[The following is a statement issued by Action in Solidarity with Asia and the Pacific on August 6.]

Following a July 31 meeting in Jakarta between security and defence chiefs on both sides, the Australian government reiterated its support for closer military ties with the Indonesian armed forces (TNI), including the discredited Kopassus special forces.

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) agreed to cut short its Annual Session from 10 days to seven in an attempt to save the state budget Rp 6 billion from the total allocation of Rp 20 billion . However, the Rp 2 billion-per-day event is still too expensive in the eyes of ordinary people.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – President Megawati Soekarnoputri may breath a sigh of relieve, at least for the time being, as there are no prospects that she will be unseated by legislators in the same way that former president B.J. Habibie was unseated in 1999.

There seems to be little doubt that the Marriott hotel was targeted because it is US-owned and frequented by foreigners. Jakarta's American expatriates held their July-4th celebrations at the hotel, and it was a popular lunch spot for western businessmen. But will those same businessmen now reassess their commitment to Indonesia?

Presenter/Interviewer: Deborah Steele

Max Lane – The 2004 election campaign has started. There have been two important initiatives. The first relates to the major establishment parties, those with substantial numbers of MPs in the parliament. The second is the creation of the left-wing People's United Opposition Party (Partai Persatuan Oposisi Rakyat, or Popor).

Following is a brief look at some bombings in Indonesia since 1999. The list is by no means complete, as dozens of explosions occurred over the past three years in the Maluku islands and Central Sulawesi amid deadly religious clashes.

The withdrawal of noted Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid from the presidential race by way of the Golkar convention has revealed the existing of two contending forces with different hidden political agendas within Golkar that were trying to manipulate Madjid for their own interests.

Nana Rukmana, Majalengka – The declining price of cloves has prompted farmers in Talaga and Baturajeg districts to uproot their clove trees, saying they could no longer afford to maintain their plantations .

Some of them have tried to switched to fruit growing in the hope of making good their losses on cloves.

When Paul Keating was prime minister, Australia and Indonesia signed an "agreement on maintaining security", a pact strong on symbolism but light on substance.

Jakarta – As Indonesian authorities clamp down on pirated entertainment products, vendors' kiosks at a Jakarta shopping mall are forlornly empty. The sellers sit glum and idle.

Getting rid of a bad image which has long been planted in the minds of society is not an easy matter. The polemic over the issue of the revoking of MPRS Decree Number XXV/1996 on the Dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party and Prohibitions on Marxist, Leninist and Communist Teachings has yet to end.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Past rights violators could take advantage of the planned Truth and Reconciliation Commission as a means to whitewash the past and keep their hands clean, rights activists warned on Saturday.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – In the end, the murky world of politics, where money, power and clout sometimes hold more sway than the merits of goals and projects, probably got to Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid.

And this could have influenced his decision to withdraw his bid to compete for Golkar's presidential nomination.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) removed the only potential hurdle for a smooth Assembly session on Sunday by withdrawing its proposal to repeal a decree banning the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and the dissemination of communism, Marxism and Leninism teachings in the country.

When Nurcholish Madjid announced last week that he was withdrawing from the Golkar convention that will be held to select its presidential candidate, he was not the only one who felt disgusted at the country's second largest party.

When Indonesia's human rights court sits this week to close the book on 18 trials arising from the bloodshed that ravaged East Timor four-years-ago, one fact stands out – most of the suspects have been acquitted.

That outcome has already been heavily criticised by international and local human rights groups.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – President Megawati Soekarnoputri has claimed that her government has accomplished numerous achievements, and has lashed out at her critics saying their rap merely served the interests of certain people.

Jakarta – The factions of Golkar Party, United Development Party (PPP), Group Representatives and Regional Representatives have rejected the idea of revoking the Provisional People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS) Decree No 25/1966 on the dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

Theresia Sufa and Bambang Nurbianto, Bogor – Some 300 residents of Bojong village and surrounding areas in Bogor regency welcomed Jakarta Sanitary Agency head Selamat Limbong and entourage with a protest on Friday.

The villagers also threw stones at a waste treatment facility, breaking several windows. There were not injuries or arrests during the protest.

Jakarta – Thousands of dirty and noisy motorised rickshaws in Indonesia's capital may soon go the same way as their pedal-powered predecessors – rounded up and dumped into the Java Sea.

Jakarta – The economic policies taken by the administration of President Megawati Soekarnoputri have failed to push for the higher economic growth needed to create more jobs, economists say.

Jakarta – Indonesia is on track to achieve its full year budget target, the International Monetary Fund's country representative David Nellor, said Friday.

The projection comes after the government reported a realized deficit in the first half of only Rp 2.5 trillion (US$295 million), he said.

A'an Suryana, Jakarta – Leaders of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) across the country have thrown their support behind chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, including her controversial decisions in the elections of regional government heads.

Indonesia's highest constitutional body opened its last annual session before the country's legislative system is reformed next year.

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – Australia has moved to resume contentious joint military exercises with the Indonesian Army's special forces.

Eleanor Hall: Australian Defence analysts and Indonesia watchers are raising concerns today about the merits of proposed joint-exercises involving Australia's Defence Forces and Indonesia's still controversial special forces, or Kopassus.

Muklis Ali and Dean Yates, Jakarta – Indonesia's president denounced on Friday what she called the "blind fanaticism" of Muslim militants accused of the Bali bombings, describing it as a "terrifying threat".

In rare remarks about Islam and terrorism, Megawati Sukarnoputri told Indonesia's parliament in an annual progress report such a threat had to be cut off at its roots.

A'an Suryana, Jakarta – The Golkar party's popularity has been at stake following the withdrawal of noted Muslim intellectual Nurcholish Madjid, popularly known as Cak Nur, from the party's presidential race, say political observers.

Max Lane – The 2004 election campaign has started. There are two kinds of issues that people seem to be looking at. The first relate to the so-called major parties, those with substantial numbers in the House of Representatives.

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta – NGO activists have called on the government to address the increasing inequity between rich and poor farmers before the issue explodes into a social conflict.

Gary LaMoshi, Denpasar – Last week, Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri marked her second anniversary in her father's old job. This week, she failed to mark another anniversary, a failure that reveals the reticent Megawati's vision for her administration. For Indonesia's poor and for foreign investors, it's not a pretty picture.

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has launched an investigation into an incident in which police shot and killed up to five protesters in Bulukumba regency, South Sulawesi, on July 21.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Indonesia's new copyright laws promise a tough bite. They give law enforcers the right to crack down on pirated contraband and may improve Jakarta's standing with the United States and other source countries of software and entertainment products.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Chinese-Indonesian businesspeople in North Sumatra have alleged that political party activists are extorting money from them ahead of the 2004 elections. The businesspeople said they were intimidated by the activists into giving them money.

Tiarma Siboro and A'an Suryana, Jakarta – Respected Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid announced his withdrawal on Wednesday night from the Golkar Party convention to select presidential candidates after party chairman Akbar Tandjung moved to participate in the race.

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – For the second time, villagers from Bogor regency rallied at City Hall and the City Council building against plans to build a garbage treatment facility in Bojong village.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives Committee on Thursday urged the government to delay the purchase of Russian jet fighters as the deal had violated the current state budget guidelines.

The US State Department has insisted it had made no decision on whether to send training aid to Indonesia's military, despite reports that it wants to release 400,000 dollars to armed forces tainted by human rights concerns.

Multa Fidrus, Tangerang – The Tangerang Prosecutor's Office will investigate a Rp 12.5 billion (US$1.47 million) corruption case in which 45 city councillors have been implicated. The plan to investigate the councillors is based on a report filed by non-governmental organization Independent Institute for State Apparatus Monitoring (Lipan).

Jakarta – With an eye to the 2004 general election, the National Mandate Party (PAN) has launched a biweekly tabloid called Media Amanat Rakyat (MAR) to become a vehicle of presidential hopeful and party chairman Amien Rais.

Jakarta/Yogyakarta – Four out of 30 provinces gave a thumbs-down to Akbar Tandjung, one of the dozens of influential figures who have been nominated to take part in the party's electoral convention, during which the Golkar party's presidential candidate will be selected.

Reports from Indonesia say the government is set to drastically scale down its five year link with the International Monetary Fund. Jakarta will leave the IMF umbrella, but retain a partial relationship with the international lender with what's called post-programme monitoring. The partial relationship means Indonesia could pay off IMF loans over the rest of the decade.

Faiza Mardzoeki, Jakarta – July 25, 2003, marked a setback in the Indonesian women's movement. On that date an Indonesian businessman, Puspo Wardoyo, the owner of the restoran Wong Solo franchise, organized an awards ceremony for males who had married more than one wife.

A'an Suryana, Jakarta – In her capacity as chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), President Megawati Soekarnoputri has admonished her supporters at a national meeting for their disobedience.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Attempts to unravel the May riots in 1998 suffered a severe blow on Monday when the Central Jakarta District Court rejected the request by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) to subpoena dozens of retired and active military and police officers.

Tony Sitathan, Jakarta – Just as they have in the developed world, big-box hypermarkets, which are taking over the top end of the retail trade, are causing severe dislocations in the rest of Indonesia's food chain, from smaller supermarkets down to wet markets to the warungs where housewives sell cigarettes and candy out of their living room windows.

Tangerang – Hundreds of workers from aluminum melting factory PT Teguh Makmur Sentosa in Benda district rallied at the mayoralty office on Monday, demanding that the administration cancel plans to close the factory for damaging the environment.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The upcoming Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) has already lost its relevance and is nothing but a waste of state money, a political analyst says.

Jakarta – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday welcomed Indonesia's decision to end its five billion dollar IMF assistance program and to enter into post-program monitoring next year.

"We also welcome the intention to sustain reform efforts. We will continue to conduct dialogue," IMF country representative David Nellor told AFX-Asia in an interview.

Jakarta – Scores of mass organisations, workers, farmers and pro-reformasi students have formed the People's United Opposition Party (Partai Persatuan Oposisi Rakyat, Popor). The driving force behind the party, labour activist Dita Indah Sari, launched [the party] in Jakarta on Sunday afternoon (27/7) saying that they are ready to participate in the 2004 general elections.