Indramayu – An estimated 80,000 fishermen did not vote in the Indramayu regency election on Sept. 22, said Bachtiar of the Indramayu General Elections Commission on Monday.

Jakarta – Internal conflict within the National Mandate Party (PAN) has risen to new level with the resignation of co-founder and current legislator Fuad Bawazier.

Jakarta – Thousands of supporters of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) continued their protests on Sunday against a court ruling annulled the victory of Nur Nahmudi Ismail and his runn

Jakarta – The South Jakarta District Court ruled on Wednesday that last year's dismissal of chief welfare minister Alwi Shihab as the National Awakening Party (PKB) leader was legitimat

Abdul Khalik and Yuli Tri Suwarni, Jakarta/Bandung – Over 5,000 members of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and Nahdhatul Ulama (NU) gathered on Sunday in Depok, West Java, to protest

In simultaneous rallies in Depok and Jakarta, hundreds of supporters of Nur Mahmudi Ismail on Saturday staged protests over the West Java High Court verdict overturning election results

Fearing escalating tension in Depok following the court ruling that overturned the result of the June 26 mayoral election, the Jakarta Police called on Depok residents to stay calm, whi

AK-7 & AK-26, Lhokseumawe – Speaking in Lhokseumawe on Friday August 5, the commander of the Iskandar Muda territorial military command, Major General Supiadin AS, said that there a

Max Lane – East Timor's local elections are now in their eighth month.

Eva C.

Jakarta – Megawati Sukarnoputri, the former president of Indonesia, says she does not agree with the existence of local parties in Aceh.

The government's decision to allow the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and other groups in Aceh to set up their own local political parties has been called quite controversial.

Jakarta – Some 10,000 people went on a rampage on Monday in Kaur regency, Bengkulu province, setting fire to government offices and houses in the area to express their disappointment wi

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Political analysts are throwing their weight behind calls to create regional political parties in the country, arguing that such parties do not have to be synony

Andreas Harsono, Kupang – Devastating though it was, the Asian Tsunami brought the proverbial winds of change to Indonesia by focusing international attention on the festering conflict

Endy M.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – The Free Aceh Movement's (GAM) wish to form local political parties in Aceh has been in vain.

AK-1, Jakarta – The meeting between representatives of Acehnese civil society and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Stockholm on July 9-19 has resulted in a number of recommendations on A

Muhammad Nafik, Malang, East Java – In villages across Java, you will rarely find Muhammadiyah Muslims and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Muslims praying together in the same mosque.

Wilhendra Akmam, Jakarta – Ten political parties have agreed to support the nomination of former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members in regional elections in Aceh in 2005-06.

Masduki Attamami, Antara, Yogyakarta – Direct regional elections have taken place around the country, and despite some protests they have in general been orderly and peaceful.

ID Nugroho, Malang – The gender issue could become a serious problem for Muhammadiyah, which claims to be a modern Islamic organization, with all of the 39 nominees selected as eligible

Muhammad Nafik, Malang – Despite its pledge to stay away from politics, Muhammadiyah says its decision to give its support to last year's failed presidential bid by Amien Rais was not a

Harry Bhaskara, Surabaya – The loudspeaker in the office, half the size of a village classroom, was blaring; while graphics, projected on the wall, showed the preliminary results of bal

Jakarta – The strongest political parties flexed their muscles in the direct elections of regional heads across the country, with their nominees becoming democratically elected leaders

Jakarta – Poll cancellations, protests and rumors of clashes disrupted the landmark direct local leadership elections in some of the country's regencies and municipalities on Monday.

Neles Tebay, Urbaniana, Rome – Last week, Vice President Jusuf Kalla visited West Irian Jaya. where he acknowledged the province continues to lack a strong legal base.

Slamet Susanto, Yogyakarta – Allegations of money politics and unethical campaigning have overshadowed direct local leadership elections in three regencies of Yogyakarta province on Sun

Harry Bhaskara, Surabaya – Some 1.9 million Surabayans will head for the polling booths today to vote for their city's first directly elected mayor.

Yorrys Raweyai, a former leader of one of the country's most feared thugs-for-hire groups, has registered himself as a candidate for the governorship of West Irian Jaya province.

M.

Oyos Saroso H.N., Bandarlampung – Candidates for mayor Sjachrazad Z.P.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – A new survey has suggested that the direct elections being planned in over 140 regions across the nation this month should be delayed due to lack of prepar

Andi Hajramurni and A'an Suryana, Makassar/Jakarta – Building a clean government!

Despite its strong association with the New Order regime of former president Soeharto, the Golkar Party managed to dominate not only the last legislative election, but also direct regio

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – After winning recognition from the government, the National Awakening Party (PKB) under Muhaimin Iskandar is mulling action against members of a rival camp.

Banda Aceh – At least 35 women academics, legal practitioners, activists and students visited the Aceh Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD) at midday on Friday June 10.

Jakarta – Yesterday, Megawati Sukarnoputri inaugurated the Volunteers for Democratic Struggle (Relawan Perjuangan Demokrasi, Repdem), a social organisation affiliated with the Indonesia

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – Colonized by the Dutch, occupied by the Japanese and led by authoritarian leaders for several decades, Indonesia has entered the final phase of its transition int

Jakarta – A number of former activist who were part of the popular struggle against the New Order regime have formally joined the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Suherdjoko and A'an Suryana, Pekalongan/Jakarta – After successful direct elections in Kutai Kartanegara regency last week, direct regional elections were held on Sunday in Pekalongan a

Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Reform Movement's "opposition" to the party's central leadership board led by Megawati Sukarnoputri continues unabated.

Jakarta – The Constitutional Court ruled on Tuesday against a possibility for independent candidates to contest regional elections, saying it would discourage efforts to help political

Achmad Sukarsono, Jakarta – Indonesians on Borneo island voted in landmark elections on Wednesday, choosing local leaders for the first time in a process that symbolises the final devol

Jakarta – The National Awakening Party (PKB) is veering away from internal reconciliation as a group of Muslim clerics who helped found the party demanded on Sunday a new congress to el

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Smita Notosusanto may be petite physically, but it seems she has not lost the energy to articulate the need for reform of the country's electoral syst

Iman Dwianto Nugroho, Surabaya – A loud ring breaks the silence, and in a rush Budi S. quickly picks up his phone.

Dili – Tens of thousands of government supporters gathered in East Timor's capital Friday to mark the 31st anniversary of the foundation of the ruling FRETILIN party in festivities that

Jakarta – The Central Jakarta District Court ruled on Wednesday that former members of the now-outlawed Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) could proceed with a class-action lawsuit agains

Jakarta – A splinter group of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) filed a police report against party leader Megawati Soekarnoputri on Monday for her dismissal of 12 PDI