Marcellus Hernowo – As well as celebrities and family members of core political party leaders, the provisional list of legislative candidates that will take part in the 2009 general elections also contains a number of 1998 student movement activists.

Didi Syafirdi, Jakarta – Around 20 West Papuans from the United West Papua Popular Struggle Front (Pepera) held an action at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central Jakarta on Friday August 22.

Badges read: Legislative candidate. Patches on jackets read: Rp.

Political party registration forms: Could be prosperous party. Could be regulated party. Could be free party. Dry leftover rice party.

Man: Could be free doesn’t mean free to be even more corrupt remember!

During the era of Suharto’s New Order regime, People’s Democratic Party (PRD) activists were very popular. The socialist based organisation was known as a group of young people who resisted Suharto. During the era of reformasi however, they have been unable to find a place for themselves and remain unpopular.

Jakarta – The Star Reform Party or PBR has signed a Minimum Commitment with the Indonesian Poor People’s Union (SRMI), which will be used to bind the PBR into struggling for the people’s interests if they win the 2009 general elections.

Jakarta – The chairperson of the National Liberation Party of Unity’s (Papernas) advisory board, Dita Indah Sari, has decided to run as a legislative candidate under the Islamic based Star Reform Party (PBR).

Laurencius Simanjuntak, Jakarta – It appears that the phenomena of ‘changing cloths’ is becoming commonplace in the lead up to the 2009 general elections.

Kid: …Becoming a leader is a heavy response-ability remember Mr! (placard reads Basic Commodities Party).

Man: Yeah… “Just responding to the call-ability! …

...Eh, ‘why be frightened!’ (a play on a famous quip by Abdurrahman ‘Gus Dur’ Wahid – ‘why let it trouble you’)

Politician: Eradicate corruption!

Man: But it’s not campaign time yet is it Mr?

Politician: ...What’s wrong with former officials making a party and nominating themselves?…

Badge: Omm Pasikom President 2009

Kid: …Money from the past to buy votes, think it’ll sell Mr?...

Man: How come school fees keep going up?

Politician: Ah, that’s the trend a at the moment, right, everything’s going up… (name tag reads candidate)

Politician: …I also want to be on top again… (name tag reads candidate)

Politician: ...Promises?... No way! Now’s not when promises are kept! Get it!!

Badge: Vote for me

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Government opposition figures gathered at the Century Park Hotel in the Senayan area of Central Jakarta on Saturday July 5 to discuss the problems of the nation, which may possibly become an arena of lobbying by the political elite in the lead up to the 2009 general elections.

Men: Long live elections for regional heads!! Long live democracy!!

Man: …Now we’re free to join any party we want including… the Golput Party!!

Golput – Meaning to abstain from voting or not marking the ballot paper.

Ballot box: Promises, promises, promises, promises, promises

Jumadi, Makassar – The elections for mayor and deputy mayor in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar is heating up. An activist from the South Sulawesi Indonesian Poor People’s Union (SRMI), Wahidah Baharuddin Upa, has declared that she will nominate himself to enliven the Makassar municipal electoral contest.

Sugihono, Jakarta – Apparently with the firm intention of supporting an action opposing the recent fuel price increases at the State Palace in Central Jakarta, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Permadi was instead turned away by protesters.

[The following is a compilation of abridged translations from Detik.com and Tempo Interactive covering protest actions around the country on May 21 against the Indonesian government's planned fuel price increases.]

Anti-fuel price hike protest in Bogor ends in clash

Nograhany Widhi K, Jakarta – Devide et impera. It appears that the strategy of pitting one side against the other during the Dutch colonial period is still not out of date – including in the lead up to the government’s planned fuel price increases.

The battle drum of the Indonesian people’s resistance to the planned fuel price increases has been sounded – students, the urban poor, workers, farmers and women in every corner of the country are daily holding actions that are growing and uniting day by day.