M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – A year of living dangerously for the press here was signaled early last year when well-connected businessman Tomy Winata filed a criminal complaint with the police against Tempo magazine over an article published in February 2003.
This was the first of a number of attacks on press freedom during the course of the year.
M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – In 2004, almost six years after the dawn of the reform movement, Indonesia's record on corruption remained shabby as ever.
In the wake of the devastating earthquake off the coast of Sumatra and the ensuing humanitarian crisis, Tapol calls for the region of Aceh to be opened up to international aid agencies.
Jakarta – Indonesia's economy has been given a real boost by recent promises of financial reform. But a controversial ruling barring foreign investors from the country's struggling power sector could short circuit efforts to pull in vital overseas cash.
Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – During the initial years of the "reform" euphoria, the streets were abuzz with spirited talk about removing the military from politics.
Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – An Islamic extremist group led by elderly cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, currently standing trial in Jakarta on terror charges, has established dozens of new branches in at least eight provinces across Indonesia.
Sari P. Setiogi, Jakarta – The joy of having a second child proved to be short-lived for Hasan Kesuma, 33, a self-employed resident of Bogor, West Java.
1. In response to the proposition for the establishment of a UN Commission of Experts, on Tuesday, December 21, 2004, the Governments of Indonesia and Timor Leste declared the establishment of bilateral Truth and Friendship Commission (TFC).
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – A high ranking official with the (then) Trade and Industry Ministry was clearly puzzled when a journalist asked for his comment about a number of companies accused of polluting a river in West Java. Seconds later, he laughed and asked the journalist to solicit comments from the State Minister for the Environment instead.
Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – With less than one week before the December 31 budget deadline, the city administration has been told to fix an error in the draft budget that could cause a deficit of about Rp 1.2 trillion (US$133.33 million) next year.
Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – When one looks at the evolution of Jakarta one cannot go past Governor Ali Sadikin who was once dubbed the city's "father of development".
Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – Incidents surrounding garbage disposal opened and closed the year 2004.
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The year 2004 was capped by the appointment of Indonesia's senior diplomat, Makarim Wibisono, as head of the United Nation's Human Rights Commission for the next year.
Starting January 17, 2005, Indonesia will officially see its representative at the helm of this prestigious commission.
Bandarlampung – Hundreds of residents of West Telukbetung blocked off access to the local dump over the weekend to protest what they said was pollution caused by the dump.
The residents demanded the city administration relocate the dump away from their neighborhood after a meeting with Mayor Achmad Yulizar on Friday ended without resolving the issue.
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The government is making a breakthrough in its anticorruption campaign with the drafting of a regulation that will shift the burden of proof to suspects.
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin said over the weekend that the regulation would consider corruption an extraordinary crime, equivalent to that of terrorism.
Jakarta – The National Police investigators are set to hold a disciplinary hearing, which could spell the dismissal of 16 officers alleged to have received bribes during the Bank BNI scandal investigation.
Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Regional autonomy, including special autonomy in the conflict-ridden provinces of Aceh and Papua, has made little headway in the years since its introduction, not only due to the government's apparent reluctance to implement the law, but also local leadership problems.
Jakarta – The dream for better legislative representation appeared to have come true when the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) agreed in 2002 to adopt a bicameral legislative system.
Yang Razali Kassim – Indonesia's new President, Dr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, has just demonstrated that while he may be new in his job, he is a political leader not to be trifled with.
A boycott of today's Christmas visit to the capital of the Indonesian province of West Papua is an embarrassing rebuke to newly elected President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Banda Aceh – Indonesian troops killed 18 separatist rebels in a single day in the latest clashes in restive Aceh province, the military said on Saturday.
The rebels were killed in four separate clashes on Friday, Aceh military spokesman Ari Mulya Asnawi said.
Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – About 8,000 illegal firearms are circulating in North Sumatra, many of which are being used for violent crimes, provincial police chief Insp. Gen. Iwan Pandjiwinata said on Thursday. Iwan did not say how police had arrived at the estimate.
Jakarta – In the era of free competition, it is not necessary for the government to have a controlling stake in "important commodities" to protect the public interest, as it still has political and legal power to prevent market forces from hurting the public, a businessman said on Thursday.
Perhaps no one ever imagined that the citizens of this country would need a police guard to commune with God; yet, this has now become a reality. Is God being held hostage by worldly threats, or is it the people?
Palembang – Some 250 travel drivers from various cities of South Sumatra province visited Palembang Municipal Council on Thursday, to demand that city councillors revoke a bylaw that prevents minivans for hire or travel vans from entering the city.
M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Most political parties contesting the legislative elections have turned a blind eye to the Election Law requiring them to be financially accountable and have gotten away with failing to submit reports on campaign funds, an international poll watchdog says.
Jakarta – Around 80 per cent of TNI (armed forces) businesses have no definable assets, in other words they are illegal. These undefined types of businesses are those outside of businesses managed by TNI foundations or economic enterprises which have clearly definable assets.
Jakarta – Fears of attacks by Islamic militants are forcing some Christians in Indonesia to abandon traditional churches in favour of more discreet and secure venues this Christmas.
Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Newmont Mining Corp. has admitted to having put tons of mercury vapors into the air in Buyat Bay, North Sulawesi, but insists that the mercury did not have negative impacts on the bay and its people.
Jakarta – Police have arrested nine businessmen and confiscated trucks, boats, heavy machinery and 107,337 cubic meters of timber worth Rp 600 billion (US$66 million) in a series of raids on illegal logging operators over the past month.
The series of raids took places from Nov. 28 to December 18, in East Kalimantan.
Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – Activists slammed the Rp 13.839 trillion (US$1.483 billion) draft city budget on Thursday, saying would be a gold mine for dodgy deals because it had not been allocated transparently.
Jakarta – Ahead of Christmas and New Year's Eve, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has given two precious gifts to Papuans and the family of the late rights campaigner, Munir.
He signed on Wednesday night presidential regulations on the establishment of the long-awaited Papua People's Assembly and an independent team to probe Munir's death.
Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Claiming that security threats will remain high in 2005, the Indonesian Military (TNI) is planning to send personnel to conflict-prone areas to engage in what it calls a "non-physical civic missions" (hearts and minds missions).
Jakarta – The head of the Aceh desk at the ministry of politics, legal and security affairs, Police Inspector General Demak Lubis, says that the operation to restore security in Aceh is going well.
Indonesia has rejected UN plans for a commission that would study Jakarta's resolve to punish those responsible for human rights abuses in East Timor in 1999.
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced on Wednesday that all members of the United Indonesia Cabinet have submitted their wealth reports ahead of the December 20 deadline.
Rusman, Tenggarong – Police officers violently broke up a picket inside the Kutai Kartanegara regental administration compound here on Wednesday, beating several picketers who were camping out to protest the appointment of an acting regent.
Medan – Leaders of a union on Wednesday reported alleged arbitrariness by plantation company PT Tolan Tiga Indonesia to Medan councillors.
Jakarta – Hundreds of workers took part in a rally in front of City Hall on Tuesday, demanding the administration to increase the monthly minimum wage to Rp 759,953 (US$81.72) for 2005.
Banda Aceh – At least two separatist rebels were killed and another 30 taken into custody in Indonesia's conflict-hit Aceh province in the past two days, the military said on Thursday.
Dewi Santoso, Jakarta – Pasar Pagi (the morning market) existed long before most malls and shopping centers in the city.
"I used to have a lot of customers. They came here for many things, from clothes and toys to school supplies and kitchenware, because they could get them here at cheaper prices," said Amen, the owner of a grocery shop in the Pasar Pagi complex.
Slamet Susanto, Sleman – A former general manager of a Yogyakarta start-up newspaper was sentenced to nine months in jail on Wednesday for defamation.
The verdict ignored demands earlier by media workers outside court room, who said that the judge must not criminalize the media and should respect the freedom of expression.
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – As the Anticorruption Court scheduled the first hearing for his graft case, Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh was rushed to the hospital with an unspecified ailment in the wee hours of Wednesday.
His legal counsel, O.C. Kaligis, said Puteh was taken to the M.H. Thamrin hospital in Salemba, Central Jakarta, due to asthma.
Indonesia's military needs at least 70,000 more troops to ensure security and would ideally be almost double its current size, a report quoted the head of the army as saying.
The United States welcomed creation of a joint Indonesia-East Timor commission on the 1999 bloodshed in the former Portuguese colony, but made clear the necessity of a separate UN inquiry as well.
Yuli Tri Suwarni and Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni, Bandung – Former West Java governor Nuriana has been accused of bribing all 100 members of the previous provincial legislative council to cover up his alleged role in a Rp 224 billion (US$24.8 million) graft case.
John Mcbeth, Jakarta – With palace aides already worried about a slide in his popularity, the time has arrived earlier than he would have wished for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to demonstrate a much more assertive brand of leadership.
Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The popularity of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has dropped sharply over the past month due to people's unmet reform expectations, according to a survey by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI).
Semarang – The Central Java provincial government has proposed that, starting from January next year, provincial councillors will get a monthly payment of Rp 5 million as a housing allowance.
Shawn Donnan, Jakarta – Indonesia and East Timor announced this week they would establish a bilateral "truth and friendship commission" to heal wounds between the two countries left by the 1999 violence in which Jakarta's military and associated militias laid waste to East Timor.