Jakarta – The Star Reform Party (PBR) is positioning itself as a religious party that is ‘socialistic’, by not accentuating religious symbols, but rather with a substance that sides with marginal groups. Such a position has not yet been taken up by any other Islamic parties.

Laurencius Simanjuntak, Jakarta – Protest actions continue to enliven the main roads of Jakarta. Today, Thursday January 29, four demonstrations will contribute to the hustle and bustle of the capital.

1st Man: A [winning] candidate is based upon a majority vote.

2nd Man: Ah yes, but votes can be bought.

1st Man: Then why do people prefer for women candidates. 

1st Man: There hasn’t been any corrupt women legislators yet, clean...

Happy Chinese New Year

Sign: Visit Jakarta the Water Front City

For many communities in North Jakarta this year, Chinese New Year celebrations were marred by widespread flooding.

Indra Subagja, Jakarta – The United Nations will continue to monitor the case involving the murder of human rights activist Munir. UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Margaret Sekaggya has also conveyed her feelings of concern about the acquittal of Munir murder defendant Muchdi Purwoprandjono.

Indra Subagja, Jakarta – The public prosecutor handing the case of murdered human rights activists Munir has submitted a judicial review to the Supreme Court via the South Jakarta District Court. The Solidarity Committee for Munir (Kasum) hopes that the Supreme Court will allow the hearings to be open to the public.

Reza Yunanto, Jakarta – A number of points in Jakarta will me coloured by protest actions today. For those of you passing through these areas, you should be mindful of the possibility of traffic jams.

Writing above House of Representatives: Absent! They’ve got permission... Also absent... They’ve got permission too... Also got permission. Unclear!

Man: Wander when they’ll be promoted to the next grade?

Jakarta – According to Transparency International Indonesia (TII), the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) has become one of the institutions that most frequently accept bribes. Most of this alleged bribery is related to management of halal (kosher, permitted under Islam) certificates.

Didi Syafirdi, Jakarta – Scores of students held a demonstration in the Megaria area of Central Jakarta on January 20 opposing the 2009 general elections. During the action the students even set fire to political party flags.

Nurseffi Dwi Wahyuni, Jakarta – As many as 500,000 casual, contract and permanent workers will loose their jobs if no orders come in to ensure industrial activity continues.

Man: ...I’m not worried about disasters or if the price of kerosene will going down, Madame... But what about my fortunes, in the elections?

Chazizah Gusnita, Jakarta – Thirty-four years after the Malari affair – short for The January 15 Disaster – a student actions opposing foreign capital, particularly Japanese capital on January 15, 2974, demands for the foreign debt to be written off are now being articulated again.

Man: It sank over there, why are you looking here?

Man with torch: Divine wisdom...

Sleman – The demarcation between political parties labeled as Islamic and non-Islamic parties is becoming increasingly vague. This indicates that political identity is no longer an issue in the future national life of the country.

Jakarta – In administrative terms, the potential for white movement or golput – people who don’t use their right to vote – remains high in the 2009 legislative and presidential elections. Based on the results of an Indo Barometer survey, only 67.2 percent of people think that are enrolled to vote.

Palembang – The impact of the global crisis continues to claim victims around the country as more workers are laid off. In South Sumatra for example, between mid 2008 and early 2009 as many as 2,000 workers have been sent home (temporarily laid off) or dismissed.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – “The courts are simply an extension of the perpetrators of human rights violations”. Thus spoke the late human rights activist Munir during a speech at a demonstration at the Supreme Court in 2004. Likewise is the human rights situation at the start of 2009, including the investigation into his murder.

Ari Saputra, Jakarta – Feeling boxed into a corner by many circles, former National Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy chief retired Major General Muchdi Purwopranjono ‘has poured out his heart out’ to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM).

Banda Aceh – Intimidation through setting fire to political party offices, banners, billboards and campaign advertising and threats against legislative candidates has tainted the administration of the 2009 elections in Indonesia’s northern-most province of Aceh.