfilman memang harga yang harus diterima oleh kalangan perfilman sendiri atas sikap mereka yang kurang proaktif. Inilah kado buat kalangan perfilman sesuai dengan sikap tindak mereka sendiri.

Hundreds who are against the new law signed an online petition, and a Facebook Group was set-up for this cause.

In 2002, Tommy, as he is affectionatelly called, was convicted for corruption, illegal arms possession and evading justice after he was found masterminding an assasination of Supreme Court Judge Syafiuddin Kartasasmita [id].

The court sentanced him to 15 years of jail, however, he was released in 2006 after serving only four years of his term.

Interviewed by the local media, Tommy said that it is his moral obligation and his personal calling to return to politics, to manage Golkar, the party that his father founded and formed.

According to Nanang, Tommy's political move is a predictable one, but it's too soon.

Cukup mengejutkan bagi saya, ketika Tommy Suharto memutuskan kembali ke dunia politik secepat ini. Terlebih lewat jalur partai Golkar yg kelahirannya dibidani oleh ayahnya sendiri, Alm. Soeharto. Saya pernah berpikir, Tommy pasti akan kembali ke dunia politik (tapi tidak secepat ini) dan dia akan membuat partai baru atau mungkin akan join ke salah satu partai baru. Gerindra misalnya, dimana di sana ada Prabowo yg cukup dekat dengan kalangan keluarga Cendana.

Even with the efforts to rebrand the party, the New Order continues to overshadow Golkar, said Nanang.

[…]

Golkar dan orde baru sulit utk dipisahkan. Golkar selalu identik dengan orde baru. Pasca reformasi, citra tersebut sekuat tenaga diubah oleh akbar tanjung dan juga jusuf kalla. Golkar mengklaim bahwa partai golkar adalah partai yg paling berhasil mereformasi diri. Golkar baru, yg tidak ada lagi sangkut pautnya dengan orde baru (cendana). Namun, dengan masuknya Tommy sebagai kandidat ketum, bisa jadi apa yg telah dilakukan oleh akbar tanjung dan jusuf kalla menjadi sia2 belaka. Golkar bisa blunder jika kemudian Tommy berhasil menjadi pimpinan di parta beringin ini. Ngga ada lagi reformasi, yg ada mungkin Tommy akan meneruskan model kepemimpinan seperti ayahnya. Buah tidak akan jatuh jauh dari pohonnya.

Pelopor said that Tommy will hardly succeed in getting what he wants:

Perhaps the guy can’t help it. He has been raised in a family used to pull the strings, to set the rules, to be the law and take the money, after all.  Anyone would get his personality twisted by such kind of education. It’s incurable apparently.

Well, he will not succeed of course. There is only this  hope left for him: some good friend should tell he him he  had better hide  under a stone for the rest of his life.

a0z0ra commented on Pelopor's post, saying:

Wrong timing. People are still super mad at him, and he hasn’t do anything about that yet.

Let’s say that if Tommy did a great job at changing his image (donate to charities, do heroic works etc etc), people might (just might!) consider to accept him.

Right now it’s just appalling. No common sense.

calvin , who's also commenting on Pelopor's post, saw this political twist as a bitter comedy:

if people accept Tommy, it means Indonesians should be awarded with the “history amnesiac nation award”. I’m speechless even to think the possibility that guy could be accepted to society since he’s the reason of Soeharto’s fall of grace (and our nation as well). this is too pathetic that makes it funny.

Indonesian twitterers are also sharing their opinions regarding this matter:

Syafril Djaelani wondered what Golkar would become, if Tommy is chosen as chairman, which means that he could easily run as president in 2014 election. Syafril noted:

Majunya Tommy Soeharto sebagai kandidat ketum partai golkar ditaggapi beragam oleh berbagai kalangan. Tidak sedikit yang sinis dan ada juga yang senang. Ini semua tak lepas dari berbagai kepentingan masing-masing orang. Kalangan yang sinis beranggapan bahwa Tommy Soeharto tidak layak menjadi ketum dikarenakan track record dirinya. Bisa dibayangkan jika seorang pemimpin partai pernah terlibat criminal pembunuhan, koruptor, dan pebisnis kotor. Apa jadinya partai Golkar jika dipimpin oleh orang seperti itu.

Syafril also added that being Golkar chairman means that Tommy will be eligible to become Indonesia's next president.

[…]

Majunya Tommy Soeharto sebagai kandidat ketum Golkar diperkirakan persiapan dirinya untuk memperebutkan kursi RI1 di tahun 2014 nanti. Jika benar sinyalemen ini maka pada tahun 2014 nanti ada 2 kandidat capres dari Cendana yakni Tommy Soeharto dan Prabowo Subianto (baca juga tulisan saya calon-calon pemimpin masa depan Indonesia).

[…]

Lupa atas segala kejahatan yang telah dilakukan pemimpinnya asalkan dia punya duit banyak. Alangkah sedihnya hatiku.

An article by Times magazine revealed that the favorite son of Indonesia's longest ruling president is worth US$ 800 million, including part ownership of an 18-hole golf course in Ascot, England. Back in the 1990s, Tommy held the  majority ownership of the luxury Italian carmaker Lamborghini.  Until May 2009, the BNP Paribas suspended his account in Guernsey which held some €36 million, that was opened under Garnet Investment Limited.

]]> http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/25/indonesia-soehartos-son-aims-to-be-president/feed/ 0 http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/16/terrorism-crackdown-in-indonesia/ http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/16/terrorism-crackdown-in-indonesia/#comments Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:52:23 +0000 Carolina Rumuat http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=89839 On August 8th, Indonesian TV stations aired reports about shootout between Anti Terrorism Unit Densus 88, the police and a group of men, presumably Indonesia's most wanted terrorist Noordin Mohammed Top and his gang,  in rural Central Java town Temanggung. Top is a Malaysian citizen believed to have orchestrated bombings in island resort Bali and the more recent Jakarta's dual bombings.

Top has been living nomadically around Java for years and has actively recruited suicide bombers, one of which was 18 year-old Dani Dwi Permana, who carried out an explosion last month at J.W. Marriott Jakarta. Dani believed that Islam is now in chaos and only Jihad can purify it.

A few days after the shootout, the media reported that the last-standing slain militant was not Noordin, it was Ibrohim, the former J.W Marriott who's also Noordin's sympathizer and the person who help smuggled explosive materials inside the five-star hotel.

Angry Infidel, the Tea and Politics blogger says:

Bad news: the dead man was a florist and an admirer/follower of Noordin […]

Noordin knows very well how to elude the police and has dedicated time to improve his net of supporters. They even think he is like a “pop star”, something which explain that some other guy offers himself to die in his place (and of course, the possible brainwashing as in the sects). His legend (and as a result, his admirers) and the possibility of making everyone who took part in Bali bombers’ trial of getting killed have grown these days: no prudent Govt. would have said anything about him being killed, if there was a possibility (even if it was remote) of him escaping the siege. Specially because Noording has escaped repeatedly in the past from the police. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is the first man on Noordin’s “kill list” as we have seen now.

According to online news portal Detik, Ibrohim was groomed for an attack mission on the residence of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Cikeas [id], West Java. The same Ibrohim, 36 year-old father of  four, is also identified by JI expert as one of Noordin's sleeping army, which means that he could assimilate right back to the society soon after he fulfilled his assignment.

Blogger Patung posted maps of raids made by Anti Terrorism Unit 88 against Noordin Top's terror cell.

On Patung's post Parvita commented:

For one Noordin that died, there are hundreds of Noordin born. Noordin have spread his teachings. I was plainly amazed that the police managed to catch the person that will commit suicide bombing in August. I would really like to know what is in the suicide bombers mind.

Odinius also commented on Patung's post, saying:

Good bloody riddance. Unfortunately, the extremist pigs, the sheep who follow them, and the weasels who publicly defend them will likely continue to blame anyone and everyone else for the bombings. Any rational person, though, has to conclude that this has been a problem within Indonesian Islam, and had to be dealt with in large part by Indonesian Muslims. This is exactly what happened. Not to denigrate or marginalize the role of non-Muslims Indonesians, or the assistance of foreign governments in aiding Indonesia with intelligence and funding for Densus 88, but the government’s ability to politically go out and take these mutherf***kers out has more to do with the general sense of revulsion against the bombings and the perversion of Islam that they represent. This was not really present in the earlier bombings to the degree that it has been since July.

Via Twitter, citizens expressed their support and contentment of the police and Densus 88's accomplishment.

@yangmaulana

It was Ibrohim, not Noordin. Congratulations to the Indonesian Police and its Densus 88, which made a big step in handling terorism in Indonesia.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, on his speech [id] ahead of the Independence day commemoration, acknowledged the courages work of the national police force.

Pada kesempatan yang baik ini, saya sampaikan terima kasih dan penghargaan yang tinggi kepada segenap jajaran Kepolisian Negara Republik Indonesia yang tidak kenal lelah dan menyerah dalam memberantas terorisme di tanah air. Saya minta, aparat kepolisian dan jajaran aparat keamanan lainnya untuk tidak pernah lengah. Terus tingkatkan kewaspadaan, serta cegah dan berantas aksi teror hingga ke akar-akarnya, di manapun mereka berada, siapapun mereka, dan apapun motivasinya.

Many Indonesians are sending tweets like “We're not afraid” motto through #indonesiaunite, something that people wouldn't dare say bluntly, especially right after bombing incidents a few years ago. Thanks to microblogging sites, Indonesian youths are able to get out of their fear shells and express themselves and their opinion.

Pitra Satvika said:

Secara spontan, banyak pengguna Twitter, yang lalu diikuti pengguna Plurk dan Facebook, yang mengganti avatar mereka dengan bendera Merah Putih. Hashtag #indonesiaunite menjadi topik tren di Twitter (bahkan hingga saat ini ditulis).

[…]

Lalu apakah pernyataan moral melalui ranah social media ini bermanfaat? Jelas!!

Pertama, kita sebagai warga yang aktif di ranah daring bisa menunjukkan diri di hadapan dunia, kalau kita menolak aksi terorisme. Bahkan kita tidak akan takut terhadap mereka. Upaya para teroris yang (dari namanya saja sudah ketahuan) untuk menanamkan rasa teror di masyarakat sudah tidak mempan. Kita bisa menunjukkan kepada mereka kalau usaha mereka menakut-nakuti kita dan membuat kita lemah di mata dunia tidak mempan.

Kedua, masyarakat dunia tahu akan sikap perlawanan moral kita. Mereka bisa melihatnya melalui tren yang terjadi di Twitter dan Facebook Page. Mudah-mudahan dengan cara ini pula, akan membuat mereka tidak takut untuk datang ke negeri kita. Mereka juga tidak lalu asal mengecap negeri kita sebagai sarang terorisme. Untuk membantu mereka memahami, cobalah sesekali membuat tulisan dalam bahasa Inggris, agar mereka paham perlawanan kita dan sikap kita yang tidak takut akan terorisme.

Mudah-mudahan Indonesia Unite ini bisa benar-benar mempersatukan, setidaknya kalangan masyarakat daring. Mudah-mudahan juga para pemimpin kita tidak lagi berdebat dan beragumen tidak mutu, dan mengambil contoh kita. Kalau kita yang rakyatnya saja bisa bersatu dalam satu suara perlawanan, mengapa pemimpinnya tidak?

Pandji and his peeps from the Jakarta Twitter User Group,  posted a song on Youtube called “Kami Tidak Takut” (we're not afraid).

On his Facebook's note, Timotius Christian said that there's even more reason to fight the act of terrorism which is no different with an act of cowardice.

Rasanya tak pernah saya mendengar seorang garong yang menggarong rumahnya sendiri. Tapi telah menjadi sebuah deviasi ketika pengebom membom negerinya sendiri.

[…] Di tanah Palestina, setelah sebuah bom meledak, akan ada pihak yang secara terbuka dan terus terang mengaku bertanggung jawab atas meledaknya bom di titik A pada jam sekian. Di sini? Harus diburu terlebih dahulu. Setelah tertangkap, apakah langsung mengakuinya? Atau malah melemparkan kesalahan ke Pencipta, yang diklaim sebagai yang menyuruhnya meledakkan bom tersebut dengan alasan ini dan itu?

Kalau memang membenci suatu negara asing tertentu, pergilah ke sana dan ledakkan di sana pula. Jangan di negeri ini. Jangan di negara sendiri. Hanya akan mencucurkan darah sesama anak bangsa. Lalu, apakah dengan demikian tercapai tujuan peledakan yang diinginkan?

Indonesian twitterers in support of this cause also share IndonesiaUnite twibbon.

This emphatic decision apparently will stay despite an online poll result (updated by 1650 GMT+8; Jul 13 2009) that shows 86% of 81,370 votes goes against the decision. This poll is initiated by none other than one of the strongest supporters of PPSMI, former PM Dr. Mahathir who disappointedly said:

Seems to me like the Government is not listening to the voices of the people. Perhaps a blog poll might enlighten the Government as to the opinions of the people.

This issue has undoubtedly taken a great emotional toll on all key stakeholders: influential lobby groups that momentarily declared victory, confused students, tired parents and teachers, and citizens who are generally concerned about education progress in the country. So is it a decision that reflects on objectivity or political pressure?

Wong Chun Wai, group chief editor of The Star newspaper commented in his personal blog that it is a rare political consensus that unites lobby groups, opposing parties to revert to Malay, Chinese and Tamil in teaching science and mathematics.

So, it's pretty clear that these political and education groups must know what they are talking about, politically, that is.

Twitter is not left out with the ongoing discussion on the decision. @Asohan wryly put it as a political shocker, an unusually rare occasion where an opposition chief will support PM Najib on a divisive issue.

Despite the stress on objectivity by the Education Minister, it will be hard to ignore political sentiments and interests that feature prominently in this issue. As Ibnu Hasyim commented:

Semuanya adalah angkara BN, maka kerajaan BN perlu dihukum kerana sudah membazirkan wang negara, masa dan anak-anak rakyat miskin yang menjadi korban. Hukumlah dengan menolak BN dalam PRU 13 akan datang bermula dengan pilihan raya kecih Manek Urai yang akan diadakan beberapa hari lagi.

National Association of Malaysian Islamic Students (PKPIM) said:

Keputusan itu merupakan satu tafsiran komitmen kerajaan untuk mempertahan dan mendaulatkan bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa kebangsaan.

There continues to be a challenge to justify the objectivity of the decision. There is a consensus that the government decision is too shorted-sighted and not well-developed to consider the future of students and nation overall.

As the prominent social activist, Marina Mahathir put it:

Sad, because the leadership that we have do not have the spine to stand up to minority interests. Sad, because our children are sacrificed because the BN wants to win one by-election.

When rural schools are not as well equipped as urban ones, is that not to be expected? If you look at performance overall, doesn't that hold true anyway? Why should English be made the excuse for unequal distribution of resources between rural and urban schools? Surely when you see poor results from rural schools, what needs to be done is to improve the teaching in those schools. Not reverse an entire policy and bring urban kids down along with everyone else.

Some commentators on Twitter lamented on the rationality of the decision:

@jay_baharin after 6 yrs +RM4 billion of expenditure they abandon PPSMI easily…my sympathy toward all young students who will be more confused than ever….

@waski69 PPSMI - One small political step for UMNO/BN, one giant leap backward for the future of Malaysia-kind…

There will be a lot of interpretation on whether this is a political decision or an objective decision and only the decision makers will truly know. But what cannot be denied is the fact that Malaysia will need a few more years of experimentation to improve the command of English among students and the methodology in teaching science and mathematics. Sadly, the waiting time adds more uncertainty to the unanswered question of what is really the best practical solution to serve the nation and students. As one confused student aptly put in:

Two words: I'm shocked.

All the Science and Math terms in English, I've learnt and applied them for six years. And now I'll have to go back to square one in Form Four (10^th grade)?

Now one question remains: What now?

The citizens applauded the idea of the political show which was aired by several TV stations, but many booed the program's execution.

Online, bloggers are in unison saying that the debate was a full blown disappointment.  Some believe that it was a key moment for the three candidates and their running mates, but unfortunately the candidates weren't seen to carry themselves well enough or to send out the proper messages that could increase their odds to become the president of the world's largest Muslim populated country.

Herman Saksono wrote an opinion about the debate in Politikana, an online community for politically-savvy Indonesians, saying that:

Walaupun saya berniat mereview konten debat capres tadi malam, tapi dengan segala maaf saya bener-benar tidak tahu berkata apa untuk Mega. Argumentasinya yang sama sekali tidak jelas, memunculkan keraguan apakah Ibu yang satu ini memiliki visi untuk negara ini.

SBY dan JK muncul sebagai pemenang malam itu, walaupun penampilan mereka tidak spektakuler. SBY menunjukkan kapabilitasnya sebagai seorang pemimpin yang melihat permasalahan secara makro, tetapi kurang mengeri permasalahan pada skala mikro. JK justru sebaliknya, ia seperti tidak paham konsep-konsep bernegara, tetapi juara ketika membahas isu-isu yang dekat dengan keseharian kita.

Keduanya memang seperti kombinasi yang ideal dan saling melengkapi. Tapi kita semua tahu kombinasi SBY-JK tidak akan bisa jalan mulus.

RJ Sulistyo wrote a post on Kompasiana, stating his disappointment about the highly anticipated debate.

Awalnya sangat ditunggu, tapi akhirnya mengecewakan. inilah komentar singkat tentang debat calon presiden putaran pertama tadi malam. Normatif, miskin gagasan segar, seragam dan tidak ada saling serang. Menjemukan.

[…]

Agar debat berlangsung menarik pertama-tama semua pihak harus punya gagasan yang berbeda. Tidak akan terjadi debat jika idenya sama dan seragam. Jika gagasannya sudah berbeda ketiganya harus saling serang. Ini penting untuk menguji sebuah gagasan apakah didasarkan pada argumen atau fakta yang menunjang atau tidak. Jika dilakuan ini bisa menguji kecerdasan dan juga mental calon presiden kita.

Ketika masalah alusista dan lumpur lapindo diangkat, Mega dan JK tidak menggunakan isue ini untuk menyerang SBY. JK kita maklum saja, posisinya sebagai wakil presiden dalam pemerintahan SBY tidak akan membuat dirinya mampu secara frontal menyerang gagasan SBY. Mega sesungguhnya punya peluang besar untuk menjatuhkan SBY. Peluang ini tidak dimanfaatkan secara optimal. Maka debat menjadi tidak seru, sekaligus tidak bermutu.

[…]

Kita maklum debat ini adalah tradisi baru. Para calon agaknya masih ragu-ragu untuk saling serang secara berhadap-hadapan dalam forum terbuka. Selama ini mereka sebenarnya sudah saling serang secara sengit tetapi tidak secara berhadap-hadapan. Pada posisi ini saya menilai semua calon telah menjadi pecundang tadi malam. Di depan orangnya bersikap manis-manis, tetapi diluar saling serang dengan pedas.

Seno on his Life is too short to drink bad coffee blog said:

Saya berpikir debat capres putaran pertama akan berlangsung sengit karena dalam kampanye mereka selalu saling sindir, dan membuat suasana politik makin memanas. Ternyata tidak, Megawatiyang dalam pidato kampanye selalu menjadi oposisi, kali ini selalu mengiyakan apa yang dikatakan SBY dan JK.

[…]

Saya seperti mencari ketiak ular. Tidak ada perbedaan prinsip dan visi misi serta perbedaan cara mengatasi masalah-masalah yang dipertanyakan oleh moderator.

Teenlit author Sitta Karina Rachmidiharja express her opinion through twitter, saying:

Despite the poor review of the program, as Sitta Karina said, it was a good start for Indonesia, one of the world's youngest democratic countries.

]]> http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/06/23/indonesia-disappointing-election-debate/feed/ 1 http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/06/11/indonesia-deteriorating-primary-defense-weapon-system/ http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/06/11/indonesia-deteriorating-primary-defense-weapon-system/#comments Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:01:30 +0000 Carolina Rumuat http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=79032 Another Indonesian military helicopter crashed on Monday in Cianjur, West Java, raising concerns among Indonesians regarding the country's deteriorating Primary Defense Weapon System (Alutsista).

Last month, Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yuhoyono (SBY) admitted [id] defense weapons procurement budget alleviation. However, he claimed that the government didn't cut the weapons maintenance budget.

Indonesia is currently having an unease bilateral relation with the neighbor country Malaysia over Ambalat. Both country claim ownership over the oil rich sea block situated in Celebes Sea which borders with Malaysian state Sabah.

Despite the agreement made by both governments to eliminate show of force, many believes that it's a crucial moment for Indonesia to defend its sovereignty.

A post appeared on Pemuda Indonesia baru blog questions the quality of Indonesian army:

Kembali Pesawat TNI jatuh padahal belum lama tragedi Hercules berlalu. Pesawat jenis Helicopter Bolco milik TNI angkatan Darat (AD) ini yang membawa 3 penumpang dan 2 kru. Pesawat ini dikabarkan jatuh di desa Pagelaran, Cianjur Selatan, Jawa Barat.

[…]

Kejadian naas ini membuat kita bertanya-tanya, Sekuat apakah TNI kita? Pertanyaan ini timbul dikarenakan saat ini bangsa kita dihadapkan pada situasi yang sangat penting untuk membuktikan bahwa TNI kita Kuat. Dimana Negara tetangga kita saat ini sedang asyik-asyiknya memamerkan kekuatan (Show Force) tentaranya di Ambalat.

[…]

Menurut salah seorang Anggota DPR, bahwa kekauatan TNI saat ini masih diatas Tentara diraja Malaysia, Tolak ukur dari pernyatan beliau adalah kuantitas, dimana Jumlah personel dan peralatan TNI masih lebih banyak bila dibandingkan dengan Tentara Diraja Malaysia. Tapi bagaimana dengan kualitas?

Jatuhnya pesawat milik TNI yang terjadi beberapa kali belakangan ini dapat dijadikan sebagai indikasi bahwa kualitas Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI) perlu dipertanyakan. Benar memang dari jumlah kita menang tapi dari kualitas sangat diragukan.

Dwi Eka wrote a post on Think and Act for National Defense, not long after the crash of Lockheed C-130H in East Java last month, which killed 101 passengers and army members. She stated that Primary Defense Weapon System has been a serious topic within the government, and since 2007 the Indonesian military (TNI) experienced budget cut that made them  struggle to maintain the Alutsista.

TNI adalah ujung tombak pertahanan negara, dan pertahanan negara adalah penentu kedaulatan dan kelangsungan negara.

[…]

Boleh jadi, permasalahan alutsista bukan hanya karena terbatasnya anggaran melainkan serapannya yang juga rendah. Anggaran yang telah ditetapkan dalam APBN ketika dicairkan tidak tepat sasaran, atau mengalami kebocoran. Adanya sistem fee yang telah membudaya sangat mempengaruhi kualitas proyek. Sehingga tidak heran jika ada yang menginginkan audit ditubuh TNI. Ini tentunya didasari atas niat yang baik, bukan sama sekali untuk menggembosi TNI itu sendiri, melainkan sebaliknya, dengan sistem pengadaan & perawatan alutsista yang transparan & terukur, kita ingin agar TNI dapat menyerap anggarannya sebesar-besarnya untuk peningkatan kekuatan pertahanan. Audit dimaksudkan untuk melihat sejauh mana serapan anggaran itu berlangsung dan jika ada indikasi penyimpangan maka dapat segera dicari solusinya.

Selain itu, untuk meningkatkan serapan anggaran, masing-masing pihak secara jujur dan ikhlas harus menjunjung profesionalisme dengan mengedepankan aspek moralitas bahwa semata-mata kita berjuang untuk mempertahankan harkat dan martabat negara.

Berikutnya perlu dikaji ulang secara mendalam pula tentang bagaimana menata kembali sistem perekrutan, meningkatkan standar pendidikan prajurit dengan mengutamakan profesionalisme bukan pengharapan materi semata, dan mengisi kembali pos-pos yang selama ini terabaikan seperti memperkuat kembali wilayah perbatasan dan pemeliharaan aset negara serta kemampuan tempur personil TNI.

Upaya ini diharapkan dapat meningkatkan serapan anggaran yang terukur kinerjanya. Dengan demikian publik pun akan paham dan merelakan sebagian anggarannya dialihkan untuk sektor pertahanan.

Speaking to a local journal,  Air Vice Marshall Sagom Tamboen  said [id] that openly speaking about national defense and main defense weapon system could endanger Indonesia and the civilian population.

In Indonesia, homeland security and defense information is classified, according to the state law.

Next July, Indonesians will head to the ballots to choose the next RI 1 (Republik Indonesia 1 - head of state). The Alutsista matter is fast becoming the favorite agenda for the three hopefuls, each of them claim to increase the procurement budgets if they're elected.

Image Source: flickr by albanna83

We may rightly ask why is there still such great resistence 6 years after its implementation? Besides, Ministry of Education has clearly stipulated the objectives of PPSMI in raising future competitiveness of students and the nation overall. Does the intent not warrant collective effort to overcome challenges and obstacles that may be encountered during its progress? The mainstream media has been highlighting the dominant views of various lobby groups, what about the views of neglected key stakeholders - parents and students who will be strongly impacted by the decision?

A group of concerned Malay parents established a platform to lobby for the support of PPSMI:

kita tidak boleh nyatakan bahawa guru kurang kompeten dalam menyampaikan mata pelajaran Sain dan Matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris sebagai satu alasan untuk memansuhkan dasar tersebut. […] Jadi biar pun susah untuk kita mendidik anak-anak kita Sains dan Matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris, kita harus laksanakannya supaya mereka lebih berdaya saing di arena antarabangsa pada masa depan.

Another parent, Nuraina A Samad said:

We all benefited from learning English. So many rural Malays benefited from having a good command of English.

Student Bobby Ong reflected on his personal experience in Chinese medium school:

It took the government such a hard time making English the medium of instruction for Science and Maths in schools and now you want to revert the policy? And your argument is to protect Chinese culture? […] Being in a Chinese environment with Chinese subjects is not good enough to learn Chinese eh? Not all Chinese kids are good in English too, ok? I see so many students from Chinese schools graduating with poor speaking and writing skills.

Noor Ainulfahim, an ethnic Malay student delivered a blunt critique that more time is needed to judge the progress of PPSMI and it should not be construed as neglecting the significance of Malay language:

Memperjuangkan BAHASA MELAYU? […] Are you denying the fact that most science books are in English? […] We are still teaching BAHASA MELAYU in SEJARAH, GEOGRAFI, PENDIDIKAN ISLAM […] dan ini belum termasuk semua subjek elektif […]

However, not all students are fully supportive of PPSMI. Mohamed Idris delivered a stinging attack on English and the illusion of competitiveness and internationalism:

The truth of the matter is that English does not make us international. It can help us know more about English-speaking countries like the US, UK and Australia. It could help us connect with some Davos people who do not have much to tell about their own culture.

John Lee proposed:

What seems likely right now is that the government will switch back to the old policy for primary schools, while maintaining English in secondary schools; I think this is maybe the best compromise we can hope for. […] Ideally, since students have six years of exposure to Malay and English in primary school, they would be able to use either language in secondary school.

And Poobalan, an online social activist supported the move for the Indian community but with a special condition:

Proponents of Tamil as the medium can argue that materials are available in Tamil, and the possibility of those subjects being taught by non-Tamil teachers (less jobs for Indians). However, I think a clause can be included that the teachers of Science and Math must be bilingual so that when necessary the teachers can provide explanation in either Tamil or English.

Parents and students of various ethnic backgrounds highlighted here are fairly supportive of PPSMI, but is it a bias that because they are proficient in English? What about those from rural community who are struggling with English and whose opinions are not represented at all in social media platform? As the core argument revealed from above, it incessantly centers on the debates of ethnic language and cultural preservation, future competitiveness for students and the nation, along with implementation obstacles and recommendations. So the title sums up the dilemma here, does globalization progress can only be attained at the expense of our unique ethnic identity in a multi-ethnic country? Let us anticipate how Malaysia tackles and balances the core of this issue.