Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Observers have criticized House of Representatives members for going ahead with their plan to summon President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to explain his position on the chief of the Indonesian Military (TNI).

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – Separate communal clashes on Friday and Saturday in South Sulawesi and Central Java left several people injured and dozens of houses and ships damaged.

Indonesia looks set to reassert itself in international fora with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono bringing a new dimension to foreign policy. The Jakarta Post's Endy M. Bayuni and Meidyatama Suryodiningrat talked to Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda about the foreign policy outlook, including the commitment to regional cooperation and the propagation of democracy.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The acquittal of former East Timor governor Abilio Soares of human rights abuse highlights the flawed Indonesian human rights court and could prompt the international community to set up a tribunal to right the wrongs in the judicial process, analysts say.

Jakarta – Governor Sutiyoso said on Friday the large number of migrants pouring into Jakarta looking for work was to blame for many of the city's problems.

"The large number of people migrating here and looking for jobs in the city takes up much of our attention," Sutiyoso said.

The restive Indonesian province of Papua was a ticking time bomb that could drag Australia into its wreckage, a prominent Papuan human rights campaigner has warned.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The reelection of President George W. Bush is expected to offer a greater opportunity for the resumption of Indonesian military ties with the United States and to clear the way for more aid to help in the domestic fight against terrorism.

Jakarta – The Community of Tap Water Customers (Komparta) and an individual consumer, Suta Widhya, reported tap water operator PD PAM Jaya and its foreign partner Thames PAM Jaya (TPJ) to the National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) on Friday due to their poor service to customers.

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – While the Indonesian economy is expected to expand by 4.8% this year, the new government has targeted annual growth at an average 6.6% during the next five years. Export-oriented growth is expected to power the development.

Andi Hajramurni, Parepare – Police said on Friday they believed that local politicians masterminded the latest violence in Mamasa regency, West Sulawesi, in which three villagers were killed.

The end of Ramadhan is the time of year when Indonesia's transportation system, its bureaucracy and network is the most severely tested. For as long as can be recalled, mudik – the trek home by millions of people from cities back into rural areas – has been a tradition that few Indonesians who can afford it want to pass over.

Jakarta – In an attempt to boost investment, the government plans to revive business and investment activities in some conflict-torn areas in the country, such as Central Sulawesi's town of Poso as well as the provinces of Aceh and Ambon.

Agus Supriyanto, Jakarta – Eurico Guterres, the former commander of the Pro-Integration Youth (PPI)(1), visited the Cipinang Correctional Institution to look in on former East Timorese governor Abilio Soarez, prior to the call to evening prayers on Friday November 5.

The only Indonesian jailed for abuses during East Timor's violence-marred independence vote has been cleared on appeal in a move that has angered rights groups and embarrassed the Jakarta government.

Jakarta – The acquittal of former East Timor governor Abilio Soares could further erode people's confidence in the country's commitment to justice, a senior Cabinet minister announced on Friday.

M. Taufiqurrahman and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Civil servants still have two months to mess up before the performance contracts they signed with the Office of the State Minister of Administrative Reforms take effect in January 2005.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – The government is in a hurry to sell its remaining shares in several publicly listed banks this year to help plug the state budget deficit amid a shortfall in revenue from the privatization program.

"We will sell more of our minority stakes in the banks in an effort to cover the deficit," Minister of Finance Yusuf Anwar said on Friday.

Jakarta – The Malaysian government has extended the amnesty period for undocumented Indonesian migrant workers to return home from November 14 to December, Indonesian Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Fahmi Idris said.

Fahmi said an agreement on the extension was reached during his meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Despite attempts to allay their fears, Chinese Indonesians remain concerned about President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's commitment to fighting discrimination.

Many are worried that his deputy, Mr Jusuf Kalla, could push for economic policies that discriminate against them.

Padang – A group of 16 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) demanded on Friday that West Sumatra Governor Zainal Bakar step down following charges that he is involved in a corruption case.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – While welcoming defense minister Juwono Sudarsono's plan to eradicate corruption and markup practices in arms-purchase procedures, an expert has urged for the restructuring of the ministry and the introduction of a special bureau to deal with the procurement of jobs.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Saturday (6/11/04) vowed to take strong measures to combat corruption and terrorism, as well as boost democracy, in order to attract US investment to improve Indonesia's economic growth.

"My intention is real, practical anti-corruption measures and not just cosmetic ones," he was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Long-time comrades President Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and former presidential rival Gen. (ret) Wiranto held a brief reunion on Friday.

Like war-torn Aceh, Papua remains in the spotlight. Papua Governor Jaap Solossa talked with The Jakarta Post's Ridwan Max Sijabat on Friday after leading a Papuan delegation to meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to discuss the situation in the province.

Question: Would you like to summarize your delegation's meeting with the President?"

Jakarta/Bandung – In a move that could worsen its relationship with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the House of Representatives' defense commission said it had endorsed Army chief Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu's nomination as new Indonesian Military (TNI) chief.

The ongoing feud between parliament and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono over the leadership of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) demonstrates the enduring political power of the military, which was supposed to have ended after former dictator Suharto was ousted back in 1998.

Newly-installed Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono pledged to take "strong action" against illegal loggers decimating his country's forests, promising they will be severely punished.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – The Ministry of Finance is preparing a government regulation that will enable state-owned banks to write off bad loans owed by small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) in an effort to accelerate the recovery of their businesses, a government official said.

Indonesia's controversial special forces, known as Kopassus, have not reformed their evil ways and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) should not renew ties, a new study says.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono banned Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu on Thursday from responding to a House invitation to a selection hearing for the post of Indonesian Military (TNI) chief.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The government congratulated President George W. Bush on Thursday over his reelection and expressed a hope for stronger ties with the world's only superpower country.

Canberra – The Australian government should not make any move to strengthen military ties with Indonesia's elite Kopassus army special forces on Thursday, an Australian think tank said on Thursday.

Jakarta – The Indonesian government has said it hopes that the re-election of George Walker Bush as the new US president would help in normalizing military cooperation between the two countries.

Indonesia and China discussed defence cooperation, exploring ways for Jakarta to obtain new arms supplies as the Southeast Asian country struggles to rebuild military ties with Washington.

Donggala – The situation in Sidondo subdistrict, Donggala regency, was still tense on Thursday, one day after an ethnic clash that killed two people.

Sapto Pradityo, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has asked the former governor of West Papua, Freddy Numberi, to assist in resolving the Papua question.

The country has been through an enormous political transformation in the last few weeks. On October 20, a new president was sworn in and, on October 1, a new batch of House members were installed. But rather than immediately buckling down to their jobs, House members quickly became embroiled in a power struggle that has paralyzed the House for weeks now.

Melly Febrida, Jakarta – The poor performance of the People's Representative Assembly (DPR) has provoked four non-government organisations (NGOs) to launch the NGO Coalition for Clean and Effective Parliament (Koalisi LSM untuk Parlemen Bersih dan Efektif).

Sarah Buckley – Five years after 1,000 people died as East Timor broke away from Indonesia, almost all those responsible for the violence are still walking free.

An Indonesian court's decision on Friday to acquit East Timor's former governor Abilio Soares means only one conviction brought by Jakarta now stands.

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – Jakarta's provincial minimum wage increase is likely to be approved at 6 percent, a wage of Rp 711,843 (US$78.23), after the provincial wage council voted at a meeting on Thursday, minus all seven members of the Workers Association.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Two anti-corruption activists in Aceh were grilled on Tuesday by local authorities, two days after they made harsh comments over the allegedly rampant corruption in the war-torn province.

Jakarta – Indonesian soldiers killed seven suspected rebels in two gun battles in restive Aceh province, a military spokesman said Friday.

Sari P. Setiogi, Jakarta – The elderly Muslim cleric who is on trial for the bombings in Bali and at the JW Mariott Hotel in Jakarta, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, mocked the court on Thursday and challenged it to pile on the charges.

Ba'asyir said in his defense plea that the charges addressed to him was a mere joke, made only to satisfy the United States.

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.