Hasrul, Kendari – The Southeast Sulawesi General Elections Commission (KPUD) has rejected several campaign teams proposed to back presidential candidates as they include civil servants, such as the deputy mayor of Kendari and other senior officials. "Only three teams submitted lists of their members.

Jakarta – Five political parties in Indonesia are ready to declare their support for National Mandate Party (PAN) presidential candidate Amien Rais, PAN secretary-general Yasin Kara said yesterday.

Jakarta – Indonesia's General Elections Commission (KPU) has asserted that it is by no means underestimating the existence of the Election Monitoring Committee (Panwaslu), and that it has no plan to replace Panwalu members, KPU deputy chairman, Ramlan Surbakti, said here Thursday.

Derwin Pereira – The political star of retired general Wiranto appears to be getting brighter.

The former military commander, who more than three years ago suffered an ignominious exit from politics, has now taken a big step towards clinching the presidency in Indonesia.

Jakarta – Indonesian presidential candidate Wiranto is expected to travel to Singapore on Friday on his first trip abroad since a human rights tribunal in East Timor issued an arrest warrant on May 10 against the former military chief.

Ambon – Maluku's provincial capital of Ambon was tense again on Thursday following a traffic accident and bomb explosions in Pardais Tengah at around 7.51 pm.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Rights activists warned on Thursday against cracking down on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that were critical of government policies, as the move would tarnish the country's fragile democracy.

Jakarta – An intelligence coordinating meeting which was held yesterday has yet to officially recommend that the director of the International Crisis Group (IGC) Sydney Jones be expelled from Indonesia.

Rachel Harvey, Jakarta – As Indonesians prepare for their first direct presidential election on 5 July, the latest opinion polls suggest a retired general is the frontrunner.

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, also known by his initials SBY, is drawing support from his image as a man of integrity, a strong communicator and firm leader in times of crisis.

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – A police code of ethics committee dishonorably discharged an officer on Thursday for his role in a brutal attack on the Makassar-based Indonesian Muslim University (UMI) that injured 65 students.

Dadan Wijaksana, Jakarta – The rupiah continued to falter on Thursday and ended at a fresh 19-month low, showing no sign of a rebound at a time when other currencies in the region started to regain ground against the US dollar.

Jakarta – Indonesia's state-owned oil and gas company, PT Pertamina, is broke and it has asked for a government bailout, as excessive costs have put the company's operating cash flow, and the company's future, in critical condition.

Roger Mitton, Washington – The possibility that Golkar candidate Wiranto may become the next president of Indonesia is causing concern in the United States. The former Indonesian Army general has been accused of complicity in a notorious massacre of demonstrators in Timor Leste in 1999.

Stevie Emilia, Shanghai – Current instability and the upcoming presidential elections in Indonesia constitute the main hindrance to the national target of halving the poverty rate, economists here said.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Illegal logging cases investigated by police in the first quarter of 2004 almost doubled compared to the same period of 2003, police said on Thursday.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief A.M. Hendropriyono said security authorities might not extend the work permit of International Crisis Group (ICG) director Sidney Jones, claiming she had tarnished the country's image.

Jakarta – National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Chief Hendropriyono here Thursday accused the director of the International Crisis Group (ICG) in Indonesia, Sidney Jones, of having harmed the interests of the Indonesian government and nation by purveying untrue reports about Indonesia.

Jakarta – Indonesia's police commander joined in the government's criticism of the International Crisis Group yesterday, threatening the think-tank with legal action if it issues 'statements that destabilise security' in the presidential election.

Jakarta – A case involving the International Crisis Group's director, American Sidney Jones, has nothing to do with freedom of expression but is simply an administrative matter, foreign affairs minister Hassan Wirajuda said here on Friday.

Shefali Rekhi – Indonesia's economy might be improving, but this has not translated into a "feel good" factor among the people on the ground.

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – The city administration was slammed on Wednesday for what critics said was its harsh treatment of sidewalk vendors, while at the same time turning a blind eye to businesses being run out of houses not designated for commercial or business purposes.

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – "It's all over for Cemex, and as far as we're concerned they can go back to Mexico," said Titi Nazif Lubuk, deputy leader of the West Sumatra legislative assembly.

Jakarta – The United States government will support whoever will be elected as Indonesia's next president, US ambassador to Indonesia Ralph Boyce said after meeting Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Wednesday.

A. Junaidi, Jakarta – Activists and experts supported on Wednesday an antipornography bill, but urged the government and the House of Representatives to drop several controversial articles in the bill, including those banning of erotic dances and kissing on the lips in public.

Jakarta – Golkar Party presidential candidate Wiranto met with US ambassador Ralph L Boyce at the latter's residence on Jalan Suropati, Central Jakarta, here on Thursday.

The Jakarta-based director of an international analysts' group says Indonesian authorities have threatened to expel her because of her reports on the country.

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – The researcher regarded as the leading expert on the South-East Asian terrorist group Jemaah Islamiah has been stopped from working in Indonesia and has been told the visa that allows her to stay in the country will not be renewed.

Jakarta – Revered Indonesian author Pramoedya Ananta Toer, 79, won the Norwegian Authors' Union award for his contribution to world literature and his continuous struggle for the right to freedom of expression.

Ambon – Two bomb explosions shook Ambon, Maluku's provincial capital, on Wednesday striking fear into the hearts of the local population.

Jakarta – A number of political parties are ready to declare their support for National Mandate Party (PAN) presidential candidate Amien Rais, PAN secretary general, Yasin Kara said Thursday.

Jakarta – Indonesia's former president Abdurrahman Wahid is suing the General Election Commission for US$110 million (S$189 million) after it disqualified him from the July presidential race on health grounds.

Indonesia's presidential candidates are gearing up for the official start of campaigning next week. Five pairs of candidates will contest the July 5th election. The front runner at this stage is controversial former military chief, General Wiranto, representing Golkar.

Presenter/Interviewer: Sen Lam

Andrew Burrell – Sprawling across the entire 21st floor of one of Jakarta's ritziest office towers, the campaign headquarters of presidential contender Wiranto is filled with solemn loyalists plotting the strongman's campaign.

Jakarta – Indonesian presidential candidate Wiranto, who has been charged with condoning atrocities in East Timor in 1999, hopes to meet East Timor's President Xanana Gusmao this weekend to discuss the abuses, a Wiranto aide said Wednesday.

Australia says it's refusing to deal with some officers of Indonesia's notorious Kopassus special forces. The Australian military is applying the veto to officers accused of human rights violations while still trying to rebuild links with Kopassus. The Defence Minister says it's a difficult balancing act but in Australia's national interest.

In the Indonesian province of Maluku, road blocks and barricades have been erected in several parts of Ambon after two weekend bomb blasts. Local police say the attackers are trying to provoke violence between the muslim and christian communties. There are also claims that those responsible have a clear political agenda.

Presenter/Interviewer: Sen Lam

New York – A wide range of US organizations today urged President Bush not to offer military assistance to Indonesia when he meets President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono tomorrow.

Former president Soeharto quit on May 21, 1998, amid a chaotic security and economic crisis after he had ruled for three decades. His resignation led to the reform era, which, after six years, many say has yet to rehabilitate the country's economy and the nation's integrity. The Jakarta Post asked a few residents their opinion about the changes that have occurred since then.

Muchus Budi R., Solo – Commemorating six years since the fall of Suharto, students and non-government organisations (NGOs) held a demonstration in Solo, Central Java, on Friday May 21. During the action they declared their opposition to presidential candidates form the military, the neo-New Order [regime of former President Suharto] and the fake reformists.

Jakarta – Indonesia could face new bloodshed between Christians and Muslims in the Maluku islands ahead of July's national presidential election, an international think-tank warned yesterday.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – A police disciplinary committee in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, ordered 18 officers to be detained on Thursday for only six days for their role in a shooting incident last March on Flores island that killed six people.

However, the committee exonerated another low-ranking officer of all charges over the shooting in Manggarai regency, Flores.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The country will mark on Friday the sixth anniversary of president Soeharto's resignation – and the failure to bring him to court for his alleged involvement in a number of graft cases.

Legal observers say the whole nation is responsible for the inability of the country's legal system to touch Soeharto.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Vice presidential candidate Solahuddin Wahid defended his running mate Wiranto on Wednesday, saying the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) had no proof the retired Army general had committed any human rights violations.

Gunawan Mashar, Makassar – The fall of President Suharto six years ago was also commemorated by hundreds of Makassar students in South Sulawesi who held simultaneous demonstrations at four different locations on Friday May 21.

Leony Aurora, Jakarta – More than 40 percent of poor Jakartans, whose health care services are supposed to be covered by the government, claim they still have to pay part of their hospital medical bills.

Danang Sangga Buwana, Jakarta – National Mandate Party presidential candidate Amien Rais has promised himself that he will not use negative campaign methods in the presidential elections because as well as not being educational it will create an acrimonious atmosphere.

Tangerang – Hundreds of residents attacked on Thursday the houses of Lontar village officials, who they accused of taking bribes to allow offshore sand mining to resume in the area.

A. Junaidi, Jakarta – While public participation in the fight for good governance has increased in the current regional autonomy era, the role of women in public affairs remains marginalized, research by The Asia Foundation (TAF) says.

Jakarta – Fishermen in Cilincing, North Jakarta, demanded the city administration close factories located on the northern coast, which they said were polluting the sea with unprocessed waste.

In a protest at City Hall on Wednesday, the fishermen said the factories should be prosecuted.

Gede Suardana, Denpasar – Although anti-military demonstrations in Jakarta have proceeded safely, it wasn't so in Denpasar Bali.