Nurfika Osman – An embarrassing new survey by a consumer advocacy group reveals that 74 percent of officials working for the city administration smoke in their offices, a clear breach of city own bylaws that prohibit lighting up in public places.

Dessy Sagita – Indonesia Corruption Watch has demanded the House of Representatives delay passing the controversial health bill, claiming the legislation remains flawed and had failed to include public participation during deliberations.

Indah Setiawati, Jakarta – Dozens of vendors stages a rally in front of Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo he arrived at Cipinang rice market in East Jakarta during an inspection on Saturday morning.

Among other things, the vendors protested the market's only entrance gate that was damaged and an increase of the ware house rent from Rp. 23,500 to Rp. 34,000.

Twenty-five years ago, Sept.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – The Golkar Party should aim at being a "friend" to the people through its programs if it wishes to regain supremacy in the country's political arena, aspiring party leaders and Golkar members say.

Alfian, Jakarta – Indonesia has failed to attract enough investors to develop the oil and gas blocks offered in the first quarter of this year due to the global economic slowdown and concerns over revisions to the cost recovery mechanism.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) said on Thursday that underage marriages, which were often caused by poverty and lack of education, should be prevented at all costs.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives has finally resolved more than 200 issues in the controversial state secrecy bill with the government, despite requests from civil society groups to stop the bill deliberation.

Jakarta – In another attempt at justice, families and victims of the 1984 Tanjung Priok massacre sent a letter to a United Nations special rapporteur Friday pleading for an intervention in the unresolved case.

Jakarta – Experts have warned that a parliament without an opposition party is a slippery slope toward an authoritarian government, without any credible force to criticize its policies.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Seeking a new role on the national political stage, the youngest son of the late former president Soeharto, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, officially declared his bid for the post of Golkar Party chief on Tuesday.

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – The Jakarta administration's efforts to implement a smoking ban on public transportation since 2005 seems to have gone up in smoke, as a recent survey by the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) reveals a high percentage of violations.

Ismira Lutfia – Though the month of Ramadan is supposed to be a time of spiritual reflection, TV ratings show that most people are tuning in to reality shows as soon as they break their fasts.

Alleged criminal defamation the wrong approach to Munir killing 00 Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director

Noor Huda Ismail, Semarang – Based on my interviews with the actors of past attacks – both inside and outside prisons – there are three primary factors that will keep their movements going in Indonesia.

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-118-2009

Dear friends,

Janeman Latul & Teguh Prasetyo – An irate business community on Friday slammed a recently issued Manpower Ministry directive ordering firms to pay a one-month Idul Fitri holiday bonus to nonpermanent contract workers, saying it was unexpected and had serious financial implications.

Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – The police say they will take action against ultra-nationalist groups who attempt to "raid" Malaysian nationals in the capital, following a series of spats between the neighboring countries over alleged cultural "theft" and border disputes.

Jakarta – Anti-graft activists have vowed to fight to prevent the House of Representatives from passing the Corruption Court bill, claiming lawmakers have altered the bill in an attempt to undermine efforts to eradicate corruption.

Nivell Rayda, Cianjur (West Java) – Confusion and sadness were just some of the emotions felt by earthquake victims in one small village on Thursday, as the search and rescue efforts to find those still missing after the disaster officially ceased.

Novi Christiastuti Adiputri, Jakarta – Protest actions will be widespread today in Jakarta and surrounding areas with at least eight actions being held in already congested area of the capital. Watch out for traffic jams!

Stephen Fitzpatrick, Jakarta – A retired Indonesian spy chief controversially acquitted of murdering a human rights lawyer is pursuing a criminal defamation case against one of the lawyer's successors – for accusing him of murder.

Anita Rachman – Corruption within the well-funded education system is a major factor in the failure of the Ministry of National Education to meet its policy goals, including reducing the number of children dropping out of school and improving facilities and standards, a leading anticorruption watchdog said on Wednesday.

Bati Kartini – The executive director of a committee fighting for justice for murdered human rights lawyer Munir Said Thalib was called to the Jakarta Police Headquarters on Wednesday to be questioned as a suspect in a defamation case.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives passed three bills into law during a plenary session Tuesday, but two have drawn heated criticism from industry experts.

The House passed the environment management bill, the electricity bill and the film bill into law. However, only the environmental bill managed to be passed unscathed.

Nivell Rayda, Garut (West Java) – With the election season over, victims of the Indonesian earthquake in West Java are finding new ways to utilize obsolete campaign banners, using them to build tents and protect their homes.

Amir Tejo, Surabaya – A group of Lapindo mudflow victims broke their fast on Wednesday with the Bakrie family in Kahuripan Nirwana Village, the housing complex built for them by the Bakrie group.

Fidelis E. Satriastanti – As with any law, implementation is the key. While the passage on Tuesday of the 2009 Environmental Protection and Management Law was largely welcomed, an environmental law expert said it would only be effective if it was enforced with a strong hand.

Multa Fidrus, Tangerang – The Tangerang municipality's crackdown on begging has made the intersection at Jl. TIM Taruna an unsafe place for former lepers to ask for alms this Ramadan.

Many former lepers have resorted to staying at home instead of begging at the popular intersection, fearing public order officers will catch them.

Shohib Masykur, Jakarta – The coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Usman Hamid, took time out on Wednesday to wish President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) a happy birthday.

Indah Setiawati, Jakarta – Dozens of NGO activists dubbing themselves Relawan Ganyang Malaysia (Anti-Malaysia Activists) Tuesday conducted a raid on a street in Central Jakarta in a hunt for Malaysian nationals until the police halted their activities.

Thomas Barker and Veronica Kusuma, Jakarta – Unless you have been living under a rock for the past decade, you would have noticed that in terms of annual output, the Indonesian film industry has been growing exponentially.

Amir Tejo, Surabaya – Obsessive checking of inane status messages and chatting on Web sites like Facebook has brought Surabaya to a screeching halt.

Jakarta – Five years after the murder of prominent human rights activist Munir Said Thalib, his supporters have accused the government of lacking resolve to settle the case.

State prosecutors have said they simply lack the certified copy of the ruling needed to pursue a case review.

Camelia Pasandaran – With lawmakers likely to pass two new pieces of legislation today, critics have called for a moratorium, arguing that new laws could end up being struck down by the Constitutional Court because they are poorly written.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives has three weeks to pass their target of 22 priority bills, but legislators are apparently unable to even show up to deliberate the potential laws.

A strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit off Indonesia late on Monday, seismologists say, but no tsunami alert was issued and there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

The quake struck at 11.12pm (0212 AEST) at an underwater depth of 15 kilometres, south of the main island of Java, according to the US Geological Survey.

Alfian, Jakarta – The House of Representatives almost unanimously passed on Tuesday a new electricity bill into law, which will allow each region to apply different electricity rates.

Reva Sasistiya – The House of Representatives' approval of the electricity bill on Tuesday means an industry long dominated by the state power provider will now finally be partially deregulated, and allows the possibility of fairer electricity pricing between regions.

Ronna Nirmala – Thick haze from forest fires has forced the closure of schools and the main airport in Indonesia's Central Kalimantan, officials said on Tuesday.

The thick haze forced authorities to shut down all school activities, with Governor Agustin Teras Narang issuing the order for the closure until air quality improves, Antara news agency said.

Sunanda Creagh – Indonesia's parliament passed a new environment bill on Tuesday giving the Environment Ministry the power to revoke polluters' business licenses, which environmentalists said could lead to more effective enforcement.

Fidelis E. Satriastanti – Ten factions in the House of Representatives united to pass the Environmental Protection and Management Bill on Tuesday, stating that the new law would give much stronger authority to the State Ministry of Environment and impose stricter sanctions.

Dozens of people belonging to an anti-Malaysia group briefly attempted an intimidating road-block and ID check to identify Malaysians along a busy Central Jakarta street on Tuesday, but came up empty-handed.

Aubrey Belford, Jakarta – A push by Indonesia to dramatically toughen its approach to fighting Islamist militants has come under fire as a threat to human rights that could ultimately reverse gains in tackling extremists.

Rendi A. Witular and Aditya Suharmoko – Questions have arisen over President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's and then Bank Indonesia governor Boediono's lack of foresight in the Bank Century debacle.

Nurfika Osman – As the controversial film bill moved closer to becoming law, one of the country's most prominent directors called the legislation an attempt to create a climate of psychological fear among filmmakers.

Jakarta – Stigmatization and discrimination are two crucial problems for people living with HIV/AIDS who seek medical treatment and to deal with these social attitude problems requires active participation from all the stakeholders, according to a women foundation.

The 2004-2009 House of Representatives term will end this month. So far, according to House Speaker Agung Laksono's speech during House anniversary celebrations on Aug. 28, the House is predicted to be able to pass 174 bills into law by the end of their term. However, that number is still far below their target of 284 bills based on the 2004 National Legislative Program.

Heru Andriyanto – Hundreds of protesters picketed the Attorney General's Office on Monday to push for a review of the Munir Said Thalib case, which saw former top intelligence official Muchdi Purwoprandjono acquitted of the charge that he ordered the murder of the renowned rights activist.

Wahyoe B./Andi Hajramurni, Malang/Makassar – Activists in Malang and Makassar staged a rally Monday to demand the government solve the now five-year old murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib.