BOMB BLASTS PROMPT CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE REVISION OF ANTITERRORISM LAW

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 27 (Antara) - The law governing crimes and violence allows security officers to take actions after there are proofs of criminal deeds. This can be a loophole for perpetrators, particularly terrorists, to commit crimes.          The legal enforcers can only punish executors who have already committed the crimes such as physical attacks on certain objects but have not yet been able to prevent their acts. It is handled only after terror incidents have occurred.           Many bomb attacks have occurred because of a loophole. The most recent one is the suicide bomb attacks in Kampung Melyu area in East Jakarta which killed three police personnel and two suicide perpetrators and injured dozens of others last Wednesday evening.           The incidents promoted many groups to call for the immediate completion of the revision of the antiterrorism law in order to provide a legal basis for law enforcers to take actions if they detect signs of crimes. What is more important is to prepare a comprehensive, planned, and preventive policy.           The National Awakening Party (PKB) has urged the revision of Law No. 15 of 2003 on Antiterrorism at the earliest, so that efforts to prevent terror attacks will have a legal basis.

RAMADAN SERVES MOMENTUM TO BUILD NATIONHOOD

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 26 (Antara) - Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin urged Muslims to maintain the sacredness of the fasting month of Ramadan as the basis for building their personality and the nationhood.          "Take this Ramadan a moment to reflect, evaluate and improve quality. In addition, Muslims are required to be devoted individually and to be pious socially, as well as be able to establish peace among human beings," Lukman said in a written statement in Jakarta early this week.          According to him, Ramadan in Arabic means to burn. That means that Ramadan is a month for Muslims to burn lust, anger, scorn and other destructive behaviors.          To that end, Lukman hoped that Ramadan is not littered with hate speech, insult and defamation, both in the space of social perspective and in the realm of religions.          "Do not let the religious realm, let alone worship places, be littered with hate speech that can eliminate the sacredness of worship," he said.          The Minister hopes fasting can increase a sense of compassion, mutual respect and honor for others. People who fast will not get any reward if they are not able to establish peace in social life.

GRASS ROOTS NEED FINANCIAL INCLUSION

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 24 (Antara) -  Indonesia is now developing a financial inclusiveness program to provide its population with wide access to financial resources as part of its efforts to facilitate  the people's economic activities at the grass root level.          Through this scheme, the government has set a target to cover 75 percent of the country's adult population with financial inclusiveness program by 2019.          Presidential Regulation No. 82 Year of 2016 on National Financial Inclusion strategy set a target that by 2019 about 75 percent of the population should have access to formal financial services.          Financial inclusion is defined as a condition when every citizen has access to various formal financial services on time; services that are smooth, safe, as well as affordable, and based on needs.          To achieve the financial inclusiveness target, the government has prepared five supporting pillars, namely financial education, people's property right, inter-mediation facility and financial distribution channel, financial service in the government sector and consumer protection.          A survey revealed that the formal financial inclusion level in a number of provinces in eastern Indonesia is relatively high.

INDONESIA SEEKS FAIRNESS IN TUNA CATCH

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 23 (Antara) - Indonesia, one of the world's biggest tuna producers and exporters, is committed to utilizing its tuna resources in a sustainable manner, and the country is hoping fairness is applied while catching tuna at high seas.          One of the high seas rich in tuna resources is the Indian Ocean where Indonesia has long stretches of adjacent coastal areas.          However, among countries in the Indian Ocean Rim having the right to exploit tuna resources, Indonesia has received a smaller tuna catching quota.          Hence, the Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (KKP) has questioned the fair principle applied in the allocation of quota for tuna fishing in the Indian Ocean.          So far, the country, with long beaches in the ocean region, is actually getting a lesser quota. This fact was highlighted by KKP Minister Susi Pudjiastuti during the 21st Indian Ocean Tuna Commission meeting (IOTC) held in Sleman, Yogyakarta, on Monday (May 22).          "Many small countries in the Indian Ocean waters also actually sell tuna fishing quotas to other countries," Pudjiastuti remarked.

GOVERNMENT TO ORGANIZE FREE 'MUDIK' PROGRAM 2017

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 21 (Antara) - Millions of people conduct home-bound trip (mudik) to have family reunions in their hometowns during the post-fasting Eid ul-Fitr or Lebaran festivities every year.          During the exodus of mudik  travelers, the number of traffic accidents is high befalling Lebaran revelers, notably those using vehicles prone to accidents such as motorcycles.          Motorcycles is a simple and cost-efficient means of transportation which is why its number continues to increase every year during the Lebaran occasion.           In line with the increasing number of motorists, the government in its efforts to reduce accidents has since in the past several years offered a free ride program for motorcyclists.          In the face of this year's post-fasting Lebaran festivities, -- the fasting month  expected to begin next Saturday -- the government is once again offering a free mudik program to passengers, including motorcyclists.          Transportation Ministry will organize the free ride transportation for about 208,435 passengers and 44,471 motorcycles through land and sea  transportation.

LOGISTICS DISTRIBUTION FOR FASTING MONTH MUST BE SMOOTH

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 20 (Antara) - Public consumption of commodities, particularly basic necessities, during the fasting month of Ramadan is relatively high, and so distribution of logistics to meet the needs of the people must be smooth.          Delays in goods deliveries will have an impact on logistics costs, thus driving up commodity prices. Prices in the face of next week's fasting month have been showing an upward trend.          The Head of National Police's (Polri's) Food Task Force, Inspector General Setyo Wasisto, noted food prices were increasing outside Java, notably in Southeast Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, Gorontalo and East Nusa Tenggara.          Apart from those outside Java, the stability of prices should be maintained, especially in Jakarta and Java. One of the facilities which play an important role in logistics distribution is the Cikarang Dry Port (CDP) located in a strategic place and the largest manufacturing area in West Java and Indonesia.          The CDP is a public dry port serving as the extension of Tanjung Priok Seaport, offering one stop service for cargo handling and logistics solution for international import and exports, as well as domestic distribution.

GOVERNMENT SUCCESSFULLY LOWERS GARLIC PRICES

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 20 (Antara) - In the run-up to the fasting month of Ramadan that begins at the end of next week, the prices of commodities are now showing an upward trend, particularly outside Java.          Among the commodities, the price of garlic has been rising, shooting up from about Rp30 thousand per kilogram (kg) to Rp50 thousand per kg. However, with the government conducting market operations, supplying some 58 thousand tons of imported garlic, and carrying out raids on hoarders, the price of the commodity was successfully lowered to about Rp25 thousand-Rp30 thousand per kg.          "After we arrested three suspects for allegedly stocking up garlic, five hours later, the price of the commodity went down to Rp25 thousand per kg, or about 44 percent," Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman stated after launching a garlic market operation at the Pasar Osowilangun Market in Surabaya, East Java, on Friday.          The government is doing its best to lower the prices of basic commodities in the face of the fasting month. It hopes that the price of garlic would be lowered to below the Rp30 thousand-per-kg level. While conducting the market operations, the government and large distributors agreed on three price levels. Garlic imported from India should be sold at between Rp10 thousand and Rp15 thousand per kg, while that imported from China to be sold at Rp23 thousand per kg.

GOVT'S EFFORTS TO REDUCE LOGISTICS COSTS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 18 (Antara) - The Indonesian government is trying to reduce inefficiency at seaports, among others, by reducing the length of loading and unloading period, or dwelling time.          Though it has successfully reduced the waiting time significantly from about 10 days in 2015 to three days now, yet logistics costs at ports are still high.          "The dwelling time has decreased; but honestly, we acknowledge that logistics costs are still a problem that we are trying to resolve," Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said, Thursday (May 4).          Hence, the government is proposing a single tariff system for multiple modes of transportation, while others suggest that port standardization should be set to cut logistics costs. The single tariff system will be good, if it is handled by the technical ministry, notably the Ministry of Transportation.          According to Edy Putera Irawady, deputy for trade and industry coordination of the Office of the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, the technical ministry is the appropriate agency to handle the single tariff system for multimode transportation.

SMOKING PROBLEM MUST BE RESOLVED BY REACHING OUT TO CHILDREN

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 16 (Antara) - Health Minister Nila Djuwita Moeloek said at the opening of the Fourth Indonesia Conference for Tobacco or Health (ICTOH), Monday, that the steady rise in the number of child smokers should not be left unresolved.          The minister made the statement as the number of child smokers has reached an alarming level. She said more than one-third of the population, or 36.3 percent, are smokers. Some 20 percent are youth in the age group of 13 to 15 years.          A youth community group, Smoke Free Agent (SFA), said 54 percent of Indonesian children were found to be smokers last year. It's a challenge to wean away children from smoking.          Amid concerns over health hazards, cigarette industries are also intensively promoting their products/cigarettes. Children are the easiest target for the future market. If cigarette industries fail to get child patrons, they will collapse in the coming generation.          This poses a huge challenge to overcoming the increasing trend of child smokers.          Moreover, if the government banned cigarettes, it would have a significant impact on the life of about 5.8 million people, including 401,989 workers in formal cigarette industries, 2.9 million tobacco farmers, 1.5 million clove growers and one million cigarette retail traders.

MUAROJAMBI SHRINE SITE FIGHTING FOR UNESCO RECOGNITION

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 15 (Antara) - The seventh-century Muarojambi Temple site, Indonesia's largest Buddhist shrine complex of the ancient Malay Kingdom (7th-14th century AD), is now fighting to get recognition from UNESCO, as one of the world's cultural heritages.          Located some 40 kilometers (km) from Jambi City in Sumatra, the 2,612-hectare (ha) Muarojambi Temple complex in Muarojambi District was registered for recognition on the tentative list of UNESCO in 2009. However, the world body has yet to grant it recognition.          According to Zumi Zola Sulkifli, Jambi Governor, stiff competition is keeping the UNESCO from declaring the Muarojambi Temple complex as a world cultural heritage.         "Competition is spoiling Jambi temple's chance of getting recognition from the UNESCO as a world cultural heritage. There are other sites from other countries which also have the potential to be registered as world heritage," Sulkifli noted, after opening the Muarojambi Temple Festival on Thursday (May 11).          The regional government set up a team in 2016 to study and push for the recognition of the temple site as a world cultural heritage. "Along with the team, we will collect all that is needed, and this will take time, as well as sustained efforts," the governor said.

JAMBI TEMPLE OFFERS JUNGLE TREKKING TOURS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jambi, May 15 (Antara) - The Muarojambi Temple Complex in Muarojambi District, Jambi, is offering jungle trekking tours around its ancient Buddhist temple site.          Acting Head of Muarojambi District Kaliani revealed that the unique jungle trekking tour aims to explore nature and holds immense potential.          "I think this is what we need to promote and build as a tourism object, which has its own market segment. We need to cooperate with all stakeholders to develop its competitive edge and market it," Kaliani noted here on Sunday.          The local people are expected to serve as guides for the jungle trekking tour. There are local people who possess good skills and are well trained.          Several of them have undergone various training programs, both as guides and as human resources for small industries.          "Yet, limitations are also encountered with regard to the legal management aspects. This is because the authority lies in the hands of the Ministry of Education and Culture, particularly the directorate general of culture. Hence, we cannot expand our activities more broadly in the tourism sector," he explained.

GOVT MONITORING COMMODITY PRICES AHEAD OF RAMADAN

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 13 (Antara) - Two weeks before the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan begins later this month, the government has started monitoring basic commodity prices.          Usually, prices of basic commodities shoot up in the runup to the Ramadan fasting month and its subsequent Eid el-Fitr festivities or Lebaran.          Enggartiasto Lukita, Trade Minister, inspected Kramat Jati Wholesale Market in East Jakarta, Friday (May 12), to ensure that the supply and price of basic commodities before the fasting month of Ramadan is sufficient and stable, respectively.          During an official visit, Lukita paid special attention to the supply and price of garlic. In the past month or so, commodity prices have begun to climb, but the government has taken steps to lower them.          "Up to the end of May 2017, 7,672 tons of garlic will be made available, especially in Jakarta, Surabaya and several other big cities, with prices ranging from Rp20 thousand to Rp35 thousand per kilogram (kg)," said Lukita in Jakarta     In Jakarta, the Jakarta Provincial Government has started to take steps to anticipate the spike in food prices and basic necessities ahead of Ramadan and Lebaran.

TURTLES GRAPPLING TO SURVIVE AMIDST PREDATORS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 12 (Antara) - Turtles are one of the protected rare and endangered animal species, which is struggling to survive amid natural predators and human beings.          Although turtles are prone to natural predators, their main enemy is actually human beings. Local people usually eat turtle meat or collect turtle eggs for consumption or they sell them for money.      Predators, such as monitor lizards and pigs, eat the eggs based on their need only. On the other hand, human beings, when they find them, will take them all. Turtles usually lay eggs on the seaside. The eggs need 60 days' time to hatch and when young turtles are born, they slide into the sea where the offspring will face another threat from, for instance, sharks.          Besides being a rare and endangered species, turtles are protected because they also help maintain the health of the ecosystem of sea grass and coral reefs. They are very important for the balance of marine ecosystems of Indonesia.          However, their existence is facing threat.          The Deputy Director for Coastal and Sea Program of the Nature Conservancy (TNC) Indonesia Imran Amin said there are five major threats to turtle conservation in Indonesia, one of which is predation.

INDONESIA VIGOROUSLY PROMOTING ITS '10 NEW BALI'

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 11 (Antara) - Considering that Bali is the country's most popular tourism icon, the Indonesian government has now come up with the concept of "10 New Bali."     The idea is that besides Bali, there are many other regions in Indonesia, which are equally, if not more, attractive.          The Indonesian government has described these 10 tourist destinations as "New Bali," as it is convinced that these destinations would be as pleasing and attractive as Bali.          The government is intensively promoting these tourist destinations overseas, including in China and Germany. In Frankfurt, the government showcased these new tourist destinations as convenient places to organize the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) program.          Recently in China, the Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI) promoted the so-called "10 New Bali" at the Grandview Mall in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.          The Consulate General of Guangzhou revealed this in a press release received in Jakarta on April 28.          The Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia had conducted a direct promotional program to showcase Indonesia's tourism potential at a leading mall in Guangzhou, so that local Chinese people could be given a glimpse of the tourism opportunities in Indonesia, especially the concept of "10 New Bali," which are tourist spots currently being developed on a priority basis by the government.

FREEPORT MANAGEMENT-WORKERS STANDOFF CONTINUES

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 11 (Antara) - PT Freeport Indonesia in Mimika, Papua Province, still needs to meet with the labor union to resolve its dispute with thousands of workers who have struck work demanding reinstatement of colleagues who were laid off.          The US copper and gold mining giant has been plagued by conflict with workers, following its decision to impose a furlough policy on its workers after the government banned it from exporting concentrate for its failure to build a smelter.          The company's trade union, as part of observing the International Labor Day, or May Day, on May 1, has since organized a strike for thousands of workers. The company is also reported to have laid off 178 regular workers.         Ignasius Jonan, Energy and Mineral Resources (ESD) Minister, has asked for a confirmation from the local government regarding the strike by thousands of workers and the layoffs of 178 regular workers.         According to Eltinus Omaleng, Mimika District Head, Jonan wanted to know why the workers had staged the strike. Minister Jonan was making a transit at Mozes Kilangin aiport of Timika (district capital of Mimika) during his flight from Jayapura to Jakarta, Wednesday (May 10).

59 THOUSAND HOUSEHOLDS TO GET GAS CONNECTIONS IN 2017

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 9 (Antara) - After building gas pipeline network connections for 89 household consumers last year, the government is planning another gas network, which will connect 59 households in 2017.          In addition, Energy and Mineral Resources Ignasius Jonan has also promised to build additional household gas connections, with funds taken from the tank storage allocation funds amounting to Rp190 billion.      "Some of the funds for the development of the gas pipeline network will be taken from the 2017 state budget amounting to Rp190 billion," Jonan said in Surabaya, East Java, while inaugurating the operation of a gas pipeline, which connects 24 thousand household customers at Penjaringan Sari Flat, Surabaya, East Java, on Sunday (May 7).            According to Jonan, with the assumption that one connection will cost Rp10 million to develop, the Rp190 billion funds will enable the development of a gas network which connects some 19 thousand connections for households in a number of regions.

'MAPPANRETASI' FIESTA REFLECTS HARMONY IN LOCAL CULTURES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 9 (Antara) - As a country with over 700 tribal groups speaking more than one thousand local dialects in 34 provinces, Indonesia is greatly rich in local cultures which blend the country into a big nation.         Each region has its own distinctive tradition and culture yet such a tradition and culture does not necessarily develop only in the region concerned. It can also develop in other regions showcasing the country's cultural harmony.         The 'Mappanretasi' maritime fiesta, whose peak event was attended by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at Pegatan Beach, Tanah Bambu Sub-district, West Kalimantan, for example, is typically a Buginese traditional maritime festival from South Sulawesi.          The local people of Batulicin (capital of Tanah Bambu Sub-district) had organized the Mappanretasi maritime festival since late April in the Pegatan Beach to reflect harmony and to strengthen local cultures.          "Mappanretasi comes from the Buginese local language and consists of two words: 'mappanre' which means 'to feed' and 'tasi' which means 'sea'. It literally means to feed the sea. It is later known as a maritime fiesta. Although this tradition is descended by Buginese fishermen, the Mappanretasi tradition has been considered as the culture of all clans living in this region," Nahrul Fajeri, the head of Tanah Tumbu Sports, Youth Affairs and Culture Service, was quoted by dream.co.id online portal as saying recently.

GOVERNMENT TO PREVENT HOARDING OF BASIC NECESSITIES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 6 (Antara) - The government is making necessary efforts to prevent the hoarding of basic necessities and to control and maintain stable prices of commodities in the face of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan later this May.          With the Ramadan fasting month drawing closer, the government has set up a police food task force and has made it mandatory for distributors of basic commodities to register at the trade ministry to prevent speculators from hoarding essential commodities.          The police food task force has been set up at the national level: National police headquarters, regional/provincial police, and resort/district police levels.         The food task force will continue to monitor the market conditions and attempts to hoard basic commodities by speculators.          The task force has been assigned the main duty of supervising price fluctuations, volume of basic commodities, price hikes, and distribution from producers to consumers.          "We are coordinating with the local governments, notably with regard to trade activities and the state logistics board Bulog," Head of Public Relations of the Jakarta Police Senior Commissioner Argo Yuwono stated in Jakarta on Thursday (May 4).

GOVERNMENT EXTENDS USE OF TRAWLS FOR FISHERMEN

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 4 (Antara) - After imposing a ban on the use of trawls, the government announced on Wednesday that it will allow fishermen in Central Java to again use them to catch fish until the end of this year.          Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti stated that the government had finally decided to allow fishermen to use trawls, or cantrang, as a fishing tool until the end of 2017.          The minister made the remarks after meeting President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday.          Since the imposition of the ban on the use of trawls in January, fishermen have been complaining of a drop in income and their boats remaining idle. The policy posed difficulties to the fishermen to catch fish.          "The National Awakening Party (PKB) and I really wanted to fight for the fate of fishermen since most members of the PKB are fishermen. They have lodged complaints and voiced their dissent against the policies of the maritime affairs and fisheries (KKP) minister. The policies run counter to their efforts to improve their welfare and prosperity," PKB Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar remarked during a dialog with fishermen at his office in Jakarta on Tuesday (May 2).

INDONESIA GOES ALL OUT TO FIGHT SPREAD OF HOAX NEWS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 3 (Antara) - The Indonesian government has expressed concern over the spread of false news through various social media platforms and has vowed to tackle the menace by empowering its institutions, such as the State Cipher Institute (LSN).         To this end, the government supports the establishment of the Anti-Hoax Journalists Network (JAWAH) by the mainstream media that is believed to help counter the spread of fake news and other forms of false information.         The spread of hoax messages through the social media can create confusion and doubts about the veracity of the information, among others. Irresponsible parties can thus exploit this confusion to sow hatred and create disunity and hostility among the people.         According to Chief Political and Security Minister Wiranto, it is quite dangerous if advanced technology and the cyber world are misused for carrying out criminal activities. Terrorists, for instance, can use it to develop networks and spread information to their members on ways to assemble bombs.