Two thousand protesters from 160 civil society organisations that make up the People’s Sovereignty Movement (GRB) demonstrated at the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta on Wednesday October 14 in protest against the political elite’s about face and efforts to return to the New Order era of former president Suharto.

Sherr Rinn – Around two hundred workers from the Solidarity Alliance for Labour Struggle (GSPB) held an action opposing the recently enacted law on regional elections (UU Pilkada) at the offices of the Bekasi regent’s office in the Jakarta satellite city of Bekasi on Tuesday October 14.

A month after Indonesia ratified the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution – supposedly a turning point in ending the annual haze problems that create havoc in Indonesia and neighboring Singapore and Malaysia – massive forest fires are again generating thick haze in Riau and other parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Muhammad Muhyiddin, Jakarta – University of Indonesia political communications expert Ade Armando says that Prabowo Subianto’s Islamic supporters are furious over Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s visit to Indonesia.

Document: Revenge and Political Intrigue Law

Kid: Dad, I’m really confused... what’s important is we can still eat stir fried enceng gondok and tempe bongkrek (cheap sources of food for the poor)

Jakarta – The Draft Law on Regional Elections (RUU Pilkada), which abolishes the direct election of regional heads and was successfully enacted into law (UU Pilkada) by the parties backing Prabowo Subianto’s Red and White Coalition (KMP) is a threat to democracy.

Kartika Virgianti, Jakarta – One hundred and thirty-two civil society and non-government organisations (NGOs) have expressed their concern over Indonesian democracy which will soon return to the era of the New Order dictatorship.

Package, package, package... Bag reads paket sembako (basic goods package)

Kid: This is a republic of the people, by the people, for...

Anang Zakaria, Yogyakarta – Ten non-government organisations (NGOs) and student groups in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta are demanding the annulment of the recently enacted law on regional elections (UU Pilkada) that abolished the direct election of regional heads.