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resident Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo'€™s visit with victims of Mount Sinabung'€™s prolonged eruptions in North Sumatra on Wednesday was apparently inspired by the old saying that '€œif the porridge is too hot then starts eating from the edges'€. He clearly distanced himself from the childish behavior demonstrated by the two conflicting camps at the House of Representatives '€” the Red-and-White Coalition and his own Great Indonesia Coalition.

 On Monday, the President inaugurated his 34 Cabinet ministers, including 14 political appointees. He named his team the Working Cabinet. Jokowi strongly reminded his ministers that they should work under his command. He also told them that they should strictly follow his guidance and instruction. Among his ministers are Puan Maharani, the daughter of former president Megawati Soekarnoputri and chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggles (PDI-P), which backed Jokowi'€™s presidential and gubernatorial bids.

 Puan, who was initially prepared to become speaker of the House, was appointed coordinating human development and culture minister. The 41-year old politician was also one of Megawati'€™s deputies in the party.

 On Wednesday, thousands of refugees cheerfully welcomed the President, who neglected much of the rigid protocol restrictions imposed by his predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during his 10-year tenure. In front of the refugees, he called on his ministers in Jakarta to speed up the relocation of about 370 families who had to abandon their homes and farms as Mt. Sinabung'€™s eruptions had continued to cause damage to their properties. Jokowi set a clear time limit for his ministers and the military to complete the relocation. The relocation has been delayed for more than one year as the related ministries under Yudhoyono'€™s administration were very slow to process the administrative documents.

Jokowi also distributed Indonesia Smart Cards (KIP), Indonesia Prosperous Family Cards (KKS) and Indonesia Health Cards (KIS). '€œIn two weeks the three cards will be delivered to all evacuees. If any of you do not receive one, please text me,'€ said Jokowi. He also gave out his cell phone number to them.

The Jokowi-initiated cards are realizations of his presidential election campaign promises. He had initiated similar programs while serving as Jakarta governor. Many believed that the education and health cards were among the key factors that helped him clinch the win in the presidential election.

The KKS has been designed especially to prepare for the implementation of the government'€™s fuel-price hike plan. Millions of poor families across the country will receive a social-safety net fund from the government to compensate for the increase in fuel prices. In the past, recipients received cash from the government.

Jokowi will likely announce the fuel-price hike next week. Premium gasoline is likely to be increased by Rp 3,000 (25 US cents) per liter from the current price of Rp 6,500. In his presidential campaign, Jokowi made it very clear that he would immediately raise fuel prices because the energy subsidy next year would not be less than Rp 276 trillion , or 15 percent of total government spending.

Bank Indonesia (BI) Deputy Governor Perry Warjiyo pointed out that Jokowi'€™s plan, if realized, could result in inflation standing at 7.7 percent, or up 3.2 percent from the current level, but would be able to narrow the current-account deficit by at least $3 billion.

Meanwhile, also on Wednesday, the Great Indonesia Coalition announced its own House leadership because the Red-and-White Coalition, led by Prabowo Subianto, who lost to Jokowi in the July 9 presidential election, swept leadership of all commissions in the house.

Sweden became the first western European Union member to officially recognize the State of Palestine. '€œThe government considers that international law criteria for recognition of a Palestinian state have been fulfilled,'€ Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom wrote in an op-ed column in a national newspaper on Thursday.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas described the decision as '€œbrave and historic'€, but Israel condemned the Swedish government.

'€œAll countries of the world that are still hesitant to recognize our right to an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, with east Jerusalem as its capital (should) follow Sweden'€™s lead,'€ Abbas'€™ spokesman said.

'€œThe decision of the Swedish government to recognize a Palestinian state is a deplorable decision which only strengthens extremist elements and Palestinian rejectionism,'€ Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman commented.

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On Thursday, BI Governor Agus Martowardojo announced the central bank'€™s decision to require companies to hedge their foreign currency based loans. Prior to borrowing, the companies must first fulfill three conditions: a healthy level of liquidity strength, hedging ratio and credit rating level. The rule will come into effect in January 2015.

Severe sanctions will be imposed against defiant companies.

'€œSo far we only find prudent management in the banking sector, but, sorry to say, we don'€™t find the same discipline in corporations,'€ the central bank governor told 100 CEOs of national companies who were invited to his office for direct briefing from the governor.

'€” Kornelius Purba