On December 16 President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo attended a gathering of TNI (Indonesian military) village supervisory non-commissioned officers (Babinsa) from throughout Sumatra at the Balariung Pinang Masak, Jambi University, in Central Sumatra.

Jakarta – Setara Institute for Democracy chairperson Hendardi believes that the statement by the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Deputy Secretary General Ahmad Basarah, who referred to former president Suharto as the “teacher of corruption in Indonesia”, should be used as momentum for the government to expose the corruptio

Palembang – The secretary general of Tommy Suharto’s Working Party (Partai Berkarya), Priyo Budi Santoso, says that the Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno presidential ticket will restore the country to exactly the same as it was under Tommy’s father, Indonesia’s second president Suharto.

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – The Working Party (Partai Berkarya) which is led by Hutomo Mandala Putra alias Tommy Suharto claims that the 2nd president of Indonesia, Suharto, was a pioneer in the eradication of corruption. It was Suharto who enacted Law Number 3/1971 on the Eradication of Corruption at the start of his administration.

Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has spoken out about banners which have appeared with the writing #JokowiBersamaPKI (#JokowiSameAsPKI – Jokowi is the same as the Indonesian Communist Party, PKI). The white banners smacking of slander have been put up around the Kebon Kacang area of Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta.

Jakarta – Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI) political observer Hermawan Sulistyo believes that promoting the achievements of Suharto’s New Order (Orba) regime in the 2019 presidential elections will not prove attractive to the millennial generation.

Jakarta – The People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) – the highest legislative body in the country – has responded positively to plans to reactivate Pancasila Moral Education (PMP) courses in schools.

Fadiyah Alaidrus – The mayor of Padang, Mahyeldi Ansharullah, has led a declaration attended by thousands of people rejecting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) in the West Sumatran city.

Jakarta – The latest survey by polling company LSI Denny JA titled Religious Leaders and their Electoral Effect has found that the influence of Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) “Great Leader” Rizieq Shihab has declined significantly as a result of his long stay in Saudi Arabia.

Jakarta – Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) chairperson and presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto has openly expressed his wish that Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) “Great Leader” Rizieq Shihab return to Indonesia before the 2019 presidential election (Pilpres).

Kid: How come all we do is import rice?

Farmer: Yes, well, if we didn’t we’d be dead (scarecrow reads “rice data hoax”)

A polemic has erupted over the importation of rice verses self-sufficiency with supporters of presidential challenger Prabowo Subianto using the issue to attack incumbent President Joko Widodo.

Desy Setyowati – Civil society organisations will hold a People’s Summit on Alternative Development on October 8-10 in Sanur, Bali. Through the event, activists will demand accountability from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank annual meeting, which is also being held in Bali.

Jakarta – Jakarta Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Muchsin Alatas has admitted that the group handed out copies of a book on the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) titled The PKI: How and What (PKI Apa dan Bagaimana) during a joint prayer at the National Monument (Monas) last week.

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – The banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) is like a ghost which every year is resurrected towards the end of September.

Jakarta – An event organised by the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) titled “Prayer for the Salvation of the Nation” at the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta on the evening of Saturday September 29, closed with a public screening of the G30S/PKI film.

Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – Amnesty International is urging TNI (Armed Forces) chief Air Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and Army Chief of Staff (KASD) Lieutenant General Mulyono to ignore provocative calls by former TNI chief retired General Gatot Nurmantyo and others in the political elite to hold public screenings of the film G30S/PKI on September 30 this y

Adityo Nugroho – A trade union leader linked to presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto says he regrets the issuance of Government Regulation Number 78/2015 on Wages because it abolishes trade union’s right to negotiate wage increases.

Siti Ruqoyah – TNI (Armed Forces) chief Air Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto has finally responded to the challenge by former TNI chief retired General Gatot Nurmantyo to hold public screenings of the film G30S/PKI.

Purba Wirastama, Jakarta – Two decades have passed but the whereabouts of poet-activists Wiji Thukul is still unknown after he disappeared mysteriously in 1998.

His two children, Fitri Nganthi Wani and Fajar Merah have tried to present anew the memory of the figure Wiji Thukul through their latest works.

Jakarta – Former TNI (Armed Forces) chief Nurmantyo has challenged the current TNI commander Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and Army chief-of-staff (KSAD) General Mulyono to again hold public screenings of the film about the September 30 Movement/Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) coup on September 30, 1965, usually known as G30S/PKI.