Fitraya Ramadhanny, Jakarta – The United States government iused the social networking media in Indonesia, from blogs, Facebook to Twitter, to spread its influence. Additional funds requested by the US Embassy in Jakarta reached US$100,000 or 900 million rupiah.

Man: Don’t forget them (TV reads ‘South Africa 2010’)

For most Indonesians, the allegations of bribery and corruption surrounding South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup are all to familiar.

Jakarta – Earlier this month on May 3, mass media workers throughout the world commemorated World Press Freedom Day. Three Indonesian journalist organisations however, in a joint statement last week, said that press freedom in Indonesia is to this day still under threat.

Kid: After the reality shows on TV, the gang fights, the Century uproar, then terrorism, what’s next dad?

Man: Why do you care so much? What’s important is scratching out a living! Get it?

1st Man: Wow, the drama of an assault on terrorist suspects... can now become a TV show.

2nd Man: When will it be able to show guidance as well?

From left: Yudhoyono, Megawati Sukarnoputri, Jusuf Kalla.

Kid: It’s a festival of democracy, right dad? So how come they smile at each other on TV but criticise each other behind their backs?

Father: It’s a masquerade party, don’t you know!

Clowns on TV: Neoliberalism! People’s economics?

Man: The success team’s job? To campaign for the candidates’ respective programs... not...

Zely Ariane – In July 2008, Barrack Obama, now the United State’s new president elect said: “If someone launches a rocket at my home while my two sons are sleeping, then I would make every effort to put an end to them, and I hope that the Israeli people would also do the same” (www.Solidarity-US.org

Jakarta – Human rights violations perpetrated in 2003 cannot be separated from military control, particularly the army. The government of President Megawati Sukarnoputri has not worked as hard as its predecessors, like [former presidents] B.J. Habibie and Abdurrahman Wahid to control the TNI [Indonesian armed forces].

Getting rid of a bad image which has long been planted in the minds of society is not an easy matter. The polemic over the issue of the revoking of MPRS Decree Number XXV/1996 on the Dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party and Prohibitions on Marxist, Leninist and Communist Teachings has yet to end.