Zakki P.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The government on Monday warned 42 companies, some of them state-owned, to radically improve their protection of the environment within six months, otherwise th

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.

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

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 introducti

Jakarta – Indonesia's economy has been given a real boost by recent promises of financial reform.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – In 2004, almost six years after the dawn of the reform movement, Indonesia's record on corruption remained shabby as ever.

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 sc

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 suspec

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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.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – In the last 10 months of her presidency, Megawati Soekarnoputri tried to do the impossible: make up for the disappointment of her first 28 months in off

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – With a sorrowful and troubled look in her eyes, Megawati Soekarnoputri pleaded for the lives of two Indonesian maids held hostage by militants in Iraq.

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 f

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 comp

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 – 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

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.

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 branch

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – During the initial years of the "reform" euphoria, the streets were abuzz with spirited talk about removing the military from politics.

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – Incidents surrounding garbage disposal opened and closed the year 2004.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Newmont Mining Corp.

Jakarta – Around 80 per cent of TNI (armed forces) businesses have no definable assets, in other words they are illegal.

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 pr

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.

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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 rai

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.

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.

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

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.

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 p

Marwaan Macan-Markar, Bangkok – The new leader of the world's most populous Muslim country, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, has a serious challenge ahead, having stepped

Rusman, Tenggarong – Police officers violently broke up a picket inside the Kutai Kartanegara regental administration compound here on Wednesday, beating several picketers who were camp

Jakarta – A group of Muslim hard-liners called on the House of Representatives on Wednesday to begin work on a bill that would limit the construction of other religions' places of worsh

Medan – Leaders of a union on Wednesday reported alleged arbitrariness by plantation company PT Tolan Tiga Indonesia to Medan councillors.

Dewi Santoso, Jakarta – Pasar Pagi (the morning market) existed long before most malls and shopping centers in the city.

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.

Slamet Susanto, Sleman – A former general manager of a Yogyakarta start-up newspaper was sentenced to nine months in jail on Wednesday for defamation.

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 unspecifie

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced on Wednesday that all members of the United Indonesia Cabinet have submitted their wealth report

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 c

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 t

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 b

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Eva C. Komandjaja – Public enemy No.

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.

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 allo

Jakarta – Army chief of staff General Ryamizard Ryacudu has revealed that army businesses, particularly those which are part of foundations "only" generate 30 billion rupiah per year.

Veeramalla Anjaiah, Jakarta – With its huge population and dynamic economies, Asia is increasingly poised to become the new strategic center of gravity in global politics, and Indonesia