Hello reader,

Happy Friday, and a happy early Pancasila Day. Those who are lucky enough to be employed by a company that gives out days off in lieu of a public holiday falling on a weekend, or those rolling so deep in it from their businesses/investments that everyday feels like a holiday, let’s just say this humble writer envies you.

Enjoy this week’s last edition of Nusantara Notes. Barring any breaking news over the weekend, I’ll see you again on Monday.

Cheers,

Andra

Law/Politics

• The Jakarta Metro Police arrested a 25-year-old man in Bekasi, West Java in relation to a disturbing case involving the sale of child pornography videos through Telegram and X. In light of the capture, the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) warned that children have been vulnerable in recent years, noting that criminals made IDR 114 billion from human trafficking and child pornography in 2022.

• A motorcycle taxi driver was shot dead on Thursday by an armed criminal group (KKB) in Puncak Jaya, Papua, police said. The brutal incident is indicative of ongoing security challenges in the region.

• Budi Djiwandono might not run for Jakarta governor after all. A day after he was tipped to run with President Joko Widodo’s youngest son Kaesang Pangarep, Budi said his uncle, President-elect/Gerindra Chairman Prabowo Subianto, has instructed him to serve the party in parliament. Of course, there’s still plenty of time for more turnarounds.

• A member of the Indonesian military allegedly kicked a civilian in the head during a heated altercation sparked by a traffic incident, in which he was rear-ended while transporting his pregnant wife on a motorbike. The incident occurred in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra on Wednesday, footage of which went viral online.

• Chaowalit Thongduang, reportedly one of Thailand’s most wanted, was apprehended in Bali on Thursday. The notorious fugitive had been on the run for seven months, spending most of his time in Bali and Medan. Chaowalit was sentenced in absentia to life in prison for attempted murder. Indonesia is set to extradite Chaowalit to Thailand.

Business/Economy

Golden Cumbers

All that glitters may not necessarily be Antam gold. Indonesia's gold market is reeling after speculation surfaced that a staggering 109 tons of counterfeit PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) gold may have circulated between 2010 and 2021. 

The speculation stems from a corruption scandal implicating six former Antam executives. These ex-officials, now criminal suspects, allegedly devised schemes to manipulate gold purity and sales records, allowing the fraudulent gold to flood the market.

Antam has vehemently denied these allegations, insisting that their precious metal products maintain the highest standards of authenticity and purity. In an official statement, the company emphasized its commitment to rigorous testing and certification processes to ensure the integrity of its gold products.

In Other News

• Nope, it does not look like the government will backtrack on the highly controversial Tapera (Public Housing Savings) program. Top officials, including Vice President Ma’ruf Amin and Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto, have reiterated that the scheme is backed by law and that all the pushback is merely caused by the public’s lack of awareness about the program.  

• President Joko Widodo today inaugurated the Pekanbaru-Bangkinang toll road section, a 24.7 km stretch costing IDR 4.8 trillion, as part of the larger Trans-Sumatra toll road project connecting Pekanbaru, Riau with Padang, West Sumatra.

Everything Else

• The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) put their foot down on a long contentious topic among Indonesian Muslims by issuing a fatwa (religious edict) prohibiting Muslims from offering holiday greetings to people of other faiths. That said, the council emphasized that Muslims must tolerate and respect the religious celebrations of others.

• MRT Jakarta is back on track and operating normally today after a construction mishap near the Attorney General's Office. The incident yesterday saw construction material fall onto the tracks, causing temporary service disruptions.

• Three Dutch tourists weren't feeling the chill vibes of Mount Bromo and instead sparked outrage when a photo depicting their behinds, taken at the iconic Lautan Pasir (Sea of Sand), went viral. The tourists may face punishment handed by the local Tengger tribe, as well as possible criminal charges related to pornography.

• 88rising star Niki became the first Indonesian musician to perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The 25-year-old played her latest hit single, Too Much of a Good Thing, at the show. Niki is on a world tour in anticipation of her next album, Buzz, coming on August 9.