Jakarta – Outgoing Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto's suggestion that soldiers be allowed to vote in the 2009 elections has caused an outcry among those who fear the military still has too much power.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The Papuan Legislative Council announced Friday it would oppose the partitioning of Papua to create West Irian Jaya province.

Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said Friday that several articles in the Military Criminal Code, mainly pertaining to prosecution of Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel, needed amendment.

Ken Yunita, Jakarta – The debate over the question of giving voting rights to the TNI (Indonesian military) and the police continues to provoke discussion. The People's Democratic Party (PRD) agrees with members of the TNI and police participating in the 2009 general elections.

Soeryo Winoto, Jakarta – "He who knows not that he knows not is a fool, shun him!" That's the old saying for ignorant people who are not aware of their ignorance, but instead believe they are smart.

The installation this week of Marshal Djoko Suyanto, previously chief of the air force, as head of Indonesia's armed forces made front-page news. The armed forces formally withdrew from politics only in 2004, when they gave up their reserved seats in parliament, bringing to an end dwi fungsi, their dual political and military function.

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso has become obsessed with the idea that the megalopolitan concept of development is the answer to the capital's numerous long-standing problems.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – The government has prepared a package of 153 policy actions for this year to encourage private investment in the much-needed development of infrastructure to support higher economic growth.

Tiarma Siboro and I Wayan Juniartha, Tampak Siring, Bali – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Friday that Timor Leste President Xanana Gusmao's decision to submit a report – detailing alleged human rights abuses by the Indonesian Military in the former Indonesian province – to the UN was a domestic matter.

Sian Powell, Tampak Siring, Bali – The presidents of East Timor and Indonesia agreed yesterday to publicly ignore the conclusions of a damning UN-sanctioned report that found Jakarta committed war crimes during its 24-year occupation of the former Portuguese colony.

Roy Tupai – Former East Timorese pro-Indonesia militia leader Eurico Guterres, currently appealing his five-year jail sentence for crimes against humanity, has been elected chairman of National Mandate Party's (PAN) chapter in East Nusa Tenggara province.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has written to the Indonesian Government demanding the removal of the ban on foreign media in West Papua immediately.

ID Nugroho, Surabaya – State Minister of the Environment Rachmat Witoelar has defended the government's out-of-court settlement with PT Newmont Minahasa Raya, saying US$30 million was better than no compensation at all.

Timor Leste – Indonesia residents asked that Fretilin's crimes against humanity in the 70's be divulged. "It is what is fair, after Timor Leste reported human rights violation by the Indonesian Army (TNI) from the 1970's," said Mateus Maya, Chief of the Timor Union Aswain in Denpasar, Bali, yesterday, 16 February.

Andra Jackson – The leader of the 43 West Papuan asylum seekers on Christmas Island has made a direct appeal to the Australian public for protection.

Joniansyah, Jakarta – The Department for Culture and Tourism this afternoon launched the National Movement for Clean Public Toilets. The event took place at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, the Juanda Airport in Surabaya and the Ngurah Rai Airport in Denpasar Bali.

Jakarta – Indonesian police have finished their investigation into eight suspects accused in the 2002 slayings of two American teachers in Papua province and handed over their charge sheets to prosecutors, a spokesman said Friday.

Multa Fidrus, Tangerang – Tangerang Mayor Wahidin Halim vowed Thursday to come down hard on anyone stepping out of line because of drink or women.

Vincent Lingga, Jakarta – The country's economic growth rose to 5.60 percent last year from 5.13 percent in 2004. While this may seem like good news, there is reason to worry, because expansion in 2005 was lower than the official target of 6 percent.

Jakarta – Police must protect the witnesses of the 1989 Talangsari massacre from harassment and intimidation, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) says.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The former National Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy chief, whose name has come up in connection to the murder of human rights campaigner Munir, has gone on the defensive, telling lawmakers he has nothing to hide.

Tb. Arie Rukmantara and Suherdjoko, Jakarta/Semarang/Makassar – Despite 512 arrests from an ongoing operation to curb illegal logging in Java and the promise of more detentions, an activist says the crackdown will do little to reduce the environmental cost to local communities.

Fadli, Batam – Holding his five-year-old son, Arman stared at a dark-colored pool of water near his house in Batam, Riau Islands province. The pool is a "souvenir" from sand mining in the area.

Iqbal Fadil, Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) has put forward four preconditions that have to be met before the right to vote is given to members of the TNI (Indonesian military).

Washington – Indonesia must give immediate priority to completing tax, labour and other key reforms aimed at drawing investments crucial to boosting economic growth, a senior IMF official said.

Bali – Indonesia's president embraced his East Timorese counterpart Friday, and said a report detailing atrocities committed by Indonesia during its occupation of the tiny nation would not affect ties.

Imran MA, Banda Aceh – The Blang Pidie representative offices of the Aceh Referendum Information Center (SIRA) in West Aceh was attacked by a group of around 100 militia on Friday February 17. All of the office equipment including a typewriter, radio and other materials were destroyed. The office is now under a tight police guard.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Ati Nurbaiti, Jakarta – Ahead of next week's legislative deliberation on the Aceh governance bill, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle reiterated its opposition, saying the bill would give too much to the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Several regional administrations have introduced bylaws that support the implementation of sharia, which observers fear could upset relations between religious groups in the pluralistic country. Constitutional Court President Jimly Asshiddiqie expressed his views on the matter in an interview with The Jakarta Post's Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Dwi Atmanta.

Hera Diani, Jakarta – There is much to enjoy from overseas trips, but Vice President Jusuf Kalla says the praise he hears heaped on Indonesia's democratic transition has begun to grate.

Yophiandi Kurniawan, Jakarta – The general chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Megawati Sukarnoputri, is pessimistic that the implementation of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the government and the Free Aceh Movement will be in accordance with expectations.

Fitraya Ramadhanny, Jakarta – The Draft Law on Pornography has received support and opposition from the public. The Children's Rights Monitoring Foundation (YPHA) includes those who reject it. They believe that the draft law will not address the real problem.

Jakarta – Former president Abdurrahman Wahid, known as Gus Dur, has confirmed a report by the State Intelligent Agency (BIN) that the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) still wants independence for Aceh, even though it has made peace with the Indonesian government.

In light of Friday's meeting between the presidents of Timor-Leste and Indonesia, the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) today called on Indonesia to fully accept the findings and enact the recommendations of Timor-Leste's Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (known by its Portuguese acronym, CAVR).

Maruli Ferdinand, Jakarta – The Indonesian Human Rights Monitor (Imparsial) opposes the Indonesian military (TNI) being given the right to vote in the 2009 general elections. The problem is that the TNI has yet to complete its agenda of reform.

Overprescribed and overpriced. Tuesday's special report on medicines cast some light on one of the country's health care management failings, detailing how as consumers, Indonesians are at the mercy of unscrupulous doctors and drug companies.

Adriana Nina Kusuma, Jakarta – The world's biggest gold miner, Newmont Mining Corp., is paying Indonesia $30 million to settle a civil suit over pollution, but will still face criminal charges in a case closely watched by foreign investors.

Jakarta – The economy expanded 5.6 percent last year, higher than 2004, with increased government spending compensating for sagging private consumption and investment hit by the rise in inflation and interest rates, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) says.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Outgoing Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, who once fiercely rejected the idea of soldiers voting in general elections, has changed his mind.

Iqbal Fadil, Jakarta – The murder of human rights activist Munir will never be solved. This is because the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) and the national police are holding all of the respective facts and will never reveal them.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – If you are one of the millions awaiting a response after sending a letter or SMS of complaint to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, don't take it personally.

Indra Harsaputra, Surabaya – Reni (not her real name), 25, was puzzled as she looked at a vending machine to be installed in a red-light district here in February – a device previously unfamiliar to her.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – House of Representatives legislators voiced their opposition Tuesday to a series of government regulations on broadcasting, which took effect on Feb. 5.

"We reject the regulations," said legislator Marzuki Darusman of the Golkar Party, representing the House Commission I on defense and information.

Oyos Saroso H.N., Bandarlampung – Ignoring public criticism, Bandarlampung and West Lampung councillors are moving ahead with proposals to give themselves each a Rp 60 million (US$6,451) housing allowance in their 2006 budgets.

Kupang – Hundreds of students and activists grouped in the Kupang Education and Health Awareness Forum staged protest Monday against the 2006 provincial draft budget, which is slated to be approved Feb. 17.

Jakarta – The Islam Defenders Front (FPI) has dropped its charges against an actor who appeared nude in photographs featured in an exhibition last year at the Bank Indonesia Museum, Central Jakarta.

"Anjasmara (the actor) has approached the FPI to apologize," FPI lawyer Sugito said after filing the request to drop the charges Monday.

Rendi Akhmad Witular, Jakarta – The government may take legal action against PT Freeport Indonesia, a local unit of US giant Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc., if the gold and copper miner is found to have polluted the environment near its mining concession in Papua.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – In a high-profile illegal logging trial, the Jayapura District Court on Monday returned the case against Papua Forestry Office head Marthen Kayoi to the prosecution, advising that the charges against the official are "premature".

Jakarta – The government will go ahead with its plans to repay Indonesia's debts to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) ahead of schedule, the finance minister said, citing a preliminary study from the central bank that showed the country was financially capable of doing so and the benefits that would result.

Hera Diani, Jakarta – If you are a health consumer in Indonesia some of these situations may be familiar to you.