Académique Documents
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E N G L I S H
LITTLE BROTHER
BIG TROUBLE
00017
9 771411 606501
1317/DECEMBER 17-23, 2012
LITTLE BROTHER, 14
DECEMBER 17-23, 2012
INDONESIA’S NEWS WEEKLY
ISSN: 1411 - 6065
WWW.TEMPO.CO
RP30,000
INTERLUDE
BEST FILM OF 2012
OUTREACH
FOOTBALL AND HOPE
BIG TROUBLE
E N G L I S H
THE three Mallarangeng brothers—Andi, Rizal and Choel—rose alongside
LITTLE BROTHER their political patron, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. They had access
BIG TROUBLE
to the inner circle, enjoying unprecedented power and influence, until one
of them got caught in the corruption trap. Oldest brother Andi was recently
indicted for his role in the massive Hambalang project corruption case,
prompting his resignation as Youth and Sports Minister. Suspected along in
00017
Andi’s case is youngest brother Choel. While middle brother Rizal acts as the
9 771411 606501
family spokesman, Andi and Choel are banned from leaving the country.
Cover: Choel (TEMPO/
Dasril Roszandi), Andi
(Tempo/Ramdani) dan
Interlude Outreach
Rizal (TEMPO/ Amatul
Rayyani) Tempo’s Best Films 40 Football and Hope i
of the Year
WITH our national team seemingly in decline, hope rises
ALTHOUGH the crop of nationally produced from the east. In Makassar, youth foundation YPKDS is using
films is not as bountiful as last year’s bumper football to raise the confidence of young HIV/AIDS patients
harvest, filmmakers are back with fresh and drug addicts. In Papua, kids from poor families have a
ideas. They are more honest about creating brighter future when they join Emsysk Uni Papua Football
their art, producing what they can with limited School. These activities have not been in vain. t the Homeless
funding. Based on those criteria, Tempo has World Cup in Mexico last September, Indonesia, represented
made this year’s selections of best director, by YPKDS players, finished fourth. Last month, Emsysk was
actor and actress, supporting actor and chosen to represent Indonesia at the Ansa Cup championship.
actress. Tempo English reports from Makassar and Papua.
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E N G L I S H
Chief Editor Wahyu Muryadi
Deputy Chief Editor Yuli Ismartono
Executive Editor Hermien Y. Kleden
Salute to Andi Senior Editor Richard Bennett
Editor Lucas Edward
Reporter Sadika Hamid
MY salute to Andi Alifian Mallarangeng for his decision to step down Editorial Staff Syarifani
Advertising Section Melly Rasyid (Head)
from his position as Youth and Sports Minister. It was a commendable Translators Aris Prawira, Brady Buddviar, Farlan William, Jafar Karim, Jennifer Lindsay
act. I think he has shown responsibility over the case in which his name (Sidelines), Josh Mitchell, Kendisan Kusumaatmadja, Judistira Moeis Pontoh, Laura
Rotinsulu, Marianus Kleden, Marjorie Suanda, Mohamad Hamid, Nataya Ermanti, Oik Yusuf
is involved. If we trace our nation’s history, we would see not many state Araya, Sakia Kyu, Tamalia Alisjahbana, Tatu Maulani
officials willing to take such a courageous act and give up all the attri- TEMPO WEEKLY NEWS MAGAZINE (INDONESIAN EDITION)
butes that came with their positions. Chief Editor Wahyu Muryadi
Deputy Chief Editor Gendur Sudarsono
If we are consistent in nurturing this culture of responsibility and Executive Editor Arif Zulkifli
moral shame, I believe that Indonesia can finally rid itself from trouble- Senior Editors Bambang Harymurti, Diah Purnomowati, Edi Rustiadi M, Fikri Jufri, Goenawan
Mohamad, Leila S. Chudori, Putu Setia, S. Malela Mahargasarie, Toriq Hadad
some people. I also believe that the country should apply a strict law,
Managing Editors Bina Bektiati, Budi Setyarso, Hermien Y. Kleden, Idrus F. Shahab, L.R.
and that every official would finally do what is best for the people—not Baskoro, Mardiyah Chamim, M. Taufiqurohman, Nugroho Dewanto, Purwanto Setiadi, Seno
the other way around, in putting their personal or group interest ahead Joko Suyono
of anything else. Editors Ahmad Taufik, Bagja Hidayat, Irfan Budiman, Kurniawan, Padjar Iswara, Purwani
Diyah Prabandari, Wahyu Dhyatmika, Yandhrie Arvian, Y. Tomi Aryanto.
Staff Writers Adek Media, Anton Aprianto, Budi Riza, Muchamad Nafi, Nunuy Nurhayati,
Anggelita Putri Retno Sulistyowati, Rini Kustiani, Rr Ariyani, Sunudyantoro, Yandi M. Rofiyandi, Cheta
Nilawaty, Fery Firmansyah, Harun Mahbub, Nieke Indrieta, Ninin P. Damayanti, Stefanus
Pondok Gede Main Road Teguh Edi Pramono.
Villa Novo Housing Complex, Number 8 RT 02 RW 01 Reporters Sorta Tobing, Yuliawati
East Jakarta Language Editor Uu Suhardi Assistant Language Editors Sapto Nugroho
Graphics Design Gilang Rahadian (Creative Director), Eko Punto Pambudi, Djunaedi,
Kendra H. Paramita, Aji Yuliarto, Robby Eebor Layout Agus Darmawan Setiadi, Tri W. Widodo
Photography Ijar Karim (Coordinator)
An Open Letter Research & Documentation Priatna, Ade Subrata
Address Kebayoran Center Blok B-8, Jalan Kebayoran Baru, Mayestik,
Jakarta 12240. Tel: +6221-3916160, Fax: +6221-7250527 (editor)
MY name is Midra Haidir, an inmate at Bekasi Penitentiary. I have Email red@tempo.co.id
been in this institution for a year. I was supposed to be granted freedom TEMPO NEWS ROOM, TEMPO INTERACTIVE,
on November 9, 2012. Until now, however, I remain inside. The officials PDAT-CENTER FOR DATA & ANALYSIS.
Chief Editor Daru Priyambodo Acting Executive Editor Burhan Solihin Managing Editor
told me that they are still waiting for my letter of exemption. That de- Tulus Wijanarko Editors Fajar W. Hermawan, Jajang Jamaluddin, Jobpie Sugiharto, Setri
cree has not been issued until now. How much longer do I have to wait? Yasa Editorial Board Ali Anwar, Arif Firmansyah, Eni Saeni, Istiqomatul Hayati, Lis Yuliawati,
Poernomo Gontha Ridho, Purwanto, Sudrajat, Suseno Jakarta Bureau Agung Sedayu, Aguslia
There is one suspicion that the decree concerning my exemption is Hidayah, Agoeng Wijaya, Akbar Tri Kurniawan, Amandra Mustika Megarani, Angelus Tito,
Anton Septian, Aqida Swamurti, Desy Pakpahan, Dian Yuliastuti, Dianing Sari, Dwi Riyanto
being held back by an institution responsible for taking care of it at the Agustiar, Eko Nopiansyah, Eko Ari Wibowo, Erwin Prima, Fanny Febiana, Gabriel Wahyu
Directorate General of Correctional Facilities. The reason, perhaps, is Titiyoga, Ismi Wahid, Kartika Candra, Kurniasih Budi, M. Iqbal Muhtarom, M. Nurrochmi,
Munawarroh, Mustafa Silalahi, Reh Atemalem Susanti, Reza Maulana, Rieka Rahardiana,
because they want to collect some fee from my case. I hope this com- Sandy Indra Pratama, Sorta Tobing, Titis Setyaningtyas, Wahyudin Fahmi Surabaya Jalil
plaint will find its way to corresponding stakeholders because, as a citi- Hakim, Zed Abidin. Yogyakarta Philipus Parera (Bureau Chief), L.N Idayanie, R. Fadjri
Bandung Widiarsi Agustina Research Ngarto Februana (Acting Division Head), Indra Mutiara,
zen, I find that there has been a violation of my rights. Viva B. Kusnandar
Corporate Chief Editor Toriq Hadad
Midra Haidir Corporate Creative Director S. Malela Mahargasarie
Chief of Education & Evaluation Bureau M. Taufiqurrahman
Bekasi Penitentiary Address Kebayoran Centre Blok A11- A15 Jalan Kebayoran Baru, Mayestik, Jakarta 12240.
Tel: +6221 7255625, Fax: +6221 725-5645/50
Email koran@tempo.co.id
Publisher PT TEMPO INTI MEDIA Tbk,
Replacing Lessons on Religion BNI Cabang Kramat, Jakarta, A.C. 017.000.280.765.001
President Director Bambang Harymurti
Directors Herry Hernawan, Toriq Hadad
THE government, the Education and Culture Ministry in particular, Corporate Secretary Rustam F. Mandayun
Address Jalan Palmerah Barat No. 8, Jakarta 12210,
is busy modifying the school curriculum all the way from elementa- Tel: +6221 5360409 Fax: +6221 5439569
ry school, junior high school, and so on. M Nuh said that it needs to be Marketing Herry Hernawan Advertising Gabriel Sugrahetty (Vice Director), Adeliska Virwani,
done because the current curriculum is no longer relevant with today’s Adelisnasari, Haderis Alkaf, Imam Hadi, Nurulita Pasaribu, Sulis Prasetyo, Tito Prabowo
Commercial Production Prasidono Listiaji (Division Head), Arif Arianto, Dewi Retno Lestari,
conditions. Hotma Siregar, Mira Larasati, Nugroho Adhi, Ridwan Hendri, Susandijani Photography &
Photo Research Lourentius E.P. Design & Layout Andi Supriyanto, Jemi Ismoko, Juned Aryo,
As a retired private school teacher, I would like to make some sug- Kemas M. Ridwan Advertising Secretariat Dani Melawati Circulation Division Windalaksana
gestions. The subject on religion should be replaced, perhaps with a (Division Head) Secretariat Erina Circulation Adhi Basuki, Alex Anindito, Alfis Primatra, Difron
Dahiri, Eko Sigit Hermawan, Hariyadi, Harri Cahyadi, Hengki Operanokasari, Joko Prasetiyo,
lesson on manners using material collected from every religion. In Shalfi Andri, Sutiyono Distribution Ismet Tamara (Unit Head) Customer Service Berkah
this way, we could cultivate a culture of tolerance among the students. Demiat Business Development & Marketing Communication Division Meiky Sofyansyah
(Division Head) Promotion Rachadian Nashidik Marketing Research Ai Mulyani K.
They would hopefully not claim that their religion is the most righteous
Circulation Division & Marketing Communication Division Address
while others’ are not as good. As a Muslim, I feel that every person has Gedung TEMPrint Lt. 4, Jalan Palmerah Barat No. 8, Jakarta 12210. Tel: +6221 5360409
Fax: +6221 5349569. Advertising Sales Division Kebayoran Center Blok A11-A15, Mayestik,
the right to choose his or her own religion. By replacing the subject of Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta 12240. Tel: +6221 7255625 Fax: +6221 7206995 ISSN 0126-
religion with lessons on manners, religious and educational institu- 4273 SIUPP No. 354/SK/MENPEN/SIUPP/1998. Printed by PT TEMPRINT, Jakarta.
Pandu Syaiful
Retired Teacher of Cendana Private School
Riau
No No
4% 5.63%
Subdistrict Bureaucracy is Annoying (360) (18)
Yes Yes
A FEW days ago, I went to the Tambora subdistrict office, West 93% 93.13%
(7,539) (298)
Jakarta, to request a signature. But I was received with a sour smile
by the administrative employee. The red tape was made difficult. I Unsure Unsure
3% 1.24%
also had to pay ZIS (alms for the poor). I gave it, but the female em- (183) (4)
ployee there said that the ZIS I had given was insufficient. I gave Total: 8,082 (100%) Total: 320 (100%)
more, but angrily. Perhaps because the money I had given was still
not enough, that woman taunted me with annoying facial expres-
sions.
Subdistrict offices should provide good services to low-income
people like myself, instead of being a terrifying place for the poor. I
hope that the new Jakarta governor will significantly organize not
It’s Over Aceng
only the bureaucracy but also the office that provides services. Em- “YOUR mouth is your tiger” goes an old (Indonesian)
ployees should be trained to be honest and to respect people. saying. Garut Regent Aceng H.M.Fikri should think
over this proverb. When his scandalous divorce from
ZULIA L an under-aged girl was first discovered by the media,
Aceng dismissed it, “When I buy something not in
Jembatan Besi, Tambora accordance with the specification, I return it.”
West Jakarta This simple answer clearly shows Regent Aceng’s
true nature. He married a girl who was promised to be a
virgin. After four days, Aceng was not satisfied, he then
Erratum divorced his young wife by means of a text message.
As soon as the news broke, the public was furious.
In the December 10-16, 2012 issue of Tempo magazine: Starting from bakso vendors up to the president, all
1. On page 31, the fifth paragraph of the Opinion section reads: gave their comments. In general they all regretted how
“The story of Banjar Regent Herman Sutriso became an evidence. a district leader can act that way: disdaining women,
violating ethics, promising money to be able to marry
This leader of a regency in West Java…”. That sentence is incorrect.
teenage girls.
What should have been written is: “The Story of Banjar City May-
Aceng is now busy making amends, visiting every one,
or… Leader of a city…”. In the same paragraph “…94 percent of trying to win over people he had disregarded. Through
Banjar citizens voted for him…”. It should have been: “92.17 per- his lawyers, he even threatened to instigate a riot if he
cent…”. was impeached. But it is too late. “Your mouth is your
2. On page 81, Cover Story section, the second column of the first tiger”.
paragraph contains the sentence: “… said Herman referring to the Last week’s polls on Tempo.co and Yahoo! Indonesia
Banjar District Attorney’s Office.” It should have been “… said Her- showed a uniform result: Aceng should step down from
man referring to the case handled by Banjar District Attorney’s Of- his position as regent. Both sites showed 93 percent of
fice.”. readers agree. So it’s over Aceng.
3. A photo caption on page 97 reads “Brigjen Prasetyo”, while it
should have been “Irjen Prasetyo”.
4. In the Economy section, page 143, in an
article entitled “Increased Labor Wages and
Next Week’s Polls
Indonesia’s Economy”, there was a mistake Do you think that Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono should
regarding Wicaksono Sarosa’s photo place- intervene in the case of the former Malaysian Minister who
ment. The photo of the writer, Fauzi Ichsan, called BJ Habibie a traiter to his nation? We look forward to
should be as follows: >> your comments and answers at www.tempo.co
We apologize for the errors.—Editor
Also follow the polling at www.yahoo.co.id
*Well, it’s good that your meat is expensive, maybe now people will eat rat meat.”
CAPITAL EVENTS
Friends on December 20, 8pm-11pm, at South Jakarta. For inqui- info, please call 62-21-392
Marley Bar, Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 52 – ries & order, please call 62- 7531/2, or log on to www.iic-
53, SCBD Area Lot. 11A Senayan, South 21 828 2000 ext 2113or log jakarta.esteri.it
Jakarta. For more details log on to www. on to www.parklanejakar- ●
H
E plunged into politics, but landed had been deeply embedded by the New Order
into the arms of the law. government.
The drama surrounding the for- The freedom to express one’s view and to as-
mer sports and youth minister, semble and form political parties is laudatory.
Andi Alifian Mallarangeng is not People have been setting up parties since 1998,
an original story. Many promising politicians in when reforms were launched. Unfortunately,
many countries end up in the same corruption these new parties don’t seem to be that much dif-
trap. As long as our politics is dominated by trans- ferent from previous ones. Corrupt political ad-
actions, there will always be stories of the adven- venturers continue to dominate parties, like be-
turer and the loser. fore. In hindsight, Abdurrahman Wahid may
Andi Mallarangeng is not the first minister in the have been right when he said these groups have
history of the republic to be charged with the crime clearly hijacked democracy.
of corruption. In the 1950s, Attorney General Soe- Andi Mallarangeng and his two brothers, Rizal
prapto had the courage to drag a few ministers to and Zulkarnaen, entered politics during that eu-
court, among them Foreign Minister Roeslan Ab- phoric era.
dulgani. One was even arrested on suspicion of As a political scientist, Andi was asked to be a
graft and that was Justice Minister Djodi Gondokusumo. member of Team Seven (1998-1999), which drafted the new politi-
Andi is currently the flavor of the month, the subject of every con- cal laws and the fundamentals of democratic elections. He was also
versation on politics, mainly because he was once a close confidant chosen to be a member of the first General Elections Commission,
of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Andi once described him- representing the government at the 1999 elections.
self as an intellectual whose goal was to bring about a clean govern- His presence in the two institutions meant that promising politi-
ment. Which is why many cannot believe that someone so critical cal investment had been put in place. He distanced himself from all
during the launch of the reform era, could have tripped by being in- political parties. Through the media, he contributed critical com-
volved in the graft and manipulation case involving the construc- mentaries. Understandably, the public placed their hopes on this
tion of the massive Hambalan sports complex in Bogor. young man who seemed to hold firmly to his sense of idealism.
The charges against Andi are quite serious. He is suspected of But pragmatism seems to have been a temptation for Andi. He
abusing his authority over a project valued at more than Rp1 tril- established a new party in 2002, but not long after, he switched to
lion. In fact, M. Nazaruddin, the former Democrat Party treasur- the Democrat Party. He was the president’s spokesman until 2009,
er who is serving jail time for his involvement in the Wisma Atlet when he was appointed to be a cabinet minister. At the Democrat
(Athlete House) case, testified that Andi was paid Rp20 billion for Party congress, he was seen as the president’s choice of ‘crown
the project. He and his younger brother Zulkarnain Mallarangeng, prince.’ Such pragmatism seems to have gotten hold of his broth-
were later banned from leaving the country. ers as well. Once a member of President Megawati Soekarnoputri’s
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) must hold inner circle, Rizal later sidled up close to Aburizal Bakrie. In 2009,
enough proof to have indicted Andi last week. There is no need he and his brother Zulkarnain jumped to the Yudhoyono camp,
to be awed by his decision to resign from the cabinet. That is what where he managed the SBY-Boediono campaign .
public officials are expected to do when they get embroiled in a le- To be sure, there is nothing wrong with taking the pragmatic
gal case or find themselves indicted. That is the political credo that path. But when the party was piling up money and assets, the prag-
must be upheld. Indeed, it would be unthinkable for a public offi- matic choice did not seem to be doing any good. The party, which
cial to keep on going as if nothing happened. should subsist on members fees, subscriptions and donations as
The shameful stance taken by a number of legislators when they regulated by the constitution, ended up being a place to seek more
refused to resign despite their guilty verdict and their eventual im- funds. Even high-ranking officials were forced to become the par-
prisonment for their involvement in the travelers checks bribery ty’s money machine.
case, must not be repeated. Their refusal to resign despite their Politics became a racing horse. Political ethics vanished. No lon-
guilty status goes beyond political decency. ger are institutions to be trusted, except for the law, which could
Andi’s case—like those of other politicians implicated in corrup- bring any corrupt person down.
tion—tells us that our body politic is still very fragile. Political orga- It was there that Andi tripped on a mine of corruption.
nizations seem unable to abandon their culture of oligarchy which ● FULL STORY PAGE 14
RETURN GAMES
Placing Shia families of Sampang in refugee camps should be a temporary
solution. The government must return them to their home villages.
P
UTTING a stop to food rations and access to clean wa- It would be truly unfortunate if the government decided to def-
ter to the hundreds of Shia families of Sampang, is like initely relocate them. This policy was evident when the Shia were
planning to kill them slowly. Since their homes were offered modest homes in Sidoarjo, or build temporary homes in an
burned down by a mob at the end of last August, the res- empty piece of land around Camplong, Sampang regency. These
idents of Nangkernang hamlet in the island of Madura, are now options should not be seen as the final solution, particularly when
forced to live inside a sports complex—tennis courts to be exact—at it goes against their hopes and desires.
the town of Sampang. Since the beginning, we were of the opinion that the government
For the past four months, they have been unable to do much ex- was mistaken in how they identified the problem, hence leading
cept sit, mull over their fate and read the Qur’an, day in and day to the wrong solution. The root of the problem is not about a fam-
out. They watch television in the evening. Like patients, they are ily conflict between the Roisul Hukama which follow Sunni Islam,
forbidden from leaving the premises. The entrance is guarded by with the Tajul Muluk who are followers of Shia Islam. Both groups
policemen. Some enterprising college students have come, at their have members in jail. The Shia for the crime of blasphemy and the
own initiative, to teach them skills, just to keep them busy while Sunni’s for rioting. The Rois, leader of the Shia is not someone who
they wait to be returned home. But they have never been given a can mobilize masses of people. He was made the puppet of the real
schedule on when they can go back to their village. Their uncertain leaders.
situation and boredom, have led to a few cases of depression. In fact, the main problem is the inability of the Sampang adminis-
This unfortunate condition came suddenly last November. The tration to keep a check on the local ulama (Islamic religious leader).
Sampang regency administration stopped their food supplies, cit- These followers of Sunni Islam demand that the Shia followers stop
ing the lack of funds to purchase them. They claimed to have al- teaching the Shia faith, forcing this minority sect either to abandon
ready spent Rp1 billion on the refugees. Strangely, the decision their religion or flee from the island of Madura. Until their reloca-
seemed final. The Sampang administration appeared to have ex- tion to a refugee camp, the local government still acts according to
hausted their search for solutions, and they can ascertain only one the dictates of the anti-Shia ulama.
thing: the Shia cannot yet go home. Relocating Shia families from their home village might be the
There is practically nothing the Shia families can do to seek a practical thing to do, but such solutions are bound to become time
livelihood themselves. Everything they owned was left behind in bombs. Relocating them away from Nangkernan hamlet means
their village, which had, in any event, been burned down by angry giving in to an anarchic group who are not only intolerant but also
mobs. These refugees should not expect to find anything of value in kills any vestige of human rights. Such a policy can send a worrying
their destroyed homes. Fortunately, they can still count on one so- message: that the state is no longer capable of protecting their mi-
cial organization in Jakarta, to donate 1 ton of rice. nority citizens. ● FULL STORY PAGE 28
COW FLAP
Data on the government’s requirement to import beef is inaccurate.
The people’s needs should not be sacrificed.
M
ANY errors were committed as a result of the wrong been ‘magically turned’ into mixed beef and pork, in addition to
government policy in managing beef supplies. To- beef being sold in bulk because they have been forced to swallow
day, the price of beef at the markets has skyrocket- water in order to gain weight.
ed to Rp80,000-Rp100,000 per kilogram. This is Furthermore, there is little likelihood that the ‘study trip’ of leg-
higher than prices in neighboring countries like Malaysia, Singa- islators to France and China to learn about the beef business will be
pore, Thailand and the Philippines, where beef costs somewhere of any help, particularly when their agenda is to prepare for the re-
between Rp38,000 and Rp40,000 per kilogram. vision of the Livestock Breeding Law. The revisions are intended to
Often, it’s not just the high price but the supply itself that is the contravene the Constitutional Court’s decision which decreed that
problem. Beef tends to disappear from the counters. Consequent- the importation of beef should be based on countries, not on zones.
ly, a number of food-processing plants run the risk of not producing There is enough evidence to show that these junkets are nothing
and going broke. The confusion about beef has been followed by more than a waste of taxpayers’ money, particularly when the out-
an equally worrisome rumor, that low-quality smuggled beef has put is uncertain.
FESTIVAL FAILS
The quality of the Indonesian Film Festival has sharply declined, despite
their large budget. This organization can no longer be relied on to assess
nationally produced films.
T
HE Rp16.2 billion budget to fund the 2012 Indonesian aside the others. But the judges must also be willing to take on critical
Film Festival or FFI, must be questioned. The event that questions on the reasons for the selection, because the film was pro-
took place in Yogyakarta on Saturday two weeks ago, duced by Gatot Brajamusti, a clear case of conflict of interest.
should have been a happy affair. Enthusiastic people lin- The Ministry for Tourism and Creative Economy as the sponsor
ing up to watch quality films being screened everywhere in Yogya. of the event must be aware that there are many problems within
But nothing like that happened. The quality of the event was low the FFI. There is enormous wastage, for one. And still on the issue
and lacked transparency. The FFI no longer seems to represent the of money, at the end of December the 2012 Indonesian Film Appre-
apex of national film production. ciation party is to be held. This is like the FFI, except that it is orga-
Even compared to the Sekaten event, it was still not on a par. In nized by the Ministry of Education and Culture, and is estimated to
fact, even Governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X made critical be costing massive amounts of money.
comments because the FFI was held at his city without prior notice. There seems to be an unbalanced and unclear division of labor
He lamented the poor and unprofessional planning, plus the lack between the two ministries. We know that films in Indonesia get
of any kind of promotion. Additionally, Yogya was made to feel em- extra facilities provided by the two ministries. This should be bet-
barrassed because it did not have the right atmosphere. ter divided and shared. It needs to be determined which can han-
From this alone, it is clear that the FFI is unable to be the measur- dle the upstream industry and which one the downstream. The fact
ing rod for the development of the national film industry. With or that each of them organize their own respective festivals seems re-
without the FFI, quality Indonesian films can survive and gain the dundant, lacking in synergy and a waste of money.
recognition of the national and international film publics. Next year, perhaps it would be best to eliminate overlapping pro-
The chairman of the 2012 FFI steering committee is Gatot Braja- grams and activities, if necessary, dissolve the FFI. There must be
musti. He is indeed the head of the Association of Indonesian Film focus. The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy can help to
Artists (Parfi). People used to know him as the kiai or spiritual guru promote Indonesian films overseas by gaining access to interna-
to artists. Today, however, there would be no harm in questioning tional festivals because its task is to market Indonesian films, or to
his capacity in organization grand events. support public institutions that are able to host more credible na-
The judges, led by Mohammad Sobary, selected the film Tanah Sur- tional film festivals.
ga… Katanya (Heaven… so they Say), directed by Herwin Novrianto, as Because the FFI can no longer make the cut.
the best film. It is the judges’ prerogative to select that film and put ● BERITA TERKAIT DI HALAMAN 66
PRESUMPTION
OF INNOCENTS
Rizal (Celi), Andi, and Zulkarnain (Choel)
DECEMBER 23, 2012 | | 15
THE MALLARANGENG
BROTHERS ANDI
ALIFIAN AND ANDI
ZULKARNAIN HAVE
BEEN CAUGHT UP IN
THE HAMBALANG
CORRUPTION CASE,
WHILE IT US UP TO
BROTHER ANDI RIZAL
TO GET THEM OUT OF
THE MESS.
A
GATHERING was
held one night at the
end of October 2009
at the home of Andi
Alifian Mallarangeng
at Cilangkap, East Ja-
karta. The host had just
been appointed Youth and Sports minister
a week earlier. He told his guests he want-
ed to improve facilities for training athletes
to increase the number of sporting achieve-
ments. The Ragunan School for Athletes,
which had been the backbone of athlete de-
velopment, was felt to be behind the times.
His guests were two top officials at the
state-owned company, Adhi Karya: Teuku
Bagus Mohammad Noor and Mohammad When Andi first became minister, the crat Party politician Muhammad Nazarud-
TEMPO/ RULLY KESUMA (HAMBALANG), TEMPO/DASRIL ROSZANDI (NOOR), TEMPO/SETO WARDHANA (WQAFID)
Arief Taufiqurahman. For some reason, chief of the Planning Bureau of the Youth din, also informed Adhi Karya that “(proj-
an official of the Semarang Office of Public and Sports Ministry, Deddy Kusdinar made ect) Hambalang was already in sight.”
Works, was also present. Meeting for nearly a presentation at the minister’s residence It seems that as far back as August 2009,
an hour, the core of their discussion could regarding a plan to construct the Ham- Wafid Muharam had calculated the cost of
be gleaned from a discussion between Teu- balang facility. Andi proposed adding building Hambalang. At the end of Octo-
ku Bagus and Arief after leaving Cilangkap. some buildings, such as a dormito- ber, a team he put together estimat-
“We should get that project,” said Teuku ry for senior athletes and an am- ed the project to be worth Rp2.5
Bagus, as told by a Tempo source. The proj- phitheater. Ministry secretary trillion. The breakdown: Rp1.2
ect in question was the National Sports Ed- Wafid Muharam noted that as trillion for construction, and
ucation and Training complex at Mount of May 2010 the design had Rp1.3 trillion for equipment.
Hambalang, Bogor. changed at least seven times. Even though this was not an of-
After he was questioned by the Corrup- Each of the changes was pre- ficial calculation, some of his
tion Eradication Commission (KPK) last sented to Andi. findings were used to formulate
week, Teuku Bagus, who at the time of this A month before the two Adhi the budget ceiling for the Ham-
case was Head of the First Construction Di- Karya officials met with Andi in balang project in 2010.
vision at Adhi Karya, was not talking. On September, the Hambalang project— In early January 2010, Nazaruddin,
Friday last week, Teuku Bagus’s secretary which at that time was still called the Na- who said he was sent by Anas Urbanin-
said that he was at a meeting outside the of- tional Sports Achievement Improvement grum, who at that time was Democrat Party
fice. There was no response to the request Center—was already the subject of gossip. chairman at the House of Representatives
for an interview. Arief Taufiqurahman, the The owner of Dutasari Citralaras company, (DPR), met Andi on the 10th floor of the
marketing manager, one of Teuku Bagus’s Machfud Suroso, had contacted Adhi Karya Sports Ministry. Nazaruddin was accompa-
subordinates, refused to comment. “Please for a possible collaboration. Mindo Rosalina nied by members of the DPR Sports Com-
ask the KPK,” he said. Manulang, who worked for former Demo- mission, Angelina Sondakh and Mahyud-
get for construction costs. Following the obtained the Athletes Dormitory project.
design changes, Metaphora Solusi Global, a That is why Nazaruddin asked his subordi-
planning consultant, estimated the budget nates to take back half of those bribes.
would be some Rp800 billion, then Rp1.6 The large monetary outlays made by
trillion or so, and finally Rp1.175 trillion— Nazaruddin made Adhi Karya nervous.
nearing the figure of Rp1.2 trillion, as the Teuku Bagus asked Arief Taufiqurahman,
team had estimated in October 2009. his subordinate, to arrange a meeting with
Wafid Muharam then presented this Andi. This was to ask when bidding on the
Rp1.175 trillion figure to the Finance Minis- project would begin. For some reason, Teu-
try when they sought approval for a multi- ku Bagus could not attend. Arief then went
year contract, on June 28, 2010. When he to the 10th floor of the Ministry, to Andi’s
was asked to confirm this, Wafid—who is office.
currently incarcerated at Cipinang jail— Arief was surprised to see Choel Mal-
through a colleague, said that he was only larangeng, who was there to meet him.
following the minister’s orders. Each time Feeling uncomfortable, Arief only made
he signed a letter, he did so in front of Andi. small talk about the business plans of Adhi
“It would have been impossible for the min- Karya, including construction of the Indo-
ister not to know,” he said. nesia Tower, potentially the tallest building
When he announced his resignation two in Indonesia, with 100 floors.
weeks ago, Andi, 49, insisted he had done According to another version of the sto-
nothing wrong. “All of those accusations ry, Arief did want to meet with Choel. Wafid
are untrue,” he said. Rizal, Andi’s young- Muharam and Muhammad Arifin from
er brother, who has become the fami- Solusi Global, accompanied Arief. After Ari-
ly spokesman, said it was not true that his ef mentioned Adhi Karya’s plan to take part
older brother helped some people win the in the bidding, Choel said, “Go ahead.” Af-
Hambalang project. ter this meeting, Arief and Choel met again
Those top Adhi Karya officials who visit- at a restaurant, this time without Wafid and
ed Andi’s home in October 2009, accord- Arifin. Planning Bureau chief Deddy Kusdi-
ing to Rizal, were uninvited guests. “Peo- nar noticed their meeting.
ple who have just taken office are usual- After bidding began in August of that
ly visited by people asking for proj- year, Adhi Karya worked with Wi-
ects,” he said. When they said jaya Karya. Long before the
they wanted to work on proj- winner of the auction was an-
ects, said Rizal, Andi never nounced on November 2 this
gave them any expectations. year, the word was that the
“Perhaps to respect his guests, project would be carried out
Andi said ‘if you please’. How- as an Adhi-Wika collabora-
National Sports Education and ever, that was not a commit- tion, although it remained un-
Training complex site at Mount ment.” clear who said this. However, an
Hambalang, Sentul, Bogor, West employee of Metaphora said that
Java. ●●● in February 2010, they knew that Adhi
Karya would be the winner. This was con-
THE turmoil at the Democrat Party con- firmed when an Adhi Karya employee was
din. The objective was to open the way for gress in May 2010 interrupted the delib- seen to calculate the construction costs.
budget deliberations at the DPR. erations on Hambalang at the Youth and One key factor was that Adhi Karya kept in
Not long after this meeting, a land cer- Sports Ministry. With his image polished by direct communication with Andi.
tificate for Hambalang was issued by the his younger brother, Andi Zulkarnain Mal- Nearing the announcement, Wafid Mu-
National Land Agency (BPN). In February larangeng alias Choel, 46, in charge of the haram was visited by Nanny Ruslie and Her-
2010, armed with the anticipated certif- political consultancy Fox Indonesia, Minis- man Prananto from Global Daya Manung-
icate, Andi told the DPR Sports Commis- ter Andi Mallarangeng became a candidate gal. They wanted to be the subcontractors
sion that the first stage of construction in for party chairman. He competed against in the Hambalang project. Wafid felt that
Hambalang required Rp625 billion of the Anas Urbaningrum and Marzuki Alie. In this was out of his hands. “Subcontracting
planned Rp2.5 trillion. This Rp625 billion the end, Anas was chosen. is the authority of the collaboration (KSO)
had grown from an initial budget of Rp125 Nazaruddin, who was after the Ham- chief,” said Wafid. He asked businessman
billion, which had been made available in balang project and the Athletes Dormi- Paul Nelwan to take Nanny and Herman to
2010. Every time Andi had a meeting with tory projects for the XXVI SEA Games in Adhi Karya.
the DPR Sports Commission, from Febru- Palembang through Duta Graha Indah, had Soon after this meeting at Wafid’s office
ary to April, he proposed raising the bud- ‘prepped’ Andi, so the project would fall around October-November, Wafid received
get. into his hands. Reportedly, Wafid accepted a text message from Choel. “Has Pak Wafid
Meanwhile, the Ministry had asked a bribes of Rp20 billion from April-May 2010. met with Pak Herman?” read the mes-
planning consultant to recalculate the bud- Later, it turned out that Duta Graha only sage. “Yes he has,” Wafid replied, as told
to someone in Choel’s circle. All of these Along with Aburizal, Rizal flew to Jakarta recently arranged for Harry Pontoh, Luhut
outlays were recorded in the company re- by helicopter. At around 6:30pm, Andi, Pangaribuan, and Ifdhal Kasim to become
cords confiscated by the KPK. In these re- Rizal, and Choel gathered at Choel’s home Andi’s legal counsel. For the moment, he is
cords, Andi’s secretary at the Ministry in Menteng. “Daeng, what’s up?” Rizal the anchor for Daeng and his little brother.
was also listed. One source said that, be- asked Andi. “I am resigning,” said Andi. Ac- ● ANTON SEPTIAN
THE FALL OF AN ANTI- Wafid report on the project and having re-
ceived money from Nazaruddin?”
According to Ryaas, Andi calmly an-
T
HREE days after Wafid Mu- gional autonomy minister in the presiden- pected corruption in the National Sports
haram, secretary of the Youth cy of Abdurrahman Wahid, he wanted to School Education and Training Center
and Sports Ministry, was ar- find out whether Andi was involved in the project at Mount Hambalang, Bogor. A
rested by the Corruption Erad- corruption of the Athletes Dormitory con- number of people involved in this case said
ication Commission (KPK), on struction project for the XXVI SEA Games that this Andi, who was once the presiden-
April 25, 2011, Ryaas Rasyid invited Andi in Palembang, which involved the then tial spokesman, had actively arranged this
to dinner. Two other people from Makas- Democrat Party Treasurer, Muhammad Rp2.5 trillion project, and had proposed
sar joined their gathering at a European Nazaruddin. that this project on 31 hectares of land be
restaurant, Gourmet World at Kemang, in As a former government official, Ryaas expanded by asking the House of Repre-
South Jakarta. understood that as a cabinet minister, Andi sentatives (DPR) for an additional budget of
While dining on a steak, Ryaas men- surely knew about the projects being run in Rp625 billion.
tioned the news about Wafid’s arrest in Is- his institution. “I have two questions,” said Nazaruddin even said that this colleague
tanbul, Turkey, during a break in his con- Ryaas, recounting his meeting with Andi, of his in the Democrat Party accepted a
ference on local governance system. As re- last week. “First, did you meet with Naza- bribe of Rp10 billion through his younger
just completed a doctoral program at Illi- versial statement. When speaking at Mat-
nois University. Born in Makassar on March toanging Field, this eldest child of the ma-
14, 1963, he was known among student ac- yor of Parepare said, “It is not yet time for
tivists as a member of the Islamic Student someone from South Sulawesi to become
Association (HMI) at the University of Gad- a leader.” This immediately caused a con-
jah Mada (UGM). troversy, because Jusuf Kalla, a former vice
When President B.J. Habibie asked Ryaas president who comes from this province,
to lead the Team Seven, he contacted (the was Yudhoyono’s rival in the election.
late) Afan Gaffar, a political lecturer at UGM. Jusuf Kalla was enraged. Mayor of Makas-
Afan suggested Andi, one of his former stu- sar Ilham Arif Sirajuddin and City Secretary
dents at UGM, who had just returned from Anis Kama, Andi’s uncle, took the initia-
the US, as a candidate. The four other mem- tive to bring the two together. On the post-
bers of the team were Anas Urbaningrum, Ramadan Eid-ul-Fitr holiday in 2009, the
Ramlan Surbakti, Luthfi Mutty, and Djo- Mallarangeng brothers—Andi, Rizal, and
hermansyah Djohan, who is presently the Zulkarnain—visited Kalla’s home in Makas-
Director-General of Regional Autonomy at sar. At that time the election was over and
the Home Affairs Ministry. Yudhoyono was in office for a second term
As a former dean of the Institute of Gov- as president.
ernment Sciences (IIP), Ryaas suggested Andi had already been appointed Youth
that Andi become a lecturer at his campus and Sports Minister. Kalla welcomed the
so that he could live at his official residence three brothers. “We wanted to have a
in Jakarta. It was then that Andi brought his friendly meeting. As a new cabinet minis-
entire family to the capital city. It was also ter, I wanted to learn,” said Andi, as quot-
because of Ryaas that he purchased 1,000- ed by Ilham. While eating a Makassar soup,
square meters of land at Cipayung, East Ja- Rizal explained the context of Andi’s state-
karta, where he now resides. ment, which had been quoted out of con-
Andi was appointed a member of the text by the media.
General Elections Commission (KPU) to Being in the circle of power, suspicious
prepare the 1999 General Elections. He data on Andi’s finances set off alarms at
resigned because Ryaas asked him to be- the Financial Transactions Reporting and
come an expert staff at the Regional Auton- Analysis Center (PPATK). This agency de-
omy Ministry. However, this only lasted 10 tected a flow of funds from an unclear
Andi Alifian Mallarangeng months, as the ministry was later disband- source for Andi and his wife, Vitri Cahyan-
ed. Andi’s popularity grew because he was ingsih, last year.
often interviewed by the media. He was of- According to their reports, Vitri bought
brother, Zulkarnain or Choel. Two weeks ten seen on television. Asiaweek magazine a condo in Kuningan for Rp3.5 billion with-
ago, the KPK indicted Andi, charging him dubbed him ‘A Future Leader of Asia’. out any clear transaction. She had also pur-
with negligence in not naming the winner Ryaas and Andi continued to have close chased at least Rp8 billion of stocks on the
of the bid on projects over Rp50 billion. relations when they established the Nation- stock exchange. The PPATK then sent their
The next day, Andi resigned as Youth and al Democracy Unity Party (PPDK) in 2002. report to the KPK in May of last year. In let-
Sports Minister, a position he has held since Andi resigned just two years later, saying ter number HA-306/03.1.129/05/2011/SR,
2009. “The charges against me are un- he disagreed with their party when it de- the PPATK said that a Rp4.43 billion trans-
true,” he said. cided to support General Wiranto, a Golkar action made by Andi’s family was catego-
If he is found guilty, those accusations Party presidential candidate in the 2004 rized as “suspicious.”
will be a turning point for Andi. He is election. “I suggested joining the Democrat Rizal, Andi’s younger brother, who is the
known as a brilliant political scientist who Party, which had nominated SBY (Susilo family spokesman, felt there was nothing
once called for a clean government. His ca- Bambang Yudhoyono),” said Rizal, Andi’s unusual about the large amount of money.
reer also crossed paths with anticorrup- younger brother. “He has a wealth of Rp15 billion, so it makes
tion bodies. He was once Head of the Policy He made the right choice. Yudhoyono sense to have a condo and transaction in
Committee of an NGO called Partnership. won the election and became president. that amount,” he said.
Ryaas regards Andi as a kid brother. He Andi was named a spokesman. He has been According to Rizal, his older brother be-
was the one who asked Andi to move to Ja- close to Yudhoyono ever since. After en- came the anchor of the family after their fa-
karta in 1998, leaving his work as a sociolo- tering the circle of power, Andi’s analyses ther died at the age of 36 in 1972, and the
gy lecturer at Hasanuddin University. Andi and views on national politics faded from three brothers were living in different cit-
joined the Team Seven to help prepare the view. His political statements were most- ies. Andi was studying in Yogyakarta, Rizal
legislation on politics and governance dur- ly about presidential policies and clarifica- was in Ragunan High School in Jakarta, and
TEMPO/SETO WARDHANA
ing the early years of the reform era. tions about the issues affecting the Presi- Zulkarnain was being taken care of by their
When he was called to Jakarta, Ryaas re- dential Palace. uncle in Makassar. Now their anchor faces
counted, Andi was confused because he Andi stepped forward as Yudhoyono’s embarrassing corruption charges which
had nowhere to stay. He had just returned a number-one defender. During the 2009 could spell the end of his political career.
year earlier from the United States, having presidential campaign he made a contro- BAGJA HIDAYAT (JAKARTA), RASDIYANAH (MAKASSAR)
R
IZAL Mallarangeng, 48, likes who is close to Aburizal. and Megawati’s entourage, as well as on
one particular item in his spa- After graduating, not wanting to be out- President Megawati’s trips abroad. When
cious, book-filled office. Look- done by his older brother, who studied in Megawati visited the United States, Rizal
ing out of a glass wall, cov- the United States, Celi continued his stud- was also called on to write her speech. CSIS
ered by wooden drop-down ies at Ohio State University, in Columbus. was just a temporary refuge. “He was only
screen, a statue of Sukarno and Hatta is vis- After earning a doctorate in political sci- there for three months,” said Indra J. Pil-
ible, across the street from his office. ence, he returned to Indonesia and joined iang, a CSIS researcher.
Having an office in a historical area has the Center for Strategic and International Although they are often seen together,
long been Rizal’s dream. Located on the Studies (CSIS). There, he was often quoted Rizal was not actually in Megawati’s core
second floor, Rizal’s room is bright with by the media. Surya Paloh, owner of Metro group. “Mbak Mega felt they did not have
sunlight, tempered by various plants. This TV, recruited him to preside over the Save the same ideology as Rizal,” said a Tempo
building stands on 2,500 square meters of Our Nation television program. source. Rizal was seen as “one of Taufiq
land, right across the street from the Proc- When Abdurrahman Wahid was im- Kiemas’s people.”
lamation Monument in Central Jakarta, peached by the People’s Consultative As- Nevertheless, this good relationship
where founding fathers Sukarno and Hatta sembly (MPR) and Megawati Soekarnoputri lasted even after her presidency ended. In
declared the country’s independence. replaced him on July 23, 2001, Rizal made the 2004 General Election, Megawati ran
On the ground floor is the library of the his way into the Megawati camp. He talked against Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. On
Freedom Institute, a think tank estab- about the succession of power for hours on Election Day, Rizal took the important step
lished in 2001. The top floor is used by La- television. Taufiq Kiemas was impressed. of ‘leaving’ the losing candidate. Yudho-
ngit Timur Energy, a coal mining compa- On one occasion, Taufiq introduced Rizal yono had already been named the favor-
ny. Fox Indonesia, a political consultancy, to Megawati in a very affable manner, say- ite according to some surveys. When the
used to occupy that floor. Both companies ing, “This is Rizal, the person who defend- quick count announced a Yudhoyono vic-
were established by Rizal and managed by ed you all-out on television.” tory, Rizal was already on television con-
his younger brother, Zulkarnain or Choel. Taufik liked this daring youth with ideas. gratulating the winner. Megawati and poli-
“I feel there is a historical attraction here, That is why Taufiq made Rizal a member ticians in the Indonesian Democratic Party
in addition to being an oasis,” said Rizal, of Megawati’s campaign team in the 2004 of Struggle (PDI-P) were enraged.
last week. Before he finally purchased this presidential election. He was made an im- Rizal quickly jumped ship. Leaving a
place in 2009, his old office was in Men- age consultant. Taufiq felt that there was a sinking Megawati, he aligned himself with
teng, Central Jakarta. need to improve Megawati’s image. “Rizal Yudhoyono, where he joined his own broth-
Born in Makassar, on October 29, 1964, had that ability,” said a Tempo source. Rizal er, Andi, who had been appointed a pres-
Rizal, who is usually called Celi, seems to was often seen together with Taufiq Kiemas idential spokesman. An old friend of his
have followed in the footsteps of his old-
er brother, Andi. After Andi alias Anto
went to the University of Gadjah Mada, in
Yogyakarta, three years later Celi, who
graduated from Ragunan High School, Ja- Rizal quickly jumped ship. Leaving a sinking
karta, did the same.
Even so, the two have different traits and
Megawati, he aligned himself with Yudhoyono,
backgrounds. Andi is a calm character who where he joined his own brother, Andi, who had
is active in the Muslim Students Association been appointed a presidential spokesman. An old
(HMI). Celi is more temperamental and par-
ticipates in discussion groups. Celi also of- friend of his was also waiting: Aburizal Bakrie,
ten writes opinion pieces for the mass me- whom Yudhoyono appointed as the Coordinating
dia. When he was a university student, he
met Aburizal Bakrie. “Pak Ical still remem-
Minister for the Economy.
bers him,” said Lalu Mara Satria Wangsa,
was also waiting: Aburizal Bakrie, whom Andi Rizal Mallarangeng (Celi) with norance,” he said.
Yudhoyono appointed as the Coordinat- Aburizal Bakrie. Rizal conducted a massive campaign, us-
ing Minister for the Economy. Aburizal ap- ing billboards on main roads and television
pointed Rizal as a special staff member. ads. With the symbol ‘RM09’, Rizal’s slo-
While he was a staff member of the Coor- gan was ‘If there is a will, there is a way’. He
dinating Minister for the Economy, Rizal’s wanted to run for president. In 2008, Su- appeared on television with destitute chil-
duties were no picnic. Together with Lin trisno paid Fox to increase his popularity, dren, talking about poverty, and discuss-
Che Wei and M. Ikhsan, Rizal was named signing a Rp120 billion contract. ing the lack of development in Papua. Lat-
a representative of PT Pertamina to nego- This one-year contract only lasted a few er, after finding out that his electability
tiate a contract of cooperation for the Cepu months before it was cancelled, because was low, he pulled out of the race. Regard-
Block with ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia. The while campaigning for Sutrisno to become ing this move, Rizal commented, “It was in-
negotiations resulted in a controversial de- president, Rizal himself harbored aspira- deed outside of my calculations.”
cision regarding a 30-year contract which tions of becoming president. He offered Because of this and the cancelling of
became effective in March 2006. himself to be Sutrisno’s running mate for the contract with Sutrisno, it was report-
In early 2008, before his work as a spe- the presidency. At that time, Rizal claimed ed that Rizal had a minor falling-out with
cial staff of the Coordinating Minister for that he was supported by two business- Choel. However, Choel at that time denied
Public Welfare ended, Rizal founded Fox men. that news. According to Rizal, he resigned
Indonesia, a political consultancy, togeth- This frustrated Sutrisno. He allowed from managing Fox, “So that the compa-
er with Saiful Mujani and Jeffrie Geovanie. Rizal to step forward, but asked that the ny is not held hostage by my affairs.” Nev-
Rizal brought Choel on board as the com- contract be cancelled, even though the ertheless, using the money from the Sutris-
pany’s executive director. money had been spent. Speaking to Tempo no contract, Fox was able to buy a house at
The company’s first client was Alex No- in 2008, Sutrisno said that he did not want Jl. Proklamasi 41, Central Jakarta. Failing
DOK.TEMPO/ SANTIRTA M
erdin, for the election of the governor of to have any problems with Rizal. “He has to become a contesting candidate, Rizal
South Sumatra. After successfully winning hopes, ambitions, obsession, and support- joined the SBY-Boediono team—Megawati’s
the election, Fox was flooded with offers. ers,” he said. Last week, Sutrisno declined competitor, who was once his ally.
One was from Sutrisno Bachir, chairman to explain his decision back then. “I don’t ● WIDIARSI AGUSTINA, FEBRIANA FIRDAUS,
of the National Mandate Party (PAN), who want to talk further about that period of ig- WAYAN AGUS PURNOMO
T
HE two brothers got out of a
black Land Cruiser. Rizal Mal-
larangeng was wearing a T-
shirt, jeans, and a pair of Crocs.
His younger brother, Zulkar-
nain, wore an orange polo shirt and bell-
bottom jeans. A white Mitsubishi Pajero fol-
lowed behind. “What news, commander?”
said Zulkarnain, whose nickname is Choel,
to Tempo, who was waiting for the two at
their Freedom Institute office, last week.
At this place, five days earlier, Choel was
despondent. His eyes were teary when he
gave a statement to the press about being
barred from leaving the country by the Cor-
ruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
His older brother, Andi, in the meantime,
was named a suspect in a corruption case
over the Hambalang sports complex.
Choel was born on August 22, 1966 in
Parepare, South Sulawesi. He grew up sep-
arately from his two older brothers, Andi
and Rizal. When he was two weeks old, he
was adopted by Andi Sugira, his father’s
younger sister, whose husband was a well- cal Sciences. In 2008, Rizal brought Choel on board
known doctor in Makassar, Muhammad His first job was at Datascrip Indonesia the political consultant agency, Fox Indo-
Nazaruddin Anwar. in 1994, where he became general manag- nesia. When he was pioneering the estab-
Rizal still remembers when he and Andi er four years later. In 1998, he became a di- lishment of Fox with Saiful Mujani and Jeff-
took their younger brother to Makassar. Up rector at InFocus Corporation Asia-Pacific, rie Geovanie, Rizal said he was having diffi-
until junior high school, Choel knew his located in Singapore. culty finding reliable people in the market-
two brothers as first cousins. “It was only Rizal said that in Singapore, Choel was ing field. “Choel was finally chosen for the
after he graduated junior high school that able to buy a luxury car and large motor- job,” he said.
he knew we were his brothers,” said Rizal. cycle. His large salary at that multination- The position of executive director at Fox
Later, Choel changed his surname back to al company enabled him to buy expensive Indonesia paved the way for Choel to get on
Mallarangeng. goods. “I was once invited to ride on a large the national political stage. The first ma-
After graduating from high school in BMW motorcycle around Singapore,” said jor success for this agency was when Alex
Makassar in 1985, Choel went to Yogyakarta Rizal. Noerdin won the election for governor of
to be with his two brothers, who were al- In 2002, Choel returned to Indonesia South Sumatra in September 2008. The
ready studying there. After a year at the and set up his own business. Together with door was opened wider when Fox Indone-
Indonesian Islamic University (UII), he some friends, he also established a produc- sia was chosen to be a campaign consul-
switched to Jayabaya University in Jakarta, tion house and became a distributor for tant for Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and
and earned a degree in international rela- various electronic gadgets. “He went into Boediono in the 2009 presidential election.
tions from the Faculty of Social and Politi- different types of business,” said Rizal. This was the red carpet for Choel to gain ac-
was on Yudhoyono’s central campaign give Ibas some direction.” ing involved in the corruption of the Ham-
team together with National Mandate Par- Being in the inner ring at Cikeas was a balang project. He said that the case against
ty (PAN) Chairman Hatta Rajasa and busi- boon to Choel’s ambitions. He expanded him and his older brother was a test: “Gold
nesswoman Hartati Murdaya. his business into the mining sector. Accord- is tested not with soap, but with mercury.”
When Yudhoyono won his second term ing to some sources, he held a few mining ● SETRI YASRA, PARLIZA HENDRAWAN
A
FTER his brothers Andi and Choel got into trouble, ganizing events is a hobby he shares with
Rizal Mallarangeng has a new task on his hands: he his friends.
has become their spokesman. Rizal is convinced Is it true Choel got paid by Global Daya
that his brother Andi is not involved in any cor- Manunggal company after he helped get the
ruption, just as he is sure that his other brother Choel, nev- Hambalang project?
er marked up projects. He spoke to Tempo last week about his As far as I know, that didn’t happen. It’s
family’s predicament. hard for me to discuss legal aspects. Be pa-
tient, let the law take its course.
About Andi, did he help
Adhi Karya to win the Hambal-
How big is your role in all this? ang project?
Like I said in the introduction of Be patient and wait for the
my book Dari Langit (From the Sky), court process. We will reveal
my older brother Andi is a nice guy. the truth, not just to save
He’s had a big influence on me. From Andi or Choel. We all want
the time we were small to universi- to learn about good gover-
ty, and today, he is not only a broth- nance. If an official gets in-
er and friend, but also a sparring part- volved in a case, he should
ner in many debates. When I was con- resign. We will wait for the
fused about where to go after I grad- court to decide. We help
uated from Ragunan High School, he with what we know. We will
asked me to go with him and study in take what comes.
Yogyakarta. He said, “Come on, fol- Did Andi ever meet with the
low in Papa’s footsteps.” Our father Adhi Karya management?
graduated from the Social and Polit- The concept and budget of
ical Science Faculty of Gadjah Mada the project was completed in
University during the 1960s. August 2009. If that was the
So you are what you are because of case, that means it couldn’t
Andi? have been done one or two
He is an important part of my life. days. It must have been at
He showed me the right way. least six months before that.
Is it true Choel is the business ‘brain’ Andi became minister on Oc-
in the Mallarangeng family? tober 22, 2009. As a minis-
I wouldn’t say business brain. He ter, Andi met a lot of people.
knows about business and market- State-owned companies like
ing. That’s why when we formed Fox, Adhi Karya could have come
we needed Choel. Later, I asked him to ask his permission. Andi,
to join us, although by then he had as a minister, maybe said
his own company. I told Choel, “Help yes. I have never asked him
me out, let’s not do things on our directly, but I guess a state-
own.” Even now I feel kind of guilty owned company that big
for taking him away from the business would have the right to meet
world. He had a good career there. a minister.
After Fox dissolved, did you and When will Andi be able to
Choel do some coal business togeth- reveal everything?
er? hobby has always been cars and motorcy- He will definitely tell all. Otherwise he
Only me. Choel doesn’t own any shares. cles. When there was a rumor about Choel would not have resigned. Did you see my
DOK.TEMPO/ HENDRA SUHARA
(During the meeting on December 11, Rizal buying a Ferrari, I scolded him, and said, brother’s eyes during the press confer-
said he officially dissolved Fox to become a “What are you doing buying a Ferrari.” I ence? He seemed to be saying, “Hey, this
politician and a Golkar manager. “For my love my brother, but don’t ask me about the is me. You want to put me in prison, go
daily food, I still have my coal business.”) Ferrari. ahead.” But that is not the point. Let’s find
Did Choel ever own a Ferrari California? Choel’s house in Menteng, near the Sunda out who is responsible. Let’s open every-
I don’t know. I do know that my brother’s Kelapa mosque, he bought for Rp40 billion. thing. ●
B
AMBANG Widjojanto sudden- from agree.” reer in the KPK to first get the approval of
ly appeared among the crowd their original institutions. “This article sud-
of journalists. Reporters were + “That’s why you must ask the investiga- denly made its way in, just like that,” stated
interviewing Administrative tors first, not only their institution.” KPK Deputy Chairman Busyro Muqoddas.
Reforms Minister Azwar Abubakar, one “The KPK leaders decided to send a letter of
morning two Sundays ago. The commemo- - “Let’s not argue anymore. Pak Sutar- protest to the president.”
ration of World Anti-Corruption Day at the man (Head of the Police Crime Research Tempo’s sources suspected there was a
National Monument, Jakarta, had just end- Unit) has already approved, so has Pak secret operation that smuggled in the con-
ed. Abraham Samad , the KPK chairman.” jured-up clause. Its aim was to thwart the
Azwar was explaining the points con- status of the nine police investigators, in-
tained in the revision of Government Reg- + “That’s Samad’s personal opinion. The cluding Novel Baswedan—a senior investi-
ulation (PP) No. 63/2005 on human re- KPK is an institution.” gator, who had progressed to become a top
sources management for the anti-corrup- KPK investigator exploring the driving sim-
tion commission. However, he was inter- When Tempo met with Bambang last ulator case that implicated senior police of-
rupted by Bambang, the KPK deputy chair- Thursday, he was still ‘fired up’. He said, ficials. “Someone is concerned about the
man. Azwar refuted Bambang’s statement. “The government should involve the KPK decision to switch the status of those nine,”
Beneath the scorching sun, the two began a in the discussions right up to the end. They said the eyewitness.
heated argument. have not done that. I still feel someone is be- It is unclear on who smuggled in the new
ing dishonest.” article in the regulation. However, Minister
+ “There should be a clause governing A week ago, Minister Azwar said that Azwar stated that the clause is fair for ev-
the wishes of a KPK investigator after his or the revision was final and President Susilo eryone. “We do not want to make a regula-
her term of duty has ended. Before recall- Bambang Yudhoyono just needed to sign tion that is against the law,” he said.
ing the individual, they should ask wheth- it. Regarding the discussion process, Az- The Minister of Justice and Human
Rights, Amir Syamsudin, approved the reg-
ANTARA/WIDODO S. JUSUF
er or not he or she wants to continue the war said that it included other institutions,
work.” such as the KPK and the Police. ulation regarding the “permission from the
The following day, when the KPK met original institution.” He even suggested
- “It will be possible to extend the time of with the president at the palace, Bambang that all police investigators whose term of
duty after four years, if the KPK and insti- Widjojanto asked specifically about the sta- duty had ended to return to their original
tution from where the investigators came tus of the draft revision Azwar mentioned. offices. ● SETRI YASRA, TRI SUHERMAN, INDRA WIJAYA
F
EELINGS of resignation hung versation over a glass of cold coffee. “Ev- are trifling when compared to their worry
over the Sampang Sports Cen- ery day, this is all we do. We’re bored,” said about their children.
ter in Madura on Tuesday last Matsali, a 45 year-old refugee from Karang He feels a little more relieved now that
week. As many as 250 Shia fol- Gayam Village. He offered Tempo a cup of his his two daughters have gone back to
lowers stared emptily at a large the coffee that he had just gulped down. school. Through a sibling from Pasuru-
donated television in a corner of the room. Since moving to the center, Matsali has an, Matsali smuggled the children out of
For 108 days, since August, they have been not been outside the building even once. the center. They are now going attending
trapped there. Going out of the premis- His days are filled with prayer and reading the Shia Islamic boarding school in Bang-
es means having to get police permission, the Qu’ran, or cooking in the kitchen when il, which did not raise administrative has-
which is difficult to obtain. it is his turn. According to Matsali, the ref- sle for documents, such as a letter of trans-
TEMPO/FULLY SYAFI
Several children were seen reciting the ugees went hungry for 10 days in Novem- fer or a report from their original school –
Qu’ran, alongside the men who were sitting ber, because supplies from the East Java which would be impossible for Matsali to
forlornly in a corner of the room. In anoth- government were halted. Aid of Rp 1 billion obtain.
er part of the area, some were in quiet con- had run out, and there were no extra sup- Several other children have also been
According to the head of the Sampang the Shia community ernment will agree to any effort, as long as
KPU, Dovier Syah, it was on purpose that it ends the conflict.”
the refugees did not vote in their camp, so
when they return to ● AGUS SUPRIYANTO, MUSTHOFA BISRI (SAMPANG),
that the Shia community’s vote could not be their villages. SONY WIGNYA WIBAWA (SURABAYA)
L
AST week, 26 legislators from the House of Repre- New Zealand. Almost instantaneously, they have been ac-
sentatives (DPR) serving in the Livestock Commis- cused of wasting public funds and finding mere excuses for
sion, and their expert staff, undertook a study tour a junket.
to France and China. For six days, they studied cattle They were not alone. Twenty members of the Research and
farming as a background to revising Law No. 18/2009 on ani- Technology Commission also undertook a study tour to the
mal husbandry and health. United States and Brazil. Travelling in two teams, they were
The strange thing is, the majority of Indonesia’s meat im- accompanied by officials from the National Institute for Aero-
ports are not from China or France, but from Australia and nautics and Space, purportedly to draft an aerospace law.●
VISITING CATTLE
TO ROCKETS
CATTLE
France
Head of Delegation: Romahurmuziy,
United Development Party
Members: 13 people
Cost: Rp 938,601 million
China
Head of Delegation: Herman
Khaeron, Democratic Party
Members: 11 people
Cost: Rp 632 million SATELLITES and ROCKETS
Places visited: United States of America
- Office Internationale des Head of Delegation: Ahmad Fahrial Places visited:
Epizooties in Paris Members: 7 people - Boeing International
- Integrated Quarantine Installations Cost: Rp. 975,7 million - NASA Ames Research Center
- Veterinary authorities Brazil - George Washington University
- Abattoirs Head of Delegation: Sutan Bhatoegana - Brazilian Technological Institute of
- National Reference Laboratory Members : 13 people Aeronautics
- Observation of Livestock locations Cost: Rp 1,91 billion - Brazilian Ministry of Defense
fort by the Democrats to close ranks On Sunday two weeks ago, the
after one of their members, Andi Mal- elite of the party gathered together at
larangeng, was indicted in the Ham- the official residence of the chair, in
balang corruption case. Two weeks Puri, Cikeas, Bogor. At the meeting,
ago, Andi resigned from his position Yudhoyono repeatedly emphasized
as Minister of Youth and Sports. that cases such as that of Andi must
The program, planned as an 11th not be repeated. ●
POLYGAMY AND AN
84-YEAR OLD ARGUMENT DEBRA H. YATIM*
T
HOSE who don’t remember the past are condemned Aceng is not alone. In 1954, when President Sukarno took an-
to repeat it, said a philosopher. And the regent of Ga- other wife, and First Lady Fatmawati moved out of the palace
rut, West Java, Aceng Fikri, got condemned in spades taking along their five children, imagine the man’s shock (con-
this month. sidering that up to that point he was much-revered) when a gag-
What didn’t he remember? Only a little matter, polygamy. I’m gle of women conducted a rowdy march against him at the pal-
not being facetious. Polygamy is never on the national agenda. ace.
Whenever it’s dredged up for discussion, men will quickly de- Fast forward 2006, to one Abdullah Gymnastiar, popu-
fend the practice, calling upon God, no less, to side with them. lar cleric, media personality and head of the Daarul Tauhid
They will haul in clergy and scholars and singers, the odd po- Pesantren in Bandung. A savvy owner of many enterprises in-
lygamist or two, and tell us vehemently that the Book permits cluding a publishing house, a radio station, a broadcast house,
it. We could say that therein lies the matter. Because, as texts and a training facility, for a whole period, Gymnastiar was con-
go, the written word can be interpreted, reinterpreted and mis- stantly on TV, mouthing platitudes and dispensing advice. His
interpreted till kingdom come. ratings were an ad-person’s dream. Until he took a second
But polygamy raises an old argument. You’d think wife. Almost overnight his congregation (mostly wom-
that after more than 80 years, a discussion would at en) left him, his ratings plummeted, and his business
least reach a set point. But no. As the Aceng ruckus
That crashed.
proves, the argument rages on. While Indonesia some men Marshall Clark wrote that most Indonesian
has the largest Islamic population, on this one openly flaunt women, including those who recognize polyg-
purportedly most Muslim of issues (though po- their polygamy and amy as sanctioned in the Quran, are strongly
lygamy is not a Muslim monopoly), the popula- claim it as evidence against it. Agreeing, political scientist Ery Seda
tion stands almost fifty-fifty on different sides of of their Islamic told the press that “sometimes men just don’t get
a schism: for, and against. identity has it.”
In 1913, Siti Soendari in Wanita Sworo, related In Suharto’s New Order, a 1974 Marriage Law
advancements by women, stressed their need for
alarmed many made monogamy the official norm. The law, strong-
education – and scathingly attacked polygamy. In women. ly opposed by Islamic factions, imposed restrictions
1915, the Putri Mardika denounced it and child-mar- on polygamy (including a requirement that would-be
riage as “old-fashioned and should be abolished”. The ef- polygamists obtain permission from the first wife before
forts of many pushing for education and advancement of wom- marrying again). In 1983, a clause was added: to commit polyg-
en culminated when on 22 December 1928, some 200 women amy, civil servants have to also seek permission from their su-
representing 30 organizations held a congress in Yogyakarta, periors. Anthropologist Suzanne Brenner wrote, “Ironically,
to discuss issues faced by women. These included a demand for it was Indonesia’s transition to democracy after Suharto that
education, a halt to child-marriage and women-trafficking, and made it possible for polygamy openness.” President Megawati -
the sticky point of - you guessed it, polygamy. incidentally the daughter of the aforementioned Sukarno - had
Some 84 years on, the married Aceng Fikri tied nuptials with a vice-president, Hamzah Haz, who, despite the 1974 law, had
a 17-year old girl, then divorced her four days later because “she three wives, taking his third wife while still in office.
was not a virgin.” He is threatened with breaking several laws, This de facto openness attests to the state’s lack of interest.
including abuse of power and being party to female traffick- That some men openly flaunt their polygamy and claim it as
ing – to an under-aged female to boot. But arguably, his mistake evidence of their Islamic identity has alarmed many women,
was underestimating how heatedly his female constituents feel wrote Susan Blackburn. So here we are, with George Santaya-
about polygamy, seeing how hundreds of jilbab-covered wom- na’s admonition going unheeded.
en picketed for him to be sacked. *DEBRA H. YATIM IS WRITER, POET AND JOURNALIST.
LAW
WHEN JUDGES
ARE JUDGED
Supreme Court Judge Achmad Yamanie was found guilty of ethical
breaches and has been dismissed.
I
T was the first ever dishonorable mil on the second floor of the MA building, He was assisted by computer operator Ab-
dismissal of a justice. His bribery the meeting to reach the decision was al- dul Halim. Before the team of judges, Halim
allegation is being investigated. It most without debate. confessed he had changed a provision on
took only 15 minutes for the Eth- After the consultation, a draft decision Hanky’s verdict at the behest of Yamanie.
ics Council to discuss the punish- was delivered to council secretary Sety- The team requested Supreme Court chief
ment to be imposed on justice Ach- awan Hartono for typing. While awaiting justice, Hatta Ali, to dismiss Yamanie.
TEMPO/DHEMAS REVIYANTO
mad Yamanie. Last week, the pan- the document to be ready, nine members But on November 14, Yamanie unex-
el of three justices and four commissioners of the Honorary Council had their lunch pectedly submitted his letter of resigna-
of the Judicial Commission agreed that the served in boxes, comprising rice, fried tion to the President through the Supreme
deed perpetrated by Yamanie was a grave chicken and salad. Court chairman. In his letter, Yamanie,
ethical violation. Using the room of Su- Two hours later, after being neatly who should have retired in April 2015 said
preme Court Deputy chairman Ahmad Ka- typed, the decision was read out direct- he could not continue his duty because he
hammad Saleh. The Judicial Commission Halim was granted by the council. “We con-
was represented by four commissioners: changed Hanky’s sidered all evidence already solid enough
Imam Anshori Saleh, Suparman Marzuki, verdict. They turned to point to Yamanie, so a confrontation was
Taufiqurrohman Syahuri, and Jaja Ahmad unnecessary,” said Suparman Marzuki, an
Jayus. out to be precisely Ethics Council member.
■■■ the same. Examined by the Supreme Court inter-
the panel chairman,” said Halim quoting For the Judicial Commission, however, headquarters to inquire about the develop-
Yamanie, as recorded in the examination the discharge of Yamanie wasn’t the end of ments of alleged reports of falsification by
document. the case. The commission that preserves Yamanie in connection with Hanky’s ver-
Besides examining Yamanie, the MA in- the dignity of judges will shortly delve into dict change.
ternal team questioned Imron Anwari and the motive behind the change of the ver- ● ANTON APRIANTO, FRANSISCO ROSARIANS
IK L A N
T
HE villa caretaker was sud- the door while other police were on stand- After knocking again, the door of villa
denly alert, startled by the ar- by with their pistols drawn, aiming at the Athena 2 opened. A brown-skinned man
rival of a dozen men at 1.30 direction of the entrance. Several more po- approximately 180 centimeters in height
a.m. Hours before, the atmo- lice held flashlights as the villa was dark. appeared from behind the door. He was
sphere at the villa named Puri- After ten minutes of knocking, the door dressed in only a shirt and underwear.
Puri Kecil was quiet because the guests to the room had still not been opened by its Two officers immediately restrained him.
were in their rooms. “We said that we want- occupant. Around ten meters from where Andrea confirmed his identity. This time
ed to search for a fugitive,” the Bali Police the investigators were standing, a whis- they got their man. It was the Vitale who
Crime Investigation Unit chief, Commis- pered conversation in a foreign language had been hunted by Italian Police for the
sioner Pande Putu Sugiarta, told Tempo. between three men was heard. The police past year.
Pande handed over a photograph and then moved in the direction of the room Initially, Vitale would not identify him-
mentioned the name of the wanted man, where the voices were coming from, and self. However, he gave up after Andrea
Antonino Messicati Vitale, an Italian na- arrested the three because one of them was checked his face against a photo from his
AP/CARABINIERI
tional. The caretaker then guided his po- suspected of being the fugitive they were cell phone. He was handcuffed. He did not
lice guests to villa Athena 2, located at the looking for. resist arrest and was escorted out of the vil-
far end of the complex. They knocked on Andrea Vitalone, an Italian Interpol agent la where vehicles, along with dozens of po-
4. A team made up of members of the Vio- tember 2012, he returned to Puri-Puri Ke- when Vitale will be returned to his country.
lent Crimes Unit and members of the Ital- cil and rented villa Athena 2. The villa is At this moment, said Pande, the extradi-
ian and Indonesian Interpol, spread out to made up of a bedroom and kitchen. The tion documents are being arranged by the
various resort locations usually popular to price of rent is Rp 350,000 per day. At the police in Italy.
Italian tourists, such as Kuta. time of his arrest, Vitale owed Rp 3.5 mil- ● MUSTAFA SILALAHI, KETUT EFRATA
Petronas Gas
Pump closed
down on Jalan
M.H. Thamrin,
Kebon Nanas,
Tangerang.
THE HEAT ON PETRONAS that Petronas had not notified him with
a clear reason why the fuel supplies were
stopped.
A number of Indonesian businessmen are sueing Petronas, Refusing to be treated arbitrarily, Yus-
ti and seven other gas station proprietors
Malaysia’s oil company. Mediation always ends in a deadlock. filed a suit against Petronas Indonesia on
19 October, 2012. But this attempt was un-
successful. Therefore, early in November,
T
HE Petronas gasoline station on gas station operators in 2005. Until this along with the seven station owners, Yus-
Jalan Fatmawati, South Jakar- year, they have operated the gas stations ti filed a lawsuit against Petronas through
ta, stopped operating over three only in Jakarta and in Medan. The Petro- the South Jakarta District Court, request-
months ago. The station, twice nas stations sell non-subsidized fuel, such ing the court penalize Petronas by paying
the size of a tennis court, is now deserted, as octane 92 gasoline (or Primax 92), oc- Rp 200 billion in damages for the unilater-
in contrast to a Pertamina station where tane 95 gasoline (or Primax 95), as well as al discontinuation of fuel supplies to their
motor vehicles line up for refueling. diesel oil. Unlike in Jakarta, in Medan since gas stations. “Petronas has violated the
A restaurant behind the gas station ap- 2009, Petronas had the license to sell sub- rights of the dealers,” declared Florianus
peared deserted as well. Refusing to suf- sidized fuel. Sp. Sangsun, the attorney to the seven sta-
fer the same fate as the station in front of The Oil and Gas Regulatory (BPH Migas) tion owners.
it, this modest eating house put up a poster noted in its records that Petronas’ market Mediation efforts have been made. Three
reading “Open As Usual” to attract custom- share in the second quarter of 2012 was meetings have been held with Petronas,
ers. Desolation is also apparent at the car only 0.5 percent. Petronas only occupies but all came to a deadlock. Next week, the
wash not far away from the Petronas sta- 10th place, selling 38,300 liters of fuel in two opposing parties will meet in the South
tion. “This gas pump has been closed a long Indonesia. This rating is in danger of going Jakarta District Court. At the hearing, the
time,” said Togen, who sells safety helmets even lower after most Petronas gas stations judge will offer the two disputing parties
near the gate to the gasoline station. shut down because they no longer get gas the option of settling the case out of court,
The gas pump on Jalan Fatmawati is on supplies. or to continue the case
the list of 15 Petronas-owned gas stations in The unilateral discontinuation of the Petronas’s attorney, Eri Hertiawan, re-
Jakarta and in Medan that have stopped op- fuel supplies angered pump operators who fused to comment on the lawsuit institut-
TEMPO/MARIFKA WAHYU HIDAYAT
erating. Only four remaining stations con- worked in cooperation with Petronas. Yus- ed by the gas station proprietors. He hint-
tinue to serve customers despite the on-and- ti Arubadewi, one of the station owners in ed that he would fight the plaintiffs. “Based
off fuel supplies. The clinical death of a num- Cibubur, West Java, resented the unilater- on law, the mediation process is closed,” he
ber of the said gas pumps is caused by the al discontinuation by Petronas of its fuel stated. Eri cited the secrecy clause in the
fact that Petronas Niaga Indonesia has uni- supply to his gas pump, given the fact that Dealer License Agreement as to why they
laterally discontinued supplying them fuel. he said his contract with Petronas was not kept mum regarding the unilateral stop-
Petronas started to partner Indonesian due to end for another three years. What page of fuel supplies. ● ISMA SAVITRI, ROSALINA
I
T was not easy for us to this year’s films had something new to of- picture can bring jointly-produced short
select the best film of the fer. This made us optimistic that the Indo- films to the public. The shortcoming of an
year. Unlike last year, nesian film world still had fresh things to of- omnibus film is the varying quality of the
when many good films fer—even during this production drought. short films.
were in the theaters, One interesting phenomenon was the re- Homosexual or lesbian-gay-bisexual-
this year there was a bit lease of a number of omnibus films—films transsexual (LGBT) themes also appeared
of a drought in the Indo- which consist of a number of short mov- in some films. These included Parts of the
nesian film world. Pri- ies with a common theme. These included: Heart and Sanubari Jakarta. This, of course,
ma Rusdi, a film observ- Parts of the Heart directed by Paul Agusta, was not a new theme. Last year there was
er who was on the jury Jakarta Hati from Salman Aristo, Sanubari The Lovely Man, which was very good. We
for Tempo’s Best Films of Jakarta directed jointly by Lola Amaria and saw some interesting dilemmas, especial-
2012, said that this may friends, and Dilema from five directors. ly in Parts of the Heart, which culminated in
be part of a cycle which Some did not categorize the latter film as an their choice of sexual orientation.
has been going on for the omnibus, but as a multi-plot picture. The dilemmatic situation, according
past several years. “Because they released This film format is a good way to Prima Rusdi, was evident in the
films last year, this year’s filmmakers took to showcase new talent in the film Parts of the Heart, and in other
a break to prepare films to be released next film world. It gives young di- films as well, but with different
year,” he said. rectors a place to start cre- problems. “Unlike the past few
However, this certainly does not mean ating films on a smaller years, when the struggle be-
there were no good films to select from scale. Unlike short films, tween pro and contra was in-
over the past year—from December 2011 to which cannot possibly be dicated as the protagonist ver-
3 December 2012. Even though there were shown commercially in sus an antagonistic figure, this
not as many, and none as good as last year, movie theatres, an omnibus year we watched as the protag-
onist (or antagonist) had to face
their own values or beliefs,” said
SPECIAL REPORT TEAM FOR TEMPO’S FILM CHOICE
Prima.
TEMPO/ NITA DIAN (PRIMA)
Head of Team: Qaris Tajudin Project Head: Nunuy Nurhayati Coordinator: Nunuy Nurhayati Take Atambua 39º Celcius, for instance.
Editor: Seno Joko Suyono Writers: Leila S. Chudori, Qaris Tajudin, Nurdin Kalim, Nunuy Nurhayati, Evieta
The main character in this film was a father
Fadjar Pusporini, Prima Rusdi (penulis luar) Contributors: Kurniawan, Dian Yuliastuti
Language: Uu Suhardi, Iyan Bastian Photos: Nita Dian (koordinator), Jacky Rachmansyah, Suryo Wibowo,
who deeply loved Indonesia and decided to
Wisnu Agung Prasetyo Photographic Development: Agustyawan Pradito Design: Agus Darmawan Setiadi, leave East Timor after the referendum. He
Aji Yuliarto, Kendra Paramita, Eko Punto Pambudi swore he would not return to East Timor,
The Struggle
to be Honest
A bold personal film portrays
the life of a gay man, from a
pre-teen ager to his forties.
PRIMA RUSDI, FILM BUFF ture of Paul’s rendering of the syndrome is Segments 6 to 8 are more in the form of fic-
how he draws the audience into the logic of tional episodes, but remain based on Paul’s
H
IS BIG build is far from in- a person with the disorder, who often un- emotional and mental states.
timidating. He always dergoes extreme upheavals, and even en- For screenplay writing, Paul strived to
speaks in carefully chosen dangering him- or herself. recall in greater detail everything happen-
sentences (both in Indone- Paul knows the trouble well, as he him- ing in his life. “For instance, I painstaking-
sian and in English) in a soft self has suffered from the syndrome. He ly tried to recollect how my emotions re-
tone, and frequently avoids the gaze of the once tried to commit suicide due to the sponded in my first kiss, what the dialogue
one he’s talking to. disease. But he has never hidden his con- was about. The dialogue may be 95 percent
This is Paul Agusta, 32. To film people dition, even readily serving as a reference the same.”
who have been active over the last decade, point for anybody wishing to be more in- The character of Peter was played by dif-
he is already familiar. When the Jakarta In- formed about it. ferent actors (one of whom was director
ternational Film Festival (JiFFest) was still His third movie, Parts of the Heart, is Joko Anwar). “To be frank, some segments
organized and became one of the meeting even more steeped in a personal struggle. were indeed hard to write because they
arenas between filmmakers of the younger This was what attracted Tempo’s attention. forced me to remember distressing events I
generation, Paul served as a volunteer. At Parts of the Heart (2011) illustrates the path had experienced,” explained Paul.
the time, he also regularly analyzed films of life of Peter, a gay, from his pre-teen age The segment depicting the demise of Pe-
for The Jakarta Post. Paul once also wrote to the early forties through eight separate ter’s sweetheart, for example, was among
the subtitles for the film Banyu Biru (direc- segments. Paul is also a gay. So each seg- those Paul admitted to have been difficult
tor Teddy Soeriaatmadja, 2005). ment of the film reflects the emotional ex- to compose as they in fact described how
Perhaps after he has had to face various perience he has gone through or been able his darling had died. For the moments that
forums of dialogues in a number of film fes- to feel. really took place, Paul had from the begin-
tivals, and in last few years has also often “The idea of making this film emerged ning decided to fully reveal with hones-
been teaching, Paul now seems more com- when I got married in June 2010. What I’ve ty, rather than halfheartedly. He indicat-
fortable in talking before many people, and longed for in my life is to find somebody ed that the process of finishing Parts of the
with those he has just met. with whom I can spend my whole lifetime, Heart had not always been pleasant. “It’s
He has made three pictures, all reflecting and be happy,” he said. According to Paul, because recalling something we don’t like
personal struggles. Kado Hari Jadi (Birth- when he was married, he was battered with entails tough healing. Its shooting was also
FOTO-FOTO: KINEKUMA PICTURES
day Gift, 2008), the first movie he directed, existential questions of what made him upsetting.”
unveils Paul’s interest in the dark side of hu- reach this point. “Parts of the Heart actually Each segment on average took two days
manity. Kado depicts a person’s emotion- presents my introspection of whatever mo- to write and one month to prepare for
al condition triggered by a grudge. His sec- ments that have so far formed my present shooting after the screenplay was ready. In-
ond flick, Di Dasar Segalanya (Beneath Ev- figure.” terestingly, the number of characters and
erything, 2010), tells about a woman affect- Segments 1 to 5, telling about teenage Pe- locations was small in Parts of the Heart.
ed by bipolar syndrome. The unique fea- ter, virtually constitute Paul’s biography. Each segment was played by two main fig-
An arrogant
Photographer
and Model
Tio’s role as a calm and seasoned
photographer is extremely attractive.
He was able to maintain an emotional
stability throughout the film which was
not an easy task for the actor.
PHOTO: JACKY RACHMANSYAH
W
EARING a blue flannel
shirt and cream colored
trousers with trekking
shoes, Arya sprightly
takes aim with his man-
ually operated Nikon F4 camera. With
great agility he is able to capture interesting
poses as the model in front of him moves
amongst the trees and long grasses. Arya
knows the exact moment when to click the
camera. One senses that he has truly mas-
tered the technique of manipulating man-
ual cameras still using film, despite also be-
ing very adept at using automatic digital
cameras.
His agility and sprightliness in manipu-
lating the camera are in sharp contrast to
his calm and relaxed attitude. Arya han-
dles with extreme calmness, Rayya, a high-
ly successful diva, actress and model whose
loud manner of speaking explodes across
the room and who behaves like a prima
donna. He later becomes involved in pro-
ducing the photographs for for an autobi-
ography project of Rayya. During the proj-
ect, he and Rayya are thrown together dur-
ing a long drive from Jakarta to Bali, search-
ing for attractive locations in which to pho-
tograph the diva.
Arya – the figure of the photographer in
the film Rayya, Cahaya di Atas Cahaya, or
“Rayya, Light Upon Light” – is played beau-
tifully by Tio Pakusadewo. Through his ex-
tremely natural gestures and style, Tio is
able to exactly portray the character of a
professional photographer. As usual the
49- year old actor, who has appeared in
dozens of films in which he has nearly nev-
er given a disappointing performance, has
also given an outstanding performance in
Rayya under the guidance of film director
Viva Westi.
It may well be that the actor’s brilliant potong Roti (Love in a Slice of Bread) which ing at analogical as well as digital photogra-
performance in Rayya was in part possi- was directed by well-known Indonesian phy, he turned to a photographer at one of
ble because the world of photography is in- film director, Garin Nugroho. It is quite Indonesia’s foremost media houses. “I also
deed not unfamiliar to the actor, whose full by chance that the film which brought his studied his views on photography,” he re-
name is Irwan Susetyo Pakusadewo. Be- name to fame is very similar to Rayya. Both marked. “I observed the world of photogra-
fore completely immersing himself in the are road-movie films, telling the story of phers for about a month.”
world of acting, Tio was once the photogra- one (or several) characters on a journey Tio, who was born in Jakarta on Sep-
pher of a magazine. He was also a fashion from one place to another. “I was following tember 2, 1963, has since childhood want-
FOTO-FOTO: PIC[K]LOCK PRODUCTION
photographer. “Quit by accident as it hap- a similar journey. It was as though I went ed to become an actor. In his youth, he
pens, my hobby is actually photography. So on a journey following the traces of the film was already active as a member of Teater
I already know the basics of photography,” Cinta dalam Sepotong Roti,” he declared. Sendiri, - which translated roughly means
he explained. Nevertheless, Tio still had to study and “One’s Own Theatre” - and was under the
And this has not been the first time that prepare for his photographer role in Rayya. directorship of Nawir Hamzah. Later he in-
Tio has portrayed the role of a photogra- To better understand the way of think- creased his knowledge about the science of
pher in a film. In 1990 he acted as Topan, ing and of viewing things by a professional film making at the Cinematography Facul-
a photographer in the film Cinta dalam Se- photographer, including their way of look- ty of the Institut Kesenian Jakarta (Jakarta
Tio Pakusadewo as Arya in has been among the most difficult to play. ished.”
the movie Rayya, Cahaya di The hardest thing about the film for him For Tio, Rayya is a film that took long in
Atas Cahaya. was that he had to keep his emotions un- the making. His reading and study prepa-
der control all the time. “I had to keep my rations before filming began took about a
emotions stable so that they remained the month. Since receiving the script from the
Institute of Art), from where graduated in same throughout the film. I tell you that screenwriter, Emha Ainun Nadjib, Tio had
1986. Before beginning wrestling with the was not easy for me,” he said. “Especially, to start to really try to understand his di-
film world, Tio was for a while a model. His as throughout the film, the figure of Arya alogue. “In the dialogue, there are many
debut as an actor was when he appeared as is constantly being confronted by that of winged words and philosophical turns of
a servant in the film Bilur-bilur Penyesalan Rayya (played by Titi Sjuman), whose emo- language that are specifically Ainun Nad-
(Slivers of Regret), which was produced in tions are portrayed as constantly going up jib’s trademark,” he confided.
1968. and down. The filming also took a full month. Oth-
Tio became well known after he starred Later the climax of the film centers on er films that he has starred in have not tak-
in the film Love in a Slice of Bread. His ca- the movement of Arya’s hand and not on en so long. “From pre-filming preparations
reer first attracted attention after he was his expression. This occurrs when, to- to the end of filming usually lasts not more
chosen Best Actor in the 1991 Indonesian wards the end of the film, Arya is forced to than a month,” Arya noted.
Film Festival, for in the movie Lagu un- sign the divorce papers handed to him by One of the challenges faced in the mak-
tuk Seruni (A Song for Seruni) directed by his wife, Dea. At that moment Arya as a hus- ing of Rayya was shooting in the crater of
Labbes Widar. Since then his rise has been band has to make the most difficult deci- the Ijen volcano in East Java. Tio almost
unstoppable. He has starred in dozens of sion of his life. gave up as he attempted to climb its steep
films, including Berbagi Suami (Sharing In that scene, Tio is required to display incline. There came a point where he asked
Husbands), Quickie Express, Lastri, Pintu the accumulation of emotions of the fig- that filming be stopped, and asked to with-
Terlarang (Forbidden Door), Identitas, Kata ure of Arya in the movement of his hand. draw from the contract. However, he later
Ma’af Terakhir (Last Apology), Alangkah And he succeeds. The scene where Arya’s felt ashamed when he saw the whole film
Lucunya Negri Ini (How Funny this Country hand scratches his signature on the divorce crew, including those who were quite over-
Is), Tebus (Redemption). Dilema and Perahu papers that his wife thrusts at him is high- weight, climb to the peak. So in the end
Kertas (Paper Boat). ly dramatic. “The scene was only shot once with great difficulty, he too climbed to the
Tio disclosed that, of the many films that and not repeated,” crowed Tio. “And after top. “Good heavens, I was limping by the
he has starred in, he feels his role in Rayya that scene was taken, the shooting was fin- time I was done,” he exclaimed. ●
The
Lesbian
Drug
Dealer
She plays the role of a lesbian
so naturally in her first film
production.
PHOTO: TEMPO/WISNU AGUNG PRASETYO
D
IAN, the beautiful girl, is It’s not easy for Wulan to metamorpho- a detective drama genre film called Dilema.
startled when a kiss lands se into Rima. She confides that it took her “It was a joint project,” says Wulan, who di-
on her lips, warm and affec- three to four week to learn mannerisms to rected a part of the film. The four young di-
tionate, like the kiss of a male convey being a lesbian. Two friends, who rectors wrote the screenplay.
lover. The only difference is incidentally are lesbians, served as refer- Dilema is unlike most othe feature films.
that it’s a kiss from another woman, named ence points for Wulan, who closely observe It’s more like an omnibus carrying sever-
Rima. Physically, Rima looks mannish, the way they walked, talked, laughed, and al stories. Wulan calls Dilema a film with
her hair in a crew-cut, her body heavy-set, acted in their everyday lives. “But I didn’t many plots linked to one another into a uni-
her voice husky, and her demeanor a little emulate them. I only observed for the sake ty. Five plots make up the story, each one
awkward. Yet she’s capable of breaking the of my acting in the film.” Satisfied with her worked on by a different director, depict-
ice. The kiss in the room brings both wom- observation, Wulan went on to research ing varous aspects of life in Jakarta in five ti-
en closer to each other. other lesbians before going through the tles, The Officer, Hardline, The Gambler, The
Dian comes from a broken home. She screenplay. Big Boss, and Rendezvous.
flees to Bali in sorrow after the death of her Most importantly, Wulan worked hard Rima appears only in the final moments
mother in an accident. Her relations with on building the masculine side of the role of the story, after all the other characters
her father have long been strained. The she was to play, an important factor that have played their parts. Rima appeared in
presence of Rima, whom she met on the led her to perfect the characterization of Rendezvous alongside Dian. It wasn’t easy
beach, restores her passion for life. In her Rima. It paid off. Even her husband, Adil- to find the right person to play the role of
eyes, Rima is guardian angel very under- la Dimitri, praised her acting. “He (Dmi- Rima. In the end, Wulan herself took the
standing of her sorrow. What Dian doesn’t tri) said my body movements were man- role. “I took it as a challenge to play the role
know is that Rima has come to destroy her like,” says Wulan. Problems arose when when it was offered me,” says Wulan.
life. She’s a drug trafficker preying on chil- Wulan, carried away by her characteriza- So it was that Wulan played two roles, as
dren of broken homes. tion of Rima, continued to act a lesbian an actress and as producer. As an actress,
Rima’s role is played flawlessly by Wulan long after the completion of the shooting she had to transform herself into the char-
Guritno. With Pevita Pearce acting as Dian, sessions. acter she was to play. As a producer, she
Wulan shines in the film. Born in London The real challenge to Wulan is to play not had to look for people willing to finance the
on April 1980, Wulan acts very naturally as only the role of Rima, but also that of herself production, find the performers, and han-
a lesbian in the way she gestures and talks. as a film producer. After a long list of acting dle all sorts of problems, from production
Not only allowing herself to get a crew-cut in such productions as Gie, Nagabonar Jadi to the post-production phase.
FOTO-FOTO: WGE PICTURES
and kissing a person of the same sex with 2, Rumah Maida, Suster N, and Demi Dewi, Wulan was pregnant during the filming
no camera trick, Wulan demonstrates a ca- Wulan decided to produce a film of her own. of Dilema, which made her perform bet-
pacity to metamorphose from a truly fem- In 2001 she set up WGE Pictures. Jointly with ter in the role of a stout, mannish female.
inine character, into Rima the lesbian, a four young directors, including her hus- “I was pregnant with a baby boy,” she says.
complex character, friendly at one time band Adilla Dimitri, Robert Ronny, Rinaldy “Maybe because I emulated a lot of male
and cold and unfeeling at another. Puspoyo and Robby Ertanto, she produced hormones at the time.” ●
Sammaria’s
BEST FILM
Far Leap
This year, Tempo’s Film
of the Year choice goes
to a family comedy that
represents us all.
PHOTO: TEMPO/SURYO WIBOWO
T
HE film has not been circulat- cerned over her lack of a life partner. So she Demi Ucok was chosen as Tempo’s best
ed widely, however it has al- offered to fund the film provided that her Film of the Year not just because of it be-
ready captivated and gripped only child is willing to be matchmade with ing a honest and solid comedy, but also be-
those who have seen it. With- a Batak man of her choice. cause it uses a light approach to the issue,
out any meaningful debate Funny, honest and brisk, the movie and manages to make the audience real-
among the jury, the movie Demi Ucok (For speaks with ease and quickly captures the ize that the issue is after all a collective so-
Ucok), the work of film director Sammaria audience’s hearts. The director made the cial issue. Sammaria’s personal story about
Simanjuntak became Tempo’s Film of the film through crowd-funding and with the a relationship between a mother and her
Year. help of her mother, who in real life is the daughter, with all its complexity, becomes
The movie tells the story about the ‘tug- movie’s producer. The film uses humor to our own story.
FOTO-FOTO: KEPOMPONG GENDUT
of-war’ between a Batak girl, Gloria, and bring light on the attitude of the young gen- Born on May 4, 1983, Sammaria Siman-
her mother, Mak Gondut. The daughter, eration, who want to be independent but juntak is the youngest of three siblings.
like any other girl, said, “I don’t want to still live with parents. There is also a touch- An alumnus of the Architecture Faculty of
become like you, Mom - get married, for- ing scene where the mother finally agrees Bandung Institute of Technology, she has
get her dreams, and live boringly ever af- to play in her daughter’s movie, despite the long been attracted to the film world, since
ter.” Glo is a young film maker struggling to fact that she has to run around wearing a she participated in a student exchange pro-
make her second film. The mother is con- white dress and a crown on her head. gram to Germany in 2004. “Since they have
great well-stocked libraries, my activities a dream. In 2009, with a capital of R 100 is more like the life of an ‘adult’. The bitter-
there - apart from learning the German lan- million, Sammaria produced her first film, ness was subtly portrayed. Sammaria and
guage - was watching a lot of movies,” Sam- Cin(T)a, which told of a love story between Sally begin to show their ‘class’. They were
maria recalled. She said one of her favorite a couple of lovebirds with differing faiths. not pedantic in the movie. Everything was
movies was Charlie Chaplin, The Great Dic- Producing the film based on a script writ- depicted in picutres, and the audience can
tator. ten together with Sally Anom Sari, and us- feel with them without spoken words.
But she put aside the desire to make films, ing limited artists, she managed to garner Therefore, it is not surprising that Demi
because she knew that producing a film re- the original screenplay award for the mov- Ucok became their next success. A second
quired money and organization. “Each ie at the 2009 Indonesian Film Festival. film still made with a limited budget is Sam-
day, all I talked about was making films – In the following year, Sammaria began maria’s far leap. Demi Ucok is not only an
I want make this or that film – but I didn’t to show maturity. Along with several other entertaining movie, it also illustrates emo-
have any vision about the type of stories. movie directors under the sponsorship of tions very well, while subtle social pres-
Perhaps my friends got tired of listening to Kalyanashira Foundation, Sammaria and sures and people’s problems are embed-
my dream,” she said. Sally produced a segment called 5 Menit ded in the comedy. If Sammaria develops
The flame inside her was ignited by the Lagi (Five More Minutes) as a part of Work- her talents well, she will eventually be able
late Malaysian filmmaker, Yasmin Ahmad, ing Girls series. In the segment, they told a to follow the footsteps of Indonesia’s film
who stressed that everyone must have story of a young dangdut singer whose life greats . ●
A WAY-OUT
FOR
BAKRIE
T
HE Bakrie Group can now
breathe a sigh of relief. Its in-
tention to buy back its 29 per-
cent stake in Bumi Resourc-
es, controlled in the past year
by Bumi Plc, will soon be realized. A sev-
en-hour meeting of Bumi Plc’s board of di-
rectors at its headqurters on the 4th floor of
Grosvenor Place in London on Wednesday
last week, decided to follow up on Bakrie’s
offer, rather than an alternative proposal
by Nathaniel Rothschild.
Bumi PLC, however, will not make any
recommendations to shareholders until af-
ter all pertinent regulations have been met.
“The board of directors will continue work-
ing towards taking the Bakrie Group out of
the Bumi Plc, and revoking the company’s
minority rights in Bumi Resources,” a state-
ment on the company’s website said after
the meeting.
Last October, the Bakrie Group, through
Bakrie & Brothers and Long Haul Holdings
Ltd, offered to sell its 23.8 stake in Bumi
Plc, a company jointly set up with Recapital
Group and Nathaniel Rothschild.
Bakrie wanted to swap the stake with 10.3
percent of Bumi Plc’s 29.2 percent stake in
Bumi Resources, and buy the remaining
18.9 percent before Christmas for US$ 278
million.
Bakrie also wants to buy all 84.7 percent
stake of Bumi Plc in Berau Coal six months
after. If realized, the whole deal will cost
Bakrie an estimated US$ 1.2 trillion.
Despite Bumi Plc‘s decision to keep Berau
Coal, Bakrie Group’s Vice President Com-
munications, Christopher Fong, welcomes
that decision. For Bakrie will then not only
buy back Bumi Resources, but also, most
importantly, quit Bumi Plc and sever rela-
tionships with Rothschild.
ANTARA/MUHAMMAD IQBAL, TEMPO/JATI MAHATMAJI
Rothschild has
charged the Board
for giving Bakrie a
way out to avoid the
consequences of a
possible breach of
British law.
Nathaniel Indra
Rothschild Bakrie
the person behind the allegations that have Resources, Rothschild demanded a radi- Life Investments, Taube Hodson Stonex
been reported by Bakrie to the Indonesian cal clean-up of the coal operation, for poor LLP, and Artemis Investment Management
police. performance. LLP.
Last week Macfarlanes presented results Bakrie was furious. It suspected Roth- However, instead of acting in the inter-
of a preliminary investigation. But it wasn’t schild for trying to destroy Bakrie, and take ests of the minority shareholders, Roth-
clear what its findings were. Meanwhile, over its biggest coal operation. Meanwhile, schild charged the board of directors with
Bumi Plc announced in a statement that the company at the time was in desperate providing a way out for Bakrie to avoid the
it would look into the alleged hacking of need of money to pay maturing debts. consequences of investigations being car-
Bakrie’s e-mails. “But this won’t affect the Early this year, in a move that angered ried out for a possible breach of British law.
board of directors’ seriousness in respond- Rothschild, Bakrie sold half of its 23.8 per- “Meanwhile they place their people to get
ing to the charges.” cent stake to Samin Tan, owner of Borneo more voting rights in Bumi Plc, and control
Nick von Schirnding, head of Bumi Plc Lumbung Energy & Metal. Tan, dubbed by the management of Berau Coal,” said Roth-
Group Communications, said investiga- Rothschild as an ally of Bakrie, was named schild.
tions were continuing. He could not ascer- chairman of Bumi Plc. Tan acknowledged A Tempo source said the failure of the NR
tain when Macfarlanes would present the in a recent conversation with Tempo that Investment proposal was because it was
final results of the investigation. What’s he had for the past two decades been close too straightforward, relieving Samin and
clear is that “we have already reduced our to the Bakrie family. Rosan Roeslani as Bumi Plc’s non-execu-
assets (of the company) with no further in- tive directors, and forcing Borneo Lum-
vestigation being considered necessary,” ●●● bung and Bukit Mutiara to sell their stakes.
said Nick in an e-mail to Tempo. BUMI Plc’s decision to take Bakrie’s of- Both shareholders ignored Rothschild’s
fer over the alternative proposal infuriat- offer. ”Both informed the board of direc-
●●● ed Rothschild, charging Bakrie with con- tors they have no intention to sell,” Bumi
UNLIKE a contentious meeting in Octo- trolling the board of directors. “We are dis- Plc said in a statement.
ber on the 8th floor of Hotel Mandarin Or- appointed that the board did not support Bakrie may score a slim win, but Roth-
chard in Singapore, last week’s meeting our alternative proposal for the sake of the schild won’t easily give up. He told Bloom-
went peacefully. No conflict occurred be- company’s future,” he said in an e-mail sent berg that the board of directors should be
tween members of the board of directors, to Tempo by his spokesman Ian Middleton, dissolved as promptly as possible to pro-
thanks to the absences of both Nathan- on Thursday last week. tect the investors’ interests and to prevent
iel Rothschild and Indra Bakrie. “Every- Aware of the potential loss of his 11 per- further damage to Bumi Resources and Be-
one was nice and courteous,” said a Tempo cent stake in Bumi Plc, acquired through rau Coal. “Unless the board of directors
REUTERS/BAKRIE & BROTHERS, TEMPO/ADITIA NOVIANSYAH
source who attended the meeting. NR Investment Ltd, Rothschild submitted dramatically changes, surely this is what
Followng the Singapore meeting, Roth- a counter-proposal to block Bakrie’s move. we are going to do in the coming week,”
schild resigned as Independent Director. Rothschild claimed to have US$ 342.5 Rothschild said.
On Friday two weeks ago, Indra Bakrie re- million in funds, US$ 75 million of which It’s only a matter of time before the con-
signed as Co-Chairman of Bumi Plc, as part comes from his own pockets, for an injec- flict between Bakrie and Rothschild comes
of Bakrie’s decision to delist from the Lon- tion of fresh capital. to an end. What’s clear is that the ball is
don stock exchange. Rothschild also claimed that several mi- now in the court of the shareholders. Un-
Only about a year after they agreed to nority shareholders, with a combined 28 fortunately, Tan declined to comment. ”A
set up Bumi Plc in a swap-stake of Bumi Re- percent of voting rights, supported his al- shareholders meeting is scheduled for the
sources, Berau Coal and Vallar Plc in mid- ternative proposal. These include the Abu first quarter of next year,” said Nick von
2011, Rothschild and Indra parted ways. Dhabi Investment Council, Schroders In- Schirnding who was named last week as
In a letter in November last year to Bumi vestment Management Limited, Standard Bumi Plc Chief Executive Officer.
● AGOENG WIJAYA
B
UMI Plc board of directors responded seriously to lian) would agree that it is a serious crime under any jurisdic-
allegations of illegal hacking into the information tion,” wrote Samin in his letter.
system of the Bakrie group and its subsidiaries. This Bumi did not stop there. It hired Context, a London-based
issue was brought up for discussion at the board of information security service company. Like in an espionage
directors meeting in London, UK, last weekend. According to story, Context’s preliminary examination’s results last No-
a technical check they had conducted, the report of fund em- vember indicated that during July 2012, Samin Tan’s e-mail ac-
bezzlement in Bumi Resources was done through e-mail hack- count was targeted by advanced attacks aimed at breaking the
ing. computer system and to obtain information.
Bumi Plc in fact confirmed that the e-mail hacking case With reference to the website registration used in the at-
would not affect the board of directors’ seriousness in treating tacks, it was alleged the hacking had started six months be-
the Bumi Resources embezzlement accusation. However, they fore. During that period, three mysterious accounts assumed
would still take it into consideration. to be linked to the hacking were created. One of these accounts
The London Stock Exchange-listed coal mining investment is isfan@bumiresources.com, which came as the ‘whistleblow-
company did not mention who the culprit was, how the hack- er’ over company secrets - ones that Samin Tan alone could
ing was done and the action the company would take regard- own. “After examination, there is no such account in Bumi Re-
ing the issue. However, the charges were implicitly pointed to- sources,” said the Tempo source.
wards Nathaniel Rothschild, the English investor who found- Samin Tan did not comment on this break-in. Neither did
ed Bumi Plc together with Bakrie Group through a stock-swap Nathaniel Rothschild. Yet, this finding clearly backs the ac-
middle of last year. cusation of the Bakrie Group, which had reported the e-mail
At the board of directors meeting in Singapore mid-October, hacking allegation to the RI National Police several hours after
a Tempo source revealed, Rothschild had access to and read the Bumi Plc BoD meeting in Singapore, two months ago.
the e-mails of Bakrie and its subsidiaries’ executives. Roth- The National Police Information Bureau Chief, Brig. Gen.
schild’s intimidation was particularly directed to Bumi Plc Rafli Amar said the case was being handled by the Jakarta Re-
Chairman, Samin Tan. gional Police Cyber Crime team. “Currently further investiga-
Due to Rothschild’s pressure, Samin Tan sent a letter to tion into the accused culprits is in process,” he said in an SMS
Bumi Plc Senior Independent Director, Sir Julian Horn-Smith, to Tempo last Friday. According to Jakarta Regional Police Pub-
T
HE call to dawn prayer had er with officials from the Office, Asnawi
just filled the air. Asnawi returned to stake out Cipete Market. Two
rushed to perform ablutions days later, the Jakarta Police conducted a
and prayers. Although the air raid. They seized 50 kilograms of wild boar
was still cool, Asnawi’s emo- meat, 15 kilograms of processed meat, ar-
tions were at fever pitch. He could not wait rested Eka Prayitno—owner of the grinding
to hear what his men had to say. They were facility, and shut the shop down.
hunting for pork at Cipete Market in South Grumblingly, Asnawi blamed the cir-
Jakarta on November 29. It was their ninth culation of boar meat on the beef supply
hunt within the past two months. crunch. “As a result, beef prices soar.”
His eyes repeatedly darted to the screen
of his mobile phone. At fifteen minutes be- ■■■
fore 5 o’clock, the phone finally rang. It was WHAT Sigi Asnawi and his colleagues did
one of his men. Asnawi listened anxiously. two weeks ago, were in line with the debate
After several minutes, his face broke into on meat import quotas at the central gov-
a smile. “I finally got to the meat,” he told ernment level. Quota setting began with a
Tempo on December 13. limited meeting of the Coordinating Min-
The head of the Import Export division ister for Economic Affairs, Minister of Ag-
of the Indonesian Association of Meat Trad- riculture, Minister of Trade, and Minister
ers was outraged because the sale of pork at of Industry. It was followed by a meeting of
Cipete Market caused the turnover of beef their first and second echelon officials.
traders to plummet by 60 percent. Togeth- Following the meetings, import quotas
er with other beef traders, he developed a were set at 80 thousand tons for meat, con-
strategy to collect evidence on the sale of sisting of 32,000 tons of frozen beef and
wild boar meat that was neatly hidden. 267,000 heads of cow calves. Sixty per-
Based on the information that he collect- cent of the frozen meat will be imported in
ed, a ‘bakso’ (meatball) grinding facility lo- the first half of the semester and the rest at
cated 20 meters from his store had been the end of the semester. The import of cow-
selling beef cheap beefly. “It was odd; pre- calves will be arranged on a quarterly ba- ation officials lobbied the government and
viously, they only ground meat.” sis. successfully secured an allocation of 1,800
The meat, neatly wrapped with the With regard to frozen meat, the govern- tons.
words “Halal (Legal) Frozen Beef” was sold ment stipulates that 19,400 tons will be for This made ASPEDATA the envy of the
for only Rp 35,000 to Rp 45,000 per kilo- the industry and 12,600 tons will be for ho- other associations, because they became
gram. It was much cheaper than pure beef tels, restaurants, cafés, and catering busi- victims of quota reductions. NAMPA’s was
that would normally sell at an average of Rp nesses. The lucky associations were the Na- reduced to 500 tons; APMISO, 300 tons;
95,000 per kilogram. tional Meat Processor Association (NAM- and non-industrial allotments, 500 tons.
Asnawi suspected that the “beef” was PA), the Noodles and Meatballs Merchant Diana Dewi, ASPEDATA secretary gen-
nothing but wild pig or boar meat that was Association (APMISO), the Association of eral, said the miniscule allocation was not
mixed with chicken, and processed into Indonesian Meat Distributors Industry proportionate to the number of its mem-
the raw material for bakso dough. “There (AIDDI), and the Association Of Meat Pro- bers. She charged that the surveyor’s calcu-
was no beef whatsoever,” he said. cessing at Small and Medium Enterprise lations were inaccurate. A quota of 500 tons
After obtaining evidence of the meat con- And Household Scales (ASPEDATA). The is far below the needs of association mem-
sidered ‘haram’ (not fit for consumption) quota calculation for each association took bers, which purportedly reached 6,000
for Muslims, Asnawi tested it at the Veter- into consideration the number of members tons. Although their demand was not met,
inary Public Health Laboratory owned by surveyed by Sucofindo. Dewi was relieved after the quota was in-
the South Jakarta Office of Husbandry and A Tempo source said, the associations creased to 1,800 tons. “We realize that self-
Fishery. And the result? “Positive for pork,” fought long and hard to secure the quota al- sufficiency in meat must be achieved,” she
said Nurhasan, head of the Control Sec- locations they wanted. ASPEDATA, which said.
tion. was established only this year, received a Diana counter-charged that the two oth-
At dawn on Monday last week, togeth- quota of 500 tons. Dissatisfied, the associ- er associates received preferential treat-
increase for ASPEDATA was a joint agree- Minister of Agriculture Suswono, on the directly to each cattle breeder.
ment. He had cautioned the Agricultur- other hand, refused to re-calculate the for- The purpose of the policy is to prevent
al Ministry to calculate import quotas to mula on imported meat, because changing farmers from slaughtering productive fe-
guarantee meeting the demand for beef as the formula would require an evaluation. male cattle. Fauzi counter-attacked by ac-
a raw material. “There should not be a def- Suswono believed that local supplies could cusing businessmen of having no inten-
icit,” he said. meet the national needs for meat. “Gover- tion of achieving self-sufficiency in national
The quota allocation also drew fire from nors at cattle centers are ready to provide beef production. “They said they support-
the Trade Ministry. Although they did not back up,” he said. ed self-sufficiency, but they constantly ask
insist the import quotas be changed next Sarman Simanjorang, chairman of the for more imports.”
year, Bachrul Chairi, Acting Director Gen- Jakarta Raya Beef Committee, was disap- As a result, who knows how long beef will
eral of Foreign Trade, Trade Ministry, re- pointed in the low quotas on beef import. In continue to remain expensive and often
quested that the formula for the calcula- his opinion, the government simply turned disappear. Through it all, wild boar meat
tions for 2014 be amended. a blind eye to the scarcity of meat, which will likely reach the plates of those who do
The current formula, said Bachrul, did was detrimental to society. He believed that not want it.
not take into consideration the number the meat self-sufficiency program was only ● AKBAR TRI KURNIAWAN, ROSALINA, SYAILENDRA
T
UESDAY of last week was the year.
end of Yukong’s business. The The quota in the Amendment to the 2011
50-year old man was caught State Budget reached 40.49 million kiloli-
filling solar at Batu Ampar gas ters. In reality, this was topped by an addi-
station in Sanggau Regency of tional 1.3 million kiloliters used. This year,
West Kalimantan. A Joint Forces Team of the quota is 44.04 million kiloliters in the
the Regulatory Agency of Downstream Oil Budget Amendment, but is expected to
and Gas Activity (BPH Migas) found three exceed that figure as the year comes to a
drums of diesel fuel and a drum of premi- close.
um in his car. In the field, this situation led to a variety
The team went further by investigating of incidents, from the riots in West Kutai to
his warehouse in the rural Dusun Tanjung, demands to increase quotas by the gover-
where they found even more of the same. nors of Kalimantan. Three weeks ago, the
“There were 31 drums of diesel fuel and House of Representatives (DPR) finally ap-
three drums of premium. When totaled, proved the addition of 1.23 million kiloli-
the number reached 6.8 tons,” said Head of ters for subsidized BBM. “We hope the ad-
Team 1 of the Joint Oversight Force on Fuel, ditional quota would not need to be used,”
Grand Comm. Wirdan Dani, from West Ka- said Djoko. The government, he said, had
limantan Regional Police. allocated a special budget for oversight this
Besides Yukong, on that same day, sever- year. “We now have 1,400 personnel,” he
al others like him were arrested in different said.
parts of Indonesia. In Banjarmasin, South In connection with that, findings on sub-
Kalimantan, for example, a compa- sidized fuel abuses increased, from
ny was suspected of misusing its last year’s 1.1 million kiloliters to
trade license. The Task Force 2 million kiloliters.
found a pile of 637,533 liters The figures did not in-
of diesel and three barge dicate actual conditions.
units. “That figure is nothing
In Pekan Baru and Du- compared to actual abus-
mai, Riau, still on the same es. It is like the tip of an ice- Mahakam River, West Kalimantan, the wa-
day, the team found anoth- berg,” he said. ters of Surabaya, East Java, to the waters of
er stockpile of subsidized According to Djoko, the Batam, Riau Islands. Around 348,000 li-
fuel. “We are increasing our thieves used a typical modus ters of diesel and 249,000 liters of non-sub-
surveillance throughout De- operandi. “They modify the sidized fuel were seized.
cember,” director of Subsidized tank, then they fuel up at several In some locations, the abuses involved
Fuel Oversight, BPH Migas, Djoko Siswanto different gas stations in the night,” he said. members of the military. In June, for exam-
told Tempo on Thursday last week. Or else, the fuel ‘disappears’ on the way ple, there was a commotion in Palembang
Some teams were sent to areas prone to from the depot to the gasoline stations. with the findings of 365 tons of diesel fuel
theft. “Some of the teams have not sent in Djoko said that the Department of Indus- in a residential area. Hundreds of drums
their reports yet, so let us wait for the re- try and Trade in South Kalimantan con- of diesel fuel were found in five bunkers in
sults,” said Djoko. He hoped that the De- ducted a survey in May of this year and the offices of Musi Energy Facility, on a plot
cember operation would reduce subsi- found that 1.740 kiloliters of subsidized fuel next door to the office, and in a warehouse.
dized fuel abuse. never reached the gas stations. “Which par- Also found were a number of tank vehi-
Energy and Mineral Resources Minis- ties took the fuel, we do not know,” he said. cles, trucks bearing the name of another
ter Jero Wacik once said that 77 percent of Smuggling is done both by land and company, and a car whose tank had been
the subsidized fuel was actually enjoyed by sea. “If by sea, it is smuggled out of the modified. Two sergeants of the military
by those who did not deserve it, i.e. owners country,” said Djoko. According to BPH Mi- were declared suspects. “The legal pro-
of luxury car and industry players. Mean- gas data, several smugglers were caught on cess is on-going in the Military Court,” said
while, fuel subsidies continue to rise every the rivers and in sea territories, from the Djoko.
Subsidized diesel fuel costs Rp 4,500 per buyers. Of course using forged documents. nesia next year. But the form of technology
liter, whereas the price to be paid by indus- However, lately Amat would more often be that will be used is still unclear. One meth-
tries is Rp 9,000 per liter. People like Yu- seen at Siantan Market, North Pontianak. od proposed is to put sensors in the pump
kong take advantage of the disparity. “We know that supervision is tighter. So, hose. “Depending on offers from bidders.
Yukong did not work alone. Behind him is we have to keep a low profile,” he said. We will implement the best,” said Vice
a long chain right up to the fuel’s final desti- President of Fuel Retail Marketing Fuel,
nation. Yukong admitted to selling through ■■■ Pertamina, Muchamad Iskandar to Christi-
brokers. For every liter, he made a profit of It was 3 a.m. when the truck with license na Bernadette from Tempo.
Rp 1,500. The brokers would offer the fuel plate number B 9223 WQA entered the gas Even to begin saving, the government
to companies in Kalimantan. station 34-15418 on Jalan RE Martadinata in and Pertamina must spend more money
Amat, who stockpiles subsidized fuel, Ciputat, Tangerang, Banten. It is the eighth first.
complained to Tempo the increasing num- gas station visited by the truck. ● AMANDRA MUSTIKA MEGARANI,
ber of “competition” in Pontianak. “There From outside, the truck looked like it was HARRY ADYANTO (PONTIANAK)
SWEETS TO COMB
BREAD
East Java, rich in its own traditional snacks,
does not yield to the variety of new instant
snacks. Some stores have survived for three
generations.
W
HAT does roti sisir (lit- [1] Matahari
erally “comb bread”) bakery in
taste like? Before the Pasuruan.
bread even touches our
tongue, our eyes have al- [2] Lauw Soen
ready sent signals to the brain regarding its Djing and his
flavor: sweet and a bit salty. We can guess yellow tofu.
the taste of the bread from its appearance.
Just take a look. The bread is rectan- [3] Bikang cake.
gle, curved and tapering on one side. The
bread is usually a triple-decker, with but- [4] The sweet
ter spread on each layer. There are two ver- Roti Sisir
sions: the dry and the soggy. Matahari. [4]
That is roti sisir, which tastes pretty much
the same today. The soggy bread was first [5] The Keciput
produced in 1955 by the Matahari bread Bo Liem Onde-
manufacturer in Pasuruan, East Java, onde Company,
which explains the full name of the bread, Mojokerto.
roti sisir basah Matahari. For over half a
century, the bread is still much wanted.
“That’s the customers’ favorite bread,”
said Nurakhman, a customer of the Ma-
tahari Bakery, Pasuruan. According to the
bakery records, at least 1,000 pieces of
bread are sold each day. The one that sells
the most is the comb bread.
It so happened that in 1955, Jacobus Laks-
mana and his wife Maria Wurilatsih pro- the torrents of instant snacks. In some ar- has cooled. The crisp bottom part gives the
duced the soggy comb bread, at the start of eas, the flavor of these traditional foods is cake a sweet and salty aftertaste.
his business. After five years, the company maintained, although open to modifica- Cintia, 22, continues to run the bikang
also made other kinds of products includ- tion. business. She is the granddaughter of Le
ing dried blencong, roti kasur basah (a type In some corners of the streets in Penel- Giok Swat, who started the business in the
of breadl), wet ronde (glutinous rice balls) eh area, Surabaya, the smell of coconut 1970s. “At first Grandma sold the cake with
and dried white ronde. milk and fragrant pandanus traveled the a pushcart,” she said. Apart from Cintia,
Samuel Laksmana, 23, the current own- air. That is the aroma of Peneleh bikang, a other members of the big family run the bi-
PHOTOS: TEMPO/SONY WIGNYA WIBAWA
er of the bread company, maintained and spherical cake whose textures resemble kang business.
developed his grandfather’s heritage. “We ants’ nest. This area is in fact famous for its In Jember, East Java, there is also a snack
are very careful in using the ingredients,” bikang. The cake is still in demand. that has endured time. The snack is rectan-
he said. Samuel expanded the sales to the From its overall looks, Paneleh bikang gular, about 3 x 1 centimeters in width and
west and east of Pasuruan. is not too different from the common bi- length, with a thickness of one to two centi-
Comb bread is only one of the traditional kang. But it does have something special. It meters. It is wrapped in tissue-thin plastic
food varieties in East Java that still lasts un- is very tasty and sticky and the top crust of paper, like candy. It tastes very sweet and
til today. Many of these foods have survived the cake remains soft, even when the cake the smell is distinct.
A
T Hong San Kiong Temple, a the only man who understands the philos- potehi, Toni is indeed very strict. Although
Chinese shrine in Gudo village, ophy of every wayang character,” said Su- he is not a puppeteer, he observes the
Jombang Regency, the hands of pangat. wooden puppet making with meticulous
the craftsman outlined every The completed wayang figures are kept eyes. Thanks to the perseverance of Toni
curve of the wayang potehi (wooden hand- in a special room. Toni supervises the en- and Supangat, now wayang potehi is gradu-
puppets) figure he was shaping with preci- tire wayang crafting process in the shrine, ally regaining its place. The wayang, mostly
sion. He slowly carved the eyes, nose, and until the puppets are later used for public kept in shrines to show reverence for gods,
mouth of a wayang character, Unkow. shows. Toni has virtually spearheaded the is now performed in many locations. Ard-
Chisels of various sizes, ready to fash- revival of wayang potehi in the country. ian Purwoseputro, a promoter of Toni’s
ion any wayang figure, were laid in a row The wooden puppet art died out after Su- wayang potehi, even plans to present this
at the man’s side. “I’ve crafted potehi for harto issued the Presidential Decree No. art to Singapore in the upcoming lunar new
11 years, since I met Pak Toni,” said Supan- 14/1967, banning the performance of Chi- year holidays.
gat, pointing at the man overseeing the nese traditions openly in public. After the Ardian regrets the government’s negli-
wayang making. reform era, during the office of President gence in the preservation of wayang pote-
Toni Harsono, the man watching over Abdurrahman Wahid in 2001, the presi- hi. The Jombang Regency administration
him, thoroughly examined every detail dential decree was revoked. Toni then ini- admitted it had not yet provided funding
carved by Supangat. Supangat’s work was tiated the wayang potehi shows. for this art. According to Head of the Jom-
done, as the basic forms of wayang potehi— Toni’s relationship to wayang potehi bang Tourism Office, Suyoto, the govern-
TEMPO/FULLY SYAFI
now plain, without paint and other acces- dates back to his childhood. His grandfa- ment has only assisted in issuing permits
sories—were finished. Then Toni took over ther, Tok Su Kwie, was a founder of the Chi- and recommendations for wayang potehi
the job by painting and dressing the wood- nese Puppet Masters Association Hok Ho shows. “There’s actually no funding,” he
en hand-puppets of Chinese origin. “He’s An. His father, Tok Hong Kie, was a famous said. ● JULI HANTORO, AGITA SUKMA LISTYANTI
ZAINUDIN MAIDIN:
R
ELATIONS between Indone- here, even though, in his words, he
sia and Malaysia are being test- came only to explain the changes in
ed once again. This time, the for- Indonesia. He came to support a man
mer Malaysian Information Min- who is the enemy of Malaysians, An-
ister, Zainudin Mainin, wrote in Utusan Ma- war Ibrahim.
laysia an op-ed piece titled, “Similarities Why do you call Habibie a traitor to
between B.J. Habibie and Anwar Ibrahim.” his country?
In the article, which was published on De- Because the gave away East Timor
cember 10, he said the former Indonesian to foreign forces. If he had not agreed
president had interfered in the internal af- to hold a referendum, this would not
fairs of Malaysia by supporting Anwar. He have happened, because East Timor
also said that Habibie had betrayed his own was won over with blood. I know why
country. Indonesia entered East Timor, be-
He made the charges after Habibie gave cause we (Indonesia and Malaysia)
a lecture at Selangor University at the invi- did not want to be a tool of the West.
tation of the People’s Justice Party, Anwar We needed East Timor to fight against
Ibrahim’s party last December 6. the spread of a new imperialism. The
According to Zainudin, who served un- West was afraid that Indonesia and
der Prime Minister Mahatir Mohamad, the Malaysia would become strong mod-
visit showed that Anwar still has the back- erate Islamic states. With our eco-
ing of Indonesia. “He came to support nomic force, the West would find it
someone who is an enemy of the Malay- more difficult to face than to over-
sians, Anwar Ibrahim,” said Zainudin last come extremism.
week. How did you feel after you wrote that
Zainudin’s piece offended a number of article?
people in Indonesia. In fact, the House of I felt satisfied because I conveyed
Representatives (DPR) plans to submit a This is not the first the message and my good intention to
protest to the Malaysian government. The
Habibie Center will take a position. Polit-
time the Malaysian bring Indonesia and Malaysia closer. Be-
cause Habibie has damaged relations be-
ical scientistist Indria Samego from the politician has tween the two countries ever since Mahat-
Habibie Center said the op-ed can affect re- made charges of ir was prime minister.
lations between the two countries. But, as In fact, your article has raised the tension.
quoted in the Twitter account of the Habi- foreign interference I don’t know about that, but who am
bie Center, President Habibie seems uncon- in the opposition I? I am just a former minister. Today I am
cerned about the furor. He is taking the in- merely a writer and lecturer at the Uni-
sult as a compliment.
movement. versitas Utara Malaysia. So, when Anwar
This is not the first time the Malaysian said that I made the statement because I
politician has made charges of foreign in- the All-Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS). was upset at being beat by a PKR candidate
terference in the opposition movement. Zainudin Maidin spoke to Tempo journal- from Merabok, it is not true. I never en-
Last September, Mahatir said funds were ist Masrur, who met him at his residence in joyed being the Information Minister.
coming into Malaysia to oust the govern- Putrajaya last Tuesday. Excerpts of the in- Were you aware your article could offend
ment. He believed some of the money was terview: Indonesians?
being channeled to back Anwar. I didn’t know. I just thought that Habibie
There is no question that the opposi- What was the objective of your article? should have understood that Malays in Ma-
tion movement in Malaysia is spreading. The objective was to show Habibie’s in- laysia don’t like foreigners interfering in
They launched a new movement on March terference in Malaysia’s internal affairs the politics of their country.
TEMPO/MASRUR DIMYATHI
2013, in preparation of the upcoming gen- from era to era. Since Anwar Ibrahim chal- Will you apologize to Habibie?
eral elections: the People’s Awakening As- lenged Tun Mahatir, he has been support- I don’t see the need to apologize, because
sociation. This movement is supported by ing Anwar. And this has gone on to show I feel what I said was right and there was
the three-party People’s Coalition: Peo- that Anwar was being supported by Indo- no intention to insult anyone. Besides, Pak
ple’s Justice, Democratic Action Party and nesia. He does not have the right to come Habibie no longer represents Indonesia. ●
I
” JUST want them to give me what is lion. He does not know how much longer not not rely on tarkams because they are
rightfully mine. Do I have to die first he should wait. “At the same time, I have to held only every few weeks. Once, the situ-
before they pay my salaries, like what feed my child and wife,” he said. Camara is ation grew so desperate, Camara had to get
happened to Diego (Mendieta)?” married to a woman from Pacitan. The cou- down to the streets carrying a cardboard
That sentence, which implies some ple have a young boy, Abu Bakar Camara, box to ask for donations from passersby.
degree of accusation, came from Cama- aged 2 years and three months. This is tragic.
ra Abdoulaye, a former player of Persipro Now he has no choice but to live a mod- As Camara said, this is not the first time
(Probolinggo), when Tempo met him at his est life in a simple rented home, which his his payment has gotten delayed. When he
rented house in Serua, South Tangerang, family started to occupy in September. It was playing for Medan Jaya in 2007, the
TEMPO/MARIFKA WAHYU HIDAYAT
Banten, last Tuesday. There was a sense of is a square construction divided into four club failed to pay eight months worth of his
desperation in the words of this man, who rooms. Of these, only the guest room is salary. After being pressed over and over
happens to be a citizen of Guinea. adorned with furniture. The other three again, the club finally disbursed the sum,
Camara seems to have no idea where else are relatively empty, containing little else some Rp 75 million. Unfortunately for Ca-
he should turn to earn his rights. This 27- than a bed and a stove. mara, his agent ran away with the money.
year old Persipro soccer club player has not Measuring 3x3 meters, there isn’t a ta- “I have not received my payment to this
received his salary from December 2011 to ble or chair inside the living room, only a day.”
June 2012. The sum amounts to Rp 125 mil- red carpet on the floor. A 21-inch CRT tele- This kind of consecutive bad luck never
cannot pay the rent by then, he might end similar stories when playing for an elite club rejected. The clubs then entered the com-
up being kicked out from his home. “The in West Java in 2011. He said that the club petition without the backing of a solid fi-
rental fee is Rp 17 million a year,” he said. did not pay his salary for months. “That nancier. The result has been pathetic. Play-
These stories describe the grim situation was very disappointing,” he said. Jhonny, ers’ salaries are left unpaid, not to mention
our football world has fallen into. There however, refused to be bothered too much their health insurance.
is no story of brilliant achievements to be by this. This former Feyenoord player who As with any other player, Camara does
heard, only sad tales of people involved in was once part of the national squad, decid- not want to end up like Diego Mendieta.
it, from an increasingly embarrassing con- ed to return to the Netherlands. ● DWI RIYANTO AGUSTIAR, UKKY PRIMARTANTYO (SOLO)
I
NDONESIAN police seized 33 endangered sea tur-
tles from alleged traders of endangered animals last
Sunday, the Associated Press reported.
The turtles — including green turtles and hawksbill
turtles weighing between 30 and 60 kilograms — were res-
cued from a boat off the coast, Bali police spokesman Col.
Hariadi told the Associated Press. He said crewmen, who
were believed to be waiting to unload them, escaped as po-
lice arrived.
Police named one alleged trader, Evaritus Sobi from
Flores, as a suspect, according to the Jakarta Post. Conser-
NEW LORIS SPECIES DISCOVERED
vation officials released 24 endangered sea turtles back to IN BORNEO
the sea at Sanur, Bali.
Indonesia has banned trade and consumption of endan- A new primate species has been identified in the jungles of Bor-
gered turtles, but turtle meat remains a delicacy in Bali. ● neo, scientists reported. The Kayan loris, a nocturnal primate dis-
tinguished by its “facemask,” or facial fur coloration, which differs
from that of other lorises, is found in the central-east highlands of
Borneo, researchers reported in the December issue of the Ameri-
ILLEGAL LOGGING DAMAGES can Journal of Primatology.
MOROWALI CONSERVATION PARK The study, by Anna Nekaris of Oxford Brookes University in the
UK, Susan Ford of Southern Illinois University, and Rachel Munds
THE Morowali Conservation Park in Central Sulawesi has been da- from the University of Missouri, also elevated two sub-species of lo-
maged by illegal logging and mining activities, allegedly authorized by ris to the species level.
Morowali Regent Anwar Hafid, according to reports from the Mining “Historically, many species went unrecognized as they were fal-
Advocacy Network (Jatam). sely lumped together as one species,” lead author Munds said in a
TEMPO/FULLY SYAFI (SEA TURTLES), TEMPO/ SUARDI GATTANG
A researcher from Jatam’s Central Sulawesi chapter said a nickel statement. “Technological advances have improved our knowledge
mining company, PT Gemah Ripah Pratama, had cleared an estima- about the diversity of several nocturnal mammals.”
ted 18 kilometers of mangrove jungle in a protected area, and later The Nycticebus kayan is named after the Kayan, a major river
converted the forest land into a port, the Jakarta Post reported last that flows through the region. Scientists say the animal’s elevated
Wednesday. status as a distinct species will offer additional protection against
Local communities reported that illegal loggers from PT Eny Prata- threats related to illegal wildlife trade.
ma Persada also had cleared some mangrove forests. “We have tried “The pet trade is a serious threat for slow lorises in Indonesia,
to meet the regent to ask for his explanation in these cases, but he and recognition of these new species raises issues regarding where
always avoids us,” Jatam researcher Andika said, as quoted by the Ja- to release confiscated Bornean slow lorises, as recognition by non-
karta Post. experts can be difficult,” said co-author Nekaris.
Separately, the regent, Anwar, and his subordinates are being sum- According to the study, survey data from Borneo suggests the
moned by the Attorney General’s Office in connection to a graft case new species are either very difficult to locate, or there may only be
on the issuance of mining site permits. ● a small population of Kayan loris in the Borneo forests. ●
SURENDRA SHRESTHA
DIRECTOR, UN FOCAL POINT FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT GOALS
ROAD TO
SUSTAINABILITY
A
S the 2015 target date for ment is based on the idea that we should resources as finite. They are seen as infi-
achieving Millennium De- aim not just to eradicate poverty, but we nite and they’re free.
velopment Goals (MDGS) ap- must take into account the planet’s limit- Today we have a middle-class global
proaches, world leaders have ed resources in order to ensure the well-be- population of about one billion. In 10 years
begun to consider a new de- ing of the planet as a whole. We cannot just time, we’ll have three billion, who will be
velopment agenda for the coming decades. consume, consume, consume and expect concentrated in Southeast Asia, India, Chi-
At the United Nations Rio+20 conference in there will be more to come. We don’t have na, Brazil and South Africa. What kind of
June, government delegates agreed that a other planets to support us. We have only lifestyle will this growing middle class as-
framework based on sustainable develop- this one. So we need to address both con- pire to? If they aspire to achieve the cur-
ment goals (SDGs) must be the new over- sumption and poverty together. rent American lifestyle, clearly there are
arching goal for the 21st century. Surendra How will environmental sustainability be not enough resources. And resource wars
Shrestha, Director of the UN Focal Point addressed in this new sustainable develop- will start. So if we know that is coming, we
for Sustainable Development Goals at the ment framework? need to change now.
Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Devel- The MDGs were focused on poverty al- But a middle class that is buying more
opment, spoke with Tempo English report- leviation, and environmental sustainabili- products and spending more is general-
er Rachel Rivera at a recent gathering of ty was one of the eight goals. But there was ly regarded as a positive sign of econom-
development experts at the Asia Europe very little attention, if any, given to that. ic growth.
Foundation in Singapore, about the new The SDG agenda aims to prioritize environ- Well, that’s the change we need to bring
priorities for development beyond 2015. mental protection and slow down the de- about — the idea that if we want economic
pletion of environment services from land growth we have to buy more stuff, wheth-
When you speak of sustainable develop- and water resources. The idea is to build a er we need it or not. And then the econo-
ment goals, what do you envision? new development roadmap based on the my goes up. Because as you buy more stuff
This new set of goals is based on grow- concept that equal attention must be giv- and throw away more stuff, people pro-
ing concerns about a growing world pop- en to economic growth, social equality and duce more stuff. And that’s employment,
ulation. Natural resources are finite and environmental sustainability. So it’s a tall and that’s seen as positive. But as you go
getting depleted at a very fast rate. So we order. further down the supply chain, that will re-
need a new development paradigm to car- There is plenty of talk in Indonesia about quire more natural resources, more ener-
ry us forward into the next century — one developing a green economy. Can you ex- gy. So as we move forward, clearly the phi-
in which poverty eradication continues to plain what exactly is meant by green losophy that ‘greed is good’ cannot work in
be a priority but which also addresses con- growth in the context of development? the 21st century.
sumption. There are two forces that make our So you’re talking about measuring econ-
When the Millennium Development world go round. One is Mother Nature, and omies and measuring wealth in a different
Goals (MDGs) were established, the devel- the other is Markets. They have been on di- way. Is this new way of thinking what you
opment framework behind that used an vergent paths and have not been talking to hope will be incorporated in the new devel-
approach that focused on the world’s poor- each other. So we need to bring these two opment agenda after the MDG timeframe
est nations, which were given money and forces together. expires in 2015?
told what to do by the developed countries. If we want to achieve sustainable devel- That is the hope, yes — to have a new de-
Today, there’s a growing awareness of how opment, we must begin to look at econom- velopment paradigm based on new indi-
we are all interconnected, and that devel- ics and markets in a different way. Current- cators that measure growth and progress
opment cannot just focus on the poorest of ly, the production chain and markets give in terms of sustainability. We need to find
the poor. no value to natural resources or the envi- a way to measure the whole human well-
We have to look at development in a ronment. Natural resources on the planet being, as opposed to just measuring in-
more holistic way. Sustainable develop- are finite, but markets don’t regard these dustrial production or GDP (gross domes-
national community together to agree on and where are the products made? They’re ment must invest more in education and in
a set of sustainable goals for all nations to made in China and Laos, Cambodia, Ban- R&D (research and development) for green
aim for? gladesh. Asia is on its way to being #1. technologies. We must invest for the future
While there are many challenges at the The challenge is in the leadership. So we generations.●
Y U R Y F E D O T O V :
THERE MUST
BE A LAW
ENFORCEMENT
COORDINATING
BODY
W
HEN Russia sub- ing 2 million Russians into addicts.
mitted his name His opponents were also worried about the ‘Fedotov
to become Execu- effect’ on efforts to eradicate corruption, one of UNO-
tive Director of the DC’s areas. He is perceived to be supported by a cor-
United Nations Of- rupt regime. After all, from a list of perception index re-
fice for Drugs and leased by Transparency International, Russia is num-
Crime (UNODC) in ber 133, nelow Indonesia, which stands at 118. Russia is
2010, international also known for its syndicated groups operating across
public opinion was borders.
divided. After all, four decades of working at the Rus- At the end, however, Russia’s lobbying of Ban Ki
sian Foreign Ministry has given him the experience of Moon had the desired effect. With Fedotov in UNODC,
international diplomacy. His country once assigned the hierarchy, once led by countries which contributed
TEMPO/WISNU AGUNG PRASETYO
him to a number of UN organizations, on a level just be- the most, changed radically.
low that of Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon. Last week, on International Anti-Corruption Day,
Yet, his appointment met with criticism, many Fedotov met with Tempo reporters Adek Media Roza,
claiming that Fedotov had no experience in this area. Purwani Diyah Prabandari and Sadika Hamid for an in-
But Russia insisted he take the post, to eradicate opium terview at the UNODC office in Jakarta. His trip to In-
fields in Afghanistan, which is suspected of being both donesia was part of a 12-day trip to a number of ASEAN
the source of Taliban funds, and responsible for turn- countries. Excerpts of the interview:
What is the focus of UNODC programs in lieve what they told me, that they are com-
Indonesia? mitted and well-prepared to support their
We have five major priorities, and it is commitment.
hard to say which are the most important. I But there are many corruption cases in-
would say the highlights are illegal logging, volving senior officials and politicians. And
HIV/AIDS and corruption. But clearly, In- Indonesia’s Corruption Perception Index has
donesia is a strategic partner for UNODC just declined.
in Southeast Asia, to strengthen interna- If there are many legal cases against cor-
tional cooperation in fighting corruption— rupt officials, to my mind, it should not be
which has a transnational dimension. All viewed as a lack of effort but rather a suc-
forms of transnational organized crimes cess in fighting corruption. Public disclo-
exist because they are fueled by corrup- sure, persecution, trials and other legal
tion. The proceeds from organized crime measures create public awareness that cor-
are then laundered and becomes a source ruption can no longer be tolerated.
for new corruption. It is a vicious circle and Investigation on corruption cases often
we need to do more to break it. works poorly because of the lack of coordi-
You met several government officials and nation between law enforcement agencies.
law enforcers during your visit. What did you One recent example is the investigation of
discuss with them? the procurement of driving simulators. This
I had a very good discussion with the has pitted the KPK against the police. Will
KPK and I met with the governor of Cen- this have an impact on our reform efforts?
tral Kalimantan to discuss corruption. But Indonesia is not an exception. These
there is also another dimension of what we problems happen in many countries be-
are doing in conjunction with corruption, cause corruption and other transnation-
which is illegal logging. On my return to Vi- al crimes are within the areas of responsi-
enna, I will discuss with potential donors bility of many government agencies, minis-
on how we can raise more funds for this tries and institutions.
area of anticorruption in Indonesia. What do you suggest we do to address
Do you think the Indonesian government this?
has the political will to eradicate corrup- It would be advisable to have some sort
tion? of coordinating commission that would
I met government officials. I have to be- bring together all issues related to orga-
nized crime such as corruption, drugs and
human trafficking. But even with the cur-
rent system, we can work with Indonesia’s
YURY VIKTOROVICH FEDOTOV agencies and ministries and we look for-
ward to continuing to do that.
Place & Date of Birth:
In what countries have such coordinating
Russia, December 14, 1947
commissions succeeded?
Education: I just came from Vietnam, and they have ness and education. We need to start teach-
» Moscow State Institute of International an interagency commission chaired by ing students at school on what corruption
Relations (1971) their deputy prime minister. Each agency is, how to resist corruption in early ages
and ministries have to play their own role, and at post-graduate studies. We are de-
Career:
but there is a coordinating structure that veloping a curriculum and are prepared to
» Dep. Director, Department of
International Organizations, Foreign lets them understand each other. share it soon to our member states.
Ministry (1988-1993) Corruption does not only occur in the bu- In 2007, the UNODC and the World Bank
» Dep. Permanent Representative of reaucracy, it also involves the private sec- launched an initiative to recover stolen as-
Russian Federal Republic to the United tors. How does UNODC deal with that? sets and you cooperated with Indonesia on
Nations (1993-1999) The private sector sometimes can be a this. What has been the result?
» Dep. Permanent-Permanent
source of corruption but they can also be The UNODC is not a law enforcement
Representative, for the Russian Federation
in the UN in New York (1993-1999) the victim. Because of corruption, com- and intelligence agency, so we cannot
» Dep. Director, Department of panies cannot be as cost-effective as they track money. But what we can do to help is
International Organizations, Foreign want to be, and they cannot have a level build a network between different law en-
Ministry (1999-2002) playing field. That is the reason the UNODC forcement agencies and provide technical
» Russian Dep. Foreign Minister (2002- will help countries improve their legisla- assistance. We can encourage a country to
TEMPO/TONY HARTAWAN
RUSHDIE
I
T was a bright Tuesday in London, February 14 to be exact, to applaud or be angry, because of their desires and traumas. Be-
Valentine’s Day, and Salman Rushdie answered a call from a cause of their histories.
BBC journalist. “How does it feel, to know that you have just Rushdie himself once talked of the strong role history plays in
been sentenced to death by Ayatullah Khomeini?” our attitudes viewing the world (and literature). ‘We are all irradi-
“It doesn’t feel good,” he replied. But in his heart he knew, “I ated by history, we are radioactive with history and politics’. We
am a dead man.” He put down the phone, closed the shutters and live in a world ‘without quiet corners’, and there is no easy path to
locked the front door. escape from the ‘terrible, unquiet fuss’.
And from then, one year after his novel The Satanic Verses had This is what happened in the story of The Satanic Verses. As a
been published and condemned by Islamic leaders the world novel more often talked about than read, it could not be free of
over, Rushdie went into hiding for nine years—an experience he the ‘irradiation of history’. It entered the world ‘without quiet
has just written about in his memoir, Joseph Anton. Rushdie at- corners’.
tempts to recreate his memory of fear during that time, almost a Rushdie’s self defence was that in his novel the bad image of the
decade, when he had to move from house to house, knowing that Prophet Mohamad appears not within a factual description, but
Khomeini’s fatwa—authorising his murder by any Moslem any- rather in the fantasy of Gabriel Farishta, a schizophrenic. But all
where—could be carried out at any time. And during those nine the novelist could do was explain. Despite everything, his novel
years, as a British citizen, he was guarded night reached corners unquiet and unliked, or unusu-
and day by special forces of the Metropolitan Po- al, with blending and paradox between the ‘real’
lice. Over the same time, he also had to assume an- and the ‘magic’ in magic realism—a narrative style
other identity. He chose the name ‘Joseph Anton’, Rushdie also used brilliantly and amusingly in
a combination of Joseph Conrad and Anton Chek- Midnight’s Children.
hov, his two favourite writers. Rushdie became a One might doubt whether he really was un-
new ‘self’. aware that his novel would be provocative. At the
This is why, in the memoir, he uses not ‘I’ but very least, he surely knew a premise that has been
‘he’. As though he is talking about someone else. familiar in literary theory since the 1960s: in ev-
For what is self, actually? It is not any permanent ery text, in every conversation, there is always
‘I’, nor an ‘I’ that is transparent and fully formed. aporia or uncertainty of meaning. No novel can
He was no longer the ‘Salman’ that he was to his offer one complete and pemanent purpose. ‘To
friends, but ‘Rushdie’, the author of The Satanic read’ is something infinitely more complex than
Verses. He even changed, as not the writer of the usually assumed. Within every process of reading
novel with that title, but the writer of ‘satanic vers- is always implicit the process of misreading.
es’. He was considered the Devil’s secretary. By choosing the title The Satanic Verses, Rush-
Some say that Joseph Anton shows he was not die himself actually took on this issue of reading.
merely a writer of fiction ‘who invented characters for a living What happens in ‘reading’ and in the text that is read? When de-
and had now turned himself into a sort of fictional character as termining a ‘good’ and a ‘satanic’ text, can we really say we are
well.’ Rather, the opposite: Rushdie is typical of writers in that not influenced by our interests or shaped by our practical consid-
he never invented his characters alone, even less invent himself. erations in the world? Why do people not want to admit this? And
Like Gibreel Farishta and Saladin Chamcha in his novel, Salman is it wrong when we are influenced by practical ‘worldly’ consid-
and Rushdie are names bestowed by others. The character is also erations?
the product of the interpretation of others—interpretation that It seems that we are so intent on ‘correct’ interpretation that
can change and differ. we forget about ‘just’ interpretation…
Again, there is no completely transparent ‘I’. There was no (nor I am reminded of Althusser. He said that the word ‘juste’ is an
is there is need for) ‘him’ as such. When people burned his pho- adjective not from justice, but justesse. And within it is an attitude
tograph in demonstrations, it was increasingly unclear what and of ‘adjustement’ or adjusting, putting interpretation as praxis in
who Salman Rushdie really were. There was only ‘an effigy, an the midst of the world that changes from one moment to the next,
absence’. contingent. So ‘just’ interpretation contains wisdom about what
As an effigy, as an absence, he could be projected in more than happens in life.
ILLUSTRATION: EDI RM
one way. Joseph Anton is the story of someone who views himself This is why reading is not something done in a static situation.
and his own flaws sharply, but also someone who puffs up the We, the readers of novels, the interpreters of Holy Books, are al-
ego. Probably because every life story, like every novel, does not ways on the move, shifting, although not always in secret.
appear in a vacuum: there are always others watching, expected ● Goenawan Mohamad