Tuesday, 2 June 2009 | 7:35 PM

BOGOR, KOMPAS.com - Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya has thanked Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari for the Indonesian people’s medical assistance for Palestinians following the Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip. "In addition, the Palestinian premier also expressed formal support for the construction of an Indonesian hospital in Gaza," chief of the presidium of the Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C), Sarbini Abdul Murad, said here on Tuesday.

The volunteer medical organization, along with an Indonesian humanitarian mission led by the chief of the health ministry’s crisis control center, Rustam S Pakaya, early this year provided medical assistance to the Palestinian people who had fallen victim to the Israeli military aggression. MER-C was now in the process of making preparations for the construction of an Indonesian hospital in Gaza and had received support from at least 15 other non-governmental organizations in Indonesia for its initiative.

The NGOs included the Quick Response Action (ACT), the Indonesian Committee for Palestine Solidarity (Kispa), the Indonesian Red Crescent (BSMI), and the Indonesian Islamic Propagation Council (DDII). In a letter dated May 3, 2009 to the chief of Team II of the MER-C for Palestine, Dr Arief Rachman, Premier Haniya had also stated that his government had prepared a 1.5-hectare plot of land in North Gaza for the construction of the hospital, Sarbini said.

Tuesday, 26 May 2009 | 9:58 PM

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Many have been shocked to learn that 1,700 Muslim clerics of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) — the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia — have issued an edict banning communication between sexes using mobile phones, and online social networks such as Facebook.

For Jani Sularto, her BlackBerry is an essential part of keeping connected with business partners and friends.

"The nature of my work requires that I continually check for incoming emails because many of our business partners are overseas," she said Friday.

"It all depends on individuals. I stay online 24 hours, but only log in to Facebook for two hours a day to get in touch with old friends," said Jani, who found her elementary school friends using Facebook.

"For me, this gadget has more advantages than disadvantages." Jani is among the many mobile phone and Facebook users who may be affronted by the new edict.

NU spokesman Abdul Muid Shohib said communication using mobile phones was prone to adultery, especially between the sexes.

"Communicating through mobile phones could lead to extramarital affairs," Abdul told The Jakarta Post through his mobile.

The only communication allowed between different sexes is that which spreads Islamic teachings, he said.

"We have banned social networking such as Facebook, Friendster and others because they are not used to spread Islamic teachings, but for gossiping," he said.

"The edict is to warn Indonesian Muslims, because many of them including our santri [students] are using Facebook and Friendster. We are very concerned that cyber pornography is infiltrating these networks."

Ulemas requested social networking operators block online pornography, Abdul said.

"If nothing changes in a month, we'll demand the government block access to Facebook, Friendster and other networks."

Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) East Java chapter head Abdussomad Buchori acknowledged he had no idea about online social networking, but would support the edict if it prevented adultery.

"The MUI would never ban Internet use provided it is for learning or information seeking purposes." (Indra Harsaputra)

Dhoni Setiawan


Wednesday, 20 May 2009 | 7:54 AM

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The General Elections Commission (KPU) is planning to hold a presidential candidates debate at its office, some time between June 13 and July 4.

"We're still discussing on the format. But, we have prepared four names for the panel and the debate will take place at the KPU office to maintain neutrality," KPU chairman Abdul Hafidz Anshary said Tuesday.

One of the candidates for the panel was the University of Indonesia rector Gumilar Rusliwa Sumantri. "However, the names have not been confirmed, and we're still one panel member short," Abdul said.

The Commission had prepared several themes for the five-day debate series, he said. "The themes are good and clean governance strategy; human rights issues; creating food sustainability, and eradicating poverty and unemployment; education, science, and religion issues; health and environment; and five year national development strategies issues.”

Other issues such as women’s rights and youth empowerment may also be included in the debate themes, pending KPU discussions, he said. (fmb)

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Wednesday, 20 May 2009 | 8:58 AM

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - An Indonesian Air Force C-130 plane hit several houses before strucking a rice field in flames in Nggeplak village, Magetan regency, East Java, at 06.30 a.m., Wednesday. The plane was on flight from Halim Perdanakusumah air force base, Jakarta to Iswahyudi air force base, Madiun.

There was no immediate report on the number of casualties in the accident of the plane that was trying to land on Iswahyudi air force base. According to Air Force spokesman Rear Marshal Bambang S, there are 13 crews besides around one hundred passengers in the plane flown by Air Force Major Danu.

Up to 08.51 a.m, the plane was still on fire. Officers were trying hard to pull crews and passengers from the plane. Some victims were taken to the Air Force Hospital Iswahyudi and other local hospitals.

Kompas/Ichwan Susanto

Monday, 18 May 2009 | 12:14 PM

KOMPAS.com - The Indonesian chapter of environmental conservationist group Greenpeace has on Monday petitioned President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to issue a policy that would temporarily ban deforestation and other forest conservation policies. Greenpeace Southeast Asia campaigner Joko Arif told Antara news agency that the petition, signed by 60,000 forest conservation sympathizers, was handed over to State Secretary Correspondence chief Sri Haryati.

According to Arif, the petition urges the government to make swift actions against further destruction of forests so as to ease climate change and safeguard biodiversity. "The destruction of Indonesian forests occur up to five times the size of a soccer field at each given minute," Arif said, adding that Indonesia's forest make up 120.35 million hectares of land or close to the size of the UK, Germany, France and Finland altogether.

The environmental activist argued that the organization has actively lobbied the government to halt all deforestation activities since two years ago but to no avail. (amr)

Kompas/Alif Ichwan
Kandidat pasangan calon presiden dan wakil presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (kedua dari kiri) dan Boediono (kedua dari kanan) akan menjalani tes kesehatan di RSPAD Gatot soebroto, Jakarta, Senin (18/5). Tes kesehatan ini sebagai salah satu prasarat bagi kandidat pasangan capres-cawpres yang akan bertarung di Pemilu Presiden 8 Juli mendatang.
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Monday, 18 May 2009 | 9:34 AM

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono arrived at the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital (RSPAD) here on Monday to undergo health checks as required by the General Elections Commision (KPU) before taking part in July 8 election contest. The presidential and vice presidential candidates including the incumbent and his running mate, Boediono, are required to have their health conditions checked before contesting in the election to make sure their fitness of conducting future tasks.

SBY getting off the black Toyota Land Cruiser with the number plate B 1503 TJA at 07.15 WIB waved the crowd of reporters and other people waiting for him. SBY was welcomed by chief of RSPAD, Brigadier General Supriyantoro, accompanied by a team of doctors.

SBY arrived at the hospital with First Lady, Ani Yudhoyono, with no presence of his running mate around. Boediono arrived at the hospital earlier at 06.45. While the other presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs, Jusuf Kalla and Wiranto as well as Megawati Soekarnoputri and Prabowo Subianto, went through medical checks at the same hospital on Sunday.

The health examination for presidential and vice presidential candidates is done by a team of specialists including internists, heart specialists, urologists, neurologists, eye, ear, nose and neck specialists. Besides mental conditions, their personalities are also tested using the Minnesota Multiphasix Personality Inventory.