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THE INDONESIAN EMBASSY BI-WEEKLY BULLETIN · ISSUE I/04 · 1 April 2008 Indonesia DOMESTIC ISSUES

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Socio - Cultural Issues

REGIONAL/ INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

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Issued by THE INDONESIAN EMBASSY, INFORMATION & SOCIO-CULTURAL AFFAIRS Kuusisaarentie 3, 00340 Helsinki, Finland, Phone. (358-9) 477 0370, Fax. (358-9) 458 2882, E-mail. [email protected] www.indonesianwww.indonesian----embassy.fiembassy.fi The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 1 April 2008

Contents

DOMESTIC ISSUES Political Issues 1 General Election Commission Organizational Structure Should Be Settled 1 Soon …………………………………………………………………………………..... 2 Former Bosnian Envoy Awarded Indonesian Medal of Merit…………………… 1

Economic Issues 1 President Yudhoyono Meets 75 Dubai Businessmen …………………………… 2 2 Foreign Ministry, BI To Cooperate To Strengthen Economic Diplomacy ………. 2 3 Market Reacts Positively To New BI Governor …………………………………… 3 4 World Bank Ready to Offer RI Low Interest Loan ………………………………… 3

Socio - Cultural Issues 1 Indonesia Manages To Prevent Birth of 80 Million Babies………………..……… 3 2 President Praises Indonesian Film As Promoting Better Understanding of 4 Islam……………………………………………………………………………………

ENVIRONMENT ISSUES 1 Activists Plant Trees as Part of Anti-Global Warming Campaigns………………. 5 2 RI and Australia Establish Tropical Cyclone Warning Center .…………..………. 5

REGIONAL/INTERNASIONAL ISSUES 1 RI Defense Minister and Australian PM Speak At East Asia Forum ……………. 5 2 RI Needs To Cooperate With Middle East Countries ……………………………... 6

The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 1 April 2008

Anshary (chairman), Sri Nuryanti, Endang Sulastri, I Gusti Putu Artha, DOMESTIC ISSUES Andi Nurpati Baharuddin, and Abdul Aziz. President Susilo Bambang Political Issues Yudhoyono at the State Palace here on last Thursday finally installed Syamsul General Election Commission Bahri as the seventh member of the Organizational Structure Should General Elections Commission (KPU) for the 2007-2012 term. (ANTARA) Be Settled Soon Former Bosnian Envoy Awarded Jakarta - The General Elections Indonesian Medal of Merit Commission (KPU) expressed hope for the immediate completion of the organizational structure and work order London - Former Bosnia-Herzegovina of its secretariat, the provincial, district ambassador to Indonesia Zdravco Rajic and city general elections commission has received a Bintang Jasa Utama (KPUD) before April 5, first phase of the medal of merit from the Indonesian 2009 general elections. government for his meritorious services "Our hope is that before April 5, the in fostering relations between the two Administrative Reforms Minister's nations. decree (on the structure) should have Indonesian Ambassador to Hungary, been made available," Andi Nurpati Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Baharuddin, one of the seven KPU Macedonia Mangasi Sihombing recently members said here on Monday (31/3). conferred the award on Rajic who was Andi said his office since the assigned in Indonesia from 2002 to beginning has tried that the KPU 2005, Arena Sri Victoria, first secretary organization structure as stipulated in of the Indonesian embassy in Budapest, article 128 of law no.22/2007 about said in a statement on Tuesday (18/3). general election implementation should The conferment ceremony which took have been completed three months after place in Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia- the KPU members' inauguration. Herzegovina, got press coverage by the Should the inauguration of the KPU local media, she said. members had taken place in October During his three years as 2007, the organizationaal structure of its ambassador in Indonesia, Rajic visited secretariat, the provincial, district and many areas in the country giving him a city general elections commission better knowledge of local cultures, she (KPUD) should have been set up three said. months after or in January (2008). Rajic who is currently serving a joint Enrolment of political parties as the venture company in Libya, expressed general election contestants will also gratitude to President Susilo Bambang take place on April 5, first phase of the Yudhoyono, Vice President Jusuf Kalla, 2009 general elections. Foreign Minister Hasan Wirajuda, and KPU has seven members as the entire Indonesian people for the stipulated in the law on the KPU's appreciation, she said. formation. The six KPU members who "From the depths of my heart, I would had been installed by the Head of State like to express my gratitude to the on October 23, 2007, are Abdul Hafiz Indonesian people and the Republic of

Indonesia I love," said Rajic, who always Basyuni and chairman of the Indonesian praised the Indonesian people for their Chamber of Commerce and Industry hospitality. (ANTARA) (KADIN) MS Hidayat.(ANTARA)

Economic Issues Foreign Ministry, BI To Cooperate To Strengthen Economic Diplomacy President Yudhoyono Meets 75 Dubai Businessmen Jakarta - Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirajuda and Bank Indonesia Dubai - President Susilo Bambang (BI) Governor Burhanuddin Abdullah Yudhoyono on Wednesday (19/3) here Tuesday (1/4) signed a morning held a meeting with 75 memorandum of understanding on businessmen from 37 companies during cooperation to improve professionalism his working visit in the United Arab in the country's economic diplomacy in Emirates (UAE). regard to monetary, banking and The president and his entourage payment system matters. arrived at Dubai's Royal Air Wing "The more competitive and international airport at 7.15 local time on integrated, the more complex the Tuesday (18/3) after flying for about 10 formulation of monetary policy will be hours from Johannesburg, South Africa. because of the significant influence of After the meeting with the external factors. The cooperation is one businessmen, Yudhoyono held a special of our efforts to face global challenges," meeting with a number of businessmen Burhanuddin said in his speech at the including the CEO of Emaar (tourism signing ceremony on Tuesday (1/4). investor in Lombok), M Ali Alabbar, the He said the cooperation was a step in CEO of Pacific Inter Link the total diplomacy being pursued by the (Agrobusiness), Fouad Hayil Saeed Foreign Ministry. from Qatar Islamic Bank, Abdul Latif bin With better economic diplomacy the Abdulla al Mahmod of Ras Al Khaimah country will be able to reduce the impact dealing with infrastructure sector. of the slowing of the world economy and In addition, President Yudhoyono the monetary crisis, he said. also met with Crown Prince Sheikh He said the value of intra-ASEAN Saud bin Saqr al Qasimi and Sheikh trade had reached 40 percent and that Bakar bin Ladin to discuss about of intra-Asian trade 60 percent. investment opportunities in Indonesia. "We are now looking toward the East The president and his entourage with diplomacy which is expected to be were scheduled to return home from able to improve economic cooperation," Dubai at 07.30 a.m. local time after he added. making a 10-day overseas tour of four With better economic diplomacy, he countries - Iran, Senegal, South Africa added, Indonesia would also improve its and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). economic perception in international The President's 82-member forums. entourage included Foreign Affairs Wirajuda, meanwhile, said the Minister Hassan Wirajuda, cooperation with Bank Indonesia was a Minister/State Secretary Hatta Radjasa, strategic step to improve Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, professionalism in economic diplomacy. Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh

"BI as an institution which has expertise in banking, monetary and World Bank Ready to Offer RI Low payment systems, is expected to take Interest Loan part in the conduct of economic Jakarta - The World Bank is ready to diplomacy abroad," he said. offer Indonesia a low-interest loan He said in the days ahead, officials of package to help offset its budget deficit. Indonesia's central bank would also be "We have modernized all our loan posted at Indonesian embassies schemes and lowered interest rates. abroad. (ANTARA) Our interest rates are based on LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) only while interest on Indonesia's global Market Reacts Positively To New bonds is about the same as LIBOR plus BI Governor 200 basis points," World Bank Country Director for Indonesia Joachim von Jakarta - The market on Amsberg said here on Tuesday (25/3). Tuesday reacted positively to the House He said Indonesia currently needed of Representatives (DPR) approval of more than US$80 billion to offset its Boediono as Bank Indonesia (central deficit. The funds were expected from bank) governor. Being appointed as local and foreign sources. Bank Indonesia Governor, Boediono "To maintain a conducive fiscal said he would do his might to slow down situation, the government needs the inflation rate in the next two to three favorable financing sources. We want years to between 3 to four percent. Indonesia to benefit from our loans in Money market observer Edwin the interest of the public," he said. Sinaga has said Boediono was the right Both the government and the House person to lead the central bank because of Representatives (DPR) had agreed to the latter had a lot of knowledge about set the deficit in the 2008 state budget macro economic matters. Sinaga said at Rp88.1 trillion or 2.1 percent of the Indonesia at present was facing various country's gross domestic product {GDP). problems both internally and externally To offset the deficit, the government and therefore the country was in need of had decided to raise its program loans such a person who was able to deal with to US$2.9 billion from US$2.1 billion as multi-complexity. quoted in the 2008 state budget. He added that Boediono had Earlier, the World Bank also offered also encouraged the banking sector to Indonesia project loans totaling US$500 improve the economic growth because it million to finance its infrastructure was the government active partner in projects while its program loan boosting the national economy. "We commitment to the country this year has believe the new Bank Indonesia chief been set at US$1 billion. (ANTARA) has been prepared to slow down the high inflation rate and to deal with the soaring food prices through the Socio – Cultural Issues cooperation between the government and the related institutions," Sinaga Indonesia Manages To Prevent said. Therefore, he said the market Birth of 80 Million Babies was waiting to see positive measures which would be taken by Boediono in Jambi - The Indonesian government his effort to improve the economic in the past three decades managed to growth.(ANTARA) curb or prevent the birth rate from

reaching 80 million under the National and professional organizations. Family Planning Program. (ANTARA) Youth Director of the BKKBN (national family planning agency) Fatonah MSc told a regional working President Praises Indonesian Film meeting of BBKBN Jambi chapter here As Promoting Better on Wednesday (19/3) that the Understanding of Islam Indonesian achievement in preventing births deserved a thumb up. Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang "Without family planning, the total Yudhoyono said the Indonesian film population in Indonesia may have "Ayat-ayat Cinta" (Verses of Love) can reached 285 million in 2000," she said. be a medium to promote a better She said that if the 80 million were understanding of Islam. given birth, they will pose a burden to The president made the statement development and create new problems after watching the film directed by amidst the still unstable economic Hanung Bramantyo at Studio XXI at EX situation. Plaza here on Friday night (28/3). "Even now, the number of "The film can be a good medium for unemployed people, food shortages, getting the right message of Islam health and housing problems, had been across," said Yudhoyono, who was posing a heavy burden to the accompanied by his family, including his government and difficult to overcome. sons Agus Harimurti and Edi baskoro as While the population growth rate well as his daughter-in-law Annisa could be lowered by 2.32 percent in the Pohan. 1971-1980 period to 1.3 percent at The Indonesian head of state who present, the births still reached four claimed he wiped tears from his eyes million per year. several times when watching the film, The births mostly came from said Islam was frequently financially weak families which also misunderstood by the public. caused a high maternal death rate, Yudhoyono added that all Indonesian reaching more than 200/100.000 of live Muslims who had watched the film births, while infant death rate still stands should be able to explain to the rest of at 30/1000. This maternal death rate is the world that Islam is a peace-loving still higher than that in the industrialized religion full of tolerance and harmony. countries or in other ASEAN member According to the president, the film countries. directed by Hanung Bramantyo was a In terms of education, more than half reflection of Islam, its ability to rise of Indonesia's total population only above mere symbols enabling the world finished elementary school. community to coexist despite its Looking at the Human Development diversity. Index of the Development of Among the ministers who Indonesians, it appears that it is still accompanied President Yudhoyono in below ranking, namely no 108 of 177 watching the film were Culture and countries, and even still lower than that Tourism Minister Jero Wacik, Religious of the other Asean member countries. Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni, Trade The BBKBN workshop of Jambi Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, Women's province was attended by 122 Empowerment Minister Mutia Hatta, participants, comprising officials from People's Welfare Coordinating Minister the regencies and cities in Jambi Aburizal Bakrie, Minister/State Secretary province, regency heads and mayors, local non-governmental organizations,

Hatta Rajasa and Presidential the inauguration of Indonesia's Tropical Spokesman Dino Pattidjalal. (ANTARA) Cyclone Warning Center in Jakarta on Monday, an Australian Embassy media release said here on Wednesday (26/3). It said the Tropical Cyclone Warning Environment Issues Center was established following close collaboration between the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and its Activists Plant Trees as Part of Indonesian counterpart, Meteorology Anti-Global Warming Campaigns and Geophysics Agency (BMG). "The implementation of the early Luwuk, C Sulawesi - Tens of warning system has the potential to help environmental activists planted trees on save lives and property and increase arid and barren land on the outskirts of maritime safety not only in Indonesia, Luwuk town in Central Sulawesi but in the region," Ms Hand said. province on Sunday (23/3) as a Indonesia's BMG has sourced manifestation of anti-global warming weather forecasting software and campaigns. technology from Australia's Meteorology The activists grouped in the Savana Bureau and ongoing technical Nature Lovers Association (KPA) earlier information exchange during cyclone marched from the heart of the capital of events is expected to assist BMG in the Banggai district to the arid and barren analysis and prediction process. land where they later planted mahogany "The establishment of a state-of-the- trees. art system in BMG will give Indonesia KPA spokesman Irman Budahu said new capability in forecasting and the activity was aimed at encouraging tracking tropical cyclones," said Mike people from all walks of life to join Bergin, Regional Director of the Bureau efforts of preventing the impact of global of Meteorology, Western Australia, who warming, such as a rise in sea water is in Jakarta for the Center's level and bad weather coupled with inauguration. floods and landslides. Indonesia's BMG has also welcomed "Preserving the environment involves collaboration with Australia in this field. not only NGO activities but the general "The system is most beneficial in public as well," he said. Flash floods providing early warnings for sailing which frequently hit Toili and Bunta vessels and people living in the coastal plains in the district were an example of area who are directly affected by tropical the impact of global warming, he said. cyclones," said T. Mulyono, Head of The association further called on all Data System and Meteorology elements of the public, the district Information at BMG. administration in particular, to care The inauguration ceremony was held about preserving the environment by to coincide with World Meteorology Day. reforesting arid and barren land caused (ANTARA) by illegal logging activities in the past 30 years. (ANTARA) REGIONAL /INTERNATIONAL ISSUES RI and Australia Establish Tropical Cyclone Warning Center RI Defense Minister and Jakarta - Australian Charge Australian PM Speak At East Asia d'Affaires Louise Hand has welcomed Forum

Yogyakarta - Indonesia needs to Brisbane - Visiting Indonesian develop good cooperation with Middle Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono Eastern countries because they are rich and Australian Prime Minister Kevin in natural resources, especially oil, Rudd were reported to be among a Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said number of prominent personalities who here on Tuesday (25/3). spoke at an East Asian Forum in In a written message to an Sydney on Wednesday (26/3). international seminar on the Middle East Organized by the Australian National in Yogyakarta, Wirayuda said University (ANU) at the Intercontinental Indonesia's relations with countries in Hotel in Sydney, most speakers in the the Middle East should not be limited to dialogue forum touched on economic political affairs only but also cover the and political security issues through new economic field, especially trade and approaches. investment. Former Thai economic minister In his address read out by the chief Chalongphob Sussankarn and former of the foreign ministry's Policy Korean foreign minister Yoon Young Assessment and Research Board, Arta Kwan, in addition to Minister Juwono Ulit Tobing, Wirayuda said President and Prime Minister Rudd also Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's recent addressed the dialogue forum, a visit to the Middle East was to realize spokesman of Australian National such closer cooperation. Univeristy, Simon Couper, said. The foreign minister said President ASEAN Secretary General Surin Yudhoyono's presence at the Pitsuwan, Justin of the World Bank and Organization of the Islamic Conference some well-known Australian figures like (OIC) Summit in Senegal recently would Prof Kim Beazley and Huw McKay of help strengthen Indonesia's relations Westpac also spoke at the forum, he with Middle East countries. said. In addition, Wirayuda said, the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Indonesian government was also elucidated Australis's vision and role in encouraging the establishment of an East Asia in his presentation at the two- assessment and study center on the day forum. Middle East which was expected to help The forum's participants would also the Indonesian community understand discuss other important issues such as Middle Eastern countries better. economic development, energy and Meanwhile, a political observer at environmental security, terrorism and Gajah Mada University (UGM), Prof Siti security. Mutiah Setiawati, said at the seminar They would also talk on the various that Yudhoyono's visit to Middle East challenges faced by the United States countries was intended to seek and China as the architects of the Asian investors from the region to invest in region, he said. Indonesia. Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono She said the visit proved that is scheduled to meet with his Australian Indonesia's foreign policy under counterpart, Joel Fitzgibbon, in President Yudhoyono's government was Canberra on Thursday (27/3). a continuation of the policy of the (ANTARA) previous government which deemed the Middle East an important region to RI Needs To Cooperate With Indonesia. Middle East Countries "Therefore, the government should create a new paradigm in a bid to

strengthen cooperation with countries in the Middle Eastern region," she said. The international seminar on the Middle East at the UGM campus in Yogyakarta was attended by academics and representatives of other related institutions. (ANTARA)