The wRap Indonesia: Sept. 17, 2014

JAKARTA, Indonesia – What Indonesia’s ratification of the ASEAN haze treaty means and the declining global ranking of Indonesia’s top universities lead our wrap of stories from Indonesia the past day. 

1. Clear skies ahead after Indonesia ratifies haze treaty?

Twelve years after signing the ASEAN treaty on cross-border haze, Indonesia’s legislature on Tuesday, September 16, finally voted to ratify it – the last signatory to do so. Coming a day after air pollution in neighboring Singapore breached unhealthy levels again because of forest fires from Indonesia, proponents hope the ratification would lead to clearer skies. Experts say the region needs more than this treaty to solve the problem, but at the very least it could mean Indonesia would now be open to cooperating with and accepting assistance from other ASEAN members on this issue. Read the full story on Rappler.

2. Indonesian universities dip in global rankings

Indonesia’s top universities either slid down or just maintained their positions in the latest QS World University Rankings, a survey that seeks to aid international students in their choice of higher education institutions. While University of Indonesia only slid one spot down to 310, its ranking has been on a consistent decline since reaching a high of 201 in 2009. The Bandung Institute of Technology maintained its position at 461-470, while Gadja Madah University dropped from the 501-550 cluster to the 551-600 group. Five other Indonesian universities ranked 701+ in the listing of 800 universities. See the list here.  

3. Mystery solved? What the police chief says he really knows about MH370 

National Police chief Gen. Sutarman made international headlines after two of Indonesia’s most popular online news portals reported him saying he knows what really happened to the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight. So does he really know? Far from it, he says, adding that reporters “sometimes like to quote carelessly”. He added that their only involvement is in helping Malaysia find out more about one of MH370’s pilots, who had an Indonesian maid who refused to speak during questioning. Read the full story on Rappler.   

4. Popular politician ousted by party for supporting Jokowi 

The National Mandate Party (PAN) – the party of losing vice presidential candidate Hatta Rajasa – may have thought they were sanctioning Wanda Hamidah when they ousted her for supporting President-elect Joko “Jokowi” Widodo during the election. But the former student activist, model, and Jakarta city council member has instead received a big virtual hug from social media. Messages of support were tweeted to Wanda after she announced on Tuesday that she received the letter from PAN firing her. 

5. Under-19 football team loses to Atletico Madrid B in friendly

Despite scoring the match’s first goal on the 17th minute, Indonesia’s under-19 football team lost 1-2 to Atletico Madrid B in their friendly in Madrid on Tuesday. The match is just the first in a series of friendlies against Spanish clubs ahead of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-19 in Myanmar in October. The squad, under coach Indra Sjafri, will face Spanish giants Valencia B, Barcelona B, and Real Madrid C the rest of the tour, according to Kompas.com. – Rappler.com