Jazz stars bring their talents to Jakarta mosque

Jazz stars bring their talents to Jakarta mosque

Producers of the Ramadan Jazz Festival say music can be a form of preaching, reaching out to young people, and showing them that mosques can be cool

For two nights in late July, the Cut Meutia Mosque compound in Jakarta rang with swinging sounds as Indonesian jazz musicians and groups entertained thousands at the second annual Ramadan Jazz Festival.

"We want to send a message to Muslim youth that the mosque is actually a cool place for Muslim youth to hang out," said Agus Setiawan of Jakarta-based jazz promoters Warta Jazz, which produced the festival together with the Cut Meutia Mosque Islamic Youth Association (RICMA).

"The mosque is actually not only a worship place. It is also a place to socialise," Agus added.

Jazz is very popular among young Muslims in Jakarta, he said.

"The Q'uran verse says, 'Preach with your own people's language.' Hence, we use jazz music as a medium to preach and approach young people, so there would be more Indonesian youth coming to the mosque more often," he said.

Gilang Widodo is a 22-year-old who came to pray and lingered for jazz.

"I am not a big fan of jazz music. But I found this jazz festival to be unique because we could enjoy jazz music in a mosque after Taraweeh prayers, which is very unusual," he said, referring to a special prayer said during Ramadan. "I decided to stay here to watch it."

A focus on tolerance

This year's festival featured 16 prominent Indonesian jazz musicians. They included Dwiki Dharmawan, Idang Rasjidi, Payung Teduh, Tompi, Endah N. Rhesa, Ari Pramudito, Barry Likumahuwa and also Jilly Likumahuwa.

Coming from different backgrounds, they brought diversity and high-calibre talent to an event where the emphasis was on religious as well as musical harmony.

"Through the Ramadan Jazz Festival, we want to share the spirit of togetherness without being concerned about our differences," said Agus, the Warta Jazz representative.

"We want to show that Islam is a tolerant religion. For example, we not only invited Muslim jazz musicians, but also Christian jazz musicians such as Barry Likumahuwa and also Jilly Likumahuwa," he explained.

The first Ramadan Jazz Festival, held in 2011, attracted 2,500 young audience members from the greater Jakarta area. This year, attendance at the July 27th-28th event topped 4,000.

Audience members also helped support local libraries. Instead of purchasing a ticket, those attending the event were asked to donate a children's book.

Andhika Mauludi, a RICMA spokesman who chaired the event, told Khabar the books will be donated to ten libraries in East Nusa Tenggara Province.

"Every book was exchanged for an entrance ticket. For those who did not bring books, we sold a donation ticket for a nominal 20,000 rupiah ($2). The money will be used to buy more books," he said.

"Last week, we were able to collect 1,600 books, which was more than our target of 1,000. We also raised one million rupiah ($106) in donations," he said.

The books will be examined prior to delivery to ensure that none contains portrayals of violence, racism, or other sensitive issues, he said. RICMA plans to sort them that after Idul Fitri (Eid Mubarak). Then, they will be donated through the non-profit Sabantara Community at the University of Indonesia, which has a book donation programme.

Islam for a new generation

Andhika told Khabar that RICMA has been using non-conventional approaches to engage young Indonesian Muslims since the early 1990s.

"The jazz festival is actually not our first modern approach to preaching. Previously, we have held events such as Bike to Mosque and the Jakarta Islamic Fashion Guide," he went on.

He believes that these are some of the best ways to reach Indonesian youth.

"We hope that by using a modern approach, we could attract as many young Muslims as possible to come to the mosque more often and be active and involved in mosque activities," Andhika explained.

Kemang Bar Faces Questions After Fatal Stabbing of Youth

Kemang Bar Faces Questions After Fatal Stabbing of Youth

Elisabeth Oktofani, Ismira Lutfia $ Zaky Pawas

Following the fatal stabbing of a high school student at a nightspot in South Jakarta’s trendy Kemang area, a children’s rights activist demanded that the nightclub be held responsible and called on the victim’s school to evaluate its teaching practices.

Arist Merdeka Sirait, the chairman of the National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas Anak), said on Sunday that the owners of SHY Rooftop should have had rules in place to keep out people under the age of 18.

“The nightclub owners should be held responsible for the stabbing of the Pangudi Luhur high school student because they didn’t enforce this law,” he said.

Arist said Pangudi Luhur students had a reputation for getting involved in brawls, indicating there was a need to evaluate the school’s teaching practices.

“As an educational institute, the school has to focus not only on its students’ academic achievements, but on molding their behavior,” he said.

However, whether the 17-year-old victim, Raafi Aga Winasya Benjamin, should have been allowed into SHY Rooftop may not be a clear-cut issue.

In Jakarta, the minimum age to be allowed into a nightclub is 17, and there is no age limit to enter restaurants.

Arie Budiman, the head of Jakarta’s Tourism and Culture Office, told the Jakarta Globe on Sunday that the permit given to the establishment classified it as a restaurant, bar and live music venue, meaning there is no restriction on who is allowed to enter.

He said the presence of a bar serving alcoholic beverages was part of the restaurant and there was a generally enforced minimum age limit of 17 to consume alcohol.

Yuan Kusuma, who manages several venues that operate nightclubs after 10 p.m., said the policy of keeping out younger patrons was in the hands of managers.

“You need to be 21 or over to get into one of my places,” he told the Globe. “However, before 10 p.m., anyone can dine at the restaurant and we check IDs before letting people in.

“I don’t know about other venues, but we drew up this policy ourselves and stick to provincial by-laws,” Yuan added.

He said that apart from checking IDs, his staff also frisk patrons and inspect the contents of their bags to check for weapons.

However, he admitted that the 21-and-over rule was difficult to enforce with women.

“Makeup can make a woman look older than she is,” Yuan said, adding that the rule was also flexibly enforced for women in a bid to drive up business.

“The more sugar there is, the more ants there are,” he said.

South Jakarta Police Sr. Comr. Imam Sugianto said officers were questioning 12 witnesses as part of its investigation into the circumstances behind the stabbing, which took place early on Saturday morning .

“The witnesses include patrons, friends of the victim, security guards and management personnel at the venue,” he said on Sunday.

Police are also studying closed circuit TV footage from the night. “We’re still analyzing the footage, hopefully it will give us more leads,” Imam said.

Raafi and about 20 friends arrived at SHY Rooftop at 11 p.m. on Friday for a birthday celebration. “They had drinks, but did not get drunk,” Imam said.

He added that at around 2 a.m. on Saturday, Raafi got into an argument with six other patrons at the venue.

“We’re still not sure whether Raafi or his friends knew the people he was arguing with,” Imam said.

The argument escalated into a fight and Raafi was stabbed in the stomach, presumably with a knife. Imam said that at about 3 a.m., Raafi’s friends took him to a hospital in Pasar Minggu, but he died from blood loss.

His body was taken to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital for an autopsy.

“We’re still waiting on the official results,” Imam said, adding that police were also still searching for the murder weapon.

He criticized the management of SHY Rooftop for not notifying police of the incident immediately and said that by the time officers arrived, the scene of the crime had been cleaned.

“They had mopped up the blood and rolled up the carpet,” Imam said. “They have destroyed evidence, which is a crime.”

“They did not file a police report,” he added. “We only learned of the stabbing after being informed by Raafi’s friends.”

Imam said police would distribute a letter to the managers of all nightspots and would add a new clause to the permits of new nightspots.

“We’ll follow up on getting a clause in the permits of existing venues obliging them to notify police of such incidents,” he said.

Shy Rooftop Wajib Tanggung Jawab

Shy Rooftop Wajib Tanggung Jawab

Shy Rooftop seharusnya membuat peraturan yang ketat. Anak dibawah usia 18 tahun tidak dapat masuk ke tempat hiburan malam.

Pemilik Shy Rooftop Kemang wajib bertanggung jawab atas kasus penusukan siswa SMA Pangudi Luhur Raafi Aga Winasya Benjamin (17) hingga tewas. Sementara SMA Pangudi Luhur perlu melakukan evaluasi sistem belajar mengajar.

Arist Merdeka Sirait, Ketua Komisi Nasional Perlindungan Anak, mengatakan bahwa anak dibawah usia 18 tahun tidak boleh masuk ke tempat hiburan malam.

"Selain harus memahami sebuah tempat hiburan malam tidak boleh memekerjakan anak dibawah usia 18 tahun sesuai dengan Undang-Undang Ketenagakerjaan, tempat hiburan malam juga harus melarang anak dibawah usia 18 tahun untuk masuk ke tempat seperti itu dengan peraturan yang ketat," kata Arist, kepada beritasatu.com, hari ini.

"Oleh karena itu, dalam kasus penusukan siswa SMA Pangudi Luhur tersebut pemilik kafe wajib untuk bertanggungjawab karena tidak adanya peraturan yang ketat tersebut," imbuh dia.

Arist juga mengungkapkan selama ini SMA Pangudi Luhur memang terkenal sebagai sekolah yang sering berantem sehingga pihak sekolah wajib untuk mengevaluasi dirinya.

"SMA Pangudi Luhur kiranya perlu untuk dievaluasi kembali. Sebagai lembaga pendidikan, SMA Pangudi Luhur seharusnya tidak hanya mengedepankan prestasi akademiknya semata tetapi juga memperhatikan perilaku siswa," tandas Arist.

Experts Say Riverbank Defecation Costs Indonesia $6.6 Billion Yearly

Experts Say Riverbank Defecation Costs Indonesia $6.6 Billion Yearly

For Oswar Mungkasa, the head of planning and budgeting at the Public Housing Ministry, it is evident where the blame for the state of the country’s heavily polluted rivers lies.

“I once spoke with a low-income family that had a habit of going to the bathroom on riverbanks, and they said they had no issues with it whatsoever,” he said.

“Yet it is this very practice that is responsible for 80 percent of the pollution in our rivers.”

The problem is not limited to low-income residents. Most households, Oswar said, are guilty of polluting groundwater sources and rivers with indiscriminate defecation.

“Fifty-five percent of all households don’t have access to clean water, while the same percentage don’t have proper sanitation systems, which leads to them to dump their waste untreated,” he said.

“This alone accounts for 80 percent of groundwater pollution and explains why river water is contaminated with the E. coli bacteria.”

This problem, Oswar pointed out, has led to health costs and other expenses that have cost the Indonesian state Rp 58 trillion ($6.6 billion) a year.

He added that an estimated 70 million Indonesians defecate indiscriminately but that it was a bad habit that could be broken.

“It’s important to raise public awareness, through an education campaign, about the dangers of dumping anywhere you want,” he said at a recent discussion on water and hygiene issues in Indonesia.

“Clean water and sanitation are basic needs that require public support and government planning to bring about.”

Alfred Nakatsuma, the environmental director at USAID, said the problem of a lack of access to clean water is common among developing countries, where, ironically, poor people have to pay more for water because they are not served by tap water networks.

To that end, USAID rolled out its Indonesia Urban Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (IUWASH) project in March 2010 to increase access to safe water for two million people and provide sanitation for 200,000 people.

The program, set to run for six years, is expected to reach poor populations in urban areas and address the challenges that water utilities face in ensuring water access and availability, such as climate change and increasing water demand in urban areas.

The IUWASH program was launched to help Indonesia attain its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on improved access to clean water and sanitation, part of a United Nations initiative.

Under MDG guidelines, the government must halve the number of people without access to drinking water or sanitation services by 2015.



Additional reporting from Antara

50 Million Minors Lack Birth Certificates

50 Million Minors Lack Birth Certificates

More than 60 percent of Indonesian minors do not have a birth certificate, depriving them of a range of civic services, including enrolling at school.

Mayong, a lawyer with the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta), said 50 million of the 78 million Indonesians under the age of 18 did not have a birth certificate, based on data from the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry.

“A child without a birth certificate is commonly perceived as being born outside wedlock, which in Indonesian society carries with it negative stigma,” he said at a discussion on the issue on Thursday.

“Besides that, the child will also encounter difficulty getting access to education, as well as to other socioeconomic and cultural rights once they get older.”

A birth certificate is required for a child to be enrolled in school, get a passport and, upon turning 17, apply for an ID card, or KTP. As an adult, they will also need a birth certificate to get a marriage license and apply for jobs as civil servants or with state-owned companies.

Maria Ulfa Anshor, the chairwoman of the Indonesian Commission for Child Protection (KPAI), said receiving a birth certificate should be a universal right because of its fundamental importance.

“From a human rights perspective, a birth certificate should be a basic right for all children because it represents the sole legal confirmation of their existence,” she said.

Under the 2006 Residency Administration Law, parents have 60 days from the birth of their child in which to apply for a birth certificate. Once the period has expired, the parents must apply through a district court and pay a fine of up to Rp 1 million ($112).

Maria said most parents were unaware of the time limit, while others were discouraged from applying because of the illegal fees levied by population services officials.

Purba Hutapea, the head of the Jakarta population office, said another factor for the low number of applications was the fact that few of those submitted had the required supporting documentation.

“This includes the proof of birth from the hospital where the child was born and the parents’ marriage certificate,” he said.

“They’re really very simple requirements, but many people still fail to comply with them.”

The Jakarta population office kicked off a campaign on Monday, set to run until the end of the year, to allow parents of children born as far back as 2007 to apply for a birth certificate without having to go through the courts or pay the fine.

Separately, administrative law expert Irman Putra Sidin, from Hassanuddin University in Makassar, said the government needed to do more to encourage parents to apply for birth certificates for their children.

“The government can’t just stay silent and expect people to take the initiative on issues like this,” he said.

He argued that because most Indonesians had a low level of education, they were unlikely to know about the terms for applying for the document or the disadvantages of not having it.

City to Release Targets of Ramadan Crackdown

City to Release Targets of Ramadan Crackdown

The Jakarta administration will release more than 2,000 beggars, buskers and street children it deemed a nuisance during Ramadan and crammed into shelters.

Kian Kelana, head of the city’s social affairs agency, said on Wednesday that the people, known collectively as PMKS, would be released a week after Idul Fitri celebrations and had received “training” during their time in the shelters.

“We have rounded up more than 2,000 PMKS and have placed them in shelters in Kedoya, Cengkareng [both in West Jakarta] and Ceger [in East Jakarta],” he said. “During this time, we provided them with skills training, so they will have the skills to get a proper job rather than returning to the streets and panhandling.”

The government began rounding up the people on July 20, ahead of Ramadan, which began on Aug. 1. The move came in anticipation of an increase in the number of beggars and buskers who come to Jakarta from rural areas during the holy month.

Kian said most of the people put in shelters were not from Jakarta and would be sent back to their hometowns. “Most of the PMKS come from West Java and Central Java, and we’re coordinating with the provincial social affairs offices there to send them back to their families,” he said.

Those without families, he continued, would receive additional training over the next three weeks to improve their chances of finding employment.

Kian said the training provided at the shelters was intended to teach them how to repair air-conditioners and cellphones, and learn gardening, cooking and beauty salon skills.

“AC and cellphone repairs are our main focus because these two skills provide them with greater job opportunities and allow them to be their own bosses,” he said.

Last year, the administration arrested 2,500 PMKS ahead of Ramadan, 50 percent fewer than in 2009. Though the raids this year officially ended on Sunday, public order officers rounded up at least 46 beggars on Tuesday night.

Data from the social affairs agency shows the number of street children in the capital has increased from 5,650 in 2010 to 7,315 so far this year.

Most of them work as panhandlers, buskers, illegal parking attendants or three-in-one “jockeys,” riding with motorists to allow them to skirt rules on the number of passengers required in cars on major thoroughfares during commute times.

Gas Station Fight Rolls on in W. Jakarta

Gas Station Fight Rolls on in W. Jakarta

Residents in West Jakarta said on Friday that they would continue to oppose a gas station being built in the neighborhood over fears about pollution.

A resident, Lenny Suandi, told the Jakarta Globe that the gas station, which is run by Total Oil Indonesia, was being built next door to homes in a residential complex on Jalan Panjang in Kebon Jeruk.

“We’ve rejected the Total pump station since the start because the location is right next to our homes,” the 50-year-old said. “We sent our objection in writing to the mayor, subdistrict head, urban ward head, Total’s management and the Jakarta energy and industry offices in 2010.”

The residents, however, believed the construction had been canceled after a notice board was taken down, she said. But then it resumed again without notice.

Another resident, who declined to be named, said leaks from underground gas tanks could contaminate the local water table and the gas station itself would turn the quiet neighborhood to a busy area for traffic.

Local authorities held a meeting with residents on the issue on Thursday.

Djunaidi, deputy for development and environment at the West Jakarta municipal office, said he could understand the residents’ objections but the gas station had met all the requirements.

“We explained in the meeting that the gas station has met all the requirements and it violates no regulation. Residents understood that in the meeting,” Djunaidi was quoted as saying by the Jakarta administration’s official news portal, Berita Jakarta.

Asep Warlan Yusuf, an environmental law expert from Parahyangan University in Bandung, said feasibility studies on the social and environmental impacts were needed to build new gas stations because such facilities carried risks such as traffic, water pollution and even explosions.

“Spills from the pumps and container leaks can pollute the soil, while the incoming vehicles will add to air pollution. Gas stations should be a safe distance from residential areas,” he said.

Representatives from Total Indonesia could not be reached for comment.

Firefighters Beat Traffic, Pull 7 From Jakarta Blaze

Firefighters Beat Traffic, Pull 7 From Jakarta Blaze

Elisabeth Oktofani & Arientha Primanita

Firefighters battling traffic as well as a fire managed to pluck seven people from a burning building in Central Jakarta on Tuesday.

The victims, pulled from the fifth to 10th floors of the blazing Adira building on Jalan Menteng Raya with the aid of a ladder truck, were rushed to the hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. They reportedly escaped serious burn injuries.

A firefighter was also treated for smoke inhalation.

As many as 28 teams of firefighters were deployed to battle the massive blaze, which began around 5:30 p.m. and ripped through five floors of the 13-story building.

Emergency services were reportedly kept from reaching the scene by heavy traffic.

Nira, an employee of leading automotive financing company Adira, said she worked on the fifth floor and was still at the office when the alarm sounded.

“We thought nothing was wrong,” she said. “But then my boss ran out and screamed ‘fire.’”

S even people were trapped during the evacuation and could be seen waving frantically through the windows amid billowing smoke before their rescue. They were identified as Sofian, Alan Maulani, Budi, Kuncoro, Landung, Denny and Hamdani. All appeared to be employees of Adira.

Paimin Napitupulu, head of the Jakarta Fire and Disaster Office, said the fire likely started on the fifth floor soon after office hours ended at 5:30 p.m.

“It could have been caused by an electric short-circuit, but we will investigate more thoroughly tomorrow to make sure,” he said.

He said the building had previously passed a fire inspection.

Update: S. Koreans Cleared of Explosives Suspicions

Update: S. Koreans Cleared of Explosives Suspicions

Elisabeth Oktofani & Farouk Arnaz

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Police released three South Korean citizens who had been detained after explosive-looking materials had been detected in their luggage.

The trio — two men and a woman — had arrived in Jakarta on a Korean Airlines flight from Incheon, South Korea, on Sunday night, Salahudin Rafi, spokesman for airport operator Angkasa Pura II, said on Monday.

They were set to board a Lion Air flight to Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, but security officials pulled them aside and searched their luggage after scanners turned up images of objects similar to detonators, chemicals and jumper cables.

"After we had an examination of their luggage, which appeared to contain 10 objects similar to detonators, they turned out to be dummies and not harmful at all," National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Anton Bachrul Alam said.

"They were going use them in a presentation at a coal company in Balikpapan — PT Multi Mikrotama Kimia," Anton said, adding that police were going to summon coal company officials to testify that the materials were for demonstration purposes only.

"We haven't named anyone as suspects here, but we want to know for sure about this case."

Police Crack Down on Those Who Exploit Kids in Begging Operations

Police Crack Down on Those Who Exploit Kids in Begging Operations

The Jakarta Police on Friday said that they will clamp down on people who exploit children in their begging operations.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Baharuddin Djafar said that people who exploit children will be charged with violating the Children Protection Law and face up to 10 years in jail.

However, he said, harsh measures would only be directed against those involved in renting children for begging operations, not parents whose children are with them while they are begging.

“If it is their own children and they have to carry them, we cannot charge them. But if they rent a child to other people to beg, then they will be charged,” he said.

Baharuddin said that in order to rid the streets of beggars, assistance from other government institutions such as Public Order Agency (Satpol PP), was necessary.

Satpol PP head Effendi Anas said that an investigation was needed to find out if a practice that exploits children exists, and if so, if there is a syndicate involved.

“Currently, what we are doing is ridding the capital of ‘social welfare problems,’ better known as PMKS [beggars, buskers and street kids], during Ramadan to provide comfort and safety to Muslims who are fasting during Ramadan,” Effendi said.

Effendi has said that last year, the Jakarta administration arrested 2,500 such people during Ramadan, a 50 percent drop from 2009.

“Hopefully, the number will fall even more this year,” he said.

In a bid to thwart PMKS, the government ran a street operation from July 20 to 30 and is planning another from Aug. 16 to 28.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Sidewalk Church Protest Remains Civil Despite Odds

Sidewalk Church Protest Remains Civil Despite Odds

A protest in Bogor that had been expected to turn violent remained civil on Sunday as a group of people in the mostly Muslim community voiced opposition to the Yasmin church congregation holding services on a sidewalk outside of its sealed-off church. 

Global rights group Amnesty International earlier reported that the congregation had received threats from the local community that if the services did not stop by Sunday, “anarchy” would erupt. 

“In the last couple of weeks, the religious hard-line groups haven’t showed up to protest against us using the sidewalks to hold a Sunday service,” church spokesman Bona Sigalingging said. “However, there was a group of people present, even the head of my community.” 

The group did not threaten them, he said. 

“This group did not come up with intimidating banners or shouting sectarian words,” he said. “They even sang some national songs as they asked us to move somewhere else because sidewalks were not a place for worship.” 

The city government had earlier asked the congregation to move to an alternative location, the Harmoni Yasmin building, instead of using the sidewalk to avoid clashing with protesters. 

Bona said his congregation has no plans to move the service to the Harmoni Yasmin building or anywhere else. 

“They are saying the sidewalk is not a place for worship, but neither is the Harmoni Yasmin building,” he said. “We just want our church reopened.” 

The Bogor administration revoked the church’s building permit, alleging that the congregation had falsified signatures to obtain it. The Supreme Court has ordered the church reopened, but the city has refused to comply. 

“Basically, this [disturbance] is the result of the Bogor mayor ignoring the Supreme Court ruling,” Bona said. 

“If they want us to leave the pavement, let’s unite and urge the Bogor mayor to reopen the Yasmin church. It’s as simple as that.” 

Bona said police officers were deployed to secure the area and prevent clashes. 

“We really appreciate how serious the police have been about ensuring security for us while we were doing the Sunday service in recent weeks,” Bona said. 

On Friday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on attacks against minorities such as Christians and Ahmadiyah in Indonesia, shining a spotlight the violent persecution of minorities in the c ountry. 

The resolution expressed “grave concern at the incidents of violence against religious minorities, particularly Ahmadi Muslims, Christians, Baha’i and Buddhists” and called on the Indonesian authorities to repeal or revise local bylaws governing heresy. 

In June, a delegation from Christian Solidarity Worldwide returned from a three-week visit to Indonesia with first-hand evidence of increasing violence against religious minorities, particularly Christians and the Ahmadiya Muslim community, the group said in a statement. 

CSW visited churches in Bekasi and Bandung that had been forced to close, and it met with pastors who faced increasing harassment, threats an d attacks

Passengers Air Anger at New Commuter Trains

Passengers Air Anger at New Commuter Trains

As the trial run of a new commuter railway operating system entered its second day, many users on Friday aired irritation and annoyance with what they said was a lack of safety, efficiency and comfort.

On Thursday, state railway company Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) launched a trial run before the new operational system debuted today.

Under the new system, KAI is no longer running more expensive express trains. Now, all commuter trains plying the same route will be air-conditioned but will cost the same fare and stop at every station on the way.

Under the old system, KAI had operated three classes of commuter train services between Jakarta and its satellite cities of Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi. Tickets for the air-conditioned express trains ranged from Rp 4,500 to Rp 11,000 (53 cents to $1.30) depending on the route, while the economy-class train cost between Rp 1,500 to Rp 4,500.

Lodevica Retna, 43, a commuter from Bekasi, said it used to take her 20 minutes by train to get to Gondangdia Station in Central Jakarta. The trip now takes 40 minutes.

“For express commuter train passengers, our transportation cost might appear reduced, but our comfort has been reduced at the same time,” Lodevica said.

She complained that trips were much longer since trains had to stop at every station and that the trains were more packed than express trains.

“Other than that, passengers also have to face safety concerns because the possibility of there being pickpockets on board the train is greater,” she said, referring to the packed carriages.

Lodevica also said the new system negated one of the reasons the express trains were popular: shorter trips.

“We just want to get to Jakarta as fast as possible, but it appears there is no other choice for us now than taking this commuter line,” she said.

Novieta Tourisia, 23, a commuter from Depok who uses trains to travel to Juanda Station, which is also in Central Jakarta, said her commuting time had doubled from 25 minutes to 50 minutes.

“The implementation of the one-system commuter line was so messy during the trial run because many passengers were not well-informed about the new schedule, causing passenger accumulation in some stations,” she said.

Novita said that since trains were now packed, seat numbers were not respected and many passengers even went as far as bringing their own folding chairs.

She also pointed out that there were no ticket checks conducted during the two days.

“Will we no longer have comfortable and efficient public transportation?” she asked.

Nurcahyo, the moderator of KRL Mania, a train commuter community, said many passengers had not been well-informed about the new system, fares and schedules.

“KAI needs to add more trains and more schedules to reduce the accumulation of passengers in some stations,” he said.

Maintenance Work Set To Cause Pipes to Run Dry in East Jakarta

Maintenance Work Set To Cause Pipes to Run Dry in East Jakarta

Twelve urban wards in East Jakarta may experience water shortages over the next couple of days as planned maintenance is carried out on a major pipeline.

Rika Anjulika, a spokeswoman from private water operator Aetra, told the Jakarta Globe on Thursday that Kampung Baru, Cibubur, Cijantung, Ciracas, Dukuh, Kelapa Dua Weta, Kalisari, Susukan, Cipayung, Gedong and Pekayon would be affected but customers would ultimately receive a better service.

“In order to provide a better water supply, we are rehabilitating and changing the main water pipeline,” she said.

Rika said the 1.4 kilometer-long pipeline was originally built by the Dutch in 1922, and was in urgent need of upgrading.

The maintenance works, she said, would be conducted during the night from 9 p.m. and would hopefully be completed by Saturday morning.

“We have decided to do it during the night because we assume that there will be less people using water at that time,” she said.

“Hopefully, we will have it done by 3 a.m. as many customers will be waking up to conduct the morning prayer.”

Rika said Aetra would be providing free water to customers experiencing problems with their supplies, bringing in water by truck during the maintenance period.

“We are opening a 24-hour call center, at [021] 577 2010, for our customers who need water. We will send a water tank to them,” she said.

However, supplies from water tanks would have to be coordinated with local communities because they each carried about 4,000 liters, she added.

Tulus Abadi, managing director of the Indonesian Customer Protection Foundation (YLKI), said water operators should provide compensation to customers if there were service disruptions due to maintenance works.

“They must provide their customer with a free water supply while the maintenance is being done because if they don’t, they will be in violation of the 1999 Consumer Protection Law,” he said.

He said Aetra should also provide discounts to affected customers’ monthly bills.

Rika, meanwhile, said Aetra had informed its customers about the upgrade via SMS, in local media and through local officials.

Sutardi, head of the Cipayung urban ward, however, told the Globe on Thursday that he was yet to receive any notification of the planned works and resulting supply problems.

One Cipayung resident, Evi Rahayu, said that while she appreciated the attempt to improve services, she had doubts.

“Will it be any good?” she said.

In the past, she said, repairs just meant water supplies being shut off. Elisabeth Oktofani