Jakarta – The Golkar Party is the strongest party in the country, according to recent surveys, which also show that the Democratic Party's popularity continues to wane amid a series of

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – A new bill drafted to boost religious tolerance in the country may serve as a tool for the government to inhibit religious freedom and foment intolerance,

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – While showing too much concern about his image and potential strikes from his coalition partners, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono seems to be unaware that

Faisal Maliki Baskoro & Dion Bisara – Indonesia's business community hailed the latest in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's cabinet reshuffle as he seeks to re-energize his gover

Theresia Sufa, Bogor – Members of the Taman Yasmin Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) performed their Sunday service under the watchful eyes of the Bogor Police, who earlier managed to s

Agus Triyono, Rizy Amelia & Fidelis E.

Jakarta – A member of the presidential Judicial Corruption Task Force is questioning government efforts to ban two Greenpeace activists from entering Indonesia, saying it might tarnish

Jakarta – The recent decline in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's public approval rating was influenced by his "burdensome" cabinet, according to a researcher with the Indonesian Sur

Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's (SBY) public approval rating has dropped to 46.2 percent this year reportedly due to public disappointment in five areas, a recent survey

Ina Parlina, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's political opponents say he can do little to improve his administration's performance through the ongoing Cabinet reshuffle, c

The Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) said on Sunday that Vice President Boediono is one of the reasons behind President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's poor leadership in office.

Jakarta – Environmental group Greenpeace accuses the Indonesian authorities of trying to suppress freedom of speech with its recent barring of Greenpeace UK executive director John Sauv

Governor Fauzi Bowo's decision to issue a gubernatorial decree to restrict the issuance of shopping mall construction permits is commendable, considering that the city is already overcr

Elly Burhaini Faizal, Jakarta – The government has blamed parents' reluctance to get their children vaccinated for the recent diphtheria outbreak in East Java, with many religious commu

Rizky Amelia – John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK, was denied entry to Indonesia because he would "threaten the stability of the country," the immigration office has said.

Fidelis E.

Bandung – Siliwangi Military Commander Maj. Gen.

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – When it comes to public complaints, it is the police force that most people complain about to the Judicial Mafia Eradication Task Force, a seminar has reveal

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – A group of workers has opposed the bill on social security and insurance that mandates the merger of the existing four social security providers, saying th

Emerging nations in Asia, including Indonesia, may feel the bite of the global economic crisis after all, according to the International Monetary Fund, which warned that a sell-off by f

Kornelius Purba, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is expected to announce his new Cabinet lineup very soon.

Jakarta – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has suggested that being part of a government coalition and the opposition is much the same, following reports that many of its members have

Ali Abdullah Wibisono, Nottingham, UK – Indonesia is not alien to the use of military in counterterrorism.

Hans David Tampubolon, Jakarta – The Bekasi municipality has officially banned the religious practice of the Ahmadiyah sect on Thursday, a move pluralists deemed as the legitimation of

Camelia Pasandaran & Antara – A proposal for a new law on religious issues that may soon make its way to the House of Representatives has been welcomed by some, but others warn that

Ina Parlina, Jakarta – Judges with questionable track records are threatening the nation's fight against corruption in the regions, a problem that the Supreme Court admits is difficult

Markus Junianto Sihaloho – The House of Representatives is fed up with the antigraft agency and is just waiting for public approval before introducing sweeping reforms to the body, a le

Agus Triyono & Rizky Amelia – The Anti-Corruption Court judges who controversially acquitted the suspended Bekasi mayor of graft charges are being investigated for possible ethical

Brace yourselves, germaphobes: Indonesia's toilets are some of the dirtiest in Asia, according to the non-governmental World Toilet Organization.

Bruce Gale – On July 15 this year, when members of the thuggish Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) staged a rally outside the headquarters of environmental group Greenpeace in Kemang, South

Greenpeace on Friday accused Indonesia of waging a vendetta against the environmental group, after the head of its British branch was denied entry to Jakarta to campaign against defores

Indonesian activists are encouraging mobile phone users to turn their cellphones off on Saturday to protest against unwanted mobile phone service costs.

Index: ASA 21/032/2011

Gamawan Fauzi
Minister of Home Affairs
Ministry of Home Affairs
Jl. Medan Merdeka
Utara No.7
Jakarta 10110
Indonesia

Setyo Budi – The Jakarta-Papua dialogue is a test of political will for the Indonesian government and the West Papuan leadership in their search for a long-lasting, peaceful resolution

Jakarta – Although reportedly prompted by the poor performance of some ministers, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono says that the Cabinet reshuffle currently underway cannot be purely

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – In an open display of the relationship between media companies and political parties, television czar Hary Tanoesoedibjo announced he would join the new Nasd

Anita Rachman & Ezra Sihite – The ink is barely dry on the new Intelligence Law but already activists are preparing to contest its constitutionality.

Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) criticized the speedy ratification of the Intelligence Law, saying that the House of Representatives had i

Jakarta – Members of two NGOs were involved in a clash on Wednesday, after negotiations failed in a demonstration over waste management rights for factories in Cikarang.

Camelia Pasandaran – The Ombudsman commission on Thursday sent a letter to the president and Supreme Court reporting the Bogor mayor's continued defiance of legal orders to unseal the e

Rangga Prakoso – Antigraft watchdogs have expressed concern that the House of Representatives is dragging its feet on selecting four anti-corruption commissioners, which could potential

Jakarta – The Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) and economic analyst Hendri Saparini have voiced concerns over the government's prolonged import policy, which say could cause a

Ina Parlina, Jakarta – The nation's antigraft community raised a collective eyebrow at an ex-graft defendant being made a judge in corruption cases in a regional court.

Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) says the recent acquittal of Bekasi mayor Mochtar Muhammad was the 25th acquittal to be handed down by a regional graft court since they were

Jakarta – The Indonesian army's elite detachment 81 antiterrorist squad has organized a joint exercise with the National Police detachment 88 counterterrorism unit at the army special f

Jakarta – The Central Jakarta District Court sentenced on Thursday a former teacher at West Nusa Tenggara's Umar bin Khattab (UBK) Islamic boarding school to four years in jail for fund

Jakarta, Indonesia – An Indonesian militant was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison for helping set up a terrorist cell plotting attacks on Western hotels and embassies in the c

Agus Triyono – Two activists from ultranationalist youth group Bendera have been sentenced to seven months in prison for failing to prove their allegations that members of the president

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Rampant religious intolerance in North Sumatra has brought the government's commitment to upholding religious freedom into question, says the North Sumatra Join

Fitri Bintang Timur, Singapore – When one comes across new legislation, they should ask: What does this bill regulate?