Jakarta – A hearing at the South Sulawesi provincial legislature about the handling of illegal migrant workers returning from Malaysia turned ugly on Thursday, with councillors accusing government officials of lying.

Suwarjono, Jakarta – A number of West Papuan public figures have asked President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to immediately proceed with the formation of the Papua People's Council (MRP) which has been delayed for the last three years.

Ruslan Sangadji, Donggala – A clash between two ethnic groups broke out in Donggala regency, Central Sulawesi province, on Wednesday, leaving two people dead and dozens of others severely injured, including two police personnel. The two fatalities were local residents Asdin, 28 and Asdar, 30, who were shot dead by police personnel after the clash.

Jakarta – While the two opposing camps in the House of Representatives have opened a line of communication with each other, they are still at loggerheads on how to resolve their weeks-old deadlock.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – At the end of his sermon, a Muslim preacher in South Jakarta switched to a favourite subject: Kristenisasi, or the Christianisation of fellow believers.

Denpasar – Bali is the first province in Indonesia to have carried out a comprehensive survey on the implementation of the new visa-on-arrival (VoA) policy as a quick response to government requests for the island's tourist industry to provide "real data" on the impact of the policy, which has been effective since Feb. 2004.

Suryani Ika Sari, Jakarta – The debate on the Jakarta provincial minimum wage (UMP) continues. In a meeting which was held by the Provincial Council for Wage Affairs this afternoon, Thursday November 11, employers and the Jakarta provincial government agreed to a UMP of 711,000 rupiah per month.

Abu Bakar Bashir has rejected as a joke, charges that he masterminded the Bali and Marriott hotel bombings, turning his latest court appearance into a political soapbox.

A militant Islamic cleric on trial in Indonesia on terrorist charges including over the Bali bombings warned President George W. Bush's reelection victory spelled "disaster" for the United States.

Jakarta – Amid the ongoing internal scuffle and criticism of their idleness after a month in office, members of the House of Representatives made official visits and met with the public.

A 17-strong House delegation linked to the People's Coalition and representing Commission V on transportation and public works visited Senen station in Central Jakarta.

Arin Widiyanti, Jakarta – Around 100 students from the Anti-Corruption Student Network (Jaringan Mahasiswa Anti-Korupsi, Jamak) held a demonstration at the Attorney General's office in South Jakarta on Thursday November 4 demanding the arrest of a number of cabinet ministers.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – A human rights watchdog urged the Attorney General's Office (AGO) on Wednesday to prioritize the investigation of rights cases submitted to the office by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

Tiarma Siboro and Imanuddin Razak, Jakarta – The government is streamlining the procedures for procuring arms and will exclude the Indonesian Military (TNI) from the process in a bid to avoid corruption and mark-ups.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu (left) relinquishes the command baton to the new chief of the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad), Lt. Gen. Hadi Waluyo. in a ceremony held on Wednesday at the Kostrad headquarters, Central Jakarta.

Gary LaMoshi, Denpasar – Indonesia's military scored a major victory this week without firing a shot. The re-election of US President George W Bush ensures restoration of full military ties between the US and Indonesia, including millions of dollars in aid, and also ensures that US demands for military reform will remain muted.

Leony Aurora , Jakarta – In a bid to keep standards for customs and practices in issuing and using letters of credit (L/Cs) up-to-date with current developments, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is preparing to revise the existing standards.

Nadirsyah Hosen, Jakarta – Corruption is closely linked to the way in which governments conduct their affairs, and, therefore, also to the growth of governments' economic activities. It is unlikely that corruption can be substantially reduced without modifying the way in which governments operate.

Jakarta – Parcel vendors who for years enjoyed a thriving business are feeling the heat of a new political reality that frowns on the giving and receiving of holiday gifts.

Jakarta – Around 200 students and activists staged a demonstration at National Police Headquarters on Tuesday, demanding the police investigate an alleged financial scandal involving three steel mills of the Gunawan Steel Group in the East Java capital of Surabaya, believed to have caused more than Rp 1.2 trillion in state losses.

Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced on Tuesday it was still waiting for more than 100 legislators to submit reports declaring their personal wealth.

Jakarta – Indonesia should sort out its legal system and aim to reduce fuel subsidies to free up spending for other areas, but it has been doing well in fiscal policy and financial-sector reform, the IMF said yesterday.

Leony Aurora, Jakarta – With the new government holding marathon meetings to resolve the problem of ballooning fuel subsidy spending, an economist has presented a scenario in which a 10 percent to 15 percent hike in domestic fuel prices next year would reduce subsidy spending and limit the adverse effects on the economy.

Ridwan Max Sijabat & Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, Jakarta – We all knew this would happen. A political impasse pitting the majority opposition coalition against the minority coalition aligned with the President. But few would have predicted it would happen this soon. Even fewer thought it would erupt over an issue so seemingly trivial.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – The Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) rose to a record high on Tuesday as investors scrambled to buy telecommunications, banking and cigarette blue chips following strong third quarter profit reports and easing oil prices.

Eworaswa, Jakarta – The fatal shooting on September 14 in Mulia, Puncak Jaya, in which four civilians were killed, has left behind feelings of deep fear. The Commission for Victims of Disappearances and Violence (Kontras) is urging the government and the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) to immediately conduct an independent investigation into the case.

Pekanbaru – The Pekanbaru municipal government warned on Tuesday that government officials would shave sex workers' heads, if they were found operating during Ramadhan. The statement was made following the arrest of 17 sex workers in various places in the city in the past week.

Nur Raihan, Banda Aceh – The raging armed conflict in Aceh has left behind a huge trauma for the Acehnese people. As a result, some 80 per cent of people suffering mental disorders are because they had witnessed incidents of violence first hand.

Mari Alkatiri – The talks in Dili last week between the governments of East Timor and Australia were aimed at finding a way to resolve our overlapping maritime boundary claims in the Timor Sea, which in turn would create the environment for the Greater Sunrise oil and gas field to be developed.

Bogor – Hundreds of villagers in Jonggol district, Bogor regency, protested on Tuesday against frozen and dry food producer PT Belfoods Indonesia for polluting Cibodas River.

Jakarta – The Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Affairs, Widodo Adi Sutjipto, says that his office is in the process of putting together a recommendation on Aceh when the state of civil emergency ends on November 18.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Santo looks much older than 21. His emaciated body, attacked by the HIV virus, rotting teeth and patchy skin testify to years of drug abuse.

Jakarta – Indonesia's top Security Minister said yesterday that the new government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would make no deals with separatist guerillas in troubled Aceh and urged the rebels to surrender.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – The government must abandon its security approach and open dialog with civilian figures to settle the Aceh conflict once and for all, a discussion has concluded.

Harry Bhaskara – The new members of the House of Representatives have become embroiled in a power struggle less than a month after taking their seats. The People's Coalition in the 550-strong House urged government officials over the weekend to ignore invitations from its rival Nationhood Coalition.

Nur Raihan, Banda Aceh – The prolonged conflict in Aceh cannot be resolved by arms. It is hoped that the new government will seek a fresh alternative to resolve the Aceh question instead of the integrated operation which has been implemented to date.

Suliyanti, Jakarta – The deputy chairperson of the People's Democratic Party (PRD), Lukman Halim, has proposed that the People's Representative Assembly (DPR) commissions be temporarily frozen in order to cool down the increasingly sharp dispute developing between the parliament and the government.

A month after being sworn in, Indonesian lawmakers have yet to begin work amid a bitter dispute that could threaten efforts by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to improve security and cure the country's economic ills.

Jakarta – Indonesia's top security minister called on rebels in Aceh province Tuesday to disarm and "rejoin the nation," but didn't say whether fighters who surrendered would be given an amnesty, nor whether fresh peace talks were planned.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – With the six-month state of civil emergency in Aceh nearing an end, leading ulemas in the province suggested on Monday that the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono revive a dialog with Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels to settle decades of conflict there.

Gary LaMoshi, Denpasar – As he faces a second trial on terrorism charges, Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir has taken on symbolic value far beyond his real importance. To the West, Indonesia's handling of Ba'asyir, the alleged head of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terror group, is a crucial indicator of Indonesia's commitment to fighting terrorism.

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – Jakarta's provincial tripartite wages council failed to reach a compromise on the planned increase of the 2005 provincial minimum wage (UMP) on Monday.

Eworaswa, Jakarta – The Aceh Working Group (AWG), a grouping of non-government organisations concerned about the Aceh question, have put forward a three point plan to evaluate [whether or not to extend] the state of civil emergency in Aceh.

Suwarjono, Jakarta – The state of civil emergency in Aceh will end on November 18. Following this it could be extended for the entire province, part of the province or be reduced [to a state of civil authority].

Jakarta – As well as having the potential to violate human rights, the revisions being made to Law Number 15/2003 on Eliminating Criminal Acts of Terrorism which are being considered by the Department of Law and Human Rights are far more repressive and are a step backwards in terms of efforts to respect and uphold values of human rights in Indonesia.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – An international election monitoring team suggested on Monday that election regulations deemed discriminatory should be amended to ensure greater public participation in future polls.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ruled out allowing Australian troops to be stationed on its soil or letting them carry out pre-emptive strikes against extremists on its territory.

Jakarta – Very few property developers in Jakarta have built public and community facilities in accordance with a requisite for obtaining land-use permits, an official of the City Asset Management Agency revealed on Monday.

Jakarta – Foreign tourist arrivals in the first nine months of this year increased by around 28 percent over the same period last year, despite the terrorist bombing incident in front of the Australian Embassy here in September, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported on Monday.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Leaders of the Indonesian Military (TNI) stressed on Monday that regardless of what the House of Representatives (DPR) said about the leadership change, they would only obey President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's decision on the issue.

Jakarta – Prices rose at a slower rate in October mainly because of an abundant supply of rice that helped ease inflationary pressures caused by the soaring oil price and weaker rupiah.