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Criticized over surge in blasphemy convictions Nov
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strong>Criticized over surge in blasphemy convictions
Nov. 21, Online
Former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has left a lot of work to do for the new government in relation to blasphemy prosecutions.
During Yudhoyono's decade in office, 106 individuals were convicted under blasphemy laws, with some receiving prison sentences of up to five years, according to a report released by Amnesty International on Friday.
Your comments:
When Yudhoyono was president, the Indonesian regime also put political activists and environmentalists behind bars. Maluku and West Papua's prisons have dozens of political prisoners, held in sometimes inhumane conditions. When will Jokowi's government order their release from prison?
Jan Karl
Indonesia is, in many respects, the Dutch East Indies without the Dutch. It is still largely a plantation culture in many provinces, with palm oil being the latest favorite commodity.
It has borrowed much of its legal and law-enforcement ideas from the Dutch colonizers too, throwing activists and dissidents in prison and using a monopoly on military force to coerce restive provinces to remain in the union. Also, much of the money flows to a small ruling elite with a vast sea of low-class outsiders.
Lasem Benny
Immediately pardon all crimes under this most discriminative of laws and place a national moratorium on all use of this law until it is reanalyzed under the Universal Law on Human Rights.
Brien
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Bali blinkers must come off for Australians
Nov. 23, p4
The inauguration of President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo was a notable event, not just for the fact that a former furniture salesman from well outside the country's elite was being sworn in as its leader, but that it briefly put the city of Jakarta at the top of news bulletins in Australia and around the world. (By Cade Lucas, Jakarta)
Your comments:
Well said by my compatriot Cade Lucas on Australia's 'Bali Blinkers'.
A survey in Australia a few years ago asked the question, whose territory is Bali? With the majority answering: Australia.
One month in Jakarta last year finds me in complete agreement with Cade. Since then, another two months in Yogyakarta has confirmed the impression: a wonderfully intriguing country and people. The friendliness, curiosity and warmth one encounters, poses us Westerners serious questions, as well as giving much delight.
One can only wish the new administration in Jakarta the very best.
Pavle Radonic
I commend the writer. I wish you well in your career here. Your views have already brought some negative gremlins out of the woodwork. We need more positive expat thinkers like you.
Nosmo King
People have different interests when it comes to tourism. Some want to do the Lonely Planet checklist approach, ticking off every nook and cranny on the planet. Others may have specific interests such as steam trains, forests, gardens, food and monuments.
Others most likely simply want to relax. Most people find Bali attractive as you can relax in the pool or the beach, go to night clubs, eat sophisticated cuisine with no restrictions on the meat that is available and even have the odd cultural tour.
Jakarta offers little to the leisure traveler, just another polluted Asian metropolis. Other places such as Yogyakarta offer great cultural attractions, but for most tourists, a few days is enough. People keep returning to Bali because of the lifestyle, largely absent in other places in Indonesia.
Jagera
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Jakarta hit with early flooding
Nov. 21, p1
Floodwater inundated flood-prone neighborhoods in Jakarta early Thursday following heavy downpour in upstream areas of Bogor and Depok, West Java, a day earlier.
A number of areas in North, South and East Jakarta experienced the worst of the floods, which should have started in January instead of November.
Floodwater at a depth of up to 50 centimeters inundated the busy Jl. Gunung Sahari in North Jakarta as well as Kampung Melayu in East Jakarta causing severe traffic gridlock.
Your comments:
Be patient, Jakarta. I hope the new governor can take care of the problems.
Anisah Cain
Garbage clogs up drains, thus exacerbating flooding. The best way to deal with this problem is proper waste management. Allocate funds and develop simple guidelines on trash collection and the disposal of garbage.
Hold local governments responsible for implementing waste management programs.
Hold the people responsible for the proper disposal of garbage; heavy fines for anyone seen throwing garbage. Businesses should be hit with heavier fines and should have their licenses revoked for improper waste management.
Hew
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National Police confirms virginity tests
Nov. 19, Online
The National Police have admitted that there is a practice of testing the virginity of women who apply to be police officers.
National Police law division head Inspector General Moechgiyarto said on Wednesday that the practice had been going on for a long time. 'The rule [for the test] has existed for quite a long time. We need to check the quality of a candidate through the procedure [virginity screening],' he told reporters at a discussion at the Jentera School of Law (IJSL) in Kuningan, South Jakarta.
Your comments:
So a woman with a broken hymen is necessarily a prostitute? What kind of idiots would come up with this kind of backward thinking? The fact that male applicants' virginity is not tested is already discriminatory.
Chotto Matte
The fact that he actually justifies the reasons for these tests is even worse than the tests themselves. No wonder much of the developed world does not take us seriously.
Jbl Nor
It's just unbelievable that he has the guts to justify this test. Honorable President, please take note of this horrible practice and ban it for good.
Wadata
The Indonesian National Police are digging themselves deeper with every statement they issue. I blame this on the quality of education as a whole. This is the product of an education system that focuses too much on religious studies and not enough on sciences.
Abu Abu
The procedure filters candidates' potential and capabilities. Not all non-virgin women are prostitutes. Not only will the National Police be seen and judged by the world to be arrogant and discriminative, they are narrowing their pool of potential talented candidates. Not to mention that they've degraded their own image.
Adit Harjo N
