Klojen (Surya Malang) – Journalists in the East Java city of Malang held a peaceful action at the Freedom Square to commemorate International Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3. This year’s action was different from those held in previous years.

Eva Mazrieva, Washington DC – In mid-April Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released its annual report and world press freedom index. Surprisingly, Indonesia was still in 124th place meaning press freedom has stagnated and there has been absolutely no progress since 2018.

Nur Azizah Rizki Astuti, Jakarta – The Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) held its commemoration of International Labour Day or May Day 2019 at the Senayan Indoor Tennis Centre in Jakarta.

Jakarta – Smoke from flares and fireworks marked the end of the commemoration of International Labour Day or May Day 2019 at the Arjuna Wijaya or Horse Statue in Central Jakarta on Wednesday May 1. The masses of workers from various trade unions and federations began to disband at around 5.15 pm.

Jakarta – A number of people who said they came from the group PT Freeport Striking Workers joined the May Day commemorations in Jakarta today demanding that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo fulfill the promise he made to the workers on February 13.

Friski Riana, Jakarta – The Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) will not join other workers rallying in Jakarta during the commemoration of May Day or International Labour Day on May 1.

Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo held a meeting with trade unions leaders in the Garuda Room at the Bogor Presidential Palace in West Java on Friday April 26. Widodo was accompanied by Labour Minister Hanif Dhakiri and Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko.

Jakarta – Amnesty International Asia-Pacific Advocacy Manager Fransisco Bencosme paid a visit to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) building on Friday April 26.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) has launched a report on an investigation into the human rights track record of the presidential and vice presidential candidates contesting the 2019 presidential elections (pilpres).

Jakarta – The deputy chairperson of Prabowo Subianto’s Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Arief Poyuono, will report US independent journalist Allan Nairn to the police who he accuses of spreading lies or fake news.

Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) and the Mining Advocacy Network (JATAM) have again warned that both presidential tickets – incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and running mate Ma’ruf Amin as well as rival Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno – have close ties with retired TNI (Indonesian military)

Jakarta – Former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chief Bambang Widjojanto says that the petition signed by KPK staff citing obstacles faced in indicting ‘big fish’ indicates an attempt to obstruct justice by officials within the KPK and elements of the commission’s leadership.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition is warning President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to comply with the call by thousands of people who want the acid attack on senior Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan solved.

Jakarta – National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Commissioner Beka Ulung Hapsara says the prosecution of past cases of gross human rights (HAM) violations is being hindered by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and there is nothing new in the AGO’s latest response.

Pradito Rida Pertana, Bantul – Taking place at the offices of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta, a group of activists have declared that they will golput – or abstain from voting – in the 2019 presidential election.

Surabaya – Dangdut singer Rhoma Irama touched on the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (RUU PKS) in a speech at a campaign rally for presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto and running mate Sandiaga Uno at the Delta Sidoarjo Sports Stadium in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on Sunday March 31.

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.

Jakarta – A survey by the Voxpol Center found that the majority of Indonesians don’t care about or aren’t interested in the promises made by the presidential (capres) and vice presidential (cawapres) candidates in the 2019 presidential elections (pilpres).

From an oped piece titled The Sugar Industry’s Economic Rentierism

Indonesia is the world’s second-largest sugar importer behind China and imports have doubled over the last 10 years. Last year, less than half the sugar consumed in Indonesia was grown domestically.

Jakarta – Pertamina Tanker Truck Employees Union (SP-AMT) internal media team coordinator Chori explained that their aim in bringing the fuel tanker trucks to the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday March 18 was to show the workers’ dissatisfaction with PT Pertamina subsidiaries Patra Niaga and Elnusa Petrofin.