Jakarta – The sudden emergence of the Indonesian Student Party (Partai Mahasiswa Indonesia, PMI) has elicited a variety of responses.

Dony Indra Ramadhan, Bandung – The appointment of Major General Untung Budiharto as Jakarta military commander (Pangdam Jaya) has attracted public attention because of his background as a former member of the Rose Team (Tim Mawar). TNI (Indonesian military) chief General Andika Perkasa has responded to this attention. What does he say?

Jakarta – Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) Deputy Chairperson Anwar Abbas has made a statement strongly criticising the fact that 1 percent of the population controls half of the land in Indonesia. The criticism was even acknowledged by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Sui Suadnyana, Denpasar – A protest action by the Bali City Committee Papua Student Alliance (AMP-KKB) and the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) in the Balinese provincial capital of Denpasar on Wednesday December 1 ended in a clash with a social organisation (ormas) called the Nusantara Garuda Patriots (PGN).

Jakarta – West Kalimantan Governor Sutarmidji expelled 20 representatives of palm oil companies from a meeting at his office because they failed to respond when asked to help dealing with floods in the area.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta) has given a red report card to the administration of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin marking their second year in office on October 20. The LBH Jakarta highlighted a number of issues in the report ranging from corruption to democracy.

Audrey Santoso, Jayapura – Police say that Victor Yeimo, the actor behind the riots in Papua two years ago, is in contact with lawyer and human rights activist Veronica Koman, who is in Australia, and is supplying her with data.

Yogi Ernes, Jakarta – Police arrested scores of Papuan student at a May Day rally in Central Jakarta earlier today on the ground that they did not have a permit to demonstrate.

Nur Azizah Rizki Astuti. Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD said Wednesday that law enforcement in Indonesia has a terrible image. Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) responded by citing the may flawed legal cases under President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s administration.

Luqman Nurhadi Arunanta, Jakarta – Dozens of mannequins were installed in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) complex in Jakarta on Monday as a form of protest against the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation.

Mei Amelia R – A transgender woman named Mira has been burnt alive by a group of people in the Cilincing area of North Jakarta. The Sandya Institute has condemned the violence against Mira and is demanding justice.

Agus Setyadi, Banda Aceh – Aceh’s religious leaders (ulama) believe that there is no need to build cinemas in Tanah Rencong – as Aceh is known – and that cinemas are not something which have any benefit.

Farih Maulana Sidik, Jakarta – Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) employees used Car Free Day on Sunday September 8 to hold a long-march from the Hotel Indonesia (HI) traffic circle to the KPK building. The action was held to reject planned revisions to Law Number 30/2002 on the KPK (UU KPK).

Jakarta – The parties taking advantage of the riots in Papua and West Papua are starting to be revealed. The Indonesian police (Polri) suspect that these groups have links with international networks.

Jakarta – The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) emphatically opposes the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence believing that it contains Western feminist ideas which are anti-religion and has the potential to legalise Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) activities.

Muhammad Taufiqqurahman, Makassar – A group calling itself the Indonesian Muslim Brigade (BMI) has seized books they say smack of communism from a Gramedia bookstore in the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, including books by Franz Magnis-Suseno.

Danu Damarjati, Jakarta – TNI (Indonesian military) commander Air Martial Hadi Tjahjanto conveyed his hope for closer military ties with Australia at the annual 2019 Australia-Indonesia High Level Committee (Ausindo HLC) forum in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta.

Jakarta – The draft Aceh qanun (bylaw) legalising polygamy has attracted support and opposition. Some believe that the qanun needs to be supported providing that it includes stipulations on the husband behaving fairly towards his wives.

Agus Setyadi, Banda Aceh – A Base Jam concert on the closing night of the 2019 Aceh Culinary Festival (ACF) has been closed down by a hardline Islamic group. The band, which gained fame through hit songs such as Not Pujangga, decided to leave the stage after the third song.

Samsudhuha Wildansyah, Jakarta – Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) General Chairperson Sobri Lubis has called on supporters to prepare themselves for and take part in a long-term constitutional jihad (holy war) if incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is declared the winner of the 2019 presidential election.