Rusdi Kirana and Politics (Part II)
Politics can end up being a very gruelling battlefield. But many are willing to take the risk given the multitude of rewards they can bring home if they could play their cards well. A few business people enter into politics precisely for these reasons. They are get in for the promise of access, political protection, and many other privileges that comes with being close to power. But not all businessmen enter into politics for this reason. Some are in for altruistic purposes, to give back and serve the country. Which of these types of businessmen is Rusdi Kirana? What is he looking for in politics? Why join a muslim-based political party affiliated with the country’s largest Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)?
Rusdi Kirana and Politics (Part I)
The Chief Executive Officer of Lion Air, Rusdi Kirana, joined the National Awakening Party (PKB) last week. This is really interesting for a number of reasons. The timing is interesting given that we are only a few months away from April’s legislative election and July’s presidential election. But beyond that, we are more interested in the motives behind the fact that Rudi was immediately appointed as the party’s deputy chairman. But let’s begin by asking the background question: who is Rusdi Kirana exactly?
Bumi Resources Debt Restructuring
Bumi Resources (BUMI)’s extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of shareholders on December 20, 2013 failed to reach a quorum and was adjourned until today, January 10, 2014. As you know, Asia Resource Minerals Plc (previously Bumi Plc), owner of 29% shares in BUMI, decided not to participate in the EGM relating to the approval of certain transactions for the ongoing debt restructuring.
Restaurateur: Arief Wirawangsadita
In less than 10 years, Arief S Wirawangsadita managed to open more than 60 outlets of Bumbu Desa restaurants in Indonesia and provide jobs for more than 4,000 people. The restaurant, which mainly serves Sundanese cuisine, managed to grow beyond West Java. How many of them actually owned by Arief and franchise holders?
Sukanto Tanoto & Other Stories
Tycoon Sukanto Tanoto has been under substantial pressures from Indonesian authorities in the past few years related to the plantation business Asian Agri. These pressures, however, didn't prevent the tycoon from expanding his business, especially overseas, including...
Paracheilinus nursalim & Bali Turtle Island
Reefbuilders.com reported in April 2011 that Paracheilinus nursalim is one of the new species of flasher wrasses from New Guinea, considered completely unknown in the aquarium world. Turtle Island, meanwhile, is another name of Serangan Island in Bali, a small island...
Sons of Cabinet Members in HIPMI Leadership
There plenty of organizations in Indonesia. To us, some of them matter and some do not. But there are those who are in between, those whose importance we cannot yet conclusively determine. One of them is the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI).
Melinda Aksa’s wedding & The Private Jets
Tribun Timur, a newspaper published in Makassar, reported on Sunday that around 10,000 people, including most of cabinet members and Indonesia's richests attended the party. Four of them were identified of flew in with private jets. They were Putera Sampoerna, Tommy...
Dahlan Iskan: A Reality Check (2)
Dahlan Iskan rose to fame for his 'success' in transforming Jawa Pos into a media powerhouse with hundreds of local newspapers and TV stations. He is now at the center of a conflict with politicians in the House of Representatives (DPR) and forced president SBY to...
Dahlan Iskan: A Reality Check (1)
Dahlan Iskan’s popularity shot up when in October 19, 2011, he was sworn in by President SBY as minister of state-owned enterprises with his antiques: casual sport shoes. He also told media that actually he rejected President SBY’s offer to become a minister and...