Jakarta – An organization of journalists urged the local media Tuesday to be impartial in its coverage of the Jakarta gubernatorial election.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Housewife Siti Hawah, a resident of Cipinang Melayu, East Jakarta, concedes the environment is important.

Adianto P.

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Any Jakarta resident who has spent some time on the streets over the last three days knows that the gubernatorial candidates are the source – rather than

Jakarta – The House of Representatives has come out in support of Monday's ruling by the Constitutional Court on independent candidates in regional elections.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Monday's ruling by the Constitutional Court to allow independent candidates to run in local elections came as a shock to the country's major political parties, w

[Max Lane spoke to the Socialist Party of Timor's (PST) secretary-general, Avelino da Silva Coelho, in the wake of East Timor's June 30 parliamentary elections, in which the PST receive

James Balowski, Jakarta – A furor has erupted over the recent formation of the GAM party in Indonesia's northernmost province of Aceh.

Dili – Rival parties in East Timor have failed to agree on the formation of a new government, the president said Tuesday (July 24th), raising the prospect of political deadlock in the t

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Following pressure from pro-democracy groups, failed independent candidates and student groups, the Constitutional Court has decided to allow independent

Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam governor Irwandi Jusuf agree the establishment of a local political party should have legal grounding.

Andi Haswidi, Jakarta – As corporate social responsibility (CSR) becomes mandatory in the new law on corporations, analysts warn the implementation of the legislation could be abused by

Jakarta – The official campaign period for Jakarta's first-ever direct gubernatorial election kicked off on Sunday.

Jakarta – A lawmaker, a government minister and a political expert called for a restructuring of the political system during a weekend seminar, saying the present system has numerous lo

Endy M.

Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – The Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) says more than 65 percent of eligible voters in Jakarta will not cast ballots in the Aug. 8 gubernatorial election.

An expert in criminal law told the Constitutional Court on Thursday that a regulation stipulating that ex-convicts cannot run for office is unjust and discriminative.

Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, Jakarta – The government must improve the qualitative aspects, not quantitative aspects, of political parties through the package of political bills currently

East Timor's ruling party Fretilin and an alliance led by ex-president Xanana Gusmao have agreed to form a unity government after last month's legislative elections, the country's presi

Aguswandi, Banda Aceh – The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) establishing itself as a political party is the last thing Jakarta needs to worry about right now.

Jakarta Post – Eight religious-based political parties are demanding the government lower the electoral threshold from three percent to two percent in the new legislative election bill

Jakarta – The Justice and Human Rights Ministry will verify the validity of political parties running in the 2009 general election only after a new law on parties is enacted, to minimiz

Dili – East Timor's president said Monday he was pushing political parties deadlocked since elections last month into forming a unity government but they were disputing who would be pri

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – The Democratic Party (PD) faction in the House of Representatives has recommended House leadership be determined according the number of votes obtained by each

East Timor's president Jose Ramos-Horta met Friday with political parties deadlocked over forming a government in the wake of elections last month and set a date for their first parliam

M.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – The urban poor made it clear Wednesday that casting their ballots in Aug. 8 election was their only way of having a say in how the city is run.

[The following is a compellation of abridged translations from Detik.com on reactions to the establishment of the GAM Party by former members of the Free Aceh Movement in Banda Aceh on

Tito Belo, Dili – East Timor's ruling party, Fretilin, plans to form a minority government if attempts to link up with coalition partners fail after recent parliamentary elections, the

Jakarta – A former military chief turned politician said Sunday the authorities should consider allowing independent candidates run for president.

Stephen Fitzpatrick, Jakarta – East Timor's court of appeals will ratify today the results of the country's parliamentary election, setting the stage for a potentially brutal showdown b

Palu, Central Sulawesi – Several youth organizations rallied here Friday against the planned creation of the Indonesian Youth Party, which is an initiative of the Indonesian National Yo

Jakarta – Convinced that discussions of a potential coalition between the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) will be of little benefit, Vice President

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – With little public fanfare, the Jakarta administration issued a regulation in April requiring all parties to obtain a license at least two weeks before c

Peter Boyle – East Timor is holding parliamentary elections on June 30.

Vote counting from East Timor's parliamentary election neared completion Wednesday, showing no political party will be able to clinch an absolute majority needed to govern in its own ri

With about half the vote counted in East Timor's parliamentary elections, the crucial role of the minor parties has become more clear – and the head of the small Democrat Party is emerg

M.

Dili – For the third time in as many months, East Timor's people lined up and voted in high numbers.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Minor parties have called for the electoral law to be changed to allow them the run in coalitions in the 2009 legislative election.

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Malang – It's no longer acceptable for the country's leaders to cry or talk their way out of the nation's many problems, former president Megawati Soekarnoputri ha

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – The Jakarta Elections Commission on Saturday announced there were 5.7 million registered voters for August's gubernatorial election, or about 75 percent

Karen Michelmore and Jill Jolliffe, Dili – Almost 30 years on, Zulira and Adelino Coelho are still waiting desperately for news on their son.

[In the final of our series on East Timor politics, Fabio Scarpello speaks to Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva.]

Jakarta – Urban groups and non-governmental organizations are calling on gubernatorial candidates to accommodate the diverse needs of the city's inhabitants and uphold human rights in d

Seth Mydans, Dili – During the past week, convoys of vans and trucks have wound through the streets of this tiny seaside capital loaded with chanting, cheering men and women.

Geoff Thompson

Erwin/Gunanto/Tomi, Jakarta – Akil Mochtar, a Golkar Party politician, has said that internal competition inside his party is heating up after the meeting between Golkar and the Indones

Ridwan Max Sijabat and Slamet Susanto, Jakarta/Yogyakarta – The National Awakening Party (PKB) said it will remain cautious when considering alliances with other parties over the delibe

In East Timor, half a million people will cast their votes on Saturday to elect their second government since gaining independence just five years ago.