Jakarta – The closeness of Presidential Candidate Number 02, Prabowo Subianto, with the “Great Leader” of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab, can no longer be denied. The “intimacy” between the pair has been noted since the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial elections.

Vindry Florentin, Jakarta – Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) deputy coordinator Feri Kusuma says that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s statement on the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) at the TNI’s (Indonesian military) anniversary was inappropriate.

Kustin Ayuwuragil & Ramadhan Rizki, Jakarta – Commemorating 49 years since the ‘Act of Free Choice’ (Pepera), the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) held protest actions in 13 cities across Indonesia including Jakarta, Bandung and Ambon.

Mohammad Bernie – A group of protesters from the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) have demanded that West Papua be free from Indonesian colonialism.

aJayapura – Five civilians in Timika have allegedly been arrested by the newly reactivated military counter-terrorism unit for aspiring to West Papuan independence.

Rofi Ali Majid – The education system has failed to realise the ideals of reformasi – the reform movement that began with the overthrow of former president Suharto in 1998.

This view was put forward by Max Lane, the author of the book Unfinished Nation: Indonesia Before and After Soeharto.

Dedi Ermansyah – The Indonesian Teachers Association (PGRI) executive board has declared that it is leaving the Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI).

The declaration was made in a written statement of disaffiliation which was signed by PGRI general chairperson Unifah Rosyidi and secretary general Qudrat Nugraha.

Mohammad Bernie – The song Hello Hello Bandung was played and sung along to by thousands of workers who packed into the Senayan Sports Arena (Istora) in Central Jakarta as prospective presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto took to the stage alongside Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI) president Said Iqbal.

20 years of reformasi: A reminder of the need to win what has yet to be achieved by reformasi – freedom, equality and prosperity.

Long live the workers! Long live the people!

May 1 is symbolic of our struggle against the tyranny of capital and employers who oppress the working class.

Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – An alliance of workers that are part of the Indonesian Prosperity Trade Union Confederation (KSBSI) are continuing their action at the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta on Tuesday May 1.

Lalu Rahadian – A number of trade unions have chosen not to support President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo or Prabowo Subianto in the 2019 presidential elections.

Today, Thursday March 8, is commemorated as International Women’s Day (IWD). IWD action coordinator Jumisih said that the women’s should not be banned from wearing an Islamic veil on campus.

Hendra Friana – “I was handcuffed and forced into a vehicle, and all before being shown an arrest warrant”.

22-year-old Muhammad Hisbun Payu related this story to Tirto by phone from the Central Java police headquarters (Mapolda) on Monday March 5.

Depok – The Depok city Indonesian Underground Social Movement (GMBI) has held a rally in front of the Depok Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) opposing the legalisation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) relations.

Amirullah, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo or Jokowi says that the Pancasila Youth (Pemuda Pancasila, PP) are a special social organisation (ormas) and he is calling on the group to be the bulwark of the state ideology of Pancasila.

Bayu Ardi Isnanto, Solo – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo attended the keynote event of the Pancasila Youth’s (PP) 58th anniversary in the Central Java city of Solo. The president was given the opportunity to present his greetings and close the event.

Moh. Nadlir, Jakarta – The government says there are still groups of social organisations (ormas) and individuals that explicitly want to replace the national ideology of Pancasila.

Glery Lazuardi, Jakarta – Four political parties – the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS), the Democrat Party (PD) and the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) – have declared their opposition to the Government Regulation in Lieu of Law Number 2/2017 on Social Organisations (Perppu Ormas).

Dwi Andayani, Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) believe there is a link between yesterday evening’s attack on the their offices and President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo statement about “clobbering the PKI”. The remark is seen as prone to misuse.

Dwi Andayani, Noval Dwinuary Antoni, Jakarta – Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) advocacy head Muhammad Isnur says that retired Major General Kivlan Zen and Presidium 313 member Rahmat Himran were behind the attack on the LBH Jakarta offices yesterday evening.