The wRap Indonesia: Feb. 10, 2015

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The wRap Indonesia: Feb. 10, 2015

EPA

Ahok's apology for Jakarta floods, Jokowi's statement on the national car controversy, victory for tortured Indonesian maid, and more

JAKARTA, Indonesia – The latest news on the flooding situation in Jakarta and President Joko Widodo’s statement on the national car controversy lead our wrap of stories from Indonesia today.

1. Jakarta governor apologizes that capital still suffers from crippling floods

“We have to apologize to the residents of Jakarta,” Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama said on Tuesday, February 10, as several parts of the capital remained under crippling floods, with thousands of people displaced. He added that while they’ve been working hard to address the perennial problem, a number of issues remained unresolved. He acknowledged that they did not anticipate the heavy rainfall on Monday, reportedly totaling 360mm – equivalent to the average monthly rainfall, but he also blamed the decision of the state electricity company PLN to shut down electricity in some parts of the capital, which meant many flood pumps could not be operated. Read the full Bahasa Indonesia story on Rappler.

2. Jokowi still wants Esemka to become the national car

HOMEGROWN CAR. An SUV produced by Esemka Rajawali. Photo courtesy of the Mobil Esemka Facebook page

In the wake of the controversial agreement with Malaysian carmaker Proton over what was reportedly a “national car”, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said that if he were to talk about the national car, it would still be the Esemka. The Esemka – developed by students from Jokowi’s hometown of Solo with the support of local businesses – made headlines in early 2012 when Jokowi, who was mayor then, promoted it. The controversy stems from the deal signed between Proton and little-known Adiperkasa Citra Lestari in Malaysia last week. Jokowi has received scathing criticism over the fact that Adiperkasa Citra Lestari is owned by former National Intelligence Agency AM Hendropriyono, who was his campaign team advisor. The government has since denied the deal is to produce a national car, describing it instead as a business-to-business arrangement. Read the full Bahasa Indonesia story on Rappler

3. Tortured former Indonesian maid gets justice: HK employer found guilty

JUSTICE FOR ERWIANA. Former Indonesian maid Erwiana Sulistyaningsih (C) arrives at the court of justice in Hong Kong on February 10, 2015. Photo by Philippe Lopez/AFP

“It’s a victory for Erwiana,” supporters said on Tuesday, after a Hong Kong court convicted 44-year-old Law Wan-tung of charges related to the torture and abuse of her former maid, 23-year-old Indonesian Erwiana Sulistyaningsih. During the 6-week trial, prosecutors have said Law turned household items such as a mop, a ruler and a clothes hanger into “weapons” against her maids. Sulistyaningsih has described in vivid detail how she was “tortured”, starved, beaten and ritually humiliated by Law with prosecutors saying she was treated as an “unpaid slave”. Read the full story on Rappler.

4. Indonesia wants to raise legal age of marriage for girls to 18

OLD ENOUGH? An Indonesian couple getting married in a Muslim wedding ceremony at a mosque in Jakarta on December 12, 2012. File photo by AFP

The government plans to raise the legal age of marriage for females from 16 to 18, in an effort to  tackle chronic and acute malnutrition in the country. Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Puan Maharani said on Monday that girls would be more prepared in terms of health if they waited until they were older to get married and have kids. According to data from the Health Ministry in 2010, 41.9% of girls between the ages of 15 and 19 were married. Read the full story from the Jakarta Post

5. Jokowi and Aquino sign illegal drug trafficking MOU

Indonesian President Joko Widodo delivers his message during the State Dinner at the President’s Hall of the Malacañang Palace hosted by Philippines President Benigno S. Aquino III. Photo by Ryan Lim/Malacañang Photo Bureau

Jokowi signed 4 agreements with President Benigno Aquino III during his state visit on Monday, including one to combat illegal drug-trafficking. The MOU on illicit drug trafficking comes as the Philippines formally requests a judicial review of a case involving a Filipino drug courier in Indonesia’s death row – although no specific case was mentioned. Philippine national Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso, 30, was sentenced to death in October 2010 for attempting to smuggle 2.6 kilograms of heroin into Indonesia from Malaysia. Read the full story on Rappler. – Rappler.com

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