The wRap Indonesia: March 4, 2015

JAKARTA, Indonesia – In today’s wrap of stories from Indonesia, the heightened tension between Indonesia and Australia as executions loom and Vice President Jusuf Kalla’s controversial haze comments. 

1. Increased security requested for Indonesian consulate in Sydney as executions loom

The Indonesian Intelligence Agency (BIN) on Wednesday, March 4, asked its Australian counterparts and the Australian Federal Police to reinforce their presence at the Indonesian consulate in Sydney following an attack on Monday, according to CNN Indonesia. An unidentified woman on Monday evening threw red paint-filled balloons at the consulate building’s gates. The red liquid resembled blood stains on the footpath. It is believed to be an act of protest against the looming execution of Australian drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, who were taken on early Wednesday morning to Nusakambangan island, where they will be executed. The consulate has issued warnings for Indonesian citizens in New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia.  

2. VP criticizes Singapore and Malaysia for annual haze complaints 

In a comment that will likely irritate neighboring countries again, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said on Tuesday that he took note of the way Singapore and Malaysia had kept complaining when toxic haze from adjacent areas in Indonesia, Riau in particular, fouled their air. “For 11 months, they enjoyed nice air from Indonesia and they never thanked us. They have suffered because of the haze for one month and they get upset,” Kalla was quoted by the Jakarta Globe as saying. Indonesia’s legislature only voted to ratify the ASEAN treaty on cross-border haze in September 2014 – 12 years after it was signed and the last signatory to do so – as fires ripped through forests in the western side of the country, choking Singapore with hazardous smog.

3. Jakarta legislature appoints Budi Gunawan’s lawyer to represent them against Ahok

In the latest development in the Jakarta regional budget brouhaha, the Jakarta City Council on Tuesday hired prominent lawyer Razman Arif Nasution after Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama reported them to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for suspected corruption. “He will advise us and provide us counsel regarding laws,” deputy speaker M. Taufik said. Razman Arif Nasution is the same lawyer who succesfully helped former police chief nominee Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan challenge his corruption suspect status. The DPRD has also said it would report Ahok to the police for document forgery and defamation. 

4.  Legendary Indonesian sniper passes away 

Legendary Indonesian sniper Tatang Koswara passed away on Tuesday evening following a heart attack. He was 68. At around 7pm on Tuesday, Tatang told Detik.com in an interview that he thought he was having a heart attack. “It seems my heart is troubled now,” he said. Just 30 minutes later, he fainted and was rushed to a hospital where he was deemed critical. He died shortly after. 

Sebelum meninggal beliau berkata pada saya: “darahku di merah putih” sejenak stlh itu beliau terkena serangan jantung. #hitamputihberduka

— Master Corbuzier (@corbuzier) March 3, 2015

Tatang was involved in the East Timor operation in 1977-78, where he reportedly killed more than 40 Timorese, according to Tempo.co. In the book Sniper Training: Techniques and Weapons, written by Peter Brookesmith, he was listed as number 14 in the Sniper’s Roll of Honor worldwide.

5. Indonesian action star Iko Uwais to appear in Hollywood film with UFC champ Ronda Rousey

Iko Uwais of “The Raid” fame will appear in a new Hollywood action flick, “Mile 22”, alongside UFC champion Ronda Rousey. The pair will star as a CIA operative and an Indonesian police officer investigating a case of political corruption, according to Variety.com. Producer Peter Berg showed his excitement for the project over Oscar weekend, teasing fans with a photo of him, Rousey and Uwais that suggested something was on the horizon.

“I am a huge fan of what Gareth (Evans) and Iko did on both ‘Raid’ films, and I’m very excited at the possibility of working with Ronda and Iko to create a film in the spirit of this new wave of combat cinema emerging from Indonesia,” Berg was quoted as saying. “Ronda and Iko will be a very unique and powerful team.” Read the story in Bahasa Indonesia on Rappler. – Rappler.com