Andrew Burrell, Jakarta – Sharing lunch with an indicted war criminal accused of overseeing the slaughter of 1500 people is hardly an everyday experience.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Indonesia's reform initiatives have failed and the country needs a strong leader "who can do better", said retired General Wiranto.

Moch. N.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – As most voters are unaware of the new electoral system, political parties are likely to encourage supporters to punch the logo of political parties on ballot p

Jakarta – The Indonesia Procurement Watch (IPW) has called on the public to monitor the procurement of goods and services in the General Election Commission (KPU) for the 2004 election.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – Functional Party of National Concern (PKPB), [former army chief of staff] R.

With the January 19 deadline approaching for some 24 political parties to resubmit their lists of legislative candidate, there is concern that not all of the parties will be able to mee

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – With 30 percent of Jakarta's legislative candidates facing possible disqualification, doubts are emerging as to just how qualified the Jakarta Provincial Electio

Jakarta – The maneuver of some political parties to include celebrity personalities on their legislative candidate lists clearly shows that those parties are desperate to lure voters, a

Jakarta – Despite only having 50 percent of its troops available, the Indonesian Military (TNI) would still be ready to help the police secure the 2004 general elections, an officer say

Jakarta – In response to earlier protests that Siti Hardiyanti "Tutut" Rukmana's presidential nomination was solely based on the desire to uphold New Order values, Chairman of the Conce

Moch. N.

Indonesia's progress towards national elections has had a rather inasupicious start ... with the Indonesian Electoral Commission rejecting calls to extend enrolment deadlines.

Sri Wahyuni, Yogyakarta – Gadjah Mada University (UGM) is planning to replace the obligatory community service program – which is traditionally undertaken by undergraduate students in t

Frans Sudiarsis, Research and Development Unit, Jakarta – One of the leaders of the reform movement to topple Soeharto in 1998, Amien Rais was once very confident that we could bid good

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) asked the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the 24 political parties eligible for the elections to reach a

Moch. N.

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) said on Thursday it would carry out daily monitoring of the ballot box production process beginning Saturday.

Surabaya – Dozens of people grouped under the banner of the Indonesian Youth Struggle Front (FPPI) rallied on Thursday to support a poll boycott, saying the political parties contesting

Jakarta – The city administration told political parties on Thursday not to place their flags and banners in public places before the campaign period for the 2004 General Election begin

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – A recent survey reveals that although many respondents trust the current presidential candidates, most of them prefer other candidates to lead the nation for t

A. Junaidi, Jakarta – The Habibie Center, a study center founded by former president B.J.

Lee Kim Chew – Indonesia's Golkar party could stage a major political comeback and beat President Megawati Sukarnoputri in the presidential election this year.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The government has drafted a campaign regulation that will ban top state officials, including the President and her ministers, from using state facilities duri

Jakarta – Holding the elections in conflict areas such as Aceh will not result in quality elections.

Jakarta – The involvement of the TNI-AD (the army) in making the 2004 general elections a success does not represent an effort or ambition on the part of the TNI-AD to extend its role.

Yogyakarta – One thousand students of Gadjah Mada State University (UGM) will actively empower eligible voters and watch the 2004 electoral process in Yogyakarta villages as part of the

Ahmad Fikri, Bandung – In order to fulfill the requirements of the National Election Commission (KPU), a number of provincial legislative candidates have submitted copies of diplomas wh

Anindhita Maharrani, Jakarta – A number of youth organisation under the banner of Youth Community (Kaum Muda) have protested the list of legislative candidates [for the 2004 general ele

Moch. N.

Moch. N.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – The problem of security is not the only stumbling block to holding the 2004 general elections in Aceh.

Moch. N.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – While noted figures, scholars and some politicians have expressed support for the national movement against unscrupulous politicians, Golkar chairman Akbar Tan

Taufan Hidayat – Public protests are so common in Jakarta these days that they are regularly cursed – usually with good reason – by the gridlock-weary taxi drivers of Indonesia's capita

Nur Raihan, Banda Aceh – As many as 13,996 TNI (Indonesian armed forces) members and police officers will be involved in securing election stations during the 2004 general elections in

Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst.

Yogyakarta – Some 20 students of the Indonesian Students Association (HMI) and the Proletarian Student Community (Kompor) here Tuesday staged a rally to reject general elections and sea

Jakarta – Syamsudin Haris, a political observer from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), predicts that 60-70 per cent of old politicians will win seats in the People's Represen

Denpasar – TNI-AD (army) chief General Ryamizard Ryacudu has again reminded his officers to take a neutral stand in the coming elections, and not take sides with any of the political pa

Jakarta – Old names are still dominating the candidate members for the People's Representative Assembly (DPR) in the lists submitted on Monday, December 29, to the General Election Comm

A.

Moch. N. Kurniawan and M.

Jakarta – The political parties contesting the 2004 general election will not be allowed to file the names of any more legislative candidates following the expiry of the deadline on Mon

Jakarta – Indonesian police will deploy up to 24,000 personnel to safeguard legislative and presidential elections in restive regions next year, a report said Tuesday.

Moch. N.

Jakarta – Dozens of activists and public figures have launched a national movement which will urge Indonesians not to elect "rotten" politicians in next year's legislative and president

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Prominent Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid is pursuing his presidential bid next year by launching a book on nation-building titled Indonesia Kita [Our Indonesia

Andi Hajramurni and A'an Suryana, Makassar/Jakarta – Around 100 angry rank-and-file Golkar Party supporters held a demonstration here on Saturday to protest the change in priority numbe

Kurniawan Hari and Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – The Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) will launch on Monday a nationwide information campaign on politicians running for office.