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Indonesian women chess grandmaster Medina Warda Aulia defeated Ivan Sokolov, a Dutch grandmaster, in a surprise victory in the second round at the JAPFA GM & WGM International Chess Tournament 2019.

Beginning at the Spanish Opening, Medina (2375) appeared aggressive, while Sokolov (2595) looked tense and under pressure during the match, held at Grand Inna Malioboro Hotel, Yogyakarta, on Friday evening.

The match appeared to be a draw at the beginning, but Sokolov was forced to resign after 54 moves.

Medina kept up with Sokolov from the start, said chess commentator Kristianus Liem, noting that Medina’s moves were more stable.

The following are the results of the second round in the Grand Master category of the tournament:

IM Novendra Priasmoro (2457) 1/2 vs 1/2 GM Susanto Megaranto (2548)
WGM Medina Warda Aulia (2375) 1 vs 0 GM Ivan Sokolov (2595)
IM Yoseph Theolifus Taher (2446) 1/2 vs 1/2 GM Rustam Khusunutdinov (Kazakshtan, 2471)
FM Azarya Jodi Setyakiv(2421) 1/2 vs 1/2 IM Arghyadip Das (India, 2439)
IM Sean Winshand Cuhendi (2422) 1/2 vs 1/2 Rhagunandan Kaumandur Srihari (India, 2442)
GM Dmitry Kokarev (2609) 1 vs 0 IM Ravi Teja (India, 2405)

The JAPFA GM & WGM International Chess Tournament 2019 is being held in Yogyakarta from June 13 to 22, with several Indonesian chess players and 12 foreign chess players.


Participating foreign female chess players are IM Sophie Millet (France), WGM Gong Qianyun (Singapore), WGM Keti Tsatsalashvili (Georgia), IM Alina L’ami (Romania), WIM Luong Phuong Hanh (Vietnam), and WIM Rucha Pujari (India).


Indonesia's female chess players joining the tournament include WFM Chelsie Monica Sihite (elo rating 2212), EIM Dewi AA Citra (2205), WFM Umi Fisabililah (2201), WFM Monica Putri (2151), WFM Tammi Nasuha Nurdin (2125), WFMB Zahra Chumaira (2112), and WGM Medina Wardah Aulia (2375).


Foreign male chess players competing in the tournament are, among others, GM Kokarev (Russia, 2609), GM Ivan Sokolov (The Netherlands, 2595), GM Rustam Khusunutdinov (Kazakshtan, 2471), GM Rhagunandan Kaumandur Srihari (India, 2442), IM Arghyadip Das (India, 2439), and IM Ravi Teja (India, 2405).


Indonesia's male chess players include GM Susanto Megaranto (2548), IM Novendra Priasmoro (2457), IM Yoseph Theolifus Taher (2446), and FM Azarya Jodi Setyaki (2421). (ant)

The Parliaments of Indonesia and Poland have committed themselves to increase inter-parliamentary cooperation through the Poland-Indonesia Bilateral Cooperation Group (GKSB), according to GKSB Chair Danuta Pietraszewska.

The commitment was conveyed by Pietraszewska during a meeting with Indonesian Ambassador to Poland Siti Nugraha Mauludiah and seven members of the Polish parliament who participated in GKSB at the Indonesian Embassy in Warsaw on Wednesday (12/6), according to a statement from the Indonesian Embassy here on Thursday.

The Indonesian Ambassador praised the collaboration between the parliaments of Poland and Indonesia in recent years, through the exchange of parliamentary visits.

Ambassador Siti Nugraha also suggested that meetings between Indonesia's representatives and GKSB in Poland should be held every six months to discuss the latest developments in relations between both countries.

Pietraszewska said that many members of the Polish parliament expressed interest in joining GKSB.

Some 16 members of the Polish parliament have participated in GKSB.

One of the 16 members of the Polish parliament, who is a member in GKSB, is a politician from the ruling party and former deputy defence minister.

GKSB was established to strengthen cooperation between Poland and Indonesia, including in inter-parliamentary, trade, investment, higher education, culture, and tourism. (ant)

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati expects that the leaders of ministries/non-ministerial government institutions (K/Ls) will not only pursue Unqualified Opinions (WTP), but will work hard in managing the budget, so that the quality of financial statements can improve annually.

"The K/L leadership is not only satisfied and seeking WTP opinions, but also expects to see hard work in budget management and good governance practices, in accordance with the Act. So it is not only pursuing compliance, but also better performance," Sri Mulyani said in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Sri Mulyani made his statement when representing the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs in the submission of the Audit Report on the State General Treasurer Financial Statements (LKBUN) and the 2018 Ministry / Institution Financial Report (LKKL) to the State Financial Auditors II.

She also said the WTP opinion about the 2018 Central Government Financial Report (LKPP) was a superior achievement and must be continued, especially since the recognition has been obtained for three consecutive years.

"We hope that the results of the WTP opinion can be translated into a budget that is useful for society and the economy," she said.

To that end, the government will continue to improve the quality of financial reports through intensive guidance in the implementation of accrual-based accounting, and encourage training in human resources so that accounting record procedures can be improved.

Regarding the weakness of the internal control system, which was the finding of the State Audit Board (BPK), Sri Mulyani said this would be addressed so that financial statements could become more accountable and trusted by the public.

"With the accountability and integrity of the ministries and Institutions, we hope that public trust and stakeholders can be better served," he said.

Previously, the BPK issued WTP opinions for LKPP 2018 after examining 86 LKKLs and one LKBUN.

Of the 87 financial statements, the BPK issued WTP opinions about 81 LKKL and one LKBUN, which was an increase compared to the 2017 period, when opinions were issued for 79 LKKL and one LKBUN.

The BPK also issued Unqualified With Exception (WDP) opinions to four LKKL, a decrease compared to the 2017 period when there were six LKKL.

In addition, there is still one LKKL set by BPK as a disclaimer to not issue an  opinion, down compared to last year's two LKKL.

However, there are still a number of findings on LKPP 2018, including weaknesses in the internal control system and non-compliance with cash administration, management of fixed assets, PNBP management and budgeting, and implementing accountability that is not in accordance with the provisions of each Institution Ministry.

"We will deliver to the minister the LKPP and the results of the BPK examination so that all ministers can lead and follow up on the BPK report in the action plan with a clear timeline," Sri Mulyani said. (ant) 

The Indonesian government will always prioritize the settlement of hundreds of agrarian conflicts through the agrarian reform program, which is President Joko Widodo's priority in 2019, and continuing into his second term in office.

Chief expert of the Presidential Staff Office and deputy chief of the Office's Agrarian Conflict Settlement Expediting Team (TPPKA-KSP) Usep Setiawan said in Jakarta on Wednesday that a ministerial meeting had agreed to the creation of cross-ministry and institution agrarian conflict settlement desk, with the Presidential Staff Office as coordinator.

The desk has set itself the target of settling 167 agrarian conflicts this year.

Since 2016, the TPPKA-KSP has received 666 cases of agrarian conflicts involving 1,457,084 hectares of land, with at least 176,132 families being affected. Of the total, 414 cases have supporting data, so they can be easily followed up on.

Based on the analysis made by the TPPKA, 167 of these cases could be settled in the short-term, 92 cases in the medium-term and 154 cases in the long-term.

Also, 253 cases lack supporting data, and cannot be followed up on.

"We are still creating a schedule. The handling and settlement of the conflicts is the agenda, which is inseparable from agrarian reform. The agrarian reform is the president's priority until 2019 and into the next term of office, until 2024," Usep said. (ant)