Surabaya – Retired TNI (Indonesian military) general Kivlan Zen says that a plan by the government of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla to apologise to former Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) members in a speech next August 15 will give a green light to the reemergence of the PKI.

Jakarta – Scores of demonstrators from the Indonesian People’s United Resistance (PPRI) demonstrated in front of the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on Wednesday May 20 calling on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to abdicate from his throne.

Makassar – In commemorating May Day 2015, a number of different organisations from the group People’s Solidarity (SORAK) held a peaceful rally underneath the Jl. Jenderal Urip Sumoharjo overpass in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar on Friday May 1.

Andri Yunarko, Jakarta – On Monday April 27 the Indonesian People’s United Resistance (PPRI) held a press conference at the offices of the Jakarta Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) to declare its position on the commemoration of International Labour Day or M

The aggressive implementation of neoliberal policies in Indonesia cannot be halted by a small handful of groups. At the moment moreover neoliberalism has again succeeded in maintaining the status quo by taking advantage of the interests of the political parties that are thirsty for power and positions.

Jakarta – The Draft Law on Regional Elections (RUU Pilkada), which abolishes the direct election of regional heads and was successfully enacted into law (UU Pilkada) by the parties backing Prabowo Subianto’s Red and White Coalition (KMP) is a threat to democracy.

Kartika Virgianti, Jakarta – One hundred and thirty-two civil society and non-government organisations (NGOs) have expressed their concern over Indonesian democracy which will soon return to the era of the New Order dictatorship.

Anang Zakaria, Yogyakarta – Ten non-government organisations (NGOs) and student groups in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta are demanding the annulment of the recently enacted law on regional elections (UU Pilkada) that abolished the direct election of regional heads.

Nala Edwin, Jakarta – Prabowo Subianto’s Red and White Coalition has succeeded in returning the election of regional heads into the hands of Regional Representative Councils (DPRD) as it was under the New Order dictatorship of former President Suharto.

Rio Kuswandi, Bandung – An alliance of social groups from various sectors of society held a protest action in front of the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) building on Jl. Diponegoro in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung on Wednesday September 10 to oppose the draft law on regional elections (RUU Pilkada).

Angga Yudha Pratomo – Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto seemed furious on Wednesday July 9 after he invited media crews to his residence in the Bojong Koneng village area in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java. He didn’t shy from making insinuations against media that don’t support the Number 1 ticket.

Atmi Pertiwi, Jakarta – US investigative journalist Allen Nairn has spoken out about Indonesia’s two presidential candidates. Although he has a negative opinion of presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, his views about presidential candidate Joko “Jokowi” Widodo are not necessarily positive either.

Miftahul Khoer, Jakarta – The Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) has disclosed that there are at least 35 retired generals supporting the Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla or Jokowi-JK presidential ticket.

Jakarta – Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Rieke Diah Pitaloka has criticised President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s (SBY) state of the nation speech as being no different from a work of science fiction.

Jakarta – More than half of voters are confused about the current political situation. A survey by the Soegeng Sarjadi School of Government indicates that as many as 51.45 percent of respondents have yet to make their choice of political party. Yet the 2014 legislative and presidential elections are less that a year away.

Jakarta – The political system in Indonesia is controlled by a capitalist oligarchy. This group represents a handful of individuals who use material power to determine political policies and the election of public officials.

Is Mujiarso, Jakarta – Even when he was a political fugitive, Wiji Thukul could still joke. When it was raining, he once wrote in a poem: The rain falls tonight/to protect me/the secret police with such small wages/must be really annoyed...

[The following is a joint statement by the Yogyakarta Working People’s Association-Political Organisation Congress (KPO-PRP), the Politics of the People (PR) and the People’s Liberation Party (PPR).]

Safari Sidakaton – International Women’s Day (IWD) was commemorated by a variety of different women’s communities and organisations that united under the International Women’s Day Action Committee (KAHPS), which presented a “Claim for Payment” to government institutions and agencies on Friday March 8.

Surabaya (CARE) – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s speech on August 16 took up several issues related to West Papua, including that it is not easy to solve the Papuan problem, that it needs measures that are specific, basic and comprehensive, that we have to integrate these measures to accelerate development in Papua.