Dili – East Timor's future oil and gas revenues must have positive effects for the world's newest nation, which is taking measures to prevent the damage that similar oil bonanzas have inflicted on other states, Prime Minster Mari Alkatiri said Monday.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Papuans have called on president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to enforce the Special Autonomy Law for Papua to resolve the prolonged issues in the province.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – A three-day evaluation of regional autonomy in Papua ended on Friday, with one of the most contentious issues raised being the appointment of civil servants in the province.

The issue was brought to the forefront amid prolonged protests by native Papuans, over the appointment of civil servants hailing from outside Papua.

Tiarma Siboro and M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Signs of cracks in the coalition of political parties that support president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono are emerging as they question his choice of several ministerial candidates.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Observers demanded on Sunday a thorough investigation into officers allegedly involved in the escape of Adrian Waworuntu, a key suspect in the Rp 1.7 trillion (US$185 billion) BNI scandal, saying it could reveal widespread bribery involving the police.

In an example of prudence in the search for justice, the underused Press Council issued on Friday a momentous decision that should reignite freedom of expression's dimming light.

Jakarta – The streets of central Indonesia's Sulawesi town remained tense yesterday after new communal conflict erupted, leaving at least two dead, the top local police official said.

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – Tension was still high on Sunday in a village in Aralle district, some 400 kilometers from the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, after two people were reported killed and dozens of homes burned down in a communal clash over a dispute on the formation of a new regency there.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – Two days before his inauguration as president, some 100 students from the Indonesian Muslim Students Action Front (KAMMI) and the Greater Jakarta Student Executive Council (BEM Jabotabek) held a demonstration against president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). They failed however to meet directly with SBY.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The draft bill on intelligence provides the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) with excessive powers, say rights campaigners, and will put civil liberties in peril.

Eka Saprianawati, Jakarta – The inauguration of president and vice-president elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla (SBY-JK) on October 20 will be greeted with demonstrations. As many as 25 non-government organisations (NGOs) and student groups plan to demonstrate calling on SBY-JK to keep their election promises.

Angela Gregory – Pacific countries are ignoring the brutality of Indonesian armed forces towards West Papuans, a regional peace and security conference has been told.

The problems facing Indonesian-controlled West Papua were put before the weekend conference in Christchurch, which examined security issues in the Pacific.

Indonesia – The situation in Tinggi Nambut village, Puncak Jaya regency remained tense on Friday, following the murder of five construction workers, all migrants from Makassar, South Sulawesi province earlier on Tuesday.

Rita A.Widiadana, Denpasar – The number of foreign tourists visiting Bali has continued to increase over the past few months, thanks to the improved security situation.

Australia is considering talks on a new security treaty with Indonesia to replace a pact abandoned during the bloody fallout from East Timor's independence ballot in 1999, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Sunday.

Jakarta – Thick haze began disrupting flights in Central Kalimantan province on Saturday, with an airplane from PT Dirgantara Air Service (DAS) reportedly rerouted after it was unable to land at Beringin Airport, North Barito regency, due to dangerous visibility levels.

Semarang/Medan/Banda Aceh/Indramayu – Millions of Indonesian Muslims, who account for some 85 percent of the total 220 million population in the country, began fasting dawn-to-dusk on Friday, the first day of Ramadhan.

Jakarta – The Islamic fasting month of Ramadan started yesterday and the Indonesian entertainment industry is grumbling over local edicts to close nightclubs, massage parlours and amusement centres for the entire period.

Jakarta – Parts of Indonesia have been enveloped in one of the worst days of haze this year, officials said, as residents donned face masks to ward off thick, choking fumes.

The haze, caused by forest and ground fires across the country, descended on the province of South Kalimantan on Wednesday, reducing visibility and filling the air with noxious burning smells.

Jakarta, Kompas – In examining the Draft Law on the Fundamentals of Intelligence, the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) has the potential to became a body which will be inseparable from the state. The stipulations in the law could turn BIN into a super-body, with excessive powers and a tendency to take over judicial functions.

Tiarma Siboro and M. Taufiqurrahman, Bogor – Five prospective candidates who would likely fill posts in the Cabinet of president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono were summoned for interviews on Friday, the first time such a mechanism has been used in the selection of ministers, at least in the public eye.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – After many delays, state prosecutors finally submitted the file on Abu Bakar Ba'asyir to the South Jakarta District Court on Friday, charging him with masterminding the Bali bombings and the JW Marriott Hotel attack.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – A group of suspected Papuan separatists remained in control of a hamlet in Puncak Jaya on Friday, as efforts to negotiate the release of bodies of five migrants killed in a Tuesday attack failed and fears rose of further bloodshed.

Jakarta – The coordinator of Indonesia's NGO Coalition for International Human Rights Advocacy (HRWG), Rafendi Djamin, hopes that president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) will repeal the state of civil emergency in Aceh as part of the program of the first 100 days of his administration and in such a way establish a process of development and the pre-conditions for peace in Ace

Jakarta, Kompas – The Aceh Working Group or AWG is urging the government to investigate human rights violations which have taken place in Aceh, many of which have been suffered by political prisoners in a various Acehnese jails.

Bruce Loudon – At the time, the authorities dismissed it as a straightforward case of journalists tragically caught in the crossfire.

Jakarta – The central bank expects the rupiah to strengthen against the US dollar leading up to the year-end on the back of a better economic outlook and high hopes for the new government of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Andi Hajramurni and ID Nugroho, Makassar/Sidoarjo – Police here named at least 14 of 75 South Sulawesi legislative council members as suspects on Thursday in a graft case, while East Java prosecutors sought a six-year jail term for Sidoarjo legislature speaker on similar charges.

Jakarta – Eight suspected separatists and a marine were killed in a fierce gunbattle in Indonesia's restive Aceh province, a military spokesman said Friday.

Bogor – Indonesia's President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said yesterday he would pick a non-military defence minister as part of efforts to rein in the powerful armed forces through civilian control.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Indonesia's global competitiveness has improved over the past year, and yet it is battered by an inefficient bureaucracy, inconsistent policies and corruption, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Director of the National Police economic crimes division Brig. Gen. Samuel Ismoko will soon be questioned for allegedly taking a bribe worth US$20,000 to allow Adrian Waworuntu, one of key suspects in the Rp 1.7 trillion (US$185 million) Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) scandal, to escape.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Despite the growing democracy over the last six years, the people still harbor deep concerns over the role of the military in public life, which they say has spurred the prevalence of violence, a study has found.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Wearing face masks and unfurling banners, some 100 students from 21 elementary schools throughout Jakarta made an impassioned plea for cleaner air in the metropolis at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle on Wednesday.

Martin Jenkins, Jakarta – In Indonesia, much debate has recently centered on how the government should tackle the problem of rising fuel subsidies as the price of crude oil on the international market moves ever higher.

Yogyakarta – A student protest marred the inauguration of the Sunan Kalijaga Islamic State University on Thursday in Yogyakarta, with students calling on the government to prevent education from being commercialized by "irresponsible parties".

The protest was held as Minister of National Education Malik Fadjar was presiding over a ceremony at the university.

Taxation Director General Hadi Purnomo's estimate of Rp 676.5 trillion (US$74.34 billion) in potential tax revenue lost annually during the past three years seems to be too high – a sum 240 percent larger than the Rp 272.17 trillion tax receipt target set for this year.

Ben Terrall – Shortly after being declared victor over Megawati Sukarnoputri, Indonesian President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told reporters, Our big theme will be reconciliation and working together within democracy for the country's future. He didn't clarify which social groupings he was referring to.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – The Central Jakarta District Court sentenced on Wednesday eight officers from the Central Jakarta Police's riot squad to three months and 12 days in prison for assaulting student protesters in February.

Tiarma Siboro, Bogor – Representatives of the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI) met with president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday in an apparent show of support for the incoming government.

Susilo's spokesman, Dino Pati Djalal, said the closed-door talks centered on, among other things, programs to boost foreign investment in the country.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – A recent remark by outgoing President Megawati Soekarnoputri that she has been deserted by most of her close circle following her defeat in the presidential election to her former security chief Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono may not be far from the truth.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Low-income workers have endured hard times since the economic crisis hit the country in 1997, and many have come to expect nothing better.

Satish Mishra, Jakarta – In a country in the midst of record open unemployment, partially brought about by sharp declines in development spending, it would be surprising if the economy did not figure prominently in the new President's inaugural speech.

Parts of Indonesia have been enveloped in the worst haze yet this year, officials said as residents donned face masks to ward off thick, choking fumes.

The haze, caused by forest and ground fires across Indonesia, descended on the province of South Kalimantan on Borneo island, reducing visibility and filling the air with noxious burning smells.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Apparently wishing to prove their commitment to leading modest lifestyles, all four leaders of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) said on Wednesday that they would refuse the Volvo cars to which they were entitled.

Sjofiardi Bachyul and Ruslan Sangadji, Padang/Palu – Thousands of Muslim students and activists held protest demonstrations in various cities nationwide on Wednesday in a bid to pressure the government and businesspeople to close all nightspots and gambling dens during Ramadhan.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – A report on Wednesday confirmed post-reform suspicions that corruption in the country had spread from the central government in the Soeharto era to regional governments after reform and the regional autonomy drive.

Zakki P. Hakim, Jakarta – More Indonesian consumers enjoyed a higher purchasing power this year, spending money on various household goods despite rising political tension during the recent seven-month-long general election, according to AC Nielsen's latest survey released on Wednesday.

Jakarta – Traffic along Jl. Letjen Suprapto in Central Jakarta was in complete chaos on Wednesday morning, as hundreds of members of the Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) blocked off the entrance to the International Trade Center (ITC) Cempaka Mas.

Hasrul, Kendari – An explosion police believe to be from a homemade bomb has damaged the house of outspoken anti-corruption activist Hidayatullah early on Tuesday in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, the second attack on the activist's house in 15 months.