The internal bickering of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), may deal the major party a massive blow at a time that it is still reeling from a double election defeat last year. Mochtar Buchori, a senior PDI-P advisor, shares his views with The Jakarta Post's Dwi Atmanta and M. Taufiqurrahman on how to rebuild the party in a bid to regain public trust.

Dwi Atmanta and M. Taufiqurrahman, Denpasar – The attempt to challenge Megawati Soekarnoputri's control of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) fizzled on Wednesday after leading figures in the reform-minded group made a last-minute decision to jump on the Megawati bandwagon.

Jakarta – After 32 years as the mouthpiece of the ruling Golkar Party during the Soeharto regime, the Suara Karya daily is changing its look and content in a bid to attract more readers.

Golkar, led by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, relaunched the newspaper on Wednesday evening at the Mulia Hotel in Jakarta, vowing not to use the daily to serve its political interests.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has met with survivors on the earthquake devastated island of Nias in western Sumatra and has urged residents to be patient. At least 500 people have been confirmed dead from Monday's quake which measured nearly 9 on the Richter scale and rescue workers continue to search for survivors trapped under rubble.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) Headquarters launched a major reshuffle on Wednesday affecting high-ranking military officers, including Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya from commanding Iskandar Muda Military Command in the troubled Aceh province to his new post as deputy Army chief of staff.

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Vincent Lingga, Jakarta – Apparently buoyed by its success in ushering in the unpopular policy of increasing fuel prices, the government is preparing another politically sensitive measure – tax amnesty – to lure back billions of dollars, which Indonesian businesspeople reportedly transferred overseas during the height of the economic crisis in 1998.

Hera Diani, Jakarta – While media reports often focus on doom and gloom – price hikes and the rampant corruption, poor investment climate and widespread social injustice and poverty in the country – a recent national survey made public on Tuesday revealed that most Indonesians are a happy, content lot, who are positive about the future.

Evi Mariani, Jakarta – Although the grief was over, the feeling of loss was still palpable during the seventh anniversary of Kontras last week, almost six months after Munir's murder.

The anniversary was special, because it was the first anniversary without Munir, the founder of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – In line with the recent Constitutional Court decision, the General Elections Commission (KPU) called on the central government on Monday to delay the direct regional elections in order to give minor parties more preparation time.

A huge earthquake off northwest Indonesia killed at least 400 people, and possibly several thousand, and triggered tsunami warnings which caused panic across the Indian Ocean. The epicenter of the quake measuring 8.7 on the Richter scale was just 200 miles from that of the December 26 quake which sent giant waves crashing into 12 nations, killing over 273,000 people.

Jeffrey A. Winters – In an effort to downplay his more recent hawkish profile as the No 2 man at the Defense Department, Paul Wolfowitz, nominated by George Bush to be president of the World Bank, has pointed to his tenure as ambassador to Indonesia as evidence that he is well suited to lead the worlds largest institution focused on development.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – After hearing a report about group masturbation among elementary school students, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the government would soon take extreme steps to stamp out pornography.

M. Taufiqurrahman and Dwi Atmanta, Denpasar – Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri defended her achievements over the past five years, saying she was not to blame for the party's disappointing showings in the 2004 legislative and presidential elections.

Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni, Mataram – At least 10,000 protesters stormed the prosecutor's office in Lombok on Monday in another move to interfere with justice, showing support for West Nusa Tenggara Governor Lalu Serinata and demanding the release of nine jailed graft suspects.

Once upon a time in the not so distant past, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) bore the country's political hopes and dreams. Its leader, Megawati Soekarnoputri, was an icon of idealism, rising up in the face of dogma and oppression.

Jeffrey A. Winters – In an effort to downplay his more recent hawkish profile as the #2 man at the Defense Department, Paul Wolfowitz, nominated by George Bush to be president of the World Bank, has pointed to his tenure as ambassador to Indonesia as evidence that he is well suited to lead the world's largest institution focused on development.

Leony Aurora, Jakarta – As part of its efforts to stem the steady decline in the country's oil output, the government is preparing incentive packages to lure investors to operate in marginal and aging oil fields, says a top official.

Theresia Sufa and Eva C. Komandjaja, Bogor/Jakarta – Alarmed by escalating tension between a dump site operator and residents of Bojong in Bogor, West Java, an influential local councillor warned that another riot could occur if the dump was reopened.

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – Indonesia, ranked among the world's most corrupt countries, is ready to start rebuilding its tsunami-devastated northernmost province of Aceh.

Brad Simpson, Washington, D.C. – There is a bitter irony to the Bush Administration's announcement in late February that it will restore military training for the Indonesian armed forces, which came just days before the State Department's annual human rights report charged that in 2004 "security force members murdered, tortured, raped, beat, and arbitrarily detained civilians."

Yuli Tri Suwarni and Eva C. Komandjaja, Bandung/Jakarta – International support for Munir's wife, Suciwati, in her struggle to bring the killers of her husband to justice cannot be counted on to push along the domestic probe into the case, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda has said.

Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Pekalongan – Reiterating his admission that the government's war on corruption was failing to make major progress, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono asked Muslim clerics on Sunday to help in the fight against the endemic disease.

Brisbane – International mining investment in Indonesia is on the line after an escalation in pollution allegations against Newmont Mining Corporation.

Damar Harsanto and Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – In Central Jakarta where multinational companies, government offices as well as most embassies are located, the Central Jakarta municipality appears to be failing to solve the glaring poverty the exists in the heart of the city, even though the municipality is given priorities in development.

Dwi Atmanta and M. Taufiqurrahman, Denpasar – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) begins on Monday its six-day national congress, which will likely be highlighted by efforts from the incumbent leader, Megawati Soekarnoputri, to win reelection amid opposition from a reform-minded group.

Jakarta – Life is not so sweet for a small cottage industry producing caramelized snacks in Kemanggisan Pulo, West Jakarta, since the fuel price hikes.

Jakarta – Munir's wife, Suciwati, has won the support of international human rights groups in her struggle to bring those responsible for her husband's assassination to justice, and is pushing for the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights (UNHCHR) to monitor the investigations into the case.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) risks failing miserably in future elections, and faced the prospect of losing the bulk of its loyal supporters, unless the party's next leadership initiates sweeping internal reform, an observer said.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Despite the recent Constitutional Court ruling, observers are doubtful about whether the direct elections for governors, regents and mayors will be free from central government intervention.

A political activist facing a possible six-year jail sentence for burning a portrait of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono walked out of his trial in Bali on Thursday (24/3/05) in protest against the charges.

On March 24-28, Sydney will host one of the most significant gatherings of left-wing leaders from Asia and the Pacific in some years. The Third Asia-Pacific Solidarity Conference is being attended by activists from the Philippines to Indonesia, from New Zealand to Vietnam.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Labor exporters have accused Malaysian employers of fishing for cheap illegal workers from Indonesia, with Malaysian government authorities only issuing recruitment permits for a very limited number of foreign workers.

Dili – Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta strongly criticized the Vatican's representative in East Timor Thursday for what he said was "unwanted interference" in Dili's plans to demote religion classes to an optional subject in the country's public schools.

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the arrest of Garuda pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto, in relation to the death of human rights activist Munir.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono said on Wednesday he was proposing Rp 5 trillion (US$538 billion) in additional funds from the state budget to improve the capability of the Navy and Air Force.

He, however, could not say what kind of equipment that the two forces needed, pending further meetings with the two chiefs of staff.

Jakarta – The Constitutional Court's decision to allow minor political parties to nominate their own candidates in upcoming direct regional elections was a positive contribution towards the development of the nation's democracy, an expert has said.

Ioannis Gatsiounis, Kuala Lumpur – The last news to come from Malaysia and Indonesia was that the two countries were working hard diplomatically to resolve a border row in the Sulawesi Sea in which both sides sent warships to the contested area to stake their claims. There's good reason to believe they'll find a way.

Jambi – Some 80 employees of financially strapped Berkah Husada Hospital been protesting this week over unpaid salaries for the past four months.

The demands came after all the hospital's employees were suspended indefinitely due to poor revenues.

Ade Irawan, Jakarta – High cost has become a pressing issue in the operation of schools in Indonesia. In fact, various regulations, like the National Education Law (No.20 of 2003), stipulate that the central government and local administrations are jointly responsible for covering the cost of primary school and junior high school education, or their equivalents.

Oyos Saroso H.N., Bandarlampung – Karti is worried. It has been almost a month since the government raised fuel prices, but she still has not heard when, or if, her two children, a sixth grader and a third grader, will get their school fees paid for, as promised.

Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara – Nine out of 12 corruption suspects from West Nusa Tenggara legislative council were arrested on Tuesday for their involvement in a case involving Rp 24 billion in losses.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta – Small political parties will now be allowed to propose candidates to run in the upcoming direct elections of provincial governors, regents and mayors, according to a ruling issued by the Constitutional Court on Tuesday.

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – Jakarta residents may have to put aside their dream to be able to drink piped water directly from the tap, as was previously promised by the City-owned tap water corporation and its two foreign partners, Thames PAM Jaya (TPJ) and PAM Lyonnaise Jaya (Palyja).

Hera Diani, Jakarta – The reaction continued on Tuesday to the news that a woman led a mixed-gender Friday prayer service in New York last week, with Muslim scholars calling for more public discussion of the role of women in Islam.

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Denpasar – Indonesia and Malaysia began negotiations on Tuesday behind closed doors in Bali to seek a peaceful solution to the Ambalat border dispute.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono says the US government and legislators now have a better understanding of the Indonesian Military (TNI) after his delegation's week-long visit to the country.

The House of Representatives finally came to its senses on Monday and reached a wise compromise that provides more leeway for deliberation of the contentious issue of fuel subsidies within the broader context of proposed revisions to the 2005 state budget.

Jakarta – A number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on Monday urged the government to start deliberating the draft law on witness protection and to set up a special agency to protect witnesses.

Danang Widoyoko of Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) said that the witness protection law was crucial in helping to curb rampant corruption.

Eva C. Komandjaja and Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Police investigators said on Monday that Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto, the only suspect so far in the murder of human rights activist Munir, was not the main executor, but "facilitated" the murder to happen.