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strong>Aug. 19, p1

The transition team of president-elect Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo has been largely operating in secrecy. But the team'€™s end goal may well justify the means as it is working on a Herculean task of identifying '€œbusiness mafias'€ that have long posed an impediment to transformative policies.

Aside from drafting working programs for Jokowi once he assumes office on Oct. 20, the team has been working on profiling the major business cabals and recommending ways of eliminating their dominance.

Jokowi, widely regarded for his integrity and clean track record, has highlighted his intention to keep his transition team'€™s operations out of the public eye over concerns they could be influenced by pressure from vested interests.

Your comments:

Most Indonesian fishermen are chained by the mafia. They are given money (and often boats and freezers) before they go to the sea.

When they can'€™t meet the targeted goal, they have to stay longer at sea, and to make the process
faster and easier they are often forced to drug the fish by bombing the reefs with chemicals, which leads to the killing of even baby fish and the corals, which leads to less and less fish.  

The mafia then confiscates all their catch. The fishermen become poorer but have to work longer and can never escape the vicious cycle.

Iau Aro

Jokowi'€™s programs include empowering the agricultural sector and fisheries by providing subsidies and lending money at a rate lower than that of the mafia.

When the Indonesian government can provide cheap lending rates, the problem will be solved. Money talks, Mafia walks.

Animi

The fishermen destroyed their own coral reefs two decades ago with bombs and cyanide without the promises and threats of the mafia, which is precisely why they have to go further out, and stay out longer and buy freezers (or formaldehyde).

Brien

Perhaps the Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla team should focus on the very powerful regents and mayors who let documents that need approval sit on their desks until Ramadhan, during which '€œbonuses'€ are slipped between files.

Malam

I have dealt with the fishery department and I know the main culprits depriving the local fishermen are the illegal trawlers, who were let in by the corrupt Navy.

They pay a one-time fee to trawl and pile on to those freight carriers that unload the fish at island ports.

All these activities are done in cooperation of corrupt local authorities.

Think of the money these Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese trawlers make at the expense of Indonesians.

TC

The so-called '€œcourt mafia'€ also exists. I know this because I am victim of their immoral and unethical practices. The court mafia makes the whole judicial system seem corrupt.

Tiny Singapore, a city-state without natural resources is selling the lowest grade of fuel at US$2.30 a liter and that is inclusive of tax.

I am sure the ordinary chaps must be shocked and they should be grateful that for so many years the Indonesian government has been helping them.

Paying market price for consumer goods has been the way of life in the Lion City.

Tant KT