Gunawan Mashar, Jakarta – Scores of students in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar from the United Opposition (Front Oposisi Bersatu, BOB) have for the umpteenth time hel

Jakarta – With opinion polls showing her facing electoral disaster, Indonesia's normally aloof President Megawati Sukarnoputri has embarked on an unprecedented campaign of mingling with

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Less than three months after the House of Representatives approved the water bill amid public outcry, the government has talked about a plan to privat

Shefali Rekhi, Indonesia's – immediate future is gloomy, if former president Abdurrahman Wahid's forecast is anything to go by.

Surabaya – A gathering of 12 muslim clerics of the East Java chapter of the National Awakening Party (PKB) at the Miftahul Ulum boarding school in Pasuruan district on Thursday reminded

Indra Harsaputra, Pasuruan – Several influential clerics of the country's largest Muslim organization issued an edict on Thursday for its members to vote for Wiranto and Solahuddin Wahi

Jakarta – Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea admitted on Wednesday that violence against Indonesian workers overseas was a result of the government's lack of politic

Triono Wahyu Sudibyo, Semarang – Golkar Party vice-presidential candidate Salahuddin Wahid will soon be launch a VCD titled "Gus Solah [Salahuddin's nickname] responds".

Sian Powell, Jakarta – Indonesia's apparent crackdown on free speech increased yesterday when President Megawati Sukarnoputri abruptly ended a background briefing for Australian editors

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – President Megawati Soekarnoputri has backed a decision to expel a leading anti-terrorism researcher and has linked the move with Indonesia's right to take actio

This is Indonesia's year of voting frequently. That in itself is extraordinary. Since 1955 Indonesians have enjoyed only three genuinely competitive, democratic elections.

Timothy Mapes, Jakarta – Indonesia's move to expel a US citizen, who has become the most highly regarded expert on terrorism in Southeast Asia, could renew questions about the determina

Suwarjono, Jakarta – Protests are continuing in response to the deportation of the director of the South-East Asia International Crisis Group (IGC), Sydney Jones.

The decision of the Indonesian government to expel Sidney Jones and other expatriate staff of the International Crisis Group is a clear attempt to put the clock back, and at the same ti

Tiarma Siboro and Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The challenges to Wiranto's presidential bid have taken another twist after his former aide in the Indonesian Military (TNI) Maj. Gen.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Wearing a blue, body-hugging dress, Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri began her first full-scale briefing to journalists in her three years in charge of th

Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri, facing a tough re-election fight next month, has defended her record in an interview and denied she was capitalizing on her father's name.

Jakarta – The Indonesian rupiah fell sharply against the dollar Wedneseday, extending early losses to break the 9,500 mark amid concerns over the domestic political situation, dealers s

New York – The State Department expressed concern and disappointment Wednesday at Indonesia's decision to expel a US researcher who work helped expose a network of al-Qaida-linked terro

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – Amid claims of human-rights violations and accusations it is paying paramilitary forces to silence locals, Australia's biggest independent gold producer, Newcrest

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – The Indonesian Government has ordered Sidney Jones to leave the country by midnight tonight.

Washington – Indonesia's decision to expel a prominent American political analyst has raised concerns about the country's crackdown on critical observers ahead of the July 5 presidentia

Indonesia's decision to expel a foreign analyst who has published sometimes-critical reports on terrorism and separatism harks back to the era of dictator Suharto, local and foreign rig

Jakarta – Indonesia's decision to expel terrorism-expert Sidney Jones, the Southeast Asia director of the International Crisis Group (ICG), was welcomed Wednesday by followers of Muslim

Bekasi – Residents of the Jakarta satellite city of Bekasi who are fed up with the poor condition of roads have again taken action by planting trees on damaged roads.

Robert Go, Jakarta – President Megawati Sukarnoputri yesterday launched a re-election charm offensive aimed at drawing support from Indonesia's millions of poor people.

Robert Go, Jakarta – For Indonesia's five pairs of presidential and vice-presidential hopefuls, yesterday began with prayers, the signing of a unity declaration, a parade of floats and

Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – What is the most attractive catch for presidential contenders in Indonesia today? Answer: The 40 million votes of the Nadhlatul Ulama (NU).

The murder last week of a prosecutor in the case of three suspected Bali bombers has been blamed in some quarters on the regional militant network, Jemaah Islamiyah.

The government has shut down one foreign non-governmental organization (NGO) in Jakarta and is closely monitoring 19 others, including local ones, citing that reports they have made cou

Under the glaring light of the Jakarta Convention Center in South Jakarta, General (ret) Wiranto stood with a sullen face, quite bereft of his usual strength.

Edy Budiyarso – The success team of Golkar Party presidential and vice-presidential candidates Wiranto and Solahuddin Wahid is controlled from the Imperium Tower in Kuningan, South Jaka

Surabaya – No less than 500 sex workers operating in six red-light districts across the East Java capital of Surabaya gathered on Sunday for a mass prayer, to pray for a peaceful presid

Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – The razzle-dazzle begins tomorrow.

Jakarta – Campaigning starts Tuesday for a July 5 election in which Indonesian voters will for the first time choose their president directly.

Movements opposed to a military president have spread into a number of cities-some with apparent help from the competition.

Dian Intannia, Jakarta – Scores of students from the City Network (Jaringan Kota) have again demonstrated against military presidential and vice-presidential candidates by burning photo

Budi Hartadi, Surabaya – The day before the presidential campaign was to start around 150 activists from the Indonesian National Student Movement (GMNI) and the National University Stud

Leony Aurora, Jakarta – People coming out of the two great arched doors of Kota railway station in West Jakarta are first greeted by blue public minivans, with touts frantically screami

Akmal Nasery Basral – It seems that calamity has now struck within the International Crisis Group (ICG), a worldwide institution known for its study and review of national and internati

Jakarta – President Megawati Soekarnoputri, in a rare meeting with the press on Monday, denied responsibility for the pending expulsion of the International Crisis Group (ICG) director

Sari Setiogi and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – A group of well-known national figures criticized the government for intimidating and terrorizing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and ind

Multa Fidrus, Tangerang – Both the Tangerang regency and municipality administrations on Saturday ordered public order officers to arrest city truck drivers known to be regularly dumpin

Those people that have been busy opposing the idea of presidential candidates with military backgrounds have their own reasons.

Max Lane, Murdoch WA, Australia – On May 26 The Jakarta Post published two interesting opinion pieces: Indonesian democracy or 'demo-crazy'?

Dean Yates, Garut – The dramatic rise of Indonesian presidential frontrunner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is all the more surprising when you look at his campaign headquarters in the West J

Peter Cronau: A month ago, the Australian intelligence community took a direct hit.

Indonesia's presidential race gets under way this week, with two ex-generals among the front-runners to lead a nation which was ruled for most of its history by authoritarian figures.

Dadan Wijaksana, Jakarta – Aside from global concerns over a possible hike in US interest rates, the rupiah's sharp drop should also be blamed on excess liquidity in the domestic bankin

Abdul Khalik and Ruslan Sangadji, Jakarta/Palu – Prosecutors and judges in conflict areas have been provided police protection following Wednesday's murder of prosecutor Ferry Silalahi