Jakarta – A number of ormas (social or mass organisations) arrived at the People’s Democratic Party (PRD) offices in the Bratang Gede area of the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on Monday July 22. Tension in and around the location were apparently unavoidable.

Jakarta – The younger brother of missing radical street poet and labour activist Wiji Thukul, Wahyu Susilo, is urging presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto to go to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) and testify on the abduction and the forced disappearance of democracy activists by the Rose Team in 1997-98.

The aggressive implementation of neoliberal policies in Indonesia cannot be halted by a small handful of groups. At the moment moreover neoliberalism has again succeeded in maintaining the status quo by taking advantage of the interests of the political parties that are thirsty for power and positions.

Jakarta – Former labour activist Dita Indah Sari says that a mature labour movement must strengthen its “negotiating muscles” or capacity to negotiate with individual companies rather then organise big demonstrations to achieve wage settlements.

Laurencius Simanjuntak – Founded on July 22, 1996, or when Suharto’s New Order regime was still savage and cruel, it was not an easy time for the People’s Democratic Party (PRD). Moreover the social-democrat orientated party explicitly declared its opposition to Suharto’s power.

Laurencius Simanjuntak – The revolutionary ideals of the People’s Democratic Party (PRD) founded 16 years ago were thwarted. The New Order regime of former President Suharto in a rage of fury obliterated the party only a few months after it was declared on July 22, 1996.

Nurvita Indarini, Jakarta – Dita Indah Sari and labour are two things that are inseparable. But over the last three months, she has chosen to work within bureaucratic circles. And in those 3 months, her weight has dropped by 3kg. Duh!

Bandar Lampung – The Lampung province I regional leadership board (DPD) of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) is calling on its members to block presidential and vice presidential candidates that are pro-neoliberalism. They are also inviting the people to build a national coalition government for national self-sufficiency.

Up until now, Dita Indah Sari has been known as a labour activist, while Vice President Jusuf Kalla is known as a business person.

Kurniasih Budi, Jakarta – A group of workers who have declared themselves as a voluntary team to support Jusuf Kalla and Wiranto believe that Kalla’s performance has been better than the other presidential candidates.