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Hello reader,

Violence against anyone is deplorable, let alone violence towards a loved one. The topic of domestic abuse is being widely discussed in Indonesia at the moment after an influencer recently posted a video showing her being abused by her husband.

The perpetrator, thankfully, has been arrested after the video went viral.

We look at the details of that distressing case, as well as other top stories from across the archipelago, in this free edition of Nusantara Notes.

Cheers,

Andra

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Law/Politics

Domestic Abuse in the Spotlight

Indonesians are rallying behind fencer and influencer Cut Intan Nabila after she posted a distressing video of her husband assaulting her, which went hugely viral and led to his arrest yesterday.

Intan, a 23-year-old mother of three, posted the clip on her Instagram as a means to out her husband, Armor Toreador, as a perpetrator of domestic abuse. The CCTV footage from the couple’s home in Bogor Regency, West Java depicts the couple sitting in bed while Armor was striking Intan numerous times amid her wails. Whether intentionally or otherwise, Armor was also seen kicking their sleeping baby nearby.

In her post, Intan said her husband has had several affairs — including with her friends — throughout their five-year marriage. She also said this wasn’t a one-off domestic violence incident; she has dozens of other videos stored as evidence against Armor.

After Intan’s post went viral, Armor reportedly attempted to evade the police but he was arrested within hours at a hotel in Kemang, South Jakarta.

To the police, Armor confessed to subjecting Intan to domestic violence on five occasions. In the latest incident that was captured in Intan’s viral video, police said Armor became aggressive when Intan asked him about photos and videos of other women on his phone. 

The suspect has been charged with numerous crimes, including domestic violence, which carries a maximum 10 years in prison; assault, which carries a maximum five years in prison; and child abuse, which carries up to four years and eight months in prison.

Nobody deserves what Intan endured, and one can only hope that she finds happiness after all of the hardship. If you or anyone you know are suffering from domestic violence, please seek help by contacting the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry’s (021-129 or WhatsApp at 0811-129-129), or the National Commission on Violence Against Women (021-3903963 or email [email protected]) or your nearest police station.

In Other News

• A 20-year-old woman stabbed her 44-year-old partner with a knife in Pasuruan, East Java, leaving him wounded. Following her arrest, police said the suspect was upset that the victim kept pressuring her for sex.

• Following Airlangga Hartarto’s shock resignation over the weekend, Golkar appointed Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, who enjoys a close relationship with President Joko Widodo, as the party’s interim chairman until its National Conference on August 20. Agus has stated that he will not be in contention for the position proper, potentially paving the way for Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, another close Jokowi ally, to become chairman. In addition, the party stressed that Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming, Jokowi’s eldest, is not being considered for chairman as the position is only open to cadres who have been with the party for at least five years. What are rules, though?

• An ongoing corruption case involving the alleged mismanagement of cooking oil has been reported as the reason for Airlangga Hartarto’s resignation as Golkar chair, with the coordinating minister for economic affairs facing a probe by the Attorney General. Airlangga Hartarto. The investigation traces back to a broader probe into irregularities in the distribution and pricing of cooking oil in 2022, which led to IDR 6.47 trillion in state losses.

• Amid the Golkar drama, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri said she is staying put and is going to remain leader of the party for another term to avoid any hostile takeovers. At 77, the former president said she thought about retiring from politics if not for a calling to safeguard her party from external threats. 

Business/Economy

• The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) reported that the Google Business accounts of more than 100 hotels in Bali and Central Java were hacked in a suspected scam, in which establishments’ phone numbers and bank accounts were re-routed to the those belonging to the alleged cyber criminals. The PHRI has urged the hotels to temporarily close their Google Business accounts, and is recommending guests book their stays via hotels’ official websites and trusted travel agents. Google says it is redacting fraudulent data from Google Maps and business listings in light of the incident.

• Though he previously said this would have been done by August 17, 2024, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan is aiming to finalize regulations limiting the purchase of Pertalite fuel before President Jokowi’s term ends in October. The restrictions are intended to ensure the fuel subsidy reaches the right target and to control fuel consumption.

• The government has this year disbursed IDR 53.73 trillion in investment financing by July, according to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani. Among the investments, IDR 15 trillion has gone towards funding education and IDR 8.6 trillion has gone towards housing for low-income citizens, as the government aims to enhance stimulate development across the country.

• Auto sales slumped in the first half of 2024 with 431,987 new cars sold throughout the period, down 14% from the same period last year, according to the Association of Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers (Gaikindo). The organization expects an increase in consumer demand in the second half of 2024, supported by improvements in economic conditions and various promotional activities by automotive manufacturers.

Everything Else

• This year’s Paskibraka flag-hoisting team for the Independence Day ceremony in Nusantara is under public scrutiny as not a single member wears the hijab — not even a female member from the conservative province of Aceh — in a photo shared by President Jokowi yesterday. Addressing the controversy, the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP), which oversees the Paskibraka team, said no one was pressured to ditch the hijab as there is no rule against wearing the religious head cover.

• A viral photo showing a massive pile of garbage on Wiyoro Baru Street in Bantul, Yogyakarta sparked public concern and criticism over waste management in the area. Local authorities say the mountain of trash was the result of neglect of a private waste management company, but that they will clean up the mess regardless.

• Indonesian pop star Niki continues her rise to superstardom with the release of her third studio album, Buzz, which debuted with 2.7 million streams in Spotify on its first day. The album reached the platform’s top new albums at number 5 globally and number 10 in the USA.