City to reorganize utility

cables in underground ducts

Dewanti A. Wardhani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Jakarta | Fri, May 22 2015, 7:19 AM
Jakarta News

The Jakarta administration is set to develop underground ducts to deal with dangerous cables and
wires dangling off poles on streets and sidewalks in the capital city.
Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama said that cables installed on city poles had been
installed haphazardly, without permission and without levies paid to the city. He said such
installments were not only an eyesore, but also a fire hazard.
There are many cables and wires dangling from our poles installed by various operators, but
they are all unauthorized. Such installments are dangerous and must be reorganized, Ahok told
reporters at City Hall on Thursday.
He went on to say that developing underground ducts for cables was regulated by Bylaw No.
1/2012 on the 2030 provincial spatial law. Article 60 of the bylaw states the city must integrate
electricity and telecommunications-distribution media by developing underground duct
networks.
The development of underground ducts is already regulated in the bylaw, so we have a legal
basis. By building the underground ducts, the city will be able to organize the cables and prevent
fires caused by the cables, Ahok said.
Separately, Roads Agency head Yusmada Faizal said the agency had earmarked Rp 50 billion
(US$3.8 billion) this year to develop the ducts on Jl. Hayam Wuruk and Jl. Gajah Mada in
Central Jakarta.
We will develop underground ducts on those streets. Once they are completed, the cables and
wires dangling on poles will be put underground, Yusmada told The Jakarta Post over the
phone on Thursday.
The agency has allocated Rp 30 billion to repair damaged sidewalks across the city. A number
will be prioritized, including Central Jakartas Jl. Kyai Caringin, Jl. Abdul Muis, Jl. Raya Cideng
and Jl. Salemba; and South Jakartas Jl. Pasar Minggu, Jl. Raya Saharjo and Jl. Soepomo.
In addition, the agency will prioritize West Jakartas Jl. Tomang, Jl. Kedoya Raya, Jl. Puri
Kembangan, and Jl. Panjang; as well as East Jakartas Jl. Pemuda and Jl. Pramuka.
We will repair pedestrian sidewalks and simultaneously install underground ducts for several of
them, such as in Tomang and Kedoya. We will gradually develop underground ducts throughout

the city over the years so that there will be no more dangling cables and wires on poles,
Yusmada said.
Communications and Informations Agency head Ii Karunia said most utilities on poles were for
electricity, telephone or Internet, and had been installed by state-owned telecommunications
company PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) and state-owned electricity company PT PLN,
as well as other private Internet providers.
He acknowledged that thus far, the city had not supervised or monitored cable installments,
causing operators to haphazardly install utilities on city poles. He added said his agency was
currently drafting revisions on Gubernatorial Regulation No. 14/2014 on telecommunications
towers to regulate the levies and permits for cable and wire installations.
In the future, all cables must be installed underground in our ducts. Operators must seek
licenses with the city administration at the BPTSP [one-stop integrated service agency] office if
they wish to install cables. They will pay an annual fee to the city administration as long as their
cables are in our ducts, Ii told the Post over the phone on Friday.
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Jokowi says hes no coward

Hasyim Widhiarto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Headlines | Sun, May 17 2015, 1:22 PM
Press the flesh: President Joko Jokowi Widodo (right) talks with volunteers at a Community
Jamboree in Cibubur, East Jakarta, on Saturday. Antara/Intan Setpres
Headlines News

For the first time after seven months in office, President Joko Jokowi Widodo met his
campaign volunteers in public, asking them to support his recent policies, including the slashing
of fuel subsidies and the execution of drug convicts.
During a speech on Saturday at the Cibubur camping grounds in East Jakarta, Jokowi said he
would face the consequences of his controversial policies.
Im ready to become unpopular. Im ready to be attacked. Dont ever think that Jokowi is a
coward. Keep that in mind, the President said.
On executing drug traffickers, Jokowi said he would do anything to protect the nations interests
and sovereignty. When [the government] was about to execute the drug traffickers, I was
warned that there would be foreign pressure, including from Amnesty [International], the United
Nations and leaders from other countries. But I insisted that we have the legal sovereignty
that our law recognizes the death penalty, he said.
Jokowi repeated his standard talking point on defending capital punishment. Fifty people die [in
Indonesia] every day and 18,000 every year because of drugs, so why do we need to take care of
one or two people who have been convicted as drug traffickers? he said.
Defying international pressure, the government executed 14 death row prisoners in the first four
months of the year, including 12 foreign nationals.
Despite his popularity in the months prior to last years presidential election, Jokowi, an
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician, did not secure the nomination from
his own party until March, less than a month before the legislative election and four months
before the presidential election.
Observers said that the volunteer organizations supporting Jokowi put pressure on former
president and incumbent PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri to drop plans to run again
and instead give the ticket to Jokowi.
Jokowi won the election by a slight margin, a victory attributed to his volunteers.
Among the groups that organized Saturdays event were the Volunteer Front for Jokowi for
President (Bara JP), Pro Jokowi, the Coalition of Youths and Volunteers for Jokowi (Kawan
Jokowi) and the Peoples Struggle Post (Pospera).

Representing the organizations, Pospera leader Mustar Bonaventura said such gatherings would
be held regularly. This is just a start. The volunteer groups must continue existing and
consolidate themselves, he said.
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Andrea Hirata: Inspiring

people through words

A.Kurniawan Ulung, Contributor, Jakarta | People | Fri, May 08 2015, 9:06 AM

Andrea Hirata
People News

may have written the best-selling novel Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Troops), but now the author
says hes more interested in motivating people to read literature.
To that end, the 38-year-old opened Museum Kata the Word Museum in his hometown of
Gantong in East Belitung, Bangka-Belitung, in 2010. The 100-square-meter building has a
library featuring authors from 70 countries as well as the works of local talents, such as the
legendary poet Sapardi Djoko Damono.
The museum, which is also home to a free school staffed by three volunteer teachers, is near the
white sands and beautiful boulders of Tanjung Tinggi beach, where Riri Rizas big-screen
adaptation of Laskar Pelangi was shot.
This museum is special for me, Andrea says. It proves that I, as a writer, do not spend my
time for myself alone. It has become a tourist destination that benefits local people and it is free
of charge.
Andrea said that anyone could write, regardless of their background. My educational
background is economics, not literature, Andrea, who studied at Hallam University in the UK,
said.
He started writing Laskar Pelangi in 2004 as a tribute to a teacher, Muslimah, while working at
state-owned telecommunication provider PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom).
Six years later and after writing six novels he studied at Iowa Universitys prestigious
International Writing Program for six months.
Andrea said that he was over the moon when learning that one of his instructors at Iowa would
be James Alan McPherson, the first African-American to win a Pulitzer Prize for fiction. I
visited his office every afternoon to learn writing skills. [McPherson] told me that my identity
was a story teller.
Local library: established his Word Museum (Museum Kata) in his hometown, offering a place
for people to read, a school run by volunteers and a perfomance space.
After digesting Hemingway, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Antonio Skrmeta, Mark Twain and
Truman Capote at McPhersons direction, Andrea said that he realized that those writers were
driven by intuition, not logic. My dream is to be an intuition-driven story teller like them, he
says.
Andrea said that he still remembered McPhersons injunction that writers had to help people
through their work instead of pursuing their own advancement.

He put that philosophy into practice as he built the Word Museum, which he financed from his
royalties and profits from Laskar Pelangi, its screen adaptation and its publication in more than
120 countries.
Andrea advised beginners to just write and express what pops up in their minds and to take a
brief break and keep at it if they develop writers block.
As the winner of the New York Book Festival 2013, Andrea said that he also suffered from
writers block when he was a newbie.
After writing for 10 years, its less of a problem, but that doesnt mean hes stopped learning,
Andrea adds. Dont be afraid to make mistake. Just write. If we keep writing, we will be very
sensitive and know the dos and donts. It is called learning by doing. Passion is needed to be a
mature writer.
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Search for RI nationals

continues despite team
departure

Tama Salim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | World | Fri, May 22 2015, 7:43 AM
World News

The search for the three remaining Indonesian nationals in Nepal continues, with the Indonesian
evacuation team handing over responsibility to Nepali authorities prior to its departure.
Indonesian nationals Jeroen Hehuwat, Alma Parahita and Kadek Andana were declared missing
following the disastrous 7.4-magnitude earthquake that shook Nepal on April 25 and are the only
victims yet to be contacted apart from 10 other Indonesians who chose to remain in Nepal,
according to a senior
diplomat.
Indonesian Ambassador to Bangladesh and Nepal Iwan Wiranataatmadja expressed his hope that
the three climbers could still be found, noting he would not speculate on the matter.
Im in no position to say whether or not there is still hope for them, he told reporters on the
sidelines of a press briefing in Central Jakarta on Thursday. I cant say for sure where they are.
We can only conduct a reconstruction of the events in light of testimonies from the people that
they came across [during the trek to Mount Everest].
The whereabouts of the three Taruna Hiking Club (THC) members were last reported at Everest
Guest House in the Langtang region, a small tourist spot near Mt. Everest that was one of the
worst ravaged by the earthquake.
Ambassador Iwan said that the area, which used to house around 20 accommodations, was
practically buried under sheets of snow and rocks due to the landslide that ensued.
Iwan said that the remaining evacuation team in Nepal, consisting of a Foreign Ministry official
and two disaster victim identification (DVI) officials from the National Police, had returned to
Indonesia, having handed over responsibility to continue the search for the three Indonesians to
Nepali authorities.
According to the ambassador, the Nepali officials were well-informed of the trios profile. The
team has done their job and is back in the country [Thursday], because of the Nepali
governments request that all foreign [search and rescue] SAR teams leave the country [to
simplify disaster mitigation], he said.
Furthermore, Iwan said that the Indonesian evacuation team had left behind all equipment and
aid except for an operating table and medical evacuation equipment.
Since arriving in Nepal on April 30, the team has conducted two aerial SAR expeditions in the
Langtang area to no avail. Iwan said the Nepali military would continue search efforts, pending
better weather conditions on the field.
The evacuation team left Nepal on Wednesday after having their duties extended thrice by the
local government, Iwan said.

The handover duties were represented by ministry official Hernawan Bagaskoro Abid, who left
the search duties to the Institute of Medicine Tribhuvan Universitys (IMTU) forensics
department head, Pramoud Kumar Shrestha.
The Foreign Ministry will continue to monitor the search and evacuation of the three
Indonesians through the Nepali authorities who weve been collaborating with, Hernawan said
in a statement.
- See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/05/22/search-ri-nationals-continuesdespite-team-departure.html#sthash.cTW505ds.dpuf

Australia-Indonesia relations:
Finding a path forward
William Maley and Bambang Hartadi Nugroho, Canberra/Jakarta | Opinion | Mon, May 18 2015,
7:02 AM
Opinion News

The deaths by firing squad on April 28 of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, two Australians
convicted of drug trafficking offenses, have brought a new chill to relations between states that
have much to gain from cordial and cooperative engagement.

This was by no means the first episode of a Southeast Asian state having carried out a capital
sentence against an Australian citizen, but it seems to have produced much more distress in
Australia than earlier cases. And not only in Australia.
A mourner at Sukumarans funeral in Sydney recounted that the Indonesian guards on
Nusakambangan island had apologized, hugged and saluted him as he went to his death. Many
seem to have shared a sense that Chan and Sukumaran were executed at the very moment that
their transition from drug traffickers to quite different people had been accomplished.
Those who were close to Chan and Sukumaran, and to the others who were shot at the same
time, will reflect on what the lives and deaths of these young men can teach us; as will those who
supported the executions.
But it is just as important to reflect on how relations between Australia and Indonesia can be
eased back into gear. It is not in eithers long-run interest for relations to be stalled; but both
states stand to gain from a frank evaluation of how relations have come to take a turn for the
worse.
With the change of president in Indonesia in 2014, the prospects for Chan and Sukumaran were
never that bright, but Australias handling of the bilateral relationship even before that gave
cause for alarm.
Australia had a long and ugly history of imprisoning Indonesian children who had served as
crew-members on people-smuggling boats; Australias unilateral moves to push asylum-seeker
boats back to Indonesia, actively promoted by a boorish and arrogant immigration minister, rode
roughshod over Indonesias expressed preference for a multilateral approach to the issue; and the
news that Australian officials had boasted of a capacity to intercept the phone conversations of
Indonesian public figures, followed by a refusal from Canberra to offer an apology, proved
sufficiently provocative to prompt Indonesia to withdraw Ambassador Nadjib Riphat Kesoema
from Canberra.
__________________
The lead here is best taken by skilled professionals rather than politicians.
While Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and her staff handled the Chan and Sukumaran cases with
far more tact and skill, their efforts suffered near-fatal damage in February when Prime Minister
Tony Abbott clumsily sought to link past humanitarian assistance to Aceh following the
December 2004 tsunami to clemency for the Australians in 2015.
The lesson here is stark: Australia for too long had treated Indonesias concerns as subordinate to
the domestically-driven concerns of the Australian government. When Australia came to
Indonesia as a supplicant, it did not have enough diplomatic capital on which to draw.
There are some lessons for Indonesia too. Regarding the debate on the death penalty, the first
lesson relates to the Indonesian public. The majority was quick to see the efforts to prevent the

recent executions as foreign interference, a perception fueled by the governments rhetoric that
it was within Indonesias sovereign rights to exercise its own law, including executing convicted
criminals.
Yet the essence of the debate was neither about foreigners interfering in Indonesias domestic
matter nor about supporting crimes. Instead, it was about giving convicted criminals a second
chance to rehabilitate themselves after paying for their actions. In an interdependent world,
absolute sovereignty claims have less standing than in the past.
Meanwhile, the growing support among Indonesians for the abolition of capital punishment,
despite still being the minority view, should be taken by the government as a signal to conduct a
more comprehensive review of the use of death penalty.
Is the death penalty really an effective way to deter future criminals? Is taking the lives of people
to set an example morally defensible? Is there really no chance for convicts to show remorse and
to become better individuals? Is the death penalty really a reflection of our conception of justice,
or is it merely to quote a former Indonesian ambassador a form of excessive populism?
These are questions that the Indonesian government needs to look into very carefully; substantial
labor migration means that many Indonesians are working in states where capital punishment is
accepted and systems of justice are weak.
Regarding Indonesia-Australia relations, although some observers have dubbed the crisis to be
the worst since the Timor crisis, the relationship is not beyond repair.
Indonesia and Australia share some common interests perhaps more than Jakarta cares to admit.
As Bishop mentioned, the two countries have more than 60 areas of formal cooperation. These
shared interests, therefore, should be the basis for rebuilding ties between the neighboring
countries.
While political cooperation is understandably postponed, cooperation at the lower level must be
maintained, with the hope that it will help to rebuild trust between the two.
The results from a recent poll by Lowy Institute provide another reason for Ambassador Nadjib
and the Indonesian Foreign Ministry to be optimistic about rebuilding diplomatic and political
relations with Australia.
Although a vast majority of the respondents in Australia opposed the death penalty, around 51
percent believed that diplomatic engagements with Indonesia should be on hold only for a short
period of time. Most respondents also saw that recent incidents would not make much difference
to their preference of travel destination and trading partners.
Without any intention to undermine the grief felt by many Australians following the executions,
these findings could be a basis for Indonesian diplomats to move forward and start anew. A
possible challenge, however, is to overcome backlashes in Indonesia.

The louder voices seem to be the ones filled with nationalistic sentiment, partly triggered by the
Australian governments poor handling of the issue, notably through Abbotts disastrous
February remarks. A tactful public diplomacy directed at the Indonesian public could be a way to
overcome such a challenge.
The lead here is best taken by skilled professionals rather than politicians. Indeed, the two most
important figures in reconstructing the relationship are likely to be Ambassador Nadjib in
Canberra and Ambassador Paul Grigson in Jakarta.
No one could possibly deny the traumatic effects of capital punishment on the families and
friends of those who are executed. But there is another group who also deserve the deepest
compassion, the diplomats in Indonesia and in Australia, tasked with providing consular
assistance to prisoners on death row.
To the sorrow that they can feel if they have come to know and like the prisoners can be added a
haunting sense of professional failure. There is much more to diplomacy than cocktail parties.
_______________________
William Maley is professor of diplomacy at the Australian National University. Bambang
Hartadi Nugroho teaches in the Department of International Relations at the University of
Indonesia.
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RI confirms safety of 17
citizens in Nepal
Tama Salim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | World | Mon, April 27 2015, 7:12 AM
World News

The Foreign Ministry confirmed on Sunday the safety of 17 Indonesian nationals from the 34
that are believed to have been in Nepal when an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale
hit on Saturday.
We have received confirmation that 17 Indonesians are safe, said the ministrys director for the
protection of Indonesian nationals and entities abroad, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, adding that the

ministry was awaiting confirmation on the remaining Indonesians.

According to the ministry, there are currently 18 Indonesian nationals residing in Nepal while
another 16 are in Nepal as visitors, including those currently on an expedition to hike Mount
Everest.
The Indonesian government, which only has an honorary consulate in Nepals capital,
Kathmandu, would continue to monitor progress and coordinate with local humanitarian aid
initiatives, Iqbal said.
We dont have an official Indonesian Embassy in Nepal, so the governments rescue efforts will
be under the auspices of the embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and the Kathmandu honorary
consulate, he told reporters in a statement on Sunday.
According to the governments current estimates, the earthquake had taken the lives of almost
2,000 people, with jolts felt as far as Bangladesh, Pakistan and India.
Iqbal said that the ministry had difficulty communicating with the team in Kathmandu as a result
of the destruction caused by the earthquake. He said that search and rescue efforts were being
pursued by national and international humanitarian agencies on the ground in Nepal.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir added that the ministry would continue to
update the list of Indonesian citizens that it had to get a hold of.
For those who need information about friends or family members in Nepal, the government has
set up a hotline with Hernawan Bagaskoro Abid, a ministry official, as a contact person.
Well continue to update the numbers and status of our citizens as efforts to contact those who
are still missing, said Hernawan, who can be contacted at (021) 3813186 or +6281284794696.
The government has expressed its condolences for the disaster in Nepal and has promised to
provide medical assistance and disaster relief in the form of medical staff, SAR initiatives, as
well as rations, blankets, tents and medicine.
- See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/04/27/ri-confirms-safety-17-citizensnepal.html#sthash.lmib19v8.dpuf

Garuda opens GuangzhouDenpasar

route

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Business | Fri, May 22 2015, 11:25 AM

Business News

National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia will introduce direct flights between Guangzhou, China,
and Denpasar, to meet the increasing demand by Chinese tourists to visit Indonesia.
Garudas general manager in Guangzhou, Dharmawan J Hendrata, said on Friday that the Civil
Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) had approved the plan.
"The license was issued on Thursday and will be processed further by the Indonesian
Transportation Ministry," Darmawan said in Guangzhou as quoted by Antara news agency.
He said Garuda would start serving the new route on July 8 to coincide with the summer
holidays.
He said the new route was being opened to meet the growing demand for direct flights from
Guangzhou to the resort island of Bali.
Garuda recorded a high load factor of 82 percent in flights between Guanzhou and Jakarta in the
first quarter of 2015, up from 70 percent in the same period last year.
Garuda introduced direct flights between Beijing and Denpasar on Jan. 13.
Currently, Garuda has four regular routes between the two countries, namely Beijing-Jakarta,
Shanghai-Jakarta, Guanzghou-Jakarta and Beijing-Denpasar.
Tourism Ministry data shows that 9.4 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia in 2014. The
number is expected to rise to 12 million in 2015.
Chinese visitors accounted the fourth highest in number, totaling 1 million in 2014. (++++)
- See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/05/22/garuda-opens-guangzhoudenpasar-route.html#sthash.oKWiRUXc.dpuf

Markets inspected after

synthetic rice report
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Headlines | Thu, May 21 2015, 1:19 PM
Measuring up: A rice vendor prepares bags of rice at his shop at Palmerah Market in Central
Jakarta on Wednesday. Most rice vendors are worried about a drop in sales as rumors continue to
circulate about the presence of harmful synthetic rice at rice shops. JP/Awo
Headlines News

The Bekasi Trade Agency deployed officials to seven traditional markets in the city on
Wednesday to take rice samples following a report of alleged plastic rice being sold in a store at
Mutiara Gading Market, East Bekasi, West Java.
Bekasi Trade Agency trade department head Herbert Panjaitan said over the phone on
Wednesday that his office would bring the samples to the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency
(BPOM) and state-owned survey company PT Sucofindo on Thursday.
The test results are expected to be issued two or three days after the sample submissions, he
said.
Previously, a rice porridge seller of Mustika Jaya subdistrict in Bekasi, identified as Dewi
Septiani, uploaded pictures of alleged fake rice on social media and sent an email to the BPOM
after she was unable to cook the rice into porridge.
The rice, according to her, only expanded, but did not soften.
Herbert said that Dewis relative was reported to have suffered from nausea and dizziness after
consuming the rice, but no fatalities had been reported.
The agency had taken rice samples from Dewi and sent them to the laboratories on Wednesday
morning with the results expected on Thursday or Friday, he said.
The rice seller, identified as S, together with his four employees, was arrested by the Bantar
Gebang Police and had been questioned since Tuesday afternoon.
Herbert said he was unaware of the status of the suspect, but confirmed that the store at Mutiara
Gading Market remained closed as of Wednesday.
We appeal to the public to stay calm but remain cautious because so far weve only found
suspected synthetic rice in one place, he said, adding that a Padang food seller who bought rice
in the same store had told him that he had no complaints regarding the rice.
The food seller added that S was a good seller who had many customers.
Also on Wednesday, the Jakarta Polices trade and industry unit at the Special Crime Directorate
made an impromptu visit to several traditional markets in the capital, including the Cipinang
Wholesale Rice Market in East Jakarta, to respond to the synthetic rice report in Bekasi.
One of the units members, First Insp. Anang Prabowo, said his office had deployed 110 police
officers to check whether the synthetic rice was distributed at markets in the city.
After randomly checking seven stores in Cipinang, we have yet to find any synthetic rice, he
said as quoted by tempo.co.
He said the police also planned to undertake undercover inspections to ensure that no synthetic

rice was sold.

Meanwhile, Jaya Sugito Wibowo, the communication and information section head of cityowned food security company PT Food Station Tjipinang, said his team had conducted internal
inspections after learning of the alleged synthetic rice case in Bekasi.
So far, we have not found any [synthetic rice], he said, adding that his office would report to
the police if it found the rice. (prm)
- See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/05/21/markets-inspected-aftersynthetic-rice-report.html#sthash.Y1DoVySv.dpuf

Health sense: Managing

osteoporosis and bone-mineral
density for men
Dr. Richard Yuan-Tud Chen, Contributor, Singapore | Body and Soul | Wed, April 01 2015, 9:41
AM
Body And Soul News

Eddie, who is 70, had been suffering from constant low back pain. He took painkillers but the
pain kept recurring. When he finally decided to consult his doctor, an X-ray showed a
compression fracture in a vertebra in his lower spine.
This was the likely cause of his back pain. Eddie was puzzled, as he did not recall having
suffered any direct injury to his spine.
His doctor sent Eddie for a bone mineral density assessment, a simple procedure, which
confirmed that he has significant osteoporosis of his spine. Eddie was referred to me for further
assessment.
Although osteoporosis is common in older women, this condition is unusual in men. Unlike
women who begin to lose bone quite rapidly after menopause, the rate of bone loss in men as
they grow older is much slower.
Apart from a healthy intake of calcium and vitamin D, adequate levels of sex hormones are also
necessary to help maintain good bone quality.
On the other hand, conditions causing excessive levels of thyroid or parathyroid hormone can
lead to bone loss.

Bone mineral density (BMD) may be assessed using dual X-ray bone absorptiometry, a simple
inexpensive and non-invasive X-ray scan that assesses a persons bone quality in comparison to
healthy young adults.
BMD results are expressed as normal, or osteopenia (or pre-osteoporosis, in laymans term) or
osteoporosis.
However, it does not mean that a person classified as osteopenia is at low risk of sustaining a
fracture. Other independent risk predictors include factors, such as frailty, small build, frequent
falls, cigarette smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, a family history of fractures, the use of
steroids (frequently found in traditional medicine) and diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
Therefore, these must be considered in conjunction with a persons BMD result and the fracture
risk estimated using a risk calculator designed for specific populations or communities, such as
one developed by the WHO specifically for Indonesia.
It turned out that Eddie has been a heavy smoker for many years, puffing about 20 cigarettes
daily, already a strong risk factor. Blood investigations also revealed that Eddie had low levels of
vitamin D as well as testosterone, the essential sex hormone for men.
Besides vitamin D, the maintenance of good bone quality is highly dependent on testosterone. As
testosterone declines with age, older men are at higher risk of bone loss and fractures.
Low testosterone also predisposes men toward loss of muscular strength and frailty, poorer
sexual function and quality of life (becoming easily tired, lacking in stamina), development of
diabetes and higher mortality from heart disease.
Although Eddies bone density measurement placed him in the osteopenic category (i.e., not
quite osteoporotic, but already poorer than expected), he is clearly at risk of further fractures as
he has already had a vertebra fracture.
In Eddies case, treatment has to be instituted from all fronts. While most people may be familiar
with vitamin D3, which is dosed at 1,000 units daily, this will not be enough to overcome
deficiency.
Instead, Eddie was started on high-dose vitamin D2 at 50,000 units weekly for two months. His
testosterone deficiency was treated with an injection of testosterone depot that can last up to
three months.
This form of treatment ensures that none of the testosterone is wasted through poor absorption.
Improvement in BMD can be seen six months after the start of testosterone therapy and
continues to be well-sustained for as long as testosterone therapy is continued.
Eddie also experienced a dramatic improvement in his quality of life once his testosterone level
has been restored. His stamina was better, he no longer felt sleepy in the afternoon, his back pain

disappeared and his sexual interest returned. He also noticed that his waist line decreased.
Standard treatment for osteoporosis, such as bisphosphonates, must also be administered.
While bisphosphonates are commonly taken orally on a weekly basis, its efficacy in older
persons may not be as good due to poorer absorption.
Zoledronate, one of several bisphosphonates, is available as a once-yearly intravenous infusion
that can easily be administered in the clinic. Eddie, being a busy person who is fairly absentminded as well, much preferred this convenient and cost-effective treatment.
As its effects are long-lasting, zoledronate could be stopped after 3-5 years of treatment, while
testosterone therapy and maintenance vitamin D were continued to ensure that Eddies restored
BMD continues to be well-maintained.
_________________
The writer is a consultant physician and endocrinologist at Glen Arden Endocrinology Specialist
Clinic at the Gleneagles Medical Centre in Singapore and a previous president of the Endocrine
& Metabolic Society of Singapore. For more information, visit klinikdiabetessingapura.com.
- See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/04/01/health-sense-managingosteoporosis-and-bone-mineral-density-men.html#sthash.pBAbTjVj.dpuf

Indonesias political development has never been simple and easy, but instead complicated and
full of surprises. So is the case again at this juncture, six months after President Joko Jokowi
Widodo became the countrys leader.
The worry is that a malaise may take hold caused by misunderstanding and an inexperienced
new president, a new team of presidential staff and a new Cabinet. They lack experience in
bureaucratic infighting or in problems of political diversity that can withstand the remainder of
Jokowis term of four-and-a-half years.
If these trends continue, they may drive Indonesians to despair because the economy will also be
impacted. The last term of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was considered a
letdown by the people due to inaction.
Former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, Yudhoyonos predecessor, was very generous and
statesperson-like when she decided on Jokowi being a presidential candidate, as she herself had
waited 10 years to be president again. She knew that Puan Maharani, her daughter and heir
apparent, was not ready to be a presidential candidate.

She thought that Jokowi was a popular member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI-P) as shown by his successful two terms as mayor of Surakarta and later winning the
governorship of Jakarta. He was also recognized by Ibu Megawati to be the candidate for the
future, especially for the young generation. This also put the PDI-P in a favorable position in the
presidential and legislative elections. The decision taken by Megawati was too close to the two
elections and was then followed by flurries of technical and management activities regarding the
elections, amid all sorts of political dealings and juggling.
In this snap process, one fundamental thing was missing: an agreement or at least a gentlemens
agreement between the chair or central board of the PDI-P and the presidential candidate to
create a common platform that was much needed in adopting Jokowi into the mainstream of
the PDI-P.
The broad vision was clear: the Trisakti vision of founding father Sukarno on political
sovereignty, economic independence and a dignified civilization that was to become the basis of
the Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla Nawacita program.
These are the broad lines that bound Jokowi to the PDI-P, but it is seemingly insufficient to
guarantee a solid collaboration in national politics without good communication and
coordination.
To form a Cabinet, the Jokowi-Kalla coalition parties proposed their respective candidates to the
President and Vice President to choose from. Many of them turned out to be not up to
expectations.
In addition, involving the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in the selection of
ministers was considered inappropriate since it was basically a political decision, not a legal one.
What the KPK proposed may not be considered valid since the principle of presumption of
innocence has to be upheld before a court decision on whether someone is corrupt or not.
As the current situation stands, there is a dire need for a Cabinet reshuffle in the near future;
otherwise the Presidents program cannot be implemented fully and in accordance with the
publics high expectations.
A case in point that caused a rupture between Megawati and Jokowi was the nomination of Budi
Gunawan as the candidate for chief of the National Police. The absence of the afore-mentioned
agreement caused a lack of a clear division of power between Megawati and President Jokowi,
and on top of that, a close and trusting personal relationship is of utmost importance. Both have
to keep trying to mend their differences.
The pent-up disappointment of Megawati in Jokowi was expressed in her speech at the recent
PDI-P congress that re-installed her as the partys chairperson.
She felt that the President did not consult her enough on policy matters. The Megawati barrage
reaped a strong public reaction, but Jokowis own response was cool headed. In that light, we

may have to understand Megawatis outburst during that occasion. Following this, from now on
relations between the two will not only be restored but improved because Megawati knows how
important both of them are for Indonesia.
That is her credo that she cannot compromise. Yes, she has been disappointed, even bewildered,
as to why she was left so much out of the loop by the President and those close to him. While her
outburst can be understood, however, there should be no encore. The expectation of Ibu Mega
being a statesperson is real, and moreover, is needed by Indonesians. - See more at:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/05/06/insight-complex-developments-indonesia-spolitics.html#sthash.el9p9i4T.dpuf

Tak Hanya RI, Negara-negara Ini Jadi Korban Beras Plastik

Liputan6.com, Shanghai - Belakangan ini, masyarakat Indonesia dibuat gundah dengan temuan
beras plastik di pasaran yang membahayakan kesehatan.
Ternyata, keberadaan beras plastik yang dijual China ini tak hanya masuk ke Indonesia. Negara
lain di kawasan Asia ikut menjadi sasaran pasar beras plastik seperti India dan Vietnam.
Melansir laman Shanghaiist, Jumat (22/5/2015), sejumlah perusahaan China diduga
memproduksi beras palsu dengan mencampurkannya dalam plastik. Beras plastik itu secara
besar-besaran dijual di pasar China.
Sejauh ini, beras plastik yang dijual di Taiyuan, Shaanxi dibuat dari campuran kentang, kentang
manis dan bahan plastik.
Sementara hasil uji lab beras palsu yang beredar di kota Bekasi menunjukkan beras tersebut
mengandung tiga bahan kimia berbahaya.
Hasilnya ada suspect, kandungan yang biasa digunakan untuk membuat bahan plastik menjadi
pembuat beras plastik. Senyawa plasticizer penyusun plastik yang ditemukan dalam beras
tersebut atara lain benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), bisphthalate atau DEHP, dan diisononyl
phthalate (DIN). Senyawa plasticizer itu biasa digunakan untuk melenturkan kabel atau pipa
plastik.

Sejauh ini, pemerintah China telah melarang warganya mengkonsumsi beras plastik yang sudah
pasti berbahaya untuk kesehatan manusia. Tapi para pedagang masih menjual beras tersebut
dalam jumlah besar karena dianggap sangat menguntungkan.
China memang memiliki sejarah pembuatan bahan pangan palsu. Pada 2010, perusahaan di
Xi'an, Shaanxi membuat versi palsu beras Wuchang yang sangat mahal dengan mencampurkan
beras biasa ke dalamnya. Pada 2008, skandal penipuan susu merebak di China.
Sejumlah perusahaan mencampur susu formula dengan melamin dan menyebabkan 6 balita
meninggal dunia dan berdampak pada 300 ribu penduduk lain.(Sis/Nrm)
http://bisnis.liputan6.com/read/2237346/tak-hanya-ri-negara-negara-ini-jadi-korbanberas-plastik

Gaji PNS Naik Sedot Uang Negara

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Pemerintah dalam hal ini Kementerian Keuangan
mengumumkan pendapatan negara sampai dengan periode 20 Mei 2015 sebesar
Rp 502,7 triliun atau 28,5 persen dari target Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja
Negara Perubahan (APBN-P) 2015 sebesar Rp 1.761,6 triliun. Sementara belanja
negara Rp 548,7 triliun atau 27,7 persen.
Menteri Keuangan (Menkeu), Bambang Brodjonegoro menyebut, realisasi
pendapatan itu naik dari pencapaian 15 Mei tahun ini sebesar Rp 476,3 triliun,
sedangkan belanja negara sebesar Rp 540,5 triliun.
Realisasi belanja negara pada pertengahan bulan kelima ini, terdiri dari belanja
pemerintah Rp 302,8 triliun dan transfer ke daerah serta dana desa yang terdorong
naik menjadi Rp 237,8 triliun.
Dalam catatan Bambang, belanja Kementerian/Lembaga mencapai Rp 129,5 triliun
atau 16,3 persen dari target APBN-P 2015 sebesar 795,5 triliun.
"Realisasi belanja pegawai dan bantuan sosial (bansos) 2015 lebih tinggi dari
pencapaian 15 Mei 2014. Bansos ini bukan hanya memberi uang, tapi mekanisme
anggarannya ke Kementerian Pendidikan dan lainnya," ucap dia saat Konferensi
Pers Realisasi APBN-P Periode 15 Mei di kantornya, Jakarta, Kamis (21/5/2015).

Dijelaskannya, belanja pegawai pada 15 Mei 2015 senilai Rp 57,4 triliun, atau naik
dari periode yang sama tahun lalu sebesar 49,7 triliun. Sementara belanja bansos
sebesar Rp 32,8 triliun di pertengahan Mei 2015 atau naik dari tahun sebelumnya
Rp 23,8 triliun.
Bambang menambahkan, realisasi belanja modal di periode ini lebih rendah. Namun
optimistis akan akan terserap dengan selesainya dokumen DIPA APBN-P 2015,
proses restrukturisasi organisasi atau nomenklatur dan pelelangan.
"Lebih dari 40 persen anggaran belanja modal Kementerian Pekerjaan Umum dan
Perumahan Rakyat saat ini sudah terkontrak dan lebih dari 37 persen dalam proses
pelelangan," terangnya.
Lanjut dia, proyek-proyek di Kementerian/Lembaga lain juga sudah tahap
pelelangan dan penyerapan anggaran infrastruktur disesuaikan dengan kemajuan.
(Fik/Ndw)
http://bisnis.liputan6.com/read/2236741/gaji-pns-naik-sedot-uang-negara

Kapolri: Kasus UPS dan Kebocoran Soal UN Tak Jalan di Tempat

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Bareskrim Polri saat ini tengah menggarap berbagai
kasus tindak pidana. Di antaranya kasus dugaan korupsi pengadaan uninterruptible
power supply (UPS) di sejumlah sekolah pada APBD Perubahan 2014 dan kasus
dugaan kebocoran soal Ujian Nasional tahun ajaran 2014-2015.
Namun hingga kini dua kasus yang sempat menyedot perhatian masyarakat itu
belum ada kelanjutannya. Polisi juga masih bungkam terkait perkembangan 2 kasus
tersebut.
Tetapi, Kapolri Jenderal Badrodin Haiti menyangkalnya. Menurut dia, proses hukum
atas kedua kasus itu tetap berjalan dilakukan penyidik Bareskrim Polri.
"Sebetulnya tidak jalan di tempat itu proses masih berjalan, tentu ini kan sedang
menyelesaikan seperti kasus UPS itu, menyelesaikan berkasnya yang menjadi
tersangka itu," kata Badrodin di Mabes Polri, Jakarta, Jumat (22/5/2015).
Ia pun memberi sinyal akan ada tersangka baru atas kasus UPS dan kebocoran UN
yang saat ini tengah digarap anak buahnya.

"Tapi kan juga nanti setelah itu ada langkah lanjut yang mungkin ada pihak-pihak
lain yang akan ditetapkan tersangka atau yang terlibat di situ tentu akan disidik
lebih lanjut. Jadi menurut saya tidak jalan di tempat," tegas Badrodin.
Untuk kasus kebocoran UN, hingga kini pihaknya masih berkoordinasi dengan
Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan terkait penanganan kasusnya.
"Itu nanti saya cek perkembangannya (kasus UN). Apakah itu nanti ditangani sendiri
oleh Diknas atau di serahkan ke kami," tukas Badrodin. (Mut)
http://news.liputan6.com/read/2237521/kapolri-kasus-ups-dan-kebocoran-soal-untak-jalan-di-tempat