Medan/Bandung – With the end of the long holidays, Indonesia's cities are returning to normal. That means traffic, smog, and big queues for public services.
In the North Sumatra capital of Medan, residents began lining up early in the morning at Pirngadi Hospital, where they were collecting new Askes insurance cards.
Agus Supriyanto, Jakarta – The economists are concerned that the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla's government will conduct "window dressing" to enhance the economic report within the remaining two years of their administration.
Jakarta – Lawyers for former president Soeharto criticized Monday state prosecution charges alleging the misuse of Supersemar Foundation funds, saying foundation money provided to some companies was in compliance with the foundation's internal regulations.
Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for the Economy Boediono said he expected the Indonesian economy to fare well amid a global slowdown, countering projections by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which has revised 2008 growth projections – including Indonesia's – in a downward direction.
Rofiqi Hasan, Denpasar – Scores of activists from the Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi) held a demonstration in the Balinese provincial capital of Denpasar on Tuesday October 23.
Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – The Kupang Legislative Council agreed to increase the amount of a monthly allowance paid to teachers following a strike and street rally involving some 5,000 teachers in Kupang on Monday.
Tangerang – At least two residents were injured in a clash with police at a protest over a slaughterhouse in Sepatan district on Monday.
Tohir, 20, and Jamal, 23, who suffered head injuries, were taken to the police station for questioning without medical treatment. The police refused to comment.
Members of the Papuan community living in the Papua New Guinea capital say they fear for their safety after the murder of a senior court magistrate at the weekend.
It is alleged a group of Papuan refugees stoned the judge to death after he crashed his car near their make shift camp site.
A United States-based West Papuan journalist and academic says the media access to Indonesia's Papua region has become more restricted.
Octo Mote's comments follow discussion in the British parliament over how much Jakarta has opened up Papua for foreign journalists.
Jakarta – Over the last three years of the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the upholding of human rights has been limited to building a good image. This can be seen from the administration's concentration on issues to maintain its power.
Hyginus Hardoyo, Wonogiri – Amid reports of the environmentally costly exploitation of forest resources across the country, good news comes from a handful of villages in Java.
Farmers in Wonogiri and Sukoharjo in Central Java, as well as Gunungkidul in Yogyakarta, have managed to convert arid and seemingly barren land into a flourishing ecosystem.
Jakarta – On a bridge in Karet, Central Jakarta, a middle-aged man sat eating a cracker. He looked tired and drawn, but before long stood up again and continued searching for sellable items of trash.
Sultani – The public's assessment of the performance of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's administration over the last year has shown progressive signs that they have had enough. The public is increasingly apathetic towards the measures being taken by government to improve the nation.
Jakarta – Former Jakarta governor Sutiyoso said Sunday that he had approached several political parties in line with his plans to contest the 2009 presidential election.
Alfian, Jakarta – The Golkar Party could win the 2009 general elections but it needs to be on the alert for the possible loss of voters to the Democratic Party (PD), observers said Sunday.
Saiful Mujani, executive director of the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI), said that the PD has enjoyed a significant increase in popularity in the last three years.
Adhityani Arga, Jakarta – The pilot of a Garuda Indonesia aircraft that crashed at Yogyakarta airport killing 21 people ignored 15 warnings as he descended too rapidly, a transport safety committee report said on Monday.
George Junus Aditjondro, Yogyakarta – The Helsinki peace agreement made on Aug. 15, 2005, between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) left some "homework" for elected Aceh Governor Irwandy Yusuf and his North Sumatra counterpart Rudolf Pardede.
Emily Sherlock – They have been interrupting our TV viewing for months. And with the federal election campaign in full swing, advertisements on West Papua have become more prevalent.
Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara – Around 5,000 schoolteachers threatened to strike unless their allowance is increased significantly.
"In a meeting the teachers agreed to hold a street rally Monday, October 22. A mass strike will follow the rally," chairman of the Kupang Teachers Forum, Dumuul Djami, said Thursday.
Hasrul, Kendari – The bodies of 27 people have been recovered after a ferry sank Thursday night off the coast of Baubau in Southeast Sulawesi carrying more than 100 passengers.
Authorities reported the Acita 03 capsized several kilometers from shore around 9 p.m., after dozens of passengers rushed to the roof to get a stronger signal for their cell phones.
Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Environmental campaigners have praised the government's anti-deforestation scheme, which aims to lure international funding by protecting forests and helping reduce carbon emissions.
The Idul Fitri party is over. People are now returning to Jakarta after spending time – and money – in their hometowns. Many of them, especially the poor, are tired and broke from long journeys. Yet they have returned to a city that is unwelcoming.
Fadli, Batam – Riau Islands businesspeople have proposed setting the 2008 monthly minimum wage for Batam city below the average inflation rate.
Businesspeople from the Riau Islands chapter of the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) have proposed a 1.5 percent minimum for next year.
Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – Jakarta administration has been criticized for raids aimed at preventing arriving migrants trying their luck in the city.
University of Indonesia public policy analyst Andrinof Chaniago and sociologist Imam Prasodjo said Friday the city administration was violating human rights by conducting the crackdowns.
Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – Indonesia will struggle to provide adequate sanitation and clean water to 72.5 percent of its population by 2015 in accordance with its commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), experts said Friday.
... Congratulations to our leaders
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B. Josie Susilo Hardianto – While young people of his own age race by on motorbikes and others shout and yell from passing busses and open trucks, welcoming in the Idul Fitri holiday at the end of the fasting month, Aji (15) sits on his rubbish cart, staring at them with empty eyes.
Harlyne Joku – West Papuans numbering 600 have agreed to be repatriated to their home province in Indonesia, the independent group supporting special autonomous region of Papua (IGSSARPRI) said yesterday.
Secretary general Sawi Sitapai said IGSSARPRI was organising their voluntary repatriation which would take place in December and January.
Ary Hermawan, Denpasar – The decision of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) to leave up to the national party leadership the nomination of a candidate for the 2008 gubernatorial election in Bali is detrimental to the autonomy of the party locally, a political analyst says.
Alfian and Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Although criticizing the selection process for the General Elections Commission (KPU), observers said Thursday the President should install the new members immediately.
Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Instead of begging rich countries for forestry projects, the government should instead increase the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police budgets to stop rampant illegal logging.
Anton Muhajir, Contributor, Kuta – Yustine (not her real name) says she feels more comfortable in the glittering Seminyak area near Kuta in Bali than in her hometown in Java.
A member of Bali's gay and transvestite community, she has been working as a singer and hairstylist on the island for the past two years.
Adianto P. Simamora and Irawati Wardany, Jakarta – Local organizers said Wednesday's Stand Up and Speak Out events against global poverty drew a record number of people.
Speaking Thursday, they said 618,061 people took part in events at 78 locations in 23 provinces.
Jakarta – While most Muslims celebrated Idul Fitri with their families, others in the city were not so lucky.
Siti Faridah, 37, a squatter who lives on vacant land next to the Jembatan Tiga turnpike in North Jakarta, observed the day alone where her family's small shanty used to stand.
Ridwan Max Sijabat, Trimurjo, Central Lampung – Vice President Jusuf Kalla says Indonesia must embrace hybrid rice to improve rice production and strengthen national food reserves.
Jakarta – Health experts are pressing the government to provide easier access to health services in order to meet the needs of the poor in Indonesia, as required by the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Markus Makur, Timika – Eight people have been killed and 19 others injured in ongoing violence involving four tribes in Tembagapura district, Mimika, Papua.
Jakarta – The growth in the total of rich people in Indonesia is the third highest in the Asia Pacific region.
Dili – East Timor's major political party Fretilin has called on President Jose Ramos Horta to dismiss the Prosecutor General Longuinhos Monteiro following new evidence that he conspired to bring down the former Fretilin government.
The Australian Defence Department has rejected allegations that six Australian soldiers beat a civilian Timorese security guard in Dili last Sunday.
A Fretilin party MP reportedly told East Timor's Parliament that the guard was beaten by the soldiers at a government warehouse. The MP also said two other people were assaulted by the Australian troops.
Jakarta – The number of reported domestic violence cases in Indonesia shows no signs of decreasing, despite the implementation of the 2004 Law on the Elimination of Domestic Violence, rights activists said recently.
Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's three years in office have yielded only mediocre results in the fields of the economy, public service and law enforcement, political experts say.
Boni Hargens of the University of Indonesia said Yudhoyono's only real success had been in maintaining stability.
Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Malls are bustling with shoppers, roads and popular resorts are jam-packed and many hotels are fully-booked.
The weeklong Idul Fitri holiday is spurring retail sales and economic activity in the tourist sector – all of which is positive for Indonesia's consumer-driven economy, but to what extent remains questionable.
Jakarta – There is a strong possibly that a commitment to solve the murder of human rights activist Munir will be sought from political parties or presidential and vice presidential candidates who will participate in the 2009 general elections.
Being the religious holiday that it is, the extended Idul Fitri celebration has not left many people with a hangover. But still, we have a sour aftertaste from the open polemic that has developed between Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin and Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni.
Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – The banking industry has rebounded from a disappointing 2006, with lending poised to register growth of more than 20 percent by the end of the year.
Jakarta – The scheduled visit of the United Nations special rapporteur on torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Manfred Nowak, will give Indonesia an opportunity to show the world its progress in human rights reforms despite serious obstacles, a rights activist said. Nowak is scheduled to visit Indonesia from Nov. 10 to 25.
Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – The government should stop a plan to introduce the wide use of a modified, high-tech rice hybrid as it will burden farmers, a farming NGO said Monday.
Alfian, Jakarta – Vice President Jusuf Kalla is earning praise for a planned Idul Fitri tour of nine provinces, while observers wonder if the Golkar Party chairman is laying the groundwork for a run at the presidency in 2009.
Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Dozens of child laborers in North Sumatra have been prevented from returning home for the Idul Fitri holiday, a local child welfare NGO has reported. The children work on Jermal, off-shore fishing platforms for local fishermen and companies.
Ati Nurbaiti, Dili – Mario Goncalves hides a missing earlobe below his white hair because East Timor is independent.
Goncalves' brother – whose son was behind the injury – told Goncalves he would pay for corrective surgery if the 1999 referendum showed that most Timorese wanted to stick with Indonesia.