Jakarta – The Denny JA Indonesia Survey Circle (LSI) predicts that the presidential elections (pilpres) in 2024 will be enlivened by a contest between four different ideologies, namely reformasi, political Islam, the 1945 Constitution (UUD 1945) and human rights (HAM).

Mochamad Zhacky, Jakarta – The Alumni Brotherhood 212 (PA 212), the National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesian Ulema Council’s Fatwa (GNPF-MUI) and a number of other Islamic groups will hold an action to safeguard the final hearing of a challenge to the presidential election result at the Constitutional Court (MK) on June 28.

Jakarta – 212 Alumni Brotherhood (PA 212) spokesperson Novel Bamukmin insists that the participants taking part in a peaceful action to “safeguard” the first hearing of a challenge to the 2019 presidential election result at the Constitutional Court (MK) on Friday June 14 are not there as political party (parpol) servants or errand boys.

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs (Kemenko Polhukam) Wiranto plans to form a national legal team to monitor statements, ideas and actions by national figures about the government and the president.

Fitria Chusna Farisa, Jakarta – The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) is urging police to release Jakarta State University (UNJ) lecturer and human rights activist Robertus Robet who has been indicted on charges of insulting the authorities or a public agency in Indonesia.

Edho Sinaga, Jayapura – A child and nine West Papua National Committee (KNPB) activists in Merauke were arrested by the Merauke district police on Saturday February 23.

Five-year-old Martina Yawon was arrested as he was walking with nine KNPB members who were wearing the Morning Star (BK) flag logo on their shirts.

Mulia Ramdhan Fauzani – The word golput or white group – to abstain from voting – has been heard more frequently in concert with the approach of the 2019 legislative and presidential elections. The general narrative that is most often heard is that golput is that it is irresponsible.

Adhi Indra Prasetya, Jakarta – After recently obtaining support from the United Jakarta Senior High School Alumni, incumbent presidential candidate President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has now received support from retired TNI (Indonesian military) and Polri (national police) officers.

Isal Mawardi, Jakarta – Prabowo Subianto’s younger brother and financial backer, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, says that they will accept any and all support for his older brother’s presidential bid. He said that they will accept all forms of support even from the children and grandchildren of the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

Heru, Dian, Astri, Hermawan, Rei, Jakarta – Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu supports the proposal by Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo to conduct nationwide raids on communist books. Ryacudu claims that the raids are to prevent retaliation by Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) members who want revenge for the 1965 affair.

Taufiq Siddiq, Jakarta – Book traders operating at Blok M Square in Jakarta say that raids on books containing banned ideas will be pointless because the works are a product of ideas. “So, people can just reprint and circulate them again, said Block M book trader Alil on Thursday January 24.

Taufiq Siddiq, Jakarta – Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo is proposing that massive raids be carried out to hunt down books which contain communist teachings and banned ideologies. The proposal was made after the seizure of hundreds of books around the country allegedly containing “banned ideas”.

Jakarta -- Civil society organisations grouped under the Civil Society Coalition have declared that not casting a vote or golput (white movement) in elections is a right and not a crime. Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) Director Arif Maulana asserts that not voting or golput is a political choice in a society.

Isal Mawardi, Jakarta – Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has opened the 2018 National Defense Run in Jakarta, an event which was attended by around 3,000 participants representing various stakeholders.

Jakarta – The Secretary General of the Islamic Community Forum (FUI), Muhammad Al Khaththath, says that it is haram to vote for candidates – whether they are running for the executive or legislative in the 2019 general elections – that do not fight for the interests of Islam.

Jakarta – Prabowo Subianto’s vice presidential running mate Sandiaga Uno says that he and the Just and Prosperous Indonesian Coalition – the coalition supporting the Prabowo-Sandiaga presidential ticket – support the application of regional regulations based on religion such as syariah based bylaws in Aceh.

West Sumatra Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) chairperson Buya Gusrizal Gazahar has forbidden (mengharamkan) the Islamic community from voting for leaders who reject bylaws (perda) based on Islamic law.

Reza Gunadha, Ria Rizki Nirmala Sari – The Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno election campaign team (BPN) has responded sarcastically to a statement by the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) – a supporter of incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo – rejecting religious based bylaws.

Protests against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) groups have taken place in a number of parts of the country. Why is it difficult for society to accept the presence of the LGBT community in a more intelligent way?

Muhammad Radityo Priyasmoro, Jakarta – The head of the Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) faction in the House of Representatives (DPR) says that Indonesian lawmakers firmly rejected the legalisation and spread of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) at the general assembly of the 139th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) which took place o