The wRap Indonesia: Sept. 2, 2014

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Yogyakarta student Florence Sihombing’s release from detention and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s possible positions after leaving office in October lead our wrap of stories from Indonesia the past day.

1. Yogyakarta student released from detention, still facing defamation charges

Yogyakarta Police agreed on Monday afternoon, September 1, to release from detention 26-year-old Florence Sihombing. The Gadjah Mada University (UGM) graduate law student was detained on Saturday on allegations of defamation – a criminal offense under Indonesia’s Electronic Information and Transaction Law – after she called Yogyakarta “poor, stupid and uncultured” in a social media post. UGM will hold an ethics hearing on her case, according to the Jakarta Post, but the legal charges against her will continue, the Jakarta Globe reports.  

2. Outgoing president to receive honors in Singapore, offered international positions

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is set to receive the Order of Temasek First Class from the government of Singapore during his visit to the country on September 2-4, 2014. Presidential spokesman Teuku Faizasyah, as quoted by the offical cabinet secretary’s website, said the order is the highest award given by the government of Singapore to a non-citizen. Meanwhile, another presidential spokesman, Julian Aldrin Pasha, said Yudhoyono had been offered positions in at least 3 international bodies, including the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), the Japan-Indonesia Association and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). Of those three, Yudhoyono is most likely to choose Seoul-based GGGI, the Jakarta Globe reports.

3. Head of Indonesian political dynasty jailed 4 years

Suspended Banten Governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah, Indonesia’s first female provincial leader and the head of one of the country’s most powerful political dynasties, was jailed for 4 years on Monday, September 1, for bribing the Constitutional Court’s then chief justice, Akil Mochtar. The sentence was lighter than the 10-year imprisonment prosecutors sought, and far from the unprecedented life sentence given to Akil. Read the story on Rappler. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) plans to appeal the decision, Kompas.com reported. 

4. Jakarta transport agency seeking to block access to Uber app

Controversial smartphone car-hailing service Uber is still plying the streets of Jakarta more than a week after authorities first threatened to shut it down due to licensing issues. But the head of the Jakarta Transportation Agency, Muhammad Akbar, said on Monday, September 1, that he will ask the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology to block access to the smartphone app this week, Tempo.co reported. Regardless of how good the services is, he said, it still does not have an operational permit.

5. Antigraft commissioner ends debate on his post, reapplies

Busyro Muqoddas, who is set to end his term in December as one of the 5 commissioners of Indonesia’s powerful Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), said he would re-apply for his position, state news agency Antara and Detik.com reported. KPK chief Abraham Samad previously said they did not want anyone to replace Busyro, and would rather continue working with 4 commissioners. Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin, the head of the selection team, said Busyro and almost 20 other people have applied to the post so far.