The wRap Indonesia: Nov. 5, 2014

JAKARTA, Indonesia – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s threat to governors who don’t cooperate on business licensing and the string of international summits he’s scheduled to attend lead our wrap of stories from Indonesia the past day. 

1. Expedite business licensing, Jokowi tells governors, or else see budget cuts 

Implement one-stop business licensing services within one year, Jokowi told Indonesian governors on Tuesday, November 5, or else the central government will remove their province’s Special Allocation Fund (DAK) or reduce their General Allocation Fund (DAU). He was surprised, he said, to find out a power plant in Palembang, South Sumatra – which suffers from power shortages – had been waiting 6 years for permits. “We must realize that our budget is very limited. The only way to speed up the process of development is through investments,” the president said. He warned, however, that they should be careful about issuing permits to businesses that take advantage of natural resources. “If it’s infrastructure, please sign. Ports, highways, railways, go ahead,” he said. Read the full story on Rappler.

2. World leaders line up to meet Jokowi at international summits

So many world leaders are asking to meet with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at the upcoming string of international summits set to kick off on Saturday, November 8, according to Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. Jokowi is scheduled to attend the APEC Leaders Meeting in Beijing on November 8-12 and the ASEAN Summit in Myanmar on November 12 to 14. The G20 Leaders Summit will be held in Brisbane, Australia, on November 15-16, but Retno said Jokowi’s attendance still wasn’t confirmed. US President Barack Obama, who is scheduled to attend all 3 summits, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are among those who want to meet Jokowi, according to Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Tedjo Edhy Purdijanto.

3. Identity of second Indonesian worker murdered in Hong Kong confirmed

Indonesian worker Seneng Mujiasih, 29 – who also went by the name of Jesse Lorena – was the second victim in the shocking Hong Kong double murders, the Indonesian consulate said on Tuesday. “She came from Muna, Northern Sulawesi. She was a holder of (an) employment visa, but only until 2012,” deputy consul-general Rafail Walangitan said. Seneng was found naked with knife wounds to her neck and buttocks in the living room of British banker Rurik Jutting’s apartment on Saturday, November 1. Another Indonesian victim, Sumarti Ningsih, was found mutilated and decomposing in a suitcase on the apartment’s balcony. “I want the murderer of my child to be sentenced to death. He killed her, sadistically, so he must be put to death,” Sumarti’s father said. Read the full story on Rappler.

4. Energy minister removes oil and gas chief over failures

Barely two weeks into his job, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said on Tuesday suddenly announced the replacement of Oil and Gas Director General Eddy Hermantoro over the “non-execution of multiple oil and gas programs”. A subordinate was appointed to replace him in an acting capacity. The move is seen to be the start of an overhaul of the graft-ridden ministry. Jokowi previously said Sudirman’s appointment was due to his background as an anti-corruption activist who co-founded the Indonesian Transparency Society.

5. Police say Pekanbaru journalist killed a man, then reported on it 

It couldn’t just have been a slow news day. On October 27, Edison Purba, a local journalist in Pekanbaru, Riau, was allegedly one of four people who attacked local resident Mulyono, robbed him of IDR300 million ($24,800) in cash, and killed him. Police said Edison fled the scene but returned  5 minutes later to report the story. Within 2 hours of the murder, Edison’s article was published on the website Pekanbaruexpress.com with the headline, “Sadistic, Victim Dies Covered in Blood,” along with a photo he took of the victim’s blood-soaked body. Edison and 2 accomplices are now in police custody, with the fourth one still at large. Read the full story on the Jakarta Globe. —Rappler.com