Panca Nugraha, Mataram – A nationwide fertilizer shortage has the country's farmers deeply concerned, especially in West Nusa Tenggara, where the rice planting season is in full swing.
The price of subsidized urea has risen sharply compared to the highest retail price (HET) set by the government.
Ari Saputra, Jakarta – Feeling boxed into a corner by many circles, former National Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy chief retired Major General Muchdi Purwopranjono 'has poured out his heart out' to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM).
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono warned Wednesday that attempts by domestic industries to play the nationalist card to seek protectionist policies would lead to lack of competitiveness in the domestic market.
Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – Home Affairs Minister Mardiyanto warned local administration heads against criticizing government policies when campaigning for their respective political parties.
"They are representatives of the central government in their regions, so they should not attack the government in their campaigns," he told reporters at the State Palace on Wednesday.
Yemris Fointuna and Agus Maryono, Kupang, Purwokerto – Six children in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, have died of acute malnutrition over the past two weeks while Banyumas, Central Java, recorded more than 600 infant deaths over 2007 and 2008.
Jakarta – The National Police are the most responsive state institution when following up on public complaints while the Supreme Court (MA) is the least effective, the Indonesian Ombudsman Commission said Thursday.
Jakarta – Dozens of interfaith leaders and politicians visited the United Nations office in Jakarta on Wednesday to pressure it to put an end to the Israeli strikes against Gaza.
They asked the UN to prove its effectiveness as an international body by ending days of attacks that have killed hundreds of Palestinians, including women and children.
Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – Indonesia's exports of non oil and gas commodities will be affected as the global economic downturn slashes demand, although exports could still grow by up to 8 percent this year as firms diversify export destinations.
Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – A good farmer never blames his tools, but the Golkar Party, winner of the last legislative elections, has raised doubts about the credibility of survey institutes that have published popularity polls placing the party in third place.
Erwida Maulia and Ari Hermawan, Jakarta – The country faces yet another tough year in 2009 in promoting human rights, with the issue of elections likely to drown out all others on the national scene, the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) warned Tuesday.
Banda Aceh – Intimidation through setting fire to political party offices, banners, billboards and campaign advertising and threats against legislative candidates has tainted the administration of the 2009 elections in Indonesia's northern-most province of Aceh.
Jakarta – Up to 700 workers have been laid off less than a week into the year, bringing total dismissed workers since November last year, when the global financial crunch first hit the country, to almost 25,000, says the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry.
While the campaign for the 2009 parliamentary and presidential elections have just begun, it is already possible to discern the embryonic development of a national leadership crisis, which will be associated with a major crisis of legitimacy.
Dini Mawuntyas, Surabaya – The head of the board of directors of the Tanjung Perak branch of the Land Transport Organisation in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya, Kodi Lomahayu, says that 6,000 transport workers at the port are threatened with dismissal.
Aleksius Jemadu, Bandung – The political impact of the acquittal of former top spy Maj. Gen. (ret) Muchdi Purwopranjono of all charges in the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib will damage the public's sense of justice.
Yuli Tri Suwarni and Slamet Susanto, Bandung, Yogyakarta – Religious organizations grouped under the Inter-Religious Forum have called for Indonesians to stop viewing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a religious clash.
Lindsay Murdoch, Darwin – Angelita Pires, the former lover of slain East Timorese rebel leader Alfredo Reinado, says authorities in Dili are depriving her of her freedom because her case is too political.
Nieke Indrietta/Dianing Sari, Jakarta – Workers employed in four industrial sectors are still threatened with mass dismissals this year as a result of the global financial crisis, namely the timber, electronic, garment and footwear industries.
Jakarta – The National Statistics Agency (BPS) has announced that in comparison with the second quarter of 2008, in nominal terms the average wage of industrial workers in the third quarter of 2008 has declined by 8.74 percent. In real terms, the wages of industrial workers over the same period have declined by as much as 11.30 percent.
Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – Having earmarked Rp 50 trillion (US$4.9 billion) for a stimulus package to help the country survive the economic crisis, the government said Monday the money could help the economy grow by as much as 5 percent this year and keep the unemployment rate flat.
Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – The global economic downturn continues to strike the country's exports hard as weakening demand and falling commodity prices pushed down November's exports by around 11 percent from a month earlier, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported Monday.
Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – The newly endorsed law on legal education entities continues to ignite public outcry, despite the government's efforts to defuse accusations that the legislation could lead to the commercialization of education.
The Police shooting season over the New Year period major concern for upcoming Indonesian general elections
Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – The collapse of Supreme Court deputy chief Harifin A. Tumpa at a recent ceremony has prompted a call for old timers at the top court to be replaced, with experts saying the election of a new chief justice should no longer be based on seniority.
The Constitutional Court's ruling on the distribution of legislative seats late last month deserves applause, as it basically curbs the power of the party system and instead allows for the clear articulation of the voices of voters, the people. But when it comes to implementation, the ruling may create problems.
Suwardiman – In welcoming the 2009 general elections, the public has placed its hopes in improvements to their economic and social livelihoods. In the shadows of the political arena however, the disappointing progress and performance of various state institutions has tended made the public pessimistic.
Agus Maryono, Purwokerto – In the past two years, at least 137 people in the four regencies of the Banyumas area of Central Java have committed suicide by hanging themselves because of frustration arising from poverty and prolonged sickness, the area's police chief said.
Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – Anti-corruption groups have criticized public courts for allowing corruption suspects to make them their "heaven", as most graft suspects tried by the lowest to top courts this year were set free.
Jakarta – More than 4,000 Indonesians have offered to support Hamas and fight against Israel, a radical Islamist group has told Adnkronos International (AKI).
The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) has been mobilising jihadists to support the ruling Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip against the current Israeli offensive.
Dian Kuswandini, Jakarta – Human rights bodies have promised to fight for an appeal of former National Intelligence Agency (BNI) deputy chairman Muchdi Purwopranjono's acquittal for the murder of human rights campaigner Munir Said Thalib.
Jakarta – Thousands of Indonesian Muslims on Sunday protested Israel's military offensive against the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 400 people. In the capital Jakarta, more than 2,000 Muslim followers from Hizbut Tahrir hardline group, rallied at the National Monument near the US embassy.
Jakarta, Bandung, Malang, Medan – Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of cities across the country on Friday to denounce Israeli air strikes on Gaza that have killed 425 people in the past six days.
The protesters accused the United States of supporting the attacks, raising strong and renewed anti-American sentiment among Indonesian Muslims.
By Zely Ariane – In July 2008, Barrack Obama, now the United State's new president elect said: "If someone launches a rocket at my home while my two sons are sleeping, then I would make every effort to put an end to them, and I hope that the Israeli people would also do the same" (www.Solidarity-US.org).
Stephen Fitzpatrick, Jakarta – Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono faces a political crisis unless he quickly addresses outrage over the acquittal of a senior former spy on murder charges, activists say.
Dian Kuswandini, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) plans to review a court verdict in which former top spy Muchdi Purwopranjono was acquitted of all charges in the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib.
Imanuddin Razak, Jakarta – It is not surprising that Maj. Gen. (ret) Muchdi Purwopranjono, a former deputy to the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief, was eventually acquitted of all charges laid against him in connection with the September 2004 murder of rights activist Munir Said Thalib.
Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has warned it would be harder to probe possible graft cases against legislators elected in 2009, since they are not required under the new election law to report their wealth.
Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Every year around 200,000 Indonesians from across the country leave for Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to complete their haj pilgrimage and fulfill their religious obligation as a Muslim.
Dian Kuswandini, Jakarta – Former top spy Maj. Gen. (ret) Muchdi Purwopranjono walked free on Wednesday after a court found him not guilty of masterminding the 2004 murder of noted human rights activist Munir Said Thalib.
In response, assistant attorney general for general crimes Abdul Hakim Ritonga promptly said prosecutors would appeal the much-decried verdict.
Jakarta – Thousand of Prosperous and Justice Party (PKS) members from across Greater Jakarta staged a rally at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta on Friday, causing traffic tie-ups around the area.
Kompas.com has reported the rally has held up busses and cars coming into the major intersection from the south.
Hundreds of people in Bali staged a rally in front of the US Consulate in Denpasar on Friday demanding that country exercise its influence to stop Israeli attacks on Palestinians.
State news agency Antara reported those joining the rally were mostly Muslims living on the predominantly Hindu island and also sympathizers of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).
Abdul Khalik and Dian Kuswandini, Jakarta – The acquittal of former top spy Maj. Gen. (ret) Muchdi Purwopranjono of all charges in the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib has incensed rights activists and observers.
ID Nugroho, Surabaya – Surabaya Legal Aid Institute (LBH) has urged the Indonesian public to pressure the government and PT Lapindo Brantas Inc. energy company to seek an immediate resolution to unresolved Sidoarjo mudflow issues.
Khairul Saleh, Palembang – Violence against women in South Sumatra rose dramatically in 2008, from 396 cases in 2007 to 568 cases, a year-end report from the Palembang chapter of the Women's Crisis Center (WCC) has revealed.
Aditya Suharmoko, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday said the government would cushion the country against the impact of the global economic downturn by providing an expansive stimulus package and sponsoring massive infrastructure projects.
Ika Krismantari, Jakarta – Foreign businesses were still keen to invest in Indonesian stocks last year, shrugging off worries about the future of the bourse.
The gavel was struck three times in the courtroom on New Year's Eve, after the former intelligence deputy was pronounced a free man. The good name of Muchdi Purwopranjono, charged of masterminding the murder of a prominent activist, must be restored in full, a member of the panel of judges said amid the din and shouts of those who rejoiced, and those who despaired.
Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The House of Representatives is considering shifting the management of Indonesia's haj fund from the Religious Affairs Ministry to a private firm following ongoing misappropriation scandals and worsening services for pilgrims in the past two years.
Leo Shanahan – The government of Malcolm Fraser knew it was in breach of international law when it recognised Indonesia's takeover of East Timor – but bowed to pressure from the Suharto regime and oil companies.
Australian government documents from 1978 show how concerned Canberra was at the fall of Australia's standing in Southeast Asia.
Presenter: Girish Sawlani