Man: This isn’t a standup comedy is it? (documents in basket read ‘Perspectives 2009’)

Kid: For the sake of April 9 they’re all going on leave, who’ll run the country Dad?

Man: For... well that’s how it is!

With President Yudhoyono leading the pack, six ministers have now officially requested ‘campaign leave’ to stump for their political parties in lead-up to April 9 legislative elections.

Dedy Priatmojo, Syahrul Ansyari – Scores of demonstrators from the Alternative Political Committee (KPA) and the People’s Liberation Party (PPR) held a demonstration in front of the General Election Com

Yogi Bayu Aji, Jakarta – The Political Alternative Committee Alliance (AKPA) held a protest action at the General Election Commission (KPU) offices on Jl. Imam Bonjol in Central Jakarta on Thursday March 13 calling on the public to oppose the 2014 elections.

Before election...

After election...

Badge reads Legislative Candidate. Chest reads Budget.

Edzan Rahardjo, Yogyakarta – The elections will be held soon on April 9. For various reasons however, there are still many who are expressing their opposition to the five-yearly festival of democracy.

Ivan Aditya, Sleman – A group of students calling themselves the Yogyakarta Indonesian Student Union (SMI) held a theatrical action opposing the 2014 elections at the Sunan Kalijaga Islamic State University (UIN) intersection in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Wednesday March 5.

Man: The most difficult requirement to be elected as a statesperson is they must have a conscience...

Kid: Those who think they’ve got a conscience are becoming soap opera stars now Dad!

Activists have slammed a General Elections Commission plan to criminalise campaigning for golput (abstaining or invalidating a vote) ahead of this year’s legislative and presidential elections.

Despite repeated assurances by the General Elections Commission (KPU) that preparations for the 2014 legislative elections are on track, public confidence in the KPU was dealt another blow this week when it was reported that in several regions hundreds of ballot boxes used in the 2009 elections (Pemilu 2009) have been left out in the open due to

Smoke reads: Natural disasters, volcanic eruptions, flash floods, politics, corruption, Constitutional Court bribes, Upstream Oil and Gas Regulator bribery, political parties, election witness fees...

Sign reads: 2014 Festival of Democracy (2014 legislative and presidential elections)

Man: It’s a level 3 alert!

Price list reads: Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) 100 million rupiah, House of Representatives (DPR) 200 million, Regent 300 million, Governor 500 million, President 1 billion

The political parties (parpol) are drooling at the mouth at the prospect of siphoning off billions of rupiah for their electoral campaigns after a controversial decision by the government to allocate 1.5 trillion rupiah (US$123 million) towards election witness fees (dana saksi) for the April 9 legislative elections.

Text reads: Presidential Candidate (Golkar’s Aburizal Bakrie), Politician, Legislative Candidate, Politics (President Yudhoyono)

With many senior government officials vying with each other to be nominated by the major political parties as presidential candidates (Capres) and more than 90% of lawmakers running as legislative candidates (Caleg) in the April general elections, the political elite have all but abandoned the pretence of trying to run the country.

Man: Ahh, all that’s changed is the year and they’ve gotten older...

Caleg: It’s also changed my fortunes!

Man: Please, go ahead Mr...

Man: Look out Mr!

Jakarta – Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad, Green Berets) commander Lieutenant General Gatot Nurmantyo has expressed doubts about the current course of democracy.

Kid: For the convention test: Tempeh made from peanut and soybean residue... they’re fond of that right Mr?