Jakarta – Temporary Direct Assistance to the Public (BLSM) could be ineffective because it may not be spent as intended. Using the Direct Cash Assistance (BLT) scheme in 2008 as a reference, 60 percent of the money allocated was used to pay off debts and the rest spent on cigarettes

Jakarta – The political system in Indonesia is controlled by a capitalist oligarchy. This group represents a handful of individuals who use material power to determine political policies and the election of public officials.

Jakarta – The chairperson of the country’s top religious body the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI), KH Ma’ruf Amin is calling on all parties to be on guard against the reemergence of the Indonesian communist movement.

Is Mujiarso, Jakarta – Even when he was a political fugitive, Wiji Thukul could still joke. When it was raining, he once wrote in a poem: The rain falls tonight/to protect me/the secret police with such small wages/must be really annoyed...

Ali Akhmad, Jakarta – As many as 29 women’s community groups from the Indonesian Women’s Action Committee (KAPI) commemorated 20 years since the murder of Marsinah by holding a candlelight vigil at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta on the evening of May 8.

Achmad Faizal, Surabaya – Scores of women workers from various different groups in East Java held an action on Wednesday May 8 in the provincial capital of Surabaya to commemorate 20 years since the death of Marsinah, a women worker who was murdered on May 8, 1993.

Timika – Thousands of workers employed in the PT Freeport Indonesia mining concession area in Mimika regency, West Papua, commemorated May Day by observing a moment of silence and reading out the Workers Oath at their respective workplaces.

An International Labour Day (May Day) demonstration in Bogor, West Java, descended into chaos when police and military tried to prevent hundreds of workers from the National Trade Union (SPN) from travelling to Jakarta.

Mohamad Yusuf – Scores of women furnished with bamboo sticks held a sweeping action at the company PT Hangsai 3 in the Cakung Nusantara Bonded Zone (KBN) in Cilincing, North Jakarta on May 1.

The women, who came from the Bambu (Progressive Labour Front) Squad, each carried two 30 centimeter lengths of bamboo.

Indramayu – A peaceful International Labour Day action ended in chaos when members of the Pancasila Youth (PP) attacked protesters during a May Day action in the West Java city of Indramayu on Wednesday May 1.