Day: August 29, 2023

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s NationalPolice (Polri) has sent a request to freeze 96 bank accounts belonging to the Indonesian Islamic Boarding School Foundation (YPI) that oversees Al-Zaytun Islamic Boarding School led by Panji Gumilang.”Investigators have sent the letters regarding the blocking of 96 YPI accounts as well as accounts of other legal entities affiliated with PG (Panji Gumilang),” a police spokesman, Brig. Gen. Ahmad Ramadhan, stated here on Tuesday. The move is related to the investigation into the alleged money laundering (TPPU) committed by Panji Gumilang. Ramadhan revealed that investigators are still questioning witnesses and several parties. Of the 13 witnesses scheduled to be examined this week, two witnesses were requested a postponement of the examination. Earlier, investigators scheduled to question 13 witnesses from YPI and Al-Zaytun. The police also coordinated with Indramayu’s National Land Agency (BPN) regarding assets belonging to Panji Gumilang and his family. “Investigators are also examining IS and MN from YPI,” he remarked. Based on the investigation, Panji Gumilang allegedly violated Article 3 of Law Number 8 of 2010 concerning money laundering that carries a penalty of 20 years in prison. Moreover, Article 70 in conjunction with Article 5 of Law Number 28 of 2004 concerning Amendments to Law Number 16 of 2001 carries a penalty of five years in prison. Furthermore, Gumilang allegedly violated Article 372 of the Criminal Code that carries a penalty of four years in prison, and corruption crime under Article 2 of Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999 with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The police investigators haveyet to name Panji Gumilang as suspect in the alleged money laundering case. However, he was named a suspect in the alleged blasphemy case that has been under investigation by the Directorate of General Crimes (Dittipidum) of the Crime Investigation Department (Bareskrim) of Polri.

Source: Antara News Agency

Indonesia is expected to capitalize on its strategicposition in the global market and the surge in demand for halalproducts and services to rapidly develop the country’s halaleconomy. Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia wields enormous potential in the halal economy that could raise the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by US$5.1 billion per year, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has said.The minister highlighted Indonesia’s large Muslim population and described it as valuable capital for further boosting the nation’s halal economic prowess. “Indonesia is expected to capitalize on its strategic position in the global market and the surge in demand for halal products and services to rapidly develop the country’s halal economy,” she said during the 7th Annual Islamic Finance Conference, which was followed online from Jakarta on Tuesday. She noted that all countries are facing relatively similar obstacles in developing their halal industries, such as fragmented halal supervisory institutions, lack of standardization, low quality of halal auditors, and minimum compliance with Islamic standards. The state treasurer also highlighted inadequate halal literacy, lack of research and development activities, lack of halal funding, and the absence of an integrated international halal certification institution. In order to tackle the obstacles, the Indonesian government will focus on taking three strategic measures, the minister said. The first measure will be to prioritize meeting the increasing demand for high-quality halal products. Indrawati saidthe government will take the first measure while optimizing Islamic sources of finance, such as zakat, or alms. She explained that a financial source like zakat can be instrumental in boosting the consumption rate of halal products given that zakat is aimed at strengthening the economy of marginalized communities. The minister then elaborated on the second measure, saying that the government will make significant efforts to intensify promotional activities for Indonesia’s halal products at the global level, thereby expanding the market reach of such products. Minister Indrawati expressed the belief that stepping up promotional activities will also help halal product producers to develop their businesses. Under the third measure, the government will support actors in the halal economy by simplifying the process of obtaining business permits, providing incentives to halal industry players, and helping micro, small, and medium enterprises to feature in national and international exhibitions, she said. “The Indonesian Government is committed to supporting the halal industry by establishing related agencies and strengthening policies. All the measures will be taken to ensure that the industry genuinely adopts reliable halal standards,” she added.

Source: Antara News Agency

We will check whether or not they have completed the five-year waiting period. Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) will scrutinize data on former corruption convicts in the list of prospective legislative candidates to check whether they completed the mandatory five-year waiting period to run for the 2024 elections.”We will check whether or not they have completed the five-year waiting period,” Bawaslu Chairman Rahmat Bagja stated on the sidelines of a webinar on policewomen competence to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Policewomen here on Tuesday. Bagja remarked that the checking will be conducted after the General Elections Commission (KPU) has fully released the provisional candidate list (DCS). Earlier, the Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) raised concerns over the inclusion of former corruption convicts in the provisional list of legislative candidates for the 2024 elections. The ICW identified at least 12 former corruption convicts in the list published by the KPK on Saturday (August 19). Seven of them are registered as candidates for the House of Representatives (DPR) from various political parties. bdillah, Abdullah Puteh, and Rahudman Harahap are candidates for the National Democratic (NasDem) Party; Susno Duadji is affiliated with the Nation Awakening Party (PKB); Nurdin Halid represents Golkar Party; while Al Amin Nasution and Rokhmin Dahuri are associated with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan). The five remaining individuals are listed as candidates for the Regional Representative Council (DPD) in different provinces, namely Patrice Rio Capella in Bengkulu, Dody Rondonuwu and Emir Moeis in East Kalimantan, Irman Gusman in West Sumatra, and Cinde Laras Yulianto in Yogyakarta. ICW researcher Kurnia Ramadhana assessed that KPU’s failure to announce the legal status of the prospective candidates would further fuel controversies regarding the implementation of the 2024 election. Ramadhana recalled the commitment made by KPU Chairman Hasyim Asy’ari in July that the legal status of former corruption convicts registered as legislative candidates would be announced. He cited the results of a poll published by Kompas Research and Development that 90.9 percent of the respondents did not agree with ex-corruption convicts running as candidates in the election. In the 2019 election, the KPU announced the list of candidates, who had the status of former corruption convicts, he remarked.

Source: Antara News Agency

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Communication and Informatics Ministry (Kominfo) has prepared four forms of support for the 2023 Sail Teluk Cenderawasih (STC), which will be held from November 17 in Biak Numfor, Papua.The four types of support cover the dissemination of information, provision of digital infrastructure, spectrum monitoring, and supervision of digital space to prevent the spread of hoaxes and disinformation, Deputy Communication and Informatics Minister Nezar Patriainformed here on Tuesday. “In accordance with President Joko Widodo’s (Jokowi’s) instruction, what we can do is amplification with our devices. Kominfo will support the STC event technically by using our devices,” he added. ccording to Patria, through the sports event, Papua can demonstrate the spirit of unity and togetherness in development that is based on collaboration. He said that the collaboration has involved local governments, the central government, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and the private sector, as well as the community. In terms of information dissemination, STC, as a sports event, will also be a way to introduce social and cultural sectors, such as potential marine tourism and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), he informed. t the STC event, Papuan traditions and culture will be promoted to the wider community, Patria said. Furthermore, Kominfo has coordinated with cellular telecommunications service providers to strengthen telecommunications networks in the areas where STC will be held. “We have asked them to ensure the communication infrastructure around the event location (runs well). We have obtained the report and checked the blank spots. We will cooperate with Telkom, Telkomsel, and BAKTI,” he said. STC 2023 is a part of the action plans outlined in Presidential Instruction No. 9 of 2020 concerning the Acceleration of Welfare Development in Papua and West Papua.

Source: Antara News Agency

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia, along with the United States and five other countries, will begin the Super Garuda Shield 2023 military exercise as a form of multilateral solidarity to safeguard a free and open Indo-Pacific region.Several military service personnel from the United States, Indonesia, Japan, Australia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and France will participate in Super Garuda Shield 2023 at multiple training locations in Indonesia from August 31 to September 13, the US Embassy in Jakarta noted in a statement on Tuesday. ccording to the statement, additional observing nations during the exercises will include Brunei, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, and Timor-Leste. “Super Garuda Shield 2023 builds on last year’s tremendous success,” General Charles Flynn, commanding general of the U.S. Army Pacific, stated. “This joint, multinational training exercise displays our collective commitment and like-minded unity, allowing for a stable, secure, and more peaceful, free and open Indo-Pacific,” Flynn stated. Super Garuda Shield is the largest military exchange each year between the United States and Indonesia, with this year’s iteration expanding upon the number of participating nations. pproximately 2,100 US and 1,900 Indonesian TNI service members from across multiple military branches will enhance interoperability capabilities through training and cultural exchanges, according to the US Embassy. The exercise continues to solidify the US-Indonesia Major Defense Partnership and advances cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. With professional training and combat exercises taking place in Surabaya and Banyuwangi, Super Garuda Shield 2023 strengthens the US-Indonesian defense partnership through cooperative learning and enhanced trust among the two militaries, the Embassy noted in its statement. The training includes expert academic exchanges and professional development workshops, a command and control simulation, an amphibious exercise, airborne operations, an airfield seizure exercise, and a combined joint field training that culminates with a live fire event. Meanwhile, the command post exercise will focus on mission planning staff tasks in a combined military setting. A field training exercise will involve battalion-strength elements from each nation exercising war-fighting skills to enhance interoperability and combined operational capacity.

Source: Antara News Agency