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.

Bagus Prihantoro Nugroho, Jakarta – A book written by a politician from President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Budiman Sudjatmiko titled Children of the Revolution has been seized in a raid by a team of TNI (Indonesian military) and the Padang public prosecutor’s office after it was deeme

Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – A December 2018 survey by Denny JA Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) shows that six parties contesting the 2019 legislative elections will not get enough votes to pass the parliamentary threshold of 4 percent required to gain a seat in the House of Representatives (DPR).

Fabian Januarius Kuwado, Jakarta – Human Rights (HAM) activists in Indonesia have few expectations about the first debate between the presidential (capres) and vice-presidential (cawapres) candidates on January 17.

Fabian Januarius Kuwado, Jakarta – The coordinator of the Commission for Missing Person and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Yati Andriani, hopes that panelists will ask hard questions about human rights (HAM) during the first presidential debate which will be held on January 17.

Human rights activists and civil society groups have few expectations that the first presidential debate scheduled for January 17 between incumbent President Joko Widodo and rival Prabowo Subianto will address human rights issues in any substantial way given that neither camp has shown any commitment to protecting civil and political rights or a

Tsarina Maharani, Jakarta – The ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) says that there is a party which has a “stomach ache” over the invitation by the Aceh Proselytizing Association Council (Dewan Ikatan Dai Aceh) for presidential and vice presidential candidates to take part in a Koran reading test.

Jakarta – The head of the Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno presidential election campaign team (BPN), Djoko Santoso, says that that it is better to violate human rights than allow the country to disintegrate.

Jakarta – Setara Institute for Democracy chairperson Hendardi believes that the statement by the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Deputy Secretary General Ahmad Basarah, who referred to former president Suharto as the “teacher of corruption in Indonesia”, should be used as momentum for the government to expose the corruptio

Jakarta – Prabowo Subianto’s vice presidential running mate Sandiaga Uno says that he and the Just and Prosperous Indonesian Coalition – the coalition supporting the Prabowo-Sandiaga presidential ticket – support the application of regional regulations based on religion such as syariah based bylaws in Aceh.

Jakarta – Former Army Strategic Reserves Command (Green Berets) Chief of Staff retired Major General Kivlan Zen says that three of the political parties supporting incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo are cooperating with China to foster communist teachings.

Jakarta – Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) advisory board deputy chairperson and younger brother of Gerindra chairperson Prabowo Subianto, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, claims that he doesn’t have any problems with the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI).

Fabian Januarius Kuwado, Jakarta – The 552nd Kamisan (Thursday action) held on Thursday September 6 was quite different from usual.

This was because this Kamisan was commemorating 14 years since the death of renowned human rights activist Munir Said Thalib, who was assassinated on September 7, 2004.

Indonesian police chief General (Kapolri) Tito Karnavian has instructed Criminal Investigation Bureau chief (Kabareskrim) Inspector General Arief Sulistyanto to reopen the investigation into the assassination of human rights activist Munir who was poisoned in September 2004.