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  • Jokowi Treason Arrests Questioned

    Jokowi Treason Arrests Questioned

    President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s commitment to freedom of speech has come under scrutiny following the arrest of several antigovernment figures last week over alleged treason.

    Jokowi won praise for his bold move to take part in mass prayers last Friday with thousands of Muslims who demanded the imprisonment of blasphemy suspect and incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama.

    Hours earlier, the police had arrested 11 people accused of attempting to mobilize a movement to overthrow the government by utilizing the large-scale rally.

    On Saturday, the National Police released eight of the suspects, including activist Ratna Sarumpaet and musician-turned-politician Ahmad Dhani.

    Former anti-Soeharto activist Sri Bintang Pamungkas, 71, and two siblings, Jamran and Rizal, remain in detention.

    Another suspect, Alvin Indra, was only announced by the police in a press conference on Saturday.

    Most of the suspects were charged under articles 107, 110 and 87 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) on treason and conspiracy to commit treason.

    Sri Bintang was also charged under the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law for hate speech.

    In a video uploaded to YouTube, he was seen encouraging dozens of people to demand that the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) overthrow Jokowi.

    “If [we all] unite, let’s go together and demand the MPR revoke Jokowi’s mandate as president,” Sri Bintang said in the video.

    Jamran and Rizal were also charged with the 2008 law as the police claimed they had actively spread hate speech and provocation on the internet ahead of the Dec. 2 rally.

    National Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli denied that the arrests were arbitrary or aimed at silencing government critics.

    “There is a clear line of distinction between delivering criticism and attempting to conspire and provoke people to commit treason,” Boy said on Saturday.

    “[In this case] treason was [the action of those] who used their freedom to spread provocative ideas that could create a reaction, mislead people and drive public opinion,” he added.

    He claimed the police had solid grounds to name them suspects, based on evidence including a “handwritten document and electronic evidence that recorded a conversation among the suspects”.

    One of the suspects, activist Firza Husein, is the chairwoman of the Cendana Friend Solidarity Movement (SSC), an organization that reveres former president Soeharto.

    Cyberlaw expert Megi Margiyono urged the authorities to be prudent and cautious in handling the cases, citing people’s freedom of expression, which is protected under the 1945 Constitution and international laws, including the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

    “Don’t make the public negatively assume that this is an attempt [by the authorities] to silence those who strongly criticize the government,” he told The Jakarta Post.

    Similarly, Asep Komarudin of the Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Pers) viewed the arrests as a threat to freedom of expression.

    “It’s bad for the public image of the President and the government. Government intelligence should have waited for them to take concrete action before arresting them,” he told the Post.

    Asep said treason charges in the Criminal Code had been loosely used by the government in the past to silence government critics.

    Under the New Order regime, Indonesia saw numerous activists who opposed Soeharto charged with treason. Since the Reform Era, treason has been mostly reserved for Papuan activists and terror suspects.

    Constitutional expert Refly Harun, however, said it was “right” for the police to make the arrests as a preventive action.

    “However, the authorities should ensure they uphold the rule of law and have strong evidence,” he said.

    Boy suggested that labor activists may have also planned to use the rally to launch a treason plot.

    “We are now investigating whether [labor activists] also had a treason plot,” he said.

    _________________________________

    8 treason suspects

    • Rachmawati Soekarnoputri: The daughter of Indonesia’s first president Sukarno often takes a different stance to her sister, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman and former president Megawati Soekarnoputri. In 2002, Rachmawati founded the Pioneers’ Party before joining the NasDem Party, which is led by media mogul and President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s confidant Surya Paloh.

    • Firza Husain: Jakarta Police investigators arrested the activist at the Sari Pan Pacific Hotel in Central Jakarta. She reportedly has a close relationship with the once-powerful “Cendana” family, which refers to the family of Indonesia’s second president Soeharto.

    • Kivlan Zen: The 69-year-old retired two-star Army general was known as a staunch supporter of Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto during the 2014 presidential election. Since his retirement from the Army, Kivlan has often been involved in political activities.

    • Sri Bintang Pamungkas: Sri Bintang, 71, is best known for his political activities during the authoritarian regime of Soeharto, when he was once jailed for treason. In 1996, he founded the United Democratic Indonesia Party, which garnered a mere 0.13 percent of votes during the 1999 general election.

    • Ratna Sarumpaet: The actress-turned-activist has frequently made headlines for her fierce criticism of Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s policies. The mother of actress Atiqah Hasiholan is also known to be vocal on social media.

    • Adityawarman Thaha: The retired Army general is a renowned counterterrorism expert. As chairman of the Indonesian Muslim Students’ Family Association between 2011 and 2015, Adityawarman is also known for his close relationship with conservative Muslim groups. He was Prabowo’s supporter in the 2014 presidential race.

    • Eko Suryo Santjojo: Eko was the secretary-general of Rachmawati’s Pioneers’ Party. Eko has a master’s degree in law and is a member of the rector’s council of the Rachmawati-led Bung Karno University (UBK) in Jakarta.

    • Alvin Indra: Little is known about Alvin, whose status as a suspect in the alleged treason plot was only revealed on Saturday. Circulating rumors have suggested he is a labor activist.

     

    Source: The Jakarta Post

  • Indonesia Government Does Not Want Singapore To Claim Credit For Combating Haze, Rejected Earlier Offers

    Indonesia Government Does Not Want Singapore To Claim Credit For Combating Haze, Rejected Earlier Offers

    JAKARTA — Indonesian Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said that Jakarta had earlier rejected Singapore’s offers of assistance to combat the transboundary haze crisis in the region because it was concerned that the city state would claim credit for solving the problem, even while the officials were worried about the rapidly deteriorating situation.

    “The (Indonesian) government is not closing ourselves off to assistance. But if we are assisted, the government does not want them (Singapore) to claim the credit. It is the government that is working hard to resolve (this smog disaster) … So we do not want it to reach the point of them claiming credit for it,” Mr Anung told CNN Indonesia yesterday (Oct 7).

    According to Indonesian media reports, President Joko Widodo held an unscheduled closed-door meeting yesterday to discuss the haze problem, which has worsened this week.

    Jakarta today asked for help from Singapore, Russia, Malaysia and Japan to put out forest fires that have caused choking smoke to drift across South-east Asia, after having turned down several offers of foreign assistance from other countries, particularly Singapore and Malaysia, which have also been affected by haze since the crisis began last month.

    Minister of Forestry and Environment Siti Nurbaya Bakar said yesterday that the government had opened up to the possibility of accepting international assistance as the situation was getting worse.

    Dr Siti Nurbaya explained that as the fires spread and difficulty of putting them out increased, Indonesia would need support from abroad to provide equipment that is capable of providing water capacity and stronger volume pressure. “It seems that there is a need to receive support whether from Singapore, Russia, Austria, and others,” said the minister at the Presidential Palace Complex yesterday. She added that water bombing and artificial rain would be the most effective and in this regard, Indonesia required more aircraft at its disposal

    This was despite Dr Siti Nurbaya stating earlier that Indonesia did not require any assistance from Singapore as it has more than enough aircraft.

    Mr Anung stressed yesterday that while the government had not yet decided to declare the smog that is blanketing Sumatra and Kalimantan as a national disaster, it was very concerned about the problem. He said Mr Widodo was actively monitoring the situation, especially through social media, including direct view content uploaded by the community.

    “Earlier we showed this (information from social media) to the President. The President knows everything, because we want the President to get information that is as complete as possible to the events that happened,” the Cabinet Secretary highlighted.

    Mr Widodo planned to go to a number of areas affected by the haze but he has not been able to do so as the air quality and visibility worsened.

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com

  • President Jokowi Travelled Economy Class To Attend Son’s Graduation In Singapore

    President Jokowi Travelled Economy Class To Attend Son’s Graduation In Singapore

    Indonesian president Joko Widodo arrived in Singapore on Friday (Nov 21) on a private visit to attend his son’s graduation ceremony at Anglo-Chinese School (International).

    Mr Widodo left the presidential plane at home, choosing to fly economy on state carrier Garuda because he was travelling for personal reasons. The decision made the news in Indonesia.

    He was accompanied by his wife and daughter, was received by the principal of ACS (International), Mr Rob Burrough, slightly after 7pm on Friday.  Jokowi – as he is affectionately known – was introduced to the directors and teachers of the school, and was invited to write a message in its graduation book.

    “I’m happy. And of course, I must say thank you to ACS for helping,” the president said of the special day for the youngest of his three children, Kaesang Pangarep. As for where his son is headed next, Mr Widodo said: “Last year he said he wanted to go to SMU, but I don’t know.”

    The Indonesian first family took some photos with members of the school board, and were seen clapping along to a drum performance by students before the graduation ceremony.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • Basuki Tjahaja Purnama: Orang Cina Pertama Menjadi Gabenor Jakarta

    Basuki Tjahaja Purnama: Orang Cina Pertama Menjadi Gabenor Jakarta

    Ahli politik lantang Indonesia, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama hari ini mengangkat sumpah sebagai gabenor Jakarta, sekali gus menjadikannya orang Cina pertama memegang jawatan itu.

    Beliau yang sebelum ini memegang jawatan timbalan gabenor dilantik sebagai gabenor selepas presiden Indonesia, Joko Widodo atau Jokowi (kanan) menang pilihan raya Julai lalu.

    Kumpulan garis keras Front Pembela Islam (FPI) menolak pelantikan Basuki kerana didakwa tidak ‘mesra’ terhadap orang Islam di republik itu melalui beberapa perhimpunan jalanan.

    Basuki, yang terkenal dengan sikap lantang dan suka berdebat meminta kerajaan membubarkan kumpulan itu dengan mengaitkannya dengan unsur anarki dan keganasan.

    Basuki atau lebih dikenali sebagai Ahok pada bulan ini bagaimanapun meminta maaf kepada umat Islam jika kenyataannya itu menyinggung perasaan.

    “Saya mohon maaf jika kamu fikir saya kurang ajar,” beliau dipetik sebagai berkata ketika perhimpunan Majlis Ulama Indonesia Indonesia.

    Beliau merupakan penganut Kristian kedua dilantik sebagai gabenor Jakarta.

    Semasa pemerintahan 32 tahun Suharto (kiri), bangsa Cina menjadi mangsa diskriminasi sosial dan politik.

    Dominasi kaum Cina dalam ekonomi sering mencetuskan kemarahan di kalangan segelintir rakyat Indonesia dan menjadikan mereka terdedah kepada serangan semasa pergolakan sosial.

    Pengganti Suharto, Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie membubarkan undang-undang diskriminasi terhadap kaum Cina.

    Selain itu, mantan presiden Indonesia Abdurrahman Wahid selepas itu mengisytiharkan Tahun Baru Cina sebagai hari cuti kebangsaan pada tahun 2002.

    – dpa

     

    Source: www.malaysiakini.com

  • Bintan Resorts Stop Accepting Singapore Dollars, All Transactions in Rupiah

    Bintan Resorts Stop Accepting Singapore Dollars, All Transactions in Rupiah

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    SINGAPORE: Several hotels and resorts in the Indonesian island of Bintan have stopped accepting Singapore dollars since the start of this month, citing a government policy that requires all transactions to be made in the Indonesian rupiah.

    Five hotel operators, including Banyan Tree Bintan and Nirwana Gardens, told TODAY that they had been told not to accept foreign currencies. Prior to this, Singapore and American dollars were allowed to be used on the island, the operators said.

    The Indonesian Embassy in Singapore, however, said the rupiah-only policy is not a new one. An embassy official from its information, social and cultural department referred TODAY to a Bill passed by the Indonesian Parliament in May 2011, which requires all financial transactions within Indonesia to be made in rupiah.

    An online report posted on legal firm Allen & Overy’s website said the currency law took effect on June 28 that same year, but does not apply to “transactions related to the state budget, grants given by or to a foreign state, international commercial transactions, bank deposits denominated in foreign currencies and international finance transactions”.

    While it is not clear why the law is being enforced only now, a report by the Antara news agency in June this year said the Bank of Indonesia is encouraging people to use the rupiah in their transactions ahead of the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community next year.

    “Bank of Indonesia has asked all entrepreneurs and the Indonesian community to use the rupiah currency in every transaction across the nation, as the bank feared that other countries will be one step ahead of Indonesia,” the central bank’s Deputy Governor Ronald Waas had been quoted as saying.

    Some travel agencies in Singapore said they had not been told about the rupiah-only policy. But an Asia Travel spokesperson said the company had been told by local operators in Bintan that travellers must use only the rupiah because of a “new government policy”, although it did not receive any official notification. Several travellers described the currency restrictions as inconvenient, but added that they will not be deterred from visiting Bintan.

    Communications specialist Chua Ee Ghim, 27, is concerned about carrying too much cash as the rupiah comes in far smaller denominations than Singapore dollars. “I have to be very careful in keeping my notes and ensure that shopkeepers give me the correct change,” he said.

    The policy appears to have not taken effect in Batam yet. Batam is another Indonesian island popular with Singaporeans seeking short getaways.

    Three resorts there told TODAY that they still accept payment in Singapore dollars. Batam was in the news last month after Indonesian immigration officials at the Batam Centre began sending ferry passengers back to Singapore for talking too loudly.

    Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/hotels-in-bintan-no/1367636.html