Man: How come school fees keep going up?

Politician: Ah, that’s the trend a at the moment, right, everything’s going up… (name tag reads candidate)

Politician: …I also want to be on top again… (name tag reads candidate)

Politician: ...Promises?... No way! Now’s not when promises are kept! Get it!!

Badge: Vote for me

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Government opposition figures gathered at the Century Park Hotel in the Senayan area of Central Jakarta on Saturday July 5 to discuss the problems of the nation, which may possibly become an arena of lobbying by the political elite in the lead up to the 2009 general elections.

Men: Long live elections for regional heads!! Long live democracy!!

Man: …Now we’re free to join any party we want including… the Golput Party!!

Golput – Meaning to abstain from voting or not marking the ballot paper.

Ballot box: Promises, promises, promises, promises, promises

Jumadi, Makassar – The elections for mayor and deputy mayor in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar is heating up. An activist from the South Sulawesi Indonesian Poor People’s Union (SRMI), Wahidah Baharuddin Upa, has declared that she will nominate himself to enliven the Makassar municipal electoral contest.

Sugihono, Jakarta – Apparently with the firm intention of supporting an action opposing the recent fuel price increases at the State Palace in Central Jakarta, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Permadi was instead turned away by protesters.

Jakarta – The National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) has decided to be realistic. They have chosen to postpone their desire to take part in the 2009 legislative and presidential elections. They have taken this position because of pressures that have emerged since the political party was launched in Jakarta on July 22, 2006.

Indah Surya Wardhani – The West Java election of regional heads, which looks set to be won by Ahmad Heryawan and Dede Yusuf, indicates that the voting patterns of traditional voters had changed significantly.

Suwardiman – In the recent West Java election of regional heads, many respondents determined their choice just a week before voting. One out of five voters or around 20.4 percent only determined their choice on voting day itself and 22.2 percent only determined their choice 1-7 days beforehand.