President Yudhoyono: Save the MK

Kid: That’s all very well but when will we be saved Dad?

The only real surprise about Constitutional Court (MK) chief justice Akil Mochtar’s arrest on corruption charges is the political amnesia of those who have joined the chorus of condemnation against him: former MK chiefs who paved the way for graft in the court by curtailing the Judicial Commission’s oversight powers, lawmakers who extend Akil’s

The arrest of Constitutional Court (Mahkamah Konstitusi) chief justice Akil Mochtar on corruption charges has been described as a ‘national disgrace’ and highlighted the fact that corruption had infiltrated all levels of the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government.

Man: A comic farce! Meanwhile our legal system remains a tragedy!

Hidayat: Cheap cars! What’s wrong with the little people driving cars?

Kid: Ordinary people driving cars is a sign of prosperity right Dad?

Man: What’s wrong with the little people cycling... as long as they don’t eat dry left over rice and tempeh made from peanut residue anymore!

Man: It seems that money is more agung (grand, exalted, high, noble). Chair reads Hakim Agung (Supreme Court justice), step reads selection.

Kid: For the convention test: Tempeh made from peanut and soybean residue... they’re fond of that right Mr?

Man: Cheap cars? Relax... our roads are still free and easy

Ahmad Romadoni, Jakarta – The momentum of Car Free Day along the length of Jl. Sudirman-Thamrin in Central Jakarta on Sunday September 15 was used by scores of students to call for actions rejecting the planned virginity test for high-school students that have been making the rounds of late.

Man: They’re two terrorists Mr... the first kills millions of ordinary people slowly... the other kills in an instant...

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform (KMSRSK) is calling for reform to military justice to be accelerated.

Kid: It looks like the mad cow disease is spreading Dad?

Man: It’s not mad cow disease, they’re cow-crazy (to become crazy about making money from cows)!

Businessmen: Ah, absolutely delicious

Man: Duh, very bitter and hard

Anggi Kusumadewi, Erick Tanjung – Indonesia’s newly appointed military (TNI) chief, General Moeldoko, will deploy TNI forces to maintain state security and protect investments in Indonesia. This was conveyed by Moeldoko at a ceremony to hand over command at the TNI’s headquarters in Cilangkap in Jakarta on Wednesday September 4.

Palmerah – The number of farming households over the last 10 years has declined by 5.04 million. Over the same period, the number of agribusinesses has grown by 1,475 companies. Meaning a formalisation (formalisasi) has taken place. What is alarming however is that the number of marginal farmers is increasing.

Man: Authentic soya sauce yeah Mr? (bottle reads ‘The No 1 Authentic Soya Sauce’, badge reads ‘Presidential Candidate’)

Kid: But soybeans are scarce and expensive!

Fransisca Ria Susan, Jakarta – The kidnappings, forced disappearances and killing of more than 1 million Indonesians between 1965-1967 were not a tragedy, because they did not occur as part of a two-sided conflict.

Jakarta – The Indonesian government is being called on to ratify the International Convention on Enforced Disappearance of Persons.

Jakarta – The long fight to uncover and moreover reconcile the 1965-66 affair is slowly starting to show results. Still needed of course is hard work and a readiness on the part of several parties to uncover the truth and come to terms with the facts of the affair.

Jakarta – The Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) and several other labour associations have emphatically rejected the issuance of a presidential instruction (Inpres) on limiting wage rises in order to stimulate the economy and overcome a slump in the value of the rupiah.