Haris Prabowo – The total number of people who used their right to vote in the December 9 election of regional heads was low in several parts of the country. In the context of Indonesian politics, those who do not vote – regardless of the motivation and reasons – can be classified as golongan putih or golput.

Indriyani Astuti – The General Elections Commission (KPU) has finalised the hundreds of candidate pairs which will compete in the simultaneous election of regional heads (pilkada) on December 9.

Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) suspects that business tycoons (cukong) or capitalists are behind the government and the House of Representatives’ (DPR) decision to push on with the 2020 simultaneous election of regional heads (pilkada) in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dian Erika Nugraheny, Jakarta – Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) researcher Heroik Pratama says that the increase in the number of sole candidate tickets (paslon) this year represents a strategy being used by the political parties to ensure victory in the 2020 election of regional heads.

Tsarina Maharani, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Politics, Security and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD has responded to the polemic about political dynasties in the 2020 election of regional heads (Pilkada).

Kalimantan Islamic University (Uniska) political observer Muhammad Uhaib As’ad says that the democratic process in Indonesia post reformasi – the political reform process that began in 1998 – is still being held hostage by the power of money.

Jakarta – The election monitoring group Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) is predicting that there will be 31 regions where there will be sole candidates in the 2020 elections of regional heads (pilkada).

Jakarta – Kalimantan Islamic University (Uniska) political observer Muhammad Uhaib As’ad says that the democratic process in Indonesia post reformasi – the political reform process that began in 1998 – is still being held hostage by the power of money.

Man in boat: Can they still hear our voices?

According to two recent surveys, most Indonesians disagree with the government’s decision to hold the 2020 simultaneous regional elections (Pilkada) on December 9 as uncertainty remains over when the Covid-19 pandemic will end.

Muhammad Ridwan – The Setara Institute for Democracy has released the results of research ranking the level of religious intolerance in Indonesian provinces. The results showed that West Java recorded the largest number of violations against religious freedom or belief between 2014 and 2019.

Christoforus Ristianto, Jakarta – Centre for Innovation Policy and Governance (CIPG) researcher Klara Esti says that the political buzzer phenomena can be said to have begun during the 2012 gubernatorial (pilgub DKI) elections in Jakarta.

Jakarta – A number of parties have protested over statements quoted by the loosing Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno presidential ticket in a legal challenge against the presidential election (pilpres) result with the Constitutional Court (MK).

Jakarta – The deputy chairperson of Prabowo Subianto’s Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Arief Poyuono, will report US independent journalist Allan Nairn to the police who he accuses of spreading lies or fake news.

Jakarta – Scores of people have been arrested and convicted using the “rubber” (catchall) articles in the Information and Electronic Transaction Law (UU ITE) as a result of a rise in criticism against the government.

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – The banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) is like a ghost which every year is resurrected towards the end of September.

Jakarta – Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) chairperson Prabowo Subianto is encouraging people accept electoral bribes if they are offered basic commodities (sembako) or money in the lead up to the June 27 election of regional heads.

Lalu Rahadian – Only days are left before simultaneous regional elections begin. The candidates taking part in the competition are using a variety of means to attract public attention in the hope of being chosen at the ballot box.

Sherr Rinn – The National Police (Polri) and the Indonesian military (TNI) have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under which Polri can request assistance from the TNI to secure protest actions and labour strikes.

Seysha Desnikia, Jakarta – Islamic Community Forum (FUI) Secretary general Muhammad Al-Khaththath has expressed his disappointment with several political parties contesting the 2018 regional elections (Pilkada).

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