Neneng's Case,Indonesia KPK to Visit Malaysia

 

VIVAnews – Deputy Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Bambang Widjojanto, still believes in the allegation that Malaysian Kingdom’s advisors were behind Neneng Sri Wahyuni’s escape to Malaysia. 

Two Malaysian citizens - Azmi Bin Muhammad Yusof and Hasan Bin Kushi - were arrested along with Neneng. They have been named suspects and are currently being detained by KPK. 

Bambang’s statement was clarified by KPK’s chairman, Abraham Samad, and Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia, Datuk Syed Munshe Afdzaruddin Syed Hassan, saying that there has been no official statement issued on the royal status of the said two persons. 

“I do not deny my statement. But it is better for us to see wait for investigators work,” said Bambang Widjojanto, on Thursday. 

Bambang said that in pursuit of tracing the required fact, KPK has intensely questioned the two Malaysia citizens. In fact, KPK has planned to visit Malaysia to seek more information as regards the allegation. 

“What I do know is that the investigation team is likely to go there in effort to making clarification,” said Bambang.

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Pindad to Support Police Investigation

 

VIVAnews - PT Perindustrian Angkatan Darat (Pindad) is taking legal proceedings over an employee with the initials of AT (45) who had been arrested by Jakarta Police Department following sales of weapons to bank robbers. PT Pindad will support the investigation of the case. 

“If related to the crime, we will be in keeping with the existing legal procedures,” PT Pindad’s spokesperson, Tuning Rudiyati, told VIVAnews.

AT is a warehouse staff arrested by Jakarta Police Department for allegedly selling weapons worth of Rp11 million to one of the robbers with the initials of YD (37). However, the weapons sold are allegedly not belonging to PT Pindad. '

“If the weapons sold are not PT Pindad’s, we’d be a bit relieved. However, we will prioritize on the presumption of innocence,” said Tuning. 

According to Tuning, the access and authority for a person to enter PT Pindad’s warehouse is extremely restricted. 

“However, we need to investigate whether AT is a staff of the finished goods warehouse or the raw material warehouse? It’s another different thing,” said Tuning. 

Earlier, Director of General Crime of Jakarta Police Department, Chief Commissioner Toni Hermanto, said that two FN firearms used by bank robbers are known to have originated from an employee of PT Pindad.  

“The firearms used by this group are from an employee of PT Pindad with the initials of AT (45). He’s a warehouse staff,” said Toni, yesterday. 

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Police Quiz 11 People on Military Training

 

VIVAnews – Yapen Island Police Department of Papua have questioned 11 people related to a military training camp of the National Liberation Army (TPN) of the Free Papua Organization (OPM). The group is allegedly involved in the military training held by the separatist group.

“They’re under questions following the military training camp of TPN OPM. They’re believed to have known about the training’s process and materials,” Head of Public Relations of Papua Police Department, Adj. Chief. Comm. Yohanes Nugroho Wicaksono, told VIVAnews, on Monday. 

According to Yohanes, at the end of May, a joint force of the Indonesian Military and Police raided TPN OPM’s training camp in Wadapi Forest, Angkaisera District, Yapen Island Regency. At that time, one person was arrested. 

“These eleven people were examined as witnesses of the previously arrested suspect,” Yohanes added. 

He said the questioned eleven are also strongly alleged as members of TPN OPM. However, Police have yet to pick them up due to the lack of evidence.  “They’re sent home immediately. There was no detainment made,” he said. 

The eleven members of the group are: Altoliap Ayomi (21), Benny Torobi (17), Dolfinus Reba (21), Kornelis Bonai (52), Lewi Numberi (23), F Menasir Fonotaba (19), Otis Karimati (35), H Philemon Manitori (47), I Frits Reba (20), J Salmon Nuboa (39), and K Viki Mansei (16).

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Village Head Named 2012's Warrior of Life

 

VIVAnews – Nothing interesting is visible of this power plant. It can only produce power to 10 kilowatts. A small capacity indeed should other power plants be put into consideration. The plant is special as it is built based on the initiative of a resident of a rural village in North Sulawesi. 

The pitch-black condition of the village has motivated the chief of Mengkang Village, Lolayan District, Bolaang Mongondow Regency, named Marsidi Kadengkang, to build the power plant. 

Dropping out of an electrician school, in April 2006 Marsidi built a micro-hydro power plant by utilizing water flow in his village. 

With limited funds, the wheels were made from scrap metal. To spin the wheels, Marsidi used water by making a wooden channel of 20 meters long.  The water discharge is regulated by a piece of wood measured at 30 centimeters long. 

Marsidi bought the generator and cables through which electricity is distributed to residents’ houses. He also built a small hut as the generator control room.  In total, he spent Rp10 million. 

“Some of the money was mine,” he said. 

The electricity produced at that time was only three kilowatts. Recently, there have been donations so as to increase the capacity 10 thousand watts. 

The village is no longer in the dark. Televisions can be turned on. Mobile phones and internet are also available. “It's just like in Jakarta,” he said. 

If only relying on PLN, it would have been difficult to provide electricity in this village. The distance between villages was quite far-off, causing state electricity company PLN to delay supplying electricity to this village.  

Mengkang Village is located in the middle of Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park, around 185 km from Manado near the border of Gorontalo Province. 

The main road to Mengkang has not been asphalted. Three rivers without bridges will be intervening. 

“We then realized that it’s impossible for PLN to get into our village,” he said.

Now, 60 homes in the area are well-lit. The residents do not have to buy kerosene that could cost up to Rp15 thousand per liter.  

If the plant is not cleaned, the water would flow slower, causing the lights to go dim. 

“We don’t have to urge the residents [to do the maintenance]. They are willing to get it done themselves due to the fine sense of belonging,” he said. 

Mengkang is now an energy-independent village. PT Astra-Honda Motor in its National Expedition is called to name Marsidi “2012’s Warrior of Life.”

Corporate Head of Communications of Astra-Honda Motor, Kristanto, said that the company will help Marsidi increase the plant’s capacity to 100 kilowatts. 

“That way, [the power plant] can export electricity to other villages,” said Kristanto.

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Protection over New-born Rhino Intensified

 
VIVAnews – The Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary of Way Kambas National Park, East Lampung, increased security parameter over a female Sumatran Rhino named Ratu which just delivered a baby named Andatu in an effort to keep both animals undisturbed by humans.

“Their conditions are very good. Tight supervision is established 24/7 on them. The doctors work in shift to monitor their activities,” said one of the doctors, Dedi Chandra, to VIVAnews.

Some journalists who had the opportunity to view the condition of these Sumatran Rhinos directly on Monday afternoon were closely monitored, including being given instructions as not to do things that would scare the rhinos.

People could not observe the activities of the mother and baby in groups. One group could only consist of a maximum of five people. In fact, prior to entering the enclosure, the visitors must clean their footwears using disinfected water of which aim is to prevent virus and from penetrating the cage.

Sukatmoko, spokesperson of Way Kambas National Park, who was also in the group, said the total care is set out as Ratu’s condition is still very sensitive. The event has been expected for 120 years since the last rhino was born in captivity.

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Fokker Crashes Due to Engine Failure:Official

VIVAnews - Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Imam Sufaat, said the report of preliminary investigation into the crashed Fokker 27 aircraft had been delivered to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

"We have filed the report of preliminary investigation," said Imam at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta, today.

The report shows that one of the engines of the aricraft failed to function properly. "Based on the data, there seemed to have been failure on the left engine," he said.

The Fokker F-27 aircraft was on a routine training mission at the base before it crashed into the Rajawali housing complex near Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta on Thursday last week.

According to a witness named Ade, prior to the accident, the aircraft was seen tilting its left wing and disappeared. Minutes after, he heard explosion from afar.

Another witness had similar story with Ade. "It was as if the aircraft was to descend to the paddy field. However, it seemed that it had lost its chance before crashing into the homes," he said.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced earlier that all Fokker 27 planes had to be grounded following the fatal crash.

“As the head of the state, [I order the Indonesian military] not to fly any F-27s,” Yudhoyono said. “We plan to [replace] them with [twin turboprop] CN 295s. We will also cooperate with other countries to buy [Hercules] C130s,” he said.

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Disaster Watch, Indonesia to Send Satellites

 

VIVAnews - The National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (Lapan) will launch two new satellites in an effort to help lessen damage from natural disasters.  

Deputy of Aerospace Technology, Soewarto Hardhienata, said the Lapan A 2 and Lapan A 3 satellites have extended features in remote monitoring as they are able to transmit disaster warnings. 

"Each satellite has different mission. Both are launched to help ease communication and reduce damage from natural disasters," he said during the workshop of ASEAN Cooperation Project on Utilization of Space-based Technologies for Disaster Risk Management in Bogor, West Java, today.  

Lapan hosts the workshop of which participants are representatives of Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, and Indonesia.  

An official of the Board of Regional Disaster Mitigation, Agus Wibowo, said Indonesia has been typically hit by hydrological disasters such as floods and strong winds.  

He said that Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi are extremely prone to disasters.

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Indonesia Mulls Over IMF's Request on Funds

 

VIVAnews - The Indonesian government mulls over proposal on the increase of capital from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to its donor countries worth US$430 billion in total. 

Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo said Indonesia had called for more time to the IMF during the G-20 Summit for a discussion over the request. 

"The fund injection has been in line with the commitments of G-20 leaders," said Agus in Jakarta on Tuesday. 

According to the Minister, the 14th capital increase is required to make healthy of the monetary agency. 

However, the Indonesian government cannot approve the request at once. 

"Indonesia will process the request first off," he said. 

The G-20 countries had agreed to settle the commitments on the additional funds during the annual meeting between IMF and the World Bank in the coming October at the latest.

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