wish it's always as sweet

Century oohh Century II

2009-10-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

Transparansi dalam Kasus Bank Century
Selasa, 01 September 2009 00:01 WIB 35 Komentar

RIBUT-RIBUT soal pengucuran dana penyelamatan Bank Century terus berlanjut walaupun Menteri Keuangan Sri Mulyani berulang kali mengatakan penyelamatan terhadap bank kecil itu telah sesuai dengan peraturan.

Lembaga Penjamin Simpanan (LPS) telah mengucurkan dana sebesar Rp6,7 triliun kepada Bank Century atas rekomendasi pemerintah dan Bank Indonesia. Padahal, dana yang disetujui DPR hanya sebesar Rp1,3 triliun.

Misteri itulah yang ditindaklanjuti Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK) dengan meminta Badan Pemeriksa Keuangan (BPK) untuk melakukan audit investigasi terhadap bank.

Tidak hanya KPK, DPR pun meminta BPK mengaudit proses bailout tersebut. Itu karena sebelumnya DPR pada 18 Desember 2008 telah menolak Peraturan Pemerintah Pengganti Undang-Undang (Perppu) Nomor 4 Tahun 2008 tentang Jaring Pengaman Sektor Keuangan (JPSK) sebagai payung hukum dari penyelamatan bank milik pengusaha Robert Tantular itu.

Kasus Bank Century telah memperlihatkan kepada kita bahwa ada bank kecil yang mendapatkan dukungan besar dari otoritas keuangan dan bank sentral. Pertanyaannya adalah semangat apakah yang melatarinya?

Argumentasi yang muncul dari pihak berwenang sejauh ini adalah bahwa proses penyelamatan Bank Century telah sesuai dengan prosedur yang ditetapkan dalam UU LPS dan perintah dari Komite Stabilitas Sistem Keuangan.

Bahwa pembiayaan yang dikeluarkan LPS untuk menyelamatkan Bank Century berasal dari kekayaan LPS, bukan uang negara.
Saat likuidasi Bank Century, terdapat 23 bank yang masuk pengawasan BI. Dan pengambilalihan itu bertujuan memberikan rasa kepercayaan kepada masyarakat untuk mencegah rush yang bila dibiarkan, akan berdampak sistemik terhadap perekonomian nasional.

Terlepas dari argumen pemerintah, BI, dan LPS, yang harus diuji kebenarannya, kasus Bank Century dalam level tertentu diperkeruh isu transparansi yang dipertanyakan banyak kalangan.

Wakil Presiden Jusuf Kalla dengan tegas menyatakan ia sama sekali tidak tahu tentang proses bailout bank tersebut karena tidak pernah mendapatkan laporan dari Sri Mulyani saat kebijakan itu diambil.

Adalah aneh, seorang wakil presiden yang selama ini dikenal sebagai driving force dalam kebijakan ekonomi tidak mengetahui dan tidak dilapori. Ketidaktahuan Wapres menjadi bukti bahwa transparansi menjadi persoalan serius yang harus dituntaskan dalam isu bailout ini.

Kasus Bank Century juga tidak terlepas dari isu tidak sedap mengenai dugaan keterlibatan petinggi kepolisian. Terkait dengan persoalan di Bank Century pernah muncul sebuah polemik tentang cicak versus buaya antara kepolisian dan KPK. Ini juga menjadi tanda tanya tersendiri yang harus diungkap.

Ada pula isu bahwa penyelamatan Bank Century dilakukan semata untuk menyelamatkan dana nasabah tertentu.

Masih banyak misteri yang melingkupi kasus penyelamatan Bank Century. Karena itu, audit investigasi BPK harus dilakukan dengan tuntas.

Jangan sampai ada penumpang gelap yang bermain dengan mengatasnamakan penyelamatan ekonomi nasional.

Pertanyaan yang amat mengganggu bukanlah pada alasan mengapa Bank Century harus diselamatkan. Namun, pada mengapa untuk sebuah bank kecil dengan aset yang juga kecil harus dikucurkan dana yang begitu besar? Apalagi pemilik bank itu sedang terlibat kasus pidana penggelapan uang nasabah?

Apakah semua kejahatan pidana pemilik bank harus ditanggulangi negara? Jadi, soal mengapa sudah transparan. Yang belum terang benderang adalah soal jumlah yang sangat besar.

KPK oohh KPK IV

2009-10-29T21:47:00.000-07:00

Jum'at, 30 Oktober 2009

KPK VERSUS POLRI

Bermula dari Testimoni Antasari

JAKARTA (Lampost): Kasus yang menjerat dua wakil ketua KPK Bibit Samad Riyanto dan Chandra M. Hamzah bermula dari testimoni (pengakuan) ketua KPK non aktif Antasari Azhar pada pertengahan Mei 2009.

Antasari yang berstatus tersangka pembunuhan Direktur PT Rajawali Putra Banjaran, Nasrudin Zulkarnaen, menyampaikan testimoninya itu saat ditahan di Mabes Polri. Antasari menduga ada pimpinan KPK yang menerima suap dan menyalahgunakan wewenang saat mencekal Direktur PT Masaro Radiokom, Anggoro Widjojo, dalam kasus Sistem Komunikasi Radio Terpadu (SKRT) Pelabuhan Tanjung Api-Api. Anggoro hingga kini berstatus buron.

Antasari mengaku Anggoro memberikan Rp6 miliar kepada orang yang mengaku sebagai orang KPK untuk membereskan kasusnya. Orang yang belum diungkapkan itu disebut-sebut pengusaha bernama Yulianto. Namun, kemudian nama Yulianto pelan-pelan menguap dan muncul orang baru bernama Ary Muladi. Ary adalah rekan Anggoro yang juga tersangka dalam kasus penyuapan.

Semula, Kapolri Jenderal Bambang Hendarso Danuri menyebutkan Ary Muladi telah menyerahkan uang titipan Anggoro kepada Chandra di Pasar Festival, Kuningan, Jakarta. Namun, belakangan Ary membantah pernyataan Kapolri dan menegaskan dirinya tidak pernah memberikan uang dari Anggoro.

Dengan dasar testimoni Antasari tersebut, pada 15 September 2009 Mabes Polri menetapkan Bibit dan Chandra sebagai tersangka. Namun, belakangan Antasari yang ditahan sejak awal Mei 2009 mengaku dipaksa membuat testimoni tersebut saat diperiksa penyidik. n U-3

Isi testimoni Antasari

Perkembangan penyidikan terhadap kasus yang menjadikan saya sebagai tersangka Pasal 340 jo Pasal 55 Ayat (1) ke-1, dalam proses tanya jawab terkait perkara yang ditanyai KPK, terdapat 1 (satu) perkara yang perlu saya jelaskan sebagai berikut:

1. Proses penggeledahan kasus Tanjung Api-Api terhadap tersangka Yusuf Emir Faisal, tim dik. memperoleh dokumen (blangko kosong kop Dephut dengan stempel Dinas Kehutanan se-Indonesia) menurut hasil gelar perkara.

2. Disepakati karena dokumen tersebut digeledah di PT Masaro, dan beberapa terlihat kaitannya dengan kasus Yusuf Emir Faisal, maka akan dilampirkan saja di BAP Yusuf Emir Faisal karena masalah tersebut akan dilakukan lid. tersendiri.

3. Dalam perkembangan sebagai ketua KPK, saya minta laporan kemajuan lid. tidak mendapatkan jawaban pasti karena sedang meneliti SKRT se-Indonesia.

4. Tetapi ketika saya mendapat informasi dari seseorang, bahwa demi menjaga nama baik saya dia ingin menyampaikan info bahwa kasus Masaro teleh "diselesaikan" oleh elemen KPK dengan PT Masaro. Mendapat ini saya terkejut dan tidak percaya, selanjutnya pemberi info sanggup memberi kesempatan jika saya ingin mendengar testimoni dari Masaro.

5. Karena pemilik PT Masaro Saudara Anggoro berada di Singapura, maka saya yang mendatangi untuk mendapat kepastian dengan dibekali alat perekam (tape recorder).

6. Sungguh terkejut setelah mendengar uraian dari Saudara Anggoro tersebut.

7. Karena rincian penyerahan dana ke oknum KPK, saudara Anggoro tidak dapat menjelaskan (ybs. menyuruh Sdr. Toni dan Ari), ketika berada di Malay, saya bertemu langsung dengan saudara Ari di Hotel Tugu dengan ybs. merinci penyerahan dana (tidak terekam).

8. Saudara Ari menjelaskan bahwa penyerahan dilakukan di Jakarta beberapa kali dengan berbeda tempat kepada pimpinan KPK (2 orang) dan staf-sesuai dengan keterangan Anggoro.

9. Belakangan pemberi info menyampaikan bahwa ada penyerahan tahap II kepada salah satu pimpinan.

Demikian testimoni saya dan saya siap bersaksi seperti apa yang tulis di dalam testimoni ini.

Jakarta, 16 Mei 2009

ttd.

Antasari Azhar

KPK oohh KPK III

2009-10-29T21:46:00.001-07:00

Jum'at, 30 Oktober 2009

KPK VERSUS POLRI

3 Bukti Rekayasa Kriminalisasi KPK

JAKARTA (Dtc/Lampost): Kuasa hukum KPK menyatakan ada 3 bukti rekayasa kasus atas pimpinan KPK Bibit Samad Rianto dan Chandra M. Hamzah. Bukti itu akan diberikan atas tantangan dari Mabes Polri.

Bukti pertama, yakni selama ini pimpinan KPK sudah mengirim surat ke Mabes Polri dan men-DPO Anggoro Widjojo, tapi ternyata Anggoro justru ditemui pejabat Polri di Singapura. Kedua, kenapa pengakuan pencabutan surat cekal atas Joko S. Tjandra palsu tidak diproses.

"Ketiga, kenapa kronologi yang sudah dicabut oleh Ari Muladi dijadikan alasan hukum?" jelas anggota kuasa hukum KPK Rivai di Mabes Polri, Jakarta, Kamis (29-10).

Rivai menilai penahanan Bibit Samad Rianto dan Chandra Hamzah bersifat politis. Penahanan ini menimbulkan preseden terburuk dalam dalam proses hukum yang berjalan di Indonesia.

"Bisa jadi seperti itu (politis). Ini adalah preseden terburuk dalam proses hukum. Mahkamah Konstitusi sudah memutuskan permohonan kami dan sebagian dikabulkan," kata dia.

Sebelumnya, Mabes Polri merasa dihakimi media massa terkait dugaan kriminalisasi kasus pimpinan Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK) tersebut. "Kalau ada rekayasa, tolong jelaskan substansi apa merekayasanya. Kita siap dihadapkan dengan pertanggungjawabkan apa pun. Kalau tidak yakin, tidak mungkin kami proses ke pengadilan," kata Kadiv Humas Mabes Polri Irjen Pol. Nanan Soekarna.

Koruptor 'Pemenang'

Penahanan Chandra M. Hamzah dan Bibit Samad Rianto dikhawatirkan akan menjadikan koruptor sebagai pemenang. Kepolisian harus memiliki alasan yang kuat terhadap penahanan ini.

"Penahanan Bibit dan Chandra sangat mengejutkan. Keputusan penahanan kedua pimpinan KPK nonaktif tersebut dikhawatirkan akan menjadikan para koruptor sebagai "pemenang"," kata anggota Komisi III (Komisi Hukum) Bambang Soesatyo, kemarin.

Secara teoritis, lanjut Bambang, kasus kriminalisasi KPK merupakan persekongkolan antara mafia bisnis dan aparat penegak hukum. "Jika kasus ini dibiarkan terus berlarut, dikhawatirkan akan kembali menumbuhkan kerajaan koruptif yang amat kuat," kata politisi Golkar ini.

Cederai Janji SBY

Sementara itu, Forum Rektor menilai penahanan ini mencederai janji kampanye SBY saat pemilu untuk menciptakan pemerintahan yang bersih.

"Penahanan ini kontra produktif. Orang-orang akan bertanya, bagaimana dengan janji SBY untuk memberantas korupsi dan menciptakan pengadilan yang fair," kata Ketua Forum Rektor Edy Swandi Hamid melalui telepon, kemarin.

Dia menilai kedua pimpinan KPK nonaktif itu selama ini sangat kooperatif, kalau diberikan pembatasan itu masih wajar. Tapi ini ditahan dan hanya karena alasan dikhawatirkan melakukan jumpa pers.

"Ini menunjukkan adanya kekhawatiran terhadap Bibit dan Chandra bahwa mereka bisa memengaruhi publik. Kita melihat fakta ada skenario untuk mengkriminalkan mereka," ujarnya. n U-3

Penahanan Dua Pimpinan KPK Nonaktif
Pengamat Nilai Ada Unsur Bals Dendam dan Gengsi
Jumat, 30 Oktober 2009 11:31 WIB 0 Komentar
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JAKARTA--MI Pengamat politik dari Universitas Syiah Kuala (Unsyiah) Banda Aceh, Saifuddin Bantasyam dan M Jafar, menilai, penahanan pimpinan KPK nonaktif Bibit Samad Rianto dan Chandra M Hamzah tidak lagi terkait masalah hukum tetapi lebih pada unsur balas dendam dan gengsi.

"Saya menilai penahanan terhadap Bibit dan Chandra oleh kepolisian tidak lagi terkait dengan masalah hukum. Tapi, arahnya sudah kepada balas dendam antara kedua institusi penegak hukum tersebut," kata Saifuddin di Banda Aceh, Jumat (30/10).

Ia menyatakan, penahanan terhadap tersangka itu adalah hak penyidik, dalam hal ini kepolisian, dan itu diatur dalam undang-undang dengan alasan takut melarikan diri, menghilangkan barang bukti, dan tidak kooperatif. Namun, alasan-alasan itu sifatnya subjektif atau tidak terukur. Soalnya, banyak kasus yang sama tetapi tersangkanya tidak ditahan. Jadi, wajar apabila publik menilai negatif terhadap kepolisian.

Menurutnya, polisi tidak profesional dan pilih kasih. Ini karena banyak kasus yang serupa, bahkan lebih berat lagi, tapi tidak diperlakukan sama seperti Bibit dan Chandra. Mengenai keberatan polisi karena kedua tersangka itu sering melakukan pertemuan dengan pers, itu alasan yang dibuat-buat karena itu adalah hak orang.

"Saya rasa, polisi jangan menahan Bibit dan Chandra dengan alasan mereka sering melakukan temu pers. Pasalnya, dalam undang-undang tidak ada," katanya. (Ant/OL-04)

Century oohh Bank Century

2009-10-29T21:39:00.000-07:00

Angket Century Jangan Mati Suri
MI -- Kamis, 29 Oktober 2009 00:01 WIB 23 Komentar

KASUS Bank Century kini memasuki ranah politik. DPR menggalang hak angket untuk menyelidiki motivasi pengucuran dana penyelamatan Rp6,7 triliun kepada bank yang pernah dimiliki Robert Tantular tersebut.

Sedikitnya ada tiga sebab mengapa hak angket tersebut perlu digulirkan. Pertama, ada misteri tersembunyi di balik penggelontoran dana Rp6,7 triliun itu. Misterius karena dana yang digerojokkan kelewat besar, jauh lebih besar daripada yang disetujui DPR senilai Rp1,3 triliun.

Soal kedua ialah payung hukum yang tidak jelas menyangkut pengucuran dana talangan. Memang, ada dana yang dialirkan ke Bank Century masih memiliki payung hukum, yakni Peraturan Pemerintah Pengganti Undang-Undang atau Perppu Nomor 4 Tahun 2008 tentang Jaring Pengaman Sistem Keuangan.

Tetapi, sejak 18 Desember 2008 hingga Maret 2009, aliran dana talangan ke Bank Century tidak lagi sah karena perppu yang dijadikan payung hukum pengucuran dana sudah ditolak DPR. Nyatanya, selama Desember 2008 hingga Maret 2009 uang terus mengucur ke kas Century.

Masalah ketiga, kendati dana triliunan rupiah sudah mengucur deras ke Bank Century, nasib dana ratusan nasabah bernilai puluhan miliar rupiah tak kunjung jelas. Uang yang mereka tabung sedikit demi sedikit ke Century, kini raib tak tentu rimbanya.

Lantas, ke kantong siapa uang triliunan rupiah tersebut mengalir? Mengapa hak nasabah untuk memperoleh uang mereka selalu bertepuk sebelah tangan? Mengapa pula pemilik otoritas keuangan di negeri ini nekat mengguyur uang tanpa payung hukum kepada bank yang oleh mantan Wapres Jusuf Kalla disebut dirampok oleh pemiliknya sendiri?

Publik ingin tahu apakah alasan-alasan yang melahirkan kebijakan bailout itu benar atau salah. Kalau benar, mana bukti autentiknya sehingga publik yakin langkah penyelamatan itu sah dan logis.

Sebaliknya, kalau salah, siapa yang paling bertanggung jawab, serta siapa dan bagaimana mempertanggungjawabkan uang negara Rp6,7 triliun yang digunakan untuk menyelamatkan Bank Century.

Badan Pemeriksa Keuangan (BPK) memang masih mengaudit pengucuran dana tersebut. Sebagian hasil audit pun sudah disebutkan, yakni ada dugaan unsur pidana dalam penggelontoran dana tersebut.

Tetapi langkah politik tetap dibutuhkan. Itu karena soal Bank Century bukan semata langkah penyelamatan ekonomi, tapi juga kebijakan politik. Lebih-lebih lagi, lembaga hukum Kejaksaan Agung sudah mulai masuk ke soal Century dengan mengatakan bahwa tidak ditemukan unsur pelanggaran hukum dalam kasus tersebut.

Maka, penggunaan hak angket oleh DPR sangat penting dan strategis demi membuat kasus Bank Century terang-benderang. Syaratnya, DPR menanggalkan kebiasaan lama menjadikan angket sebagai wadah tawar-menawar dan arena gertak sambal.

Publik tidak ingin kepercayaan kepada para wakil mereka dicederai karena angket yang masuk angin, bahkan layu sebelum berkembang.

KPK oohh KPK II

2009-10-29T21:33:00.000-07:00

Demi Apa Keduanya Ditahan?
MI -- Jumat, 30 Oktober 2009 00:00 WIB

Penegakan hukum, keadilan, dan kebenaran sedang bergejolak hebat karena para penegak hukum berkelahi. Mereka saling menuduh sebagai penjahat. Padahal mereka orang-orang yang bertugas menegakkan kebenaran.

Salah satu gambaran paling suram dalam dunia penegakan hukum--dan sampai sekarang berlangsung--adalah dominasi tafsir hukum oleh aparatur penegak hukum itu sendiri. Itulah sebabnya yang selalu kentara adalah kejahatan, sementara penjahatnya sulit ditemukan.

Inilah negara yang penuh dengan kejahatan, tetapi tidak ada penjahatnya.

Awan kelabu dalam dunia penegakan hukum yang sekarang sedang merundung adalah perseteruan antara kepolisian dan Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi. Walaupun polisi membantah tengah berseteru dengan KPK, rentetan kejadian akhir-akhir ini justru mempertegas apa yang selalu dibantah.

Yang paling akhir adalah penahanan oleh polisi terhadap Chandra Hamzah dan Bibit Samad Rianto, kemarin. Dua pemimpin KPK yang dinonaktifkan karena sedang menjadi tersangka dalam kasus penyalahgunaan wewenang ditahan hanya berselang beberapa saat setelah Mahkamah Konstitusi membatalkan status pemberhentian sementara keduanya sampai dengan putusan yang berkekuatan hukum tetap.

Padahal, Bibit dan Chandra sudah ditetapkan tersangka sejak Juli. Hingga kemarin mereka berdua kooperatif menjalani pemeriksaan dan taat menjalankan wajib lapor.

Jika dilihat dari sisi kepatuhan tersangka, tidak ada alasan polisi untuk menahannya. Walaupun kewenangan itu ada. Dengan demikian, yang menjadi pertanyaan adalah demi kepentingan apakah Chandra dan Bibit ditahan?

Adalah sangat beralasan ketika publik menilai polisi dan KPK sedang berkelahi. Keduanya sedang saling mengusut karena tercium melakukan perbuatan melawan hukum.

KPK mengendus kepolisian karena ada indikasi persekongkolan dalam kasus dana Bank Century. Sebaliknya, polisi mengintip KPK karena diduga menerima suap dari Anggoro Widjaja, tersangka yang kini buron. Karena sama-sama tidak ingin tertangkap basah, keduanya berlomba-lomba untuk saling menyalahkan.

Yang lebih menghebohkan lagi adalah beredarnya rekaman tentang pembicaraan antara Anggodo Widjaja, adik Anggoro, dan sejumlah pejabat tinggi Kejaksaan Agung. Isi pembicaraan menyerempet nama Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono dan petinggi kepolisian.

Pembicaraan itulah yang sekarang dianggap sebagai sebuah rekayasa untuk mengkriminalisasi KPK. Sebuah upaya untuk menggembosi lembaga yang diberi wewenang besar memberantas korupsi di negeri ini.

Sampai pada titik ini, masalahnya tidak lagi semata pada pertikaian antara polisi dan KPK. Kalau isi rekaman itu ternyata benar, itu adalah tragedi bagi penegakan hukum dan demokrasi di negeri ini.

Karena memperlihatkan dengan sangat jelas tabiat lama bahwa kekuasaan tidak ingin dikontrol dan dipersalahkan. Kita membenci rezim kekuasaan lama karena terjadi kartel eksekutif, yudikatif, dan legislatif.

Rangkaian kasus yang menimpa KPK sekarang memperlihatkan kita sedang berbalik arah ke belakang. Kembali ke masa lalu dengan kekuasaan tidak mau dikontrol dan dipersalahkan.

KPK oohh KPK

2009-10-29T21:28:00.000-07:00

Friday, October 30, 2009 11:26 AM

Police arrest KPK deputies for ‘expressing their opinions’
Dicky Christanto and Irawaty Wardany , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 10/30/2009 11:08 AM | Headlines

In a move that has incited a public outcry, the National Police arrested Thursday two suspended antigraft officials, just a day after the Attorney General’s Office asked for the charges to be dropped.
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairmen Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah have been charged with abuse of power for imposing and then lifting travel bans on graft suspects Anggoro Widjojo and Djoko Sugiarto Tjandra.
Both Anggoro and Djoko remain at large.
The deputies are also accused of taking bribes from Anggoro to halt a graft investigation into his company, PT Masaro Radiokom.
Thursday's arrests prompted noted public figures to step forward and vouch for the two deputies in a bid to get them released.
These included former KPK deputy Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas, sociologist Imam Prasodjo and lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis.
Police arrested Bibit and Chandra after claiming to have found strong indications that both KPK deputies were attempting to interfere in the investigation into them.
“We have arrested the two KPK deputy leaders because we consider they have jeopardized the investigation by expressing their personal opinions to the public,” said National Police deputy chief detective Insp. Gen. Dikdik Mulyana.
He declined to say if police had managed to gather more evidence linking Bibit and Chandra to the alleged bribery and abuse of power.
“What we have here can be checked in depth at their trial, in-cluding the details of the story," Dikdik said.
He also shrugged off questions about a reported voice recording believed to be that of a conversation between Anggoro's brother, Anggodo, and several other figures, including from the AGO.
In one part of the recording, between an unidentified woman and a man believed to be Anggodo,
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is said to have given his support for a plan to frame the two KPK deputies.
National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji was notably absent from Thursday's press conference. Susno is alleged to have been wiretapped by the KPK demanding money from Bank Century executives, during a probe into the Century scandal.
The remaining KPK leaders expressed concerned over the “forced arrest” of their colleagues.
“Our legal division officials are [at the National Police headquarters] with them, and we as the KPK leaders will soon ask for their release,” said KPK interim chairman Tumpak H. Panggabean.
He added the case was having a psychological impact on antigraft officials.
“It's our duty to boost their morale and encourage them to do their jobs as usual,” he said.
Former KPK deputy Erry questioned the reason for the arrest, saying he would seek clarification from the police.
“If they've really been made suspects for implementing the law, including by imposing a travel ban on a corruption suspect, which is exactly what we did, then why are we not being made suspects too?” he said.

Of Mak Erot & Exam question

2009-10-29T21:22:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it can be so funny…

October 29, 2009

Sexual Material In Indonesian Elementary School Exam Will Be Investigated

An investigation will be launched into an Indonesian language exam issued to elementary school students in East Java that contained reading passages full of sexual innuendo, an official said on Thursday.

East Java Deputy Governor Syaifullah Yusuf said he was very concerned about the vulgar material in the midterm test given to students in Sidoarjo.

“Whoever wrote the test will be punished,” Syaifullah told the press. He said he would summon staff from the province’s education office to get the real story behind the debacle.

The explicit sentences were part of the reading comprehension section of the exam, which used a reader’s letter to a newspaper titled “Naughty Businessman Caged Along With Mak Erot.”

The passage describes a businessman who was punished for selling out-of-date food and drink by being put in a cage with Mak Erot and having “his eggplant smeared with balm.” Mak Erot was a legendary healer from West Java specializing in enlarging men’s genitals.

The explicit content was covered with white correction marker on some examination papers but not on others.

Protest was also voiced by child psychologist and the chairman of Indonesian Children Protection Commission, Seto Mulyadi. Seto said the vulgar material was a violation to children’s rights and could disturb their psychological health.

He said he was worried that the students would go and dig up information on Mak Erot after the test.

“The case must be investigated. We must know whether it was by accident or on purpose. Either way, it was a serious mistake,” he said.

Arist Merdeka Sirait, the general secretary of the National Commission for Child Protection, told okezone.com that the people who were guilty could face ten years in prison.

Arist said the perpetrators were guilty of teaching violence and pornography to elementary school students. The commission will coordinate investigation efforts with their East Java counterparts.

JG

Of Migrant Care

2009-10-28T01:24:00.001-07:00

migrant care: it's good to show your care and concern. keep it up though it won't do any good at all as it won't change the fate of millions of WNIs working as maids and other jobs overseas.

but, to accuse the government of not doing anything for their wellbeing was a blatant lie.

aren't you all aware or simply chose to shut your eyes on all the ongoing negotiations being carried out by our government, as a supplying country with other host countries of our workers?

don't try to belittle other parties especially the government just to show your unworthy greatness. it would be just like dogs barking over the hill while at the same time shitting all over the ground where it stands.

if you really care for the migrant workers, why not propose to the government, esp. our new minister, means and ways to do things better? the government would certainly welcome ideas on how to ensure the safety of our maids while working overseas. simply shouting over spoilt milk won't do any good.

and, to demand that the Malaysian government be held responsible for the misdeed of two of its citizens in Muntik's (may her soul rest peacefully) case? is that great? is that clever? are your also demanding that our government too continuously apologise to the Malaysian government and people for all the petty and serious crimes commited by hundreds of WNIs there? and keep apologising for all illegal immigrants from our country slipping into their country without any travel documents?

wake up, migrant care! be wise enough to differentiate the misdeeds of individuals from that of a government.

if you guys really want to feel great and caring, why not travel the country and educate and advise our people not to enter any host country illegally as they will loose all their guaranteed rights as workers? why not try to intelligently solve the rife middle man problems who literally robbed our workers long before they could get a job and even step their feet in any foreign land?

i believe you guys at migrant care are more capable than just organising demos. simply barking here and there, won't take you anywhere.

As Our Hearts Cries Out To Muntik

2009-10-26T23:42:00.000-07:00

my heart cries for Muntik. may her soul find eternal peace. may her all good deeds be accepted as 'ibadah' by the Almighty. and, her family be given the strength to face their lost.

i believe the Malaysian authorities will act fast. it's not difficult to prove such a murder, as it was a clear cut case.

while our hearts go out for her, it's quite wrong to deduce blindly that this case was in any way related to Islam as a religion. i agree with Ying, Sapodilla and IbMal ~ there's no corelation at all between Islam or Malaysia with this case. further more, the employers are clearly non-Muslim.

concerned about the fate and wellbeing of WNIs working in Malaysia, i've been closely following most cases. from a record i kept of about 15 cases of maids abuse in Malaysia, i noticed that all employers involved were neither Muslims nor Malays.

Malaysian law stipulates that Muslim maids from Indonesia or any other countries for that matter, can only be employed by Muslim employers. Just so to avoid cases of maids being ordered to wash, cook and eat pork or liquour, bath the dogs or denied of prayer time.

however, still there are cases to the contrary. why so? from ad-hoc studies i made, i found out that some agents were not telling the truth in declaring Muslim maids as non-Muslim. agents did this to increase the probability of getting employed of maids they sent over to Malaysia. and thus their commissions. this is so, because a larger number of employers there are non-Muslim as they can better afford to employ maids compared to the Malays.

a Malay Muslim friend in Johor once related to me that he and his wife unintentionally got a maid offered to them by a Chinese friend who found out that his maid was infact a Muslim. not wanting to feel guilty in asking the maid to do chores where she must be in touch with liquor, pork and dogs, he offered her to my Malay friend.

when my Malay friend asked the maid why was it stated in her document that she is a Christian, her answer was that she was ordered by the agent to sign it in order for her to get a job faster with non-Muslim employers.

of course i wouldn't know how many more of such case exists but i'd be glad if what little information i have may help better the recruitment practise.

it's wrong to generalise. our discussion here too would be misleading if we simply generalise.

it's just unfortunate if we enter this discussion just to throw tantrums and blames. more unfortunate and much regretable if we blindly try to relate such incidents to any particular race or religion of the employers.

the fact is that it can happen to any human being esp. those psychologically sick, mean and unfit to become an employer. if the law stipulates that premeditated murderers such as in Muntik's case should be sentenced to death by hanging, then so be it.

Of Scumbag called Ventura and 2 million Indonesians in Malaysia

2009-10-12T22:31:00.000-07:00

From the Indonesian press
October 12, 2009

By Nurfika Osman ~ Jakarta Globe

Malaysia ‘Invasion’ Angers Migrant Workers: Embassy

The People’s Democratic Defense, a fringe nationalist group that had announced plans to invade Malaysia, may think its fighting for its country and compatriot workers overseas, but an embassy official in Kuala Lumpur said they’re only worsening the situation.

“Their plan to invade Malaysia and declare war has drawn huge attention [in Malaysia], which has only worsened bilateral relations and threatened the welfare of two million Indonesian workers,” said Widyarka Ryananta, the head of the embassy’s cultural division. “The migrant workers rely on Malaysia for their livelihood.”

The group, also known as Bendera, claims to have the support of 8,000 migrant workers. But Ryananta said the group’s plans had been attacked by the workers.

“Our workers in Perak state rallied, saying that they didn’t support Bendera,” Ryananta said. “This group is not only making Malaysians uneasy and scared, but it’s also dividing its own compatriots.”

He also said that during a visit to Entikong, West Kalimantan, which lies beside Malaysia’s Serawak state, he found citizens there angry over Bendera’s plan as it was disturbing their relations with their Malaysian neighbors.

“Those who are living in the border areas have a closer relationship with their neighbors and this group has damaged those normal relations,” he said.

He said Indonesian officials in Malaysia would take legal action if Bendera pushed through with its invasion plans. “They don’t have any right to do such things,” Ryananta said.

Separately, a coordinator with Bendera said that the group was sticking to its invasion plan, despite the prohibitions and threats of being arrested by the National Police. “We are going to declare war when all 1,500 volunteers have infiltrated Malaysia at the end of this month,” Mustar said.

“Now, our volunteers are spreading throughout Malaysia to check the conditions there.” About 200 Bendera volunteers were said to have left for Malaysia on Friday, with 125 more departing on Sunday. “We won’t contact the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia as they don’t support us,” Mustar said.

And I say…

From the seriousness of the damages done to innocent fellow countrymen working hard for a living in Malaysia, I believe it's high time that Indonesian authorities especially the police to take stern action against that loud mouth empty headed Ventura.

Since JG has been ardently reporting on him, could your reporter be asked to tell that rotten rat scumbag that if he has any personal problem with anybody in Malaysia, let that be his alone to settle the score. Don't ever try to drag all 230 million peace-loving Indonesians into his s*it!

A friend told me that he, for one, have some 20 relatives working and living as professionals in KL and Penang and certainly do not want anything bad to happen to them just because of this stupid threat by the foul smelling rubbish called Ventura.

We all know that the so called threats of war against Malaysia by this one stupid scum are nothing but empty shouts. But should we let him have his ways and put the 2 million WNIs in Malaysia under so much pressure? So much so that many of them now don't even dare to go out to town for fear of being suspected as Bendera's supporters.

This garbage bin Ventura may find fun with the free and cheap publicity given him by JG. But has it never strike our mind that by allowing Bendera to keep making the threats, Indonesians are the ones who are actually giving the Malaysian authorities more reasons to suspect and check on every Indonesians on the street in KL?

Malaysian authorities too have the responsibility to ensure the safety of their citizens from any form of threats and they're taking it very seriously with this one. And, if they do so, can Indonesia blame them?

"Can Indonesia blame them when we have never taken any real action to stop the dogs within our perimeters from barking?" asked that friend.

I beg to the police force esp BHD to take stern action against that scumbag Ventura and silence him for good. Throw him out on a deserted island with no way out and no way of getting back to civilisation.

Indonesia won't lose anything by ensuring the safety of its 2 million citizens in Malaysia.

One voice of the silent majority

2009-10-06T23:45:00.000-07:00

Salam to all my wise Malaysian and Indonesian brothers & sisters.

I’ve done some checking in relation to how serious is the so called threat by the loudmouth “Benteng” of Indonesia to attack Malaysia on Oct 8.

If these could give some comfort to us all...

Following are some of the findings;
1. The self acclaimed 'benteng' guys including their loudmouth spokesman are nothing but just some fools who fail to get jobs as 'badut' in local tv programmes. Failing which they decided to save their faces and find some self-worthiness by trying to project themselves as the heroes of Indonesia’s democracy. Of which, of course they are not!
2. They're really rotten bunch of hopeless and jobless city rats which are living on handouts and throw-aways. What more to buy tickets or pay the boat fares to get into Malaysia, can they afford it?
3. Indonesians themselves hate them so much and want the authorities to take some real actions on those guys.
4. Many believe that they are just creating issues and havocs to actually create internal tension within Indonesia as ordered by their puppetmasters.
5. The real target of this seemingly 'hate Malaysia' campaign is in fact to make Malaysians, Indonesia's closest neighbour hate Indonesia.
6. If this is achieved, then the puppetmasters would shout to the world that President SBY has failed to even maintain good relation with Malaysia who is of the same stock. Then, their other agendas would soon follow to project how lame and tame SBY is.
7. Please note that there is already a group of anti-SBY politicians... well, failed and frustrated politicians, of course... who had already openly declared that they will go all out to topple the democratically-elected SBY government through 'people power'. (read Jakarta Globe's story on Sri Binatang Pamungkas)

So, my brothers and sisters in Malaysia, it's best that we just ignore this benteng. Let us not dance to their musics as we are far and much wiser then them. Remember, empty cans will always give out sounds. Especially more so, when their stomachs are empty.

It's wrong to generalise. Those guys (including some in the local press and TV stations too) don't even make a nano minute percentage of all the 230 million peace-loving Indonesians.

Indonesians in fact, albeit quietly, have been very thankful too to Malaysia who have kindly provided jobs for the over 2 million WNIs there. Multiply that by 5 in a family... and we have some 10 million Indonesians especially, in far and remote villages, surviving day-in and day-out on money sent by their relatives who are earning steady stable income in Malaysia.

They and their families back home here, are the quiet and silent majority whom, I believe, keep praying that the Almighty will continue to shower Malaysia with economic and political stability, prosperity and peace. So that at least there is one foreign land in this whole wide world that would kindly accept them to share its wealth.

To many Indonesians, Malaysia has long been the dream 'baldatun tayyibatun wa robbun ghoffur', literally a dream country.

And, my fellow Indonesians, let us use this forum to re-plant the seed of love between the two countries.

wish it's always as sweet

2009-09-15T05:03:00.000-07:00

after 5 years of being my home, i have this one wish, one special wish for Jakarta ~ wish it's always as sweet.

however, it's quite unfortunate that i have to start this blog at a time like this.

a time when a group of some 30 stupid guys calling themselves "Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat" or People's Democratic Fort were up in arms (arms are sharpened bamboo sticks) on the street in Jalan Diponegoro, Menteng wanting to 'ganyang' or crush Malaysia and 'sweep' all Malaysians living in Jakarta.

reason for such a ridiculous act? well, being stupid guys, jobless, with no future and living on people's throw-aways, they need no reason to undertake such act as stopping all cars that passed by and demanding everybody to show them their identification papers.

those bastards were taking the law into their own hands and mind you... their hands were full of shit and blood of sins from their past backgrounds. just can't imagine what would happen if one unfortunate Malaysian happened to pass by Jalan Diponegoro that afternoon...

their act received wide media coverage complete with pix of those thugs holding the sharpened bamboo stick, arms and heads in bands blocking the road and stopping cars. in the background a banner was put up with words "maaf perjalanan anda terganggu... sweeping rakyat Malaysia".

and, know what? one stupid police officer later came up with a statement trying to deny the fact that those thugs were rally aiming to catch, apprehend and use the sharp bamboo sticks on any Malaysian citizen.

These were what they said as reported by detikcom online news website;

Detik-090909
"Dalam jumpa pers Rabu 9 September di kantor Bendera, polisi menyangkal membiarkan aksi sweeping Bendera. "Sebetulnya yang dilakukan bukan sweeping, tapi upaya menanamkan jiwa nasionalisme membagikan bendera ke pengguna jalan," kata Humas Polda Metro Jaya Kombes Pol Chrysnanda Dwi Laksana.

Detik-090909-
"Dalam pertemuan yang berlangsung sekitar 30 menit tersebut, baik Try Sutrisno maupun Najib kembali mempertegas komitmen masing-masing negara untuk meningkatkan hubungan bilateral dengan baik. Mengenai aksi demonstrasi yang dilakukan sekelompok masyarakat di Indonesia, Try menjelaskan bahwa aksi itu adalah bagian dari bentuk demokrasi yang sedang berkembang di Indonesia.

"Kita tidak pernah melarang orang untuk berdemo, selama itu dilakukan dengan jalan yang baik. Bangsa Indonesia adalah bangsa yang besar dan bermartabat, bukan bangsa yang biasa menyelesaikan masalah dengan kekerasan," ujarnya.

Ketika ditanya mengenai maksud kedatangan ke Malaysia sebagai wujud permintaan maaf Indonesia karena telah merusak simbol negara Malaysia dalam beberapa kali aksi anti Malaysia, Try Sutrisno mengelak.

"Proporsional-lah, saya tidak meminta maaf karena yang melakukan aksi demo itu hanya segelintir oknum saja, bukan menggambarkan keinginan mayoritas warga Indonesia," tegas Try.

My gosh! What were they trying to hide?
Still they wanted to defend such a terror act.

It's true that the act involved only a few of the 230 million Indonesians.

But, the fear that those thugs managed to cause among peace-loving Malaysians living and working in Jakarta with young kids going to school in this city, and among Malaysian students at local universities here... was so great.

No blind-fold statement will ever be able to justify the act of those thugs. Not even that which came out from the mouths of trying-to-be-clever police officer or a respected statesman.

The double standard practised was so obvious in this case.

As an example, when an unfortunate Indonesian maid was tortured by her Malaysian Chinese employer in KL, the whole of the Indonesian media shouted out loud for days and sometime weeks, demanding that the Malaysian Government apologise to all Indonesians. An apology from the government when the wrong was done by just one Malaysian?

So now, wouldn't it be fair and square for Malaysians to equally demand that the Indonesian government too apologise to all Malaysians for the criminal act of those stupid bastard... not just one bastard but 30 over bastards?

Well, am glad to note that Malaysians are much wiser. Malaysians didn't demand the Indonesian government to go down on its knees to apologise for the misdeed of individuals. Malaysians are able to see clearly that acts of individuals should not be blamed on the government.

Several Indonesian friends called me up following the incident, asking if everything is okay wth my family and I. They too were worried that the act of 'sweeping' by those thugs could go out of control when the police who're supposed to guarantee the safety of all has instead tried to defend those thugs.

Lucky it's just one police officer who made that statement. Lucky there're still millions of Indonesians who didn't share the misplaced nationalism of those bastards.

Really, i hate to write about this sweeping incident as i always wish that memories of my stay in Jakarta is nothing but sweet.