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 – 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.

Jeka Kampai, Padang – The owner of the Nagare Boshi bookshop in Padang, Yanto Tjahaja, says he has been left deeply traumatised by the raid by a team from the TNI (Indonesian military) and the Padang public prosecutor’s office who seized books deemed to contain ‘communist’ ideas from his place of business on Tuesday January 8.

Depok – Depok Mayor Mohammad Idris is asking the public to immediately report to the authorities if they discover sexually deviant or Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT) activities in their area so local officials can take action. The Depok municipal government has already issued several regulations on deviant sexual behaviour.

M Guruh Nuary, Jakarta – The 212 Reunion is over and proceeded in an orderly fashion. Presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto however has criticised the media over its coverage of the event at the National Monument (Monas) on December 2.

Pasti Liberti, Jakarta – We’ll just call him Teguh, who along with Hartoyo and his friends are active with Suara Kita (Our Voice), an organisation fighting against discrimination and for the rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community in Indonesia.

Danu Damarjati, Jakarta – The office of the Jakarta chief prosecutor (kejati) has launched a smart phone application called the Social Beliefs and Teachings Monitor (Pengawasan Aliran Kepercayaan Masyarakat) or Smart Pakem for short.

Jakarta – The Secretary General of the Islamic Community Forum (FUI), Muhammad Al Khaththath, says that it is haram to vote for candidates – whether they are running for the executive or legislative in the 2019 general elections – that do not fight for the interests of Islam.

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – Indonesia Madani Circle (LIMA) director Ray Rangkuti believes that the planned reunion of the Alumni 212 on December 2 is purely a political activity and has no relationship with religion.

Bogor – A protest action opposing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) in Bogor has called on the municipal government to issue a by-law regulating the LGBT community. The protesters however, concede that they do not have accurate data on LGBT people in Bogor.

Kasriadi/Norjani, Sampit – The East Kotawaringin (Kotim) regency Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) in Central Kalimantan is drafting a regulation on prohibiting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) which is hoped will attract support and be a priority.

Marlinda Oktavia Erwanti, Jakarta – House of Representatives (DPR) Deputy Speaker Hidayat Nur Wahid (HNW) is calling on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to issue a regulation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) in the hope that in will end the polemic on LGBT in Indonesia.

Padang – Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) officials in Padang, West Sumatra, have hunted down and arrested 10 women for being suspected lesbians after they uploaded photographs containing homosexual content on their Facebook account.

Chaidir Muhammad – The uproar over a speech by presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto in which he said that Boyolali people would not be able to get into fancy hotels because they have “Boyolali faces” is reminiscent of the blasphemy case involving former Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama.

Rio Tuasikal – Raids conducted without legal grounds have again occurred against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people. Three transgender women in Lampung province, North Sumatra, were hosed down with water from a fire truck in an action which has been slammed as “inhuman” and “arbitrary”.

From an op-ed piece titled Celebrating lies

Jakarta – Protesters commemorating National Farmers Day (HTN) in Jakarta on September 24 have succeeded in holding an action in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta after an earlier demonstration was blocked by police.

Jakarta – Former TNI (Armed Forces) chief Nurmantyo has challenged the current TNI commander Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and Army chief-of-staff (KSAD) General Mulyono to again hold public screenings of the film about the September 30 Movement/Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) coup on September 30, 1965, usually known as G30S/PKI.

Fabian Januarius Kuwado, Jakarta – The 552nd Kamisan (Thursday action) held on Thursday September 6 was quite different from usual.

This was because this Kamisan was commemorating 14 years since the death of renowned human rights activist Munir Said Thalib, who was assassinated on September 7, 2004.

Incumbent presidential candidate President Joko Widodo and his rival former General Prabowo Subianto are both trying to woo the much converted “millennial vote” – the 20-35 year age bracket which they hope could swing the election in their favour.