Ariel, Luna and Cut Tari 'must be physically examined'

Democratic Party legislator Roy Suryo says that Ariel Peterpan, Luna Maya and Cut Tari must be physically examined by the police regarding their alleged sex videos.

"I can definitely guarantee that the videos are real. This does not mean that the actors playing in it are the same people,but this is more than enough to push the police to physically examine them," Roy said during a hearing with officials of the Information and Communication Ministry in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Roy said that the physical examination also had to include detailed examination on the places or hotels in which the videos were made.

The alleged sex videos of Ariel, Luna and Cut Tari have become a major controversy in recent weeks, not only in a local scale but global one as well.

South Africa draws 1-1 with Mexico in WCup opener

Associated Press, Johannesburg | Fri, 06/11/2010 11:15 PM | Sports

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Defender Rafael Marquez scored to give Mexico a 1-1 draw with host South Africa on Friday in the opening game of the World Cup. 

Siphiwe Tshabalala had given the host nation a dream start, finishing off a well-worked move in the 55th minute to set off wild celebrations at Soccer City. But the South Africans left Marquez unmarked in the 79th and he collected a cross from the left to score the equalizer. 

Mexico had one goal disallowed in the 37th minute as Carlos Vela was ruled narrowly offside after putting the ball in the net.

Although South Africa was denied victory, the excitement of the day, against an endless drone of noise from thousands of vuvuzelas, lifted the mood.

In downtown Johannesburg on Friday, a viewing area was so packed that a crowd control barrier was toppled at one point. At least one person could be seen receiving first aid but officials did not immediately release more information. 

South African city officials set up 10 official fan parks in the nine host cities to cater to fans who couldn't get match tickets. The enclosed parks have matches on big screens, entertainment and food and drink for sale. 

Police said the areas were full across the country, and no serious incidents were reported.

Obama shelves trip to Indonesia, Australia

The Associated Press, Washington | Fri, 06/04/2010 11:55 AM | Headlines

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Barack Obama

Grappling with the worst oil spill in the nation's history, President Barack Obama has abruptly scrapped a trip to Indonesia and Australia for the second time this year.

The president informed the leaders of both countries of the news in phone calls Thursday night, offering his"deep regret" and pledging to reschedule soon, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement just after midnight. 

Obama was to depart on a weeklong trip to both countries, along with a quick stop in Guam, on June 13.

Asked for the reason for the delay, Gibbs told The Associated Press that Obama was staying home "to deal with important issues, one of which is the oil spill."

Obama had planned this trip in March - first shortening it to be in Washington and lobby for health care legislation and then scrapping it altogether to stay for the final crucial days of debate on that top domestic priority. Congress ultimately passed the health care law.

Obama shelves trip to Indonesia, Australia

The Associated Press, Washington | Fri, 06/04/2010 11:55 AM | Headlines

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Barack Obama

Grappling with the worst oil spill in the nation's history, President Barack Obama has abruptly scrapped a trip to Indonesia and Australia for the second time this year.

The president informed the leaders of both countries of the news in phone calls Thursday night, offering his"deep regret" and pledging to reschedule soon, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement just after midnight. 

Obama was to depart on a weeklong trip to both countries, along with a quick stop in Guam, on June 13.

Asked for the reason for the delay, Gibbs told The Associated Press that Obama was staying home "to deal with important issues, one of which is the oil spill."

Obama had planned this trip in March - first shortening it to be in Washington and lobby for health care legislation and then scrapping it altogether to stay for the final crucial days of debate on that top domestic priority. Congress ultimately passed the health care law.

Will Indonesia allow expats to own houses? Maybe after uphill battle, says VP

Andi Haswidi, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua | Mon, 05/31/2010 9:25 AM | Headlines

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At an international property industry gathering in Bali last week, Indonesia was presented as an emerging market with great potential and growing demand for development in the real, residential and commercial property sectors.

Indonesia is doing what it can to open its real estate market to foreign ownership, Vice President Boediono said to delegates from more than 60 countries at the opening of the 61 world congress of the International Real Estate Federation (Fiabci).

However, it will be an uphill battle, he added.

Foreign ownership of property is impossible under Indonesian law. Non-nationals can now rent real estate for 25 years and may extend leases two subsequent times, for 20-and 25- year periods respectively.

Investors may lose the value of their investment over long-period leases, and many foreigners complain about corrupt offi cials and Indonesian bureaucracy when processing lease extensions.

Public Housing Minister Suharso Monoarfa said the bureaucratic issue stemmed from the regional governments’ narrow perspective on ways to generate government revenue from the property market.

A permit goes through layers of approvals, which makes the process subject to abuse by corrupt offi cials, he said.

Suharso said the central government was attempting to raise awareness among governors and regents of generating real estate revenues and regional economic growth through more creative ways, such as simplifying procedures and providing clear city planning.

Regional governments should also be open to foreign ownership, which will result from Indonesia’s

agrarian reform program, he added.

“This is the era of globalization. People move freely across the globe. Limiting foreign ownership is no longer the right approach,” Suharso said.

He said that opening Indonesia to foreign ownership would generate investment between US$3 billion

and $6 billion per year.

The government is drafting a regulation that will partially open the market to foreign investment in

certain types of real estate, such as luxury apartments and high-value properties.

The proposed regulations will permit foreigners to initially lease real estate for up to 70 years, instead

of extending the lease two additional times.

However other countries in the region allow foreigners to lease land for up to 90 years.

The government’s draft regulation will face a huge stumbling block because it must adhere to the agrarian and foreign investment laws, legislator Ganjar Pranowo of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) told The Jakarta Post in a telephone interview.

“The government tried a similar approach to manage investment by foreign corporations in 2008. They tried to simplify the land-use extension, but [the effort] was rejected by the Constitutional Court,” he said.

Ganjar said that the House of Representatives did not oppose foreign investment in the property market, but investment must be in-line with the national interest, which is defined by multiple parties.

Indonesia condemns Israel's attack on Gaza aid flotilla

Lilian Budianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 06/01/2010 11:34 AM | Headlines

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Indonesia has strongly condemned Israel's attack Monday on a Turkish ship carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, resulting in the death of 16 passengers while the fate of 12 Indonesians onboard remains unknown.

AP/IHH via APTN: Act of war: This video image released by the Turkish Aid group IHH on Monday alleges to show Israeli soldiers aboard a naval vessel in international waters off the Gaza coast nearby a Turkish ship. The Turkish ship (photo below), Mavi Marmara, is shown leaving Sarayburnu port, Istanbul, for Gaza on May 22.

"We condemned Israel's storming of the Mavi Marmara, which was sailing in international waters," the government of Indonesia said in a statement.

The Israeli military stormed the Mavi Marmara passenger vessel, which is part of a Freedom Flotilla from 50 countries, on Monday at 4 a.m. local time when they were sailing to try to reach the blockaded Gaza Strip to distribute aid.

Twelve Indonesian volunteers - four from the Indonesian Committee for Palestine Solidarity (KISPA), four from the Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C), three from Al Aqsha-Hidayatullah and a TVOne journalist - are unaccounted for.

"Indonesia will work with the international community to demand accountability from Israel in accordance with international law," said Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa. "We urge the United Nations to investigate the incident."

Jakarta said the attack was illegal as it took place in international waters, highlighting that Israel's blockade of Gaza Strip has also violated international law.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said the Indonesian ambassador in Amman had met with Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss the rescue efforts.

"The focus of the meeting with President Abbas was on the safety of our citizens," he said. "We had been informed of the departure of these volunteers to Gaza and we reminded them of the safety risk. We would see their return as a better option rather than continuing the journey *should they later be released*."

Chairman of MER-C Sarbini Abdul Murad said they had not been able to contact their volunteer members as of Monday night.

Israel has defended the storming, saying its commandos were attacked with knives, clubs and live fire from two pistols wrested from Israeli soldiers after they slid down ropes from a helicopter to board one of the vessels, AP reported.

Israel alleged the activists were allies of Hamas and al-Qaeda and said they would have opened an arms smuggling route should they have got into the Gaza Strip.

The convoy, carrying 10,000 tons of supplies, set off from international waters near Cyprus on Sunday. The aid flotilla included teams from European countries, including Israel's ally Germany.

The Ambassador of Palestine to Indonesia Fariz Mehdawi told The Jakarta Post the Mavi Marmara was intercepted 15 miles from the coast of the Gaza Strip, in international waters. He said that Israeli soldiers jumped on board the ship to intercept the volunteers, by using helicopters.

Mehdawi said there has been different accounts of the fatalities but Palestine sources recorded 16 dead, 10 of them Turkish, and 30 injured.

He said there were no information on the 12 Indonesians on board the flotilla.

Mehdawi rejected that the aid flotilla was carrying weapons or military personnel as alleged by the Israeli forces.

"They are civilians. This incident against Palestine is an act against the international community because the flotilla comprised teams from 50 countries," said Mehdawi.

Reports said the aid flotilla would be taken to Ashdod port, some 40 kilometers south of Tel Aviv where the humanitarian mission teams would be checked for their identity and the cargoes they carried.

It is not clear if the flotilla would be released as some reports say the Israeli authorities have claimed they would channel the aid themselves into the blockaded Gaza Strip.

AP reported Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu canceled a much-anticipated meeting with US President Barack Obama in Washington on Tuesday in a sign of just how gravely Israel viewed the international uproar. In Canada, Netanyahu announced he was rushing home.

The UN Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting later Monday to hear a briefing on the incident, said Lebanon's Deputy Ambassador Caroline Ziade, whose country holds the council presidency. The Arab League called for a meeting to discuss the issue Tuesday in Cairo.