Jakarta – There has been much discussion on the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) of late. This has raised the question of why discussions on the organisation which has been banned in Indonesia since 1966 has emerged in the month of May.

Left image: “Indonesia? Whatever! Do whatever you like”

Right image: Stupid trumps Covid

Social media users have deploying the hashtag #IndonesiaTerserah (#WhateverIndonesia) to express their frustration over the public’s apparent disregard for physical distancing measures and the government’s inconsistent COVID-19 policies.

Imam Budilaksono, Jakarta – The chairperson of the Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) faction in the House of Representatives (DPR), Jazuli Juwaini, says that his fraction opposes the failure to include People’s Consultative Assembly Decree (TAP/MPRS) Number XXV/MPRS/1966 on the Dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and Prohibition

Jakarta – Former Banjarhits.id chief editor Diananta Putra has been detained at the South Kalimantan regional police (Polda Kalsel) detention centre since Monday May 4.

Jakarta – In the midst of the corona virus pandemic, tens of thousands of workers from the Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI) and the Indonesian Labour Council (MPBI) claim they will take to the streets to hold an action on April 30 in the lead up to International Labour Day or May Day which falls on May 1.

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – Three trade union confederations have agreed to revive the Indonesian Trade Union Council (MPBI) to fight the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation.

Adi Ahdiat, Jakarta – The Pantau Foundation – a Jakarta-based journalism research and training organisation – has given this year’s Oktovianus Pogau Award to Yael Sinaga and Widiya Hastuti, two student journalists from the North Sumatra University (USU) in Medan.

Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) says that the statement by Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs, Mahfud MD, who said that there have been no human rights (HAM) violations under President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is a misleading narrative.

Ahmad Bil Wahid, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has issued a report on the handling of human rights (HAM) issues in 2019 in Indonesia. Kontras concluded that there has been a retreat on human rights issues this year.

The Labour Movement With the People (GEBRAK) strongly condemns the coup d’etat in Bolivia against the government of Evo Morales.

Walda Marison, Jakarta – The first pre-trial suit hearing involving Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) spokesperson Surya Anta Ginting and five other Papua activists charged with raising the Morning Star flag in front of the State Palace in late August has been postponed.

Jakarta – Civil freedoms under the administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo are seen as having declined. Based on the results of a Saiful Mujani Research Center (SMRC) survey between May and June 2019, 43 percent of respondents said they were afraid of expressing an opinion in public.

Lightning reads: Oligarchy

Man: I hope you’ll weather the storm.

Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo refused to answer a question from a journalists about progress in solving the acid attack against senor Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan. Widodo instead responded the question by talking about the makeup of the next cabinet.

Adi Ahdiat, Jakarta – The Papua Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) says that since the beginning of Indonesian independence up until now, the country has never been free of racist practices.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) says that the deployment of the TNI (Indonesian military) and Polri (Indonesian police) personnel to help extinguish forest and land fires (Karhutla) fails to address the root cause of the problem.

Adam Prireza, Jakarta – The number of people signing an online petition titled Revoke Rizieq Shihab’s Indonesian citizenship (Cabut Status WNI Rizieq Shihab) continues to grow.

Matius Alfons, Jakarta – Loosing presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto visited the Cendana residence – the private home of the Suharto family – where he was greeted by Suharto’s daughter Siti Hardijanti Rukmana (Tutut Suharto).

Jakarta – Scores of people in black T-shirts calling themselves the ‘98 Activists National Consolidation (RNA 98) shouted “arrest Prabowo” during a protest action in front of the National Police Criminal Investigation Bureau (Bareskrim Polri) in Jakarta on the afternoon of Wednesday May 29.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Metro Jaya regional police have named Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) chairperson and presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto as one of those reported in a case of makar (treason, subversion, sedition, rebellion) in the makar case against Eggi Sudjana.