Evi Mariani, Mumbai, India – Indonesian labor activist Dita Sari became one of the stars of the World Social Forum on Monday when she addressed a packed conference on globalization, and economic and social security, along with US Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz and Egyptian Neo-Marxian thinker Samir Amin.

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 2004 elections. If there has been an order to collect this kind of data it diverges from the duties of the TNI.

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 year's general election. Many people say that this year is plausibly the last chance for Amien Rais to achieve his ambition of becoming the country's president.

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – After four months of taking refuge at the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) compound, more than 200 evictees say they have nowhere else to go.

"We don't know how long we'll have to stay here. It appears that Komnas HAM is doing nothing for us," said Saifuddin, 50, who was evicted from Cengkareng Timur, West Jakarta.

Ardimas Sasdi – Like a body blow to many people who are longing for peace and order after a great dearth of positive news, the government has announced a controversial plan to expand the authority and reach of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) within the country.

Indonesian police are investigating whether a bombing which killed four people in South Sulawesi province this month is linked to previous blasts.

After decades of official supression, Indonesia's ethnic Chinese minority is now able to openly celebrate the Lunar New Year but discrimination remains for the rest of the time.

Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta – Learning from the increase in the number HIV/AIDS cases, especially among teenagers, students have urged the government to provide sex education classes where they can also learn about the hazards of injecting drugs.

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

With just three months to go before the parliamentary elections, surveys show Golkar, the party of former president Suharto, has a very strong chance of winning.

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

Torn apart by personal ambition and ideological differences, they have not been able to unite behind a single presidential ticket to challenge President Megawati Sukarnoputri and the secular nationalist bloc in this year's elections.

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 of legislative candidates representing Central Sulawesi, as the candidates are not native to the province.

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 follow up on any reports of offenses and pass them on to the National Police.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Indonesia's Islamic leaders have declared a national war against corruption in politics.

Anti-graft activists have long been complaining that as many as 70 per cent of the country's MPs are "tainted" and do not deserve to be re-elected into office, and now the Muslim leaders have decided to lend their support to the anti-corruption campaign.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati & Sandy Darmosumarto, Jakarta – An activist with a rights watchdog, which had reported in December that the national intelligence body was already beginning activities at the district level, questioned a potential overlapping of functions with the military's territorial commands.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Riau Governor Mohamad Rusli and Minister of Maritime and Fishery Rokhmin Dahuri competed on Friday for President Megawati Soekarnoputri's endorsement of their opposite stances over the sea sand export policy to Singapore.

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 anticorruption voices during the upcoming election campaign.

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 million this year.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – The Jakarta Composite Index skyrocketed on Monday to the highest level in the nation's history, as new investors from the United States and Europe entered the market seeking to capitalize on the rising optimism.

Remember the People's Democratic Party (PRD), remember how radical these young people were in the struggling for democracy. Although they admit they are still weak in terms of building a mass base, to this day the PRD is still consistent in its mission of struggle. That is, for the sake of democracy, they are not afraid of death. That's how extreme they are.

Andrew Burrell, Jakarta – Sharing lunch with an indicted war criminal accused of overseeing the slaughter of 1500 people is hardly an everyday experience. Neither is it as difficult as it might seem.

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

The Suharto-era armed forces commander has become a serious contender for presidential elections later this year.

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta – The Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) revealed on Friday its suspicion that thousands of legislative candidates had submitted fake diplomas to the General Elections Commission (KPU) among their required application documents.

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 papers instead of marking the names of legislative candidates, a political analyst says.

Multa Fidrus, Tangerang Water utility customers in Tangerang regency are irate over skyrocketing bills that are at least 300 percent higher than the bills they received in December.

Sukiyatno, who lives in Kebon Besar subdistrict, Batu Ceper district, told The Jakarta Post on Friday that he was shocked to see his water bill this month.

Kurniawan Hari and Zakki Hakim, Jakarta – Thousands of people throughout the country took to the streets seeking the cancellation of utility price hikes on Thursday despite a decision by the government to delay the increase in telephone charges.

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta – Former State Logistics Agency (Bulog) head Beddu Amang began serving a four-year prison sentence for graft on Friday after the Supreme Court rejected his appeal.

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – Four days after asking bus drivers to make the TransJakarta Busway project launch a perfect one, Governor Sutiyoso was shocked to discover 30 had gone on strike, demanding clarity in their employment contracts and extra allowances besides their basic salaries. "Strike?" he asked, almost speechless.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – The Indonesian Museum of Records (Muri) will likely add to its collection thanks to President Megawati Soekarnoputri's generous plan to invite 5,300 people to celebrate her 57th birthday on January 23 at the Jababeka industrial estate in Cikarang, West Java.

M. Taufiqurrahman and Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – A police watchdog blamed the unfinished reform at Jakarta Police headquarters, which affects more than 500 middle-ranking personnel, for an increasing trend in working side jobs, both legal and illegal.

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – The US State Department is to put several serving and former Indonesian military officers, including a leading presidential candidate, on a watch list of indicted war criminals, effectively barring them from entering the US.

Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta – The government will spend much of the budget allocated for research and development over the coming 20 years on developing new rice varieties and alternative energy resources.

Jakarta – Former Indonesian military chief and presidential hopeful Wiranto has shrugged off a reported move by United States to bar him from entry over accusations of rights violations, media reported on Sunday.

Gary LaMoshi, Denpasar – It was a merry Christmas and a happy new year for Bali. Tourists packed hotels to enjoy a peaceful tropical idyll during the festive season, giving Balinese reason to celebrate during their own Galungan and Kuningan holidays this month.

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.

Bill Guerin. Jakarta – One of the last remaining tasks for the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) before it is wound up at the end of next month is selling Bank Permata, the country's 10th-largest bank.

Dana Priest and Peter Slevin – The State Department has decided to put a half-dozen current and former Indonesian military officers, including a leading presidential candidate, on a watch list of indicted war criminals, effectively barring them from entering the United States, according to US government officials.

Dan Eaton, Jakarta – In a slum just a stone's throw from the gaudy mansions of Indonesia's elite, Rizal trades in human flesh and misery. Angry students, the urban poor, the rural poor, supporters, opposers, all can be arranged for a price.

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, an analyst says.

Indonesia's President Megawati Sukarnoputri has controversial plans to expand the country's National Intelligence Agency. The agency intends to open offices at the provincial and municipal level and to build a new university devoted entirely to intelligence training. Officials defend the move as a way to prevent terrorist attacks in the sprawling Muslim country.

Jakarta – Thousands of dismissed workers of PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI), a state-owned aerospace company in Bandung, West Java, have refused to go home, and say they will stay for another two days in Jakarta despite having little confidence that the Central Committee for the Settlement of Labor Disputes (P4P) will rule in their favor.

Igor O'Neill, Jakarta – On January 7, riot police opened fire on local residents protesting against the environmental and social impacts of Melbourne-based mining company Newcrest's Toguraci goldmining operation on the Indonesian island of Halmahera. At least one person was shot dead, several were savagely beaten and six were detained.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The government's failure to reform the Indonesian Military (TNI), the National Police, and the Supreme Court as well as the Attorney General's Office had worsened human rights protection in 2003, a human rights watchdog says.

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU), the Election Supervisory Committee and the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) are drafting election campaign guidelines to govern coverage on radio and television, which will set limitations on the length of the advertising slots allocated to candidates.

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 Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB) R. Hartono claimed that her candidacy reflected the will of the people.

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 says.

Ruslan Sangadji and Irvan NR, Palu – The major police operation "Sintuwu Maroso", aimed at maintaining security in the troubled regency of Poso, has been extended for another six months, a top police officer said on Tuesday.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – With 30 percent of Jakarta's legislative candidates facing possible disqualification, doubts are emerging as to just how qualified the Jakarta Provincial Elections Commission (KPUD) and its supervisory committee (Panwaslu) are to do its job.

With the January 19 deadline approaching for some 24 political parties to resubmit their lists of legislative candidate, there is concern that not all of the parties will be able to meet the 30 percent quota for women candidates for the April 5 general election.

Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta – Indonesia is facing daunting challenges in its efforts to eradicate leprosy, which remains a serious health problem in 111 of its 440 regencies and mayoralties.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – Functional Party of National Concern (PKPB), [former army chief of staff] R. Hartono is ready to face people who want to bury the New Order [regime of former President Suharto]. According to Hartono, burying the New Order is the same as burying [the state ideology of] Pancasila.