While regional elections slated for December 9 will be a watershed for Indonesia – with elections being held simultaneously in 269 regions throughout the country – little else has changed with candidates trotting out the same tired old promises which people know from experience won’t be kept once they’re elected.

Kid: Your looking for commissioners who are like angels right Madam? (hat reads ‘Suspects continue to increase’)

Women: Ah no, what’s important is they’re not sensitive about being made into gekos...

Kid: So many trillions of rupiah to construct a building... for the sake of the people or for the sake of... projects Mr?

Man: For the sake of the people fool! I’m also the people.

Defense minister Ryamizard Ryacudu says that the government does not need to apologise to the families of former Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) members, saying that the PKI killed seven generals and organised a coup in Indonesia.

Kid: We are independent aren’t we Dad?

T-shirt reads ‘70th Anniversary of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia’, a national holiday falling on August 17 which is widely celebrated with community games for children such as sack races.

Hery H Winarno – Hundreds of people took to the streets to demonstrate in front of the Grahadi building in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on the afternoon of Thursday August 13. During the action, the protesters also set fire to red hammer-and-sickle flags.

Finally, in the midst of rumours about the rise of the new PKI (Indonesian Communist Party) during the era of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, a delegation from the Central Advisory Board of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) met with the Jakarta Military Commander (Pangdam Jaya) Major General Agus Sutomo at the Jakarta Regional Military Command H

Diah Harni Saputri, Maria Rita, Jakarta – Human rights activists, academics and journalists have initiated the formation of a people’s tribunal into the 1965 mass killings. The tribunal is planned to be held in the Den Haag, Netherlands, in November 11-13.

Saiful Munir, Jakarta – Newly appointed Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) retired General Luhut Binsar Panjaitan has called on ministers and heads of government institutions under the coordination of the Political, Legal and Security Affairs Ministry (Kemenko Polhukam) to cooperate to create nationa

Man on cow: Independence! Truck reads ‘Imports’

Jakarta – The Buru Quartet, four novels by Indonesia’s foremost author Pramoedya Ananta Toer that tell the story of the formation of Indonesia, are still in hot demand as demonstrated by 10 thousand sales of the quartet in just two weeks since it was reprinted in July this year.

Kid: Is our democratic sovereignty is in the hands of the people... the politicians or money Dad? (badge reads ‘independent candidate’)

Aulia Bintang Pratama, Jakarta – A national meeting of the Institute for the Study of the 1965-1966 Massacres (YPKP 65) that was to be held mid next week in the Central Java city of Salatiga has been postponed following death threats against organising committee members.

Politician: 2016 self-sufficiency in rice!

Farmer: So where’s the water?

Kid: This is a generic drug isn’t it Dad? (bottle reads PIL KADA, regional election)

Man: Generic, patented whatever! What’s important is we’re healthy, prosperous and free of the virus of politics and greed! (Headlines read: Political bride price, puppet candidates, incumbent)

Oktovianus Pogau, Jayapura – The president of the Evangelical Church of Indonesia (GIDI), Pastor Dorman Wandikmbo insists that the mushola (small mosque) that was burnt down recently in Karubaga district, Tolikara regency, Papua, was built on land owned by the GIDI.

Man: As state official... Do I lack honesty? Lack loyalty? Lack integrity? Come on, what else?

Woman: Lack a conscience?

Politicians: Defamation

Teropong Senayan – The razing of an Islamic prayer room in the Tolikara district of Papua was carried out by a group pursuing the agenda of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) to re-implant its ideology in Indonesia.

State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Sutiyoso says that the riot in Tolikara, Papua was aimed at attacking President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.