Treespotter: Anonymity and World Domination...

It is interesting to see interviews with anonymous people, particularly bloggers, become newsworthy. The Treespotter is certainly an anonymous blogger that is worthy of an interview of this kind.

I ummmed and ahhhhed about posting this only cause I did not want to seem like I was piggy backing on his fame. Yet, I like the man's work and I enjoy reading his views as he works on his plan of world domination.

Perhaps the "Puff Doggy" avatar by Daniel Peacock has more to do with the laid back plan of world domination than it does with anything else. According to the interview, but I knew this already, the "treespotting" moniker has to do with using trees as land marks or simply just as markers. The idea that a distinctive tree can guide you from place to place as you meander your way through this existence is an excellent one. As human beings we use markers all the time to measure and evaluate our progress.

It is also an apt choice because the Treespotter himself is a marker of sorts to many people. There are at least 13,000 Twitterers who use him as a marker for all things commentary on social, political, economic, technology and media issues.

So, it goes without saying that I subscribe to his blog and Twitter feeds. There is nothing quite like watching the to and fro on Twitter and other places once the Treespotter gets into the game.

The man has an innate ability to pose the real tricky questions, you know, the ones that everyone is thinking about but unsure of where or how to ask it. The man has no obvious fear of putting it out there. Yet, that is what probably attracts people, or "followers", to him. It is the idea that there is someone out there trying to "keep the bastards honest".

I once read a book, although I cannot remember the name of it, but the storyline is one where the world is run by this man who many people know, but nobody knows. To all intents and purposes a regular man with absolute power. I often remember that story line when I think of the Treespotter. I think I would be happy to live in a "treespotting" world.

Arrested Development?

All of the strides that Indonesia had made towards preventing and, ultimately, seeking to eliminate corruption are rapidly being undone. The arrest of Chandra Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto is proof of the rapid demise of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the rise of the police and the Office of the Attorney General as the lead corruption fighters.

This does not bode well for future corruption eradication efforts as both the police and the office of the attorney general are tainted with numerous corruption scandals and abuse of power. The arrest of Chandra and Bibit is just another one in a long line of scandals.

The fact that the president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono or SBY, gave a press conference indicating that he would not be interfering in the process. Strange because he has already imposed himself on the process when he issued an interim law to appoint three new, albeit temporary, commissioners to the KPK. So, to say he would not interfere seems a little strange.

Nevertheless, the president is probably still smarting from the slap down that the Constitutional Court handed him when it held that the interim law and that any dismissal of Chandra and Bibit did not fit within the confines of the constitution until such time as a court case had been concluded.

The president is also smarting because a transcript of an alleged wiretap highlighting that the police and the office of the attorney general conspired to frame Chandra and Bibit has surfaced. Why is he smarting? Maybe because his name came up as being aware of the frame.

Although the president has said he will not interfere in the process, he has nevertheless instructed the Chief of Police to take all necessary steps to uncover the wiretapper and bring them to justice. Sounds a little like closing the barn door once the horse has bolted. But, Mr. President, it is time to clean this mess up, isn't it?

What is truly bizarre about this case is that Chandra and Bibit have been officially arrested for abusing their statutory powers to issue and revoke travel bans on suspected corruptors. It is not rocket science to work out that this is an administrative law issue. It is not rocket science to work out that the criminalization of administrative powers and authorities is a slippery slope that the police, of all institutions, do not want to find themselves on.

Once this case unfolds and Chandra and Bibit are found to not have abused their statutory power, perhaps they can then launch criminal actions against the police for their obvious abuse of power, particularly now that the president, the attorney general, and the police have sort to allow the criminalization of administrative power.

Perhaps the people of Sidoarjo need to launch some criminal action against the president for his administrative failures over the mud extrusion, which has seen the victims not receive their due compensation despite the president in effect setting out how that compensation was to be calculated and awarded.

On the funny side, in that perversely funny kind of a way, the police have thrown a huge number of resources at trying to create a case that both Chandra and Bibit took bribes. They have obviously failed to make the grade on this one, as the arrest warrant was for an alleged abuse of power. After all this time if the police cannot make the case that they promised to make, then it is unlikely that they are going to succeed in the future.

It is time that the police ante-up with something that is sufficient to sustain the case they allege that they have against Chandra and Bibit. If they cannot ante-up then someone has to make the call to end this charade. It obviously will not be the Chief of Police, and it will not be the president, perhaps the courts can?

What is truly funny though is that the police have justified the arrest on the grounds that Chandra and Bibit, along with their legal representatives, have been holding press conferences as a means of influencing public opinion against the police and the investigation. It is said that these press conferences are negatively impacting on the investigation.

Ah, probably not. The press conferences might be shedding some light on how poorly the police have performed in this case. It might also be a case of the press conferences are bringing to light that Indonesia is regressing back into the old ways of the New Order of Soeharto.

It is time for the police and the office of the attorney general to call it quits and let this one go. Then the heads must roll. First head off the rank must be Susno Duaji, then followed shortly after by the Chief of Police, Bambang Danuri.

Ultimately, these shenanigans are going to be a "legacy crusher" for SBY. He will be remembered as the president that talked a good game on anti-corruption but could never deliver the goods. In fact, he will be remembered for presiding over the demise of one of the few success stories in the fight against corruption in Indonesia.

Viva Chandra!

Viva Bibit!

Viva KPK!

Viva Indonesia!

Manohara Odelia Pinot -- Part XVI -- The Jakarta Bombings

Some have called my fascination with this case an obsession. I would rather call it just a fascination, the fascination about the making of a celebrity, especially where there are interesting legal issues and points of law arising from what are allegedly a tragic set of circumstances relating to domestic violence.

It seems that Manohara's handlers, and presumably chief among these is her mother, will go to any lengths to ensure that the girl does not miss out on a media and photo opportunity. Most of these appearances seem to be geared to exploiting any nationalist sentiment that Indonesians have with respect to being anti-Malaysian. The carefully managed media opportunities are also designed to take the focus off of Daisy Fajarina and her own serious legal problems including the one where she is allegedly on the run from France for the abuse of a domestic servant. Brett over at Spruiked has his own take on the media coveting matter here.

Mano, as she is known to her friends, decided that Monday was a good day to get over to the MMC hospital in South Jakarta and visit some of the victims of the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotel bombings. Mano did not only make these visits by herself, but she went along with her mother and 50 members of her entourage all clad in red and white camouflage gear. Red and white just happens to be the colours of the Indonesian flag. I am all for a little patriotism and being proud in one's country, but is this really the moment for this expression?

The fact that the prime suspect for planning and coordinating the most recent bombings is Malaysian is not enough reason for this kind of circus to occur, particularly when it seems that the trigger men, or suicide bombers if you prefer, are most likely to be Indonesian. In any event, if Mano was really concerned about the health and welfare of the victims she would not have made them participants in the Mano horse and pony show. This hospital appearance was all about self-promotion and promoting the new soap opera she is to star in, Manohara.

The hospital visit followed a visit to the site of the actual bombings and her signing of the memorial canvas.

It is times like these that people look for sincerity in the actions of their celebrities. Unfortunately, Mano's actions here seem to be self-serving and exploiting the grief of others in order to keep her own name in the press (and by posting this blog entry perhaps I am complicit in this vicious cycle). As serious and severe as the alleged physical and sexual assaults were against Manohara, a double bombing is certainly going to bump you from the front couple of pages of the tabloids and out of the main story slot on all the gossip shows.

Cynical, maybe! But, based on what is available it is a reasonable thing to be.

The case will soon return to the substantive issues that first brought Mano to the attention of the masses. The prince has announced that he is pursuing a defamation action against Manohara and her mother for the lies they have spread about him. The prince went on to say that he is also seeking to terminate the marriage and is hopeful of a divorce in the near future.

Some people will do anything to be famous, and once they are famous they seem willing to do whatever it takes to remain so.

The Bali Bombers -- Letters to the Masses

The government has set itself on a course of motion that is going to culminate with the execution of Amrozi, Samudra, and Mukhlas (photo from Reuters).

These three self-proclaimed warriors of Islam and martyrs in waiting will probably exercise their right to seek clemency from the President in order to delay a little longer their fate.

There will be no clemency from the president, for to do so would be political suicide. I am of the belief that there are more Indonesians who want to live in peace and free from this scourge of the threat of rolling terror.

The government has be ratcheting up security in the lead up to the executions as a consequence of the perceived increased likelihood of some kind of protest or attack in response to the executions, revenge if you will.

However, the government then goes and shoots itself in the foot by allowing these three mass murderers to write open letters to the world and espouse their philosophy of hate and intolerance, madness!

This cannot be explained away as giving these cowards their last wishes. They did not afford any opportunities to their victims to say goodbyes to loved ones or write open letters to the world. If we are talking about justice, then these killers must be afforded every legal opportunity to argue their respective cases and then once those legal avenues are exhausted then they are to be punished according to their sentences.

These rights to exhaust legal avenues must not include incitements to violence.

All three proclaimed that the West and the infidels were doomed to defeat and hell.

Samudra had the most to say including these pieces of twisted wisdom:

"You, the little people, will be easy to 'smack down' by the mujahideen."

"You will be defeated in this world and will be taken to hell."

"Who doesn't know that the toothless giant, the US infidel and their allies, are now dying.

"You think, if you execute the three of us, you can walk freely, there's no way."

"Remember: there's not one free Muslim blood drop!"

The time is near for this to end. I hope that the execution of these three killers brings some peace and closure to the families who have lost loved ones to the cowardice of these men (I hesitate to call them men).

I wonder whether they will be as brave when the time comes and they face their executioners?

Miley Cyrus -- Bare Naked Truth

Courting controversy is one way of making sure your name stays on the front pages of newspapers and magazines, on talk radio, and a topic of conversation in the homes and offices of the world. It seems that Miley Cyrus knows this and is unashamedly exploiting this fact.

Latest reports have Miley being really excited by the prospect of being cast in the lead role of Undiscovered Gyrl. The movie is to be based on the book of the same name by Allison Burnett. The story is one of a 15-year-old girl who spins out of control into a life of partying and promiscuity. The film would undoubtedly call for nude scenes and apparently the wholesome good ol' American girl is keen to be doing whatever it takes to make it real.

Full nudity is sure to be way more controversial that the topless albeit sheet covering debut on Vanity Fair magazine. This is going to challenge the parents of all her pre-pubescent and pubescent fans to the max.

Aside from the parents of her fans having a few problems about the message this might send, I wonder about how one classifies this film if Miley Cyrus does get the part and does the nude scenes. Wouldn't the film be like child pornography even if good ol' country boy and father Billy Ray Cyrus approves? My feeling would be that if the nude scenes are critical to the film or story that an adult who looks like a 15-year-old will be cast.

Interesting stuff this pursuit by Miley Cyrus to be more adult like than her 15 years requires.

The Right to Protest

Some would have us believe that there is no right to protest when that protest negatively impacts on others or the economy and sites an example of 25 farmers holding up traffic, preventing people from getting to the office on time, preventing deliveries, and a hole range of other negative impacts. The author of this editorial piece then goes on to say that all people have a right to protest but protests must be democratic and be made through democratic channels like the courts and the media, which is equated to using your right properly.

I would agree that it is difficult to calculate the economic costs of protesting and particularly the protests that have racked Indonesia since the fall of the dictatorial regime of the former President Soeharto. But rather than blame the protesters it might be prudent to look at why after ten years of "reformasi" protesting and street demonstrations are still the method of choice to voice one's grievances. The courts have not been providing equal justice and news media is often guilty of pandering to interest groups and businesses.

If protesters believed that they would get either a fair hearing in court or equal play in the media then perhaps the demonstrations that so pointedly grate on the author of the editorial piece then he might have a valid point, but the less fortunate and poor do not have the same opportunities and access and to suggest that in Indonesia's democracy they do is profoundly misrepresenting the truth of practice.

But this debate is more along the lines of the community against the individual. Simply, what is of the greater immediate good of the community outweighs the needs and rights of the individual. I was surprised that the piece did not degenerate into an Eastern values system being undermined by the misguided democratic ideals of the West.

The author goes on to state that in most other more developed countries the courts and media are the proper channels for airing grievances. This is to suggest that more democratically developed nations than Indonesia do not have any protests or street demonstrations and this too is simply not the case.

In most cases in Indonesia protesters and demonstrators must obtain a permit from the police to hold a demonstration that will impede a public thoroughfare, and most do! Holding a demonstration or a protest is hardly taking the law into your own hands. yet, to suggest that the most appropriate means to air your grievances is by writing and publishing your point of view in the mass media seems to suggest that the mass media dictates public policy.

So, hypothetically the 25 farmers need not have protested but rather written to a publication such as Suara Pembaruan or Globe Asia and the government would have then taken note of the farmer's grievances and altered public policy on agrarian reform. This is not a criticism of the articles or news printed in either of these publications but rather a question as to whether the publishing of a grievance in a newspaper or business oriented magazine will garner the attention of the government and inspire them into action to rectify the farmer's grievances.

To take this argument to its logical extension. A group of laborers unhappy with their mass retrenchment decide to exercise their right to voice their grievance. They enter into bipartite and tripartite negotiations, but to no avail. They take their grievance to Court get satisfaction but the Company threatens to tie the case up in litigation and does so. They appeal to a higher Court and get satisfaction but the Company still refuses to abide by the earlier decision just affirmed. Ultimately, they have not received satisfaction or more aptly in this case justice. So, they write a letter to a newspaper and have their grievance recorded in the pages of that newspaper.

The question is; will this inspire the Company to do the right thing? It does not. Now what? The courts and the media have failed them in this perfect little democratic model. They protest, they demonstrate, and they make it know to all through the inconvenience of a traffic jam and delayed deliveries that democracy is not working for them.

These labourers are not taking the law into their own hands but rather they are fighting for an equal future, their rights to participate in a democracy, and their right to be heard. Sorry, for the inconvenience but it is a right worth fighting for!

Oh, to live in such a perfect democratic world.

Readers (if I have any)...Feel free to comment on this one and to criticize (constructively of course) if I am missing the point of the editorial piece (I will try and scan it and upload it in my Blog within the bounds of copyright of course) or my musing a just too left of mainstream. I guess having just watched the 'Bastard Boys' on Australia Network, I am missing my union and labor roots!

The editorial to which I refer is in the January 2008 edition of Globe Asia and is entitled "Outlook" (page 12). Unfortunately, buying the magazine which I did does not get you access to the online version so I cannot link the article for your viewing pleasure.