M. Taufiqurrahman and Dwi Atmanta, Denpasar – Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri was unanimously reelected for another five-year term on Thursday, two days before the party's national congress was scheduled to close in Bali.

Jambi – Sixteen small parties are eyeing the possibility of a coalition after a Constitutional Court ruling allowing small parties to nominate their own candidates during the direct election of local government chief executives.

Dwi Atmanta and M. Taufiqurrahman, Denpasar – The attempt to challenge Megawati Soekarnoputri's control of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) fizzled on Wednesday after leading figures in the reform-minded group made a last-minute decision to jump on the Megawati bandwagon.

Jakarta – The Central Jakarta District Court threw out on Wednesday a civil lawsuit filed by youth organization Pemuda Panca Marga (PPM) against Tempo magazine, ruling that the suit was "not grounded in law".

[Book review. In the Time of Madness. Author By Richard Lloyd Parry.]

Indonesia's former chief peace negotiator in Aceh agrees that now is the best, perhaps the only, chance for a peaceful end to the 30 year conflict. Wiryono Sastrohandoyo is a former Ambassador to Australia and was Indonesia's chief negotiator in ceasefire talks with the Free Aceh rebels in 2002.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – While the Jakarta Council is still considering the idea of legalizing prostitution and gambling as suggested by former governor Ali Sadikin, a hand grenade exploded at the Boker prostitution complex in Ciracas, East Jakarta, late on Tuesday.

Alecia D. McKenzie, Siem Reap (Cambodia) – The first lady of the world's newest nation, East Timor, is sitting in the audience of an international meeting, listening to the prime minister of Cambodia give an impassioned speech. In her arms she cradles a cherubic-looking baby, who smiles frequently.

Jakarta – After 32 years as the mouthpiece of the ruling Golkar Party during the Soeharto regime, the Suara Karya daily is changing its look and content in a bid to attract more readers.

Golkar, led by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, relaunched the newspaper on Wednesday evening at the Mulia Hotel in Jakarta, vowing not to use the daily to serve its political interests.

The internal bickering of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), may deal the major party a massive blow at a time that it is still reeling from a double election defeat last year. Mochtar Buchori, a senior PDI-P advisor, shares his views with The Jakarta Post's Dwi Atmanta and M. Taufiqurrahman on how to rebuild the party in a bid to regain public trust.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has met with survivors on the earthquake devastated island of Nias in western Sumatra and has urged residents to be patient. At least 500 people have been confirmed dead from Monday's quake which measured nearly 9 on the Richter scale and rescue workers continue to search for survivors trapped under rubble.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) Headquarters launched a major reshuffle on Wednesday affecting high-ranking military officers, including Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya from commanding Iskandar Muda Military Command in the troubled Aceh province to his new post as deputy Army chief of staff.

Hera Diani, Jakarta – While media reports often focus on doom and gloom – price hikes and the rampant corruption, poor investment climate and widespread social injustice and poverty in the country – a recent national survey made public on Tuesday revealed that most Indonesians are a happy, content lot, who are positive about the future.

Hera Diani, Jakarta – The government is being urged to design a clear policy framework for the reconstruction of tsunami-devastated Aceh, particularly one that is based on the participation of the Acehnese people.

Vincent Lingga, Jakarta – Apparently buoyed by its success in ushering in the unpopular policy of increasing fuel prices, the government is preparing another politically sensitive measure – tax amnesty – to lure back billions of dollars, which Indonesian businesspeople reportedly transferred overseas during the height of the economic crisis in 1998.

Jakarta – The plan of the Indonesian National Army to form a Regional Army Force in Merauke – West Papua and the plan to add a third division of Army Strategic Force Reserve in West Papua is considered as disturbing the efforts to build human rights and conflict resolution in that region.

The commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces General Endriartono Sutarto, the commander of KOSTRAD Lt.General Hadi Waluyo, and spokesman for the Armed Forces, Brig.General Hotmangaridja Panjaitan recently declared that the Indonesian Army will shortly establish 22 new Territorial Commands throughout Indonesia, including a new Korem (Resort Command) to be located in Merauke, as well as

Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni, Mataram – At least 10,000 protesters stormed the prosecutor's office in Lombok on Monday in another move to interfere with justice, showing support for West Nusa Tenggara Governor Lalu Serinata and demanding the release of nine jailed graft suspects.

Theresia Sufa and Eva C. Komandjaja, Bogor/Jakarta – Alarmed by escalating tension between a dump site operator and residents of Bojong in Bogor, West Java, an influential local councillor warned that another riot could occur if the dump was reopened.

Jeffrey A. Winters – In an effort to downplay his more recent hawkish profile as the No 2 man at the Defense Department, Paul Wolfowitz, nominated by George Bush to be president of the World Bank, has pointed to his tenure as ambassador to Indonesia as evidence that he is well suited to lead the worlds largest institution focused on development.

M. Taufiqurrahman and Dwi Atmanta, Denpasar – Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri defended her achievements over the past five years, saying she was not to blame for the party's disappointing showings in the 2004 legislative and presidential elections.

Leony Aurora, Jakarta – As part of its efforts to stem the steady decline in the country's oil output, the government is preparing incentive packages to lure investors to operate in marginal and aging oil fields, says a top official.

Jeffrey A. Winters – In an effort to downplay his more recent hawkish profile as the #2 man at the Defense Department, Paul Wolfowitz, nominated by George Bush to be president of the World Bank, has pointed to his tenure as ambassador to Indonesia as evidence that he is well suited to lead the world's largest institution focused on development.

Once upon a time in the not so distant past, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) bore the country's political hopes and dreams. Its leader, Megawati Soekarnoputri, was an icon of idealism, rising up in the face of dogma and oppression.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – After hearing a report about group masturbation among elementary school students, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the government would soon take extreme steps to stamp out pornography.

Evi Mariani, Jakarta – Although the grief was over, the feeling of loss was still palpable during the seventh anniversary of Kontras last week, almost six months after Munir's murder.

The anniversary was special, because it was the first anniversary without Munir, the founder of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).

A huge earthquake off northwest Indonesia killed at least 400 people, and possibly several thousand, and triggered tsunami warnings which caused panic across the Indian Ocean. The epicenter of the quake measuring 8.7 on the Richter scale was just 200 miles from that of the December 26 quake which sent giant waves crashing into 12 nations, killing over 273,000 people.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – In line with the recent Constitutional Court decision, the General Elections Commission (KPU) called on the central government on Monday to delay the direct regional elections in order to give minor parties more preparation time.

Brad Simpson, Washington, D.C. – There is a bitter irony to the Bush Administration's announcement in late February that it will restore military training for the Indonesian armed forces, which came just days before the State Department's annual human rights report charged that in 2004 "security force members murdered, tortured, raped, beat, and arbitrarily detained civilians."

Yuli Tri Suwarni and Eva C. Komandjaja, Bandung/Jakarta – International support for Munir's wife, Suciwati, in her struggle to bring the killers of her husband to justice cannot be counted on to push along the domestic probe into the case, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda has said.

Damar Harsanto and Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – In Central Jakarta where multinational companies, government offices as well as most embassies are located, the Central Jakarta municipality appears to be failing to solve the glaring poverty the exists in the heart of the city, even though the municipality is given priorities in development.

Brisbane – International mining investment in Indonesia is on the line after an escalation in pollution allegations against Newmont Mining Corporation.

Dwi Atmanta and M. Taufiqurrahman, Denpasar – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) begins on Monday its six-day national congress, which will likely be highlighted by efforts from the incumbent leader, Megawati Soekarnoputri, to win reelection amid opposition from a reform-minded group.

Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Pekalongan – Reiterating his admission that the government's war on corruption was failing to make major progress, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono asked Muslim clerics on Sunday to help in the fight against the endemic disease.

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – Indonesia, ranked among the world's most corrupt countries, is ready to start rebuilding its tsunami-devastated northernmost province of Aceh.

Jakarta – Life is not so sweet for a small cottage industry producing caramelized snacks in Kemanggisan Pulo, West Jakarta, since the fuel price hikes.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Three months after the tsunami hit Aceh on Dec. 26, many Acehnese dread the departure of foreign aid workers, as they are not yet confident of making it on their own.

Jakarta – Indonesian House of Parliament Technical Delegation for Inter-parliamentarian Bilateral Cooperation warned the government to take serious preventive actions towards the separatist tendencies in the Province of Papua.

Mark Dodd – It caused outrage among East Timorese and Australian troops sent to protect them, raised tensions among UN peacekeepers to a deadly new level and caused senior UN staff to resign in disgust.

The deployment of Jordanian peacekeepers to East Timor was probably one of the most contentious UN decisions to follow the bloody independence ballot.

Jayapura – Major-General Nurdin Zainal, commander of the Trikora/XVII division, has announced that Kostrad, the Army Strategic Command will set up a base in Timika District, Papua in the very near future.

Banda Aceh (Reuters) – Women in Indonesia's devastated Aceh province who lost their homes in the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami face sexual attacks in relief camps, Oxfam said, as it warned of long-term social dislocation.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – A 23-member delegation from the Papua provincial legislative council is protesting the installment of the controversial West Irian Jaya council.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Despite the recent Constitutional Court ruling, observers are doubtful about whether the direct elections for governors, regents and mayors will be free from central government intervention.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) risks failing miserably in future elections, and faced the prospect of losing the bulk of its loyal supporters, unless the party's next leadership initiates sweeping internal reform, an observer said.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – The reconstruction of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and the surrounding tsunami-stricken areas will be able to start in the immediate future now that the government has completed the final draft of its blueprint for rehabilitation in the province.

Jakarta – Munir's wife, Suciwati, has won the support of international human rights groups in her struggle to bring those responsible for her husband's assassination to justice, and is pushing for the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights (UNHCHR) to monitor the investigations into the case.

Channel 7 and SBS have announced that they will not be screening the latest television commercials about the Timor Sea dispute written and funded by Australian businessperson Ian Melrose.

A political activist facing a possible six-year jail sentence for burning a portrait of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono walked out of his trial in Bali on Thursday (24/3/05) in protest against the charges.

On March 24-28, Sydney will host one of the most significant gatherings of left-wing leaders from Asia and the Pacific in some years. The Third Asia-Pacific Solidarity Conference is being attended by activists from the Philippines to Indonesia, from New Zealand to Vietnam.

Ioannis Gatsiounis, Kuala Lumpur – The last news to come from Malaysia and Indonesia was that the two countries were working hard diplomatically to resolve a border row in the Sulawesi Sea in which both sides sent warships to the contested area to stake their claims. There's good reason to believe they'll find a way.