M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The government would require the huge sum of up to Rp 80 trillion (US$9.5 billion) to cover the severance payments of tens of thousands of civil servants dismissed for being unproductive.

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta – A number of organizations criticized on Tuesday the General Elections Commission (KPU) for its failure to consult the public in many of its roles.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Indonesia yesterday amended a money-laundering law to curb illegal flow of funds and get the country off an international blacklist.

The much-awaited amendment to the 2002 Law on Money Laundering includes the tightening of procedures on financial transfers to comply with international standards.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – State Minister for State Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi erupted in anger on Tuesday during a hearing with House of Representatives legislators, blaming them as the main culprits behind the government's failure to meet the privatization target and schedule.

Andi M. Sadat, Jakarta – Although the national economy has not fully recovered, some businesses are thriving. The country's major banks are one example.

Indonesian police have arrested 13 more people suspected of involvement in a wave of bombings across the country, a police spokesman said.

The arrests were made following information gained from several of the 10 suspects detained over last month's car bombing at the JW Marriott hotel in Jakarta, said Senior Commissioner Zainuri Lubis, a police spokesman.

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – Defeated by an array of provincial legislatures, local interest groups and plant management, Indonesia's government appears to have thrown in the towel after a five-year battle to sell the country's largest cement group, government-controlled and publicly traded PT Semen Gresik, to Mexico's Cemex SA, the world's third biggest cement producer.

Indonesia revoked a three-year state of emergency in the eastern Maluku islands, where clashes between Muslims and Christians have left more than 5,000 people dead.

Home Affairs Minister Hari Sabarno announced the end of the emergency during the inauguration of the new governor of Maluku province, Karel Albert Ralahalu, in the city of Ambon.

An Indonesian rights court opened the first trial on the massacre of 33 Muslim protestors in Jakarta's Tanjung Priok harbour area 19 years ago with an army captain and 10 soldiers as defendants.

Jakarta – In a press statement issued by the Indonesian Human Rights Monitor (Imparsial), which was presented by Imparsial program director Rachland Nashidik on Friday September 13, [the organisation warned that] legalising the permanent role and powers of the Indonesian armed forces (TNI) in Law Number 15/2003 on the Elimination of Criminal Acts of Terrorism though an amendment is

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Despite high public distrust toward political parties, abstention will not be that significant in the 2004 general elections, political analysts say.

The number of people not exercising their voting rights may be negligible, should political parties improve their performance ahead of the elections.

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – As Indonesia's priceless rainforests continue to disappear at alarming rates, 15 provinces signed an agreement in the South Sulawesi town of Malino to replant around 300,000 hectares of barren land. However, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, speaking at the ceremony, held out little hope it would actually achieve anything.

Faced with the serious threats posed by other political parties in the 2004 general elections, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has closed ranks in a move to consolidate the party rank and file at a two-day National Leadership Meeting in Yogyakarta beginning September 9.

Commentary by Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo, Jakarta – It seems that Americans are wondering why more and more Muslims in Indonesia are getting annoyed with the US, including "moderate" Muslims.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – Minister of Finance Boediono warned bankers on Friday to remain prudent as the economy would continue to face uncertainties next year.

Gary LaMoshi, Denpasar – It has been an exciting two years in the relationship between the United States, the world's only remaining superpower, and Indonesia, the nation with the world's largest Muslim population.

The Islamic militant who masterminded the Bali bombings was sentenced to death by firing squad after an Indonesian court found him guilty of an "extraordinary crime against humanity."

Jakarta – Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said on Tuesday the revised antiterrorism law would not allow intelligence officers to arrest or investigate suspects.

Jakarta – The government has acknowledged that one of the intentions of the revisions or amendments to Law Number 15/2003 on the Elimination of Criminal Acts of Terrorism is to give a role to the Indonesian armed forces (TNI).

Sari P. Setiogi and M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The implementation of regional autonomy has turned both provincial and regental legislatures into oligarchic entities eager to fight for their own interests, a survey says.

Jakarta – Coal mining company PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) declared force majeure on overdue shipments to a number of its customers in response to a worker strike that has entered its second week.

Jakarta – It is hoped that society will be on its guard against the possibility that Regional Representative Assemblies (DPD) will not become an platform for "old" politicians to make a come back.

Max Lane, Jakarta – On August 28, the Party of United Peoples Opposition (POPOR) submitted the necessary documentation to the Indonesian authorities to be registered as a legal political party.

Apriadi Gunawan, Tanjung Balai, North Sumatra – Smuggling has persisted in a seemingly unchecked manner at perhaps 15 small seaports in North Sumatra province despite the presence of security forces, according to some officials and residents.

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, Jakarta – The prosecution of those alleged to have taken part in the massacre of at least 33 people by the Indonesian Military in Tanjung Priok in 1984 would be hampered by a lack of clear guidelines, a human rights watchdog has warned.

Pip Hinman & Vannessa Hearman – The Kopassus chief, Commander Major General Sriyanto, invited to Australia to cement a military deal with Canberra, will shortly be tried for human rights abuses in Indonesia.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The government has already conceded that its 2003 reforestation target is unlikely to be met, even before the program has been launched.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Members of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I for security affairs rejected on Monday a resolution to officially hold President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Industry and Trade Minister Rini Soewandi responsible for the "unlawful" purchase of four Russian Sukhoi warplanes and two assault helicopters.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Over 40 percent of respondents in five major cities in Indonesia stated that the national convention series being held by Golkar to select its presidential candidate was merely a ploy to boost the party's tainted image, according to a survey released on Monday.

Jakarta – Indonesian prosecutors yesterday charged two retired army generals in the massacre of more than 30 Muslim protesters two decades ago during the rule of former president Suharto.

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, Jakarta – Camping on the rubble of their old houses on Jl. Pipa in Sunter Jaya, North Jakarta, the residents fear two things as night falls: the rain and the police who, on previous nights, forced them to vacate the land.

A controversial new policy abolishing visa-free entry for citizens of 39 countries and reducing the length of a tourist visa from 60 to 30 days will come into force on December 1, the government announced Tuesday.

Matthew More, Jakarta – The head of Indonesia's largest Muslim organisation has questioned the existence of Jemaah Islamiah in Indonesia.

This comes as prosecutors filed an appeal against the acquittal last week of Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir on a charge of being JI's spiritual leader in Indonesia.

Jakarta (Agencies) – Indonesia has begun freezing the assets of militants whom the United States identified last week as suspected members of the al Qaeda-linked Jamaah Islamiah Muslim group, the foreign minister said on Tuesday.

R. William Liddle – Many years ago, when I was a young and impressionable scholar, I had an opportunity to interview a senior American embassy political officer who had served several tours in Indonesia. We were interrupted by an American journalist, just arrived in Jakarta and on a tight schedule, with an assignment to write about Islam.

Rather than point her finger at endemic corruption and poor law enforcement, President Megawati Sukarnoputri says rampant illegal logging in Indonesia is due to rising international demand for timber.

Zakki Hakim, Jakarta – "When kancil is released, common people like me will suffer the most," said Sukim, 35, a Bajaj (three-wheeled motorized vehicle) driver in Rawamangun, East Jakarta on Sunday.

Public radio in the early 1960s aired patriotic songs every one hour or so. The lyrics of one song were "Liberate Irian, Liberate Irian" (Seize Irian, Seize Irian). It was around the time when the country had yet to win Irian Jaya – now Papua – back from the Dutch colonial government.

Robert Go, Kutai Kartanegara – Children go to school for free, college students get scholarships, and child labour will be abolished by 2005 in this small town on the edge of the vast rainforest on the island of Borneo. Teachers earn twice as much as they did in 1998, get subsidies for motorcycles, and work in computer-equipped classrooms.

Bengkuliu, Bengkulu – Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) Aburizal Bakrie reminded everyone that Bank Indonesia was the country's monetary authority. It could not be used as a political instrument for a certain party or ruling party.

Robert Go – Decentralisation has resulted in dubious enterprises in Kutai Kartanegara and strange regulations in various parts of the archipelago.

Robert Go – Kebumen and Semarang in Central Java are two places which have used their increased powers wisely.

Kebumen is a poor region in Central Java with 1.2 million people and a budget this year of 380 billion rupiah, run by Ms Rustriningsih, 36.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Indonesia's military (TNI) showed signs this week of tightening its hold on Aceh and Papua, two resource-rich regions at either ends of the sprawling archipelago that have voiced separatist sentiments and seen much violence in recent years.

Bandung-More than 400 people from Sumedang regency, West Java, protested at the provincial governor's office in Bandung on Thursday against the government's revived plan to build the Jatigede dam.

The protesters, grouped in the Jatigede People's Communication Forum (FKRJ), were among those to be affected by the project, which was initiated in 1985.

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – Indonesia's Vice-President, Hamzah Haz, has accused the US of being the "king of terrorists" in a scathing attack that echoed the language of many of the Bali bombers.

In remarks that may signal a split in the Indonesian Government's campaign against terrorist groups, Mr Hamzah ridiculed suggestions Indonesia had a serious terrorist problem.

Dadan Wijaksana, Jakarta-The Jakarta Composite Index surged on Thursday to its highest level in more than three years as foreign funds continued flowing into the bourse.

Led by continued heavy buying of blue chips shares, the index closed at 575.19 points, around 3 percent higher than the previous day's closing.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The House of Representatives' inquiry into the highly publicized and controversial Russian jet fighter purchase reached an anticlimax on Thursday with just a call for penalties against those involved in the scandal.

Moch. N. Kurniawan and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta-The government rejected on Thursday demands to void a decision by state aircraft maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) to suspend indefinitely 6,000 employees, but promised to raise some US$50 million to provide them with compensation.

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky said "there is no subject so old that something new cannot be said about it". And so it is with the long-running saga of Indonesia's serial crony conglomerates. Freeing the legacy of a huge corporate debt overhang by bailing out recalcitrant debtors continues to cost the country dearly.

David Isenberg – Despite the four-year sentence handed on Tuesday to radical Islamist cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir and the August 11 capture of top Jemaah Islamiya leader Riduan Isamuddin, aka Hambali, reports of JI's demise, to paraphrase Mark Twain, are premature.