Jakarta – Newly elected Labour Party General Chairperson Said Iqbal says that the party was established based on the wishes of several labour organisations to begin struggling in parliament and not in the streets as they have been doing up until now.

Yamin Kogoya – Two Melanesian state leaders addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on West Papua last week.

During the 76th UNGA, both Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, James Marape, and Vanuatu's Prime Minister, Bob Loughman, expressed concern about human rights issues in West Papua.

Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – Timor-Leste's cabinet ministers are personally spearheading a renewed mass vaccination campaign targeting more than 80 percent of the population in a bid to overcome widespread doubts over vaccines.

Jakarta – Based on a report by the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) since 2020, the number of reports of cases of sexual violence has risen dramatically during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Komnas Perempuan Chairperson Andy Yentriyani said that since June 2021, Komnas Perempuan has received 2,592 reports of sexual violence.

Konradus Epa, Jakarta – Four people including a Protestant pastor have been arrested in Indonesia's West Kalimantan province for alleged corruption in a church construction project.

The pastor was arrested on Oct. 4 in Sepauk district along with the other three who included a civil servant and two members of the local assembly in Sintang Regency.

Carolyn Cowan – Biologists often refer to the Wallacea region of Indonesia as a "living laboratory" for the study of evolution. Spanning 1,680 of Indonesia's central islands, including the Malukus, Nusa Tenggara and the expansive arms of Sulawesi, it is the transition zone where the biota of Asia and Australasia collide.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo praised the Indonesian Military, or TNI, for their role in helping the war against Covid-19, but even so, they must also remain on the alert against cyberthreats and terrorism, among others.

Egi Adyatama, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo delivered a speech during the celebration ceremony of the Indonesian Military or TNI's 76th anniversary which was held in the courtyard of the Merdeka Palace, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, October 5.

In his speech, the President reminded all that Indonesia is still under threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Scientists are scratching their heads having to explain how Jakarta's coastal waters became contaminated with paracetamol, as has been discovered in a recent environmental study.

Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Jakarta – National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Chairperson Ahmad Taufan Damanik has revealed that the Indonesian police (Polri) are the institution which has been the subject of most complaints related to alleged human rights violations between January and September 2021.

M Yusuf Manurung, The Economist, Jakarta – The latest report issued by The Economist Intelligence Unit touted The Safe Cities Index 2021 has ranked the capital city of Jakarta at 46th with an overall score of 56.4, which is below average of 66.1.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura – A major national sports event opened in Papua at the weekend, with officials hoping it will showcase the Indonesian government's commitment to developing the province and reassure the public that the region is safe despite an active and escalating pro-independence insurgency.

Caesar Akbar, Majalah Tempo, Jakarta – Two Indonesian officials and a number of businessmen are recorded in the report of Pandora Papers. This report contains financial data leaks from 14 agents of shell companies in tax haven countries.

Jakarta – Indonesia is distributing the recently arrived 453,960 doses of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines to seven provinces in Kalimantan and Sumatra.

Among them are West Kalimantan (Pontianak), North Kalimantan via Berau, East Kalimantan (Samarinda), Central Kalimantan (Palangkaraya), according to the Health Ministry's vaccination spokeswoman Siti Nadia Tarmizi.

Herman, Jakarta – Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport will welcome international arrivals from October 14 after more than a year of Covid-19 lockdown that severely hits the economy in the resort island.

However, the reopening applies to only a handful of countries in the meantime.

Andita Rahma, Jakarta – A riot broke out in Yahukimo of Papua on Sunday, October 3, killing six residents and leaving 41 others injured. The clashes between residents started at around 12:45 Eastern Indonesian Time (WIT).

Joshua Kurlantzick – On the face of it, East Timor would not seem like the most natural place to have built a democracy ranked by Freedom House, in its 2021 edition of Freedom in the World, as "Free." In fact, this ranking makes East Timor the only country in Southeast Asia, where democracy has been regressing for over a decade, to be ranked "Free" by Freedom House.

Jakarta – The Indonesia Ulama Council (MUI) has spoken out over the Miss Queen Beauty pageant which took place in Bali on September 30 saying that Miss Queen Pageants are not allowed in Indonesia because transgender is haram (forbidden under Islamic law) and a disgrace.

A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – After a year's delay due to the pandemic, the 20th National Games (PON) started in Papua over the weekend under heavy security – the first major sporting event in the restive easternmost region of Indonesia and despite virus concerns.

Emma Connors, Singapore – Monash University is working with tech giant Tokopedia and one of Indonesia's largest financial institutions, Bank Mandiri, as it begins an ambitious new chapter offshore.

Lenny Tristia Tambun & Whisnu Bagus, Jayapura – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo continued his trip in Papua on Sunday to inaugurate several projects, a day after opening historic national games in the easternmost province.

It's for the first time that Papua becomes a host of the multi-event games held every four years.

Maria Baru, Sorong – Frater Anton Syufi from the Order of Saint Augustine (OSA) was arrested by the Jayapura city district police on Sunday October 3 for wearing a Morning Star (BK) independence flag T-shirt while watching a soccer match between the Papua and East Nusa Tenggara National Games teams at the Mandala Stadium in Jayapura, Papua.

Jakarta – A number of organisations and trade unions plan to revive the Labour Party in order to contest the 2024 legislative and presidential elections. In a circular which has already been confirmed, at least six trade unions will come together to establish the Labour Party.

Sorong (Antara) – Jalan Jenderal Sudirman in Sorong city, West Papua province, which has been damaged for two years, was quickly resurfaced in the lead up to a visit by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, who will arrive in Sorong on Monday October 4.

Arys Aditya – As many as 10,000 people are expected to attend the opening ceremony of Indonesia's first major sports event since its worst outbreak – a test of its strategy of living with the virus.

The Tangerang City Police is set to sanction a traffic police officer after a woman alleged that he sent inappropriate messages to her after he pulled her over for a ticket.

Kiki Siregar, Jakarta – Indonesia's moratorium on new permits for palm plantations ended on Sep 19 and the government has yet to make an announcement on whether it would be extended.

Padang, Indonesia (AFP) – Seven people were killed in a landslide triggered by torrential storms on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the authorities said, as they warned continuing rainfall could cause further ground movement on Friday (Oct 1).

Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – The United Nations and a Catholic charity group have teamed up with religious institutions in Timor-Leste to tackle domestic violence.

UN Women and Catholic Relief Service (CRS) hosted a forum involving representatives from Catholic, Protestant and Muslim groups on Sept. 30, with the theme "Stop Violence, Strengthens Healthy Relationships."

Konradus Epa, Jakarta – Indonesian police arrested 17 indigenous Papuan students and activists during a protest outside the US embassy in Jakarta.

Tifa Asrianti, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo planted mangroves with members of the local community at Raja Kecik Beach, Muntai Barat village, Bengkalis regency, Riau, on Sept. 28, accompanied by the environment and forestry minister and the head of Mangrove and Peatland Restoration Agency (BRGM), Hartono.

Jakarta – Indonesia sets to introduce a new carbon tax, becoming the latest country to introduce the measure as part of its commitment to curb greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade.

Adam Prireza, Jakarta – The Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) lawyer Jenny Sirait on Friday found it regrettable that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and a number of State Ministries are appealing the Central Jakarta District Court verdict that found the defendants' negligent by failing to curb air pollution in the capital city of Jakarta.

Victor Mambor Jayapura, Indonesia – A major national sports event opens in Papua on Saturday, with officials hoping it will showcase the Indonesian government's commitment to developing the province and reassure the public that the region is safe despite an active and escalating separatist insurgency.

Tatang Guritno, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) says that the public's fear of communism is one of the factors making it difficult to resolve the 1965 tragedy.

Kontras advocacy staff director Tioria Pretty revealed that this fear was spread by the New Order regime of former president Suharto which was in power for 32 years.

Rahel Narda Chaterine, Jakarta – The Papua Advocacy Team says that the police committed acts of violence and sexual harassment when they broke up a protest action and arrested 17 people in front of the US Embassy in Jakarta on Thursday September 30.

M Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – Former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan said he and 57 other former KPK employees were keen to return to work in the anti-corruption commission. He said he was averse to the current corruption situation.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan recently responded to the issue of the capital sinking, by ensuring that the government has taken steps to tackle the problem.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Covid-19 task force official records as of Thursday suggest that the recipients of complete vaccine doses in the country has grown by 700,367, adding to the grand total to 51,113,360 people.

Meanwhile, 91,079,001 people have received their first doses, which is a growth of 1,256,014, Antaranews reported.

Moh Khory Alfarizi, Jakarta – The newly elected chairperson of Association of Indonesian Internet Providers (APJII), Muhammad Arif Angga, spoke about internet performance in Indonesia. He referred to a number of reports revealing that Internet speeds in the Indonesia is considerably slower than other countries.

Caesar Akbar, Vindry Florentin, Jakarta – The Taxation Harmonization Bill (RUU HPP) will be ratified at the House of Representative (DPR) plenary scheduled to be held next week. However, is it true that it includes a clause mentioning tax amnesty?

At least 156 COVID-19 vaccine doses perished after a group of fishermen and fish sellers in Aceh thrashed a jab venue on Tuesday, leading to three arrests thus far.

A long-serving teacher in North Minahasa, North Sulawesi made headlines this week after her son came forward and revealed that she was appointed headmistress for a school that never existed.

Jakarta – The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has only just ended. Apart from President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's pre-recorded speech, Indonesia made a mark during the annual world event because of alleged human rights abuses in Papua.

Gisela Swaragita, Jakarta – The Dharma Bhakti Museum of the Army Strategic Command (Museum Kostrad) has recently received more attention than it is used to after former Army general, Gatot Nurmantyo, mentioned that several statues had been removed from the building.

Friski Riana, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) Deputy Speaker Lodewijk Paulus said it is necessary to conduct an in-depth study regarding the issue that the Indonesian Military (TNI) was infiltrated by the now-defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) ideology.

Andita Rahma, Jakarta – On their last day of work today, September 30, 58 employees of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) who were dismissed for failure to pass the controversial civic knowledge test (TWK) established 'Indonesia Memanggil 57 Institute' (IM57+ Institute) and made the declaration.

M Rosseno Aji, Maudey K. Setyakusuma (Internship), Jakarta – Today, Thursday, September 30, 2021, 57 employees of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) have been officially fired. They are employees who are considered not to have passed the national insight test.

Egi Adyatama, Jakarta – Surveys by Change.org Indonesia, Katadata Insight Center (KIC), and KawalCOVID19.id have shown that the majority of the respondents are not in support of the paid vaccination scheme which the government had once introduced a few months back.

Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – The wives of 21 farmers detained by police for almost three months following a land dispute in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province staged a protest on Sept. 29 to demand the release of their loved ones.

Families of the farmers claim they are being held illegally and are innocent victims of a conspiracy between local authorities and land grabbers.