East Javanese tobacco farmers visited the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Surabaya branch on Friday to protest the fatwa body's plan to declare smoking forbidden according to Islamic teachings.
"We are protesting MUI's plan to issue a fatwa declaring smoking as haram," Tobacco Farmers Association chairman Amin Subarkah said, as quoted by Tempointeraktif.com.
Subarkah said it was unfair to make a smoking haram on the basis that it could be bad for some people. In fact, he said, forbidding smoking would only cause pain and suffering to tobacco farmers and their families.
"There are 1,367 tobacco factories in East Java, employing thousands of workers," Subarkah said.
According to the association, tobacco farmers in East Java supply 53 percent of the country's total tobacco consumption with a total investment value worth Rp 682 billion.
MUI Surabaya head Ulama Abdussomad Bukhori told the farmers to relax and to continue their work planting tobacco as the plan was still being debated by Islam scholars within the fatwa body.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Police to conduct Ramadan sweeping in Medan
Police in Medan, North Sumatra, ordered all entertainment places in the city to close down during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and would regularly conduct sweeping to ensure that no one breaks the rule.
Medan Police chief Sr. Comr. Bambang Sukamto said Saturday night he had made an agreement with the Medan mayoralty to revoke the operating licenses of those entertainment places that violated the rules by opening their services during the fasting month.
"That policy is part of the decisions taken during our recent coordination meeting with the Medan mayoralty," Bambang Sukamto was quoted as saying by Anara.
Bambang added that his personnel would also conduct raids and regular checks at public places against sharp weapons and firearms.
Medan Police chief Sr. Comr. Bambang Sukamto said Saturday night he had made an agreement with the Medan mayoralty to revoke the operating licenses of those entertainment places that violated the rules by opening their services during the fasting month.
"That policy is part of the decisions taken during our recent coordination meeting with the Medan mayoralty," Bambang Sukamto was quoted as saying by Anara.
Bambang added that his personnel would also conduct raids and regular checks at public places against sharp weapons and firearms.
South Sumatra outlaws Ahmadiyah
South Sumatra governor Mahyuddin N.S. on Monday issued a decree banning Islamic minority sect Ahmadiyah and any activities of the Indonesian Jamaah Ahmadiyah (JAI) organization from the region.
Mahyuddin said the decree was made in accordance with a joint- ministerial decree issued earlier this year ordering the sect to stop all religious activities or face charges for blaspheming Islam.
South Sumatra is the second region to outlaw the sect after West Sumatra.
In the decree, the governor also ordered the local Religious Affairs Agency and the High Prosecutors' Office to coordinate and take necessary measures in accordance with the ban.
The governor said the decision to ban Ahmadiyah was taken after a meeting between the regional administration, Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Raden Patah State Islamic Institute, Religious Affairs Agency, prosecutors' office, police and several Islamic organizations.
Mahyuddin said the decree was made in accordance with a joint- ministerial decree issued earlier this year ordering the sect to stop all religious activities or face charges for blaspheming Islam.
South Sumatra is the second region to outlaw the sect after West Sumatra.
In the decree, the governor also ordered the local Religious Affairs Agency and the High Prosecutors' Office to coordinate and take necessary measures in accordance with the ban.
The governor said the decision to ban Ahmadiyah was taken after a meeting between the regional administration, Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Raden Patah State Islamic Institute, Religious Affairs Agency, prosecutors' office, police and several Islamic organizations.
Bali bombers execution postponed until after holy month
The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has officially postponed the executions of three convicted Bali bombers, Amrozi, Ali Ghufron and Imam Samudra, until after Ramadan.
Assistant attorney general for general crimes Abdul Hakim on Wednesday said the decision was made to allow the convicts to experience what would be their last Ramadan.
According to Islam, during the holy month Muslims must not eat or drink between dawn and dusk for 29 or 30 days. Many Islamic teachings believe the act purifies Muslims of all their sins.
"It has been postponed so as to avoid excesses," he said as quoted by Tempointeraktif.com on Wednesday. The execution, he said, would be carried out after Ramadan ends on Sept. 30.
Earlier, Attorney General Hendarman Supandji set a deadline for the executions to be carried out before the start of Ramadan on Sept. 1.
Abdul denied the decision was a result of pressure from certain parties and it came straight from the attorney general.
The three terrorists, now detained at a maximum security prison on Nusa Kambangan Island in Central Java, were sentenced to death in 2002 after being found guilty of masterminding the bombings in Kuta, Bali, year that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.
Assistant attorney general for general crimes Abdul Hakim on Wednesday said the decision was made to allow the convicts to experience what would be their last Ramadan.
According to Islam, during the holy month Muslims must not eat or drink between dawn and dusk for 29 or 30 days. Many Islamic teachings believe the act purifies Muslims of all their sins.
"It has been postponed so as to avoid excesses," he said as quoted by Tempointeraktif.com on Wednesday. The execution, he said, would be carried out after Ramadan ends on Sept. 30.
Earlier, Attorney General Hendarman Supandji set a deadline for the executions to be carried out before the start of Ramadan on Sept. 1.
Abdul denied the decision was a result of pressure from certain parties and it came straight from the attorney general.
The three terrorists, now detained at a maximum security prison on Nusa Kambangan Island in Central Java, were sentenced to death in 2002 after being found guilty of masterminding the bombings in Kuta, Bali, year that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.
LPG price remains stable till next year: minister
The Jakarta Post - Responding to mounting public concern, the government confirmed Wednesday that LPG prices would remain stable until the 2009 election.
State Minister for State Enterprises Sofyan Djalil reiterated that the government would not allow Pertamina to raise the price of 12-kilogram and 50-kilogram LPG after the state-owned company already increased the prices of the two by Rp 500 last month.
"It is guaranteed there will be no more increases until next year, the next decision, and the election," Sofyan said, as quoted by Antara.
The cost of LPG, which some have dubbed as the new kerosene, is now Rp 5,750 (0.59 USD) per kilogram, a stark increase from its previous price of Rp 4,250 back in June.
According to Sofyan, the government's decision was based on mounting speculations that recent LPG shortages would bring Pertamina to raise prices.
State Minister for State Enterprises Sofyan Djalil reiterated that the government would not allow Pertamina to raise the price of 12-kilogram and 50-kilogram LPG after the state-owned company already increased the prices of the two by Rp 500 last month.
"It is guaranteed there will be no more increases until next year, the next decision, and the election," Sofyan said, as quoted by Antara.
The cost of LPG, which some have dubbed as the new kerosene, is now Rp 5,750 (0.59 USD) per kilogram, a stark increase from its previous price of Rp 4,250 back in June.
According to Sofyan, the government's decision was based on mounting speculations that recent LPG shortages would bring Pertamina to raise prices.
BPK to expand probe on oil and gas contracts
The Jakarta Post - The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) will extend its investigation intoall oil and gas contracts, particularly the 54 contracts likelyto cause losses to the state.
"About the 54 contracts, we will audit every one of them. Sofar, we have audited 70 percent of all oil production contracts,"BPK chief Anwar Nasution said Wednesday during a hearing withlawmakers at the House Commission VII overseeing energy affairs.
Earlier, the commission informed the agency about the 54 oiland gas contracts, which use a pricing mechanism similar to theone used by the contract for liquefied natural gas (LNG) from theTangguh plant in Papua with the Chinese government.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the Tangguh contract was themost devastating contract ever made, as the selling price was nottied to the movement of oil prices, a method commonly used in gasdeals.
Under the contract, the price of LNG was pegged at US$2.40 permillion British thermal units (mmbtu) regardless of any increasein crude oil prices, which have brought the price currently toabout $20 per mmbtu.
The government is now seeking to renegotiate the contract.
Anwar said the audit into the oil and gas sector had beencarried out since 2005, something never completed by the agencybefore. Within the period, Anwar said the agency conducted theaudit relying on very limited human resources.
Even so, he said, the agency would intensify its investigationto protect state interests and would soon expand its probe intothe oil shipping and pipeline distribution system.
A BPK audit of government income statements from 2005 to 2007revealed that Rp 120 trillion (US$13.2 billion) in oil revenuewent unreported and was spent outside the state budget mechanism.
The BPK also found in its audit for 2006-2007 that BPMigasoverpaid Rp 40 trillion in recovery costs to contractedcompanies.
They also calculated that misappropriations of oil imports andoverpaid recovery costs had cost the state at least $2.1 billionand $2 billion in 2006 and 2007, respectively.
"About the 54 contracts, we will audit every one of them. Sofar, we have audited 70 percent of all oil production contracts,"BPK chief Anwar Nasution said Wednesday during a hearing withlawmakers at the House Commission VII overseeing energy affairs.
Earlier, the commission informed the agency about the 54 oiland gas contracts, which use a pricing mechanism similar to theone used by the contract for liquefied natural gas (LNG) from theTangguh plant in Papua with the Chinese government.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the Tangguh contract was themost devastating contract ever made, as the selling price was nottied to the movement of oil prices, a method commonly used in gasdeals.
Under the contract, the price of LNG was pegged at US$2.40 permillion British thermal units (mmbtu) regardless of any increasein crude oil prices, which have brought the price currently toabout $20 per mmbtu.
The government is now seeking to renegotiate the contract.
Anwar said the audit into the oil and gas sector had beencarried out since 2005, something never completed by the agencybefore. Within the period, Anwar said the agency conducted theaudit relying on very limited human resources.
Even so, he said, the agency would intensify its investigationto protect state interests and would soon expand its probe intothe oil shipping and pipeline distribution system.
A BPK audit of government income statements from 2005 to 2007revealed that Rp 120 trillion (US$13.2 billion) in oil revenuewent unreported and was spent outside the state budget mechanism.
The BPK also found in its audit for 2006-2007 that BPMigasoverpaid Rp 40 trillion in recovery costs to contractedcompanies.
They also calculated that misappropriations of oil imports andoverpaid recovery costs had cost the state at least $2.1 billionand $2 billion in 2006 and 2007, respectively.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)