Halal ink: Muslim-majority Indonesia set for polls

Yahoo – AFP, Harry PEARL, April 15, 2019

It is Indonesia's biggest polls, with 190 million voters and 245,000 candidates
standing for the presidency, parliament and local positions (AFP Photo/Juni Kriswanto)

Dipping their fingers in halal ink to prevent double voting, Indonesians cast their ballots Wednesday in a bitterly contested presidential election, with the main rival to incumbent Joko Widodo already threatening to challenge the result over voter-fraud claims.

The Muslim-majority nation's biggest-ever polls -- with more than 190 million voters and 245,000 candidates vying for the presidency, parliament and local positions -- is largely a referendum on Widodo's infrastructure-driven bid to rev up Southeast Asia's largest economy.

But, looming in the background, two decades of democratic gains are at risk of being eroded, analysts said, as the military creeps back into civilian life under Widodo, and his trailing rival Prabowo Subianto, a former general, eyes reforms that harken back to the Suharto dictatorship.

If he loses, Subianto's camp has already warned it will challenge the results over voter-list irregularities.

"It's high stakes in this election," said Evan Laksmana, a senior researcher at the Jakarta-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

The election is largely a referendum on President Joko Widodo's infrastructure-

driven bid to rev up Southeast Asia's largest economy (AFP Photo/BAY ISMOYO)

"We simply don't know what (Subianto) would do if he won and we don't know if the institutional constraints in place would contain him."

Halal ink

Voting starts at 7:00 am local time Wednesday (2200 GMT Tuesday) in easternmost Papua and ends at 1:00 pm at the other end of the country in Sumatra.

Ballots will be cast at more than 800,000 polling booths across the volcano-dotted country, from the tip of jungle-clad Sumatra and heavily populated Java island to beach paradise Bali and far-flung Sumbawa.

Voters will punch holes in ballots -- to make clear their candidate choice -- and then dip a finger in Muslim-approved halal ink, a measure to prevent double-voting in a graft-riddled country where ballot buying is rife.

A series of so-called "quick counts" are expected to give a reliable indication of the presidential winner later Wednesday. Official results are not expected until May.

Most polls show the 57-year-old Widodo holding a double-digit lead over Subianto, 67, setting up a repeat of their 2014 contest, which Widodo won despite an unsuccessful court challenge over his narrow victory.

Voters dip their finger in halal ink after casting their ballot, like this Indonesian 

woman shown after advance overseas voting in Malaysia (AFP Photo/Mohd RASFAN)

The race has been punctuated by bitter mudslinging between the two camps, religion-driven identity politics and a slew of fake news online that threatens to sway millions of undecided voters.

'Pragmatism over principle'

Widodo campaigned on his ambitious drive to build roads, airports and other infrastructure, including Jakarta's first mass-rapid-transit system.

But his rights record has been criticised owing to an uptick in discriminatory attacks on religious and other minorities, including a small LGBT community, as Islamic hardliners become more vocal in public life.

"(Widodo) has chosen pragmatism over principle on issues of Islamism and pluralism," said Dave McRae, a senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne's Asia Institute.

Widodo, a practising Muslim, blunted criticism that he was anti-Islam by appointing influential cleric Ma'ruf Amin as his running mate.

But victory for Widodo and Amin -- known for his disparaging views towards minorities -- could be the latest knock to Indonesia's reputation for moderate Islam.

Former general Prabowo Subianto has run on a fiery nationalist ticket, courting 

Islamic hardliners and promising to boost military spending (AFP Photo/Juni Kriswanto)

"There is a longstanding track record of very conservative views," Kevin O'Rourke, an Indonesia-based political risk analyst, said of Amin.

"It's inevitable that will affect policy making."

Subianto -- joined by running mate Sandiaga Uno, a 49-year-old wealthy financier -- has run on a fiery nationalist ticket.

He courted Islamic hardliners, promised a boost to military and defence spending and, taking a page from US President Donald Trump, vowed to put "Indonesia first" as he pledged to review billions of dollars in Chinese investment.

Subianto's presidential ambitions have long been dogged by strong ties to the Suharto family and a chequered past.

He ordered the abduction of democracy activists as the authoritarian regime collapsed in 1998, and was accused of committing atrocities in East Timor.

Ballots will be cast at more than 800,000 polling booths across the volcano-dotted 

country, including tsunami-ravaged Palu on the island of Sulawesi (AFP Photo/

OLAGONDRONK)

'Low probability, high impact'

Widodo's own cabinet is stuffed with Suharto-era figures, and he raised eyebrows by agreeing to give civilian government jobs to military brass.

But "there is no grand design for Jokowi to bring back military rule", Laksmana said.

Subianto, however, is a military man keen to roll back reforms that ushered in direct presidential elections, analysts said.

That has raised questions about what an upset victory for the retired general could mean for a system that is supported by most Indonesians.

"Democracy itself would be very much at stake," O'Rourke said.

"This is a low probability scenario, but one with very high impact."

Many Indonesians just want a peaceful power transition -- regardless of the winner.

"I hope there's no hostility," said 53-year-old Untung Sri Rejeki.

"No matter who becomes our next president."

Malaysia's Mahathir wins shock election victory, toppling 61-yr-old regime

Yahoo – AFP, Martin Abbugao, May 9, 2018

As it became clear that Mahathir had won, supporters took to the streets
waving flags of the opposition alliance (AFP Photo/Mohd RASFAN)

Malaysia's veteran ex-leader Mahathir Mohamad, 92, won a shock election victory Thursday, in a political earthquake that toppled the country's scandal-plagued premier and ousted a regime that has ruled for over six decades.

It was a stunning triumph that almost no one had predicted and ended the long hold on power of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which has ruled Malaysia since its birth as an independent country.

The victory capped a dramatic political comeback for Mahathir, who previously ruled the country with an iron fist for 22 years, and came out of retirement to taken on Prime Minister Najib Razak after the leader became embroiled in a massive corruption scandal.

When he takes power, Mahathir will be the oldest prime minister in the world.

His victory spells big trouble for Najib -- Mahathir has vowed to bring him to justice over allegations that billions of dollars were looted from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, which the scandal-plagued leader set up and oversaw.

But at a press conference, Mahathir vowed: "We are not seeking revenge. We want to restore the rule of law."

Mahathir's return to the political frontlines saw him throw in his lot with an opposition alliance filled with parties that he crushed while in power, and which includes jailed opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim -- his former nemesis.

When he takes power, Mahathir Mohamad, 92, will be the oldest prime minister

in the world (AFP Photo/Manan VATSYAYANA)

As well as seizing control of the national government, several state legislatures across the country fell into opposition hands for the first time, including the highly symbolic bastion of Johor, the birthplace of Najib's party that was the lynchpin of the ruling coalition.

Official results from the Election Commission showed that Mahathir's opposition grouping Pakatan Harapan, along with an ally in the Borneo state of Sabah, had secured 115 parliamentary seats. 112 are needed to form a government. BN were on 79 seats with just a few left to count.

As it became clear that Mahathir had won, supporters took to the streets waving flags of the opposition alliance.

After polls closed earlier in the day, journalists had flocked to the headquarters of Najib's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the lynchpin in the ruling coalition -- but he failed to turn up to give a victory speech and the media were told to leave.

Huge numbers of voters earlier flocked to the polls across the country, despite Najib having called the election on a weekday in what critics said was a bid to keep turnout down.

The BN wipeout is a disaster for Najib, who had been under pressure to score an emphatic win after the government lost the popular vote for the first time at the last elections in 2013.

The controversy surrounding 1MDB has dogged Najib since the story exploded in 2015. Billions of dollars were allegedly stolen from the fund, which was set up and overseen by Najib. The leader and 1MDB deny any wrongdoing.

But in rural areas, the rising cost of living, which has hit poor Malays hard, was the main concern at the election particularly after the introduction of an unpopular sales tax in 2015.

#UPDATE Malaysia's Mahathir wins shock election victory, toppling 61-yr-old regime https://t.co/vijr5oPJud pic.twitter.com/XTDogeLUl7

— AFP news agency (@AFP) May 9, 2018

VIDEO: 92-year-old former leader Mahathir is challenging the current scandal-hit Malaysian PM Najib - and it’s turning out to be one of the country’s closest-ever elections https://t.co/7qnKdpyjAP pic.twitter.com/X5NN4QFD9N

— AFP news agency (@AFP) May 9, 2018

After poll defeat, Jakarta's Christian governor may escape jail

Yahoo – AFP, Sam Reeves, April 20, 2017

Jakarta's Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Ahok, arrives for
 his court hearing in Jakarta

Jakarta's Christian governor may escape jail for alleged blasphemy after prosecutors Thursday recommended only probation, a day after he lost in a religiously charged run-off that damaged Indonesia's image as a bastion of tolerant Islam.

The recommendation of two years probation in the trial of Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, with a possible one-year jail term if he commits a crime during that period, was lighter than expected as he could have been sent to prison for several years.

The sentence demand for allegedly insulting Islam came after he was defeated Wednesday by Muslim challenger Anies Baswedan who was accused of pandering to hardliners to win votes in the race for the Jakarta governorship.

After his victory, former government minister Baswedan celebrated with Islamic hardliners who helped organise mass protests in the capital against the governor by praying at a major mosque.

The blasphemy allegations and Purnama's subsequent poll loss have sparked fears that pluralistic traditions in the world's most populous Muslim country are under threat from the influence of hardliners, who pushed for the governor's prosecution.

Chief prosecutor Ali Mukartono recommended that Purnama, known by his nickname Ahok, be found guilty of blasphemy and be given two years probation, with a possible one-year jail sentence.

He said a light sentence was being recommended as Purnama had contributed to "advancing the city of Jakarta" and had acted politely during his trial.

Hardline anger

"If within the two years, Ahok doesn't commit any new criminal act, like corruption, stealing... he will be free," his lawyer I Wayan Sudirta told AFP.

"If within that two years he does commit a criminal act, he has to serve the one-year jail sentence."

A sentence recommendation is a normal step in an Indonesian court case, and is usually followed within weeks by a verdict.

The controversy began in September when Purnama, known for his outspoken style, outraged Muslims when he controversially quoted a passage from the Islamic holy text ahead of elections for the Jakarta governorship.

He insinuated that his opponents had used a Koranic verse to trick people into voting against him.

An edited version of his speech went viral online, sparking outrage far beyond Jakarta, where Purnama has ruled since his predecessor Joko Widodo became president in late 2014.

The governor apologised but Indonesia's highest clerical body declared the remarks blasphemous and urged authorities to bring charges

Before the blasphemy controversy erupted, Purnama enjoyed a large opinion poll lead due to his determination to clean up traffic-clogged, polluted Jakarta.

The trial started in December and dragged on for months, with both the prosecution and defence calling more than 40 witnesses. Purnama's team have accused the prosecution of calling biased witnesses, saying that many were not even present when the alleged blasphemy took place.

Critics want the country’s blasphemy laws overhauled. The legislation was rarely used during the 32-year rule of strongman Suharto, but in recent years it has been exploited to persecute minorities, rights groups say.

Ahok's Case Can Be Broadcast Live for the Public: Police Chief

Jakarta Globe, Anselmus Bata, November 05, 2016

National Police CHief Tito Karnavian, center, was speaking to reporters in
this file photo. (Antara Photo)

Jakarta. National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian has reassured the public it can watch deliberations in the Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama blasphemy case as they happen live.

"Case deliberation can be broadcast live so the public can witness clearly about this case and get to know the essence and content from the plaintiff, defendant, and experts," Tito told journalists in Jakarta on Saturday (11/5).

He said linguistic experts will be summoned to examine the case.

Representatives from the Attorney Office, the National Police Commissions as well as members of the Commission III at the House of Representatives, which oversees legal affairs, laws, human rights and security, will attend the hearing.

Tito said police will upgrade the case from pre-investigation if evidence is found and in the case that it is not, the case will be dropped.

Previously, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said the legal proceedings related to the blasphemy allegations against Basuki will be firm, quick and transparent.

Jokowi intends to resolve the matter swiftly to prevent further political upheaval.

Indonesia aiming to outlaw insulting the president

Indonesia's government is seeking to make insulting the nation's president illegal. While proponents say such a law is required to protect the presidency from slander, opponents fear it could be used to silence critics.

Deutshe Welle, 7 August 2015

The government put forward the proposal as part of its efforts to modify the country's criminal code. The clause stipulates criminal charges and prison terms for defaming the country's president or vice president. However, the government says the proposal only covers cases of slander or "personal insults," and does not apply when criticizing its decisions or policies.

Indonesia had a similar law in place during the 32-year long dictatorship of Suharto, when it was used as an instrument to muzzle the opposition.

But in 2006, the country's Constitutional Court scrapped the provision, deeming it incompatible with the essence of democracy. But despite the court's verdict, experts say, the provision enjoys significant political support across party lines.

The proposition to revive the controversial law was first tabled in 2012 under former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. But since it failed to become law during his term in office due to parliamentary opposition, it was passed on to the next government.

The country's current president, Joko Widodo - commonly known as "Jokowi" - also believes such a law is necessary.

The proposition to revive the controversial
 law was first tabled in 2012 under former
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

"I am personally fine with people insulting me. I deal with them every day. But we have to think about the long term: protecting the presidency as a symbol of the state, not just me personally," Jokowi was quoted by The Jakarta Globe as saying.

A 'terrible' setback?

Nevertheless, he assured that the prosivion would not be used to either obstruct free speech or silence government critics.

Jokowi also noted that he would leave it to the country's parliamentarians to decide on whether to pass the defamation clause, saying that "after all, they are the voice of the people," according to local media reports. The parliament is set to debate the law this August.

But the move has already triggered criticism and sparked fears the provision might be misused to abuse power. Zachary Abuza, an independent researcher on Southeast Asia, told DW that "if lawmakers were to pass a revised law that could withstand constitutional muster, it would be a terrible setback for both freedom of expression and democracy."

In this context, the analyst pointed out that it was the repeal of a similar provision in 2006 that helped Indonesia move up in press freedom rankings. The progress achieved so far on that front would be imperiled, should the provision become law, said Abuza.

What constitutes an insult?

Yohanes Sulaiman, a political analyst and lecturer at the Indonesian Defense University, believes the biggest problem with this provision lies in clearly defining what constitutes an insult.

"There are some people who are so thin-skinned that they view any mild criticism as a declaration of war. How do you know if the person is saying that in bad faith?"

The expert told DW that even if Jokowi didn't use this law against his critics - as he promised to do - there would be no guarantee that his successors would do the same.

Analyst Abuza explained in this regard that there is only a fine line between criticism of government policies and what the government views as slander.

"While the government might say that legitimate criticism of a policy would not be prosecuted, what about questioning the president's motivations for pushing for a certain policy or suggesting that the president has ulterior motivations for doing something that is not in the public good? They could be prosecuted," the expert said, adding that there is no way that the government can be trusted not to abuse such a law.

Parliament vs Constitutional Court?

Although the proposal had to be shelved in 2012, it now enjoys significant political backing from both the ruling and opposition coalitions, observers say.

However, analyst Sulaiman indicated that Indonesia's Constitutional Court is also looking askance at the proposal. "So even if the government managed to pass it into law, the court seems to be in the position to strike it down yet again."

Anger and Protests as Government Blindsides Public With New Pension Restriction

Jakarta Globe, Ezra Sihite, July 02, 2015

President Joko Widodo inaugurates the state worker pension fund, BPJS
Ketenagakerjaan, on Wednesday. (Antara Photo/Idhad Zakaria)

Jakarta. Thousands of Indonesians have taken to the Internet and the streets in protest at a new government regulation requiring employees and former employees to wait until retirement age to withdraw their pension funds.

An online petition challenging the government’s decision to revise the longstanding regulation on the state-pension fund withdrawal system was launched on Change.org and within less than two days garnered nearly 60,000 signatures.

The petition was initiated by Gilang Mahardika, a Yogyakarta resident who resigned from his job after working for five years.

Gilang had planned to start his own business with his pension fund, deducted from his monthly salary and managed by the Social Security Administration Body for Employment, or BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, which used to be known as Jamsostek.

Gilang, who resigned in May this year, went to a BPJS Ketenagakerjaan office to withdraw his funds only to be told that the rules had changed since the institution began full operations on Wednesday under a new regulation.

“My happiness to finally get the money I planned to use for business ended with a bitter pill,” Gilang wrote.

An official at the BPJS office told him that only those who have been paying into the pension fund for at least 10 years would be allowed to withdraw – and even then, the withdrawal is capped at 10 percent of the total fund. The full fund can only been withdrawn once the policy holder turns 56 years old.

The life expectancy in Indonesia is 70 years.

Previous rules governing the Jamsostek scheme stipulated that the full fund could be withdrawn after five years of paying into the scheme.

Gilang’s online protest spread quickly, with thousands of social media users echoing their disappointment on Facebook and Twitter, and demanding the government rescind the new regulation.

Angry protesters claimed the government was effectively robbing the public with the revised rules.

Despite the outcry, though, Manpower Minister Hanif Dhakiri insisted that the new regulation was in line with prevailing laws.

“There’s no such thing [as] the government taking advantage of the people. This is all about management,” he said on Thursday.

“After 10 years they will be allowed to access 10 percent of funds for miscellaneous necessities and an additional 30 percent for housing.”

BPJS Ketenagakerjaan president director Elvyn Masassya said the new regulation was more in line with the scheme’s intended purpose to provide a pension fund than the previous setup under Jamsostek.

“A pension fund is meant for people who have retired. A 10-year wait is more ideal,” he said on Thursday as quoted by CNN Indonesia. (Yes, Elvyn is a man.) “The funds are still there and can be claimed in full when a worker is 56 years old.”

Democratic Party legislator Dede Yusuf, who chairs the House of Representatives’ oversight commission in welfare, said the new regulation was needed to prevent BPJS Ketenagakerjaan from becoming cash-strapped like its health insurer counterpart, BPJS Kesehatan.

While disgruntled citizens in Jakarta opted to raise a ruckus online, workers in the industrial island of Batam, in the Riau Islands province, took to the streets on Wednesday to protest the new regulation, Batamnews.co.id reported.

Some 200 workers marched on the local BPJS Ketenagakerjaan office demanding to meet with officials there. A scuffle ensued when the workers were denied entry into the office.

The local BPJS office eventually agreed to postpone the implementation of the new regulation until after the Idul Fitri celebration which falls on July 17.

There was a similar protest in Bogor, just south of the capital, where hundreds of BPJS Ketenagakerjaan policy holders protested what they denounced as the government’s negligence in informing them about the drastic change in policy.

The Bogor office said there was nothing it could do to change the rules but to forward the people’s grievances to the BPJS Ketenagakerjaan head office in Jakarta.

Andy Sinaga, of the workers’ rights advocacy group Labor Institute Indonesia, said the regulation went against the spirit of Indonesia’s universal social welfare scheme, which is supposed to work for the benefit of the people.

Andy also said that labor unions and workers’ groups had never been consulted during the drafting of the new regulation. The government, he added, had showed itself to be insensitive toward the impact that Indonesia’s economic slowdown was having on the workforce, including mass layoffs in various industries.

“Workers need cash to survive. With Idul Fitri just days away, there’s an extra need for cash,” Andy said as quoted by Rakyat Merdeka Online.

“President Jokowi must act and revoke this one-sided decision because it victimizes the participants of BPJS Ketenagakerjaan themselves.”

Direct Elections ‘Bring Democracy Back’ to Indonesia

‘People’s Victory’ The House has ratified the emergency government regulation that restores direct elections of regional leaders

Jakarta Globe, Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Yustinus Paat,Jan 21, 2015

Ministers and other members of House Commission II after signing the perppu
 in to law. All parties in the House have committed their support to direct elections,
 though all but the Democratic Party have argued for some revision.  (Antara Photo/
Akbar Nugroho Gumay)

Jakarta. The House of Representatives on Tuesday ratified into law an emergency government regulation that restores direct elections of regional leaders in Indonesia.

The ratification quickly drew praise from analysts who said that Indonesia’s democracy was back on track.

“It’s a people’s victory,” said Arie Sudjito, a political expert from the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.

In September, the House agreed on a proposal put forward by Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s government to give local legislative councils the power to appoint district heads, mayors and governors, ending nearly a decade of direct elections.

The move sparked anger from people across the country, accusing the House and Yudhoyono of betraying the people, and claiming Indonesia’s democracy had returned to a system similar with that of Suharto’s totalitarian New Order regime.

Many also feared the opposition would dominate the regional leaders posts because they dominate most of the legislative councils, opening the possibility for them to block any policies by President Joko Widodo, who at that time was declared the president-elect by the General Elections Commission (KPU) after he defeated Prabowo Subianto in a tightly contested  national election.

After seeing the public anger, Yudhoyono backpedaled, saying that he never wanted indirect elections as his Democratic Party had proposed as a revision to the existing system of direct elections.

He quickly proposed an emergency government regulation, known as perppu, while declaring that indirect election law was scrapped.

“Now, the perppu has become a law. So we can begin direct elections in many regions across the nation,” Arie said.

But the KPU would not be able to make preparations for some 200 local elections, set to be held simultaneously this year, as nine of the 10 factions at the House demanded some changes in the newly passed law.

“Each faction has presented its views, which in general accepts the perppu to be ratified into law,” said Rambe Kamarul Zaman, chairman of the House Commission II, which oversees home affairs.

Rambe was referring to the government regulation in lieu of law passed by former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during his last days in office.

The perppu annulled the 2014 regional elections law, which eliminated regional elections and instead provided authority for local legislatures to appoint governors, district heads and mayors.

However, Rambe said that most factions have urged for some changes to the new law.

“We will propose a bill, drafted by House Commission II, which will improve the new law pertaining to candidate eligibility, stages of elections and public hearings, among others,” the Golkar Party politician said.

The Democratic Party, chaired by the former president, was the only party that opposed any revision arguing the law is already perfect.

“We don’t want any more revisions. The regulation itself already contains enough substance on the direct regional election system and revisions from the previous law. It already includes suggestions to make the elections better,” Commission II member Saan Mustopa, a Democrat, said on Tuesday.

Moreover, making revisions will take time and Indonesia needs the new law immediately, Saan added, as more than 200 local elections are set to be held this year.

The process of preparing more changes will affect the preparations for local elections, he stressed.

“It will be difficult for the KPU to do its job,” the politician said.

Last year, parties from the opposition Red-White Coalition, including representatives of the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Golkar Party and the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), voted in favor of abolishing regional elections.

But their stance changed after the Democratic Party announced that it would be  leaving the bloc.

All 10 factions at the House on Monday expressed their commitment to ratify the perppu. House Speaker Setya Novanto called on Commission II members to expedite the drafting of the new bill and conclude the ratification process before the House sitting period ends on Feb. 18.

“I have asked each faction to conclude the revision during this sitting period so they would not disrupt the simultaneous regional elections schedule,” said Setya, who is also a Golkar politician.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Fadli Zon, of Gerindra, said the revision would not change the substance of the newly passed law. He added that the changes “are very technical.”

Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said the government was open to revisions and pledged to work with the House “intensively” on the planned revisions.

Jokowi Finally Presents His Awesome Indonesia Cabinet

Jakarta Globe, Oct 26, 2014

A framed photo of President Joko Widodo. (Antara Photo/Ivan Pramana Putra)

Jakarta. Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo late on Sunday afternoon finally presented his cabinet, bringing to an end a period of anxious waiting for the much-anticipated list of names.

The president was inaugurated on Oct. 20 and lists of possible ministerial lineups have been doing the rounds since then.

At the announcement, Joko said the cabinet was to work for a period of five years, which is why the selection was made after careful consideration, and based on candidates’ “experience and good leadership skills.”

Joko, together with Vice President Jusuf Kalla apparently were close to announcing the cabinet lineup on Wednesday night — with a stage already having been prepared at Tanjung Priok port in North Jakarta — but that event was cancelled at the last minute.

Joko made it a point to submit his list of 34 prospective members of the Awesome Indonesia Cabinet (KIH) to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for vetting, with eight unnamed candidates being flagged by the anti-graft body. The president and his team then had to find replacements, accounting for at least part of the delay.

The official inauguration of the new cabinet was expected to take place on Monday.

The ministers:

• State secretary: Pratikno
• National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) minister: Andrinof Chaniago
• Coordinating minister for maritime affairs: Indroyono Soesilo
• Minister of transportation: Ignasius Jonan
• Minister of maritime affairs and fisheries: Susi Pudjiastuti
• Minister of tourism: Arief Yahya
• Minister of energy and mineral resources: Sudirman Said
• Coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs: Tedjo Edy Purdjianto
• Minister of home affairs: Tjahjo Kumolo
• Minister of foreign affairs: Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi
• Minister of defense: Ryamizard Ryacudu
• Minister of justice and human rights: Yasonna H. Laoly
• Minister of communication and information technology Rudiantara
• Minister of administrative reform: Yuddy Chrisnandi
• Coordinating minister for the economy: Sofyan Djalil
• Finance minister: Bambang Brodjonegoro
• Minister of state-owned enterprises: Rini M. Soemarno
• Minister of cooperatives and small and medium enterprises: Anak Agung Gede Ngurah Puspayoga
• Minister of industry:  Saleh Husi
• Minister of trade: Rahmat Gobel
• Minister of agriculture: Amran Sulaiman
• Minister of manpower: Hanif Dhakiri
• Minister of public works and housing: Basuki Hadimuljono
• Minister of forestry and environment: Siti Nurbaja
• Coordinating minister of human development and culture: Puan Maharani
• Minister of religion: Lukman Hakim Saifuddin
• Minister of health: Nila F. Moeloek
• Minister of social affairs: Khofifah Indar Parawansa
• Minister of women’s empowerment and child protection: Yohana S. Yambise
• Minister of primary and secondary education and culture: Anies Baswedan
• Minister of research and technology and higher education: M. Nasir
• Minister of sports and youth affairs: Imam Nahrawi
• Minister of development of villages and underdeveloped regions and transmigration: Marwan Jafar

Related Article:

Indonesia’s New Ministers: Who Are They?

Constitutional Court Rejects Judicial Review of Regional Elections Law

Jakarta Globe, Adelia Anjani Putri & Camelia Pasandaran, Oct 24, 2014

An image of Indonesia's Constitutional Court in session. (JG Photo/Safir Makki)

Jakarta. The Constitutional Court rejected on Thursday a judicial review of the controversial regional elections law on account of a presidential decree rushed out by former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

“The court doesn’t consider the legal standing of the application and the request for review,” Constitutional Court Chief Justice Hamdan Zoelva said, as quoted by the state-run Antara news agency.

The judicial review was filed by several applicants, including human rights group Imparsial, against a law passed in September by the House of Representatives (DPR) ending direct elections for mayors, district heads and provincial governors. Local leaders would instead be appointed by the Regional Representatives Council (DPRD), ending people’s right to choose officials who wield sweeping powers over large budgets conferred by Indonesia’s highly decentralized political system.

The passing of the law was seen by many as an affront to democracy engineered by losing presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and his most senior backers in the Red-White Coalition — the bloc of parties that control the majority in the House.

The judicial review of the regional elections law was applied after Yudhoyono issued a presidential decree known in Indonesia by its acronym, Perppu.

Constitutional Court Justice Patrialias Akbar said the Perppu had invalidated the law, and that there were therefore no grounds for a review of a law that no longer existed. The Perppu remains a temporary measure to buy time.

It was issued in desperation by Yudhoyono after his Democratic Party walked out of the House session — in so doing handing victory to Prabowo’s Red-White coalition. But the House will have an opportunity to vote down the Perppu, reinstating the removal of direct elections for regional heads in an example of the complexities of Indonesian law.

Article 205 of the Perppu Pilkada states that “After this Perppu comes into effect, 2014 Law No 22 [the Regional Elections Law] is revoked and no longer valid.”

The lead lawyer for the plaintiffs, Wahyudi Djafar, told the Jakarta Globe that he knew the application for judicial review was dead in the water all along because of the existence of the Perppu, but that the collective behind the court application felt they had no option but to proceed anyway.

“We are aware that the legal objective was non-existent,” he said. “However we had no choice but to proceed with the judicial review appeal and let the justices reject it —something that we already knew would happen.

“We could not retract the appeal because it would mean that we might seem to have second thoughts about our actions and the reasons behind them, hence our legal standing would be lost.

“By letting the court reject the appeal, we maintain our right … if we want to file another judicial review —which we will if the House decides to [overrule the Perppu].”

A constitutional law expert at the University of Indonesia agreed that there was no legal impasse to filing a second judicial review.

“Should the House decide to take down the presidential regulation and revive the local election law, anyone can go to the Constitutional Court and file a new judicial review,” Irman Putra Sidin told the Globe.

Refly Harun, another legal expert, said that President Joko Widodo could issue another presidential decree to replace Yudhoyono’s — should that be voted down by the House.

Prabowo’s Red-White Coalition has defied consensus opinion that it would have disintegrated by now. Most financial analysts, journalists and university academics had predicted some of Prabowo’s coalition parties would have jumped ship to Joko’s camp once the reality of being out of power had sunk in.

That scenario has not been realized, however, and the outlook for direct local elections in the world’s fourth-largest democracy remains uncertain, with more political horse trading and legal wrangling to come.

Wahyudi, the lawyer at the helm of the plaintiffs’ judicial review, said he would play the waiting game to see whether the House voted to reinstate the law, which, in the Globe’s Sep. 26 editorial, was described as having “in one fell swoop thrown the country’s democratic system back into the dark ages of the New Order regime.”

“For now, we’re waiting on the House’s political choice,” Wahyudi told the Globe on Friday. “This is not about legal form — it’s about protecting our right to vote.”

Jokowi Makes Time’s Front Cover in ‘A New Hope’

Jakarta Globe, Oct 16, 2014

 (Photo courtesy of Time)

Jakarta. Man of the Year?

Not exactly. But President-elect Joko Widodo made Time’s cover in the Oct. 27 issue, which was posted on the magazine’s website on Thursday.

Titled “A New Hope” by journalist Hannah Beech, Time’s coverage highlights the importance of progress in Indonesia’s democratic movement in the world’s fourth most populous nation.

Joko’s inauguration as the nation’s seventh president takes place on Monday, and he succeeds President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, whose second five-year term will end.

All presidents of Indonesia have made the cover of Time.

Related Article:

Joko Bids Farewell to Jakarta Govt, Promises to Continue Working for City

SBY Signs Presidential Decree to Replace Regional Elections Law

Jakarta Globe, SP/Novianti Setuningsih, Oct 03, 2014

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,left, is accompanied by Vice President Boediono
as he signs a special presidential order late on Thursday in an attempt to cancel out the
much-criticized regional elections law, which was passed last week by the House
 of Representatives. (Rumgapres Photo/Abror Rizki)

Jakarta. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono signed a special presidential order late on Thursday in an attempt to cancel out the much-criticized regional elections law, which was passed last week by the House of Representatives.

Deputy Justice and Human Rights Minister Denny Indrayana said the president signed the regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) on Thursday.

“President Yudhoyono wants the regional elections to be better than the previous one and therefore the substance of this Perppu is the answer to all the criticism … that has been voiced by many people,” Denny said on Friday.

Denny said the Perppu canceled out the regional elections law, which removed direct elections for mayors, district heads and governors and placed their appointment in the hands of regional legislative councils.

The law was criticized as a major step back for Indonesian democracy, but it was unclear on Friday whether the Perppu would stand because the House could still veto the president’s last-minute intervention.

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Special Presidential Order (More Pictures)

Indonesia’s scrapping of direct elections raises fears for democracy