Ternate – The Sula Islands regency government in North Maluku has banned the leftist Student Struggle Centre for National Liberation (Pembebasan) from conducting organisational activities in any form whatsoever within the legal jurisdiction of Sula regency.

Political observer Faisal Basri has criticised the use of state foreign debt which according to the government narrative is being used to spur infrastructure development.

Yet according to the data he has gathered, most of the government’s foreign debt is being spent on the civil service.

Dinda Purnamasari – On April 2, the website muslimbersatu.info published an article titled Polling Google: 86% don’t agree with Jokowi for 2nd term.

Marlinda Oktavia Erwanti, Jakarta – Indo Barometer Executive Director M Qodari says that Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) chairperson Prabowo Subianto is pursuing the same electoral strategy as Donald Trump used in the US presidential election.

Lalu Rahadian – Only days are left before simultaneous regional elections begin. The candidates taking part in the competition are using a variety of means to attract public attention in the hope of being chosen at the ballot box.

Dwi Andayani, Jakarta – The Indonesian Workers Trade Union Confederation (KSPI) will announce its choice for presidential candidate (capres) on May Day. A number of names such as President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) chairperson Prabowo Subianto are still being considered.

From an op-ed piece titled Corruption Haunts Regional Elections.

Vote-buying – the practice of handing out cash or goods in an effort to influence votes – remains pervasive and largely acceptable in Indonesia.

Tsarina Maharani, Jakarta – The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has ordered the withdrawal of several brands of canned mackerel because they contain tapeworms.

Health Minister Nila F Moeloek however says that the tapeworms are not a big problem for the human body as long as they are cooked properly.

From an op-ed piece titled Political Parties and Corruption in the Regions.

Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) says that the regional elections face an ‘emergency of integrity’ with as many as eight candidates caught red-handed accepting bribes in just the last two months.

The People’s Liberation Party (PPR), a political organisation fighting for socialism in 21st century, calls for the release of environmental activist Muhammad Hisbun Payu and three others who arrested by police on March 4.