Year-Ender - INDONESIA INTENSIVELY HUNTS DOWN TERROR SUSPECTS IN 2012 by Fardah

   Jakarta, Dec 31, 2012 (ANTARA) - Although there were no reports of major terror attacks in Indonesia during 2012, the national police's special anti terror squad known as Densus 88 has intensively hunted down terror suspects in several parts of the country over the past one year.

    Indonesian Police Chief General Timur Pradopo said in a year-end statement in Jakarta on December 28, 2012, that Densus 88 handled a total of 14 terrorist cases with 78 suspects so far this year.

PANGOLINS REMAIN TO BECOME VICTIMS OF POACHING, ILLEGAL TRADING IN 2012 by Fardah

   Jakarta, Dec 31, 2012 (ANTARA) -  Pangolins, also known as scaly anteaters, are not cute animal that people would like to keep as pets, but they are in high demand because their meat and scales are prized mostly in China and Vietnam as food and medicine.

         In 2011 alone, around 41,000-60,000 pangolins are believed to have been removed from the wild for these purposes.

News Focus - INDONESIA URGED TO PROTECT NAPOLEON FISH by Fardah

  Jakarta, Dec 29, 2012 (ANTARA) - Marine life lovers adore Napoleon fish - also called Napoleon wrasse, humphead wrasse or humpback wrasse - for their comical look with a big hump on their forehead, oversize lips and friendliness.

         The Napoleon fish (Cheilinus undulatus) - an emperor of tropical coral reefs -  is one of the most spectacular sights in the ocean and can grow up to 2 meters weighing 190 kg. Despite their large size, they are a friendly fish and will often approach divers and swim along side them.

Year-ender - INDONESIA REMAINS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD By Fardah

     Jakarta, Dec 28, 2012 (ANTARA) - Indonesia, a staunch supporter of Palestine's struggle for independence, has continued to demonstrate its commitment to assisting Palestine's efforts to develop as a nation state by providing capacity-building programs for Palestinian people and mobilizing its political supports at various international forums.

         "The cause of our brothers and sisters in Palestine is the cause of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). It is also Indonesia's cause. We must, therefore, take concrete and vigorous steps to ensure that Palestine's bid for enhanced status in the United Nations succeeds this year. We must also see to it that the establishment of a Palestine state in 2013, as envisioned by Palestinian leaders, is realized," Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa said at the 16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, which was held in Tehran, Iran, in August this year.

News Focus - INDONESIA APPEALS YOUTHS TO HELP SAVE LIVES BY DONATING BLOOD by Fardah

     Jakarta, Dec 27, 2012 (ANTARA) - Blood donation is crucial for Indonesia particularly because the world's largest archipelagic country with more than 17,500 islands and around 245 million population, is prone to natural disasters such as earthquake, tsunami, volcano eruption, flood, and landslide.  
    The most devastating disaster happening in this modern era was  a powerful earthquake and a subsequent gigantic tsunami that struck Aceh Darussalam Province and Nias Island (North Sumatra Province) on December 26, 2004. The tsunami killed over 200,000 people and rendered around one million others homeless in Aceh and Nias.  

Year-ender - UPS AND DOWNS OF MALAYSIA-INDONESIA RELATIONS By Fardah

    Jakarta, Dec 26, 2012 (ANTARA) - Indonesia and its immediate neighbour, Malaysia, have maintained close relations, as reflected in increased political and economic cooperation between the two countries and regular meetings between their leaders.

    However, there have been some thorny issues between the two nations this year.

         Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited Kuala Lumpur on December 18 to attend the 9th Annual Bilateral Consultation with Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Najib Abdul Razak, where they reaffirmed their bilateral ties.

Year-ender - INDONESIA EXPERIENCES NO MAJOR NATURAL DISASTERS IN 2012 by Fardah

    Jakarta, Dec 25, 2012 (ANTARA) - Indonesia, a country which is prone to natural disasters - floods, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, droughts, tsunamis and forest fires -  has not experienced major disasters in 2012.

         A total of 730 natural disasters have hit Indonesia this year, but none of them have had devastating effects, said Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency's (BNPB) spokesman, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, on December 20, 2012.

Year-ender - SECURITY CONDITION IN PAPUA NEEDS EXTRA ATTENTION by Fardah

     Jakarta, Dec 24, 2012 (ANTARA) - Security officers and civilians in Papua and West Papua Provinces continue to be affected by violence despite the government's efforts to improve the security situation and the economic development.

        On December 20, 2012, seven fishermen were shot by unidentified armed members in the waters of Raja Ampat, West Papua. Four of them were killed and three were injured.

        Last week, a group of unidentified people torched an unguarded police post in the Jayawijaya district of Wamena, Papua.

HABIBIE RESPONDS INSULT BY MALAYSIA'S EX-MINISTER WITH SMILE by Fardah

      Jakarta, Dec 16, 2012 (ANTARA)  - Former Indonesian president BJ Habibie's recent visit to Malaysia as an official guest of the Selangor State Government to deliver a speech on democracy, has angered a former Malaysian information minister.

         Following the visit, the ex-minister, Zainuddin Maidin, wrote an editorial in the Utusan Malaysia daily where he called Habibie a "traitor to his nation" and compared him to top Malaysian opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim. He also called them both "dogs of imperialism".  

Year-Ender - INDONESIA WINS GLOBAL RECOGNITION FOR MDG IMPLEMENTATION by Fardah

    Jakarta, Dec 14 (ANTARA) - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon earlier this year requested Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to co-chair a High Level Panel of Eminent Persons to work on the post-2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

         "Today, I am pleased to announce that the following leaders have accepted my invitation to serve as co-chairs of this high-level panel: His Excellency President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia; Her Excellency President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia; and His Excellency Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom," Ban Ki-moon said in New York on May 9, 2012, during an informal meeting of the UN General Assembly.

HIV CASES IN INDONESIA RISING SHARPLY by Fardah

   Jakarta,  Dec 13, 2012 (ANTARA) - Within a period of five years, the cumulative number of reported HIV infections in Indonesia has risen sharply -from 7,195 in 2006 to 76,879 in 2011, according to a  National AIDS Commission (NAC) report.

         According to the 2009 national estimates of HIV infection, about 186,257 people were infected with HIV and 6.4 million people were at risk.

Roundup - INDONESIA MARKS INTERNATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION DAY by Fardah

   Jakarta, Dec 10, 2012 (ANTARA) - Joining other countries in marking the International Anti-Corruption Day which falls on December 9, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono led the Anti-Corruption Day 2012 celebrations at the State Palace here on Monday.

         The event was attended by, among others, First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, Chairman of the Presidential Working Unit for Supervision and Management of Development (UKP4) Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, National Police Chief General Timur Pradopo, a number of ministers, governors from the country's 33 provinces, and Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission Abraham Samad.

INDONESIA IS WORKING HARD TO STOP ILLEGAL FISHING by Fardah

    Jakarta, Dec 10, 2012 (ANTARA) - Indonesia is home to more than 17,500 islands and vast water bodies, which is why it is difficult to protect the country's waters from illegal fishing.

         Illegal fishing activities are carried out by foreign vessels, and they are rampant in Indonesia's waters. The country suffers material losses of around Rp30 trillion or approximately US$3.21 billion because of illegal fishing, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), a UN body.

ABOUT TIME TO INVEST IN "BLUE ECONOMY" by Fardah

   Jakarta, Dec 10, 2012 (ANTARA) - As the world's largest archipelagic nation with around 17,500 islands and 95,200 km coastline - the second longest after that of Canada - Indonesia has huge marine resources potentials.

         Last year, coastal and ocean economic sectors including capture fisheries, aquaculture, energy and mineral resources, marine tourism, sea transportation, and maritime industries and services contributed about 30 percent to Indonesia's GDP and employed more than 20 million people, according to former maritime affairs and fisheries minister Rokhmin Dahuri.

UNESCO'S RECOGNITION TO PROMOTE NOKEN by Fardah

    Jakarta, Dec 6, 2012 (ANTARA) - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has added Papua's traditional woven bag, Noken, to its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

         "The women of Papua are very happy today," said Titus Pekei, chairman of the Papua Ecology Institute, on Wednesday (December 5), following the report on the UNESCO's recognition of Noken as an intangible cultural heritage item.

CILIWUNG, PILOT PROJECT OF INDONESIA'S RIVER CLEAN-UP PROGRAM by Fardah

    Jakarta, Dec 5, 2012 (ANTARA) - Indonesia is a country with a number of rivers, and they have become an important part of the lives of Indonesians, particularly for those living in rural areas.

        However, in big cities, most of the rivers are polluted as many people live along the rivers' banks, and they throw solid and liquid waste into the rivers, ignoring the regulations that ban people from building houses along the rivers banks, and disposing waste into the rivers.

WITH AGEING POPULATION ON THE RISE, RI NEEDS SENIOR-FRIENDLY CITIES By Fardah

     Jakarta, Dec 4, 2012 (ANTARA) - With the world's fifth largest population of elderly people, numbering some 23 million, Indonesia needs to have senior-friendly cities.

     "None of Indonesia's cities are suitable enough for elderly people, whether it be in the form of transportation means, elevators or building facilities," Social Affairs Minister Salim Segaf Al Jufri said recently during a meeting on senior citizen issues.

       Since Indonesia does not have any senior-friendly cities, the minister called for the establishment of cities that are suitable for the elderly.

INDONESIA HAILS PALESTINIAN 'BIRTH CERTIFICATE' OF INDEPENDENCE By Fardah

    Jakarta, Dec 3, 2012 (ANTARA) - Out of the 193 United Nations member states, 138 countries responded positively after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged the UN General Assembly to issue its long overdue "birth certificate" for the Palestinian state at the UN Headquarters in New York on November 29.

        "Sixty-five years ago on this day, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 181, which partitioned the land of historic Palestine into two states and became the birth certificate for Israel. The General Assembly is called upon today to issue a birth certificate of the reality of the State of Palestine," Abbas told the Assembly, as quoted by Reuters.