Rizal Mallaranggeng is ridiculous

Actually this accident happened (maybe) 2 weeks ago. But I just remember because the name of this guy, Rizal Mallaranggeng (RM) is stated again in my lately job in my office (about climate change) and he makes another ridiculous one (I will talk this one later on). In this moment I want to share my angry when he was hosting a talk show Save Our Nation (the link is not updated, so we can't find the topic that I am talking). The topic is about the terrible traffic jam in Jakarta lately.

And which one is ridiculous is when he asked to DKI's government (represented by PR, what the name is I don't remember).

RM: How much DKI's regional income?
DKI: IDR 20 trillion
RM: How much the price of one busway?
DKI: around IDR 300 million
RM: Why DKI's government doesn't want to spend -let's say- 10-20 percent of regional income in order to buy 100 units busway? I think it's simple way to solve this problem.

(it is not the transcript, but the substance of discussion more or less is like that)

The last statement is very ridiculous. I can't understand this terrible recommendation comes out from him, a phd in political economy (I am not sure for his major) from a famous university in USA. Sure that every problem should be eliminated, but he doesn't need to give a stupid recommendation like that. As a host it's better he just led discussion because there were 2 or 3 experts, so let's the experts did. Metro TV, you're part of this comedy.

JK Slipped

Vice President, Jusuf Kalla gave a surprise, stupid surprise I think. He stated that welfare and democracy are in order. Welfare is the main and democracy is the next. Welfare is important, democracy is not. Well, this is statement that is being waited by political commentators, analysts and his opponents. How poor you are.

I know that this word is objected to how Golkar Party to choose their candidate for president where the preceding way was convention, a democracy model adopted from USA. He wants to avoid convention, so he has to argue that this procedure is bad. But he need much more thinking before publish his argument.

Anwar Nasution

I am not clearly familiar with him. But this guy has something controversial that makes me want to comment about him. Yesterday I was thinking that he was one of buccaneers or marauders or brigands or whatever (I am saying 'penyamun') in Bank Indonesia (BI). This prejudice became from his owned statement that BI is nest of those kinds before he entered BI, then afterward there had been nothing breakthrough when he was being inside. The news in Kompas last Saturday makes him more controversial. Again, when he was one of governor board, he was keeping silent. This word was rarely until he left BI

What he had told is:

BI is needed to be improved. If the central bank is just something like that (negative tone), who will believe in Indonesia? The accountancy of BI is getting better. Don't use public money recklessly like BI used to be. That 'playing' time is over.

Introducing: Lesehan taman Suropati

Let me introduce:

Lesehan Taman Suropati

A place where we are able to express our thought independently and freely. Whoever you are, welcome!

Disaster of our RPJMN 2004-2009

I led a discussion as moderator in the last Friday about a linkage between budget and planning system. And I got a surprise about one of conclusions. There is no connection on both policies. Planning (represented by RKP - Government Annual Work Plan) is going to everywhere, and Budget (represented by APBN - Government Annual Budget) is not going to anywhere. Both have never met and could have never matched. So where is welfare going to go?

What is the culprit?

Another conclusion stated that the root of the mistakes on budget and planning is on RPJMN - Mid Term National Development Plan 2004-2009. This policy document doesn't have any real visions or targets. The targets are very qualitative, or frankly, are flying to the sky.

Then, who is the culprit? Who was leading Bappenas when the document was being composed and approved?

Good Insight about Oil Policy

That oil price reaches up to US$ 100 per barrel was already predicted by Hanan Nugroho in October 2005. He is my senior colleague at Bappenas and, in my opinion, he is one of the brightest experts in energy field in Indonesia.

Here are what he had thought about oil policy:

1. Energy Conservation Policy
2. Review about the Problem of Oil Subsidy Policy
3. Policy Alternatives for Oil Subsidy Policy

Those papers are strongly applicative what and how government should do and covering the real problems. And I am very sad, because those brilliant papers are just paper, no effect in government policy.

Is this Indonesia (where brilliant view is marginalized)? Come on, let the expert does the right thing (but I am not Fauzi Bowo proponent).