A cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday, triggered by the arrest of two ministers for graft allegations and prolonged criticism over several ministers' poor performance – in particular Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic – has brought six new faces to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration.

Man: That's for us isn't it?

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration has suffered yet another blow to its once clean image after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named Social Affairs Minister Juliari Batubara a suspect in a graft case involving the distribution of Covid-19 social aid (Bansos).

Text reads:

Democracy in Indonesia dies:

1. If a regional election is won by using racial and religious sentiment like you.
2. If the democratic system is replaced by an Islamic caliphate by your friends.

According to the State Research Institute a total of 124 candidate pairs affiliated with political dynasties will be running in the simultaneous election of regional heads on December 9.

Man: Confused huh? (writing on book mark reads "transparency")

The highly contentious and unpopular Omnibus Law on Job Creation was passed into law on October 5. In response tens of thousands of people took to the streets across Indonesia in a series of angry and sometimes violent protests.

Man: Still going ahead with it huh Mr?

Writing on beds reads: Candidate regional head, election organiser, election observer

Box reads: Empty ballot box

The number of sole candidates running in regional elections has steadily grown over the past five years leading to growing concerns that the upcoming polls may undermine the electoral system.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) have warned about potential vote buying in the upcoming simultaneous regional elections, which the government insists on holding on December 9 despite the ongoing Covid-19 epidemic.

From an oped piece titled Watch out, the sabotage of ‘political legislation’ in the era of the pandemic

Illustration by Kompas/Heryunanto.

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.