Ashlee Betteridge – This year in Indonesia has been rather eventful, with terror bombings, terror raids, legislative and presidential elections, two major earthquakes and a raging corruption scandal making up just some of the big headlines. But the articles with the most traffic on the Jakarta Globe Web site have told a very different tale about the news that has captivated our online readers this year.

Jakarta Globe's 2009 Countdown: Our top 10 news stories by hits for 2009

10. Manohara in her own words

No matter what you may think of Indonesian-American teen princess/model/actress/philanthropist/political activist Manohara Odelia Pinot, you can't deny she's got quite a story. Married to the allegedly abusive Malaysian Prince Tengku Temenggong Muhammad Fakhry, Manohara, with the help of Indonesian and US officials, managed to escape him while visiting Singapore. Since her return to Indonesia, Manohara has landed her own soap opera, gotten tangled up in a defamation case lodged by the prince and joined the nation's anticorruption fight, among other pursuits. This story is the Globe's first exclusive interview with Manohara shortly after her dramatic escape from the prince.

9. Outrage over 'stolen' pendet dance ends up as a misstep

Malaysia not only allegedly stole Manohara this year – it also apparently tried to steal pendet, a Balinese traditional dance. However, after online outrage accusing Malaysia of using Indonesia's culture in their tourism advertisements, it all turned out to be one big misunderstanding.

8. Sayonara Miyabi: Japanese porn star will not visit Indonesia for film

Japanese porn star Miyabi caused quite a stir when she planned to visit Indonesia to star in a non-pornographic comedy movie titled "Menculik Miyabi" ("Kidnapping Miyabi"). By "quite a stir," we mean "quite a lot of rather big protests by hard-line Islamic groups." The public outcry led to Miyabi canceling her visit.

7. Miss Indonesia shames us all, cry Aceh's clerics

Islamic clerics accused Putri Indonesia Qori Sandioriva of "bringing shame" to Aceh by abandoning Muslim values on her way to winning the beauty pageant title. The issue is likely to reignite in 2010, when Sandioriva will represent Indonesia in the Miss Universe competition, which has a swimsuit segment.

6. Anang confirms divorce from Krisdayanti

The confirmation that celebrity couple Krisdayanti and Anang Hermansyah had officially split was apparently big news. The couple, who had been together 13 years, are now entering into a custody battle over their children.

5. Two plunge to deaths in Jakarta shopping malls

It was a strange day in the capital when two individuals committed suicide from the fifth floors of two of Jakarta's luxury shopping malls. When the story first broke, rumors abounded that the young woman and man may have been in a Romeo and Juliet-style love pact, but these were later disproved.

4. Manohara: 'I was drugged and abused'

Arriving back on Indonesian soil after a dramatic escape from her Malaysian prince husband, Manohara detailed the abuse she had allegedly endured during their relationship. The shocking details of sexual and physical abuse, including her statements that parts of her body had been cut by razors and that royal staff injected her with drugs that made her vomit blood, caused public outcry.

3. Japanese porn star's visit delayed due to Indonesian uproar

More Miyabi. Ho hum. Some of the search terms users typed in to find this article included "Japanese porn" "Indonesia porn" and "porn". They may have been disappointed with the 283 words of prose that they found instead.

2. Indonesian vigilantes prepare for battle in Malaysia

A group of Indonesians announced that they were planning to invade Malaysia to seek justice for the Ambalat terroritorial dispute, Malaysia 'claiming' Indonesian cultural heritage, the Manohara case, an offensive parody of Indonesia's national anthem and the abuse of migrant workers. Equipping themselves with black magic spells and sharpened bamboo sticks, their mission sparked lots of questions, including: "Are they serious?"

1. Indonesian smartphones battle: Blackberry beats iPhone

In a year of dramas, it may seem surprising that the number one story on the Jakarta Globe Web site is about mobile phones... but look around. Indonesia is cell phone obsessed! You might even be reading this story from your BlackBerry or iPhone right now. Maybe you're reading this story on your "work phone" while taking a call on your "friends phone" and ignoring an incoming text message on your "family phone." We know your type. The stats don't lie – above devotion to country, above devotion to Michael Jackson, above interest in Japanese porn, lies nationwide worship of the humble SMS message and the devices that relay it.

Other big stories that just missed out on the top 10:

• Terror returns: Nine killed in Jakarta blasts
• Malaysian Muslim couple sentenced to caning for 'trying to have' premarital sex
• Terrorist Noordin M Top was sodomized: Indonesian forensic expert
• Being gay, Muslim and Indonesian
• The quake indonesia forgot
• Julia Roberts in Bali next month to film 'Eat, Pray, Love'
• Indonesian reggae star Mbah Surip dies, aged 60