Indonesian Muslims celebrate Idul Fitri on different days: Expert

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 08/29/2011 1:08 PM

While Muslims across the archipelago started Ramadhan this year on the same date, different groups may end the fasting month on different days, an expert says.

Some may say that the end of Ramadhan is on Tuesday while others may say it ends Wednesday, National Aeronautics and Space Agency (LAPAN) research professor Thomas Djamaluddin said Monday.

“The difference occurs because until now most Muslim mass organizations in this country have no agreement on which criteria to use to determine the beginning of hijrah [Islamic year] months,” Thomas said as quoted by kompas.com.

At least two criteria are used: hisab, which is based on mathematical calculations, and rukyat or direct observations of the lunar cycle. Both methods are used to determine the emergence of the first crescent moon at the beginning of hijriah months, known as hilal.

If hilal can be seen on Monday afternoon, Muslims will mark the next day as Idul Fitri. If, however, hilal can not be seen then the fasting month will be extended to 30 days and Idul Fitri will fall on Wednesday.

Mandala to focus on low cost carrier market: Expert

The Jakarta Post | Mon, 05/23/2011 9:08 AM | Business

PT Mandala Airlines will continue to focus on the low-cost carrier (LCC) market because of one of its main investors, the National Air Carrier Association of Indonesia says.

Singapore's Tiger Airways, a key investor in Mandala, is focused on the LCC market, association secretary-general Tengku Burhanuddin said Sunday.

“We expect competition to tighten in the low-cost carrier business,” Tengku said.

Mandala introduced its low-cost carrier service in 2006. At present, Lion Air, AirAsia Indonesia and Citilink – a subsidiary of Garuda Indonesia, are the three dominant players in Indonesia's domestic LCC business.

Mandala Airlines corporate communications chief Nurmaria Sarosa said Mandala, along with two new investors, were expecting to discuss over the airline's flight services in the future and the date to fly.

“We will inform the public once we have reached an agreement together,” she said.

Mandala, which stopped operation early this year, reportedly was acquired by Saratoga Capital and Tiger Airways. Saratoga controls 51 percent of the total shares, Tiger 33 percent and creditors control the rest.

Airlines analyst Arista Atmadjati says Mandala Airlines should focus on the domestic market, since it has already mastered this field.

“Some routes, for example Jakarta-Medan, Jakarta-Semarang and Banjarmasin-Yogyakarta, have frequent flyers,” he said.

Judicial Commission to question ballistics expert

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 05/18/2011 12:04 PM | National

The Judicial Commission is scheduled on Wednesday to question a ballistics expert in relation to a murder allegedly involving former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Antasari Azhar.

The meeting with the ballistics expert Maruli was scheduled to commence at 10 a.m.

The Judicial Commission has summoned Maruli twice previously but he was unable to attend earlier meetings, Judicial Commission spokesman Asep Rahmat Fajar said Wednesday as quoted by tribunnews.com

The commission has examined a report filed by Antasari's team of lawyers, which alleges that judges who presided over Antasari's trial at South Jakarta District Court committed ethical violations by ignoring evidence presented by forensics, IT and ballistic experts.

Prison needs to suppress Ba’asyir: Expert

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 05/11/2011 9:55 PM | National

Special rules should apply to firebrand cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, who has been sentenced to life in prison, terrorism expert Noor Huda Ismail said Wednesday.

"The government should impose a system that forbids him [Ba'asyir] any opportunity to encourage radicalism," he said.

According to Noor, Ba'asyir should get heightened treatment concerning visitors. "Not all individuals should be permitted to visit him. Only his closest [friends]," he said.

He said that a prison could be an ideal place for a terrorist prisoner to recruit new members. In the case of Ba'asyir, he said that the chance of him fomenting radicalism was still very strong.

Therefore, he urged the government to imprison its terrorist prisoners in different buildings. "They would have no chance at all to meet each other," he added. (fem)

Black magic behind Sidoarjo infant corpse theft: Expert

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 02/16/2011 11:48 AM | Archipelago

Residents of several villages in East Java town of Sidoarjo have been put into turmoil over the past week with the disappearance of dozens of infant corpses from cemeteries, in what is believed to be related to the practice of black magic.

As of Tuesday, up to 24 infant corpses had been removed from graves, tribunnews.com reported.

Psychic Ki Kusumo who has been following the issue said the person stealing the corpses wanted to improve his black magic skills.

“The infant corpse thief wants perfect self-immunity. There are also those who carry out such thefts in search of wealth. Both are practicing black magic,” Kusumo said in Bekasi, West Java.

Kusumo said the thief may want immunity from sharp objects and fire, among other things.

The thefts were first reported by Sapari, 55, who guards Bonosari village cemetery in Sidoarjo, after he noticed that an infant grave had been disturbed.

After discovering more infant graves had been disturbed and corpses missing, Sapari reported the incident to police.

Expert witness in Bahasyim's trial not a public accountant

Dina Indrasafitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 12/16/2010 12:13 PM | National

The Association of Indonesian Public Accountants (IAPI) announced that Suyanto, the witness who testified in last week’s trial of money laundering suspect Bahasyim Assafie, was not registered as a public accountant, despite being widely quoted as one.

"He is not a member of the IAPI. We checked and he does not have an accountant permit from the Finance Ministry," Tarko Sunaryo, IAPI's secretary-general said.

Last Tuesday, Suyanto testified as an expert witness in former tax official Bahasyim's case. Various media quoted him as a public accountant.

Bahasyim, whose Rp 61 billion ($6.8 million) wealth is stored in more than 10 bank accounts under his and his family members' names, is suspected of money laundering and extortion.

During his testimony, Suyanto said the money was gained through legal means such as businesses and investments.

Suyanto also said the suspicious transfer of Rp 1 billion from Kartini Mulyadi's account to Bahasyim wife's account, to the family's fund manager, and back to the wife's account, was because Kartini was lending them money for business and the family had intended to return the money.

Tarko said that Suyanto was discovered to be staff at a public accountant's office.

"If he was acting under a superior's order [and was claiming to be a public accountant] then the superior could be given a sanction," Tarko said.