Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Kurnia Ramadhana believes that 2019 was the year in which the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) was destroyed. Ramadhana even said that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and the House of Representatives (DPR) were the masterminds behind its destruction.

Muhammad Ridwan – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid has asked for the discriminative requirements in the selection of candidate state civil servants (CPNS) to be scrapped.

Yulida Medistiara, Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo will personally select the members of the new Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) oversight committee. Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) Chairperson Asfinawati says that the KPK oversight committee will become an extension of the president’s authority.

Marlinda Oktavia Erwanti, Jakarta – The new speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR), Puan Maharani, says that the eight draft laws (RUU) which were postponed by the previous DPR will be prioritised and included in the DPR’s 2019-2024 Priority National Legislation Program (Prolegnas).

Jakarta – House of Representatives (DPR) Commission III Deputy Chairperson Herman Hery from the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction is leaving it entirely up to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on whether to issue a Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) to replace the revised Corruption Eradication Commission Law

Ahmad Jilul Qurani Farid, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I has asked Foreign Affairs Minister (Menlu) Retno Marsudi to prevent the internationalisation of the Papua issue so it is not used as propaganda by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) led by Benny Wenda.

Dian Kurniati and Khairunnisa, Jakarta – Suciwati, the wife of Munir Said Thalib, is urging President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to order the Attorney General to submit a judicial review of one of the prime suspects in Munir’s murder, Muchdi Purwoprandjono, who was declared not guilty in 2008.

Dian Kurniati, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) is calling on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to rid his cabinet and administration of alleged perpetrators of past human rights (HAM) violations.

From an oped piece titled Risks of a Fat Coalition

Concern has been expressed in both the Indonesian and foreign mainstream media that President Joko Widodo’s ruling coalition – which now holds around 60 percent of the seats in parliament – has become too “fat”.

Irsyan Hasyim, Depok – The Depok City government along with the Depok Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) are discussing a draft regional regulation (raperda) against Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people. But the policy has attracted protests from a number of groups including human rights and health organisations.

Jakarta – The Denny JA Indonesia Survey Circle (LSI) predicts that the presidential elections (pilpres) in 2024 will be enlivened by a contest between four different ideologies, namely reformasi, political Islam, the 1945 Constitution (UUD 1945) and human rights (HAM).

Dewi Nurita, Jakarta – The political parties in Prabowo Subianto’s electoral coalition will determine whether or not they will stay in opposition or join incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s camp after the Constitutional Court (MK) hands down its decision on the presidential election dispute next Thursday.

Haris Fadhil, Jakarta – One of the witnesses that was to be presented by the legal team representing the loosing 02 presidential ticket of Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno, Haris Azhar, has refused to testify at a challenge to the presidential election (pilpres) result at the Constitutional Court.

Jakarta – Some time ago President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo gave his blessing to six ministers in his “Working Cabinet” to run as candidates in the 2019 legislative elections. But the majority of them failed to obtain enough votes to become representatives of the people in Senayan, as the parliament is known.

Jakarta – Indonesian Police Chief (Kapolri) General Tito Karnavian is threatening to use the maker (treason, subversion, sedition) articles to deal with mass movements or people’s power protests which have been called for by several parties following the April 17 presidential and legislative elections (pemilu).

Dimas Jarot Bayu – A recent survey by Concept Indonesia (Konsepindo) shows that only four political parties will gain seats in the national parliament in the 2019 general election (pemilu).

Jay Akbar – Two politicians have recently joined the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the presidential campaign ticket of incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and vice presidential running mate Ma’ruf Amin: Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama alias BTP and Muchdi Purwoprandjono, who is better known as Muchdi PR.

Dieqy Hasbi Widhana – National Press Day, which falls on February 9, is a day to remember the murder of Radar Bali journalists Anak Agung Gede Prabangsa in 2009.

Surabaya – A grouping of civil society organisations calling themselves the “Surabaya Solidarity Society Against Remission for the Murderer of Journalist AA Gde Bagus Narendra Prabangsa” have sent a letter to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

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.