Feru Lantara, Depok – The Depok municipal government in West Java says that it is preparing to issue a mayoral regulation (perwali) on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) which has proliferated in the city.

Marlinda Oktavia Erwanti, Jakarta – House of Representatives (DPR) Deputy Speaker Hidayat Nur Wahid (HNW) is calling on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to issue a regulation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) in the hope that in will end the polemic on LGBT in Indonesia.

Jakarta – Former Army Strategic Reserves Command (Green Berets) Chief of Staff retired Major General Kivlan Zen discussion in Jakarta yesterday to made veiled criticisms of the administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo over last year’s banning of the Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI).

Christie Stefanie, Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo says that he respect the verdict handed down by the Medan District Court against Meiliana who was sentenced to one-and-a-half years in jail after being found guilty of blasphemy.

The founder of the Islamic-based Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS), Yusuf Supendi, has nominated himself as a legislative candidate for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Supendi is a former PKS leader who served as a member of the House of Representatives (DPR) in 2004-2009.

Dadang Kurnia, Bambang Noroyono – The sensitive LGBT issue has become a political hot potato following a statement by People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Zulkifli Hasan.

Aryo Bhawono, Jakarta – Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) General Chairperson Prabowo Subianto claims that he feels saddened by the current state of the democratic system. This is because figures with prestige and good character are unable to become leaders if they do not have money.

Sarinah – The setting of the 2018 minimum wage has it seems has been full of drama compared with previous years. Newly elected Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan and Deputy Governor Sandiaga Uno, who were earlier applauded and flattered “as high as the sky” by their trade union supporters, are now being labeled as liars.

Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo says that the government is currently studying the banning of several social organisations which are not in line with the state ideology Pancasila, threaten public order and the unity of the state or cause intolerance.

Jakarta, HanTer – The defence team of blasphemy defendant Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok has been accused of using black magic to influence proceedings during their client’s court hearings.

Edward Febriyatri Kusuma, Jakarta – I Love the Fatherland (Aku Cinta Tanah Air, ACTA) deputy chairperson Ali Lubis is suing Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama over the campaign speech he made at the Thousand Islands in late September.

Jakarta – Islamic Defenders Front’s (FPI) leader and patron Rizieq Shihab rode atop one of the command vehicles during the mass demonstrations against Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama in Jakarta on Friday November 4.

Hendra Pasuhuk – A seminar by the International People’s Tribunal (IPT1965) titled Indonesia’s 1965 Massacre: Unveiling The Truth, Demanding Justice that was held in the Den Haag on April 10 on the 1965 massacres in Indonesia, which resulted in the killing of hundreds of thousands of people, has raised several new aspects related to the

Anang Zakaria, Yogyakarta – Ten non-government organisations (NGOs) and student groups in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta are demanding the annulment of the recently enacted law on regional elections (UU Pilkada) that abolished the direct election of regional heads.

Sherr Rinn – Between 2010-12 there was an awakening of the Indonesian labour movement that can be seen in the writings of people such as Danial Indrakusuma, Rahmat, Tarikh, Hidayah and Rekomendasi.

Safari Sidakaton – International Women’s Day (IWD) was commemorated by a variety of different women’s communities and organisations that united under the International Women’s Day Action Committee (KAHPS), which presented a “Claim for Payment” to government institutions and agencies on Friday March 8.

Jakarta – United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights Navanethem Pillay has called for a full investigations into all cases of gross human rights violations in Indonesia.

Agus Rahmat, Jakarta – One of the Golkar Party’s mass organisations, Kosgoro 1975 (Mutual Assistance Cooperative) is opposing the recommendation by the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) that the government apologise to the families of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

Aditya Revianur, Jakarta – The Nahdlatul Ulama’s Central Board (PBNU) with the support of retired army officers and mass organisations is strongly opposed any form of apology by the government or the Indonesian president for the 1965-1966 tragedy.

Aditya Revianur, Jakarta – The chairperson of the Anshor Youth Movement (the youth wing of the Islamic mass organisation Nahdlatul Ulama), Nusron Wahid, says that the government does not need to acknowledge past gross human rights violations, particularly the humanitarian tragedy in 1965-1966.