[Kabar-indonesia] 8 Jakarta Reports: Noted Economist Faisal Registers with PDI-P for Governor

[JoyoNews at aol.com]

8 JP Jakarta News Reports:

- Faisal Basri to register with PDI-P
- Depok working on prostitution ban
- State school going by more stately 
  name
- Trial of 14 ecstasy plant workers, 
  boss underway
- Health post steers drug users 
  back on course
- Ecstasy dealers nabbed in 
  W. Jakarta
- Policewoman arrested for stealing
- 'City needs more open green space'

The Jakarta Post
Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Faisal Basri to register with PDI-P

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Although official registration for candidates for the 2007
gubernatorial election has yet to be opened, a number 
of prominent figures have put their names forward to the 
Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party for 
Struggle (PDI-P).

The party announced last week that Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, former
environment minister and Golkar secretary-general, and Agum Gumelar,
former transportation minister and 2004 vice president candidate from
the United Development Party, were both interested in running for
governor under its banner.

Noted economist Faisal Basri, a former secretary-general of the
National Mandate Party, said Tuesday he would officially register
himself as a PDI-P candidate as well.

"Hopefully I'll register on Wednesday," Faisal told The Jakarta Post.

Faisal, who is also the chairman of political group the Indonesian
Movement, said his decision to run under the party was due to its
nationalism.

"Jakarta is home to people from many backgrounds so we need to promote unity.

"I traveled around talking to Jakartans before registering with the
PDI-P; most of them like the party because of its pluralism concept,"
he said.

With only 11 seats in the provincial legislature, the PDI-P came in
third behind the Democratic Party and the Prosperous Justice Party in
the 2004 regional elections.

Pantas Nainggolan, the head of advocacy, legal and human rights
affairs for PDI-P's Jakarta chapter said the party had not yet
determined the criteria for candidates.

"We are an open party, anybody can register; it is then the party's
right to decide after potential candidates have gone through a
screening process," Pantas told The Jakarta Post.

The party that secured the most votes in the 2004 legislative
election, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), said it was still
looking for candidates.

"The Jakarta chapter of the PKS will also screen possible candidates
to decide who would best represent us," PKS councillor Mukhayar
Rustamudin said.

The party earlier withdrew support for Jakarta Deputy Governor Fauzi
Bowo and actor Rano Karno for the 2007 gubernatorial election.

However, Fauzi Bowo has been named a candidate by the Democratic Party.

The Jakarta chapter of the Golkar Party has listed Fauzi Bowo, city
administration secretary Ritola Tasmaya, former Indonesia Military
spokesman Lt. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and former Jakarta Military
spokesman Maj. Gen. Nachrowi as possible candidates.

However, although the gubernatorial election is just months away, the
House of Representatives has yet to pass the bill on the capital city
into law.

Under the draft, Jakarta residents would vote for governor.

But the number of deputy governors has not yet been decided, though it
has been suggested there could be four.

The Regional Representatives Council, which will submit its own draft
bill to the House, said that not only Jakarta governor, but the mayors
of Jakarta's five municipalities, namely Central Jakarta, North
Jakarta, West Jakarta, South Jakarta and East Jakarta, should be
elected under the direct election system.

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The Jakarta Post
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
    
Depok working on prostitution ban

DEPOK: The Depok City Council will start deliberating next month the
draft of an ordinance banning prostitution, the chairwoman of the
Prosperous Justice Party faction, Qurtifa Wijaya, said.

"We're already 80 percent through, so hopefully we'll finish the draft
by the end of the month and begin deliberating it next month," she
said as quoted by Antara.

Qurtifa said the council's working committee had conducted a
comparative study in Sukabumi where the Sukabumi City Council is
currently deliberating a bill on alcohol, prostitution and narcotics.

Councillor Ahmad Dahlan said scholars and experts would be invited to
make recommendations.

"We hope they can improve the draft because it will be in everyone's
best interests if it is passed into law."

Tangerang municipality was the first to bring in bylaws banning
alcohol and prostitution. But experts said the law on prostitution
contained definitions so vague it could be used to target women who
went out by themselves after dark.

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The Jakarta Post
Wednesday, June 28, 2006

State school going by more stately name

Intan Ismawati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Despite its name, not a single Venezuelan child attends the school in
Menteng, Central Jakarta, which most people know as the School of
Venezuela.

It is listed by the government as State Elementary School No. 3 and
has 377 students, many of whom live near Jl. Cilacap, where it is
located.

The school was built in 1950 and named the School of Venezuela in
1988, to signify the diplomatic ties between Venezuela and Indonesia.

On Tuesday, although most children in the city are on holidays,
teachers and some students were busily preparing a ceremony to mark a
name change for the school to the School of the Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela.

The school's name was changed because the country's name was
officially changed in 1999 from Venezuela to the Bolivarian Republic
of Venezuela, the country's counselor charge d'Affairs, Sergio Ramon
Aranguren Carrero, told The Jakarta Post.

School's principal Nachwijah Endo said the name change was symbolic only.

"This doesn't mean the school belongs to an outsider. It's still a
state elementary school and follows the national curriculum
accordingly."

Students are, however, taught about the origin of the country's name,
its history, geography, culture and heritage. Their school badge
features the flags of the two countries.

Nachwijah said that while no teaching staff had visited Venezuala they
would jump at the opportunity.

"This is a good school. I am confident my son is getting a solid
education," said Faridah, 40, who has seen many members of her
extended family do well at the school.

"The achievements of my eldest daughter encouraged me to enroll her
sister. The school is academic but also prides itself on providing
children with a religious education," said Wati, 44.

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The Jakarta Post
Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Trial of 14 ecstasy plant workers, boss underway

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

The trials of 14 men who worked at "Southeast Asia's largest illicit
drug-manufacturing factory" in Serang, Banten, began Tuesday at the
Tangerang District Court.

Seven of the defendants are Indonesian, namely factory owner Benny
Sudradjat alias Benny Oei, 68; the director of pharmaceutical factory
PT Sumaco Jaya Abadi, Iming Santosa alias Budi Sucipto; warehouse
keeper Samad Sani alias Agus Tjay; administrative officer Arden
Christian, office boy Hendra Rahardja and cleaner Toto Kusriadi.

Five others are Chinese, namely Zhang Manqua, 42, Chen Hongxin, 36,
Jiang Yuxin, 37, Gan Chunyi, 43, and Zhu Xuxiong, 35, and were
accompanied in court by an interpreter.

The two other defendants, Dutch national Nicolaas Garnic Josephus
Gerrardus and Frenchman Serge Areski Atloui, will be tried Wednesday.

Two teams of prosecutors headed by Anwarudin Sulistyo and Hasran
Harahap read out the charges against the five Chinese and seven
Indonesian defendants simultaneously in separate court rooms.

According to prosecutors, the 12 jointly organized the production of
ecstasy pills in a factory on Jl. Raya Rangkas Bitung in Cemplang
village, Jawilan district, managed by PT Sumaco Jaya Abdi.

Prosecutors said Benny Sudradjat bought the vacant factory for Rp 700
million in 2001 to be used for the production of durable plastic. He
later said he had switched to producing furniture.

"The plastic and furniture production was just a front used to mask
the real activity at the factory," Anwarudin said.

Benny told police he got the idea for a surefire business from Chinese
national Peter Wong during a trip to China in 2003. Wong was arrested
in early May in Palembang, North Sumatra, by the National Narcotics
Agency.

After the meeting in China, Wong transferred Rp 1 billion to Benny's
account for drug production.

Benny, who oversaw the establishment of the factory, purchased
materials from Taiwan and recruited drug experts from China and the
Netherlands and a French technician, who operated drug-manufacturing
machinery.

National Police chief Gen. Sutanto led a raid on the ecstasy plant in
November, shortly after he was installed as police chief.

"This factory is the largest (ecstasy) factory ever found in Southeast
Asia," Anwarudin told the panel of judges.

The factory could produce a million ecstasy pills in a week with an
estimate street value of Rp 100 billion (US$10 million).

During the raid, police confiscated 62.4 tons of precursor chemicals
for making crystal methamphetamine or locally known as shabu-shabu and
6.7 tons of chemicals for ecstasy production.

Police also seized thousands of ecstasy pills and hundreds of
kilograms of methamphetamine ready to be transported to Hong Kong.

Prosecutors charged the defendants with violating the 1997
Psychotropics Law. If found guilty, the defendants could face the
death sentence.

The panel of judges, presided over by Zaid Umar, adjourned the trial
until next week because some lawyers representing the defendants did
not show up.

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The Jakarta Post
Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Health post steers drug users back on course

Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Iwan Hermawan was going to be an accountant. That was before he got
caught buying putaw (low-grade heroin) and spent six months in
Cipinang jail.

The 28-year-old is married, but his in-laws have warned him against
coming anywhere near his wife.

Drug dependency turned Iwan's life upside down, but two years after he
stopped taking drugs it's getting back on course.

Iwan, like many other young people, was sidetracked from the straight
and narrow by sheer boredom and lack of productive activity.

"I began right after graduating from high school. I've tried all sorts
of things -- alcohol, ecstasy, marijuana -- but putaw gives the
greatest high, and addiction to it is the worst. I needed time in
rehab to go clean," Iwan told The Jakarta Post Monday.

It was not difficult for him to sustain his habit since, at the time,
drug dealing was common in Kampung Bali subdistrict in Tanah Abang,
Central Jakarta, where he lives.

"It was a combination of many factors; Tanah Abang is a location that
is easily accessible from all over, and to all people and that's part
of the problem," Yayasan Pelita Ilmu's (YPI) Kampung Bali program
manager Pungky Djoko S. said.

YPI's work in the area began in early 2000 after extensive research on
the areas in Jakarta most vulnerable to HIV and drug abuse, he said.

"The foundation's main work is with people living with HIV/AIDS, but
since we found a strong connection between the virus and intravenous
drug users (IDU), we just couldn't ignore drug abusers," Pungky said.

Not one to spew fire and brimstone in the hope of deterring drug
users, the group began quietly by joining community activities, such
as the women's integrated health service post, which told them about
the extent of the problem and the community's immediate needs.

It invites psychoactive drug users to seek help and counseling at the
Kampung Bali community health center, where the activity is centered,
and slowly talks them into reducing their drug use.

"We don't immediately cut them off from their supply, but encourage
them to stop gradually," Pungky said, explaining that some of the
methods used include providing alternative medication to help them get
through the withdrawal period.

"We give them painkillers to cope with the withdrawal syndrome, and
encourage them to use sterile needles," he said.

At the community health center, drug users -- mostly IDUs in their 20s
and early 30s -- are given basic health care services, HIV testing and
medication for HIV-related opportunistic infections, and referred to
hospitals, therapists and rehabilitation centers.

Pungky said that since the activity began, the number of new drug
users in Kampung Bali had dropped by about 30 percent, while the
discovery of people who had used drugs over a prolonged period of time
or in high doses had been halved.

For Iwan, the YPI urged him get help at the National Narcotics
Agency's (BNN) Permadisiwi Drug Addiction Hospital in Cawang, East
Jakarta, where he spent eight months in rehabilitation.

Today, two years out of rehab, Iwan is taking classes in motorcycle
mechanics and is dreaming of establishing his own small auto shop.

"And maybe, once I'm able to prove myself, my in-laws will consider me
worthy of their daughter," he said.

Although denying any ties to the YPI, Iwan is one of the group's many
former users who have became its strongest advocates, helping others
get over their dependency on drugs.

"You try. You see your friends suffering and not knowing where to get
help. So you help them," he said.

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The Jakarta Post
Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Ecstasy dealers nabbed in W. Jakarta

JAKARTA: Jakarta Police detectives have arrested three ecstasy dealers
at a boarding house on Jl. Raya Mangga Besar IV in Tamansari, West
Jakarta, confiscating 2,600 pills as evidence.

"We received information from residents that drugs were being dealt in
the boarding house," the chief of the police's drug squad, Sr. Comr.
Carlo Tewu, said Monday.

The boarding house had been under surveillance since June 8, when
police arrested a man identified as Sudarmono Sukimin alias Ati who
had 40 ecstasy pills in his bag.

"He said he bought it from a woman named Valen," Carlo said.

Police then searched the boarding house and arrested Erlianawaty
"Valen" Halim, who had 2,000 ecstasy pills in her possession, and a
man identified as Yudianto, who had 600.

"Yudianto said he was about to return the pills to Valen because of
their inferior quality," Carlo said.

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The Jakarta Post
Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Policewoman arrested for stealing

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A second brigade policewoman, identified only as EK, was arrested
Monday for allegedly stealing Rp 34 million (about US$3,578) in cash,
jewelry, a cellular phone and a watch from her colleagues at a police
dormitory in Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta.

EK, who is with the city police's operational unit and was assigned to
guard detainees, is now herself being detained at Jakarta Police
Headquarters.

Police sources said the policewomen staying in the dormitory had been
reporting missing belongings over the past few days. They found their
things in the suspect's wardrobe.

The total number of stolen items is not known.

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Ketut Untung Yoga said he was not
aware of the case but it would certainly be investigated if it was
reported.

"The court will decide whether she's guilty or not," he said Tuesday.

The chief of internal affairs at the city police, Sr. Comr. Syaiful
Bahri, said he had not received any direct report on the case.

"It's being handled by city police detectives. We'll take over after that."

Police sources said EK allegedly stole things when she was off duty.
If found guilty, she could face a maximum punishment of five years'
prison and would likely be discharged.

It is the second case of stealing involving an officer with the
Jakarta Police this month.

Last Friday, police questioned a first brigade officer, identified
only as MY, for allegedly stealing 7,000 ecstasy pills when the city
police and the National Narcotics Agency were incinerating confiscated
drugs worth Rp 333 billion in Serpong, Tangerang. City police chief
Insp. Gen. Adang Firman and the agency's chairman, Made Mangku
Pastika, attended the event.

The chief of the city police's drug squad, Sr. Comr. Carlo Tewu,
however, said the pills had merely "slipped under the backseat of a
police car."

"No evidence is missing."

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The Jakarta Post
Wednesday, June 28, 2006

'City needs more open green space'

Age supposedly brings with it wisdom, but seemingly the only thing
Jakarta gets as it grows older are more social and environmental
problems. The Jakarta Post asked some people what problems they would
tell the administration to deal with immediately, and what solutions
they would suggest.

Andreas Pramudianto, is a lecturer at the University of Indonesia. He
lives in Utan Kayu, East Jakarta, with his family:

The Jakarta administration has introduced several measures to improve
the environment, but a lot more needs to be done.

There are several positive steps that have been taken by the
administration, such as in Monas, Central Jakarta. The administration
did a good thing turning the area back into its original function as
an open green space. We all know this city needs more green areas in
order to reduce the stifling air pollution.

Another constructive program is the 2005 bylaw on air pollution
control. The administration must enforce this bylaw as soon as
possible.

Right now the most worrying problem is the 6,000 tons of waste Jakarta
produces daily.

The city should learn from what happened in Bandung. Officials must
come up with a strategic plan and take action to overcome the waste
problem. We can no longer rely on Bantar Gebang dump in Bekasi.
Jakarta has to seek a solution to reduce its dependency on Bantar
Gebang.

Doing something about pollution in Jakarta Bay should also be a
priority, as more and more waste from Jakarta is dumped into the bay.
This is serious work for the administration. They have to enforce the
regulation banning people from dumping waste improperly.

Ratna, 25, works at a public relations firm in Jakarta. She lives with
her parents in Rawamangun, East Jakarta:

As long as Jakarta remains the country's capital and economic center,
I am pessimistic that anything can be done to improve its environment.

The environment depends much on human activity. If people from
Jakarta's neighboring areas continue to come into the city each day to
work, the quality of the environment will continue to decrease. All
these private cars pollute the air.

I think Jakarta needs to share its burden with neighboring cities to
save the environment. I agree with Governor Sutiyoso's megacity plan
for the future development of Jakarta.

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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