Jusuf Kalla Calls on Mosques to Turn It Down During Ramadan

Jusuf Kalla Calls on Mosques to Turn It Down During Ramadan

A relatively quieter Ramadan may be in store this year after former Vice President Jusuf Kalla called on the Indonesian Council of Ulema to help control the volume of mosques’ call to prayer.

“There is no other country in the world except Indonesia where the call to prayer is deafening,” he said in a speech on Saturday addressed to the council, also known as the MUI, that was broadcast by local television stations.

“If [mosques] want to compete, they should do so based on the quality of the call to prayer, not the volume of their speakers.”

Umar Shihab, one of the chairmen of the MUI, told the Jakarta Globe on Sunday that the council responded positively to Kalla’s advice.

“We have to admit that there are many complaints about the loud calls to prayer during Ramadan, as if there is a competition,” Umar said.

“Apart from that, some of them start calling for prayers an hour or two hour before the schedule, when it it’s better to be done just 30 minutes before,” he said.

Umar said the MUI would ask mosques to heed the call and be more orderly.

“It should not be about which one is the first or the loudest to call for prayer,” he said. “It should be about the quality of the prayer, because Islam is an orderly and beautiful religion.”

Last December, the Praya District Court in West Nusa Tenggara sentenced an American man to five months in jail for blasphemy for pulling the plug on a mosque’s loudspeaker during a prayer reading during Ramadan last year.

Is Indonesia in for a Disappointing Sequel?

Is Indonesia in for a Disappointing Sequel?

Droves of moviegoers flocked back to hundreds of cinemas across the country on Friday to see the boy wizard defeat Voldemort once and for all on the big screen.

That the screening of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” — the biggest blockbuster so far this year — marked the end of Indonesia’s Hollywood film dry spell appeared to be a worthy conclusion to the long drawn-out saga.

But worries remain that a sequel might be in store.

New Actor

Controversy has surrounded Omega Film, the company largely responsible for bringing Hollywood blockbusters back to Indonesian theaters, from the start.

After the Motion Pictures Association of America and Cineplex 21 announced that no films from major Hollywood studios would be brought into the country from Feb. 17 pending the resolution of a dispute with the government over royalty calculations, the Finance Ministry responded by announcing a ban on three film importers that collectively owed Rp 30 billion ($3.4 million) in import taxes.

It was later discovered that two of the three banned importers were Camila Internusa Film and Satrya Perkasa Esthetika Film, both affiliated with Cineplex 21 and responsible for bringing in MPAA films.

With the ban on the two importers in place, the eventual resolution of the royalty dispute last month failed to bring back Hollywood blockbusters.

When news emerged that a new company, which was named Omega Film and believed to be related to Cineplex 21, had been granted an import license, moviegoers thought they had found their hero.

But as with all good films, the plot quickly thickened.

First, there were questions over why it was the only one of six new companies that applied for a film import license to be granted one.

Susiwijono Moegiarso, a director at the customs office, on Thursday denied allegations of special treatment.

“Yes, there were six companies, including Omega Film, that applied for film import licenses,” he said. “But it needs to be understood that Omega Film applied for an import license in April, and the other five just applied in May and June. So Omega Film got its license earlier.”

Susiwijono added that the license applications of the five others had not been rejected, but rather investigations into the companies were ongoing. “Hopefully, they’ll be done next week,” he said.

Then on July 5, the customs office suddenly froze Omega’s license, saying the company had not fulfilled all requirements. Suspiciously, Omega had the same office address as the five other companies.

But 10 days later, the customs office lifted the ban on Omega, “because they had completed the requirements and explained the company to us — its organizational structure, the directors and commissioners, whether they had the competency or not,” Susi wijono said.

Monopoly fears

Lawmakers have questioned this sudden lift of the ban, alleging something akin to deus ex machina (god out of the machine), the plot device that sees an unexpected power step in to resolve a seemingly hopeless situation.

An alleged relationship to Cineplex 21 and even to the ruling family have been floated as reasons for the positive turn of events in Omega’s way.

Syamsul Lussa, head of the film department at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said one of Omega’s directors is Ajay Fulwani, who, according to cinema pioneer and film importer Ilham Bintang, is a nephew of Harris Lesmana, one of Cineplex 21’s big bosses. There were also rumors that lawmaker and Democratic Party secretary general Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono, the president’s son, was also involved.

Tourism Minister Jero Wacik dismissed all this, and subsequent allegations of a Cineplex 21 monopoly over the film industry.

As long as the names of a company’s directors and commissioners were not similar to those of the cinema company, “then it is not a monopoly,” Jero said.

He acknowledged that 80 percent of Indonesia’s 676 screens were owned by Cineplex 21, but pointed out that this only meant it dominated the industry, not monopolized it.

And he denied rumors of the ruling family’s involvement. “Bringing Cikeas into the Omega Film issue is very cynical. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is very concerned about this,” he said. “I asked Edhie Baskoro and he said no.”

Cineplex 21 spokesman Noorca Massardi could not be reached for comment.

Djonny Sjafruddin, head of the Indonesian Cinema Companies Union (GPBSI), has also defended Cineplex 21 over the monopoly claims.

“The Business Competition Supervisory Commission [KPPU] has already investigated [Cineplex 21] twice and did not find any evidence of a monopoly,” he said.

Tadjudin Noer Said, a commissioner at KPPU, acknowledged that the cinema industry was dominated by one player, but he explained that as long as it did not control prices, then it was not considered a monopoly.

Still, Syamsul has said that “if there is dodgy data about Omega Film, we are going to revoke its business permit.”

If that happens, Indonesia may very well see a sequel to the Hollywood boycott.

After the Tax Drama, Indonesia Outlines New Plan to Boost Local Industry

After the Tax Drama, Indonesia Outlines New Plan to Boost Local Industry

One thing lost in the complex web the Hollywood film boycott has spun is the reason the government gave for wanting to hike taxes on film imports in the first place: to stimulate the local film industry.

Just days after the boycott began on Feb. 17, Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said the president, prompted by a comment from director Hanung Bramantyo in the local media about improving the domestic industry without imposing new taxes, had asked him to review the proposed tax regime.

On Thursday, Jero finally announced the plan to help the struggling industry, outlining a new company that would help fund local projects.

“We are going to establish Indonesian Film Finance to provide low-interest loans to Indonesian filmmakers,” he said. “This way we can help to improve the quantity and quality of Indonesian films.”

Aside from the help with funding, Jero said the Finance Ministry had also agreed to eliminate taxes on the importation of film production equipment. “Film production equipment and materials have always been listed as luxury items and therefore were slapped with high taxes,” he said.

However, Jero said it was not possible to do away with the value-added tax, either on domestic or foreign films. “So instead of revoking the value-added tax on domestic films, we are going to reduce the tax to a minimum level,” he said.

The country’s film industry has suffered a downturn in recent years. In 2009, only six local films sold more than a million tickets each at the box office. In 2010, only one movie broke the million mark.

Last year, 81 Indonesian films had cinema releases, slightly down from 83 films in 2009, although a significant decline from 91 big-screen releases in 2008. Even without Hollywood blockbusters, 75 foreign films were imported in the first seven months of this year.

The government is hoping to double local film production to about 200 a year by 2014 to equal the number of foreign films imported.

Jero said he wanted that ratio to eventually be 60 percent local films to 40 percent foreign.

In March, the minister also said the government was planning to allocate a special budget to subsidize the production of films that “instill love in the nation, raise patriotism and national defense.” But that plan was quickly panned.

“Filmmakers will try to meet the criteria needed to get the subsidy instead of focusing their creative efforts on producing a quality film,” Joko Anwar, a prominent director, said at the time.

Fans Turn Potty Over Harry’s Finale

Fans Turn Potty Over Harry’s Finale

Chrestella Tan, Elisabeth Oktofani & Hangga Brata

In a sign, perhaps, of just how excited Indonesians are to finally be able to watch the last installment of the Harry Potter series, a mad rush for tickets ensued on Wednesday.

By early afternoon, the online booking system operated by 21Cineplex, one of two movie chains screening “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2” starting on Friday, crashed.

When the Jakarta Globe attempted to register on 21Cineplex’s MTIX Web site, the site said it could no longer process new members because it was overloaded.

Blitz Megaplex, the second movie chain, said it had anticipated the increased demand by adding an extra server.

“Now we have separate servers for the Web site and data base so the Web site is faster,” Blitz marketing head Dian Sunardi told the Globe.

In XXI Senayan City, people started lining up for tickets even before the theater opened at 11:30 a.m.

“When we opened the cinema this morning, crowds of fans were already waiting to buy tickets for Friday,” said Rahmat, a security officer.

Mela, the manager for XXI Senayan City, said tickets for all screenings on Friday were almost sold out. “But many people are also buying tickets for Saturday and Sunday. People have been waiting for this,” she said.

Ranny, 19, who came with her family, bought nine tickets for a screening on Friday. “It’s full already. I bought nine for me and my family, but we need to sit separately. Like two, four, here and there,” he said.

Sheggy Chesario, 23, an advertising account executive, said that he had tickets to watch Harry Potter on Friday night.

“I stood in line for 45 minutes and got three tickets for the Friday 7:45 p.m. show at Plaza Senayan,” Sheggy said.

Wendy, 18, has already seen the movie in Singapore but was in line to get tickets. “And a lot of friends are texting me and asking me to buy them Harry Potter tickets,” she said.

Meanwhile, the postal service in Solo reissued a series of stamps bearing likenesses of characters from the films. The stamps, which Solo postal authorities say can be used to ship mail anywhere in Indonesia, are available as four different sets of 12, and cost Rp 35,000 ($4.15) each.

Hanin Fathan Choiriyah, a spokeswoman with the Solo Postal Service, warned that supplies of the collectibles were limited, with only 400 of the 12-stamp series in stock.

The stamps, originally produced in 2007, were reissued with the movie release.

Sufferers Count Costs of Living With the Disease

Sufferers Count Costs of Living With the Disease

Elisabeth Oktofani & Dessy Sagita

Andriana Bintang has gotten used to taking entecavir first thing in the morning when she wakes up. Having been diagnosed with hepatitis B in 2008, the 28-year-old said it was something she simply had to learn to live with.

“Although it is very frustrating having to take medication every morning, I have to do it,” she said. “This is a decision that I made a couple of years ago, as I want to live longer and be healthier.”

Andriana is one of a growing number of Indonesians living with hepatitis B, but one of the few who can afford the medicine to treat the disease.

Tjandra Yoga Aditama, the Health Ministry’s director general for disease control and environmental health, said about 30 million people in the country were infected with some strain of the hepatitis virus. The disease attacks the liver and can progress to organ failure or cancer.

Half of those infected suffer from serious liver problems, he said, with some 1.5 million people at high risk of developing liver cancer.

Indonesia now has the third highest number of hepatitis B and C cases in the world. Only China and India have more.

Worldwide, an estimated 170 million people — one-twelfth of the global population — have either hepatitis B or C, according to World Health Organization figures. Some 1.5 million people die of the infections annually.

One of the major problems is that treatment for the disease is expensive.

Andriana, who began taking medication early in 2009, said she spends Rp 2.2 million ($260) for 30 pills each month.

“My life is not cheap, because I have to spend more than half of my salary on the medication, but I hope that the treatment can be made cheaper soon,” she said.

Tjandra said the government was working to make hepatitis drugs cheaper, but chances of a free hepatitis vaccine for adults remain slim without additional funding.

The vaccine for hepatitis strains A and B — there is no vaccine for type C — requires three shots at a cost of Rp 80,000 a shot.

The Health Ministry has declared that hepatitis poses a serious threat to the nation and, since 2003, has included the hepatitis vaccine on the list of mandatory basic immunizations required for all newborns.

Andriana, who has a 1-year-old son, said she made sure her child was vaccinated soon after he was born.

“When my son was born, I ensured that he got vaccinated in the hospital because I did not want him to get infected as it can never be cured,” she said.

“Other than that, I have to always remember to renew the vaccine once every 10 years because that is the only way to prevent him for getting infected with hepatitis B,” Andriana said.

“Life with hepatitis B is expensive.” 

Question Lift of Ban on Film Imports

Question Lift of Ban on Film Imports

Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Arientha Primanita & Elisabeth Oktofani

Although Hollywood blockbusters are expected to be back on Indonesian screens on Friday, the foreign film controversy appears far from over.

Lawmakers weighed into the saga on Tuesday, questioning the government’s decision to lift the ban on a film imports even though its tax issues had yet to be fully resolved.

Ibrahim Sakti Batubara, a National Mandate Party (PAN) lawmaker from House of Representatives Commission X, which oversees sports and tourism affairs, alleged that pressure from foreign movie producers had played a role in the decision.

“I don’t know why the freeze was lifted when so many problems, especially related to the tax issue, were not resolved,” Ibrahim said. He also criticized Tourism Minister Jero Wacik for behaving like the spokesman for foreign film importers. “I will ask the commission to summon the minister to explain this movie import issue,” he said.

The return of Hollywood films was made possible by the Customs and Excise Office clearing newly registered film importer Omega Film to bring in movies.

Omega was given a film import license on May 3, but a freeze was imposed as officials sought to clarify its relationship with Indonesian film giant Cineplex 21.

Cineplex 21 is affiliated with Camila and Satrya, two major film importers banned by the Finance Ministry pending payment of Rp 22 billion ($2.6 million) in back taxes and interest.

Bambang Soesatyo, a lawmaker from Commission III overseeing legal affairs, said the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) should investigate whether the so-called tax mafia was involved in the film import industry. He said the sudden revocation of the freeze should raise suspicion that there had been political interference.

Speaking to reporters at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, Wacik denied “the ruling power” had interfered and rejected claims that Cineplex 21 and Omega were operating a monopoly. “There used to be a monopoly, but we’re in the process of phasing it out, we can’t just do it with a snap of the fingers,” Wacik said.

“If they’ve got 600 buildings, 600 screens, how can we get rid of them all? Previously, if you imported a film, only you could show it. Not any more. If A imports films, it’s legally obliged to allow all other screening companies to show it. But it hasn’t been fully implemented.

“Anyone can be a film importer, the only catch is, can you get the films from Hollywood agents?”

Djonny Sjafruddin, head of the Indonesian Cinema Companies Union (GPBSI), also defended Cineplex 21 over the monopoly claims. “Although the Indonesian cinema industry is dominated by Cineplex 21, the Business Competition Supervisory Commission [KPPU] has already investigated them twice and did not find any evidence of a monopoly.”

Magic Wish Granted: Harry Potter Scheduled to Hit Screens on Friday

Magic Wish Granted: Harry Potter Scheduled to Hit Screens on Friday

Indonesia’s Harry Potter fans will finally get their chance to see the last installment of the hit movie series on Friday, cinema officials said on Tuesday.

“ ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2’ will be screened starting on Friday,” Djonny Sjafruddin, head of the Indonesian Cinema Companies Union (GPBSI), told the Jakarta Globe.

The film will not be exclusively screened by film industry giant Cineplex 21.

Dian Sunardi, head of marketing at Blitzmegaplex, said they had also been informed that the Harry Potter film was scheduled to be screened starting on Friday.

“Unless the distributor changes the screening schedule, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2’ will be screened by Friday and our first show time will be at 12 o’clock,” she said.

The screening of the boy wizzard’s saga in Indonesian cinemas will mark the return of Hollywood blockbusters to the country more than five months after major American studios began a boycott over a royalty dispute.

“Transformers 3” will likely be screened 10 days later.

“Kung Fu Panda 2” has also passed censors and will be screened.

But Djonny has said that even with Hollywood films back in Indonesian cinemas, GPBSI will prioritize the screening of local films with five due for screening during Ramadan, he said.

Govt Sets Its Sights on Illicit Online Music Downloads

Govt Sets Its Sights on Illicit Online Music Downloads

On the heels of its war against pornographic Web sites, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has a new target: Web sites that permit the illegal downloading of pirated music.

Ministry spokesman Gatot Dewa Broto said the government would block the sites, particularly those containing Indonesian music. On Wednesday, he launched a six-month campaign to raise awareness in the fight against a practice that the state says costs it Rp 12 trillion ($1.4 billion) a year.

“The figure is the estimated sum of digital music sold online without the permission of the copyright owner,” he said.

“It is harming the music industry. The six-month campaign aims to get as many recommendations as possible from citizens because we don’t want to make any mistakes.

“Aside from that, this is a sensitive issue and we don’t want people to think that we’re preventing them from accessing cheap entertainment products.”

Gatot said the government had established a group comprised of musicians to help in the campaign against illegal downloads.

The ministry is working with internet service providers, which were involved in blocking porn sites, to implement the campaign. The blocking will be based on the Web address, or URL.

“Once the introductory phase is complete, we are going to raise public awareness by explaining the legal implications of the p r ogram and what the consequences are for actions that violates the regulation,” Gatot said.

The program is based on the controversial Electronic Transaction and Information (ITE) law, specifically Article 25, which protects electronic information, electronic documents, and intellectual property. The campaign also is based on the 2002 Copyright Law.

Gatot said the campaign received support from the Indonesian music industry, which was harmed by the illegal market.

Veteran musician Samsudin Hardjakusumah, better known as Sam Bimbo, applauded the government’s move and described it as a “Lebaran gift” for the industry.

“We at Bimbo have composed more than 800 songs but we continue to suffer losses because if music piracy,” the 69-year-old told the Antara news agency.

“Those who work harder should earn more,” he said. “But because of piracy, those who earn more aren’t those who actually work harder.”

The Communication and Information Technology Minister Tifatul Sembiring launched the campaign at a ceremony on Wednesday attended by composers and lawmakers.

US to Help Capital Clean Up Its Act

US to Help Capital Clean Up Its Act

The United States’ Environmental Protection Agency met with key stakeholders in Jakarta on Monday in a bid to reduce the city’s suffocating air pollution.

Michelle DePass, an assistant administrator at the EPA, said the meeting provided valuable insights into pinpointing the root causes of Jakarta’s deteriorating air quality.

“This stakeholder meeting is a key opportunity for us to have a discussion,” she said. “But we realize that long-term cooperation [with stakeholders in Jakarta] is needed. We need to work very hard to be able to provide a long-term benefit.”

Last month, the Environment Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding with the EPA designed to strengthen environmental corporation between the United States and Indonesia, and to work on pollution reduction in Jakarta.

The so-called Breathe Easy Jakarta program aims to address the air pollution problem in Jakarta and establish cost-effective strategies for improving air quality and public health.

DePass said the EPA and the Jakarta government would cooperate in areas such as air quality monitoring, compiling emissions inventories, air quality modeling, health assessments and the development of air pollution control strategies. The partnership, she said, would involved capacity building, transfer of technology and some pilot programs.

Karliansyah, a deputy minister for pollution control at the Environment Ministry, said the meeting was hoped to establish a commitment among all stakeholders to work to improve Jakarta’s air quality. “It requires cooperation from all stakeholders to reduce air pollution in Jakarta,” he said. “We need to establish commitment and encourage coordination between the government and stakeholders.”

Karliansyah said that as part of Breathe Easy Jakarta, the government hoped to improve air quality management and work to develop an information system that to manage air pollution.

Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo said Greater Jakarta already had a supporting bylaw to implement the Breathe Easy Jakarta program.

“In this case, Jakarta is the only province in Indonesia that already has a regulation on reducing air pollution,” Fauzi said. “So, instead of establishing a regulation, we can just jump to action.”

Karliansyah said Jakarta needed to address the transportation sector, which contributes around 23 percent of the city’s air pollution.

“The increasing number of motorcycles has an impact not only on fuel consumption and heavy traffic but also air pollution,” he said.

Fauzi said that Jakarta was trying to reduce carbon emissions from vehicles by conducting regular emission tests. “This action can reduce air pollution significantly,” he said.

Karliansyah added some action had also been taken at the central government level such as discarding the use of a lead additive in gasoline in 2001 and developing better mass transportation such as the Transjakarta busway.

Thousands Of Bylaws Set to Be Repealed: Ministry

Thousands Of Bylaws Set to Be Repealed: Ministry

The government has scrapped more than 2,000 bylaws with the potential to disrupt investment and burden business, the Home Affairs Ministry said on Monday, and thousands more could go.

“Up to now, the ministry has revoked 2,285 regulations,” said Raydonnyzar Moenek, a ministry spokesman. “There are 2,678 more bylaws in the process of being canceled and 175 that are being clarified and could be dropped.

“Basically, those regional bylaws have been revoked because they go against the 2006 presidential decree on improving the investment climate.”

The ministry is reviewing 9,408 bylaws, with the Finance Ministry advising that 4,885 of those could be scrapped.

Raydonnyzar said the bylaws being reviewed were issued between 2002 and 2011, before the 2009 Regional Tax and Revenue Law was implemented.

The national law on taxes and the regional bylaws often contradict, creating an environment where businesses are unsure of their tax obligations.

Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi said his office had reviewed more than 50 percent of existing bylaws that could hamper investment with levies and other taxes.

But there is concern that if the bylaws were all scrapped at once, it would leave many taxpayers out in the cold who had paid their taxes based on the regional legislation.

Gamawan said the government would discuss tax refunds for businesses that paid higher rates under the regional bylaws.

“ We are going to study what kind of refund mechanism is needed because the taxes have been paid for more than five years,” he said. “We might need to consider sourcing funding.”

Since regional autonomy was introduced in the wake of President Suharto’s resignation in 1998, districts and provinces have issued bylaws taxing nearly all businesses and government services. Those bylaws often overlap with laws issued by the central government or conflict with ones issued by other districts and provinces.

The central government has identified many bylaws to be repealed. These included taxes on the traffic of livestock, entertainment businesses, public transportation and the mining industry.

Overlapping taxes between the regional and central governments have been blamed for increasing the cost of living in Indonesia and creating more bureaucratic red tape.

In City Brawls, Some See a Drug Connection

In City Brawls, Some See a Drug Connection

There were few traces left of the violent brawls at Pasar Rumput market in South Jakarta on Friday. Instead, banners saying “we want to stop these clashes and we want peace” and “respect the coming of the holy month of Ramadan” hung along Jalan Sultan Agung, which for the last two weeks has seen a series of fights.

Although police and authorities were quick to say that the brawls were caused by social frictions and disputes over “trivial issues” such as football results, kite competitions and pigeon races, residents believe the clashes were drug-related.

“There is a third party whose aim is to use this situation to supply drugs to the Menteng Tenggulung community,” said one Pasar Rumput resident, who wished to remain anonymous.

“Over the years, the frequency of the clashes has intensified. There were three clashes in one month this year. Some people said the clashes occurred because there was a dispute over parking spaces. I doubt that.

“I strongly believe that there is a third party who wants to take advantage of this situation.

The area has long been associated with drug users but authorities have refused to acknowledge this.

Residents claim that teenagers often shoot up heroin beneath bridges in the neighborhood, particularly at night. They say the next day the ground is littered with needles.

One former drug addict in Pasar Rumput told the Jakarta Globe that there’s money to be made from the brawls.

“Drug prices only increase under two conditions: if there is a religious holiday or a riot,” the former addict said.

Jakino, the urban ward chief, declined to comment on the brawls when contacted by the Globe.

Three times this month, huge brawls involving scores of combatants armed with crude weapons and Molotov cocktails broke out near the busway shelter in Pasar Rumput. Police had to use tear gas to control the mobs.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Baharudin Djafar said there was little evidence to support the residents’ claims about drugs.

“I cannot give any comment on the allegation about drugs until the allegation is proven by arresting the drug dealers,” he said.

Police have recorded at least 35 brawls in Greater Jakarta this year. Twenty of those were in the city proper, and 15 in Bekasi. There were 74 brawls last year, a jump from 16 in 2009.

This month clashes appeared to have occurred simultaneously across the capital. Nine people were arrested on Wednesday.

Mohammad Irvan Olii, a criminologist from the University of Indonesia, said it was unlikely the clashes were being masterminded by drug dealers.

“I doubt that the clashes were created by drug dealers so they could raise their prices, unless the clashes occurred between two rival gangs. The possibility of that scenario is unlikely,” he said. “But, if the dealers are taking advantage of this situation, [price increases] might happen.”

Another Pasar Rumput resident said it appeared the brawls were planned and not spontaneous as police and experts claimed.

“It was Sunday morning,” the resident said. “There were a couple of guys who were in sports outfits walking by. We did not think they were suspicious until they suddenly threw some bottles at display windows. Suddenly a brawl occurred.

“We do not know who they were or why they did it.”

Govt Looks To Develop Old Town After City Fails to Act

Govt Looks To Develop Old Town After City Fails to Act

The Culture and Tourism Ministry has launched an initiative to preserve the crumbling colonial-era buildings in the Old Town area of West and North Jakarta, a job it says the city administration has failed to do.

Firmansyah Rahim, head of destination development at the ministry, said on Friday that it was regrettable the Jakarta administration had shown little interest in preserving the historic buildings in the area, which is also known as Kota Tua.

“I’m so glad to see the enthusiasm shown by the other stakeholders in getting involved in improving tourism in Kota Tua,” he said. “Sadly, however, very few Jakarta residents visit the area.”

He said that this highlighted the city’s failure to play a leading role in preserving the area and promoting it as a viable tourism destination.

According to Firmansyah, state enterprises own 22 abandoned historic buildings in the area, and the preservation of these buildings is critical to boosting tourism there.

“I believe there are eight state-owned companies that own historic buildings in Kota Tua,” he said. “We want to discus with them ways to maintain those buildings. Recently there was a report of one historic building collapsing because it had been neglected.

“So we need to find a solution to preserve those buildings, either by turning them into art galleries or restaurants or the like.”

To that end, the ministry launched the Destination Management Organization, aimed ultimately at improving tourism in the area.

“In order to develop Jakarta’s Kota Tua as a globally competitive tourist destination, the ministry will help facilitate an assessment process and conduct studies to improve tourism in the area,” Firmansyah said. “But in order to do so, we need to find common ground and establish a commitment among stakeholders and the government.”

Friday’s launch of the DMO included traditional performances such as the padupa dance that originates from the coastal communities of Sunda Kelapa, the city’s historic harbor.

The Culture and Tourism Ministry has implemented the DMO program in 14 other tourist destinations in the country, including Pangandaran in West Java, Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java, Borobudur Temple in Central Java, Mount Rinjani in West Nusa Tenggara and the whole of Bali.

Others include Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Lake Batur in Bali and the maritime areas of Raja Ampat in Papua, Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi and Bunaken in North Sulawesi.

Harry Potter in Indonesia by End of Month: Minister

Harry Potter in Indonesia by End of Month: Minister

The final Harry Potter installment, Transformers 3 and Kung Fu Panda 2 will be released in Indonesia before the end of the month, Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said on Thursday.

It appears, however, that it is not all good news for Indonesian movie lovers, with Jero indicating the dispute with Hollywood had not been completely resolved and that ticket prices were likely to rise.

“The two movies are now being censored at the Film Censorship Board (LSF) and if everything is okay then they should be released before [Ramadan],” he told reporters at the State Palace.

The Motion Picture Association of America did not return emails on Thursday seeking comment about Jero's statement.

Jero, in a doorstop interview, said that even though the movies would be screened, it did not mean the tax dispute had been resolved.

Asked about a potential increase in ticket prices, he said the ministry would not impose a limit in any price hike, though he urged movie theaters to avoid extreme increases.

“Because the movies that will be shown are top movies, if there is price rise, then it should only be small.”

Muklis Paimi, the head of Film Censorship Board (LSF), confirmed to the Globe that three Hollywood films were being censored.

“Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2, Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Kung Fu Panda 2 are being censored,” he said.

“Hopefully, we will have finished this by tonight.”

The Potter movies have a devoted following in Indonesia, where thousands of fans play the wizard sport of Quidditch on Twitter.

Last month, a new tax regime for foreign films was agreed in response to protests by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) over an attempt to charge studios more to screen films in Indonesian cinemas.

“We hope that there will be no more boycotts like this,” he added.

Sjafruddin said local cinemas would also screen several Hollywood hits that they had missed during the five--month boycott.

Since the studios began boycotting the country, Indonesian movie lovers have missed out on “Black Swan”, “True Grit” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”.

The MPA represents US studios including Warner Bros, Universal Studios and Twentieth Century Fox.

Additional reporting AFP

No More Holdups, Electronic KTP Is Days Away, City Says

No More Holdups, Electronic KTP Is Days Away, City Says

Jakarta authorities insisted on Wednesday that they would be ready to begin issuing a new electronic identification card, or e‑KTP, as planned on Aug. 1.

“Next week, we will install the equipment at subdistrict and urban ward offices,” said Purba Hutapea, head of the city’s population office. “But we are still waiting for the equipment to arrive.”

Purba said Jakarta, which will be the first to try out the new identity cards before they are rolled out nationwide, needed 707 specialized machines, including smartcard readers, an automated fingerprint identification system, fingerprint scanners, digital cameras, computers and backup power supplies, to produce the e‑KTPs.

He said his office had recruited more than 1,400 officers to work the machines from August to November at 267 urban wards. Each machine, which needs two people to run, can handle information from 150 residents per day. Purba said the registration, data processing and issuing of cards would take up to two weeks.

The city would shoulder “minimal costs” during the registration drive, he added, because the bulk of the funding would come from the Ministry of Home Affairs — which has allocated Rp 6.6 trillion ($770 million) for the e‑KTP program and other citizen registration initiatives.

Purba said the government had for the past two months been campaigning to introduce the new system to the public.

He said it might take three or four months to process the 7.3 million eligible residents in Jakarta.

Every resident should be sent a notification letter asking them to visit their urban ward or subdistrict office, bringing with them their old identity cards. Anyone above the age of 17 is required to have an identity card.

“The invitation will be sent based on the data we’ve obtained from the family card records,” Purba said.

Suyadi, an official from the Palmerah subdistrict office, said the procedures for making the e‑KTP were not too different from those of the old identity cards.

Officers record residents’ data, including fingerprints, signatures and digital photographs. Then that information is sent to the Home Affairs Ministry, which will issue the e‑KTPs and distribute them through urban wards.

Raydonnyzar Moenek, a ministry spokesman, said it expected the required equipment to arrive and be ready on time.

“God willing, it will be launched some time next week, and we’ll deliver it to all subdistricts on the same day,” he said.

He said the Indonesian electronic identity card would be a combination of those currently being used in other countries, although he did not elaborate.

“Our e‑KTP will be much more comprehensive than those now in use in China and India,” he said.

Buskers, Beggars and Street Kids Off Jakarta's Streets for Ramadan

Buskers, Beggars and Street Kids Off Jakarta's Streets for Ramadan

Jakarta government officials are cracking down on beggars, buskers and street kids in what it says is an effort to rid the capital of “social welfare problems” during Ramadan.

On Wednesday, about 10 days ahead of the expected start of the holy month, Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) head Effendi Anas said his staff started an operation targeting the fringe groups, which it has labelled PMKS.

During the fasting month there is often an increase in their number on the capital’s streets as the generosity promoted by Ramadan attracts many from impoverish rural areas.

“This operation is aimed at providing comfort and safety to Muslims who are fasting during Ramadan,” Effendi said. “And also to keep PMKS from bothering people in public.”

The operation will involve 300 public order officers and will last until July 30, just before Ramadan starts. It will target the Gambir, Tanah Abang, Kebayoran Lama and Cilandak areas.

Another round of operations would be carried out from Aug. 16 to 28, toward the end of the fasting month and just before Idul Fitri. “During the first round, a persuasive approach will be used and they’ll be sent home,” Effendi said. “But the second time around, we will arrest them and send them to social welfare homes. They won’t be able to go home to celebrate Lebaran with their families.”

This, he said, has proven to be effective. “They really want to celebrate Lebaran with their families,” he said, adding that they would be released two days after the occasion.

Last year, the Jakarta administration arrested 2,500 PMKS during Ramadan, a 50 percent drop from the figure in 2009. “Hopefully, the number will fall even more this year,” he said.

So far, 123 PMKS were accosted after the first day of the operations, 26 of which did not have Jakarta residence cards.

Kian Kelana, the head of Jakarta’s Social Affairs Office, said the government has prepared three social welfare homes for PMKS in Kedoya, Ceger and Cengkareng.

Ahead of the holy month, expected to start on Aug. 1, police said there would be no raids by hard-line organizations, which have occurred in past years.

Officials have likewise assured the public that the government had enough essential goods to meet the high seasonal demand.

To accommodate an estimated 2.5 million passengers traveling to and from their hometowns at the end of the month, state railway operator Kereta Api Indonesia announced that an additional 26 trains will be operating during the peak travel period beginning Aug. 25 and run for 18 days.

Magic Date Still Uncast For the Final Harry Potter

Magic Date Still Uncast For the Final Harry Potter

As the world lined up to catch the final Harry Potter movie, Indonesian fans were left to take comfort in an announcement by Cineplex 21 that the film would be screened in Indonesia, just not anytime soon.

It was a dispiriting weekend for Indonesian fans of the boy wizard as “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” opened around the world, smashing box-office records as fans camped out and held parties to mark the finale of one of the most successful movie franchises of all time.

The movie smashed the US single-day box office record with a whopping $92.1 million in opening-day sales. That was easily better than the previous record holder, 2009’s “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” which took in $72.7 million on its opening day.

Industry experts predict Potter and his wizarding friends will set the opening weekend record in the United States. “The Dark Knight,” the last film in the Batman series, hauled in $158 million on its opening weekend in 2008.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” has now opened in almost all countries. Indonesian screens, however, remain bereft of Potter and other Hollywood blockbusters.

By all accounts, the Hollywood film boycott over a royalty dispute and the subsequent government ban on major film importers that began in February are nearing an end.

Djonny Sjafruddin, head of the Indonesian Cinema Companies Union (GPBSI), told the Jakarta Globe on Thursday that all the issues had been resolved, clearing the way for films to begin arriving here.

“We’re now only dealing with technical issues,” he said, such as films going through censors and having subtitles added.

Over the weekend, Noorca Massardi, a spokesman for Cineplex 21, the country’s biggest cinema chain, told the Globe in a text message that viewers could check the Cineplex 21 Web site to see which Hollywood movies would be playing soon.

In addition to Harry Potter, the Web site also lists “Transformers: Dark of the Moon.”

But Djonny warned fans not to be overly optimistic. “Although they have appeared on the list of movies coming soon, that does not mean they will come very soon,” he said.

“It could be one week, two weeks or even a month before they are screened.”

Djonny said Hollywood films could begin arriving here in as little as 10 days, but he could not yet give an exact date.

“Our priority is ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2’ because of high demand from the audience,” he said.

The boycott, he added, has already led to about a 60 percent drop in cinemas’ revenue.

Shafiq, a member of Indo Harry Potter, an online fan community with 6,000 members across the country, flew to Singapore for the movie’s opening last week. Shafiq told the Globe he was positive that Harry Potter would be screened in Indonesia.

“The only question now is when exactly will it be shown? We are really curious about it,” Shafiq said.

Slowly but Surely, Harry Potter Is Coming to Town

Slowly but Surely, Harry Potter Is Coming to Town

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 and Transformers: Dark of the Moon now appear on the Coming Soon movie list on the Cinema 21 website. Does this mean Hollywood films are back in Indonesia?

Noorca Massardi, a spokesman for Cinema 21, Indonesia’s biggest cinema chain, told the Jakarta Globe on Saturday in a text message that viewers can check the Cinema 21 website to see which Hollywood movies will be playing soon.

But Djonny Sjafruddin, head of the Indonesian Cinema Companies Union (GPBSI), cautioned that the wait may not be over yet. “Although they have appeared on the list of movies coming soon, that does not mean they will come very soon,” he explained.

“It could be one week, two weeks or even one month before the screening,” he said.

“However, as almost all film importation issues are now solved, especially regarding customs, royalties and income tax, we’re now only dealing with technical issues,” he added.

Djonny said Hollywood films might arrive here in as little as 10 days, but he cannot yet give an exact date.

“Our priority is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, because of high demand from the audience,” he said.

Shafiq, a member of Indo Harry Potter, an online fan community with six thousand members across the country, told the Globe he is sure that Harry Potter will be screened in Indonesia.

“The only question now is when exactly will it be shown? We are really curious about it,” he added.

Although all film importation issues were resolved, Ukus Kuswara, director general of culture, arts and film at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, has not been able to confirm when Hollywood films will return to Indonesian cinemas.

“I have not been able to confirm when Hollywood films can be screened, but we will inform the press once everything is really clear,” he said.

Newly registered film importer Omega Film was given a film import license on May 3, but a freeze was imposed as officials sought to clarify its relationship with Indonesian film giant Cineplex 21.

Cineplex 21 is affiliated with Camila and Satrya, two major film importers banned by the Finance Ministry pending payment of Rp 22 billion ($2.6 million) in back taxes and interest.

Omega was the only company given an import license among the six that applied, as four appeared to have the same address as Omega. It was not clear why the fifth was rejected.

Tourism Minister Jero Wacik has said that the Motion Picture Association of America, the umbrella group for six major Hollywood studios that boycotted Indonesia in February over a royalty dispute, only wants to deal with importers it is familiar with, understood to mean Camila, Satrya and the Cineplex group.

Shh, Keep It Quiet, But iPad 2 Has Finally Hit Indonesia

Shh, Keep It Quiet, But iPad 2 Has Finally Hit Indonesia

Psst, have you heard the news? The iPad 2 is here.

Huge tech product launches usually get trumpeted for weeks in advance, with ads all over the papers, TV and billboards, and word of mouth building up expectation and even desperation in customers’ minds.

When it comes to products as sought-after and hotly anticipated as Apple’s second-generation version of its smash-hit tablet computer, traditional marketing goes out of the window.

Instead, the first clue the new iPads would be on sale on Friday was ... when they appeared on sale on Friday. If you didn’t hear the whispers during the day, this may be the first you’ve heard about it.

All of the secrecy, of course, is intended just to make you want it that much more, and with the launch restricted to Jakarta, Bandung and Yogyakarta, queues were forming within hours of shops opening.

Dwi, from Zoom, an official reseller at Paris Van Java in Bandung, said that the absence of an official, publicized date for the launch was in line with Apple Singapore’s policies.

“It is actually a policy from Apple Singapore and we don’t know the reason why, but people were so excited,” he said.

One reason may be to avoid disappointment with limited supplies coming into the country.

The updated version of the first iPad — which was launched in Indonesia 12 months ago — improves on the original, as it is lighter, thinner and has two cameras. Its price tag here starts at Rp 4,899,000 ($572) for the base model with Wi-Fi only and goes up to Rp 8,000,000 for a 64GB Wi-Fi and 3G enabled model.

The prices are close to Apple’s recommended US prices, and relatively cheaper than many other Asian and European countries where high consumer taxes add to the cost.

The iPad 2 has been out since March in some countries, and Ari Soetjitro, a consultant manager with iBox, an official Apple reseller, said he believed the reason for the long delay before the iPad 2 went on sale here was because official resellers had to wait for the Directorate General of Post and Telecommunication to issue a license.

An ongoing court case involving two men being prosecuted over reselling smuggled iPads here has highlighted the huge business of bringing sought-after gadgets into Indonesia for resale on the gray market.

Even with the official launch, however, customers will have a hard time ensuring they get their iPad 2.

Ari said iBox only had enough stocks of the tablets to last three days, and customers would have to line up for them as no orders were being taken. Dwi said 50 units had already been sold at his Bandung store on Friday.

Erikus Pujiantoro, a customer service officer at a Yogyakarta branch of Emax, another official reseller, said stocks were strictly limited and likely to run out.

“Many customers came on Friday and there was a line at the store. But there was no chaos,” he said. “I guess most of them were so excited because they had only just heard about the launch.”

Some authorized Apple resellers did not have any stock. Subiyanto, the owner of iStore at Poins Square in South Jakarta, said his store would only receive units next week and advised customers to book ahead.

Yuli, a saleswoman at PcMax at Carrefour Sunset Road in Bali, said the outlet had no word on when the iPad 2 would be available there.

Samuel, from The Addict at Tunjungan Plaza, Surabaya, said the iPad 2 was not available at his store.

Official iPad 2s all come sealed and accompanied with an Indonesian manual, as required by law. They also come with an Indonesian serial number and adaptor plug.

IPad 2 Hits Jakarta Shelves, but Stocks Limited, Retailer Says

IPad 2 Hits Jakarta Shelves, but Stocks Limited, Retailer Says

Gadget lovers, limber up your fingers, get in line and hope for the best. Apple’s iPad 2 tablet launched in Jakarta on Friday, but one retailer is saying supplies will be depleted by Sunday.

Ari Soetjitro, a consultant manager for local Apple reseller iBox, said on Friday that the retailer expected to sell all of its iPad 2s in five stores by Sunday.

IBox has stores in five Jakarta malls, including Senayan City, Kelapa Gading 3, Plaza Indonesia and Central Park.

Ari said that in order to ensure fairness, iBox was not allowing customers to place reserve orders for the highly sought-after tablet. Instead, the store was implementing a first-come, first-serve lineup policy.

“We have made a purchasing system where every customer must line up to purchase their iPad 2 and the store will be opened by 9:30 a.m. and it will be closed by 10:00 p.m. Basically, they cannot make a booking to get their iPad.”

Anticipation has been running high in the capital for the new tablet, which was released in many other countries back in March.

Ari said the reason that iPad 2 was so late in coming to Indonesia because of a licensing delay from the Directorate General of Post and Telecommunication.

Finally, Hollywood Movies May Soon Be Back on Screen

Finally, Hollywood Movies May Soon Be Back on Screen

Elisabeth Oktofani & Dion Bisara

In the clearest sign of hope yet, Indonesian officials signaled on Thursday that Hollywood blockbusters — including the last Harry Potter film — could be back on screens within a fortnight.

Djonny Sjafruddin, head of the Indonesian Cinema Companies Union (GPBSI), told the Jakarta Globe that almost all film importation issues were now solved.

“Particularly the ones related to customs, royalties and income tax,” he said. “We’re now only dealing with technical issues.”

This meant Hollywood films might arrive here in as little as 10 days, he said. “It will still take time for the films to go through customs, censors and adding the subtitles,” he explained.

A key priority is getting “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,” he said, which premiered in London last week and began showing in Asia this week, to the chagrin of Indonesian fans.

The turn of events on Thursday was made possible by the Customs and Excise Office clearing newly registered film importer Omega Film to bring in movies.

Susiwiyono, the director of customs and excise information, confirmed the news in a text message but did not explain why.

Omega was given a film import license on May 3, but a freeze was imposed as officials sought to clarify its relationship with Indonesian film giant Cineplex 21.

Cineplex 21 is affiliated with Camila and Satrya, two major film importers banned by the Finance Ministry pending payment of Rp 22 billion ($2.6 million) in back taxes and interest.

Omega was the only company given an import license among the six that applied, as four appeared to have the same address as Omega. It was not clear why the fifth was rejected.

Syamsul Lussa, head of the film department at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, explained that companies in the film industry were not allowed to have businesses that could create “vertical integration, whether directly or indirectly.”

Vertical integration refers to a company going into businesses that form part of its supply chain or production path.

“So, if there is dodgy data about Omega Film, we are going to investigate it and revoke its business permit if necessary,” he said.

Tourism Minister Jero Wacik has said that the Motion Picture Association of America, the umbrella group for six major Hollywood studios that boycotted Indonesia from February over a royalty dispute, only wants to deal with importers it is familiar with, understood to mean Camila and Satrya and the Cineplex group.

Wedding Party for 4,541 Couples: Is It a Record?

Wedding Party for 4,541 Couples: Is It a Record?

More than 4,500 poor couples will celebrate their vows next week in what is being touted as the world’s largest mass wedding reception.

A religious organization and some entrepreneurs have been organizing free weddings for 4,541 poor couples from the Greater Jakarta area every day for the past three months and now plan to gather them all for a reception on Tuesday.

Hana Vandayani, chairwoman for the Pondok Kasih Foundation, said on Wednesday that the free weddings had been organized to help poor couples obtain the proper documents for their marriage.

“It is very sad to know that many members of our society are unable to obtain marriage certificates due to their economic circumstances,” Hana said.

“A marriage certificate is really important because it is needed to get basic social and administration rights both for themselves and also their future children, including documents such as birth certificates and ID cards and also having a clear citizenship status.”

She also said that by having a marriage certificate, the married couples could also have access to social benefits such as education, health, jobs and other public services.

“The weddings had to be done gradually because it is not possible to do them all at once,” Hana said.

However, she said that the 4,541 happy couples will all gather at the Istora indoor sports stadium in Senayan on Tuesday to celebrate their wedding en masse.

Sofia Koswara, the CEO for the new B Channel television station, said the interfaith mass wedding was held to show that Indonesia is a religiously tolerant country.

“After 9/11, and some terror attacks in Indonesia, we really want to show the world that Indonesian Muslims are different. Indonesian Muslims are open minded and tolerant,” Sofia said.

She said that with the married couples coming from the various major religions recognized by the state — Islam, Catholicism, Christian Protestants, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism — the organizers wanted to show that despite being the world’s largest Muslim-populated nation, the different faiths were able to live together in peace.

“Hopefully, it can be an inspiration to other countries to implement similar things,” Sofia said.

However, Sofia said they have not been able to organize interfaith marriages because the law forbids such arrangements unless they are done with the agreement of a court of justice.

The wedding reception will be held at 10 a.m. and will be attended by Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo, the organizers said.

Prita Avoids Jail But Is Still Angry Over Criminal Tag

Prita Avoids Jail But Is Still Angry Over Criminal Tag

Prita Mulyasari was given a suspended six-month sentence on Monday that allows the mother of three to avoid jail in a controversial libel case.

The Supreme Court found Prita guilty of libeling Tangerang’s Omni International Hospital for an e-mail she sent to friends complaining about its service. But the suspended sentence means Prita avoids jail in a three-year legal saga that has outraged many in the country. 

Supreme Court Justice Salman Luthan was quoted by Antara news agency as saying that if Prita stayed out of trouble for the next year, the six-month sentence wouldn’t be imposed.

Salman was the lone dissenting voice in the court’s guilty verdict, arguing that Prita’s e-mail was valid as it was connected to her treatment by the hospital.

“That’s why it does not qualify as libel,” he said.

Prita’s lawyer, Slamet Yuwono, said that although Prita had received only a  suspended sentence, they would challenge the guilty verdict.

“We cannot accept the Supreme Court ruling and we will file for a judicial review as soon as we receive the official copy of the verdict from the Tangerang District Court,” he said.

“Hopefully, we can get the copy within 14 working days or even sooner.”

The lawyer said that despite the suspended sentence, Prita still had to carry around the stigma of being a  convicted criminal, which he said was unfair for his client.

Speaking in Bali, the minister for women’s empowerment, Linda Gumelar, offered her support for Prita. 

The minister said the guilty verdict was “regrettable” because the e-mail in question was meant as constructive criticism for the hospital.

“I hope that law enforcement officials will … deliver a just verdict that champions the vulnerable,” she said on Monday. “We don’t want Prita to have to carry around the label of criminal in the eyes of her children and family.”

Gumelar said any criticism of public  or private services should be welcomed and that Prita did not deserve her conviction.

She stressed, however, that the government should not interfere in the case, even if some officials disagreed with the court’s decision.

The verdict was met with some public anger. One supporter denounced the ruling on news radio station El Shinta, and called  for a boycott of Omni.

“So the court says the law must be upheld. I say don’t stop with Prita. I’m calling on my friends and all listeners to never visit Omni for treatment, and the hospital can sue me and the court can convict me,” the caller said, without giving his name.

“Under the standard set by the Prita case, my penalty for violating the ITE [Electronic Transactions and Information Law] is even heavier,” he said.

Elisabeth Oktofani & Made Arya Kencana

Footing the Bill: Jakarta Jaywalkers Face Rp 250,000 fines

Footing the Bill: Jakarta Jaywalkers Face Rp 250,000 fines

For the next two weeks, pedestrians in Jakarta may face a hefty fine for jaywalking in the city streets as part of a new operation the Jakarta Metro Police and traffic comptroller kick-started on Monday. 

Police said that “Operasi Patuh Jaya,” which rigidly enforces street regulations and bylaws on all motorized vehicles and pedestrians, will run until July 24. Walkers must use designated sections of the streets for walking — zebra crossings, sidewalks and crossing bridges — or they face fines up to Rp 250,000 ($29). 

Udar Pristono, head of the Jakarta Transportation Office, said the city had already enacted several bylaws regulating pedestrians but admitted that they are rarely enforced. 

“Through this operation, we want to teach pedestrians to cross the street at designated areas,” he said at the city hall.  “Jaywalking is dangerous and endangers not only the walkers but also motorists who, in theory, are driving according to the rules and regulations.” 

Pristono said that 300 officials from the office will assist police in monitoring pedestrians on major streets.  

“Our focus is to prevent jaywalking in the first place,” he said. “If the pedestrians refuse to comply, then strict sanctions will be imposed.” Mia Amalia, a 37-year-old writer, said the government needs to improve facilities for pedestrians before imposing such regulations. 

“Basically, I will support the government action to fine whoever violates the law, but the government really must improve the facilities before urging us to use them,” she said. 

Nidya Gustianingsih also expressed similar concerns. 

“As we all can see, the pedestrian facilities are very poorly maintained,” the 29-year-old housewife said. “The bridge is rusty and it makes me worry every time I have to use it. I often think to myself, what if the bridge collapses and I fall down?  

“There are many pickpockets [on pedestrian bridges]. Instead of disciplining us, the government needs to provide us proper facilities and security.” 

Separately, Sr. Comr. Royke Lumowa, the Jakarta Police’s traffic chief, said the operation aims to deter people from violating traffic regulations and bylaws.  

More than 4,000 officers from Jakarta police headquarters and five precincts will enforce the operation with emphasis on preventative measures and verbal warnings to traffic violators.

Meanwhile, some Jakarta residents no longer have to take alternate routes to Jalan Satrio in Kuningan. The access from Jalan Sudirman, which has been closed for three months, was reopened by the Jakarta Public Works Office on Monday. Satrio, a heavily-trafficked road even by Jakarta’s standards, is cleared for use now that drilling for the Kampung Melayu-Tanah Abang flyover has been completed. 

“Thankfully, we have completed our target for three drilling jobs,” Novizal, vice director of the Jakarta Public Works Office, said on Sunday. 

“Tomorrow at approximately six in the morning, the street will be open again.” 

He added that the Public Works Office was putting the finishing touches on and cleaning up the drilling locations. New road traffic signs have also been installed. 

“All the heavier objects have been moved. Possibly by one in the morning, the street will be all cleaned up,” he said. 

Northbound access to Satrio from Jalan Rasuna Said will still be blocked, however. Novizal said work on that stretch of road was about 60 percent complete, and that it would reopen on July 21.  

The Kampung Melayu-Tanah Abang and Antasari-Blok M flyovers are part of a city government plan to ease congestion on Jakarta’s crammed roadways. They are slated for completion in 2012.

Visiting Lasama Reveals Timor Presidential Bid

Visiting Lasama Reveals Timor Presidential Bid

Visiting president of East Timor’s National Parliament, Fernando de Araujo has confirmed his intention to run in 2012 presidential race in his country.  

“I am going to participate in East Timor’s democracy by running as a presidential candidate in the 2012 presidential election in March,” De Araujo, who is also known as Lasama told the Jakarta Globe  during a brief stopover in Jakarta on Saturday. 

In the 2007 presidential election, Lasama took third place with 19.18 percent of the vote. He later pledged the votes he had received to eventual winner Jose Ramos-Horta.  

This time, he said, he already had support from the Democratic Party, which he chairs. “This decision was made because I want to participate in the country’s development,” he said. 

Lasama, who was jailed for six years in the 1990s while East Timor was still part of Indonesia, said there was no need to look back and be bitter about the past. 

He said it was important that ties between the two neighbors improve. 

“Although 12 years ago we used to be part of Indonesia, we do not have to look to the past. We look forward to the future. The improvement of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and East Timor is really needed, especially in the economic, education and national defense fields,” he said. 

He said there were about 6,000 Timorese currently studying in Indonesia because East Timor was not yet able to provide them with a good education system.  

“We are currently establishing the curriculum. I have to admit that the establishment of the curriculum is still deadlocked because we still lack a standardized language,” he said. 

Tetun, an official language, is an oral language and has no standardized written form.  Lasama said East Timor still relied on outside assistance. 

“As a new country, East Timor still needs UN assistance, at least until the next presidential election because there is some administration revamping which needs to be done.” 

However, he said the new country had already come a long way. 

“East Timor has produced some regulations such as the criminal code, and we have ratified some international conventions, which many countries have not yet done,” he said. 

In the Timorese presidential elections, if no candidate initially receives an outright majority, a second round of elections will be held pitting the two leading candidates against one another a few weeks after the first round. 

Incumbent Ramos-Horta has indicated he may not stand for re-election, but a final decision has not yet been made. 

Another likely candidate is Fretilin’s Francisco “Lu-Olo” Guterres.