Andi Saputra, Jakarta – Hundreds of environmental activists from several different non-government organisations held an action at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central Jakarta on December 6 in which they painted a miniature globe on a 20 metre length of white cloth symbolising a bomb that is about to explode.

Hery Winarno, Jakarta – The image of the Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) appears to be starting to fade. At least this what can be read from the results of a survey conducted by the National Survey Institute (LSN), which found that the PKS occupies fourth place among the political parties considered to be most Islamic.

Suwardiman – Young voters, particularly first time voters, are a potential vote base that political parties should consider targeting in the 2009 legislative and presidential elections.

Taufiqqurrahman, Jakarta – Demonstrations are again set to enliven Jakarta and the nearby satellite city of Tangerang today. Not being half-hearted, nine separate protest actions will open the first working day of the week with traffic congestion along roads being used by residents to travel to work being a real possibility.

Jakarta – The threat of a wave of dismissals as a consequence of the global crisis is beginning to be concretely felt by the manufacturing sector. As of Thursday November 20, the government has received requests from several companies that plan to dismiss 12,600 workers and lay of at least 1,200 more.

Jakarta – Around 100 people held a protest action in front of the United States Embassy in Central Jakarta on November 15 demanding that a G20 ministerial level meeting in Washington be dissolved. The protesters, who came from the People’s Struggle Front (FPR), said that the meeting would not solve the problems facing ordinary people.

Rachmadin Ismail, Jakarta – In the lead up to the weekend be prepared to face traffic jams as a result of protest actions. Today, Friday November 14, at least six groups of demonstrators will be protesting on the streets of the capital city and nearby Bekasi.

Makassar – At least 50 journalists demonstrated at the South and West Sulawesi (Sulselbar) regional police headquarters in Makassar on November 13 over a case involving Upi, who has been declared a suspect in a case of defamation against Sulselbar police chief Sisno Adiwinoto.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – The state, through President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), should issue an immediate apology and rehabilitate the names of the pro-democracy activists and the families of the victims of the forced abduction in 1997-1998. This is necessary in order to solve the impasse in the legal proceedings into the case.

Jakarta – Believing that the government has failed to side with them, workers have started campaigning for people not to vote in the 2009 legislative and presidential elections. The reason, they feel that it is pointless giving political support to the government.