Legalization of Medical Marijuana in Indonesia from the Human Rights Perspectives: Lessons Learned from Three ASEAN Countries

Marijuana (cannabis) as a therapeutic medication has been used and recognized as part of the health system in several countries. In contrast, marijuana in Indonesia is classified as a class I narcotic under Law Number 35 of 2009 on Narcotics, which is prohibited and cannot be used as medication. However, a detailed examination of the Narcotics Act reveals some loopholes and ambiguities that could be exploited to legalize marijuana as a medication to cure certain illnesses. The present study employs normative legal research, specifically a statutory approach, to justify using marijuana for medical purposes. In addition, a legal comparative method is also used in this study to analyze the use of medical marijuana in three ASEAN countries: Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Despite having a reputation for having highly stringent regulations on narcotics, Indonesia can benefit from the experiences of other ASEAN nations, such as Singapore and Malaysia, who have legalized medical marijuana. This consideration is prompted by the fact that certain individuals have shared positive outcomes from using ‘illegal’ medical marijuana as a form of health treatment. However, it is disheartening to note that these individuals have also had to witness the unfortunate loss of their loved ones and, in some cases, face legal consequences such as imprisonment. Conducting comprehensive research on the use of medicinal marijuana in Indonesia is crucial to upholding the citizens' right to health, as the right to health is a significant component of human rights

Corrosion threshold data of metallic materials in various operating environment of offshore wind turbine parts (tower, foundation, and nacelle/gearbox)

This paper outlines corrosion thresholds for different environmental conditions of metallic materials commonly used in the tower, foundation, and nacelle/gearbox of an offshore wind turbine. These threshold values were derived from laboratory corrosion testing employing electrochemical analysis techniques, using the media/solvents that are representative to the operating environment of those wind turbine parts, such as seawater, grease, oils/lubricants, or their combination, at room temperature and at 328K. These values can provide an indication when general/local corrosion or protective film/surface damages have occurred. They can thus be utilised for detecting and monitoring corrosion at certain locations in the wind turbine structure. The presented data have been verified and validated to ensure their repeatability and reliability by means of numerous laboratory tests in accordance to the relevant engineering test standards and an extensive literature/published data review

Local political consolidation in Bangladesh: power, informality and patronage

During the past decade Bangladesh has shifted from a competitively clientelistic two‐party system towards a dominant‐party democracy. This article analyses how the ruling party has consolidated partisan political control at the local level. Using qualitative field data from 2004 and 2016, and drawing on a post‐structural analysis of the state, it shows how this extension of power has been achieved locally through interaction between formal and informal political initiatives. Four main types of informal activity are documented, through which the extent of local political competition has been reduced: circumvention, capture, brokerage and the creation of new organizations. These insights into the changing nature of Bangladesh's long‐standing partisan politics highlight how the state's capacity to deliver local services, allocate resources and maintain stability has been enhanced through the ruling party's control of local government structures, its elimination of political opposition, and its reshaping of local patronage arrangements

The provenance of Borneo's enigmatic alluvial diamonds:A case study from Cempaka, SE Kalimantan

Gem-quality diamonds have been found in several alluvial deposits across central and southern Borneo. Borneo has been a known source of diamonds for centuries, but the location of their primary igneous source remains enigmatic. Many geological models have been proposed to explain their distribution, including: the diamonds were derived from a local diatreme; they were brought to the surface through ophiolite obduction or exhumation of UHP metamorphic rocks; they were transported long distances southward via major Asian river systems; or, they were transported from the Australian continent before Borneo was rifted from its northwestern margin in the Late Jurassic. To assess these models, we conducted a study of the provenance of heavy minerals from Kalimantan's Cempaka alluvial diamond deposit. This involved collecting U–Pb isotopic data, fission track and trace element geochemistry of zircon as well as major element geochemical data of spinels and morphological descriptions of zircon and diamond. The results indicate that the Cempaka diamonds were likely derived from at least two sources, one which was relatively local and/or involved little reworking, and the other more distal which records several periods of reworking. The distal diamond source is interpreted to be diamond-bearing pipes that intruded the basement of a block that: (1) rifted from northwest Australia (East Java or SW Borneo) and the diamonds were recycled into its sedimentary cover, or: (2) were emplaced elsewhere (e.g. NW Australia) and transported to a block (e.g. East Java or SW Borneo). Both of these scenarios require the diamonds to be transported with the block when it rifted from NW Australia in the Late Jurassic. The local source could be diamondiferous diatremes associated with eroded Miocene high-K alkaline intrusions north of the Barito Basin, which would indicate that the lithosphere beneath SW Borneo is thick (~ 150 km or greater). The ‘local’ diamonds could also be associated with ophiolitic rocks that are exposed in the nearby Meratus Mountains

Who shall be raja? Patronage democracy in North Sumatra, Indonesia

Het einde van de Koude Oorlog markeerde een periode van nieuwe democratisering. Autoritaire staten werden geforceerd om te decentraliseren. Decentralisatie wordt gezien als middel om de overheidsadministratie efficiënter en de leiders meer aansprakelijk te maken. Het moet bijdragen aan good governance en democratisering. In Indonesië werd het autoritaire regime, onder andere door het IMF en de Wereldbank, geforceerd om zo'n decentralisatie door te voeren. Deasy Simandjuntak vraagt zich af of decentralisatie de democratisering in Indonesië op significante wijze vergroot. In het geval van Indonesië is men volgens haar vergeten te kijken naar de functie van de lokale overheden. Deze overheden waren namelijk uitvoerende organen die slechts het door Jakarta opgelegde beleid konden uitdragen. Zij waren niet bedreven in het scheppen van eigen beleid. De lokale elite zag haar kans schoon en begon in de regio's te wedijveren om de macht. Simandjuntak toont dat deze lokale elite in Noord-Sumatra in twee casussen actief was: de directe verkiezingen van districtshoofden en de eis tot het scheppen van een nieuwe en aparte provincie. In de eerste casus streed de elite om de districtshoofdposities door gebruik te maken van etnisch religieuze identiteit en geldpolitiek om de stem van de kiezer te bemachtigen. Geldpolitiek speelde ook een factor in de relatie tot het verkrijgen van steun van politieke partijen. In de tweede casus mobiliseerde de lokale elite de eigen achterban om hun eis tot het verkrijgen van een eigen provincie Tapanuli kracht bij te zetten door te stellen dat het centrale gezag de belangen van de lokale bevolking niet had weten te behartigen. Simandjuntak stelt dat de relaties tussen de elite en hun volgelingen gedurende de decentralisatie hun aard van patrooncliënt-verhouding behouden, ondanks het feit dat Indonesië een electorale democratie kent. Deze situatie, waarin cliëntelisme zij aan zij bestaat naast democratie heeft volgens haar een patronagedemocratie tot stand gebracht in Indonesië

Congenital Hypothyroidism

We report a case of congenital hypothyroidism seen at the Division of Endocrinology, Medical School, University of North Sumatera/Dr. Pirngadi Hospital. A 13-month ols Batak girl presented witih signs and symptoms of congenital hypothyroidism. On physical examination, umbilical and inguinal hernias were present. Treatment with L -Thyroxme using initial dose 45/µg/day for one month was initiated and after two months the signs and symptoms disappeared. Laboratory finding showed normal T4, but T3 was slightly low. Radiological examination was done to evaluate the bone age. The treatment was continued using the follow-up dose of L-Thyroxine 45µg. Although the treatment has resulted in good outcome,  evaluations for the child's growth and development should be continued