Despite repeated pledges by the government that it will put an end to the massive forest fires sweeping across Riau, Kalimantan and Sumatra, which have been widely blamed on big and usually politically connected wood pulp and palm oil companies clearing land ahead of the planting season, the choking haze blanketing a large swathe of South-East A

Disgraced tax official Gayus Tambunan, serving a 30-year sentence for bribery, money-laundering and passport forgery, made waves yet again this week when a photo circulated online purporting to show him dining at a restaurant with two unidentified women in Jakarta.

Kid: Dad can I have more travel allowance money?

Man: Why don’t you just ask Mr Donald Trump...

Environmental activists say that in order to avoid legal liability for the massive forest fires sweeping across Riau, Sumatra and Kalimantan, big palm oil and wood pulp companies pay local people to start fires that conveniently spread onto their concession areas providing a cheap way to clear land ahead of the planting season.

Government official: For the sake of a prosperous future!

Man: And me right now Mr? (Paper reads help, sympathetic care)

While regional elections slated for December 9 will be a watershed for Indonesia – with elections being held simultaneously in 269 regions throughout the country – little else has changed with candidates trotting out the same tired old promises which people know from experience won’t be kept once they’re elected.

Kid: Your looking for commissioners who are like angels right Madam? (hat reads ‘Suspects continue to increase’)

Women: Ah no, what’s important is they’re not sensitive about being made into gekos...

Kid: So many trillions of rupiah to construct a building... for the sake of the people or for the sake of... projects Mr?

Man: For the sake of the people fool! I’m also the people.

Kid: We are independent aren’t we Dad?

T-shirt reads ‘70th Anniversary of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia’, a national holiday falling on August 17 which is widely celebrated with community games for children such as sack races.

Man on cow: Independence! Truck reads ‘Imports’

Kid: Is our democratic sovereignty is in the hands of the people... the politicians or money Dad? (badge reads ‘independent candidate’)

Politician: 2016 self-sufficiency in rice!

Farmer: So where’s the water?

Kid: This is a generic drug isn’t it Dad? (bottle reads PIL KADA, regional election)

Man: Generic, patented whatever! What’s important is we’re healthy, prosperous and free of the virus of politics and greed! (Headlines read: Political bride price, puppet candidates, incumbent)

Man: As state official... Do I lack honesty? Lack loyalty? Lack integrity? Come on, what else?

Woman: Lack a conscience?

Politicians: Defamation

Kid: Dad, will they become servants of the people, servants of power or... political party officials? (chair reads ‘Dynasty’)

After failing to obtain state funding for the down payment on their private cars, members of the House of Representatives are pushing the government to include 20 billion rupiah (US$1.5 million) in ‘aspiration funds’ in next year’s state budget – essentially a pork-barrel fund that will be distributed among all 560 representatives and used for a

With graft suspects already taking advantage of a new legal loophole allowing them to use pretrial motions (praperadilan) to quash corruption charges before they are even indicted in court, Indonesia’s notoriously corrupt lawmakers have announced plans to revise the 2002 law on the Corruption Eradication Commission (Revisi UU KPK) aimed at limit

Chest reads ‘state budget’, folder reads ‘projects’

Kid: You should set an example Mr! (document reads Law 25/2014 on State Officials Wealth Reports)

Man (speaking in Dutch): No need, I’ve always been rich haven’t I!