Man: Respected corruptors, judicial mafia, tax mafia, project mafia, budget mafia, election mafia, political (rat) mafia, Lying House of Representatives, bribery mafia, mafia XYZ... Let us welcome this great day and hope that our pious deeds will be accepted by God the Most Holy!

Jakarta – The political elite in this country should use the holy fasting month of Ramadan as a moment for introspection and evaluation, to ask whether their policies side with the ordinary people or not.

Politician: Remember... during the holy fasting month we should control our passion and lust.

Man: Including the lust for corruption?

Politician: Let me get back to you on that one...

Parwito, Temanggung – Thousands of tobacco farmers throughout Central Java gathered at the Temanggung regency town square on Monday February 16 to hold a massive protest against the Indonesia Ulama Council (MUI) edict (fatwa) against smoking.

Yogyakarta – Around 50 students from the University of Gadjah Mada (UGM) campus’ Proselytizing Institutions Goodwill Forum held an action on February 13 opposing the celebration of Valentines Day claiming that it tarnishes the sanctity of love.

Jakarta – The Star Reform Party (PBR) is positioning itself as a religious party that is ‘socialistic’, by not accentuating religious symbols, but rather with a substance that sides with marginal groups. Such a position has not yet been taken up by any other Islamic parties.

Jakarta – According to Transparency International Indonesia (TII), the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) has become one of the institutions that most frequently accept bribes. Most of this alleged bribery is related to management of halal (kosher, permitted under Islam) certificates.

Sleman – The demarcation between political parties labeled as Islamic and non-Islamic parties is becoming increasingly vague. This indicates that political identity is no longer an issue in the future national life of the country.

Hery Winarno, Jakarta – The image of the Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) appears to be starting to fade. At least this what can be read from the results of a survey conducted by the National Survey Institute (LSN), which found that the PKS occupies fourth place among the political parties considered to be most Islamic.

M. Husni Nanang, Jakarta – Dita Indah Sari, the former (sic) general chairperson of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas), who is a legislative candidate for the Star Reform Party (PBR), believes that the comment by Ade Daud Nasution, who stated that the PBR has shifted in a communist direction, has no basis.