Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – Growing up, Faisal was not really aware that he had a different sexual orientation from his friends, but as an adult he is very conscious of his sexualit

Iwan Suci Jatmiko, Contributor, Jakarta – It was with good reason that the Indonesian Ulema Council and the government established PT Bank Muamalat Indonesia on Nov. 1, 1991.

For the devout, religion is a way of life. They look to what is condoned in their religion for what to eat, what to wear, whether to use contraceptives, etc.

Markus Makur, Timika – A junior high school student was killed by arrow shots in the wake of a tribal conflict between two rival groups in Timika, Papua, residents said Tuesday.

Aditya Suharmoko, Jakarta – Ousting Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati Cabinet after the Bank Century bailout, as some speculation suggests may happen, could hit the economy, as int

Camelia Pasandaran & Febriamy Hutapea – Sri Mulyani Indrawati's job seemed more secure on Tuesday after an angry President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono lashed out against a newspaper ar

Oyos Saroso H.N, Bandarlampung – Activists from NGOs in Lampung have voiced their protest over the ongoing visit by 10 Lampung officials and 15 council members to Hong Kong, Macau and S

Nurdin Hasan, Banda Aceh – Aceh's deputy governor said on Tuesday that there was no need to disband the province's Wilayatul Hisbah, or Shariah Police, because there was no legal obliga

Surabaya – The East Java provincial government has decided to provide free healthcare to clerics who run Islamic boarding schools across the province, Deputy Governor Saifullah Yusuf sa

The government is expected to handle more cases involving poaching, trading and smuggling of endangered and protected animal species in Indonesia this year, but on the other hand the fa

Adianto P.

Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – Critics say that despite campaigning on a populist platform, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono continues to act the opposite by renovating the fence encircli

Medan – After humbling losses at the polls in 2009, the Golkar Party is aiming to attract at least 40 million votes and win the general legislative elections in 2014, party chairman Abu

Nivell Rayda & Markus Juanto Sihaloho – A coalition of minor political parties on Sunday threatened a class-action lawsuit against three of the country's oldest parties over their u

Jakarta – Acts of violence and human rights violations in Papua have continued throughout 2009.

Hans David Tampobolon, Jakarta – Masayuki Naoshima, Japan's Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry, never imagined he would have to wait over 30 minutes to see a minister after meetin

Jayapura (Papua) – Major General Hotma Marbun here Monday took over the Cenderawasih regional military command (Kodam-XVII) overseeing Papua and West Papua provinces from Maj Gen Azmyn

Jakarta – Maj. Gen. Hotma Marbun was installed as the Cendrawasih Papua Military Commander on Monday, replacing Maj. Gen. Azmyn Yusri Nasution.

The moment millions of Indonesians were waiting for finally happened on Thursday when one of the most feared – but most beloved by several police generals and senior prosecutors – corru

Indra Harsaputra, Surabaya – Muslim women in Surabaya, East Java, have flatly rejected a fatwa recently issued by local clerics, who said women changing the color and form of their hair

Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) warned the war against corruption in 2010 would likely be "toothless", citing various attacks on the Corruption Eradication C

Hasyim Widhiarto, Jakarta – Members of a church congregation in Tambun Utara, Bekasi, said they would hold their upcoming Sunday service on a street should the Bekasi regency administra

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono can no longer suppress his resentment over the behavior of members of the House of Representatives' committee investigating a decision by the governme

Jakarta – The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has not endorsed the fatwas issued at a recent gathering of Muslim clerics in East Java, a council leader has said.

Jakarta – Indonesia's reformist finance minister may be replaced by the end of February over her role in the bailout in late 2008 of a small bank, an official at a political party in th

Despite prevailing laws on women rights, law experts see discrimination against women as rampant.

Nurfika Osman – Hundreds of students, parents and activists rallied on Sunday, calling for the abolition of the national examination and threatening a boycott if the government insists

Founding president Sukarno's son Guruh Soekarnoputra announced Saturday his bid for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI-P) top job, which may lead him to a possible showd

After almost two months of investigation, the House of Representatives' Bank Century bailout inquiry committee has uncovered the messy side of the government and the central bank's deci

Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – After only three months, the Democratic Party-led majority coalition at the House of Representatives seems too fragile to offer full political support to Pres

Nivell Rayda – At least Rp 14.5 billion ($1.6 million) in bribes is paid annually at East Jakarta's Cipinang Penitentiary, a researcher from an antigraft watchdog said on Friday.

Indra Harsaputra, Surabaya – In a controversial move, clerics in East Java have issued a fatwa forbidding Muslims from dying and straightening their hair, and from holding pre-wedding p

Palembang – Thousands of contract workers employed at schools in South Sulawesi marched on the provincial administration building Friday, demanding the full time status of civil servant

Ismira Lutfia & Anita Rachman – Sick of morally degrading television programs? You may be able to switch to an Islam-based television channel soon.

Anita Rachman – Lax safety standards on job sites are behind the relatively high rate of work-related accidents each year, a safety official said.

Indonesia will send up to 500 police and militia members to force Sri Lankan asylum seekers off a boat in Merak, separating their spokesman "Alex" from the group.

Oyos Saroso H.N, Bandarlampung – Health insurance for the poor (Jamkesmasda) provided by the regional administration is being denied to 30 percent of poor families in Lampung because so

Farouk Arnaz & Muninggar Sri Saraswati – Zero coordination were the operative words on Thursday as the National Police made conflicting statements in regard to internal investigatio

Karima Anjani and John M.

Ben Butler – East Timor could leave the Sunrise gas and oil field in the Timor Sea undeveloped if Australian company Woodside refuses to build a pipeline to Timor's south coast.

Canberra – Woodside Petroleum Ltd.

Ulma Haryanto & Febriamy Hutapea – A senior lawmaker on Thursday accused President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of capitalizing on the prison corruption scandal to boost his own popular

Sara Schonhardt, Jakarta – Nasir Abas' easy smile grows when asked to explain the aims of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), the radical Southeast Asian terror group he once led and which stands ac

Markus Junianto Sihaloho – Military officials and analysts foresee no significant threats from foreign countries, as the Armed Forces prepare to meet next week to discuss its future rol

Ismira Lutfia – Inspired by the growing reach of social networking sites, as seen in the online movements to support Prita Mulyasari and the Corruption Eradication Commission, a 20-some

Ismira Lutfia – Media activists on Wednesday came out against the government's plan to merge public broadcasters Televisi Republik Indonesia (TVRI) and Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) in

Indonesian journalists will appeal the country's decision to ban the Australian film Balibo.

Emmy Fitri – The ongoing debate over recent book bans aside, one thing is certain: The written word still has a powerful influence on society, sharpened and fueled by today's digital er

Markus Makur, Timika – Police on Wednesday arrested a tribal war chief and seven members of the upstream group in Kwamki Lama village as part of efforts to end days of fighting between

Febriamy Hutapea & Muninggar Sri Saraswati – Embattled Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati got high grades for her performance on Wednesday in front of the House of Representativ