No one seemed to know, or care, very much about Siti Zaenab when she was still alive.

Liam Gammon – If it achieved nothing else, last week's PDI-P party congress managed to confuse a lot of tourists.

Indonesians will find it difficult to boast of being from a democratic country as long as their compatriots continue to fall victim to the Electronic Information and Transaction (ITE) Law.

The government's move to block several websites accused of spreading radicalism and hatred received condemnation from many – not only from those identified as fundamental and militant, but also fro

Since its birth almost 70 years ago, this nation has tirelessly promoted equality before the law; but the latest two cases of poor elderly persons being forced to stand trial for minor criminal cha

It's hard to look at the government's recent capitulations in the fight against corruption and write them off as minor setbacks, misguided policies, or sheer ineptitude on the part of the officials

I do not know what the prospects are that President Widodo will stop the current implementation of the death sentence for people convicted of drug related crimes.

Dominic Diongson – President Joko Widodo's plan to issue a regulation focusing more on graft prevention rather than enforcement – meaning investigation, arrest and prosecution – is a troubling shif

Neles Tebay, Abepura, Papua – Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi visited three Pacific countries this week, namely Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Solomon Islands and Fiji, to strengthen relations betwe

Tom Allard – The absurd display of military muscle during the transfer of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan to the site of their execution was as much about whipping up the nationalist fervour of In

Indonesia's golden era of corruption eradication has ended. Once the dust kicked up by Comr. Gen.

Amalinda Savirani – After a narrow victory that brought someone from outside the country's old guard into office, some supporters of Indonesian President Joko Widodo are starting to become disillus

If Megawati Soekarnoputri can claim credit for establishing Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, then it's her hand-picked president, Joko Widodo, who could very well be overseein

It's a Black Monday for Indonesia. Corruptors must be celebrating now that Judge Sarpin Rizaldi ruled that all the national antigraft agency's charges against Comr. Gen.

Tim Lindsey – For months, Indonesian President Joko Widodo – popularly known as Jokowi – has repeatedly stated his determination to show no mercy to drug offenders facing execution.

Pandaya, Jakarta – His case may have been eclipsed by the embarrassing conflict pitting the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) against the National Police over graft charges leveled against on

As a Javanese, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is familiar with the old maxim alon-alon waton kelakon (slow but sure), but now it is time for him to move as quickly as possible to settle the protrac

Hamish McDonald – Just over five years ago, Indonesians were transfixed by a political-legal brawl that came to be known as the "Crocodile versus Citcak" battle.

Another day, another controversial move from President Joko Widodo.

Damien Kingsbury – The resignation from office by East Timor's prime minister, Xanana Gusmao, was not unexpected. He had flagged his intentions over the past year.

At a time when the police are pressing ahead with charges against Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leaders, apparently in retaliation for the KPK's move to name National Police chief candida

PT Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of US-based mining giant Freeport-McMoRan Inc., deserves a strong rebuke from the government and the House of Representatives for its utter lack of commitment to

Budi Gunawan, the man who President Joko Widodo bizarrely thought would make a suitable police chief, has proved to the country why it's a very good thing that Joko had a last-minute change of hear

It's about time that we see President Joko Widodo push back against the pernicious influence of political forces surrounding him.

We cannot help recounting the one-sided clash between the National Police and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) back in 2009 – later dubbed Cicak lawan Buaya (Gecko versus Crocodile) – wh

Our elected representatives can pat themselves on the back after they endorsed a regulation that restores direct election as the method by which leaders of local governments are chosen.

Papua remains a big mystery to the Indonesian public. Even Papuans don't know what exactly happens in their own homeland.

Dominic Diongson – President Joko Widodo's administration could fail sooner rather than later if it goes on to make arbitrary and ridiculous decisions.

The supporting poles of the monorail project along Jl. HR Rasuna Said in South Jakarta and Jl. Asia Afrika in Central Jakarta have stood tall since 2004, tarnishing these prominent roads.

Crowds gathered on Thursday at the offices of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to demand a thorough investigation into suspicious bank accounts belonging to high-ranking police officers,

Until the very end, Joko Widodo insisted back in May to make Abraham Samad, chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission or KPK, his running mate.

It is a blunt fact that the public perceives the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) to be much more trustworthy than the Natio

With the House of Representatives' legal affairs commission approving in acclamation Comr. Gen.

Our grave concerns over President Joko Widodo's nomination of Comr. Gen.

If there is any hope that the National Police will be reformed under President Joko Widodo then we should bury it deep for at least another five years after the nomination of Comr. Gen.

Jess Melvin, Melbourne – On Dec.

Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan could have started a revolution within his own ministry – in the directorates general of land, sea and air transportation – by, for instance, punishing corrup

Indonesian officials like to try to capitalize on disasters, hoping to get more popular out of the misery of people they are supposed to serve.

Dwi Atmanta, Jakarta – The Christmas gift came three days late for Papuans this year, but many in the easternmost territory did not seem to mind.

Joko Widodo was always going to be the president that his predecessors were not, from his man-of-the-people ways to his love of heavy metal.

Neles Tebay, Jayapura – The shooting of unarmed civilians took place on Dec. 8 in Enarotali, the capital of Paniai regency in the province of Papua.

Elaine Pearson – Australia still mourns the death of two hostages killed last week in downtown Sydney after a horrific 16-hour siege only a few blocks from the Human Rights Watch Austra

The ban on motorcycles along thoroughfares Jl. MH Thamrin and Jl.

Hipolitus Yolisandry Ringgi Wangge, Illinois – The deadly clashes between the police's mobile brigade (Brimob) and Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel have proliferated.

Johannes Nugroho – Vice President Jusuf Kalla told the media last week that an official apology by the government over past human rights abuses was unlikely.

Joanna Mayhew – Despite their inaccessibility and lack of infrastructure, Indonesia's remote Papuan highlands have begun to feel the claws of development, leaving the area's youth at an

Sri Lestari Wahyuningroem, Canberra – In commemorating International Human Rights Day on Dec.

In the weeks after the inauguration of President Joko Widodo, representatives of the GKI Yasmin church in Bogor expressed their hopes that finally, after years of being shut out of thei

Jakarta – In 2012, the award-winning documentary "The Act of Killing" drew back the veil on the darkest chapter of Indonesia's history, and now, says director Joshua Oppenheimer, there'

We can never solve a problem if we do not intend to solve it in the first place. That's what we feel about the government's intentions in Papua.