Aditya Suharmoko, Jakarta – Bank lending grew by 9.4 percent until May from the end of last year to Rp 1,096.21 trillion (US$119.7 billion), with half of the lending going to productive

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Although most of the 34 parties running in next year's election are divided along the nationalist-Islamic line, voters made it clear in a recent survey their cho

Aditya Suharmoko, Jakarta – The economy has grown by 6.2 percent in the first half of the year on the back of strong consumption and investment, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati s

Sahat Simatupang, Medan – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) urged the police to uncover a murder case in North Sumatera.

Jakarta – The recent breakup of an alleged Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militant cell shows terrorism is still a threat in Indonesia despite improved security, the US ambassador reportedly sai

Sara Webb and Olivia Rondonuwu, Jakarta – A small, influential Islamist party in Indonesia is alarming moderates who fear this secular but predominantly Muslim country may head for wide

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has widened its lead over the Golkar Party by more than 11 percent, according a new survey released Wednesday

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – Normally elections are about campaign funds and strategy but, believe it or not, some political parties consider which number they draw for the 2009 polls a cl

Rohman Taufiq, Surabaya – About a hundred high school (SMA) students from Surabaya, Gresik, and Sidoarjo, demonstrated together at the Negara Grahadi building in Surabaya, today (10/7).

Police and security forces in East Timor are braced for a further day of protests outside the National University in Dili.

Indah Setiawati, Jakarta – The Jakarta Police have received photographs of more alleged vandals who damaged cars during a student protest in front of Atma Jaya university, Central Jakar

Jayapura – A local religious leader said the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has so far not paid any attention to or touched suspected corruption cases involving serving and for

Philip Dorling – The Australian Defence Force has begun a series of controversial exercises in East Timor involving Black Hawk helicopters firing live machine-gun rounds.

Andra Wisnu, Jakarta – A missing letter connecting the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) to the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib may reappear as evidence against former B

Dian Kuswandini, Jakarta – After 10 years of reform, Indonesia continues to lag in the implementation of human rights regulations, the National Commission on Human Rights said in a revi

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – Sixteen years have passed since 40-year-old Rina (not her real name) started working as a cleaner at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

Agus Maryono, Purwokerto – Two-thirds of the natural springs in Banyumas regency, Central Java, have dried up due to conversion of catchment areas into human settlements, says a forestr

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – With the General Elections Commission having announced 34 parties eligible to run in the 2009 elections, old players and newcomers are gearing up for the nine-mo

Desy Nurhayati and Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The 18 new parties contesting the 2009 legislative election are unlikely to transform the political face of the country, analysts said Tuesday

Dian Kuswandini, Jakarta – Most corruption convicts have so far preferred to serve additional jail terms rather than pay restitutions to the state, the Attorney General's Office (AGO) s

Arwa Damon, Remote West Timor – Maria's labored breath echoes within the walls of her family's mud hut. Her tiny, bony hands open and close in slow claw-like motions.

Desy Nurhayati and Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The 2009 legislative election will see 34 political parties vying for seats in the House of Representatives, after the General Elections Commi

Indra Harsaputra, Surabaya – The five pairs of candidates contesting the upcoming East Java gubernatorial elections have followed in the government's footsteps by not addressing the imp

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) has issued a second warning to Trans TV for its "vulgar" comedy hit Extravaganza.

Jakarta – Passengers waited helplessly in dimly lit terminals as the runway fell eerily quiet.

Ken Yunita, Jakarta – Protest actions are again starting to enliven Jakarta and surrounding areas.

Andra Wisnu, Jakarta – Despite a significant decrease in terror attacks over the past three years, the recent arrest of 10 alleged Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) members in South Sumatra has rai

Erwida Maulia, Depok, West Java – Speakers at a seminar in Depok on Saturday said drug laws needed to place more of an emphasis on rehabilitation for users and stop treating addicts the

Prodita Sabarini – A decline in the breast-feeding rate in Indonesia is one of the primary causes of the rise in childhood malnutrition in the country, a UN official says.

Prodita Sabarini, Jakarta – UNICEF has renewed calls for donors to refrain from sending formula milk as humanitarian assistance to victims of disasters, saying it could cause even more

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) alarmingly said last week while international oil prices continued to surge closer to US$150 per barrel that rising oil prices had reached a cri

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The Indonesian financial intelligence unit has warned of financial violations and money politics during next year's legislative and presidential elections unless

Dili – Police in East Timor's capital fired tear gas Monday to disperse students protesting a plan by lawmakers to buy themselves new cars with state funds, authorities said.

Ramadhian Fadillah, Jakarta – A number of protest actions will greet the Group of Eight (G8) industrial nations meeting that is to begin today in Hokkaido, Japan.

Khairul Ikhwan, Medan – The G8 Forum Ministerial Level Meeting that is taking place in Hokkaido, Japan, has been condemned by student groups in the North Sumatra provincial capital of M

Mark Dodd – East Timor Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao has signed a $US14.4 million ($14.9 million) food security contract giving sole import rights to the vice-president of his political

Dili – East Timorese and UN anti-riot police arrested at least 16 students Tuesday during a second day of protests at the national university against a plan to import cars for lawmakers

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – Political parties and candidates might resort to smear campaigns and dirty tricks during the nine-month campaign period that starts next week, the General Elec

Lindsay Murdoch, Darwin – The rebel named as having shot East Timor's President Jose Ramos Horta was apparently not the shooter after all, deepening the mystery that still surrounds the

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – Six weeks after the government's direct cash assistance scheme was launched, only 13.8 percent of the 19 million families targeted have received their aid.

Novia D.

Slamet Susanto, Yogyakarta – Education activists in Yogyakarta on Friday set up monitoring posts to ensure the enrollment of new students in junior and senior high schools was carried o

Adianto P.

Andra Jackson – As they settle into their new life in Melbourne, tomorrow brings a poignant reminder for a group of West Papuans of why they fled their country.

M.

Angela Flassy, Jayapura – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has breached a 2001 on special autonomy for Papua by issuing a 2008 government decree to amend the law, Papuan People's Asse

Andra Wisnu, Jakarta – In what was called a "grave for press freedom" in Indonesia, a court here ruled Thursday in favor of a pulp and paper firm in a long-standing dispute with Koran T

Lucy Williamson, Dili – "That's him," our guide told me. The man in the sagging brown vest was sitting at the entrance to his home, enjoying the morning sun.

Andy Hajramurni, Makassar – Makassar mayoralty in South Sulawesi has issued a local ordinance banning people from giving money to beggars in a bid to stem the recent sharp increase in b

Richard Brunton – Concern has been raised about the poor living conditions among a group of Papuan refugees squatting in a public park in Papua New Guinea's capital.