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Election fever along with the inevitable campaigning essentially began as soon as the legislation was finalized by the House of Representatives (DPR) in mid-2003.

Frans Surdiasis, Jakarta – When a new party founded by Eros Djarot – a popular figure in politics, the arts and the media – was introduced, many were a little surprised that, just like

Nani Farida and Ridwan Max Sijabat, Banda Aceh/Jakarta – While the provincial government has predicted Aceh's elections will run successfully, many Acehnese are pessimistic they will be

Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – A storm is brewing with polls looming.

Anton Doni, Jakarta – The dilemma of idealistic intellectuals ahead of the first election after Soeharto quit the presidency in 1998 was whether or not to get their hands dirty by becom

A. Junaidi, Jakarta – Any move to ban people belonging to the New Order regime from the elections violates the principle of democracy itself, political observer Arief Budiman says.

Indramayu – Hundreds of local supporters of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) burned party flags and tore down other party paraphernalia from the street in a protest a

Tangerang – Some 200 activists of 10 non-govermental organisations staged a rally on Thursday at the Tangerang municipal council, demanding the dismissal of the Tangerang General Electi

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais joined on Thursday those expressing concern over a possible delay to the elections following the ballot

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – The Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPUD) disqualified on Thursday 126 of 1,682 regional legislative candidates from 24 political parties contesting t

Frans Surdiasis, Jakarta – The latter half of 2003 saw the re-emergence of the daughter of former president Soeharto, this time on the political stage.

Rusman, Samarinda – The East Kalimantan General Elections Commission (KPUD) ruled on Wednesday that the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) could not run for seats in the pr

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Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – The ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has established a Rp 100 billion (US$11.3 million) budget for the upcoming elections campaign

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Yogyakarta – Actions rejecting the 2004 general elections and calls to golput [white movement, not to mark the ballot paper] are becoming lively in Yogyakarta, Central Java.

Sri Wahyuni, Yogyakarta – Unless voters are encouraged to mark the individual names of legislative candidates on ballot papers, the upcoming polls will just become another April fool's

Rais Hidayat, Jakarta – The Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) is special because it is the only party representing the Protestant and Catholic minorities, which passed the selection by the G

Jayapura – The Papua Police are preparing two-third of its personnel to guard the upcoming elections, a senior officer at the police headquarters said on Wednesday.

Yogyakarta – A senior minister said here on Saturday the General Elections Commission (KPU) had the authority to decide regarding indications of legislative candidates' involvement in t

Jakarta – The Jakarta Police began a two-day training program on Wednesday for 90,000 city-employed community unit guards on how to handle possible disturbances at polling booths leadin

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The Indonesia Military (TNI) pledged on Thursday to maintain its neutrality in this year's elections in accordance with its professed intention to get

Rais Hidayat, Jakarta – If there is something new in Indonesia's current political outlook, it is the persistent growth in influence of a new party that has virtually no roots in the co

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) vowed on Friday to report to police any political parties displaying logos or election numbers during public gat

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Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – The United States had confidence this year's elections in Indonesia would run as safely, freely and fairly as the previous polls in 1999, Ambassador Ral

Slobodan Lekic, Jakarta – Indonesian generals, on the defensive since the ouster of the dictatorship they supported for 32 years, are becoming kingmakers again as the campaign for presi

Slamet Susanto and Ruslan Sangadji, Yogyakarta/Palu – Forty-two legislative candidates in Yogyakarta are believed to have been linked with the outlawed and now-defunct Indonesian Commun

Jakarta – Indonesia's General Elections Commission (KPU) will open registration on Wednesday for international observers wishing to monitor the implementation of the general elections t

Iin Yumiyanti, Jakarta – TNI (armed forces) headquarters has denied that it issued an order to collect data on ex-members of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) in the lead up to the 2

Muklis Ali, Jakarta – Militant groups may be planning to disrupt Indonesian elections this year with attacks on political rallies, police said on Tuesday.

Jakarta – Indonesia's General Elections Commission (KPU) yesterday released lists of legislative candidates from 24 electoral contestants.

Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – Islamic parties in Indonesia are facing a crisis of leadership.

Frans Surdiasis, Jakarta – The late Elvis Presley's song It's now or never, perfectly depicts the situation faced by Amien Rais and his National Mandate Party (PAN) in confronting this

Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – The old New Order appears to be on the rise again in Indonesia.

Ruslan Sangadji and Irvan NR, Palu – Local members of the National Mandate Party (PAN) here objected on Saturday to the central board's selection of politicians to top the party's list

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Taking the 1999 general elections as a lesson, the Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) has promised to improve supervision of the election process and f

A'an Suryana, Jakarta – While highlighting improvements in the economy and national stability as its main platforms, the Golkar Party has vowed not to snub the increasingly louder antic

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Manpower and Transmigration Minister Jacob Nuwa Wea said on Friday that the number of unemployed people would increase by about 2.5 million to over 45 mill

Andrew Burrell, Jakarta – Sharing lunch with an indicted war criminal accused of overseeing the slaughter of 1500 people is hardly an everyday experience.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Indonesia's reform initiatives have failed and the country needs a strong leader "who can do better", said retired General Wiranto.

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Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – As most voters are unaware of the new electoral system, political parties are likely to encourage supporters to punch the logo of political parties on ballot p

Jakarta – The Indonesia Procurement Watch (IPW) has called on the public to monitor the procurement of goods and services in the General Election Commission (KPU) for the 2004 election.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – Functional Party of National Concern (PKPB), [former army chief of staff] R.

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Jakarta – In response to earlier protests that Siti Hardiyanti "Tutut" Rukmana's presidential nomination was solely based on the desire to uphold New Order values, Chairman of the Conce

Jakarta – Despite only having 50 percent of its troops available, the Indonesian Military (TNI) would still be ready to help the police secure the 2004 general elections, an officer say

Jakarta – The maneuver of some political parties to include celebrity personalities on their legislative candidate lists clearly shows that those parties are desperate to lure voters, a