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October
Chinese National Day and Challenges For Government of President Xi Jinping
Written by Maryati
The independence day of the People's Republic of China, or the 70th National Day of China, is celebrated on October 1, 2019 with excitement and splendor. President Xi Jinping stood at the Podium watching the military parade that appeared in the parade and defile. The celebration of the national day, as before, was the symbol of the rise and progress of China since the commencement of the Communist government in 1949. The celebration was also intended to show how China had risen to become a modern communist state. President Xi Jinping also wants to show how China has become an economically and militarily strong country. The international community acknowledges that China's influence continues to grow.
But in 2019 China also faces at least two problems, namely a trade war with the United States and demonstrations in Hong Kong. The trade war, sparked by President Donald Trump, is one of the potential challenges. Not only economically, but can also be seen in the perspective of geopolitics. Economically there is an indication of slowing economic growth in the country. Relations between Beijing and Washington, which have declined recently, may be able to remind the international community in the early decades after the establishment of communist China. A few decades after Mao Zedong's rule, the United States has suspended diplomatic relations with China.
The 70th anniversary of China has also been marked by protests in Hong Kong, a part of the country that has a special status. Demonstrations of months as a conflict over the extradition bill are still ongoing. Despite stopping the proposed draft of the exradition bill, the demonstration continued until ahead of the celebration of the Chinese national day. Protesters cynically refer to October 1 as Day of Grief.
China indeed continues to grow to become one of the largest and most powerful countries and has global influence. But it's not without any problems. If the crisis in Hong Kong has given a bad image in terms of democracy, the trade war with the United States has an economic impact not only in the country, but also on a global economic scale.
September
30-September Movement of PKI, Black Record of Indonesian History
Written by Maryati
Every September 30th, people in Indonesia are always reminded of the incident of the 30th-September Movement of the Indonesian Communist Party –PKI or better known as G-30 S PKI which is a black record of Indonesian history. On September 30, 1965, there were PKI rebellions in Jakarta and Yogyakarta and the kidnapping 10 officers of the Indonesian National Armed Forces . Seven of them were killed in Jakarta and three others in Yogyakarta.
The uprising on September 30, 1965 was not the first time for the PKI. Previously in 1948, the PKI had held a rebellion in Madiun. The aim of the rebellion was to replace the Republic of Indonesia with a communist state.
Shortly afterwards, the Commander of the Strategic Command of the Army (Kostrad) at the time, Major General Soeharto moved quickly, quelling the rebellion. The hunt for the G-30 S perpetrators was carried out quickly. The PKI was declared to be behind the violent takeover of power. They were hunted down and captured. Members of the organization who were considered sympathizers or related to the PKI were also arrested. Various community groups also destroyed PKI headquarters in various regions. They also attacked institutions, shops, offices and universities that were accused of being related to the PKI.
Some PKI leaders were tried at the Extraordinary Military Court, some were sentenced to death. PKI Chairman, DN Aidit who was accused of designing this movement together with PKI Special Bureau Chairman, Sam Kamaruzzaman fled to Central Java, but was later arrested, and killed. Then, the New Order government set 30 September as the Remembrance Day of the 30 September Movement and 1 October as the Pancasila Sanctity Day.
Indeed, the PKI G-30 S had long been crushed. The main culprits were arrested and tried. However, this does not mean that the Indonesian people are unaware of the communist threat. Communist ideology that does not recognize the existence of God is not appropriate for the Indonesian people with the Pancasila ideology which believes in God.
The Indonesian people do not want bloody tragedies like the PKI G-30 S to be repeated. However, even Chief of Indonesia Armed Forces, Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto acknowledges that communism is still a threat to the Indonesian people, so they must always be vigilant and anticipated for its existence because it could appear anytime and anywhere.
September
KPK Law Revision and Criminal Code Draft Bill must Involve All Stakeholders
Written by nuke
Ahead of the inauguration of the President and Vice President in October, the condition in some cities across Indonesia is heating up. There has been strong polemic about moving the capital, forest and land fires in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Java, as well the actions related to Papuan iissue, as well as the latest one: protest against draft bills made by the House of Representatives -DPR. The dynamics that occur in Indonesia today are part of democracy and the follow-up of reforms that began in the late 90s. The Indonesian people chose reforms to make democratic change instead of revolution. Because if there is a revolution, the Indonesian nation could set back. However, the actions carried out more recently can disturb the people of Indonesia. Because in almost every major city throughout Indonesia, university students, senior high school students and farmers staged a demonstration. This action is reminiscent of the actions that occurred in 1998.
In a discussion on national television, legal expert -Supardi Ahmad said that more recently, the community has been concerned about the planned revision of the Corruption Eradication Commission’s law -KPK and the Draft of Criminal Code Book -KUHP that would be completed by the DPR. These points are the main focus of the demonstrators. Supardi Ahmad hopes that all demonstrators' demands must be accommodated. All relevant stakeholders must engage and take part in reviewing and disseminating information to the public regarding the contents of the Draft of Criminal Code Book and the revision of the KPK law. In this regard, the government has issued a communiqué to delay discussion and endorsement along with the DPR.
With all-inclusive participation by related stakeholders: the executive, legislative, judicative, academics and multi-discipline experts, the problems of the Indonesian people related to legal products can be resolved together. Thus, all legal products that will be produced can be understood and accepted by all groups towards a just and prosperous Indonesia.
September
On Friday night (9/20), President Joko Widodo conveyed his decision to postpone the discussion and ratification of the Draft of Criminal Code Book (RKUHP) in the House of Representatives -DPR.
President Joko Widodo took a stand after examining inputs from many stakeholders who objected in line with the emergence of polemic in the community. He perceived that there are some controversial points, at least 14 articles in the Draft of Criminal Code. Furthermore, he ordered Minister of Law and Human Rights, Yasonna Laoly to convey the government's attitude to the DPR. President Joko Widodo also asked that the discussion on the RKUHP be continued by members of the DPR for the period of 2019-2024.
The draft of Criminal Code has passed the 1st stage decision-making in the DPR to be ratified immediately at the next plenary meeting on September 24. The agreement was taken in the 1st Level Discussion Working Meeting conducted by the House of Representatives Commission III with Minister Yasonna Laoly in Jakarta on Wednesday (18/9/2019).
However, the decision was widely rejected in the community. A number of articles contained in the draft of Criminal Code are considered to be contrary to the mandate of reform and freedom of expression. A large demonstration was then carried out by activists and students in front of the Parliament Building on Thursday (9/19/2019).
In some articles which are considered controversial, one of them is the article of insulting the president. This article was aborted by the Constitutional Court in 2006. However, this reappears in the draft of Criminal Code as of August 28, 2019. The insult to the president is regulated in the articles 2018-220. People convicted of insulting the president face 4-and-half- year prison.
The draft of Criminal Code also fines the scroungers. This rule is contained in the Article 432 about the existence of the scroungers. The rule is considered to be contrary to the mandate of reform, democracy and human rights. In fact, the law is enacted to provide legal protection, human rights and a sense of justice and security for the whole community. So, it would be wise if members of the House of Representatives for the period of 214-2019 do not force their willingness to ratify the Draft of Criminal Code according to President Joko Widodo's request.
September
US relations with Iran have deteriorated due to the burning of one of Saudi Arabia's oil factories, ARAMCO in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia, Saturday, September 14th. Shortly after the fire, Houthi rebel groups in Yemen claimed to be the perpetrators and were responsible. They said the attack on the Aramco oil factory was carried out using Drones. But the claim of Houthi rebels was denied by the United States.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday 15 September accused Iran of setting fire to the Aramco oil plant. From Washington, Pompeo stressed there was no evidence that the attack originated in Yemen, where the Houthis are. Mike Pompeo, who is a former CIA chief, firmly accused Iran of launching attacks on the Aramco oil plant which is one of the world's suppliers of oil, including to the United States.
Iran has denied US allegations and considers it to have damaged its reputation. Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Mousavi said the US allegations were the maximum pressure on Iran. For that, Iran said it was ready to fight against the United States. Earlier from Washington, United States President Donald Trump via Twitter said that his country was ready to deploy its military to attack Iran. Nevertheless, Trump said he would still await the reaction of Saudi Arabia. Wahington awaits confirmation from Riyadh about who really attacked the oil factory. The United States is furious because Aramco's burning has forced it to use its oil reserves.
The increasing tension between Iran and the United States and Saudi Arabia, due to the burning of Aramco, is not certain to cause war. Parties involved in tensions and crises are certainly still counting on the worse effects, when war occurs.
September
Forest is a very vital area for the earth and human life source. Indonesia is known as the world’s third biggest country of forest in the world. It consists of tropical forest in some regions across Indonesia, especially rain forest in Kalimantan and Papua. Based on the date of Forest Watch Indonesia, around 82 hectares of Indonesian land is covered with thick forest. Forest is also one of supporting parts for natural equilibrium and microbiological energy resources that are in need. The question is that what happens if the forest is burnt? The forest and land fires almost occur in some regions throughout Indonesia every year, usually entering dry season. Anyhow, the forest and land fires may bring about disadvantages for both local and people and neighboring countries. The serious negative impacts are the losses of flora and fauna, and air pollution. As consequences, the people impacted may suffer from many kinds of diseases such as respiratory infection, asthma and chronic lungs disorders. In addition, the smoke of the forest and land fires also interrupts the sight distance, mainly for the flight. In general, the causing factors of the forest and land fires are lightening and human activities which are carried out intentionally or unintentionally. The intentional burning is aimed at opening new land for plantation. The government of Indonesia has attempted to address the forest and land fires by mobilizing the local people, the police and armed forces personnel. More importantly, the government through the Ministry of Environment has seriously punished those who are proven to have burnt the forest. So far, there have been hundreds of suspected people and four companies. The serious efforts of Indonesian government to cope with the forest and land fires are worth appreciating. The local people, primarily the individual planters also have to take part in maintaining their environment. They must be aware of the negative consequences of the forest and land fires.
September
Israel's re-election to take place next week on September 17 evokes international reaction. Ahead of the election, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu promises to annex the West Bank which has been known as the Palestinian territory, as if he wanted to explore anyone who agrees and disagrees with this problem. This also shows that he is not alone with the planned annexation of the area.
The West Bank as PM Netanyahu mentions is known by the name ‘Judea’ and ‘Samaria’ which are part of the territory of the Palestinian state, west of the Jordan River. The West Bank and Gaza Strip are part of the Palestinian territories declared in 1988. It is estimated that around 65 thousand Palestinians and 11 thousand Israelis live in the region.Indonesia and Arab countries strongly criticized PM Netanyahu's statement. The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that PM Netanyahu's promise is contrary to international law and various UN resolutions. This will obviously threaten the follow-up of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process. Saudi Arabia views that Prime Minister Netanyahu's plan is an escalation of dangerous tensions. Member countries of Islamic Conference Organization -OIC will hold a special meeting in Jeddah to discuss the threat of PM Netanyahu on 15th of September. On one hand, Jordan views Prime Minister Netanyahu's promise to trigger violent conflict in the Middle East. On the other hand, the European Union says that it would not recognize any changes relating to Jerusalem. The European Union believes that settlement construction and expansion in East Jerusalem is a violation of international law. In contrast, since last June, the United States through its Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman mentioned that Israel has the rights to annex the West Bank, Palestine.Apart from the strong international reaction, PM Netanyahu is actually facing panic with domestic political situation in Israel. After being re-elected as prime minister of Israel through the April 9 elections, it turned out that within the given deadline, PM Benyamin Netanyahu failed to form a new government, because it failed to reach a coalition agreement. This would threaten his position as Israeli prime minister. Raising sensitive issue in the campaign and evoking international reaction were an attempt by PM Netanyahu to win the re-election even though many said it was like rowing in the middle of the ocean with a leaky boat.
September
North Korea uses the nuclear issue to reopen dialogue with the United States. That tendency appears from its rhetoric and concrete actions. On Monday, September 9, top North Korean officials said they were willing to reopen dialogue with the United States over the abolition of North Korea's nuclear program. But a few hours later the North Korean military fired two short-range projectiles which is the tenth test since early May 2019. North Korea's nuclear test continues after no agreement reached between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un at a meeting in Hanoi last February. At that time, President Donald Trump had dispelled the hopes of Kim Jong-un who requested that Washington revokes sanctions imposed on North Korea. KIm Jong-un stated that US sanctions had weakened North Korea. North Korea's hopes, the United States will soften and change policies by lifting economic sanctions, have not yet materialized. The launch of the projectile carried out by North Korea can be seen as Kim Jong-un's strategy of pressuring Washington to reopen a dialogue that has stalled since last February. Regarding North Korea's statement to return to negotiations, Washington so far has not given any serious response. From the White House reportedly, President Donald Trump only stated that it was a good thing to negotiate with North Korea. There has also been no reaction to North Korea's projectile test hours after the desire to return to the negotiating table was stated. Both parties, the United States and North Korea have to find ways to resolve their disputes.
September
Last Sunday (8/9), Indonesia Electric Motor Show (IEMS) 2019 at Kartika Expo Balai Kartini room in Jakarta was visited by many people. They seemed enthusiastic about observing various electric vehicles, pure batteries, hybrids, plug-in hybrids until fuel cells that displayed at that event.Visitors came from various circles, with different goals. Some just wanted to look at the exhibition, and some visitors were curious about the development of Indonesia's electric vehicles.Environmental issues are one of the main reasons why some countries are switching from vehicles with fossil fuels to electric ones. The attention of the Indonesian people towards electric vehicles was even greater when the President, Joko Widodo officially signed the Presidential Regulation (Perpres) related to electric cars.The main concerns are not only the product and price, but also the availability of battery charging areas and battery waste treatment.For the people of Indonesia, especially the middle and lower economic circles, product models and prices are certainly an important part of their consideration for switching to electric cars. The habit of people hoping to resell cars that they have been using for several years at a high price will certainly be a challenge to sell electric vehicles.In addition, the availability of battery charging places is certainly an important consideration for electric vehicle users. The number of traffic jams, especially in big cities, especially Jakarta, will certainly make the battery consumption quite large. Thus, there is a need for a large amount of battery charging.Another important point that must be solved is the waste management of electric vehicle batteries. The battery has a lifetime. This means that there will be a lot of battery waste that comes from electric vehicles whose impact is negative on the environment.Therefore, before the mass use of electric vehicles is properly realized, the obstacles that may arise must first be solved.
September
Last Sunday (8/9), Indonesia Electric Motor Show (IEMS) 2019 at Kartika Expo Balai Kartini room in Jakarta was visited by many people. They seemed enthusiastic about observing various electric vehicles, pure batteries, hybrids, plug-in hybrids until fuel cells that displayed at that event.Visitors came from various circles, with different goals. Some just wanted to look at the exhibition, and some visitors were curious about the development of Indonesia's electric vehicles.Environmental issues are one of the main reasons why some countries are switching from vehicles with fossil fuels to electric ones. The attention of the Indonesian people towards electric vehicles was even greater when the President, Joko Widodo officially signed the Presidential Regulation (Perpres) related to electric cars.The main concerns are not only the product and price, but also the availability of battery charging areas and battery waste treatment.For the people of Indonesia, especially the middle and lower economic circles, product models and prices are certainly an important part of their consideration for switching to electric cars. The habit of people hoping to resell cars that they have been using for several years at a high price will certainly be a challenge to sell electric vehicles.In addition, the availability of battery charging places is certainly an important consideration for electric vehicle users. The number of traffic jams, especially in big cities, especially Jakarta, will certainly make the battery consumption quite large. Thus, there is a need for a large amount of battery charging.Another important point that must be solved is the waste management of electric vehicle batteries. The battery has a lifetime. This means that there will be a lot of battery waste that comes from electric vehicles whose impact is negative on the environment.Therefore, before the mass use of electric vehicles is properly realized, the obstacles that may arise must first be solved.