The Head of States / Governments of 10 members of the Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN) will meet today, Saturday 7 May, and Sunday 8 May, at the Jakarta Convention Center, Jakarta.
As the annual Chairman of ASEAN for 2011, President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono is scheduled to open the meeting at 9 am this morning. There are three main agenda for the summit meeting :
1) To ensure the establishment of the ASEAN Community in 2015
2) To ensure that South East Asia will remain as a peaceful and stable region
3) ASEAN participation in maintaining world peace.
Beside that, there are other important issues such as the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, South China Sea dispute, Thai-Cambodia border conflict, Joint Rice Buffer Stock, Fighting Pirates, etc.
In connection with the establishment of the ASEAN Community in 2015, I hope that all the governments of member countries would socialize the ASEAN programs to their people.
Related articles :
- Indonesia will lead Charge to Establish ..... (The Jakarta Globe)
- Tiga Priotitas Ketua ASEAN (Indonesian Foreign Ministry)
- KTT ke 18 ASEAN di Jakarta (Detik)
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
The Promise to End Illegal Logging
Last Wednesday, the Indonesian government and the European Union concluded the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (VPA FLEGT).that would redule Illegal Logging, Log Laundering and other related activities in Indonesia.
According to the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs this agreement will support Indonesia's efforts to strengthen Good Governance, Law Enforcement and Accountability in its Forest sector.
Indonesia plan to audit all of its 4,500 producers, processors and exporters to ensure the legality of all Timber, Paper, and Pulp products exported to the E.U and other markets.
And the E.U will guarantee free and unrestricted access for all FLEGT licensed Timber products coming from Indonesia and will seek to increase the visibility of FLEGT products in the E.U.
Indonesia and the E.U aimed to commence FLEGT licensing procedures at the beginning of 2013, ahead of the entry into operations of the E.U Timber Regulation in March 2013 which will prohibit the first sale of illegal Timer in the E.U.
I hope that this agreement will end, or at least reduce illegal logging that has plagued Indonesia for many years.
According to the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs this agreement will support Indonesia's efforts to strengthen Good Governance, Law Enforcement and Accountability in its Forest sector.
Indonesia plan to audit all of its 4,500 producers, processors and exporters to ensure the legality of all Timber, Paper, and Pulp products exported to the E.U and other markets.
And the E.U will guarantee free and unrestricted access for all FLEGT licensed Timber products coming from Indonesia and will seek to increase the visibility of FLEGT products in the E.U.
Indonesia and the E.U aimed to commence FLEGT licensing procedures at the beginning of 2013, ahead of the entry into operations of the E.U Timber Regulation in March 2013 which will prohibit the first sale of illegal Timer in the E.U.
I hope that this agreement will end, or at least reduce illegal logging that has plagued Indonesia for many years.
Corruption Court for every Provinces
In an effort to increase the efforts to eradicate the widespread corruption in Indonesia, the Supreme Court has planned to build one Corruption Court in every province.
Pos Kota quoted the Chief Justice Harifn Tumpa as saying that at present there are already 18 Coruption Courts in 18 provinces, therefore we still need 12-14 more. And he is very optimistic that they will all be ready by the end of this year, because the budged for that is ready.
Considering that there are so many Corruption cases involving local government officers in the provinces, I agree that the existence of Corruption Courts in every provinces would help expedite the handling of Corruption in those provinces.
In order to do that, the said Courts and local law enforcement agencies should be ready, and highly qualified, tough Court Judges and officers, as well as KPK, Prosecutors and Police must also be available.
Frankly speaking, I am not sure that preparations for all that can be completed within a very short time.
The Court Houses maybe ready by the end of this year, but how about highly qualified and tough Court Judges and officers, and law enforcement officers ?
Pos Kota quoted the Chief Justice Harifn Tumpa as saying that at present there are already 18 Coruption Courts in 18 provinces, therefore we still need 12-14 more. And he is very optimistic that they will all be ready by the end of this year, because the budged for that is ready.
Considering that there are so many Corruption cases involving local government officers in the provinces, I agree that the existence of Corruption Courts in every provinces would help expedite the handling of Corruption in those provinces.
In order to do that, the said Courts and local law enforcement agencies should be ready, and highly qualified, tough Court Judges and officers, as well as KPK, Prosecutors and Police must also be available.
Frankly speaking, I am not sure that preparations for all that can be completed within a very short time.
The Court Houses maybe ready by the end of this year, but how about highly qualified and tough Court Judges and officers, and law enforcement officers ?
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
13 more Indonesians held by Somali Pirates
Last Sunday, 20 Indonesians and 11 foreign crews of Indonesian flag ship MV Sinar Kudus were released by Somali pirates who held them as hostages since 16 March 2011.
Kompas reported that the release was made after PT. Samudera Indonesia as owner of the ship paid a ransom demanded by those pirates, which according to the pirates amounts to US$ 4.5 Million.
Actually, the government had decided to combine two options in efforts to free the ship crews i.e. negotiations and military operations. For which purpose three ships, one aircraft, one helicopter and special commando unit have been sent to the Somali sea to carry out the mission.
Kompas reported that the release was made after PT. Samudera Indonesia as owner of the ship paid a ransom demanded by those pirates, which according to the pirates amounts to US$ 4.5 Million.
Actually, the government had decided to combine two options in efforts to free the ship crews i.e. negotiations and military operations. For which purpose three ships, one aircraft, one helicopter and special commando unit have been sent to the Somali sea to carry out the mission.
Last Saturday, 13 Indonesians together with 12 other ship crews of a Singapore flag ship MT Gemini were hijacked by Somali pirates at the Somali sea.
In reaction to this new piracy, the Commander in Chief of the Indonesian Armed Forces Admiral Agus Suhartono said that Indonesia will coordinate with Singapore to secure the release of 13 Indonesian sailors.
Considering that 13 of the 25 crews of the Singapore ship are Indonesians, it would be very interesting to know whether or not this time our government (and Singapore) would choose to give in to the pirates' demand, or take military action instead.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
After Osama's Death
After US President Barack Obama announced the death of terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden yesterday, the news media reported that almost every one are happy with his death.
Even a radical website in Indonesia seemed to be happy too, only they assumed that Osama's death has been a Syahid Death (killed in a holy war).
However, there were some alarming news about the possibility of Osama's organization Al-Qaeda making efforts to revenge his death.
The Chief of U.S Central Intelligence Agency Leon Panetta warned the world to be on high alert because he believed that Al-Qaeda almost certainly will try to avenge.
While the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto said that the government is bracing for possible reactions by local hard-line groups following Osama bin Laden’s death and stepping up security.
I hope that Osama's death would not soften our government's efforts to eliminate any acts of terrors in Indonesia.
Even a radical website in Indonesia seemed to be happy too, only they assumed that Osama's death has been a Syahid Death (killed in a holy war).
However, there were some alarming news about the possibility of Osama's organization Al-Qaeda making efforts to revenge his death.
The Chief of U.S Central Intelligence Agency Leon Panetta warned the world to be on high alert because he believed that Al-Qaeda almost certainly will try to avenge.
While the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto said that the government is bracing for possible reactions by local hard-line groups following Osama bin Laden’s death and stepping up security.
I hope that Osama's death would not soften our government's efforts to eliminate any acts of terrors in Indonesia.
Monday, May 2, 2011
National Education Day 2011
Indonesia has been commemorating 2 May as its National Education Day since 1908, and every time I would always think about the quality of education in our country.
Around 30 years ago, higher education fees were not so expensive. First class state universities/institutes like University of Indonesia (U.I) and Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) only charged entrance fees of not more that a few millions of Rupiah, compared today which can be as high as 75-100 Million Rupiah or even more.
I am not sure whether the quality of education at that time was a lot much lower than it is today, but I know for sure that at that time we were able to sent lecturers, medical doctors and engineers to Malaysia and Middle East countries.
Whereas today we only sent lesser skilled labors to work as house maids, constructions and plantations workers abroad.
So, is the quality of our education today higher that before ?
Around 30 years ago, higher education fees were not so expensive. First class state universities/institutes like University of Indonesia (U.I) and Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) only charged entrance fees of not more that a few millions of Rupiah, compared today which can be as high as 75-100 Million Rupiah or even more.
I am not sure whether the quality of education at that time was a lot much lower than it is today, but I know for sure that at that time we were able to sent lecturers, medical doctors and engineers to Malaysia and Middle East countries.
Whereas today we only sent lesser skilled labors to work as house maids, constructions and plantations workers abroad.
So, is the quality of our education today higher that before ?
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Happy Labor's Day a.k.a May Day
An estimate of 60,000 labors representing 67 Labor Unions in Jakarta and vicinity gathered peacefully today to celebrate the Labors Day a.k.a May Day held at the HI Roundabout in downtown Jakarta
According to Kompas, they started to gather at 6 am and planned to walk to the State Palace, the official residence of President SBY, at midday.
The Labors carried posters and banners mentioning their demands to the government, among others the issuance of the Social Security Organizing Agency Law, realization of President SBY's promise during May Day last year i.e. to pay more attention on the faith of the Labors.
They demand that all Labors, including those under Outsourcing and Contractual statuses, must be protected.
Meanwhile, the President visited two factories in Bogor, West Java, accompanied by the Minister of Man Power Muhaimin Iskandar.
The Minister said that there are three goals that his Ministry wished to achieve this year. First,to increase the Man Power Social Security (Jamsostek), second, to strictly limit, or if possible to stop Outsourcing, and third not to limit or ban labor union.
I am very happy that the commemoration of the Labor's Day a.k.a May Day in Jakarta and other parts of Indonesia went quite peacefully. I hope that the government would do its very best to keep its promised to the Labors i.e. provide better working conditions for all labors working in Indonesia and in foreign countries.
I also hope that the government would do its very best to provide more working opportunities for our Labor force a.o. by creating an attractive environment for local and foreign to invest their money and create businesses in Indonesia.
According to Kompas, they started to gather at 6 am and planned to walk to the State Palace, the official residence of President SBY, at midday.
The Labors carried posters and banners mentioning their demands to the government, among others the issuance of the Social Security Organizing Agency Law, realization of President SBY's promise during May Day last year i.e. to pay more attention on the faith of the Labors.
They demand that all Labors, including those under Outsourcing and Contractual statuses, must be protected.
Meanwhile, the President visited two factories in Bogor, West Java, accompanied by the Minister of Man Power Muhaimin Iskandar.
The Minister said that there are three goals that his Ministry wished to achieve this year. First,to increase the Man Power Social Security (Jamsostek), second, to strictly limit, or if possible to stop Outsourcing, and third not to limit or ban labor union.
I am very happy that the commemoration of the Labor's Day a.k.a May Day in Jakarta and other parts of Indonesia went quite peacefully. I hope that the government would do its very best to keep its promised to the Labors i.e. provide better working conditions for all labors working in Indonesia and in foreign countries.
I also hope that the government would do its very best to provide more working opportunities for our Labor force a.o. by creating an attractive environment for local and foreign to invest their money and create businesses in Indonesia.
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