Indonesia

General Retirement Activity: Retired General George Toisutta

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Retired General George Toisutta is the former army chief of staff, who served from November 2009 to November 2011 under the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Just few months before his retirement, George was made President Commissioner of the state-owned weapons manufacturer PT Pindad on June 2011. [Continue reading]

Fabricated Public Protests

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Ever since its glory days in 1998, mass public protests have become a common sight in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta. As time passes by, protests over-taking the streets lost their grandeur and influence. For it has become somewhat of a common knowledge today that public protests can be fabricated, all for the sake of money. [Continue reading]

PT Jasuindo Tiga Perkasa, POLRI, and the Business of Official Documents

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In the past three years, the growth of vehicles in Indonesia has been increasing approximately by 10 percent each year. Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) show that in 2013 the number of vehicles in Indonesia reached 104,118,969, a significant jump from 2012 with 94,373,324 vehicles, and 2011 with 85,601,351. And every single one of those vehicles would need a set of registration documents. So let’s look at one of the companies that print them. [Continue reading]

General Retirement Activity: Timur Pradopo and Nanan Soekarna

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The Indonesian government forbids active members of both the Indonesian military (TNI) and the Indonesian police (POLRI) to be involved in business and also political activities out of fear of conflict of interests. But it is common for these law enforcement officials to enter into business upon retirement. They are typically appointed members of a company’s board of commissioners/directors. This morning, we will focus on the retirement activities of two retired POLRI generals: Timur Pradopo and Nanan Soekarna. [Continue reading]

Revisiting the Release of Australian Drug-Runner Schapelle Corby

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At least two convicted Australian drug traffickers—Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan—are now facing the death row. They’re not as lucky as the other Australian convicted of drug trafficking, Schapelle Corby, who in 2005 was found guilty of smuggling 4.2 kg of marijuana into Bali. Many have begun to wonder, how did Schapelle Corby win her pardon? Was it pure luck? Did President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the man who gave her the pardon, simply did so out of the generosity of his heart? [Continue reading]

The Establishment of the National Collective Management Agency

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Yesterday (Jan. 20), the government appointed 10 commissioners to chair the National Collective Management Agency (LMKN). The LMKN is a part of the mandate contained in the 2014 Copyrights Law. The Agency will be the parent body overseeing the management of what was previously known simply as the LMK (without the National)— The LMKN will now act as the policy coordinator for the collection/distribution of rights and the protection of related parties. [Continue reading]

Donor Money & Tackling the Growth of Extremism in Indonesia

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On Monday (Jan. 19), the Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) released a report on the “Support for Islamic State in Indonesian Prisons”. According to the report, the Indonesian Islamic State supporters are a minority in the group of convicted terrorists in Indonesian prisons.The prison staff members have successfully limited the spread of hardline ideology under their watch. But an obstacle remains, a convicted terrorist could be encouraged to join IS if his family is tangled up in financial problems. [Continue reading]

Death Penalty for Drug Traffickers

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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo demonstrated his commitment to combating the rising number of drug trafficking in Indonesia. In December 2014, the President rejected 64 clemencies submitted by convicted drug dealers. It’s a strong statement from the leader of the nation, albeit one that has provoked the displeasure of many. [Continue reading]