Activists have slammed a General Elections Commission plan to criminalise campaigning for golput (abstaining or invalidating a vote) ahead of this year’s legislative and presidential elections.

Man: Bored yet Mr! Forget about it until there’s a change of administration then dig it up again like usual!

Kid: A political Pandora’s box

Say no to corruption!
Say no to the drug mafia!
Say no to illegal rice imports!
Say no to... such-and-such... eh... accountability!

Despite repeated assurances by the General Elections Commission (KPU) that preparations for the 2014 legislative elections are on track, public confidence in the KPU was dealt another blow this week when it was reported that in several regions hundreds of ballot boxes used in the 2009 elections (Pemilu 2009) have been left out in the open due to

Surya Didik Mashudi, Kediri – A “Tan Malaka” book dissertation in Surabaya was closed down by protesters from the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI). But a similar event in Kediri took place in a lively atmosphere.

Smoke reads: Natural disasters, volcanic eruptions, flash floods, politics, corruption, Constitutional Court bribes, Upstream Oil and Gas Regulator bribery, political parties, election witness fees...

Sign reads: 2014 Festival of Democracy (2014 legislative and presidential elections)

Man: It’s a level 3 alert!

Edwin Fajerial, Surabaya – A book discussion on Tan Malaka that was due to be held at the C-20 Library on Number 20 Jl. Cipto in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya was eventually canceled because it failed to obtain permission from local police.

Water reads: Natural Disasters. Sack reads: Budget.

The Election Supervisory Committee is to summon officials from 10 ministries over allegations of the misuse of social aid funds to assist victims of natural disasters that it believes have been siphoned off for election campaigning.

Price list reads: Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) 100 million rupiah, House of Representatives (DPR) 200 million, Regent 300 million, Governor 500 million, President 1 billion

The political parties (parpol) are drooling at the mouth at the prospect of siphoning off billions of rupiah for their electoral campaigns after a controversial decision by the government to allocate 1.5 trillion rupiah (US$123 million) towards election witness fees (dana saksi) for the April 9 legislative elections.

Text reads: Presidential Candidate (Golkar’s Aburizal Bakrie), Politician, Legislative Candidate, Politics (President Yudhoyono)

According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency a total of 5,650 or an average of 514 people per year lost their lives due to disasters such as flooding and landslides from 2003 to 2013.

1st Man: He’s coming here to inspect the situation yeah?

2nd Man: No fool, he’s off to a party meeting

Donvito Samartha dan Desa Apridini, Jakarta – A group of West Papuan students tried to block a vehicle transporting state guests from the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) as it was exiting the Borobudur Hotel in Central Jakarta on January 15.

Arnold Belau, Jayapura – Papuan Central Highlands Indonesian Student Association (AMPTPI) General Secretary Markus Haluk, along with scores of other Papuan activists, were arrested by police in front of the Papuan Regional House of Representatives (DPRP) as they were holding a demonstration to welcome the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) delegat

Cunding, Jayapura – As many as 30 Free Papua activists were arrested by police at a demonstration on the grounds of the Papuan Regional House of Representatives (DPRP) in Jayapura city, Papua, on Monday January 13.

Kid: There’s an awful smell of image building in the air Dad...

Man: Is Pertamina or the people loosing money... and who’s profiting?

Victor Mambor, Jayapura – A delegation of foreign ministers from Melanesia Spearhead Group (MSG) member states will reportedly be visiting Indonesia in the next few days. The visit should have taken place last year.

With many senior government officials vying with each other to be nominated by the major political parties as presidential candidates (Capres) and more than 90% of lawmakers running as legislative candidates (Caleg) in the April general elections, the political elite have all but abandoned the pretence of trying to run the country.

Man: Peace on earth!