..... so it must be true!
This post is in honour of yesterday's World Press Freedom Day, although surely everyday should be one. I would have posted this yesterday if I hadn't had one of those aggravating WTF days and if I had had more than .5kbs of internet access. Most of the headlines and quotes have been taken from the Jakarta Post which, to quote my good friend and Post columnist Simon Pitchforth, has been my portal on Indonesia for just over 20 of its 25 years
Meanwhile, journalists are seeking a review of the Criminal Code which is used to muzzle the press.
They say that Articles 207, 310 (i and ii), 311 (i) and 316, which deal with defamation and libel, run counter to Article 28E of the Constitution on freedom of expression and Article 28F on freedom to obtain and distribute information, as well as Article 19 on civil and political rights in the Universal Human Rights Declaration of 1948.
Also, the recently passed bill on electronic information and transactions is now posing another threat to our press freedom.
- Commodity speculations stir up energy and food crisis
Atma Jaya University professor Agustinus Prasetyantoko said that with predictions of a slowing global economy and crisis fears, oil demand and prices are expected to fall. But what has happened is that prices keep on rising. It shows that market speculation plays a big role in determining prices.
- UN appoints rapporteur on the right to food
Professor Olivier de Schutter said, "We are paying for 20 years of mistakes. Nothing was done to prevent speculation on raw materials (e.g. biofuels, palm oil). He accused the IMF of forcing indebted developing countries to invest in export cash crops at the expense of food self-sufficiency."
- Astra profit rises 76%
PT Astra International, Indonesia's biggest publicly traded company by sales, reported first-quarter profit rose 76 percent on higher car and motorcycle sales* and rising palm oil prices.
- Bakrie Sumatera Plantations Q1 profit jumps 794% (!!!) helped by stronger prices of palm oil prices.
Mayday Rallies
On Mayday, coincidentally a public holiday here because it was also the 'anniversary' of Christ's Ascension, some 200 protesters rallying in front of the Wisma Bakrie in Kuningan, South Jakarta, about the effect of the Lapindo mudflow were arrested by South Jakarta Police for not holding a police permit for a rally.
In Sidoarjo, Lapindo Brantas, the Bakrie company mandated by SBY to pay compensation to the homeless victims because most agree they are responsible for the volcanic mudflow, have ceased paying the food allowance to the victims of their malfeasance. They have also yet to pay the agreed compensation. Refugees from the mudflow have taken to begging for food from passing motorists.
- The Humpuss Group celebrates 24 years
No big deal, you might think, but the big cheese behind it is one of Soeharto's brats, Tommy, who has served time for ordering the murder of a judge who ordered him to serve time. No less than 49 companies have allowed themselves to be associated with the Humpuss Group's self-congratulatory half-page full colour fluff in the Jakarta Post
- The missing finger that never was
One lucky company has had plenty of international media exposure. On three separate occasions. Over two years.
.......................
More stats and lies
- Foreign arrivals up 15.7 percent
The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) said on Friday that the number of foreign arrivals jumped from 1.41 million in the first quarter of 2008 from 1.22 million in the same period last year.
They also said that the average length of stay for foreign tourists decreased 0.06 to 2.69 days in February from 2.66 in the previous month.
The average length of stay? Meaning that some tourists stay for even less time?
Why?
* Motorcycle sales jump 125% in seven years.
Motorcycle ownership jumped from 10.5 million in 2000 to 23.7 million by the end of last year.
Is this something to be proud of? Where are the figures for users of public transport?
