Ibnu Hariyanto, Jakarta – In the lead up to the 2019 presidential and legislative elections in April a movement has emerged promoting golput or white movement, meaning those who do not vote for any one of the candidates. Does this violate the law?

Jakarta -- Civil society organisations grouped under the Civil Society Coalition have declared that not casting a vote or golput (white movement) in elections is a right and not a crime. Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) Director Arif Maulana asserts that not voting or golput is a political choice in a society.

Fadiyah Alaidrus – Padang Mayor Mahyeldi Ansharullah views Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people as a sickness that is caused by the environment and economic factors.

Jakarta – The planned release of Abu Bakar Bashir has turned into a polemic with the government still vacillating about whether or not to release the leader of the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI).

Andhika Prasetia and Rachmadi Rasyad, West Bandung – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s vice presidential running mate Ma’ruf Amin says that he proposed the release of Al-Mu’min Islamic boarding school leader Abu Bakar Bashir back in 2018. But at the time, Bashir still had to submit an appeal for clemency with President Widodo.

Putra Ramadhani Astyawan, Jakarta – The lawyer for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and vice presidential running mate Ma’ruf Amin’s election campaign team, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, says that Widodo’s release of Abu Bakar Bashir is evidence that head of state does not criminalise ulama (Islamic clerics).

Amid a series of arrests of high-profile politicians in sting operations by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), many voters were eagerly awaiting the first live presidential debate scheduled for tomorrow evening between incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (left) and vice presidential running mate Ma’ruf Amin and rival Prabowo Subia

Irwan Rismawan, Jakarta – The lawyer representing Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) senior investigator Novel Baswedan, Saor Siagian, believes that there are parties which are intentionally taking advantage of the 2017 acid attack against his client as a commodity for their political campaigns.

Jakarta – Attacking each other, slander and the use of SARA (sectarian and identity politics) being accentuated by the presidential election candidates is disappointing the millennial generation. They are now threatening that if the situation does not improve, they will golput (abstain from voting) in the April 17 general elections.

Jakarta – Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) Central Leadership Board Chairperson Desmond J Mahesa is convinced that presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto will not shy away from solving the 1997-98 abductions of pro-democracy activists if he is elected as president.

M Guruh Nuary, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) says that the four year administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla has failed to resolve past cases of gross human rights (HAM) violations.

Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) hopes that the candidates who will fight it out in the 2019 presidential election can explain their views on what they will do with regard to the Ahmadiyah, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community and the families of former Indonesian Communist Par

Jakarta – Participants of the Kamisan (Thursday) actions in Jakarta are pessimistic that either presidential candidate (capres) is willing to resolve cases of past gross human rights (HAM) violations.

Because of this, they are thinking about going to the polling stations (TPS) but not voting for either one of the candidates.

Jakarta – Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairperson Agus Rahardjo says that the panelists and the presidential election campaign teams of incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and rival Prabowo Subianto have agreed not to discuss specific human rights cases during the first presidential debate.

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).

Chaerul Umam, Jakarta – The 212 Reunion organising committee has held a “212 Award” for media and individuals that have consistently championed the 212’s patriotic spirit by reporting on their polite, orderly and peaceful events.

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

Ya’cob Billiocta – 212 Alumni Brotherhood Secretary General Bernard Abdul Jabbar believes that the Koran reading test for prospective presidential (capres) and vice presidential candidates (cawapres) proposed by the Aceh Proselytizing Association Council is not relevant in national elections.