The wRap Indonesia: Dec. 16, 2014

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesians intercepted in Malaysia before they could join the Islamic State and the result of the civil servant test President Joko Widodo’s daughter took lead our wrap of stories from Indonesia. 

1. 12 Indonesians believed headed to Syria deported from Malaysia

Twelve Indonesians – 3 men, 4 women and 5 children – who were allegedly on their way to Syria via Turkey to join the jihadist Islamic State, were detained by Malaysian immigration authorities on December 2, according to media reports on Monday, December 15. One of the men is said to be the person who makes arrangements for fellow militants from Indonesia to head to Syria, according to The Star.

They were then handed over to the Indonesian embassy to be deported Monday night or Tuesday morning, Indonesian National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said. “The documents are valid, they have passports … they have legal documents, but we want to prevent them [from joining IS],” Boy was quoted by the Jakarta Globe as saying. More than 500 Indonesians are now believed to have gone to Syria and Iraq to fight with the ISIS, according to the Jakarta Post. 

2. Jokowi’s daughter fails to pass civil servant test

In a result that officials say highlight the lack of special treatment for the first family, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s daughter, 23-year-old Kahiyang Ayu, has apparently failed to pass the civil servant exam in their hometown of Solo. More than 6,000 candidates took the October test for 65 job openings in the Solo government that her father used to lead as mayor. Kahiyang, who holds a bachelor’s degree in food technology from a state university, applied for the position of Pemeriksa Pertama (first inspector). While she received a good total score, officials said she did not meet the score required for the test on nationalism.

3. Press Council says they have ‘deal to drop’ blasphemy case vs Jakarta Post

Press Council member Yosep Stanley Adi Prasetyo said on Monday the controversial blasphemy case against Jakarta Post chief editor Meidyatama Suryodiningrat had been settled and that they have a “deal to drop the case”. But National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar only said they will “review” the case based on inputs from the Press Council, according to the paper’s own report. The case centers on an editorial cartoon published on July 3 that depicts an ISIS fighter raising a flag bearing the image of a skull with crossbones and the Arabic phrase “La Ilaaha Illallah” that is considered sacred in Islam. A group called the Jakarta Muslim Preachers Corps found the cartoon offensive and filed a case against the paper. 

4. Central Java landslide death toll climbs to 51 

The death toll in the tragic landslide in Central Java on Friday rose to 51 on Monday afternoon, with 57 still missing and feared dead. In total 108 of the 308 residents of the tiny village were believed buried by the landslide, state news agency Antara reported. As many as 40.9 million Indonesians – 17.2% of the country’s population – mostly in Java, are in danger of landslides, National Disaster Mitigation Board (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho says. Authorities reiterated Jokowi’s call to remain vigilant as the peak season for disasters in Indonesia is between January and February. 

5. Rupiah continues tumble on Tuesday, hitting new 16-year-low

The embattled Indonesian rupiah continued its slide on Tuesday, December 16, falling another 1.5% to 12,890 – its lowest level since August 1998 according to Reuters data. Like other emerging market currencies, the rupiah has been hit by signs of recovery in the American economy that has led to expectations the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next year. On Monday, it lost 2% to end the day at 12,713.5 to the dollar. – Rappler.com