Jamil Maidan Flores: Anwar’s Rebound

By Jamil Maidan Flores

In October 1998, then-Foreign Minister Ali Alatas of Indonesia made a quick, unpublicized trip to Kuala Lumpur. His mission: to convey to Malaysia’s leaders the deep personal concern of then-Indonesian President Habibie at the beating that former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had suffered in police custody. According to Alatas, Habibie was extremely worried because he knew of the frailty of Anwar’s health. 11:37am Feb 6, 2012 Desi Anwar: It’s All in the Neurons By Desi Anwar I often wonder what makes some people espouse strong beliefs more than others or what it is that makes an individual, group or society attach itself to a particular belief system. More important, why, when faced with a different opinion or a different belief system, do some people react so strongly, often emotionally, sometimes physically or even violently? 12:01pm Feb 4, 2012 The Thinker: War’s Glass Ceiling By Juliette Kayyem More than 130 women have died in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and yet they were not in combat. This paradox — women fight in wars but are not assigned to fighting in wars because of the Pentagon’s exclusionary policy — is at the center of a long-simmering debate that has avoided much of the Lady Gaga-ness surrounding repeal of the military’s ban on homosexuals. 10:21am Feb 3, 2012 Karim Raslan: Davos Connections I’m hardly your quintessential Davos Man but I do enjoy my trips to the World Economic Forum, at which I chair the Global Agenda Council on Southeast Asia. It’s not only the chance to hobnob with the global elite, but also get a sense of how the zeitgeist of this increasingly multi-polar world is developing. 9:58am Feb 2, 2012

Editorial: No Room for Drug Use Among Pilots

The arrest of a third Lion Air pilot for drug use should shock both the aviation industry and the authorities into taking strong action, given the grave implications for the safety of air passengers. 12:01pm Feb 6, 2012 Editorial: Banten Bridge Shows Disregard for Public It took worldwide media attention for officials in Lebak, Banten, to act despite the imminent danger a badly damaged bridge posed to residents. Only after widespread condemnation did officials move to shut down the badly disintegrating wood-and-wire suspension bridge. 12:29pm Feb 4, 2012 Editorial: Jakarta Home Owners Have A Stake in the Future Rising property prices are usually indicative of rising income in a country. Given its position as one of the anchors of the economy, a strong property market is also indicative of healthy economic growth. 10:46am Feb 3, 2012 Editorial: Wages Deal Good for Companies, Workers It might have taken a crippling strike last week by workers in Bekasi to get the government moving on mediating between employers and unions over minimum wages, but the quick action taken this week is a positive sign. 10:07am Feb 2, 2012

Occupied With Righteous Anger

By John McBeth - Straits Times Indonesia

No one has ever accused me of being a socialist. In fact, when I sent a Washington friend a recent picture of myself with former US deputy defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz, someone I have known for many years, his reply was typical: “I always knew you were a neocon, old man.” 10:06am Feb 7, 2012 A Year After the Murders in Cikeusik, Why Is the Govt Going Soft on Hard-Liners? By Bramantyo Prijosusilo One year ago today, Indonesia hit the headlines with the murder of three members of the Islamic Ahmadiyah sect, by a mob over a thousand strong in a small town not far from Jakarta. 11:44am Feb 6, 2012 After Recess, Changing the World — One Click at a Time By Nicholas D. Kristof A battle between a class of fourth graders and a major movie studio would seem an unequal fight. 12:18pm Feb 6, 2012 The Ever-Growing Annals of Unhistory By Noam Chomsky George Orwell coined the useful term “unperson” for creatures denied personhood because they don’t abide by state doctrine. We may add the term “unhistory” to refer to the fate of unpersons, expunged from history on similar grounds. 12:06pm Feb 6, 2012