Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) suspects that business tycoons (cukong) or capitalists are behind the government and the House of Representatives’ (DPR) decision to push on with the 2020 simultaneous election of regional heads (pilkada) in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jakarta – “It’s difficult not to admit that the discourse on the revival of communism surfaces every year in lead up to September 30 or October 1. Because it emerges repeatedly at the same time every year, it’s difficult to deny that the issue is intentionally brought up for political interests”.

Jakarta – A non-government organisation focusing on mining in South-East Asia, Transforming Energy and Development (Trend Asia), is urging the government to reveal detailed information on mining contracts in Indonesia. Trend Asia representative Ahmad Ashov made the call on International Right To Know Day which fell on September 28.

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – Labour groups have criticised the House of Representatives (DPR) for holding a meeting to discuss labour related articles in the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation outside of the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta.

Jakarta – As many as 290 farmer, fisherpeople, student, labour and environmental organisations have united to reject the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation – which is still being deliberated by the House of Representatives (DPR).

Jakarta – The Save Indonesia Action Coalition (KAMI) has sent an open letter to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in which they demanded he take serious action against of the resurgence of neo-communism and the “new style” Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

Jakarta – The National Agrarian Reform Committee (KNPA) has recorded at least 35 cases of agrarian conflicts between March and September 2020 or since the Covid-19 pandemic started in Indonesia. Based on the KNPA’s records, these conflicts range from land grabs, forced evictions, intimation to arrests.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives’ (DPR) Legislation Body (Baleg) has restarted deliberations on the Draft Law on Family Resilience which created a public controversy not long ago.

Haryanti Puspa Sari, Jakarta – A member of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission III from the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction, Arteria Dahlan, has accused the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) of being genit (prudish, prim, flirtatious, vain) by interfering in the DPR's constitutional a

Haryanti Puspa Sari, Jakarta – Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Coordinator Fatia Maulidiyanti says that based on Kontras’ records, there were 256 attacks against human rights defenders between January and July 2020.

Palupi Annisa Auliani (editor) – The threat posed by the Covid-19 pandemic has distracted public attention. In the mist of the panic among the public, many strategic decisions on public policies have been taken without public involvement or participation.

Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) is concerned that revisions to the Constitutional Court Law (UU MK) are being used as a tool for political barter by the government and the House of Representatives (DPR).

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – The Cross-Factory Labour Federation (FBLP) has spoken out in response to a request by House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Puan Maharani who asked workers not hold demonstrations against the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation (RUU Cipta Kerja) because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jakarta – Workers and students from the East Java Movement Alliance Against the Omnibus Law (Getol) have criticised President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s state of the nation address at the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta today for failing to address protests against the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation.

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – The Labour Movement with the People (Gebrak) has asserted that there will be no compromise with the government or the House of Representatives (DPR) over their opposition to the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation (RUU Cipta Kerja).

Jakarta – Labour Movement with the People (GEBRAK) Alliance spokesperson Nining Elitos says that more than 100 people were detained by police after they tried to join demonstrations opposing the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation in Jakarta on Friday August 14.

Agus Rahmat and Eduward Ambarita – Postings by artists and influencers on social media supporting the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation (RUU Cipta Kerja) have attracted lively debate. Suspicions have emerged that they are being mobilised by the government.

Irfan Kamil, Jakarta – National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Commissioner for Study and Research, Sandrayati Moniaga, says that the commission is recommending that deliberations on the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation (RUU Cipta Kerja) not be continued.

The Enact the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence Alliance (Aliansi Sahkan RUU PKS) again took to the streets of the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Tuesday August 4. This month the Alliance is taking up the theme “Freedom from Sexual Violence, Enact the RUU PKS”.

Jakarta – The Labour Movement with the People (Gebrak) Alliance, which is made up of labour, farmer, student and women’s organisations, will again take to the streets on August 14-16 demanding the cancellation of the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation.