Agus Setyadi, Aceh – Bireuen regent Saifannur has issued a new regulation on the “standardisation” of coffee shops, cafes and restaurants in the regency in accordance with Sharia law.

Christie Stefanie, Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo says that he respect the verdict handed down by the Medan District Court against Meiliana who was sentenced to one-and-a-half years in jail after being found guilty of blasphemy.

Bayu Adi Wicaksono – Democrat Party politician Dede Yusuf has exposed the lie behind claims that a wave of Chinese workers is being employed by PT Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (PT IMIP) in Morowali, South Sulawesi.

Achmad Faizal, Surabaya – Thousands of workers from the East Java Ring I industrial zone entered the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya to commemorate Labour Day (May Day) on Tuesday May 1.

Hundreds of students and local residents in Sukoharjo, Central Java, held a protest action in front of the Sukoharjo regional police headquarters (Mapolres) on Thursday March 22.

Datuk Haris Maulana, Aceh – Since the armed conflict broke out up until a peace agreement was reached, to this day Aceh still does not have any cinemas. People from Tanah Rencong – as Aceh is known – who want to watch the latest films have to leave Aceh or wait until they are released on movie websites.

Ihsan Dalimunthe & Dika Dania Kardi, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ulama Council’s (MUI) Religious Outreach Commission chairperson, Cholil Nafis, agrees with a plan to apply beheadings (hukum pancung, qisas) for murderers whihh is currently being considered by the Aceh Islamic Law Office.

Agus Setyadi, ace – The Aceh Islam Law Office (DSI) is debating the application of Qisas – retributive justice – for perpetrators of crimes such as murder in order to push down crime rates which have been rising of late.

Ihsan Dalimunthe, Jakarta – The spokesperson for the outlawed hardline Islamic group Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), Ismail Yusanto, has confirmed there have been discussions between HTI leaders and the Crescent Star Party (PBB) on participating in the 2019 legislative elections (pileg).

Today, Thursday March 8, is commemorated as International Women’s Day (IWD). IWD action coordinator Jumisih said that the women’s should not be banned from wearing an Islamic veil on campus.

Dias Saraswati, Jakarta – The Anti-Communist Youth Movement (GEPAK) plans to report the organising committee of a recent discussion titled The Revival of the PKI: Reality or Propaganda to police.

Muhammad Hendartyo, Jakarta – Mardani Ali Sera has clarified a statement by sacked Alumni Presidium 212 founder Faizal Assegaf who said that Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan used Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Habib Rizieq Shihab to win the Jakarta election.

Muhammad Hendartyo, Jakarta – Recently sacked founder of the Presidium Alumni 212, Faizal Assegaf, has accused Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan of using Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Habib Rizieq Shihab to win the Jakarta gubernatorial election.

The Muhammadiyah Youth Greater Aceh regional board (PDPM) in cooperation with the Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI) held a seminar on the theme The Dangers of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) in Society on Saturday February 10 at the Aceh Library Archives auditorium.

Aceh Governor Aceh Irwandi Yusuf has spoken at a rally by Islamic organizations (ormas) supporting the actions of North Aceh regency police chief Assistant Superintendent Untung Sangaji who ‘retrained’ 12 transgender women (waria) in North Aceh recently.

Protesters from some 147 organisations (ormas) held a protest action at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in the Acehnese provincial capital of Banda Aceh on Friday February 2.

Prima Gumilang, Jakarta – A sweeping action (raid) by the Islamic Defenders Militia (Laskar Pembela Islam, LPI) has ended in a clash with residents of Pamekasan on Madura Island in East Java. Local people resisted the raid which resulted in 10 people being injured including housewives and children.

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.

Sarinah – The setting of the 2018 minimum wage has it seems has been full of drama compared with previous years. Newly elected Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan and Deputy Governor Sandiaga Uno, who were earlier applauded and flattered “as high as the sky” by their trade union supporters, are now being labeled as liars.

Moh. Nadlir, Jakarta – The government says there are still groups of social organisations (ormas) and individuals that explicitly want to replace the national ideology of Pancasila.