Jakarta – Hundreds of regions across the country in 2022-2024 will be led by acting regional heads appointed by the central government. Experts say that this system will benefit people close to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and certain political parties in the lead up to the 2024 elections.

Rizky Suryarandika and Nawir Arsyad Akbar, Jakarta – The executive director of Voxpol Center Research and Consulting, Pangi Syarwi Chaniago, suspects that there is a hidden agenda behind attempts to take over the Democrat Party leadership.

Zakki Amali – The accusations by Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) have been proven true after the passing of several weeks. The former infantry major accused Moeldoko, a retired TNI (Indonesian military) general, of meeting with leading Democrat Party members and prepared a coup d'etat to take over his leadership of the party.

Devina Halim, Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) hopes that the requirements for independent candidates to take part in the election of regional heads (pilkada) will be eased for the sake of preventing the emergence of oligarchies.

Kid: All this squabbling, who's if for Mr?

The current election law (RUU Pemilu) was only enacted three years ago but the political elite are already squabbling over whether or not to revise it again.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) has accused sections of the oligarchy in government circles of being one of the causes of the series of natural disasters that have occurred around the country over the last few weeks.

Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Jakarta – Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) Coordinator Merah Johansyah has refuted Presidential Chief of Staff (KSP) Moeldoko’s statement that the administration of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is not selling off permits to open new mines and palm oil plantations.

Devina Halim, Jakarta – The Security sector Reform Coalition says that there are three problems which need to be addressed when the sole candidate for the next police chief, Commissioner General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, takes over the leadership of the national police.

Maria Baru, Kota Sorong – The Papuan people in greater Sorong reject all attempts by the Papuan political elite to extend Special Autonomy (Otsus) in Papua. This opposition was expressed during a march on the Sorong City Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) on Monday January 11.

Jakarta – The non-government organisation (NGO) Green Papua claims that 654,561 Papuans have signed a petition opposing the extension of Special Autonomy (Otsus) for Papua.

Irwan Syambudi & Mohammad Bernie – There were 68 independent or individual candidates who contested the December 9 election of regional heads (Pilkada), but according to the General Elections Commission (KPU) only six won.

Haris Prabowo – The total number of people who used their right to vote in the December 9 election of regional heads was low in several parts of the country. In the context of Indonesian politics, those who do not vote – regardless of the motivation and reasons – can be classified as golongan putih or golput.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) officially appointed its new leadership board for the period 2020-2025 during its 10th National Conference which was held in Jakarta on November 25-27.

Text reads:

Democracy in Indonesia dies:

1. If a regional election is won by using racial and religious sentiment like you.
2. If the democratic system is replaced by an Islamic caliphate by your friends.

Achmad Zulfikar Fazli, Jakarta – The Jakarta Islamic State University Social and Islamic Studies Centre (PPIM UIN) has released the results of the latest research on religious trends on social media.

Dipo Negoro and Leon Kastayudha – The Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation was finally enacted into law by the House of Representatives (DPR) on October 5.

Indriyani Astuti – The General Elections Commission (KPU) has finalised the hundreds of candidate pairs which will compete in the simultaneous election of regional heads (pilkada) on December 9.

Jakarta – Protests against the Omnibus Law on Job Creation have spread to almost all parts of the country since it was passed into law during a House of Representatives (DPR) plenary session on Monday October 5.

Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) suspects that business tycoons (cukong) or capitalists are behind the government and the House of Representatives’ (DPR) decision to push on with the 2020 simultaneous election of regional heads (pilkada) in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jakarta – “It’s difficult not to admit that the discourse on the revival of communism surfaces every year in lead up to September 30 or October 1. Because it emerges repeatedly at the same time every year, it’s difficult to deny that the issue is intentionally brought up for political interests”.