John Filiatreau, Dili – Five years ago, this country reclaimed its independence from Indonesia, becoming the newest, and arguably poorest, nation in the world.

Jakarta – Indonesia's largest Islamic party – the United Development Party (PPP) – seems reluctant to openly support incumbent President Megawati Sukarnoputri for September's run-off, although party leader Hamzah Haz has been reported to have thrown his weight behind her.

John Filiatreau, Liquica – Leonito da Costa's death and resurrection took place shortly after August 30, 1999, the day he and hundreds of thousands of other East Timorese trooped to the polls to vote for independence from Indonesia.

The recent declassification of documents by the US National Security Archive pertaining to the 1969 referendum on Papua has put this vast and resource-rich westernmost province of Indonesia in the spotlight. The 35-year-old documents say, in effect, that the UN-endorsed referendum was a sham as it excluded most Papuans during the so-called "Act of Free Choice".

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Graft suspect Abdullah Puteh admitted on Thursday that no tender was held for the purchase of a Russian-made helicopter in 2001, but denied suggestions that he had violated any law in the deal.

Leony Aurora, Jakarta – Six months since its launch on January 15, it seems the controversial busway's only success is in providing a faster means of travel as it speeds along its exclusive lane from Blok M, South Jakarta, to Kota, West Jakarta.

P.C. Naommy, Jakarta – The House of Representatives is throwing its weight behind the controversial Ladia Galaska road project despite an outcry from environmentalists.

Syofiardi Bachyul and Puji Santoso, Padang/Pekanbaru – State electricity company PT PLN may be forced to cut off electricity in three provinces in Sumatra in the near future following the decline in the water debit in reservoirs and lakes that have been the source of power for three power plants.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – In operation for just six months, Jakarta's public bus system has already proven to be the most reliable and comfortable means of getting around the congested capital.

But its sustainability is in question: most commuters are still unwilling to leave their cars at home and the busway's management is allegedly fraught with graft.

Fitri Wulandari, Jakarta – State oil and gas firm PT Pertamina is requesting a government guarantee to facilitate crucial fuel import plans as the company faces cash flow problems.

Jakarta – Approved foreign direct investment in value terms in Indonesia fell 34.4% during the first half of the year to U$3.05 billion from $4.65 billion a year ago, the official investment board said Wednesday.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Contrary to what happened in the April 5 legislative elections when people voted according to their political party affinities, the public displayed greater maturity during the presidential election.

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung – Dozens of students rallied here on Tuesday to demand an investigation into a soldier who allegedly assaulted poll officials in Bandung, West Java, during the presidential election.

Abdul Khalik and M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The official Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) has reported violations in the recent presidential election to police, including mass voter mobilization at Al-Zaytun Islamic boarding school in Indramayu, West Java.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – An independent poll watchdog blamed on Wednesday the high number of electoral procedure violations on the deliberate disregard of correct procedure by poll committee (PPS) members.

Jakarta – The powerful Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will prove to be powerless if President Megawati Soekarnoputri refuses to comply with the commission's order to dismiss Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh, legal experts and activists say.

Eugene Low – Retired general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is expected to clinch Indonesia's top job in September, but he faces a widening rift between the country's public and its top leaders, an Australian academic said yesterday.

Alex Chadwick, host: This is Day to Day. I'm Alex Chadwick.

The world's newest nation, East Timor, celebrated its second birthday in May without much to really celebrate. Most of the 800,000 people are poor. Foreign donors provide as much as half the country's annual budget.

It is certainly gratifying to hear, straight from the horse's mouth as it were, that fighting corruption is so close to the hearts of our presidential election candidates.

Jayapura – Trikora Military Commander Maj. Gen. Nurdin Zainal has filed a complaint against Latifah Hanum Siregar, the director of the Democratic Alliance for Papua (ALDP), alleging defamation.

Jakarta – Indonesian troops killed 15 suspected rebels in Indonesia's Aceh province, and guerrillas set fire to a passenger bus, an army spokesman said Wednesday.

Earlier today Mark Davis spoke to Indonesia's Ambassador to Australia, Imron Cotan, from Canberra.

Mark Davis: Ambassador, thanks for joining us. Were you surprised by the very strong nature of these documents?

Imron Cotan, Indonesian ambassador to Australia: I'm not surprised at all.

Jakarta – Indonesian activists urged the government to halt construction of a road network through a tropical rain forest on Sumatra island, saying the project spells environmental disaster and is riddled with corruption.

Jambi – Jambi prosecutors and police investigators have been investigating 23 cases of illegal logging since last year, but only three cases have been brought to court so far.

Frans Tandipau, the head of the Forest Protection Section at the Jambi Forestry Agency, said that the slow pace of the investigations was due to a lack of evidence.

Jim Lobe, Washington – On the 35th anniversary of the so-called "Act of Free Choice" (AFC) that resulted in West Papua's annexation by Indonesia, newly declassified documents revealed that the administration of the late US president Richard Nixon was unwilling to raise any objections to the process despite its assessment that the move was overwhelmingly opposed by the Papuan people.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – In its response to new questions over the legitimacy of Indonesia's sovereignty over Papua, it seems the government has learned little from the loss of East Timor in 1999.

Jakarta – Indonesia's parliament has approved a new Bill that would allow plantation companies to cultivate bigger areas in the hope of bringing higher foreign exchange earnings, the Agriculture Minister said yesterday.

Indonesia is one of the world's main producers of palm oil, cocoa, rubber and coffee.

Sam Zarifi, New York – Come Monday, most of Indonesia's 150 million registered voters will be able to cast (or not cast) their ballots in a relatively peaceful environment.

Indonesians should be proud that they have reached yet another major political and logistical milestone on their road to full democracy.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The government told United States senators on Sunday to mind their own business and not to interfere in Indonesia's internal affairs.

Dadan Kuswaraharja, Jakarta – The People's Democratic Party is calling on the public not to use their right to vote or golput (boycott) in the second round of the presidential elections.

Two years after independence, the people of East Timor are trying to sort out the muddle of languages that is a legacy of the country's complicated history and politics. There are indigenous languages as well as the languages of the colonisers, the occupiers and the peacekeepers: Portuguese, Bahasa Indonesia and English.

Jakarta – After failing to submit their report on campaign funds on time, retired general Wiranto and Mr Solahuddin Wahid gave their figures to the General Elections Commission (KPU) on Friday.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Presidential candidates have been criticized for not coming up with viable plans on how to reform the politically powerful Indonesian Military (TNI).

A controversial immigration decision taken by the East Timorese government is to be challenged in East Timor's Court of Appeal.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja & Netty Dharma Somba, Jakarta, Jayapura – The Indonesian government has brushed aside any questions about the legitimacy of the 1964 UN-sponsored self-determination vote in Papua, saying current standards should not be applied to past events.

Ex-general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has kept his lead over closest challenger Megawati Sukarnoputri, with about two-thirds of the vote tallied from Indonesia's first direct presidential election.

Current president Megawati remained ahead of third-placed Wiranto, a former armed forces chief who is standing for the largest party Golkar.

Jakarta – The conduct of Indonesia's first direct presidential election has enabled Indonesians to cast their votes freely and fairly, an Australian election observer said here Thursday.

"The election was another significant step in Indonesia's democratic transition," leader of the delegation of Australian election observers, Chris Gallus MP, said.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Judging by statements from international and domestic monitors of Monday's historic presidential election, two completely different events seem to have been observed.

Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – The jockeying and deal-making for Round 2 of Indonesia's presidential election has begun, even before the results of Monday's polls are in.

Dewi Santoso, Jakarta – Indonesia is not working effectively to prevent HIV/AIDS among students because of a lack of commitment on the part of the government and social agencies to teach prevention in schools, the National AIDS Commission (KPA) says.

Jakarta Post, Jakarta – Election frontrunners Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Megawati Soekarnoputri are now climbing over each other to woo the Golkar Party in order gain much-needed support for the likely runoff poll in September.

Kurniawan Hari and M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The fact that most members of political parties did not support the candidate backed by their party is evidence of the country's political maturity, analysts said on Thursday.

They said that party coalitions would, therefore, not ensure the victory of a particular candidate in the September 20 runoff.

Jakarta – Senior party executives and campaign managers for the top three presidential hopefuls are wrestling with coalition building for the expected Sept 20 run-off election.

With all the horse trading going on, analysts say front runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono faces an even tougher fight in the second round.

Jakarta – Indonesia's military said yesterday it had sacked an officer and suspended 21 military drivers for involvement in suspected vote-rigging at a major Islamic boarding school.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – The Jakarta stock market fell on Thursday, with some analysts saying an key factor was fears "market favorite" Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono might fail to win the president's job.

The Jakarta Composite Index ended lower by 1.54 percent or 11.92 points, to 759.742, on volume of 1.72 billion shares traded worth Rp 908.78 billion (US$101 million).

Wimar Witoelar, Jakarta – If the trend emerging from the vote tally continues, in two months time we shall have to choose between Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Jakarta – Government prosecutors on Friday demanded 10-year jail sentences for 13 military officers charged with committing gross human rights abuses for their alleged roles in the massacre of more than 30 Muslim protesters 19 years ago.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The pair of Megawati Soekarnoputri and Hasyim Muzadi collected and spent the highest amount of money on the July 5 presidential election, while the Hamzah Haz-Agum Gumelar ticket received and spent the least.

An Indonesian court has jailed an Islamic militant for three years for having attended a meeting which plotted the deadly Marriott hotel bombing in August last year, an official said.

Indonesian prosecutors have requested a 10-year sentence for the commander of Kopassus, the country's top special force, for his alleged role in the massacre of Muslim activists almost two decades ago.