Jakarta – The Draft Criminal Code (RKUHP) includes jail sentences for anyone who spreads communist, Marxist and Leninist teachings in public.

On Friday the 21st of June 2019, the Ministry of Education and Culture resolved to work collaboratively with the Indonesian National Armed Forces in disseminating material to new students during school orientation week.

Jakarta – Raids on leftist books discussing communism and the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) have started again.

Zunita Putri, Bogor – The Ijtimak Ulama IV or the 4th Assembly of Islamic Clerics has issued a number of recommendations on the current situation in Indonesia. The assembly has also invited the Islamic community to create a Unitary Islamic State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI Bersyariah) based on Pancasila.

Haris Prabowo – A book raid by a group of people calling themselves the Indonesian Muslim Brigade (BMI) in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar has caused an uproar on social media. The group confiscated books which they claim contain “communist and leftist ideas”.

Muhammad Taufiqqurahman, Makassar – A group calling itself the Indonesian Muslim Brigade (BMI) has seized books they say smack of communism from a Gramedia bookstore in the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, including books by Franz Magnis-Suseno.

Ghinan Salman, Surabaya – The Kraksaan sectoral police in Probolinggo, East Java, have reportedly returned four books with communist themes to literacy activists that are part of the Vespa Literacy community.

Bangun Santoso – The seizure of books allegedly containing communist ideas belonging to the Vespa Literacy community by the Kraksaan sectoral police and Probolinggo regency TNI (Indonesian Military) on July 27 was an abuse of power and violated the law.

Ahmad Faisol, Probolinggo – Police arrested two literacy activists who had setup a free reading stall at the Kraksaan public square in Probolinggo regency, East Java, on Saturday July 27. The two youths were arrested for allegedly displaying books by former Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) leader DN Aidit.

Jakarta – The police have refuted a statement by Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) General Secretary Munarman who said that all criminal investigations against fugitive FPI leader Rizieq Shihab have been dropped.

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.

Jakarta – Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) chairperson Asfinawati has drawn a comparison between the May 21 and 22 riots in Jakarta, the May 1998 riots and the 1974 Malari affair. She says that there are similarities between the three incidents.

Theresia Felisiani, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Wiranto has guaranteed that any legal measures taken by the government based on recommendations by the recently formed legal assistance team will be clear and measured.

Muhammad Genantan Saputra – National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Commissioner Choirul Anam says that the national legal team formed by Coordinating Minister for Politics, Security and Legal Affairs Wiranto resembles the Command for the Restoration of Security and Order (Kopkamtib) during the New Order dictatorship of former president Su

Jakarta – The deputy chairperson of the Islamic based Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS), Hidayat Nur Wahid, says that he doesn’t agree with the petition against the Islamic Defenders Front’s (FPI).

Andhika Prasetia, Jakarta – Incumbent presidential candidate President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has emphasised that the ideology of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) is Pancasila. If anyone wants to replace this, he said, they will have to face the Pancasila Youth (PP).

Jakarta – Former Army Strategic Reserves Command (Green Berets, Kostrad) chief of staff retired Major General Kivlan Zen has spoken out about a request for money from Wiranto in 1998. Zen claimed that he asked Wiranto for money to cover the cost of setting up Pam Swakarsa.

Isal Mawardi, Jakarta – Prabowo Subianto’s younger brother and financial backer, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, says that they will accept any and all support for his older brother’s presidential bid. He said that they will accept all forms of support even from the children and grandchildren of the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

Heru, Dian, Astri, Hermawan, Rei, Jakarta – Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu supports the proposal by Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo to conduct nationwide raids on communist books. Ryacudu claims that the raids are to prevent retaliation by Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) members who want revenge for the 1965 affair.

Taufiq Siddiq, Jakarta – Book traders operating at Blok M Square in Jakarta say that raids on books containing banned ideas will be pointless because the works are a product of ideas. “So, people can just reprint and circulate them again, said Block M book trader Alil on Thursday January 24.