Agus Setyadi, Banda Aceh – The Brunei Darussalam sultanate has enacted laws ranging from canning to stoning to death for the crime of homosexuality. Prior to enacting the laws, Brunei conducted comparative studies in Aceh to learn about Islamic law.

Dwi Andayani, Jakarta – The country’s peak Islamic body the Indonesia Ulama Council (MUI) has declared that taking a position of golput – to abstain from voting – in the elections is haram (forbidden under the Islamic law).

Muhammad Fida Ul Haq, Jakarta – The country’s peak Islamic body the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) has reiterated that the fatwa (edict) declaring that golput – to abstain from voting – is haram (forbidden under God’s law) that was issued at the Assembly of Islamic Scholars in Padang in 2014 is still valid.

Lisye Sri Rahayu, Jakarta – Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto is known to hold land use rights (HGU) over thousands of hectares of land in Aceh and East Kalimantan. Prabowo has promised to return the land to the state within 10 days after being inaugurated as president.

M Iqbal, Jakarta – Victims of forced land evictions at the Cikuasa Beach and Kramat Raya in Cilegon City, Banten province, have declared that they will golput or abstain from voting in the 2019 elections. The total number of voters in the two areas amounts to some 3,000 people.

Indah Mutiara Kami, Jakarta – The deputy chairperson of Prabowo Subianto’s Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Fadli Zon, has again met with fugitive Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Habib Rizieq Shihab in Mecca where they posed together making the two-finger salute.

Samsudhuha Wildansyah, Jakarta – Presidential candidate incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo personally attended an event on March 10 to hear a declaration of support from the Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR).

Andhika Prasetia, Jakarta – Incumbent presidential candidate President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has emphasised that the ideology of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) is Pancasila. If anyone wants to replace this, he said, they will have to face the Pancasila Youth (PP).

Indra Komara, Jakarta – Air force chief of staff (KSAU) Air Martial Yuyu Sutisna has attended the Avalon Air Show in Melbourne, Australia. During a break in the visit, Sutisna met with the Commander General of the US 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Major General Thomas D Weidley.

Nicky Aulia Widadio, Jakarta – A number of labour organisations held a demonstration at the US Embassy in Jakarta on Tuesday February 12 to protest against US intervention in Venezuela.

The action began at the nearby Horse Monument followed by a long-march to the US Embassy in Central Jakarta.

Adhi Indra Prasetya, Jakarta – After recently obtaining support from the United Jakarta Senior High School Alumni, incumbent presidential candidate President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has now received support from retired TNI (Indonesian military) and Polri (national police) officers.

Usman Hadi, Yogyakarta – Advocates and the legal team supporting a Gajah Mada University (UGM) student who was the victim of rape during a student community placement program (KKN) on Seram Island have objected to the use of the term “peaceful resolution” in an agreement reached between the perpetrator and the victim facilitated by the UGM unive

Jakarta – The construction of a bridge on the Trans Papua road in Nduga, West Papua, will be finished by the army (TNI AD). The construction of the bridge was postponed following the December 2 fatal shooting of construction workers by the West Papua National Liberation Army.

Isal Mawardi, Jakarta – Prabowo Subianto’s younger brother and financial backer, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, says that they will accept any and all support for his older brother’s presidential bid. He said that they will accept all forms of support even from the children and grandchildren of the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

Gibran Maulana Ibrahim, Jakarta – Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo has spoken out about hundreds of books on communism that were seized last year in Kediri, East Java. According to Prasetyo, more raids need to be carried out if indeed these books contain communist teachings.

Ibnu Hariyanto, Jakarta – In the lead up to the 2019 presidential and legislative elections in April a movement has emerged promoting golput or white movement, meaning those who do not vote for any one of the candidates. Does this violate the law?

Yulida Medistiara, Jakarta – Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo will discuss the resolution of gross past human rights cases with the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM). He will do this so that there are no misunderstandings about how to resolve them.

Andhika Prasetia and Rachmadi Rasyad, West Bandung – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s vice presidential running mate Ma’ruf Amin says that he proposed the release of Al-Mu’min Islamic boarding school leader Abu Bakar Bashir back in 2018. But at the time, Bashir still had to submit an appeal for clemency with President Widodo.

M Guruh Nuary, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) says that the four year administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla has failed to resolve past cases of gross human rights (HAM) violations.

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.