Jakarta – President elect President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo appeared dashing and bold as he addressed the issue of investment in his Indonesia Vision speech in Sentul, West Java, on Sunday July 14. He said he would “stand by and defend” investors and claimed he will pursue and soundly thrash anyone who obstructs investment.

Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s first speech as president elect for the period 2019-2024 contained several words which were seen as tough. The potential for authoritarianism in the next administration was also apparent in his speech titled Indonesia Vision.

Jakarta – the chairperson of the National Movement to Safeguard the Fatwa (GNPF) Ulama, Yusuf Muhammad Martak, has declared that they are no longer aligned with supporters of Prabowo Subianto.

Surabaya – Two school girls from East Java, Aeshnina Azzahra alias Nina (12) and Zahira Zade (11), have sent hand-written protest letters to US President Donald Trump. The letters were sent through the US Consulate General in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya.

Surabaya – A group of people from the Brantas River Coalition to Stop Imported Plastic Trash (Bracsip) held a protest action not far from the US Consulate General in Citra Raya Niaga, Surabaya, on Friday July 12.

They were protesting imported plastic waste which is alleged to have been illegally smuggled into Indonesia from the US.

Jakarta – Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab’s name has again come into the public spotlight in the midst of a planned political reconciliation following the 2019 presidential elections.

Jakarta – House of Representatives Deputy (DPR) Speaker Fahri Hamzah has confirmed that the Indonesia New Direction Movement (Garbi) social organisation (ormas) will soon be transformed into a political party (parpol).

Jakarta – Defense Minister (Menhan) Ryamizard Ryacudu still reminisces about his friendship with the supreme leader of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab.

Jakarta – The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) says that the Aceh Regional House of Representatives (DPRA) does not need to issue a regional regulation (qanun) on polygamy. Despite the current discourse on polygamy in Aceh the matter is clearly regulated under Law Number 1/1974 on Marriage.

Jakarta – The Acehnese Regional House of Representatives (DPRA) is justifying a plan by the Aceh government to legalise polygamy on the grounds that it will save women and children who have fallen victim to nikah siri (common law marriage recognised by Islam).

Jakarta – Perempuan Mahardika (Free Women), a non-government organisation (NOG) working to protect women, is calling on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to give amnesty to Baiq Nuril after the Supreme Court rejected her appeal yesterday.

Jakarta – The Denny JA Indonesia Survey Circle (LSI) predicts that the presidential elections (pilpres) in 2024 will be enlivened by a contest between four different ideologies, namely reformasi, political Islam, the 1945 Constitution (UUD 1945) and human rights (HAM).

Glery Lazuardi, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition is calling on the government to postpone the ratification of the Draft Criminal Code (RKUHP) because it still contains articles on insulting religion and blasphemy which are open to multiple interpretations and are applied in a discriminative way.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) is urging the state to carry out a substantive internal reform of the National Police (Polri). This is because according to data gathered by the YLBHI and the Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) there were 115 cases of police negligence in handling problems with civilians.

Jakarta – Thousands of people “safeguarding” a challenge to the 2019 presidential election result at the Constructional Court by the loosing presidential ticket of Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno converged on Jl Medan Merdeka Barat in Central Jakarta on Thursday June 27.

Jakarta – The Save Jakarta Bay Coalition, which was established by activists, students and fisherpeople, held an action in front of the Jakarta City Hall on Monday June 24 opposing the issuance of building permits (IMB) for land on reclamation project islets in North Jakarta.

Jakarta – The Jakarta provincial government’s (Pemprov DKI) decision to issue 932 building permits (IMB) for land reclamation project islets in the Jakarta Bay is aimed at providing political certainty to developers to pursue their business activities.

Jakarta – The Indonesian police plan to conduct cyber patrols of WhatsApp groups. The patrols will be done by means of investigating information on hoaxes being spread through WhatsApp groups based on complaints from the public.

Jakarta – A number of parties have protested over statements quoted by the loosing Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno presidential ticket in a legal challenge against the presidential election (pilpres) result with the Constitutional Court (MK).

Jakarta – 212 Alumni Brotherhood (PA 212) spokesperson Novel Bamukmin insists that the participants taking part in a peaceful action to “safeguard” the first hearing of a challenge to the 2019 presidential election result at the Constitutional Court (MK) on Friday June 14 are not there as political party (parpol) servants or errand boys.