General Suharto

Some interesting works on Mohamed Suharto, or Soeharto, former president of Indonesia including some works of biography.

Suharto, and his family, continue to have a fascination today and these books make a good start in learning more about the phenomenon.

Succession Politics in Indonesia: The 1998 Presidential Elections and the Fall of Suharto Made in Indonesia: …

Muslim Beliefs

… them back to the right path of true Islam. antara hukumonline

Banning

In Jakarta General Sutanto of the police says Al Qiyadah Al Islamiyah will not be tolerated in the city, and he ordered police nationwide to arrest its leaders. antara The "Tim Pakem" (Pengawas Aliran Kepercayaan Masyarakat, Overseers of the Peoples' Beliefs), part of the Attorney General's office (see Shia Islam ), has agreed to ban the group detik However one report says that in order for the …

Wahidiyah

… Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) urged the police to take action against the attackers.

I ask that General Sutanto arrest Ajengan Asep in Manonjaya, Tasikmalaya.

Ajengan Asep is the leader of the West Java branch of the Mujahadin Council, Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI), who Wahid accuses of being behind the midnight attack on 12th September.

Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur).

Wahid also asked the police to arrest two of the leaders of the Tasikmalaya branch of the Clerics' Council, …

Evangelizing Muslims

… any other religion but Islam, could not be permitted, were criminal, and the police and attorney general's office had to act against them.

Don't let this issue upset the peace in Aceh.

If the Christians here say that they aren't responsible then let's work together to get to the bottom of this and find out who did it.

Faisal complained that the police were not following up on the Christianisation case adequately.

If the police can't handle it then we will write to General …

Comment by Julita: … we will write to General Sutanto and president Susilo …

Abu Dujana

… So far a total of seven people have been arrested in various raids. Chief of Indonesian Police General Sutanto says that the seven were part of a terrorist clique that had carried out attacks in Bali and Jakarta. He said they were from an "old group".

The Director of the International Crisis Group Sidney Jones said Abu Dujana's role in Indonesia's terrorism gangs was extremely important. tempo

He is really an important figure because he was the Secretary of the Central Command …

Shootouts in Poso

One civilian was killed in Poso, central Sulawesi, after fighting broke out between police and groups of Muslims.

Five regular police officers and one Mobile Brigade officer were carrying out an operation in the Gebang Rejo district of Poso , a mainly Muslim area, on 22nd October at 21.15, and were attacked by a number of men, who fired guns and threw homemade bombs and stones at them. …

Comment by Tomaculum: … Indonesia (Police general Sutanto) to take back the …

www.Anshar.net & Chatroom Jihad

… with the aim of spreading jihadist propaganda. It contained information about jihad and Islam in general terms, but also specific "tips and advice" on how and where to carry out terror attacks. Places suggested as being ideal were roadways leading into shopping centres and offices, traffic jams and queues to enter toll roads. More specifically, Ancol, Planet Hollywood, the Senayan golf driving range, and the Jakarta Hilton Convention Center were pointed out as places where foreigners in …

Tibo Execution

… clemency and case reviews have failed.

Cornelius Fabianus Tibo.

On the 9th the Attorney General's office sent notice of the planned execution to the families of the men, as well as to the condemned men themselves. Both the men and their families refused to sign the notices.

The men have made three final requests. 1. That their bodies be taken to the Santa Maria church in Palu for requiem mass. 2. That they later be buried at the Beteleme cemetery in Morowali, central …

Comment by Hassan: … attitude in general, but only Christians on this …

No End To Police Corruption

Police chief General Sutanto says the long suffering victims of police dishonesty and corruption will have to keep suffering so long as his men are underpaid.

If salaries remain low then I think it's really difficult for us to succeed in stopping violations by policemen.
(Kalau gaji masih kecil, saya kira memang sulit bagi kita untuk bisa seketika menghentikan pelanggaran-pelanggaran dari anggota …

Comment by Dragonwall: … economy? If Sutanto is prepare to put Gambling, I …

Radical Groups

… A.S, the Security minister, it was also attended by TNI chief Marshal Djoko Suyanto, police chief General Sutanto, and Internal Affairs minister M. Ma'ruf, among others, says kompas Kompas.

Widodo said mediaindo afterwards:

The legal appartus, the police, prosecutors, and attorneys, will take firm but fair steps. The policy of the government is clear, that is, in upholding the supremacy of the law, and that the position of all people is the same before the law.
(Berkaitan itu, …

Terror Updates & Latest News

… holiday of Waisak, at Borobudur temple in Yogyakarta special region.

The National Police Chief, General Sutanto, in a hearing at the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission for Law, claimed that one of the men captured in last month's raid, one Mustaghfirin, had confessed these events were likely targets.

Mustagfirin said that during questioning.
(Hal itu dikatakan Mustagfirin kepada penyidik yang memeriksanya)

Sutanto added that the group had prepared a 20 kilogram bomb and …

Indonesia Counterterrorism Report

… of terrorist attacks.

President Yudhoyono's July appointment of a new National Police Chief, General Sutanto, led to strengthened support for needed police reform, anti-corruption steps, and focused counter terrorism measures. Reform efforts included the December appointment of 13 new regional police chiefs. In order to better track the use of cell phones, the government announced the mandatory registration of anonymous cell phone numbers effective in 2006. Cell phone providers were …

Abdul Rasyid alias Hamdan

… Ia dituduh melakukan kejahatan di sana dan ia adalah warga negara Singapura.)

said General Sutanto of the police.

Al-Qaeda Funding & Recent News

… trains its recruits.

This new information comes on top of the claim by National Police chief General Sutanto last month that in February 2002, Malaysian terror fugitive Noordin M. Top received $86,000 from al-Qaeda and in May 2003 $130,000 from people he described as Palestinians.

On another note Petrus said that based on a letter which had been found in a raid on a house in Semarang, central Java, the terrorists led by Noordin M. Top, now grouped under the banner of Tanzim Qaedat Al …

FPI Embassy Riot

… and traffic cones at the windows of embassy security posts outside the compound's gates.

General Sutanto of the police has said that this time at least they won't be able to get away with it.

Whoever disturbs the peace will be punished. (Siapapun yang melakukan gangguan keamanan tentunya akan diberi sanksi hukum.)

He also said the police were investigating the video evidence and would soon lay charges against FPI members.

Torture Claims

… the second Bali bomb attacks of October 2005. Today the Mujahidin Council delivered a protest to General Sutanto of the national police claiming that Sayaf has been tortured while in custody.

We are delivering this protest to General Sutanto because he is the highest police official in the country.

said MMI chairman Fauzan Al Anshori.

We know that Abu Sayyaf was tortured after the MMI saw him at the central Java police headquarters on 3 February 2006 after he had been captured in …

Tanzim Qaedat-al Jihad

… among the wider Islamic radical movement.

The report comes from Indonesia's police chief, General Sutanto, who informed parliamentarians of the development on Monday.

Offensive Cartoons on Websites

… of Communications Muhammad Nuh vowed to prosecute the owner of any blog, or presumably website in general, who displays insulting pictures and cartoons of the prophet Muhammad, according to the recently passed Information Act (see Internet Blocking & Regulation ).

Another website which has recently come under public scutiny, Lapo Tuak Batak (means Warung Tuak ), a hosted wordpress blog, had its contents removed by its operator, and now has been suspended by Wordpress, see …

Comment by diego: … website in general, who displays insulting …

Lastri, Eros Djarot, & Marcella Zalianty

A film that touches on events of 1965 starring Marcella Zalianty and directed by Eros Djarot runs afoul of the police.

The shooting of the film Lastri: Suara Perempuan Korban Tragedi 1965 (Lastri: The Voice of Women Victims of 1965), has been delayed because police in the Central Java city of Solo/Surakarta have declined to give permission for filming, as they suspect the content of the …

Comment by Enigmatic: … objection from the general people. Just think about it …

War on Poverty

… war on poverty via billboards, and bus riding buskers in Jakarta.

A campaign billboard for General Wiranto:

"Poverty Must Be Ended", says General Wiranto, and "I swear to devote the rest of my life to improving the welfare of the Indonesian people".

On a similar theme:

"The People Must Not Be Allowed to Suffer", says somebody from the police faction, and "Allow us to be the leaders of those who are suffering".

While some talk about it others do it, and others …

Comment by Chris Komari: … created through general election, this party will fight …

Dorce Gamalama & Imam Samudera

Transsexual television personality Dorce Gamalama pays her last respects to the executed Imam Samudera.

Dorce Gamalama, a "post-op" transsexual, and host of the Dorce Show , a celebrity talk show, was seen at the funeral of executed terrorist Imam Samudera/Samudra, at Serang, Banten on 9th November. okezone

Dorce Gamalama, loudly leading orphans in prayer for president Suharto …

Comment by djoko: … good deeds (in a general sense mind you, once again this …

Wahabi & Wahhabism

The Justice Party-PKS is not a bringer of Saudi Arabian Wahabi Islam to Indonesia, says its leader.

The President of the Justice Party, Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS), Tifatul Sembiring said in Aceh recently that his party was not Wahabi (the extremely strict form of Islam that is dominant in Saudi Arabia), as many accused of it being:

The PKS is clearly not Wahabi.

He said the …

Comment by Rob: … convincing the general Indonesian public about their …

Amrozi Executed by Firing Squad

Amrozi, Muklas, and Imam Samudra are executed by firing squad.

Ali Amrozi bin Nurhasyim, Ali Ghufron aka Muklas/Mukhlas, and Abdul Aziz aka Imam Samudra aka Qudama were executed at Nusakambangan island prison, Cilacap, Central Java, some time after midnight on Sunday 9th November, for their roles in the 2002 Bali …

Comment by Ross: … and decent folk in general should stay away, much less …

Pro The Death Penalty

… as well as more secular - and accountable - arbitration. The courts in these countries are also generally more accountable and open to outside influences when sentencing a person to death.

Indonesia – a country with large Moslem population and a secular government - is secular in state sanctioned capital punishments. The religious court does not have the power to condemn anyone to death and deals only with matrimony and dietary requirements. There is no reason to assume that the …

Comment by Ross: … why the Attorney General doesn’t just take his Cabinet …

Barack Hussein Obama Mania!

Indonesia can't get enough of the news that Barack Obama has won the US election.

Some of the reactions to Barack Hussein Obama's election to the US presidency:

Screaming Children

250 students at Obama's former school (SDN 01 Menteng) in Jakarta, shouted with glee:

Obama wins! McCain loses!

while watching television coverage of the results. Here they are:

…

Comment by djoko: … perhaps due to the general lack of coverage on him as a …

Single Mothers in Yogya

… the whole Western Capitalist deal in one gulp; does it? Drink, drugs, promiscuity; are these all necessarily part of modernity?

Comment by Purba Negoro: … provider), general practitioners and physician …

World News Coverage

… great extent in most of them.

Click the red dots next to newspaper names to activate.

Comment by timdog: … as it could be; general global news perceptions of …

Bartele Santema

… Wright, who may even be a regular at one of Mr Bart's bars, and Yayu Yuniar. Full article at WSJ.

Comment by kinch: … stories of some general being fixit man pre-date Caz …

Timor Leste Relations

… be on Australia's sour grapes colonial military aggression in Indonesia sovereign territory and affairs.

Comment by Aluang Anak Bayang: … situation in general as a whole. You should be …

Pujiono Cahyo & Underage Lust

The controversy over a politician-cleric's marriage to an underage girl in Semarang.

43 year old Pujiono Cahyo Widayanto/Widianto, aka Syech/Syekh Puji, the head of an Islamic boarding school (Ponpes Miftahul Jannah) in Bedono, Jambu, Semarang, Central Java, in August 2008 informally married (nikah siri) Lutfiana Ulfa, 11 years and 10 months old, who had just begun studies at a local …

Comment by Aluang Anak Bayang: … sarcasm, irony and general spiritual cluelessness. The …

Bali Culture

… if trouble erupts again?
Rayner.

[rss]This is a post from the Indonesia Matters website.[/rss]

Comment by timdog: … looking at the general tone and style of debate on …

Kidnapping Cases

Investigations into kidnapped and murdered activists of 1997/98, questioning of former generals like president Yudhoyono.

The parliamentary commission (Pansus Orang Hilang) into the disappearances and presumed murders of nine student and other activists opposed to the Suharto presidency in 1997/98 is expected to call some or all of the following former military and intelligence staff to answer questions/give testimony:

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, former Chief of Staff …

Comment by dragonwall: … by an older General of the AL. He is not even a …

Chinese Muslims

A minority within a minority, organization and numbers of Chinese Muslims in Java and North Sumatra.

Masjid Lautze 1

In Pecinan, Pasar Baru, Jakarta is located the Masjid Lautze (or Lao Tze), the centre of the Chinese Muslim community in the city, built in 1991, and, perhaps not inappropriately, being located within a ruko commercial complex.

The mosque is run by the Yayasan …

Comment by kiwibali: … Chinese. He then generalize these into all of the other …

Best Rated Universities

Three Indonesian institutions make it into the top 500 world's best universities list.

Put out by the Times Higher Education and QS World University Ranking a ranking of the 500 best universities worldwide has Indonesia represented by: topuniversities.com

University of Indonesia (UI) - 287th
Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) - 315th
Gajah Mada University (UGM) - …

Comment by bagas: … plunge in general category? Like ITB in top 100 …

Monarchy-Sultanate Form of Government

Ross defends the monarchical principle and the Sultan of Yogyakarta's authority.

Sultans Rule!

The Jakarta Post on Friday 10th October published an articulate but virulent attack thejakartapost on the monarchical principle, centred on the position of the Sultan of Jogjakarta, HamengkuBuwono X . I took particular notice of this for two reasons, viz., I am a dyed-in-the-wool …

Comment by Purba Negoro: … Muslims and the general indigenous prospective …

Atheist Threat

Young atheists on the internet, and eradicating atheism and communism in Indonesia.

Governor of North Sumatra, Syamsul Arifin , said on 8th October at an occasion marking Pancasila Day that all elements of the nation must continually fight against and eradicate atheist beliefs among the people.

Atheism, which seeks to erase Pancasila and which once threatened the nation in the guise …

Comment by dragonwall: … opinion. In general religion does not incite hatred …

Vitriol & Hate Speech

A vitriolic attack on the presence of foreign experts and smelly expat workers in Jakarta.

"Cheesy Girl", it seems an Indonesian in Jakarta who lives and works among expatriates, and once had a westerner boyfriend who had a rash on his stomach and stank of fish, writes in her blog about bules or westerners/ expats in Indonesia , that they

are not experts in anything
are …

Comment by Brett: … and cause general chaos in the blogosphere

World Football Codes

As predicted by Andy, a "world football codes" topic, split off from US Financial Crisis , including stuff on the state of America, the Iraq war, references to ABBA songs, and a possibly blossoming cyber …

Comment by Andy: … the pill with the general Kurt Warner and the guns in …

Popular Myths & Madura

… have a certain unique sexual talent involving, shall we say, internal contractions of some kind. Generally though, the sniggers will be of snobbish contempt shot through with the unmistakable symptoms of fear.

Madura & the Madurese

Madura is the long, low island that rides off the northeast coast of Java. It is almost as big as Bali, and with a population of 3 million. There is probably no other place in Indonesia with such a strange reputation, nor a people so subjected to …

Comment by Lairedion: … on women in general?” But it wouldn’t matter to …

US Financial Crisis

The US financial crisis opens the door for alternative economic models, like sharia finance.

The current crisis in the US and European financial and banking sectors is proof that the western capitalist model is a failure, says sharia economics expert Syakir Sula in Jakarta.

Syakir Sula

Syakir, former head of the Asosiasi Asuransi Syariah Indonesia (AASI), who is from Palopo, …

Comment by Marisa: … all Indonesians in general as well, we just looooove …

Perceptions of Current Threats

Purba Negoro on perceived threats to national unity.

Indonesians worried most about Nusantara

From Jakarta Post, Sun 14-9-08 thejakartapost

National unity remains a cause for concern in Indonesia, despite 63 years of existence as a nation state, a survey finds.

Roy Morgan Research polled the top 16 provinces in Indonesia in July.
Of 2031 respondents asked:

If [they] …

Comment by Purba NEgoro: … be asking “Dato General, how come so many arrivals, is …

What is Racism?

… to the rule become so numerous that the stereotype breaks down and has to be abandoned.

I generally don't like accusations of "racist" and "racism" being thrown around, they are substitutes for thought and argument, or they attempt to stop thought and argument, but I don't think I'm alone in getting weary at some people constantly carping about Chinese or Anglos, or whoever...

This is the original bit by Purba Negoro which sparked the following off:

Indosiar is also Chinese …

Comment by dragonwall: … know what is that General Duties.

Porn Laws in English

… to view [sic implication publicly or in public place] personally or exhibit/perform in the general public nude depictions, exploitations of sex, coital acts, or other that alludes to Porn [sic as per definition of Section 4].

Section 11 :
Every person is forbidden to engage/involve/invoke/entangle children in activities or objects pertaining to that as defined by any single one or combination of Sections 4-6, 8-10.

Section 12 :
Every person is forbidden to urge/invite, …

Pornography Laws

… by:

Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS)
Partai Demokrat

Most other parties generally support it while two are entirely opposed and have walked out of the deliberation sessions on the bill in protest, they being:

PDI Perjuangan (PDI-P)
Partai Damai Sejahtera (PDS)

Agus Sasongko of the PDI-P says his party has washed its hands of the bill and will not be held responsible for it, while Tiurlan Hutagaol of the PDS says the bill threatens to bring on the …

Comment by Mr John: … of the general populace in enforcing the bill …

Effeminate Men

… Budairy said these shows were idiotic, made viewers stupid, and were a form of gambling.

In general though the MUI was happy that television programming during Ramadan was becoming more Islamic, compared to last year. kompas inilah

The Perfect Woman

The perfect woman, and...other things, split from How to Get a Bule Man …

Comment by Aluang Anak Bayang: … because Bules in general are known as sex fiends. It is …

Kevin Bloody Wilson

… his critics, Kev would probably simply quote the signature he offers fans at his various gigs, "F---k You! Kev!".

Comment by Rob: … culture” in general. Hence my earlier comment about …

Dutch War Crimes

… from survivors (Dutch-Indonesian-Sundanese). Streaming media, requires broadband internet access.

Comment by Oigal: … and armchair generals who never heard a shot fired …

Beach Parties & Riding Pillion

Religious leaders in Aceh worry about what young people are getting up to before, during, and probably after, Ramadan.

Beach Parties

In late August leader of the Himpunan Ulama Dayah Aceh (HUDA), Tgk Faisal Aly, said he was very worried about the popular pre-Ramadan tradition of visiting the beach and other sites of interest, called minggu abeh .

He said it was a custom in Aceh, …

Comment by Purba Negoro: … patriots like General Ryacuduto back leadership …

Presidential Debates

… the very best will only maintain status quo. This notion shall not be acceptable for the upcoming general and presidential election. These Presidential candidates shall be challenged openly and publicly to present a comprehensive plan and strategy to resolve those important issues. Because of this, I am raising the bar and taking a different approach. I open up a new chapter in presidential election in Indonesia by sending out public invitation to all of these presidential candidates to have …

Comment by Chris Komari: … 2004 election, the general election for the members of …

Argument Topics

The next funny installment of Purba vs various people, Achmad's Oigal obsession, East Timor, Batam, plenty of other stuff...cut from Dating Girls …

Comment by Achmad Sudarsono: … post. In general, try to keep sentences short. …

Muslim Schools

Islamic boarding schools are under increasing pressure from radical elements, says Syamsir Siregar.

Continuing a recent talkative streak state intelligence boss (Badan Intelijen Negara, BIN) Syamsir Siregar said on 29th August that Islamic boarding schools, or pesantren, were highly susceptible to being infiltrated or taken over by radicals, people who would ruin the image of Islam …

Comment by sputjam: … sense instead, and general knowledge which they can use to …

Neighbourly Affairs

Posts split from Dating …

Comment by Andy: … But knowing the general attitudes of people like …

Signs That Your Son is Gay

Ahmad Dhani's theories on how rock music can prevent your son becoming gay.

Rock musician Ahmad Dhani , or Dhani Ahmad, ex-husband of Maia , recently said that he was very concerned that his sons would one day become gay, particularly with the mass murderer Ryan case still on his mind, and because in Jakarta these days there were a lot of gays around, and:

Being gay is like being …

Comment by Patrick: … more than 6x the general population. In other words …

Learning Javanese Words & Phrases

Purba Negoro on the future of Javanese language, and learning some easy words and phrases.

Hello all,

Being a foreigner in Indonesia is indeed hard - but new friends are made instantly when you speak to them in their language - Indonesian. To an Indonesian it means a highly respected white values them enough to bother learning, what many Indonesians truly believe is a backward, …

Olympics Medals Count

The Olympics have apparently been going on, and just finished. Indonesia finished 43rd in the medal standings.

Badminton, 1 gold (men's doubles - Markis Kido, Hendra Setiawan)
Badminton, 1 silver (mixed doubles - Nova Widianto, Liliyana)
Badminton, 1 bronze, (women's - Maria Kristin Yulianti.)
Weightlifting, 2 bronze (Eko Yuli Irawan & Triyatno).

Other Asean -

…

Comment by Achmad Sudarsono: … or even the UN general assembly. “The third world is …

Tin Mining

Callum on the tin mining industry, government limiting of production and exports, and illegal mining.

The Department of Energy and Mineral Resources has outlined plans to limit tin exports. Indonesia, the world's biggest exporter of tin and second largest producer after China, has confirmed plans to limit production of the commodity in a bid to support prices and extend the life of the …

Comment by Rob: … and Chinese in general. On this point, perhaps you …

Old Traditions & Customs

… for the future of the island’s culture if fanaticism continues to rise unchecked. Will Java to itself be true?

Comment by barry prima: … with the general polemic in these parts. At …

Independence Day

Purba Negoro celebrates Indonesia's national independence day.

Our nation's birthday, 17th August, has just passed - a brief respite in our work-a-day lives. The Day of Proclamation, however, is not solely time for grandeur, pomp and ceremony, celebration and light-hearted games.

Chairil Anwar of the Angkatan Empatpuluh Lima:

"Better destruction than slavery
Better extermination …

Comment by Sylvester: … many Indonesian in general are good, except for some …

Maid Abuse

Discussion on abuse of Indonesian maids in Singapore and Malaysia, and elsewhere.

Comments split off from Dedi Mulyadi …

Comment by Sylvester: … not like PN. In general, pribumi are good. …

Self Promotion Strategies

… being an important consideration. okezone

Farmers' Friend Prabowo Subianto

Lieutenant General Prabowo Subianto, the leader of the new nationalist political party Partai Gerakan Indonesia Raya (Gerindra), has embarked on a similar self-promotional effort, confined largely to television it seems.

In one advertisement ("Prabowo dan Petani Indonesia"/"Prabowo and Indonesian Farmers"), Prabowo appears in his role as chairman of the Himpunan Kerukunan Tani Indonesia (HKTI), the …

Malay Loan Words in English

A not very taxing quiz to guess the Malay/Indonesian origins of some words in English.

"Jakarta Guy", as some sort of way of celebrating Indonesian independence day anniversary on 17th August, holds a quiz where Indonesians are asked to guess the Indonesian Malay origins of ten words in English.

Most of them are very, very easy:

The words are:

ketchup
…

Comment by Purba Negoro: … http://www.december18.net

Indigenous Flag Raising

More flag raising deaths and controversy, this time in Papua.

On 9th August to celebrate "International Day of the World's Indigenous People" (Hari Internasional Bangsa Pribumi) a rally was staged in Wamena at which the "Bintang Kejora" (morning star) flag of the West Papuan independence movement was raised, side by side with the with the United Nations and Indonesian flags in Sinabuk …

Comment by Enigmatic: … and the people in general treat Papuans… Now DON’T …

Niwatakawaca, Rahwana, Cakil & Pasopati

… http://oai.dtic.mil/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-802

Comment by Purba Negoro: … strike bomber: General Dynamics F-111 is an American …

Kampung Pulo, Pinang Ranti

A violent neighbourhood dispute over a Christian theological college in East Jakarta.

The dispute over the 19 year-old Arastamar Evangelical School of Theology (Kampus Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Injil Arastamar, SETIA) in the Kampung Pulo, Pinang Ranti, Makassar, East Jakarta area flared up again with on July 25th a violent fight breaking out between local Muslim residents and Christian …

Comment by Rambutan: … dismissing the general feeling of locals they …

Political Campaign Posters & Slogans

… Khofifah

Khofifah Indar Parawansa from the Partai Persatuan Pembangunan (PPP) and Brigadier General (ret.) Mudjiono entered the race fairly late, just managing to pass the 15% electoral threshold ( after the PKS chose not to support her, because of her sex ) allowing them to participate by cobbling together a motley coalition of a dozen odd minor parties that included the evangelical Christians of the Partai Damai Sejahtera (PDS) and the youthful gentlemen of the Partai Patriot. …

Death Row Inmates & Debate

… The latest pathetic excuse for delaying this gladsome day is the failure of the Attorney General’s office to receive a copy of the Supreme Court’s rejection of the strangely reluctant 'martyrs’ appeal. (You’d think all those gorgeous maidens in paradise would be a destination eagerly sought!)

Amrozi

I’m not totally familiar with the geography of government buildings in Jakarta, but one would have imagined that a keen tukang ojek could have fetched that necessary …

Comment by dewaratugedeanom: … and to society in general if not by retaliating and take …

Reasons for Divorce

… elections might be pushing up the divorce rate, with women leading the way.

The Director General of the Islam section of the Department of Religion, Nasarudin Umar, held a press conference on 15th July to discuss the problem of divorce in Indonesia, which he said was getting much worse.

Umar worried that the divorce rate had doubled in recent times, and:

...for every 100 marriages there are 10 divorces, and usually divorces occur in young families.

In the six major cities …

Comment by Rob: … I said, they are generally pretty helpful in telling you …

Indonesians vs. Jakarta Expats

… which also hold true remarkably well for differences between the East and the West in general. Including our beloved country Indonesia? Yes, but not entirely either.

According to Geert Hofstede, an international authority on cultural differences, the Indonesian culture can be characterized by high levels of power inequality, low tolerance for uncertainty, and collectivism, while most Western cultures generally exhibit the opposite.

Inspired by Liu's artwork, I've …

Comment by Teng: … colonisation in general, and the atrocities that …

Digital Divide

… still lags well behind its neighbours in proportion of people with internet access.

The General Manager of Telkom's Sumatera Division, M. Awaluddin, said in Medan on 30th June that the proportion of Indonesians who understood and used the internet was still very small compared to countries like Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, that the "digital divide" was still gaping.

In Malaysia, for example, school exams were already done online, or at least with computers, while Indonesia …

Power Blackouts

Planned electricity blackouts in some areas of Jakarta in July. Don't panic!

The state electricity company, PT PLN (Persero), has announced that between 11-25 July 2008 rolling power blackouts will occur, for seven hours at a time, in Jakarta (certain parts of Gambir, Kebayoran, and Kramat Jati) and parts of Tangerang, between the hours of 08.00-15.00 and 15.00-22.00 WIB.

The reason …

Comment by PrimaryDrive: … the long run. In general the key to increase our …

Munir & Muchdi PR

… dim-looking Garuda pilot who is already behind bars for the homicide.
Muchdi, left.
Major-General Muchdi Purwopranjono's arrest is something akin to a deputy chief of the CIA being hauled in for questioning in relation to somebody like Ralph Nader or David Horowitz being killed.
What will result from this remains to be seen.
Will Muchdi PR be accused of pursuing a personal vendetta against Munir, or will his former high rank within BIN lead to further charges against further …

Comment by Ross: … ‘States’ in general or ‘just the ones here.’ …

Seeds of Conflict in Papua

… brand of Christianity to the province, and this creates its own problems, he said. ranesi

Comment by Abdul Khalid al Jumhuri: … one three-star general. I was cautious of the …

Religion & Religiosity

Rima says religion and religiosity are to blame for much of Indonesia's, and the world's, troubles.

Why religion doesn't matter at all

Once upon a time, Indonesia was well-known in the world as a nation of peace, tolerance and religious pluralism. Other countries even made us their example, a country full of people with various religious beliefs, from various ethnic and language …

Comment by santana: … and whole world generally,that be briefer world of we …

Neighbour Misunderstandings

Visiting Indonesian Muslim leaders discover that Australia seems to be a haven of tolerance and religious freedom.

Mohamad Rapik, said to be prominent in Indonesian Muslim youth organisations, and a lecturer in Islam Studies at Universitas Jambi, says he is struck by the climate of religious freedom in Australia.

Rapik is in Australia along with the head of the Pondok Pesantren Modern …

Comment by M: … religion phobia in general, because of the experience in …

My Friend the Fanatic

… mother - one nasty attempt at a below the belt blow. (Herry and co. seem to have preferred General Wiranto, because at least his wife covered herself head to toe, unlike, say, Amien Rais' spouse, who only wore a headscarf, and a colourful one at that.)

Sadanand Dhume

But, and it is an important but, Dhume's portrait of Herry is told with some empathy and there clearly developed a friendship between the two of them, the devout Muslim and Islamist, and the atheist son of …

Comment by Lairedion: … liberal and general Islamophile So you can …

SKB Ahmadiyah

… activities which are deemed to be abnormal in terms of Islamic orthodoxy.

On June 10th police general Abubakar Nataprawira in Jakarta said that the "SKB 3" ruling did not forbid Ahmadiyah people from praying in public mosques or holding any kind of worship activity, provided that the words spoken during such prayers and services did not go against Islamic teachings, for example by saying that there was another prophet after Muhammad.

If such things were spoken then those involved would …

Comment by ache: … by Islam people in general, [oppositely;also] get super …

Good & Bad Citizens

Ross complains that the government is trying to restrict the activities of the wrong people, Ahmadiyah instead of Muslim militants.

Frozen Assets - good citizens in suspended animation

The decision last night to 'freeze' Ahmadiyah is sickening.

The FPI rants on, undeterred by the regime's 'too little, too late' incarceration of a handful of its most visible scum, a clearly …

Comment by timdog: … illiteracy and a general lack of education is one of the …

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Chinese & Asian Stereotype

… in Indonesia, Asians in Australia, and western men who like Asian women.

Stereotypes & Generalizations

When I first came to Australia, I went to the Blue Mountains. While sitting in a café near the Three Sisters, I accidentally spilled some ice cream on to my clothes. I went to the bathroom to clean it up at a sink. While I was doing that, an old lady went in, checked out the cubicle -- and then swore at me –
Bloody Asian! You just can't keep things clean, can you?!?
I …

Comment by archie: … stereotypes and generalization to be removed in our …