[Andre Vltcheck interviewed Mari Alkatiri on September 13, in the Sultan Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The state leadership duet of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla may end in October 2009 if the Golkar Party maintains its lead in the upcoming genera

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has said it is confident of taking 20 percent of the vote in the 2009 general election.

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Apathy about Jakarta's gubernatorial election kept a significant number of registered voters away from polling booths, surveyors say.

Dili – As a veneer of calm descends on East Timor after Thursday's clashes, the political tension remains high.

Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, Jakarta – Changing electoral laws to allow non-party candidates to run could lead to a greater voter turnout in regional elections, a political observer said T

Dili – East Timor Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao has offered the disgruntled former ruling party Fretilin several seats in his cabinet, in an apparently conciliatory gesture, a report sai

East Timor's former ruling party has abandoned plans for a court challenge to the legality of the Government sworn in last week, an official said.

Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, Jakarta – The Constitutional Court's ruling to let independent candidates run in regional elections has gained momentum with prominent citizens expressing thei

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Analysts have advised the government to issue a regulation in lieu of the law pending the revision of the 2004 law on regional administration to accommodate inde

Tony Hotland and Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – New rules governing independent candidates in regional elections would most likely be engineered in favor of established parties, analysts

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Observers said political parties backing Fauzi Bowo and Prijanto could not demand much from the duo as they had not contributed to their victory in the J

East Timor's former ruling party chief will sit in parliament with the opposition despite insisting the country's new government is illegitimate and has no right to rule.

Jakarta – Independent candidates are likely to contest regional elections in 14 provinces, regencies and municipalities next year, giving a significant boost to the democracy movement.

Adianto P.

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Despite widespread perceptions that Wednesday's gubernatorial election was tainted by money politics and voter apathy, some observers say most Jakartans

Lindsay Murdoch, Dili – East Timor is heading into a "people power" uprising, one of the country's most powerful politicians said yesterday, as the independence hero Xanana Gusmao took

Jakarta – Former House speaker Akbar Tandjung said independent candidates should obtain political support from at least three percent of voters before running in a local election.

While many surveys have predicted Fauzi Bowo will come out on top Wednesday, scores of university students would rather Adang Daradjatun led Jakarta for the next five years.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – The debate on independent candidates and local elections continues, with some party members arguing independent candidates should have to gain at least 15 percen

Only days before polling, support continues to rush in to the campaign of Adang Daradjatun and Dani Anwar.

Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – Saturday's public debate between the two gubernatorial candidates has come in for criticism from observers, who have said the event was a formality rather th

Dili – East Timor's president was scheduled to announce the formation of the next government on Wednesday as former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri declared he was in the running for his o

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Saturday's public debate was an opportunity left untapped by the two Jakarta governor candidates to make their mark on voters.

Daniel Ten Kate, Jakarta – As motorcycle engines rev loudly, hundreds of Jakartans clad in brightly-coloured T-shirts emblazoned with the face of one of the candidates vying to govern I

Ken Yunita, Jakarta – The two candidates in the Jakarta gubernatorial elections, Adang Daradjatun and Fauzi Bowo, have been given a motion of no confidence by the Urban Poor Union (SRMK

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – A strategy to accuse the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and their Jakarta governor candidate Adang Daradjatun with Islamic fundamentalism may backfire an

Jakarta – Supporters of Jakarta's two governor candidates took to the streets of the capital Friday in all manner of vehicles, bringing much of the city to a virtual standstill on the f

Dili – East Timor's Fretilin party said Thursday its lawmakers would boycott parliament until it is asked to form a government by the president following national elections in June.

Jakarta – The youth wings of some of the 19 political parties backing Jakarta governor candidate Fauzi Bowo in the Aug.

Chris Peterson – In the lead-up to Indonesia's 2009 elections, a new left party has been formed.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Signing up with a political party remains the most effective way of entering politics for young activists who want to revamp the political system, three prominen

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Governor candidate Fauzi Bowo topped a poll of eligible Jakarta voters Sunday amid fears of a low turnout on the Aug. 8 election day.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Standing as an independent candidate in a local election is the fastest path to power for those wishing to reform the country's bureaucracy, analysts told activi

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The recent verdict of the Constitutional Court allowing independent candidates to contend local elections will pose no threat to political parties, politic

Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – The youth wing of Muhammadiyah, one of the country's largest Muslim organizations, said Thursday it was not taking part in the campaign of either of the gove

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