Pebriansyah Ariefana – Police intimidated and assaulted journalists covering a labour rally in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta on the afternoon of Friday August 16. The workers were holding the demonstration to coincide with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s State of the Nation address.

Jakarta – A number of workers planning to hold a protest action were arrested by police in the vicinity of the House of Representatives (DPR) and People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) building in Jakarta on Friday August 16.

Roni Afriyanto, Karawang – Around 3 thousand workers demonstrated in Karawang, West Java, on August 13 against planned revisions to the Law Number 13/2003 on Labour. In addition to the protest, the workers also handed out leaflets inviting the public to reject the revision which will further oppress workers.

Jakarta – The United People’s Labour Movement (Gebrak) plans to hold a demonstration during the annual session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Friday August 16.

Jakarta – The creation of NKRI bersyariah – the Unitary Islamic State of the Republic of Indonesia – one of the recommendations of the 4th Ijtimak Ulama or assembly of Islamic clerics has attracted controversy and opposition.

From an oped piece titled Questions on the Electricity Problem

A massive power failure hit the Indonesian capital of Jakarta and surrounding cities on Sunday affecting millions of people.

Fakhrizal Fakhri, Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) opposes the Draft Presidential Regulation (Perpres) on the Indonesian Military’s (TNI) role in Overcoming Terrorism which will soon be signed by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

Jakarta – Raids on leftist books discussing communism and the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) have started again.

Zunita Putri, Bogor – The Ijtimak Ulama IV or the 4th Assembly of Islamic Clerics has issued a number of recommendations on the current situation in Indonesia. The assembly has also invited the Islamic community to create a Unitary Islamic State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI Bersyariah) based on Pancasila.

Haris Prabowo – A book raid by a group of people calling themselves the Indonesian Muslim Brigade (BMI) in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar has caused an uproar on social media. The group confiscated books which they claim contain “communist and leftist ideas”.