Arif Shodiq Pujiharto, Jakarta – Around 50 people from the group Youth Community Mistrusts the Elections (Kaum Muda Tidak Percaya Pemilu) held a demonstration at the offices of the National Elections Commission (KPU) in Jakarta on Wednesday January 14 demanding that the KPU have the courage to bring rotten politicians to court.

Ahmad Fikri, Bandung – In order to fulfill the requirements of the National Election Commission (KPU), a number of provincial legislative candidates have submitted copies of diplomas which have been certified by the Siliwangi III Regional Military Command (Kodam).

Anindhita Maharrani, Jakarta – A number of youth organisation under the banner of Youth Community (Kaum Muda) have protested the list of legislative candidates [for the 2004 general elections] which are dominated by old faces, people who have previously been legislative members.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – The problem of security is not the only stumbling block to holding the 2004 general elections in Aceh. Public apathy is also expected to be a major problem.

Jakarta – Old names are still dominating the candidate members for the People’s Representative Assembly (DPR) in the lists submitted on Monday, December 29, to the General Election Commission (KPU) by the political parties who will participate in the 2004 general elections.

Jakarta – Syamsudin Haris, a political observer from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), predicts that 60-70 per cent of old politicians will win seats in the People’s Representative Assembly in the 2004 elections.

Jakarta – There is concern that the organisation of the general elections in Aceh will face a number of serious complications because there are a number of contradictory legal stipulations which cannot be resolved in terms of laws which regulate a military emergency and those which regulate elections.

Jakarta – President Megawati Sukarnoputri has questioned the motives behind the assumptions which have been made about the organisation of the 2004 general elections which claim they will be susceptible to turmoil and disturbances.

Based on Law Number 31/2002 on Political Parties, no less than 209 political parties in the country – including those who already had the status of a legal body and those who did not – have had their status annulled. As a result, there are now 50 recorded political parties in the country.

Jakarta – The 2004 general election are expected to become an arena for the restoration or recycling of the old powers from the New Order [regime of former President Suharto] who are getting ready to win the 2004 elections.