Indonesia general to head state food procurement company, sparking concerns
Major General Novi Helmy Prasetya was named chief executive of Bulog, a powerful state logistics company in charge of government-controlled imports of rice and other important food staples, on the weekend, becoming the first active duty general in the role since the authoritarian regime of General Suharto.
Under military laws, soldiers are allowed to fill civilian posts only at state institutions in sectors such as defense, security, intelligence and disaster response. They are also not allowed to be involved in politics and business.
"This is a threat to democracy and a violation towards the law," said Ardi Manto Adiputra, director of Indonesian rights group Imparsial, late on Monday.
The armed forces are subject to the military justice system, which is separate from the civilian criminal code, raising issues of oversight and transparency at any government institution run by active duty officers, Adiputra said.
State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir said the appointment was a strategic move towards achieving a goal of food self-sufficiency, according to state news agency Antara.
The SOE ministry and the presidential communication office did not respond to Reuters' request for comment.
The military law does not stipulate penalties for such a breach. However, the appointment can be appealed through a petition to the administrative court.
It follows other military appointments in civic works since Prabowo took office in October, a trend that has caused unease among some people as it raises comparisons to Suharto's military-backed regime when the armed forces dominated public life.
Prabowo was a military commander under Suharto, his former father-in-law. Suharto was overthrown in 1998.
Sana Jaffrey, a research fellow at the Australian National University, noted Prabowo had appointed other active duty officers, such as his cabinet secretary and senior officials at the ministries of agriculture and transportation, which she said showed he trusted the military to help him meet his goals.
"But he's not willing to consider the long-term political consequences of placing active military officers in civilian roles, whether this is at odds with the law or what sort of institutional damage this might cause," she said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Voice of America
20-02-2025
- Voice of America
Students lead 'Dark Indonesia' protests against budget cuts
Thousands of students staged 'Dark Indonesia' protests in cities across the country on Thursday against budget cuts and other policies of President Prabowo Subianto, fearing they will undermine social support systems and their futures. Clad in black, about a thousand placard-carrying students in the major city of Yogyakarta marched through a busy thoroughfare, yelling out demands for change, four months after Prabowo took office following a landslide election win. There were protests in other cities, including the capital Jakarta, and Medan on Sumatra island. 'Dark Indonesia' has gained traction on social media to represent concerns about the cuts. Another popular trend, 'Just Escape First', sees people sharing advice on how to escape to work and live overseas. Herianto, a student leader in Jakarta, said students are protesting cuts in the education sector after Prabowo ordered a cost-cutting drive to free up around $19 billion that can be used to fund his policies, including a school lunch plan. "Indonesia is dark because there are many policies that aren't clear to our society," said Herianto, who like many Indonesians goes by one name. "The cuts are designed to plug a hole in the free meal program expenses. Education is one of the things that could be impacted. Students are so angry." Speaking at the protest in Jakarta on Thursday, state secretariat minister Prasetyo Hadi said the government had received the students' demands and would study them. Prabowo's office has said the funding changes would not affect the education sector and teacher welfare, but with ministries cutting back a wide range of spending there are concerns that it could disrupt government services. The students were also demonstrating against the military's move into civilian roles and a lack of subsidized cooking gas. Prabowo remains broadly popular across the sprawling country, with his approval rating near 80% in surveys conducted by independent pollsters, including one last month by research firm Indikator Politik Indonesia. Indikator executive director Burhanuddin Muhtadi told Reuters Prabowo's popularity could dip as the policies were rolled out, when the country's middle class had shrunk. "If the government does not respond well to this issue, there can be anxiety from the middle class and could lower its popularity," he said. The demonstrations were the biggest since last August, before Prabowo took office, when the parliament shelved plans to revise election laws after thousands of protesters took to the streets, setting fires and facing down tear gas and water cannon.
Voice of America
20-02-2025
- Voice of America
China's sprawling rail projects around Asia
Vietnam approved plans on Wednesday for a multibillion-dollar railway with China, boosting links between the two communist countries. Around the region, China has been financing railways under its Belt and Road Initiative, which funds infrastructure projects globally but has come under fire with a number of plans stalled or mired in controversy. Here are some of the key installments in Asia's China-backed railway network: Indonesia: Southeast Asia first Indonesia launched Southeast Asia's first high-speed railway in October 2023, after years of delays. The $7 billion China-backed project links the capital Jakarta to the city of Bandung in 45 minutes -- slashing the journey by about two hours. Built by a joint venture of four Indonesian state companies and Beijing's China Railway International Co, it was initially set to cost less than $5 billion and be completed by 2019. But construction challenges and the pandemic led to delays and surging expenses. Indonesia's then-president Joko Widodo nevertheless hailed its opening as a symbol of modernization. Laos: On the move Laos unveiled its $6 billion Chinese-built railroad in 2021, bringing hopes of an economic boost despite backlash after thousands of farmers had to be evicted to make way for construction. The 414-kilometer route connects the Chinese city of Kunming to Laotian capital Vientiane, with plans for the high-speed line to ultimately reach Singapore. Infrastructure-poor Laos, a reclusive communist country of about 7.4 million people, previously had only four kilometers of railway tracks. It was hoped that the railway would boost the Southeast Asian country's ailing tourism industry, which struggled to rebound from the pandemic. But experts also raised concerns over whether cash-strapped Laos -- where public debt made up 116% of GDP in 2023 -- would ever be able to pay back Beijing. Thailand: Full steam ahead After long delays, Thailand is pressing ahead with a Chinese-backed high-speed line set to partially open in 2028. The $5.4 billion project aims to expand the connection to Kunming, running to Bangkok via Laos by 2032. Thailand already has nearly 5,000 kilometers of railway but the sluggish, run-down network has long driven people to favor road travel -- despite extremely high accident rates. When the new railroad is fully complete, Chinese-made trains will run from Bangkok to Nong Khai, on the border with Laos, at up to 250 kph. Unlike Laos, Thailand signed a deal to cover project expenditures itself and has pitched it as a way to boost the economy through trade with China. China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan: Bridge to Europe Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov inaugurated construction in December of a railway linking China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, with hopes it will serve as a supply route to Europe. "This route will ensure supply of goods from China to Kyrgyzstan and then onto Central Asia" and nearby countries "including Turkey" and "even to the European Union," he said. The project, which Kyrgyz authorities estimate could cost up to $8 billion, includes construction through mountains and in areas of permafrost, where the ground never fully thaws. Vietnam: Link to manufacturing hubs Vietnam this week approved an $8 billion railroad running from its largest northern port city to China. The line will operate through some of Vietnam's key manufacturing hubs, home to Samsung, Foxconn and Pegatron factories, many of which rely on components from China. Another yet-to-be-approved line to China would connect Hanoi to Lang Son province, traveling through more areas packed with manufacturing facilities. Malaysia: Back on track Malaysia has revived construction of a nearly $17 billion railroad to carry passengers and freight between shipping ports on its east and west coasts. The China-backed, 665-kilometer project was originally launched in 2011 under ex-leader Najib Razak but shelved due to a dispute about payments. After blowing past several deadlines and budgets, it now looks set to be operational by 2027. Pakistan, Myanmar, Philippines: Stalled In Pakistan, a railway linking southwestern Gwadar Port with China's northwestern Xinjiang province has long been on the cards but has yet to materialize. If the project moves ahead, a 2023 Chinese study estimated an eyewatering price tag of $58 billion. In coup-hit Myanmar, talks on building a railway from Mandalay to China's Yunnan province appear to have stalled. And in the Philippines, plans for China to fund three railways flopped after Manila backed out of talks in 2023 as the South China Sea dispute heated up.
Voice of America
11-02-2025
- Voice of America
Indonesia general to head state food procurement company, sparking concerns
Indonesia's appointment of an army general to run the national food procurement company has raised concerns about the expansion of military roles under President Prabowo Subianto, with a rights activist saying it also violated military laws. Major General Novi Helmy Prasetya was named chief executive of Bulog, a powerful state logistics company in charge of government-controlled imports of rice and other important food staples, on the weekend, becoming the first active duty general in the role since the authoritarian regime of General Suharto. Under military laws, soldiers are allowed to fill civilian posts only at state institutions in sectors such as defense, security, intelligence and disaster response. They are also not allowed to be involved in politics and business. "This is a threat to democracy and a violation towards the law," said Ardi Manto Adiputra, director of Indonesian rights group Imparsial, late on Monday. The armed forces are subject to the military justice system, which is separate from the civilian criminal code, raising issues of oversight and transparency at any government institution run by active duty officers, Adiputra said. State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir said the appointment was a strategic move towards achieving a goal of food self-sufficiency, according to state news agency Antara. The SOE ministry and the presidential communication office did not respond to Reuters' request for comment. The military law does not stipulate penalties for such a breach. However, the appointment can be appealed through a petition to the administrative court. It follows other military appointments in civic works since Prabowo took office in October, a trend that has caused unease among some people as it raises comparisons to Suharto's military-backed regime when the armed forces dominated public life. Prabowo was a military commander under Suharto, his former father-in-law. Suharto was overthrown in 1998. Sana Jaffrey, a research fellow at the Australian National University, noted Prabowo had appointed other active duty officers, such as his cabinet secretary and senior officials at the ministries of agriculture and transportation, which she said showed he trusted the military to help him meet his goals. "But he's not willing to consider the long-term political consequences of placing active military officers in civilian roles, whether this is at odds with the law or what sort of institutional damage this might cause," she said.
