As the country gears up to commemorate its 65th anniversary tomorrow, many Indonesian’s are still waiting for the fruits of independence.

Despite making remarkable strides since the overthrow of the Suharto dictatorship 12 years ago, critics say that widespread corruption, poor law enforcement, a culture of impunity for rights abuses and the growing use of draconian libel laws to muzzle critics is undermining the gains won by the 1998 reformasi movement.

Jakarta – Concerns that if the parliamentary threshold is increased it will impact on the number of valid votes that are wasted may be excessive because it will actually reduce the number of valid votes lost.

While the political elite sell off the country’s enormous natural wealth and divide the spoils among themselves, more than half of Indonesia’s 240 million people live on less than US$2 a day, 25% of children under five are malnourished, only 48% of the rural poor have access to clean water and only 55% of poor children complete junior high schoo

Politician: Remember... during the holy fasting month we should control our passion and lust.

Man: Including the lust for corruption?

Politician: Let me get back to you on that one...

Aprizal Rahmatullah, Jakarta – Starting off the second week of August the capital city will be besieged with protest actions, with at least 15 demonstrations enlivening Jakarta today. Beware of traffic jams.

Surabaya – As many as 180 students, workers and urban poor activists from 12 organisations in the East Java cities of Surabaya, Mojokerto and Madiun held a protest action in Surabaya on Saturday August 7 opposing the recent increase in basic electricity rates (TDL).

Umi Kalsum, Eko Huda S – Around 700 people held a protest action against the recent basic electricity rate (TDL) increases in front of the State Palace on Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara in Central Jakarta on Saturday August 7. They demand that the government cancel the increase that took effect last month.

Iwan, Jakarta – The evil conspiracy to increase the basic electricity rate (TDL) will impact on the price of basic commodities, particularly food, further burdening the lives of the poor.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Scores of people held a protest action opposition the recent increases in basic electricity rates (TDL) and the price of LPG gas canisters in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Saturday August 7. They also called on the government to cancel the price hikes and opposed the use of 3kg LPG gas canisters.