Medan – Leaders of a union on Wednesday reported alleged arbitrariness by plantation company PT Tolan Tiga Indonesia to Medan councillors.

Jakarta – Army chief of staff General Ryamizard Ryacudu has revealed that army businesses, particularly those which are part of foundations "only" generate 30 billion rupiah per year. "That's if [we're] lucky. Perhaps this amount could decline further in the future", he told Tempo at the army's headquarters in Jakarta.

Veeramalla Anjaiah, Jakarta – With its huge population and dynamic economies, Asia is increasingly poised to become the new strategic center of gravity in global politics, and Indonesia, a Southeast Asian regional power, has a big role to play in that set up.

Zakki P. Hakim, Jakarta – It seems that confidence in investment climate in Indonesia may have started to improve, with hundreds of potential investors, foreign and domestic, having expressed enthusiasm to participate in next month's infrastructure summit.

What is a good inconsistency?! For our honored Constitutional Court, that is probably the only way to describe their recent decisions. Last week, we were baffled by the court's decision to annul the Electricity Law. This week, however, we are encouraged by the court's verdict to uphold the Oil and Gas Law.

Uba/Ant, Jakarta – Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's second largest Islamic mass organisations, is moving to establish a new political party. Not because of discontent with the National Mandate Party (PAN) – but the longing and enthusiasm of the new generation of Muhammadiyah members to have their own party.

Jakarta – Fresh from his election as the new leader of the Golkar Party, Mr Jusuf Kalla has strongly signalled that Golkar is out of the Nationhood Coalition of opposition parties, saying there is no such permanent bloc in the country's Parliament.

Tim Johnston, Jakarta – The case against the alleged leader of Jemaah Islamiah, the terror group behind the Bali bombings, was boosted yesterday when Abbas, a confessed senior member of JI, gave a detailed account of Abu Bakar Bashir's involvement in the running of the group.

The throng of young men in combat pants, Mujahidin jackets and Muslim songkok skullcaps have been largely quiet during the second terrorism trial of radical cleric Abu Bakar Bashir.

Apart from the odd pumped fist and cry of "God is Great" in the cavernous, makeshift court housed in a south Jakarta auditorium, the Bashir faithful have had little to shout about.

Ewo Raswa, Jakarta – The Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) says that the popularity of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has experienced a decline of as much as 13 per cent over the last month.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The Golkar Party held a coordination meeting Tuesday evening to discuss its new political stance following the election of Vice President Jusuf Kalla as its chairman. Tuesday's meeting was presided over by vice chairman Agung Laksono and attended by the party's chairpersons, Secretary-General Sumarsono and some of his deputies.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – In order to give the nation's fight against corruption a boost, the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) and the government agreed on Tuesday to widen the former's authority in revealing irregularities in the disbursement of state budgets.

Jakarta – The Constitutional Court on Tuesday upheld a 2001 oil and gas law that was designed to liberalize the sector and to gradually reduce the role of state firm Pertamina, saying the law did not violate the 1945 Constitution and should therefore remain in place.

Eva C. Komandjaja – Police and activists, close friends and family members of noted rights campaigner Munir agreed on Tuesday to form an independent investigative team to assist the police investigation into Munir's death.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The New Year will mark an end to the existing system of military arms procurement, which allows each armed force to directly purchase arms.

Nana Rukmana and Yuli Tri Suwarni, Cirebon/Bandung – Hundreds of students held protests on Tuesday in cities throughout Java demanding the government reverse state oil and gas company PT Pertamina's decision to raise the price of high-octane gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Jakarta – The Minister of Defense, Juwono Sudarsono, estimates that the integration of the TNI (armed forces) headquarters into the department of defense – in accordance with the mandate of the Law on the TNI – will be implemented in within the next three years.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Vice President Jusuf Kalla asserted that the government would not ban the relatives of state officials from doing business, as long as they abide by the regulations.

Brushing aside fears about collusion in favor of officials' relatives, Kalla said there was nothing wrong with them operating a business.

Eworaswa, Jakarta – The executive director of the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI), Denny J.A., says that fuel price increases will become the hottest issue for the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono next year.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Disposing of unprocessed hazardous waste in the environment and the absence of waste management licenses are examples of the violations committed by companies, an official said on Tuesday.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – He outlasted a regime, turned around a backlash against his Golkar party and escaped a damning graft conviction. But time is running out for the ultimate political survivor, Mr Akbar Tandjung.

Banda Aceh – The Aceh police ethics commission dishonorably discharged on Monday two police officers in Aceh who were found guilty in two separate cases, one for burglary and the other for drug abuse.

First. Brig. Abu Rimansyah, 22, was fired for stealing a motorcycle, while his fellow police officer First. Insp. Khairuddin, 48, was fired for taking illegal narcotics.

Ruslan Sangadji, Palu – A policeman has been detained for his alleged role in spreading terror in Poso regency, Central Sulawesi, which recently saw renewed attacks on the Christian community.

Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Aryanto Sutadi confirmed on Monday the detention of Second Brig. Efendi at the provincial headquarters following the recent violence.

Indonesian prosecutors' bid to link cleric Abu Bakar Bashir to Jemaah Islamiyah took a step forward when a confessed senior member of the extremist group identified the elderly preacher as its leader.

Multa Fidrus, Tangerang – Several Tangerang regency councillors have handed their letters of appointment over to pawnshops or banks as collateral for loans.

Suherdjoko, Semarang – Some 14 former Central Java legislative council members, declared suspects in a Rp 14.8 billion (US$1.6 million) scam, have promised to pay back their ill-gotten gains, prosecutors said on Monday.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Jakarta/Denpasar – The government said on Monday it would form multi-agency intelligence teams in provinces throughout the country to prevent further terrorist attacks, a move some fear could revive the repressive Soeharto-era measures against freedom of expression.

Ramidi, Jakarta – Around 500 members of the United Workers' Alliance held an action in front of the State Palace on Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat on Tuesday December 21 to protest against wage policies and fuel price increases.

Salim Osman, Nusa Dua (Bali) – Vice-president Jusuf Kalla, 62, was a picture of confidence when he walked up the stage at the Westin Convention hall here on Sunday to deliver his victory speech.

Tony Hotland and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Newly elected Golkar Party leader Vice President Jusuf Kalla strongly signalled Golkar was out of the National Coalition on Monday by saying there was no such permanent bloc in the House.

Fabio Scarpello, Jakarta – Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono may be smiling after his deputy won the leadership of the powerful Golkar Party at the end of a dramatic four-day national congress that ended in the resort island of Bali on Sunday. But many wonder how long the president's joy will last.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Those attending the Cabinet meeting on Monday were all smiles, particularly Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

Showing no signs of fatigue, Kalla was indeed the man of the moment as all Cabinet members present, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, took turns in congratulating him on his successful bid for the Golkar Party's top post.

As if sitting on a volcano, the residents who live along Jl. Matraman have to be ready for an outbreak of fighting to erupt at any time.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Nusa Dua, Bali – Newly elected Golkar party leader Jusuf Kalla announced on Sunday the lineup of the central executive board, consisting of big names who had supported him in gaining the party's top post.

Jakarta – The election of Vice President Jusuf Kalla as the new leader of the Golkar Party has raised concerns of first, a rubber stamp legislature, and later a battle of two potential foes.

Experts and politicians warned that Kalla's win may undercut the ideals and authority of directly elected President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as time goes on.

Salim Osman, Nusa Dua (Bali) – A night of high drama capped a week of lobbying and manoeuvring for the coveted post of chairing Indonesia's largest political party.

Kornelius Purba and M. Taufiqurrahman, Nusa Dua/Bali – The failure of Akbar Tandjung to retain his leadership of the country's largest party, Golkar, on Sunday morning, made him the last of four people publicly regarded as leaders who became "victims" of the nation's early taste of democracy following the departure of strongman Soeharto.

Indonesia's ex-dictator Suharto, who has escaped trial on charges of massive graft because he is too ill to follow proceedings, still monitors political developments in the country.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Puncak – State pension fund and workplace insurer PT Jamsostek vowed on Sunday to allocate part of its profit this year to improve workers' welfare in the next.

Jamsostek president Achmad Djunaidi said the company was expected to book a profit of about Rp 3 trillion (US$340) this year.

Surabaya – At least 2,742 illegal migrant workers, who were granted amnesty by the Malaysian government, arrived at Tanjung Perak Port here on Sunday from the neighboring country aboard a Navy ship, KRI Nusa Nive.

"We expect 30,000 other illegals from East Java, who are still in Malaysia, will follow," East Java manpower office head Mohammad Djailani said.

Jakarta/Brussels – A new internal security strategy for Indonesia could strengthen the democratisation process, ease institutional rivalries, reduce wasteful duplication of effort, and aid in conflict management and prevention.

Ramidi, Jakarta – Around 100 demonstrators from the People's Democratic Party (PRD) held a demonstration in front of the State Palace on Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat on Monday December 20. The action which began at 11am was protesting proposed fuel price increases which they consider will burden ordinary people.

Dadan Wijaksana, Jakarta – The Constitutional Court will soon rule on the validity of the current oil and gas law, but industry executives are gravely concerned that an annulment could mean a new wave of uncertainty and put billions of dollars worth of contracts at risk.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Environmentalists have renewed calls for the government to completely ban submarine tailings disposal (STD) in the country, for fear of further pollution, such as that blamed on mining firm PT Newmont Minahasa Raya in Buyat Bay.

Dan Eaton, Jakarta – Indonesia needs to double the size of its police force and give the military a clearer role if it hopes to cope with a multitude of security threats from terrorists to ethnic conflict, a report said on Monday.

Indonesia's vice president has been chosen as the leader of the powerful Golkar party, an outcome that could boost support for the country's new government but divide its largest political group.

How many times a day do we gripe about traffic in the capital? Despite our protestations and grumblings, most Jakartans despair in silence without ever making their grievances heard.

"Its a fact of life," we tell ourselves. "There's nothing we can do about it," we convince ourselves.

Yogyakarta – About 2,000 people from a range of Islamic organizations in the province staged a protest here on Friday against gambling after the police chief let a suspected gambling operator go free.

Samarinda – Tensions remained high in Samarinda city on Friday – ith police maintaining a strong public presence after major protests earlier against the appointment of an acting regent for Kutai Kertanegara.

Evi Mariani and Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – Sixteen years from now, driving in Jakarta will be at a running pace of 10 kilometers per hour (kph) as revealed in a recent study conducted by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).