The wRap Indonesia: March 10, 2015

JAKARTA, Indonesia – In today’s wrap of stories from Indonesia, President Joko Widodo unveils the theme and logo for Indonesia’s 70th year of independence, and the latest developments in the case of the 16 missing Indonesians in Turkey.

1. Jokowi unveils ‘Let’s Work’ national movement to mark Indonesia’s 70th year

Dari Titik 0 Kilometer di Pulau Sabang, Presiden Jokowi Canangkan Gerakan Nasional “Ayo Kerja” http://t.co/PinOpClAZV pic.twitter.com/N89XWduYCd

— Sekretariat Kabinet (@setkabgoid) March 10, 2015

At the Kilometer Zero monument in Sabang, Aceh – Indonesia’s westernmost city – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Tuesday, March 10, launched a “Let’s Work” national movement. “All of Indonesia’s hopes can only be achieved by working,” Jokowi said, according to Kompas.com, reiterating a theme of his presidency. “It is only through work that all nations can achieve prosperity and glory.” The national movement was launched to mark Indonesia’s 70th year of independence, which will be celebrated on August 17.  

2. Foreign Ministry sends team to Turkey to track down 16 missing Indonesians

Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry has sent a special team to Turkey to track down 16 Indonesians who have been missing since February 24, according to a statement on the Cabinet Secretariat website. The 16, which includes at least 4 children, were part of a tour group but told organizers they wanted to meet up with relatives in the country as soon as they arrived in Istanbul. There are fears they could have joined the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria but authorities say there’s no information to substantiate that so far. Interpol Indonesia has also already sent a letter to its counterpart in Turkey but no response has been received yet.   

3. Soldiers deployed in Bekasi to help combat motorcycle robbery gangs

The begal, or motorcycle robbery gang, situation is apparently getting out of hand that the military is stepping in. The Indonesian Army’s Bekasi Military District Command said it had dispatched a platoon of soldiers to collect data among residents, including the types of their motorcycles, as part of efforts to stem the rising crime. Civilians have also been recruited as intelligence sources to help the soldiers on the ground. “These begal operate using stolen motorbikes, so we have to keep an eye on those who use different motorcycles within a short time,” Lt. Col. Yuda Rismansyah told Tempo on Monday, March 9. Jakarta’s neighboring cities have been dealing with these motorcycle gangs increasingly over the past few months. In one of the worst incidents, a robber was burned to death by an angry mob in Pondok Aren, South Tangerang, in late February.

4. 6-year-old boy accidentally shot dead by soldier in Papua 

Novan, a 6-year-old boy, was at the Merauke airport in Papua on Monday morning, waiting for a flight to Yogyakarta with his father, 32-year-old Sugiono. In another part of the airport, Chief Pvt. Dedy wanted to make sure the firearm of his superior was empty. He pointed it at a wall, and fired. The wall, however, was made of plywood. Instantly killed on the other side was Novan. Sugiono was also shot and is in critical condition. The military police is investigating the incident. Read the full story in Bahasa Indonesia on Rappler.  

5. Bank Indonesia to ensure rupiah remains stable

As the rupiah for the second consecutive session slipped to as low as 13,070 to the dollar on Tuesday, the lowest since August 1998, Bank Indonesia deputy governor Perry Warjiyo said they will always ensure the exchange rate remains stable according to market fundamentals, Reuters reported. After Malaysia’s ringgit, the Indonesian currency is the worst performing emerging Asian currency so far this year, with a 5.1% loss against the dollar. – Rappler.com