Block reads: Election regulation?

T-shirts reads: Vox Popoli, Vox Dei, Absentee voter.

With only a month to go before Indonesia holds simultaneous presidential and legislative elections, tens of thousands of people may not be able to vote.

Christoforus Ristianto, Jakarta – The coordinator and also a victim of the 1989 Talangsari massacre, Edi Hasadad, is asking the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) to ignore a recent peace declaration as a means to resolve the case.

Mulia Ramdhan Fauzani – The word golput or white group – to abstain from voting – has been heard more frequently in concert with the approach of the 2019 legislative and presidential elections. The general narrative that is most often heard is that golput is that it is irresponsible.

Heru, Dian, Astri, Hermawan, Rei, Jakarta – Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu supports the proposal by Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo to conduct nationwide raids on communist books. Ryacudu claims that the raids are to prevent retaliation by Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) members who want revenge for the 1965 affair.

Jakarta – Disappointment with incumbent presidential candidate President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is one of the reasons why people are choosing not to vote or golongan putih (white group, golput) in the 2019 presidential election.

One of the people feeling this sense of dissatisfaction is Asean Sogie Caucus member Lini Zurlia.

Taufiq Siddiq, Jakarta – Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo is proposing that massive raids be carried out to hunt down books which contain communist teachings and banned ideologies. The proposal was made after the seizure of hundreds of books around the country allegedly containing “banned ideas”.

Jakarta – The planned release of Abu Bakar Bashir has turned into a polemic with the government still vacillating about whether or not to release the leader of the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI).

Rivki, Jakarta – On January 8 officials from the Padang public prosecutor’s office and the TNI (Indonesian military) seized several books alleged to contain the teachings of the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) from a bookshop in West Padang.

Jakarta – The Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) is questioning the legal grounds for the seizure of books about the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and communism in Kediri, East Java, on Wednesday December 26. The ICJR also criticised the involvement of the TNI (Indonesian military) in the raids.

Jakarta – Vice President Jusuf Kalla says it is not just the general public which has fallen victim to human rights abuses but the government has also been a victim of rights violations.

Marlinda Oktavia Erwanti, Jakarta – House of Representatives (DPR) Deputy Speaker Hidayat Nur Wahid (HNW) is calling on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to issue a regulation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) in the hope that in will end the polemic on LGBT in Indonesia.

Andhika Prasetia, Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) met with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo today. During the meeting, Widodo asked for input related to the formation of a National Reconciliation Council (DKN) to resolve past human rights cases.

Samsudhuha Wildansyah, Jakarta – The government is planning to form a National Reconciliation Council (DKN). Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs, Wiranto, has already invited a number of national figures to meet and discuss the DKN’s mission.

Moh Nadlir, Jakarta – The Labour Movement for the People (Gebrak) will call for the formation of a political alternative at May Day demonstrations or the commemoration of International Labour Day on May 1.

Jakarta (BM) – Protesters calling themselves the Civil Society Alliance Against the Draft Criminal Code (RUU KUHP) held a rally on Monday February 12 in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) rejecting the draft law which they say is anti-democratic.

Gibran Maulana Ibrahim, Jakarta – This afternoon the House of Representatives (DPR) enacted revisions to the Legislative Institutions Law (UU MD3) which contains several controversial articles, one of which is that anyone who criticise the DPR can be prosecuted under law.

Dadang Kurnia, Bambang Noroyono – The sensitive LGBT issue has become a political hot potato following a statement by People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Zulkifli Hasan.

Aryo Bhawono, Jakarta – Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) General Chairperson Prabowo Subianto claims that he feels saddened by the current state of the democratic system. This is because figures with prestige and good character are unable to become leaders if they do not have money.

Andhika Prasetia, Jakarta – The government has issued Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) Number 2/2017 on Social Organisations. It has already been received by the House of Representatives (DPR) and will be deliberated at the next sitting of the House.

The following is a joint statement by the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and 15 Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) offices across Indonesia on the recently enacted Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) Number 2/2017 on Social Organisations.