Mafoot Simon – The sense of anxiety is palpable as six men try to stay calm. After all, they are in their party leader's house to complain about another party official.

For almost three hours, they try to convince Mr Haji Juwanto, head of the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P) here, that the party should take action.

Tim Shorrock – August 31, 2002, began as a day like any other in the lives of Patsy and Rick Spier. They were teaching school in West Papua, Indonesia, the latest posting in a series of international teaching jobs far away from their home in Denver.

Ben Terrall – In the first visit to Indonesia by a Bush cabinet official since George W.'s October "trip to al-Qaeda hell" (in the words of an unnamed White House official quoted by the New York Times) John Ashcroft flew to Bali in early February to attend a two-day regional conference on terrorism.

Jakarta – Thousands of white-clad, religious conservatives rallied and prayed in cities across Indonesia on Sunday, demanding the imposition of traditional Islamic law in the world's most populous Muslim nation.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Papuan tribal leaders rejected what they called an unsatisfactory investigation into the murder of proindependence Papuan leader Dortheys "Theys" Hiyo Eluway, and called for the United Nations to set up an independent team to conduct an objective and thorough inquiry into the case.

Lee Kim Chew – In his bid to become Indonesia's next president, former military chief General Wiranto yesterday used Singapore as his launch pad to project himself as the strong leader his country needs.

Muh. Azis Tunny and Yemris Fointuna, Ambon/Kupang – Tens of thousands of eligible voters in Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara provinces may not be able to vote in the upcoming elections, as they are not registered with the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

In Maluku province, the BPS has finished registering voters, although 7,000 eligible voters have not been registered.

Robert Go, Medan – Motorised-rickshaw driver Iskandar was one of millions who chose the black bull symbol of President Megawati Sukarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party – Struggle (PDI-P) in 1999.

Mafoot Simon – In this Indonesian city of almost 1,000 Islamic religious schools, it comes as no surprise that the Muslim parties will slug it out for votes in April's legislative election.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Having seen the current pre-election political maneuverings in the country, nobody would argue the classic adage in politics "There are no perpetual enemies, only interests".

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The National Police have deployed over 7,000 reinforcement personnel to three conflict-prone areas to help the existing forces there maintain security and order, prior to and during the elections.

Indra Harsaputra and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta/Surabaya – The historic verdict by the Constitutional Court to scrap a ruling which prohibits former members of the outlawed Indonesia Communist Party (PKI), or their relatives, from contesting in April's legislative election has not moved the government to dismantle decades-long discriminatory rulings against them, a minister po

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – A constitutional law expert has called on the General Election Commission (KPU) and the Constitutional Court to have a look into two contradictory rules about the presidential elections to avoid possible chaos in the upcoming poll.

Robert Go, Jakarta – The Indonesian public received a huge shock yesterday when restructuring agency Ibra closed its books for good and handed over a bill for the economic crisis that began in 1997: around 477 trillion rupiah, or S$94 billion.

For some, this is the final chapter in a five-year reform effort; others say the process is not yet over.

Jakarta – Indonesian police have released eight activists detained earlier this month in war-torn Aceh province but plan to charge two others with treason for allegedly helping separatist rebels, officials said on Saturday.

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – In funeral services, preachers often say, "May he rest in peace". But you can't take that on face value if you are a Jakarta resident.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Students, parents and teachers of the SMPN 56 state junior high school opposing a controversial property deal sought protection from the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) on Friday, the day they were supposed to be evicted.

Jakarta – Two months and more than 300 deaths after a deadly outbreak of dengue fever across the country, Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri has declared the epidemic a problem. She urged hospitals and officials to help all patients, even if they are unable to pay for treatment.

She also advised Indonesians to take steps to prevent the virus from spreading further.

Nani Farida, Banda Aceh – Aceh police declared two of 11 student activists arrested recently as treason suspects on Friday, saying that they had supported the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Police said the two students had helped GAM by provoking people in Aceh Tengah regency to take refuge.

Dewi Santoso, Jakarta – The start of the academic year is four months away, but schools in Jakarta – including kindergartens, high schools, state and private schools – are already advertising in the media.

Semarang – State Minister of the Environment Nabiel Makarim says it is very difficult to end illegal logging across the country as local government officials and people benefit from the practice.

Taufik Kamil, Jakarta – Indonesian State Minister of Environment Nabiel Makarim has said that indications of Malaysia's involvement in receiving illegal wood from Indonesia are stronger, as proven by a video recording made by Greenpeace, the international environment protection organization.

Andrew Burrell, Jakarta – Indonesia's Foreign Minister, Hassan Wirajuda, has claimed that lobbying by his government led Australia to slash funding to an ACTU-backed aid group that campaigns for independence in Papua.

Mafoot Simon, Tasikmalaya – The singer gyrated on stage in a red, body-hugging outfit with a plunging neckline as she belted out an upbeat version of Killing Me Softly. It was Valentine's Night at a hotel coffee house and singers like her would have been a common sight at clubs in Indonesian cities that night.

Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has agreed in a plenary meeting to start a thorough inquiry into alleged human rights violations by former president Soeharto during his 32 years of iron-fisted leadership.

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – Conservation group Greenpeace is blockading two rivers in Kalimantan on the island of Borneo, hoping a mounting pile of illegally cut trees will embarrass the Indonesian Government into prosecuting offenders.

Jakarta – A panel of judges at Bengkulu district court sentenced on Thursday defendant Sardona Siliwangi, 23, to 10 years in jail for his role in the Marriott bombing last year.

Suherdjoko and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Semarang/Jakarta – Former suspected members of the Indonesia Communist Party (PKI) are urging the government they be allowed to contest the legislative election after a court this week ruled part of a law banning them was invalid.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – A panel of judges at Medan district court sentenced on Thursday 10 members of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to between two and 10 years in jail for acts of terrorism.

Of the 10, two were top brass in GAM's Medan Deli area of operations. This was the first trial in Medan to decided the fate of leading GAM personnel.

Banda Aceh – Police have admitted to arresting and detaining a number of student activists in Aceh. Of the eleven activists which were arrested, three of them are still being held under charges of being involved with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Matthew Moor, Jakarta – Indonesia's most senior intelligence official has warned of a threat posed by a "new Jemaah Islamiah" – the Asian terror group blamed for the Bali bombings – which he said was now gathering support because of the continuing conflict in the Middle East.

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung – Hundreds of fired workers from state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) welcomed the Jakarta State Administrative High Court's (PTTUN) verdict, which requires the Bandung-based company to reinstate its employees and pay their salaries for the dispute period.

Devi Asmarani – The coming Indonesia elections will not be fought and won in Jakarta or in Java alone. The mood of the people living elsewhere in this sprawling country will be critical. Starting today, correspondents of The Straits Times bring you a series of special reports from around the nation.

Surabaya/Jakarta – Influential Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) member Taufik Kiemas expressed interest in a formal coalition with the Golkar Party in the presidential elections, although this idea was quickly dismissed by his colleagues.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Chief of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Lt. Gen. (ret.) A.M. Hendropriyono foresees no (major) security disturbances that could obstruct the upcoming general election, saying several minor conflicts may occur but they could be kept under control.

A. Junaidi, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) has pledged to maintain its neutrality in the upcoming general election, its chief said on Wednesday.

In a hearing with the House of Representatives's Commission I on defense, TNI Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said this would represent a small break with tradition.

Nani Farida, Banda Aceh – The Aceh martial law administrator has vowed to go after non-governmental organization (NGO) activists in the province, saying many of them were accomplices of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Yogyakarta – Around 100 activists from the group People's Solidarity for Aceh (Solidaritas Rakyat untuk Aceh) held a street action in Yogyakarta, Central Java, on Thursday February 26. As well as demanding an end to marshal law in Aceh they also called for the release of a number of activists who are currently being held by the Aceh emergency military command (PDMD).

Jakarta – Rizal Ramli, the former head of the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) during the era of former President Abdurrahman Wahid, has said the Supreme Court's decision to free Akbar Tanjung from charges of misusing Bulog non-budgetary funds two weeks ago is part of a grand plot which was hatched long ago.

Indonesian troops have killed eight separatists in Aceh province, the military said Monday.

Two of the eight Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members were killed in a skirmish in Nagan Raya district on Sunday, said Lieutenant Colonel Asep Sapari, an Aceh military spokesman.

Jakarta – The Constitutional Court's decision to reinstate the constitutional rights of former communist members and their families members has sparked calls for an end to all discrimination against them.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Recent floods in Jakarta that claimed six lives should serve as a warning for the city administration to build the East Flood Canal as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the planned project has been delayed as the administration lacks the funds for land clearance for the canal.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – The decision by Kampar Regency Council to dismiss Kampar regent Jefri Noer and his deputy A. Zakir is not final, according to Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno.

Indonesia has hit back at an American State Department report which criticised its human rights record.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman, Marty Natalegawa, retaliated by saying the report had set a new standard in its ignorance and its failure to understand the actual conditions in Indonesia.

Jakarta – The Indonesian government plans to sell its controlling stake in 19 state firms this year as part of its continuing privatisation programme, an official said Thursday.

The government will also sell its minority holding in nine other firms, said Parikesit Suprapto, an assistant deputy for privatisation in the state enterprises ministry.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The human rights condition in the country has been deteriorating since the government announced wars on separatism and terrorism last year, rights watchdogs said.

Washington – The Indonesian government's human rights record remained poor last year and it continued to commit serious abuses especially in war-torn Aceh province, the US State Department said Wednesday.

Anton Aliabbas, Jakarta – The chairperson of the People's Representative Assembly (DPR), Akbar Tanjung, has said that there is no need to be concerned about the decision by the Constitutional Court which allows ex-members of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) to become legislative candidates. However he also said that communism must be guarded against.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung has come under fire from within his own party for suggesting that he will accept the vice-presidency after the election for the legislature in April.

Rachel Harvey, Aceh – It has been more than nine months now since the Indonesian government launched its military campaign in the north-western province of Aceh.

The stated aim was to crush separatist rebels of the Free Aceh Movement, known by its Indonesian acronym, Gam. It was meant to be all over in six months, but it has not turned out that way.