| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Jan 30 (ATARA) - Indonesia which is less known to world businesses compared to China and India took the opportunity to build relations and expand business networks in the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, last week. "In term of investment, Davos is an extraordinary place for us to build networking because this forum is attended by more than 1,000 chief executive officers (CEO) from more than 1,000 companies," Trade Minister Mari Elka Pengestu said. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono directly led the Indonesian delegation to the WEF. He attended the world economic forum on January 27-28 which was held from January 26, 2011. "The presence of the president in the WEF when world economic players meet there will give Indonesia a chance to introduce various progresses it has made, including justice-based economic development," Teuku Faizasyah, the presidential special staff for international relations, said before the Indonesian delegation departed to the forum last week. During the forum, the Indonesian president was promoting Indonesia's economic and investment potentials. "The more information they get about Indonesia the higher their desires to cooperate and partner with us. After all they came from advanced countries which could provide a lot of benefit for us," President Yudhoyono said after concluding his visit in that country on Saturday. Many world businesses told the president that they had already investment in Indonesia and would increase it further and expand their businesses in the country. Many others who have not made their investment expressed their desires to come to Indonesia. "I positively welcome them if they will really increase benefit for us," the president said. Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said the president and ministers accompanying him made use of every opportunity during the event to introduce Indonesia and its economic potentials to world's economic players. The president's delegation included Chief Economic Minister Hatta Radjasa, Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo, Trade Minister Mari Pangestu, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa and Investment Board chief Gita Wirjawan. On the sidelines of the forum, Mari said she had had a meeting with delegates of Google and Collective Brand, US-based shoe retailers who expressed desires to make investment in Indonesia. These world class businesses have sought specific information about investment and various other fields such market potentials in Indonesia, a country of more than 230 million people. She said that at present Indonesia had improved its investment climate through various regulations and transparent polices. This is proven by the increase in Indonesia's rating from 54 to 44 in the Global Competitive Index issued by the WEF. The trade minister said one sector which was still considered not yet improving was the infrastructure, yet this was a sector that could be seen as an opportunity for the business world. Indonesia's infrastructure development reaches Rp280 trillion annually. It is expected to reach Rp1,400 trillion in the 2010 - 2014 period. The government is only able to finance about 30 percent of the infrastructure business potentials. For this purpose, Indonesia needs to continue promoting its investment potentials abroad. So far, Indonesia is still less known to business world compared with China and India. "I met with international business community this morning. They said that Indonesia was not yet popularly known like India and China. The international business community said they had not yet been well-informed of Indonesia," President Yudhoyono told a press conference at Radisson Hotel, Zurich, Switzerland, and Saturday evening. Now, the president said, the world business players have known that Indonesia's economic growth is in the second rank in Asia after that of China and India, with increasingly bigger and strong economic capacity. The president said that his presence in the WEF also carried a moral mission as the chair of ASEAN to explain to the world that Indonesia and the Southeast Asian region contributed to the economic development in Asia. "As the ASEAN chair this year I have the moral responsibility to inform the world that Indonesia and ASEAN are in a region whose economy is thriving and deserves to partner with them," the president said. Two-thirds of the world's economic growth was fueled by the economies of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member countries. East Asia's gross domestic product (GDP) is equal to Europe's and the United States' 14.6 trillion US dollars. According to Minister Mari E Pangestu, after attending the WEF's 41st meeting, Indonesia will host the WEF on East Asia on June 12-13, 2011. "We will take advantage of it because we will also host ASEAN Summit in October this year to put Indonesia in the role of leadership in ASEAN and East Asia region," Mari said. She said that Indonesia will host the WEF East Asia so that they would come to Indonesia to see themselves the potentials of Indonesia. President Yudhoyono said the WEF East Asia in Jakarta will bring many benefits to Indonesia where it will expand Indonesia network with world businesses and offer a chance to increase investment. "Thus, Indonesia will play a role in building global cooperation networks. This is what exists in my mind. I hope this could be developed further for the interest of the nation," the president said. (T.A014/A/f001) 30-01-2011 12:01:2 |
Sabtu, 29 Januari 2011
BUSINESS BENEFIT AT DAVOS FORUM
ANTI-GRAFT BODY NABS SENIOR PARTY POLITICIANS
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Jan 28 (ANTARA) - Three days after it vowed to solve all corruption cases in 2011, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested on Friday 2t least 19 former legislators and senior party politicians as part of its effort to solve a Rp24 billion bribery scandal. The bribery scandal was linked to the appointment of Miranda Goeltom as Bank Indonesia (BI/central bank) senior deputy governor in 2004. Among those arrested on Friday were senior Golkar Party cadre who is former national development planning minister Paskah Suzetta, and a senior politician of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Panda Nababan. The anti-graft body will question the 25 suspects who allegedly received bribes in the form of traveler's checks for the election of Miranda Goeltom as BI senior deputy governor. "They are all to be questioned simultaneously," KPK spokesman Johan Budi said here on Friday. He said that the commission was speeding up the handling of the alleged traveler's check bribery case so that they would be questioned at the same time. There were at least 14 legislators (members of Commission IX) of 2004-2009 named suspects in the traveler's check bribery case and arrested on Friday. According to online website 'Inilah.Com', six of them were Golkar Party cadres, such as Paskah Suzetta, Baharuddin Aritonang, TM Nurlif, Asep Ruchimat Sudjana, Reza Kamarullah and Achmad Hafiz Zawawi. Seven were PDIP cadres, namely Ni Luh Maryani, Max Moein, Engelina Pattiasina, M Iqbal, Poltak Sitorus, Soewarno, and Matheos Formes. One other from the United Development Party (PPP) was Daniel Tanjung. Some of the suspects held at the Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta included Sofyan Usman, Paskah Suzetta, Daniel Tanjung, Sutanto Pranoto, Poltak Sitorus, Matius Formes, M Iqbal, Martin Briaseran and Hafid Zawawi. Some others were held at the Salemba Penitentiary in Central Jakarta, namely Asep Nuhimat, Baharudin Aritonang, Nurlip Suwarno and Reza Kamarullah. The former legislators who were held at the Women's Penitentiary are Angelina and Ni Luh Mariani. According to the Jakarta Globe, twenty six people were allegedly involved in the case, but one had passed away (Jeffrey Tongas Lumban) and another, Antony Zeidra Abidin, has been detained in a separate case. Of the 24 who were supposed to be questioned on Friday, four claimed to be ill and one (Budiningsih) was out of town. The Jakarta Globe also mentioned that from the Golkar Party, ten cadres were suspected to have received bribes, namely Ahmad Hafiz Zawawi (Rp600m), Marthin Bria Seran Rp250m, Paskah Suzetta Rp600 million, Boby Suhardiman Rp500m , Antony Zeidra Abidin Rp 600m, TM Nurlif Rp550m, Asep Ruchimat Sudjana Rp150m, Reza Kamarullah Rp500m, Baharuddin Aritonang Rp 350m, Hengky Baramuli Rp 500m. Those from PDI-P were Agus Condro Prayitno Rp500m, Max Moein Rp500m, Rusman Lumbantoruan Rp500m, Poltak Sitorus Rp500m, Williem Tutuarima Rp500m, Panda Nababan Rp1,450m, Engelina Pattiasina Rp500m, Muhammad Iqbal Rp500m, Budiningsih Rp500m, Jeffrey Tongas Lumban Rp500m, Ni Luh Mariani Tirtasari Rp500m, Sutanto Pranoto Rp600m, Soewarno Rp500m, Matheos Pormes Rp350m. Two from the United Development Party (PPP) namely Sofyan Usman Rp250m and Daniel Tandjung Rp 500m. KPK has earlier discovered alleged bribery during the election of Bank Indonesia senior deputy governor in 2004 which was finally won by Miranda Goeltom. Commenting on his arrest, Paskah Suzetta questioned the move of the KPK investigators who did not take actions against Miranda Goeltom. "A bribery case must involve two sides, namely those who gave and those who received it," he said adding that the party who were believed to have given the bribes was not named a suspect. "This is political," he said. He said he would take political actions to fight his arrest and also the arrest of others. In the meantime, the Golkar Party said it was ready to provide legal aid for its cadres who were arrested. "We will surely provide them with legal defense," Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR)'s Commission III on legal affairs, Aziz Syamsudin who is also of the Golkar faction, was quoted by Inilah.com as saying. Angelina who looked unable to accept the KPK's move said that the detention was an effort to distract the people's attention from other corruption cases such as the Rp6.7 trillion Bank Century bail-out scandal and the case of Gayus Tambunan. In the meantime, PDIP leader Megawati Soekarnoputri has asked Panda Nababan to remain strong in facing his legal case. "I just now told Ibu (Mme) Mega about Pak (Mr) Panda who has been arrested by KPK officials and Ibu Mega advised that Pak Panda should remain strong," the party's head of legal affairs, Trimedya Panjaitan, said when contacted through his cell phone here on Friday. Panda was arrested at around 11 pm at the Soekarno-Hatta airport. He was to leave for Batam to attend a leadership meeting of the PDIP there. Trimedya said Mega had also advised that Panda dare face the charges against him and unveil the truth. "Ibu Mega also asked where Pak Panda was being held," he said. |
Kamis, 27 Januari 2011
PRESIDENT NEEDS SALARY RAISE?
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Jan 27 (ANTARA) - Since last week the media and the public have been involved in a debate of whether or not the president's salary needs to be raised. Although it is said that it was twisted, as argued by Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's statement about his salary last week has immediately sparked public debates. The president made the statement at the closing of a leadership meeting of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI)/Indonesian National Police (Polri) on Friday last week. "It has been twisted. What the president meant (by mentioning that his own salary has not yet been raised in the last seven years) is to stress that the government is serious in paying attention to the welfare of soldiers, police personnel and civil servants," Presidential Spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said. He said that by no means the statement was intended to increase the president's salary but to suggest that the government was serious in improving the welfare of TNI, Polri personnel and civil servants. President Yudhoyono on Friday last week promised the leaders of the TNI and Polri that he would see to their welfare by raising their salaries, while saying he himself had not had a raise in seven years. The government, the president said, was committed to raising the salary of TNI and National Police officers every year. The commitment is aimed at motivating the TNI and police to perform their duties better. "This is the sixth or seventh year that my salary has not been raised," Yudhoyono said last January 21 to TNI and police leaders, who laughed in response. The president's statement soon sparked media reports and public debates that the head of state had been complaining of his salary. Yet, amid the debates, Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo appeared all of sudden to express his opinion that it was quite possible to raise the president's salary and remuneration in 2011. Of course, the minister's remarks could just again be taken by the public as something justifying what the president has earlier stated. The minister said that by raising the president's salary and remuneration it would give a chance to about 8,000 state officials to have their salaries and remunerations raised too. "If the president's salary is not raised it will pose difficulties for state officials to adjust their salaries," the minister said. The president now receives a monthly salary of Rp62,497,800 plus a monthly operational fund of Rp2 billion. The finance minister said that adjustment needed to be carried out particularly to the salaries of state officials in the regions such as governors, district heads and their ranks and files. "There are district court chiefs whose salaries are quite low in the regions. If their salaries had to be raised, it should be done by conducting a preview of the president's salary," the minister said. But the question of whether or not the president's salary needed to be increased has raised pro-and-con reactions. Former vice president Jusuf Kalla said he supported the increase of the president's salary. He said that raising the president salary was something normal owing to the fact that the president had great responsibility and daily need as the head of state. "This is a matter of comparison. Salary is always linked with the conditions the need and relatively big responsibility of a public official," Kalla, who is also chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), said on Thursday. He said that actually, the House of Representatives had since 2006 approved the increase in the president's salary to about Rp100 million. But at that time, Yudhoyono rejected it with a certain reason. Kalla said he supported the proposal to raise the president's salary because the amount of salary the president was receiving now was relatively smaller than the salaries of the House of Representatives (DPR) members. "I support the increase in the president's salary," Kalla said. Political scientist Indria Samego of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) shared Kalla's opinion. He said that public officials need to have their salaries raised in order to prevent them from earning money by abusing their power. "It is not only the president that needs to have his salary increased. The salaries of all policy makers also need to be increased. It is funny that the president's salary is smaller than that of the president director of state oil company Pertamina," Indria Samego said. However, economist Dr Syafrizal Chan of the Bung Hatta University in West Sumatra said now was not the correct momentum to raise the salaries considering the nation's present condition where the people were facing various problems. "If the salaries of state officials, from the president until the district heads, whose number reaches 8,000 persons, it would deplete and become burden for the state budget," Syafrizal Chan said. He said that the salaries of state officials now were already big so that if they were raised it would create a wider economic gap within the society. Political communications observer Sumartono of the Padang-based University of Eka Sakti (Unes) also shared Chan's opinion, saying that it was not urgent to increase the salaries of state officials. "Raising salaries for sate officials is not something urgent to be carried out now," Sumartono said. (T.A014/A/HAJM/20:31/H-YH) 27-01-2011 20:43 |
GOVT BOOSTING FISH CONSUMPTION
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Jan 27 (ANTARA) - The government is trying to increase the country's national fish production and the people's per capita fish consumption as part of its efforts to improve their nutrition intake and intelligence. In an effort to increase the country's fish production, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry is to focus on development of Minapolitan areas (fishery-based development cities) in 41 Indonesian regions this year. "In 2011, the ministry is to focus on formation of Minapolitan areas consisting of nine fishing based sites, 24 aquaculture sites, and eight central salt sites," said Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) Minister Fadel Muhammad during the ministry's 2011 outlook meeting recently. The minister said the fish production target set for 2010 was achieved, both from catching and aqua-culturing activities. "Fish production from catching and culturing operations amounted to 10.83 million tons in 2010, surpassing the target of 10.76 million tons for the year," he said. He said the cultured fish sector had become the weighed-in target achievement last year as production growth in the 2006-2010 period had increased 19.56 percent, compared to growth of the production of catching operation in the same period which was recorded at 2.78 percent. According to KKP Sokesman Yulistyo Mudho, the country's per capita fish consumption in 2010 was recorded at 30.47 kg per annum, an increase from 29.08 kg in 2009. "The increase in the people's fish consumption helped improve the people's intelligence level and utilize national fish production which is set to reach 22.39 million tons in 2014," Mudho quoted Fadel Muhammad as saying. For this purpose, the maritime affairs and fisheries minister had set a target for fish production in 2011 at 12.26 million tons. This figure constituted an increase of 13 percent of the 2009 production which was 10.85 million tons. "We hope production increase would be followed by increase in per capita fish consumption," he said. As of the animal proteins, fish owns several particularities compared with those of other animal proteins. It has relatively safe nutritional contents for humans consumption from children of under five years old until senior citizens. It contains Omega 3,6 and 9, which are good for infant development so that children would become more active and intelligence. It also develop stronger stamina for people who consume fish. "Cooking fish would not also need much energy. The different species of fish provide people of different layers with different choices in consuming fish," Mudho said. The KKP ministry has formulated steps for increasing fish production. It is now focusing the development of fish in many locations. The fishing based sites are located in Pelabuhan Ratu, Tamperan Muncar Ternate, Sungai Liat Nusantara Fishery Ports (PPN), Cilacap Bitung, Belawan and Ambon Ocean Fishery Ports (PPS). There are other 24 pilot aquaculture based Minapolitan located inMuoro Jambi, Kampar, Bogor, Banyumas, Blitar, Gunung Kidul, Morowali, Sumbawa, Sumba Timur, Banjar, Pohuwato, Boyolali, Klaten, Gresik, Lamongan, Serang, Maros, Pangkep, Pesawaran, Bintan, Bangli, Musi Rawas, Pandeglang and Kapuas. Besides the ministry is also designing a Mega-Minapolitan project in Morotai, North Maluku, in which Taiwan reportedly is interested in developing the island as the center of the largest fisheries for aquaculture and fisheries. Mega-Minapolitan project is a large scaled Minapolitan where Major investors will get a number of conveniences and amenities. The development of Minapolitan will constitute a major breakthrough in the development of cultured fish. Minister Muhammad said cultured fish production in 2010 also gained a milestone where it had contributed 50.5 percent of the total production for the first time. Apart from production, the contribution of fishery sector on the gross national product until the 2010 third quarter had come to 3.14 percent, above the set target of 3.0 percent for the year. Whereas the value of fishery export up to December 2010 was recorded to be 2.66 billion US dollars, or an increase of 8.05 percent compared to 2.46 billion US dollars in 2009. The target in this sector was not achievable due to various factors affecting production, including diseases in shrimp production and climate change. The fishery sector had generally produced a surplus of 2.3 billion US dollars in 2010, an increase of 7.06 percent compared to 2009, he said. The ministry has also set other marine and fisheries sector development goals in 2011 such as to contribute 3.5 percent fishery for the national GDP, 12.26 million tones fishery production (5.41 million tons of fishing and 6.85 million tons of cultivation), and the 3.2 billion US dollars value of fishery exports. Another target is to have 449 units of certified Fish Processing Units (UPI), 112 fishermen exchange values (NTN), 0.9 million hectares of sea and waters conservation area, to manage some 30 outermost small islands, and 75 percent of free illegal fisheries management areas. |
Rabu, 26 Januari 2011
EXTREME WEATHER FEARED TO BOOST INFLATION
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Jan 27 (ANTARA) - The heaviest challenge the government is facing this year is to cover the impact of extreme weather and keep the inflation at a level not too high as a result of food price increases. This year's extreme weather conditions have the potential of causing a drop in food production and all the negative consequences of such a development. The House of Representatives (DPR) has reminded the government of the heaviest challenge it is facing in 2011, namely the challenge of keeping inflation under control. House Speaker Marzuki Alie, in his opening remarks of the House's 2010-2011 Sitting Session recently said that the inflation rate in 2010 had reached 6.96 percent. He quoted data released by the Central Board of Statistics (BPS) early this month. The figure of 6.96 percent inflation based on the BPS data has far exceeded the inflation target set by the government at 5.3 percent for 2010. "The increase in the prices of basic necessaries such as food and agricultural commodities is quite saddening," the House Speaker said. After all, extreme weather conditions can cause an increase in pests and plant diseases. "Then there may be harvest failures and a decline in food production," Husnannindity Nurdin, head of West Nusatenggara's Food Resilience Agency (BKP) said. Even, the People's Coalition for Fisheries Justice (Kiara) has asked the government to declare the current extreme weather conditions a national disaster. "There are 53 districts and cities in Indonesia which have been impacted by the present extreme weather conditions and 550,000 people are being victimized. Looking at the facts, we urge the government to declare present extreme weather conditions a national disaster," Kiara Secretary General M Riza Damanik has said. For this purpose, the government has prepared a set of polices to face extreme weather and possible drop of food production in 2011. It is preparing two presidential instructions (Inpres) to ensure food security in anticipation of expected extreme weather changes. According to chief economic minister Hatta Rajasa recently the drafts of the two presidential instructions were being finalized and would hopefully be issued early in 2011. "We must increase food supply and that is why we need the presidential instructions," he said. He said one of the instructions would give the agriculture minister flexibility in responding to problems caused by extreme changes in weather pattern, insect attacks or damage to agricultural lands. Under the presidential instruction, the agriculture minister could issue policies to realize such things as earlier distribution of seeds or provision of contingency funds to anticipate production changes as a result of weather problems through price stabilization or other mechanisms. Yet, inflation could not be expected to be at the targeted 5.3 percent, but about 6 percent this year, even if the weather conditions will relatively be improving. Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Darmin Nasution predicted the rate of inflation this year could be around six percent if weather conditions improve to a level conducive for food production. "If the US and European economies improve and the weather is also improving while capital inflow still happens, the rate of inflation will still be around six percent," he said after dedicating a Bank Indonesia building in West Kalimantan on Wednesday. He said if the weather conditions in the year to come were not as extreme as now the target of six percent inflation would be reached. "But we cannot make the assumptions on whether until December the weather would be worse or there will even be a drought," he said. Even if BI has predicted an inflation of about six percent this year, the government will strive to keep the inflation rate at 5.3 percent as assumed in the 2011 State Budget. "We are targeting 5.3 percent and we will coordinate with Bank Indonesia which is responsible for monetary control," Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo said. The minister said the government would pay attention to inflation as investors' worries over inflation in 2010 that had once weakened the Indonesian Stock Exchange's composite price index to 3,400 points. "Worries abroad are conditions in Europe, that Portugal and Ireland seem to need a bailout but we heard that European countries also Japan were all committed to help. So it is the dynamics that we must be alert on," he said. Right now, he said, the government would not as yet wish to change the macro-economic assumptions and indicators in the 2011 budget including the assumption on inflation. "We are now concentrating on executions. We have not conducted re-forecasting but we will be alert," he said. In the meantime, Bank Indonesia (BI) Deputy Governor Hartadi A Sarwono said the central bank would continuously monitor the developments in core inflation before taking preventive measures in responding to high inflationary pressures. "Bank Indonesia will not hesitate to raise the BI Rate if there are signs of a rise in core inflation, We do not like the rising inflationary pressures although they were caused by price increases in the food groups because it will affect core inflation," Sarwono said. |
Selasa, 25 Januari 2011
RI TO ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC COOPERATION THROUGH WEF
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Jan 23 (ANTARA) - Indonesia is expected to promote its economic achievements at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, later this month, where top business executives, international political leaders and selected intellectuals are to discuss and shape agendas of global and regional industries. Indonesia whose economy was relatively strong in the face of global financial crisis in the past several years will send to the forum a delegation to be directly led by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. "The presence of the president in the WEF when world economic players meet there will give Indonesia a chance to introduce various progresses it has made, including justice-based economic development," Teuku Faizasyah, the presidential special staff for international relations, said over the weekend. The president who will be accompanied Mrs Ani Yudhoyono and several ministers such as Chief Economic Minister Hatta Radjasa, Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa and Investment Board chief Gita Wirjawan will speak at a number of forums during the 41st WEF meeting which will take place on January 26-31, 2011. During the forum, Indonesia hopes that it would be able to conclude cooperation with other countries. "Indonesia will use this year's WEF to increase cooperation between Indonesia and other countries. We will also make use of the meeting to attract more investors to Indonesia," Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said. She said President Yudhoyono in January 27 or second day of WEF event in Davos-Klosters was scheduled to deliver a speech about trade and development. "President Yudhoyono is one among five speakers scheduled to deliver speech during the meeting," she said. The 41st World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland will take the theme of Shared Norms for the Reality. Over the five-day Meeting, over 2,500 leaders from over 100 countries will convene in Davos-Klosters, representing business, government, civil society, academies and culture. The theme of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting has four interconnected pillars namely responding to the new reality, the economic outlook and defining policies for inclusive growth, supporting the G20 agenda and building a risk response network. Yudhoyono who will attend the WEF for the first time will deliver a special speech at the Energy Summit With the World's Top Energy CEOs. He will also open "Indonesia Co Night: Celebrating the Spirit of Collaboration and Cooperation, organized in cooperation between the Indonesian government and the WEF. The president is also expected to become a speaker in the WEF's International Business Council (IBC) and International Media Council (IMC) forums in two plenary sessions. He will speak about redefinition of sustainable development and trade. A major focus of this year's meeting will be how to deal with global risks, develop risk mitigation strategies and capture related opportunities. The World Economic Forum will present its Risk Response Network at the Annual Meeting, which will serve as a preparatory, analytical and highly practical framework for the global community in the service of improving global risk management. The Risk Response Network is a platform designed to better understand, manage and respond to complex, interdependent risk. According to Teuku Faizasyah, President Yudhoyono during the events is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with French President Nicholas Sarkozy, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the sidelines of the forum on January 27-29. He said that the president would also met with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, Envoy for the Middle East Tony Blair and a number of other heads of state/heads of government. Minister Mari E Pangestu, after attending the WEF's 41st meeting, Indonesia will host the WEF on East Asia on June 13-13, 2011. "We will take advantage of it because we will also host ASEAN Summit in October this year to put Indonesia in the role of leadership in ASEAN and East Asia region," Mari said. She said it would be the first for Indonesia to host WEF after its neighbor countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Japan have ever been trusted to be the organizing committees. "It will be the first time for us to host the World Economic Forum, and we hope Indonesia will take a leadership role and become the central power in Southeast Asia and East Asian region," Mari said. After all, Indonesia will chair the ASEAN summit this year. "Since the central world trade is in Asia, Indonesia is expected to be able to make use the chance as the chairman of ASEAN Summit 2011 as well as it is the biggest country among ASEAN member countries," she said. The minister said two-thirds of the world's economic growth was fueled by the economies of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member countries. "Two-thirds of the world's economic growth is being supported by the economies of ASEAN member countries and this only shows the importance of ASEAN and East Asia in the global context," the minister said. Mari said East Asia's gross domestic product (GDP) was equal to Europe's and the United States' 14.6 trillion US dollars. Thus, global issues related to commodity prices volatility, food resilience, and energy resilience would be among the topics of discussion at the WEF forum in June. "The topics of discussion will be the same as that during WEF in Davos, and it will be a challenge for the government, business world, and private party to step up the industry, investment, and technology -- especially agriculture and climate change technology to face with extreme climate change," Mari said. |
HOUSE NEEDS INQUIRY COMMITTEE ON TAX MAFIA
Jakarta, Jan 25 (ANTARA) - At least 30 legislators from nine factions in the House of Representatives (DPR) have submitted a proposal to the House leadership for the establishment of a special tax mafia inquiry committee.
The proposal was made in response to the fact that the government and law enforcers were not yet able to settle alleged cases of tax mafia that had caused hundreds of trillions of rupiahs in losses to the state.
"We gather support from the DPR members to form a House special inquiry committee. We have submitted the list of signatures to the House," Nudirman Munir of the House Commission III on legal affairs said.
The proposal which was signed by 30 legislators was handed over to the House leadership on Monday and was received by House Deputy Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso.
The proposal was among others signed by Nudirman Munir and Bambang Soesatyo of the Golkar faction, Sucipto of the Democrat Party faction, Bahruddin Nashori of the National Awakening Party faction, Ahmad Yani of the United Development Party (PPP), Syeh Buchori Yusuf of the Prosperous Justice Party faction (PKS), Gayus Lumbuun and Eva Kusuma Sundari of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle faction (PDI-P), Yadil Harahap of the National Mandate Party faction (PAN), and Desmond J Mahesa of the Great Indonesia Movement Party faction (Gerindra).
According to Nudirman, the proposal was made because the settlement of the tax case of former taxman Gayus HP Tambunan was too slow. "Moreover, as a result of tax mafia alleged operations, the state suffers losses up to hundreds of trillions of rupiah," he said.
Ahmad Yani of PPP said tax leakages should be halted soon because the state had suffered a loss of up to Rp300 trillion annually. If this could be overcome, the government does not need to ask for help from overseas and the people could enjoy prosperity.
He said that he was convinced that the proposal would be accepted because it had the aim to increase state revenues. "We promise to uncover transparently and uncompromisingly the tax mafia in the country through this special committee," he said.
However, several legislators from the Democrat Party faction said the formation of a tax mafia inquiry committee had no strong basis.
"We have to question the basis of the proposal to set up an inquiry committee. Is the basis coming from the media reports or from rumors or from tax payers?," Achsanul Qosasi of the ruling Democrat Party faction, questioned.
He said that up to now no tax-payers had complained or disclosed the presence of a tax mafia. So, he questioned the basis for the formation of a special inquiry committee.
Achsanul said that the House Commission XI which dealt with financial and budget affairs had discussed the tax mafia case and found that the main problem of all this was the need by the State Audit Board (BPK) to conduct an investigative auditing.
"Actually, BPK has conducted an investigative auditing on two firms often mentioned by the media. The result of the auditing has been handed over to the House Commission XI and the Commission has agreed the formation of a special committee. So, our colleagues who are proposing to set up an inquiry committee have no clear basis," he said.
Therefore, he said, the formation of a special inquiry committee on tax mafia is still too far if it is not supported by valid and accurate data. "The proposal to form the committee is a remote possibility because data that we received are not enough to support the idea," Achsanul Qosasih.
Therefore, he said, the Democrat Party (PD) did not agree with the proposal to form a tax mafia inquiry committee.
His colleague in the same faction, Muhammad Jafar Hafsah, also voiced the same thing. "The Democrat Party faction has not yet decided its attitude on the proposal to set up an tax mafia inquiry committee," Muhammad Jafa Hafsah who is also the faction chairman said.
He said that it was not yet too urgent to form an inquiry committee on tax mafia because the matter still could be tackled by a tax working committee in the Commission level as far as the work of the working committee could be maximized.
In the meantime, legislators who submitted the proposal on Monday questioned the House leaders who had not yet discussed the proposal in the House plenary on Tuesday.
Nudirman Munir and Arya Bima of the PDI-P questioned the fact that on Monday the plenary had not yet discussed it.
"We submitted the proposal which was signed by 30 lawmakers from nine House factions. But it did not included in today?s plenary ,"Nudirman said during the plenary which was chaired by Deputy House Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso on Tuesday.
He said that based on the mechanism, the proposal should have been deliberated directly. "Based on the mechanism, the proposal is submitted to the plenary," he said.
Yet, House Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso promised that the House would not annul or impede the proposal. "Yesterday, I received the proposal which was signed by about 30 legislators from nine House factions. The House leadership would not drop it," Priyo said.
"Yesterday, the proposal happened to be discussed with several House leaders and some agreed to discuss it at a leadership meeting so that it could not yet be deliberated at the plenary today," he said.
He said that the leadership would hand over the matter to the plenary for acceptance or refusal. "If the proposal is accepted it will than be handed over to the House's Assembly Board (Bamus)," he said.
Priyo said that the House would discuss the proposal at its plenary on Wednesday. "It is impossible for the leadership to drop the proposal but to deliberate it in the next plenary," he said.
(T.A014/H-NG/A/R013)
(T.A014/A/A014/R013) 25-01-2011 22:35
Selasa, 18 Januari 2011
NOW DOCTORS PRESCRIBE HERBAL MEDICINES
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Jan 18 (ANTARA) - Since time immemorial, herbal medicines have been used by forefathers in Indonesia to heal different kinds of diseases, yet they have not gained recognition, at least until recently, by the medical world to be recommended in doctor's prescriptions.
Seeing the healing power and economic potential of at least 3,000 kinds of herbal medicines in Indonesia, the government is now however preparing 12 hospitals throughout the country to open herbal clinic services where doctors can prescribe herbal medicines for their patients.This is a government effort to promote herbal medicines in Indonesia as a complementary healing to modern medication. "Thus, herbal medicines have now become alternatives at hospitals for the people to cure their diseases," Chairman of the Indonesian Herbal Medical Association (PDHMI) Hardhi Pranata said recently. The 12 hospitals where the government is now preparing to open clinic services for patients willing to use herbal medication included the Cipto Mangunkusomo general hospital (RSCM), the Dharmais hospital, the Persahabatan hospital in Jakarta, the Sardjito hospital in Yogyakarta, the Hasan Sadikin hospital in Bandung, West Java, the Dr Soetomo hospital in Surabaya, East Java, and the Shangla hospital in Bali. |
Senin, 17 Januari 2011
INTERFAITH LEADERS' CRITICISM OVER GOVT
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Jan 18 (ANTARA) - Failing to touch on the substance of their criticism against the government during a four-hour meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday night, interfaith leaders vowed to demand for continued dialogs with the government. The interfaith leaders have accused the government of making public lies as what it has stated on certain fields were against realities. This prompted the president to have a dialog on Monday night. However, the meeting was said to have failed in touching on the substance of the religious leaders criticism. Observers said that the criticism that reflected the interfaith declining trust toward the government and could affect its image is an expression of concern over the people's poor prosperity. It is a call for the government to introspect. "It reflects that a crisis of people's confidence toward the government is taking place. The government should soon find a solution," Executive Director of Reform Institute Yudi Latif said in a meeting of 100 movement activists in Jakarta on Monday. He said the crisis of confidence happened because the people viewed that the image-building politics the government was implementing was against realities. Yudi was reacting to a statement made by religious leaders last week who declared 2011 as the year of fighting against lies. Therefore, with the interfaith leaders' statements on public lies, the government needs to introspect. "I see the interfaith leaders's statements as a call on the government to introspect. There is no hidden agenda in it," Slamet Effendi Yusuf, Chairman of the Interfaith Affairs of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI), said. He said what was expressed by religious leaders was a call on the people; the government in particular; to introspect and to carry out self correction, as otherwise it would impact the government's image itself. This was admitted by Daniel Sparinga, the president's special staff for political affairs, who said the interfaith leaders' opinion that the government had committed public lies could have impacts on the image being developed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. "The statement of the interfaith leaders is a serious thing that needs to be followed up because it has implications that could influence the president's integrity," Daniel Sparingga told a discussion on public lies organized in response to the interfaith leaders criticism. Last week, nine interfaith leaders gathered at the office of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's second largest Muslim organization, to declare 2011 as a year of fighting against public lies. The religious leaders attending the gathering included Buddhist Monk Pannyavaro Mahathera, Andreas Yewangoe (the chief of the Indonesian Communion of Churches), Muhammadiyah Chairman Din Syamsuddin, Catholic priest Franz Magnis Suseno and founder of Maarif Institute, Ahmad Syafii Maarif. The religious leaders believed that the government had made public lies in several fields, including the fields of economy, enforcement of human rights, the Lapindo mudflow case, religious freedom, protection of migrant workers and the fight against corruption. "The government should stop all forms of lies. The laws are no longer observed in developing the nation and state," Ahmad Syafii Maarif said. According to the interfaith leader group's Spokesman Shalahuddin Wahid, the government should immediately end its deviations from the 1945 Constitution by creating justice and national prosperity. "Today so much violence is committed in the name of religion, freedom of speech and press freedom are still being ignored by the government and human rights violations with impunity are still continuing," Shalahuddin Wahid said. He said the government's policies had indeed led to economic growth of up to 5.8 percent but in reality many pockets of poverty still existed in different regions in the country. In the amended 1945 Constitution it is stated that Indonesia is a law-based country but the fact is it is not. He said the government had also not paid attention to victims of serious human rights violations and had failed to protect migrant workers treated badly in various other countries. "The government has not been able to protect Indonesian citizens," he said. Virtually, criticism against the government by religious leaders is basically an expression of concern over the people's poor prosperity. According to Paskalis Kossay, a member of the Golkar Party Faction in the House of Representatives (DPR), the interfaith leaders were very concerned over the prosperity of the people. "I think the meeting between President Yudhoyono and the interfaith leaders this evening (Monday evening, Jan 17) will be meaningless if their demand for improvement of the people's welfare is not implemented in the field," he said. He said that the meeting was also less significant because interfaith leaders making the statement did not completely attend the meeting between the president and the religious leaders. Shalahuddin Wahid and Ahmad Syafii Maarif were reluctant attend the meeting. Those attending the meeting with the president Monday evening included Andreas Yewangoe, the chief of the Indonesian Communion of Churches, Catholic priest Franz Magnis Suseno, the associate chairman of the Indonesian Council of Ulema, Ma'ruf Amin, the general chairperson of the Buddhist Association Hartarti Murdaya and Confucian leader Budi Ranoewibowo. After attending the dialog with the president, Andreas Yewangoe said the meeting which lasted for four hours had not yet touched on the substance of their criticism. Therefore, the interfaith leaders are determined to continue dialogs with the government as a response to their criticism. "We will continue to ask for dialogs," Yewangoe said. |
BALCKBERRY WILL FINALLY CLOSE PORN LINK IN INDONESIA
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Jan 17 (ANTARA) - BlackBerry manufacturer Research In Motion (RIM) has promised to comply with regulations in its operations in Indonesia by filtering access to pornographic websites on its device's browser, setting up a server and providing after sales services. "They met (RIM executives) us at the ministry office before we have a working meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR). They promised to follow regulations in force in Indonesia," Communication and Information Technology Minister Tifatul Sembiring said on Monday. The Indonesian government has since last year repeatedly called on the Canadian firm to set up in Indonesia a server which would enable it to monitor communications by suspected criminals via their BlackBerry smart phones. Based on Law No. 11 / 2008 on Information and Electronics Transactions, each telecommunication operator in Indonesia is required to set up a data center. In the meeting on Monday, RIM agreed to meet the requirements set by the government that they should establish a server and after sales services in Indonesia. "RIM agreed to build a network aggregator for Southeast Asian region in Indonesia. Indonesia is their biggest market base in Southeast Asia and we would like them to set it up here so that it will reduce the BlackBerry tariff here," the minister said. He said that during the meeting the RIM leaders informed they had opened 40 counters in Indonesia to meet the need for after sales services. "This is their claim and we still need to check it in the field," Tifatul said. On the occasion, the minister said that so far RIM had not yet paid taxes for its operations in Indonesia. Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo said he would probe allegations that RIM did not pay tax to the Indonesian government. "To see if there are indeed royalty components or other tax obligations that have not been paid, I will check. If they have indeed not paid we will ask for its collection," he said after a coordinating meeting at his office. The minister however said he had not received yet official reports about it and all possibilities for imposing a fine or a penalty which may be done for the Blackberry producer are still being studied. "I have not received the report. If there are indeed (unpaid taxes) they will be collected including the fines and penalties," he said. The ministry of communications and information estimates the net revenue of Research in Motion in Indonesia reaches Rp2.268 trillion a year. "With collection reaching an average of US$7 per person per month RIM is able to book a net income of Rp189 billion a month or Rp2.268 trillion a year," the ministry's expert staff for communications and mass media, Henry Subiakto, said. As regard to porn contents, Minister Tifatul said that the Indonesian government gave them a five day deadline until January 21, 2011. "If RIM does not comply with our law, we will block Blackberry's internet browsing facility," spokesperson to the ministry Gatot S Dewa Broto said meanwhile. Gatot argued the ultimatum was made due to consideration that the browsing facility in Blackberry had not yet adopt an anti-porn content filtering system. He said the ministry had since August 10, 2010, started to filter all porn sites in 180 Internet Service Provider operating in Indonesia. "We cannot let Blackberry operating in Indonesia without proper filtering system. We are only implementing regulation in this country and does not rely on other interest," Gatot said. The spokesman added if Blackberry's browsing facility was blocked, the government would offer a substitution for the gadget's user to access the internet by activating the GPRS handset system. However, the user must pay an extra charge to access it. According to telecommunication and information expert Roy Suryo, the number of BlackBerry users in Indonesia is about 1.3 million. But the ministry of communications and information noted that there are around three million people in Indonesia that subscribe to RIM, including two million official subscribers and one million "black-market" subscribers. The big number of subscribers has prompted the government to urge RIM to have data center in Indonesia so that it could monitor communications by suspected criminals. Unlike rivals Nokia, Samsung and Apple's iPhone, RIM controls its own networks which handle encrypted messages through centers in Canada and the UK. This has made the BlackBerry and its messenger application highly popular as a secure way to communicate, but has also worried governments, who are not able to tap into the network. Therefore, in August Last year, the Indonesian government urged RIM to set up a data center/server in Indonesia. Indonesia made the request amid reports that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had recently blocked BlackBerry e-mail, Internet and messaging services. "If RIM does not set up a data center in Indonesia it would be difficult for law enforcement officers to track crime-related communications through BlackBerry hand pones," Minister Tifatul Sembiring said in Magelang, Central Java recently. (T.A014/H-NG/H-YH) 17-01-2011 23:33: |
Jumat, 14 Januari 2011
BANK CENTURY , SERVING AS A BULLET
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Jan 14 (ANTARA) - While the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle has again become a hot topic of public discussions, lawmakers are raking up the Bank Century scandal which involved a government bailout amounting to Rp6.7 trillion. The Bank Century case has rarely been raised of late since it was left by the House to the government to settle in March last year. It came up to the surface as the cabinet reshuffle issue is also coming up to the surface. Presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said this week that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would definitely consider the representation of political parties in his cabinet if he would have to reshuffle it. It is not clear whether or not the Century issue is linked to it. But now several law makers urged the government to settle the Bank Century scandal. Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Secretary General Anis Matta asked the government on Friday to focus on settling the Bank Century case as mandated by the House of Representatives (DPR). "The House members are disappointed by the government which had not adopted a firm attitude in settling the Bank Century case based on its mandate. That is why, legislators submitted a judicial review to the Constitutional Court (MK) of the law on legislator's rights to express opinions," Matta said on Friday. An article of the law was viewed to hamper the lawmakers to play their questioning right as it needs a higher quorum for the approval of their proposal. The request for a legal review concerned article 184 of Law No. 27/2009 that stipulates that legislators could use their rights to express opinions if approved by three-fourth the House members. Yet, Anis Matta said that the government should not necessarily worry about the MK decision, but it should settle the Century case so that there would be no impeachment. Matta who is also a deputy house speaker said that the Bank Century case has been transferred from the DPR to the government after the DPR took a decision in a plenary session in April 2010. "So, the government should settle the problem fairly and completely. The House will only monitor its legal handling," he said. However, if the government failed to solve the Century scandal, the lawmakers might go ahead to play their questioning rights. They may use their right to express their opinion based on the law if law enforcers do not settle the Bank Century case completely. "I would like to remind (the government) that if in the coming few months the law enforcers make no progress in the Bank Century case, the DPR, I am afraid, will use its right to express opinions," Deputy House Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso said. The use of the DPR right to express an opinion could actually lead to the impeachment of the president. The DPR itself has set up a monitoring team to monitor the legal process of the Bank Century scandal. Prio said that the DPR's Monitoring Team felt that the three law enforcing agencies had not yet handled the Bank Century case maximally. The three law enforcers are the police, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the prosecutor's office. So far, the DPR had left the case to the government to be investigated or settled based on the law. He said that he was reminding legal enforcers to carry out their task as well as possible. Priyo who is an associate chairman of the Golkar Party said that the investigation into the case which caused a loss of Rp6.7 trillion to the state had not yet made any progress. Most of the DPR members have been frustrated by the way the three law enforcing agencies in handling the Bank Century case. "I am afraid that there would be no way other than using the rights to express opinions," Priyo said. As it was known that the plenary session of the House of Representatives had taken a decision last March regarding the results of the Bank Century Inquiry Committee. In the plenary session, most of the DPR members chose Option C in a voting mechanism over the conclusion of the House's Inquiry Committee on the Bank Century case. Option C, which were voted by 325 legislators of the 537 lawmakers attending the plenary, specified that the bailout of Bank Century was problematic. Option A, which was voted by 212 members, said the bailout was not problematic. The results of the voting indicated that most of the House members were of the view that the government's policy to bailout Bank Century with a fund of Rp6.7 trillion violated the law in a number of cases. The case begain in late 2008 when Bank Century during the crisis faced liquidity and default problems. It collapsed after its liquidity assets amounting to about Rp11.6 trillion were withdrawn, through its security firm Antaboga Delta Sekuritas, and stashed abroad by its owner Robert Tantular. The ailing bank was than taken over by the Deposit Insurance Agency (LPS). The government later provided it with a bailout of Rp6.7 trillion through the issuance of a Short-Term Funding Facility (FPJP) and Temporary Capital Participation (PMS). The amount provided was far higher than the Rp1.3 trillion then discussed with the House of Representatives (DPR). Thus, the bailout sparked public criticism and questions as it was disbursed without approval of the House of Representatives (DPR). The House of Representatives later set up an inquiry committee to look into possible violations in the provision of the bailout. At the end of their inquiry in at plenary session, seven of the nine factions of the House in the committee, mentioned that violations had been committed with regard to the issuance of the Short-Term Funding Facility (FPJP) and Temporary Capital Participation (PMS). |