Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Despite improving interest rates and a peaceful election year, legal uncertainties remain the main obstacle for Indonesian firms in obtaining business finance, a

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – Over 270 people, who were deported from East Timor, were moved into a dormitory belonging to East Nusa Tenggara's Manpower and Transmigration Office in Kupang

Surakarta/Surabaya – Nahdlatul Ulama head Hasyim Muzadi stared down an attack by a rival faction on Thursday, winning reelection as NU chairman for another five years.

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Matthew Moore, Jakarta – A confessed member of the Jemaah Islamiah terrorist network says he personally delivered an invitation from Osama bin Laden to Abu Bakar Bashir offering the mil

Jakarta – Five witnesses testifying in the Abu Bakar Ba'asyir trial said on Thursday that they had met with the cleric either in Malaysia, Afghanistan or Philippines, but ruled out his

Jakarta – The bombing last year of the JW Marriott hotel in Indonesia's capital was inspired by Osama bin Laden, a militant who was convicted in the attack and who claims to have met th

Jakarta – Despite the prolonged arms embargo imposed by the United States on Indonesia, the militaries of the two countries are attempting to maintain their cooperation.

Jakarta – The Jakarta administration turned a deaf ear to workers' pleas for a revision to the minimum wage for 2005 of Rp 711,843 (US$79) to Rp 759,532, the estimated minimum cost of l

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – Violence erupted in the capital of Indonesia's troubled province of West Papua on Wednesday as security forces moved to break up a flag-raising ceremony by indepe

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – A Working Group for Aceh called for a revision of the special autonomy for the troubled province, arguing that it had failed to address the roots of the problem

Banda Aceh – In the lead up to the anniversary of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) security forces in Aceh have forbidden people from joining in the celebrations.

Jakarta – The weapon systems belonging to the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) is a cause for concern.

We are quite apprehensive about the real objective behind the government's plan to grant a tax amnesty.

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – The death of thousands of fish and clams in waters off Ancol Beach on Tuesday was likely caused by pollution in the city's toxic rivers, the Environmental M

Nigel Wilson – John McCarthy, Australia's ambassador to Indonesia at the time of the Australian-led peacekeeping mission in 1999, yesterday confirmed Indonesia was critical of Australia

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The House of Representatives's defense commission held a hearing with Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen.

Sari P.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – A woman produced her identity card and Rp 15,000 (US$1.67), and handed them over to the prison guard at the entrance to the Cipinang penitentiary in East Jakarta

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Legislators implied on Wednesday that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held them back in bill deliberations by deferring the issuance of a decree on coordina

Muhammad Nafik, Surakarta – Paying money to officials or brokers in order to obtain posts in governmental agencies that require a civil service exam is considered a bribe, which is forb

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has sent its third warning letters to former president Megawati Soekarnoputri and her Cabinet members as t

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – The city administration has requested the West Jakarta Prosecutor's Office to release two of its officials following their detention by the prosecutors over th

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Now that a three-month grace period has expired, the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) is set to crack down hard against radio or television stations vi

Agencies – Police personnel clashed on Wednesday with pro-independence Papuans in Trikora field, Jayapura, after the independence supporters hoisted in the area the Bintang Kejora flag,

Evi Mariani, Jakarta – Fourteen police officers have been found guilty of using unnecessary disciplinary methods to restore order during the November 22 protest at Bojong waste treatmen

Pekanbaru-RoL – The Minister of Forestry, H.

Reporter: Anne Barker

Mark Colvin: A court in East Timor has jailed a former pro-Indonesia militia leader to 15 years jail for murder and crimes against humanity.

Dili – East Timor's human rights court has sentenced a senior member of a pro-Jakarta militia to 15 years in prison for organizing an attack on the house of an independence leader's hou

Jakarta – Exports in October jumped by 46 percent from the same period last year, defying earlier concerns that the country was losing its share in the export market due to tougher comp

Jakarta – The government aims to boost growth in the country's manufacturing sector – the largest contributor to gross domestic product (GDP) – to an average of 8 percent per year in th

Jakarta – A member of the House of Representatives urged on Thursday the Indonesian Military (TNI) to empower Indonesia's weapons-related industries, to relieve its dependency on the Un

James Balowski, Jakarta – The new government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has barely been in office one month but has already broken a key election promises – to seek a peacefu

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has called for a revision of human rights Law Number 39/1999, to empower it with the right to press state

Dadan Wijaksana, Jakarta – The public will pay up to 40 percent more for fuel by early next year, as the government insists on raising the price of the commodity in order to lower subsi

Zakki P.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The government is drafting a new decree setting out even more onerous rules for foreign scientists conducting research here due to a growing number of

James Balowski, Jakarta – For the second time since the murder of renowned Indonesian human rights activist Munir, his family has been threatened – this time with a clear warning not to

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Delight and relief after the successful elections lifted the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) by 6.2 percent to a 37-month high of 105.8 in October, Danareksa Research Institute (DRI) an

Jakarta – Since its grand opening 10 months ago, the management of the TransJakarta Busway has contributed Rp 33.89 billion (US$3.76 million) to the city's coffers, however most of that

Jakarta – Residents in several flood-prone areas across the capital have not yet prepared for potential floods this rainy season, although the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) ha

Eva C.

Jean-Pierre Catry – Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary general, told the Security Council this year that: "Limited revenue and widespread poverty within the country continue to po

The government has set itself a target of raising exports of agricultural products to US$9 billion in 2009, or more than double this year's estimate of $3.7 billion, a senior official s

Bandung – At least 3,000 workers in Cimahi regency staged a protest on Tuesday outside the regent's office, demanding that he raise the minimum wage in the regency.

Jakarta – Two out of three Indonesian employees say they would move to a different company even if the position, field of work and remuneration were the same as in their current company

David Isenberg – The four-day Indo Defense Expo 2004 arms show in Jakarta last week turned out to be one of those shindigs where everyone, both buyers and sellers, was a winner.

Violence has flared in the capital of Indonesia's troubled province of West Papua as security forces moved to break up a flag-raising ceremony by independence supporters, a Sydney-based

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes it, may be contributing to the extinction of some of Pap