Fika Nurul Ulya, Dani Prabowo, Jakarta – University of Indonesia (UI) Political Studies Centre (Puskapol) Director Hurriyah believes there is a hidden agenda by the political elite who are proposing changing the election of regional heads (Pilkada) from a direct to indirect system.

The reason, according to Hurriyah, is that there is no connection between corrupt behaviour and high political costs and the regional election system. These two reasons are often used by the political elite as an excuse to propose changing the electoral system from direct to indirect elections.

Jakarta – Scores of protesters from the Populist National Association of Student Executive Councils (BEM SI Kerakyatan) held a demonstration in the Horse Statue area of Central Jakarta on Thursday afternoon, December 26, to oppose the planned increase in value added tax (VAT) to 12 percent.

According to CNN Indonesia's observations at the location, the demonstrators brought various campaign materials ranging from banners to poster rejecting the VAT increase. During the action, they also performed a theatrical action depicting how the VAT increase will burden the ordinary people.

Makassar – Students from the Makassar State University (UNM) held a protest action rejecting the Prabowo Subianto administration's plan to increase the value added tax (VAT) rate to 12 percent by blocking the road in front of the university campus.

The students also set fire to used tyres and detained a container truck which was used as platform to hold a free speech forum. As a result, there was a long traffic jam on Jalan AP Pettarani in Makassar, the provincial capital of South Sulawesi (Sulsel).

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has stated that the shooting of two civilians by para-military police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officers in Dekai, Yahukimo regency, last August, was a human rights violation.

This conclusion was reached after Komnas HAM investigated the incident after it received public complaints. "The rights that were violated were the right to life and the right to justice", said Komnas HAM Chairperson Atnike Nova Sigiro in a written statement on Tuesday December 24.