Yesterday's politics: Rachmat Gobel passes away, Prabowo inaugurates dams
Jakarta - Various political events yesterday (10/7) came into the spotlight, ranging from Rachmat Gobel being buried at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery (TMP) instead of Gorontalo, to the investment value of five dams inaugurated by Prabowo reaching Rp9.79 trillion.
Secretary General of the NasDem Party, Hermawi Taslim, stated that the body of the Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) for the 2019-2024 period, Rachmat Gobel, would be buried at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in Jakarta, and would not be interred in Gorontalo. ‘After Friday prayers, he will be buried at Kalibata,’ said Hermawi when confirmed in Jakarta on Friday. He said the body would be buried after lying in repose at the funeral home in the Tebet area, South Jakarta. According to Hermawi, news of the deceased’s passing was very sudden, as he had still been participating in a NasDem Faction discussion at the DPR RI on Thursday (9/7).
President Prabowo Subianto has asked all elements of the state apparatus, from bureaucrats, military officials, and police, to the prosecution service, to introspect in carrying out their duties and responsibilities to the people. ‘I ask us to introspect, especially the bureaucrats. There are many bureaucrats here that I see. Bureaucrats introspect, we all introspect. Military and police officials introspect,’ said Prabowo at the inauguration of five dams centred at the Meninting Dam, West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, on Friday. In his directive, the President reminded state apparatus that they are public servants, and therefore all facilities and positions attached to them come from the people.
Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Legislation Body (Baleg), Martin Manurung, said the existence of the One Data Indonesia (SDI) initiative could save the state budget by up to hundreds of trillions of rupiah. According to him, budget savings can be achieved because the One Data Indonesia system, whose draft law is currently being formulated in the Legislation Body, has the potential to increase the efficiency of national data management. ‘How many hundreds of trillions will our country save if we complete this SDI. So, in my opinion, the time is now,’ said Martin as per a statement received in Jakarta on Friday.
Indonesia’s 5th President, Megawati Soekarnoputri, proposed strengthening relations between Indonesia and Timor-Leste through cooperation involving the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP). Megawati conveyed this during a bilateral meeting with Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao in Palm Springs, Dili, on Friday. In a written statement received in Jakarta, Megawati outlined three concrete cooperation frameworks she proposed to strengthen the foundation of relations between the two countries going forward.
The investment value for the construction of five dams inaugurated simultaneously by President Prabowo Subianto reached Rp9.79 trillion. ‘The five dams we inaugurate today represent a state investment of around Rp9.79 trillion,’ said Prabowo at the inauguration centred at the Meninting Dam, West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, on Friday, as broadcast live on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel. The President also expressed gratitude for the infrastructure development, which required considerable time, cost, and resources.