Indonesians in Focus: Djoni Basri

October 29th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

In most Indonesian cities the principal crossroads are graced — or disgraced if you like — by statues in the style known as Soviet Realism. These show muscle men snapping their manacles, thrusting forward, determined to engage with some enemy. They
are valiant, determined, aggressive and always triumphant.

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PDI-P Autonomy Hindered: Bali

October 19th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

The decision of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) to leave up to the national party leadership the nomination of a candidate for the 2008 gubernatorial election in Bali is detrimental to the autonomy of the party locally, a political analyst says.

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Four Political Parties to Coalesce

October 13th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Four political parties — the Indonesian Democracy Party-Struggle (PDIP), Golkar Party, United Development Party (PPP) and the People`s Mandate Party (PAN) — are to form a “National League” in anticipation of the presidential election in 2009.

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Suharto - Still The Number One Corruptor

September 26th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

The United Nations and the World Bank named Suharto as the world’s top corruptor. This announcement was based on data from Transparency International, a world body which tracks down illicit funds. The two world bodies have also established the Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) Initiative, under which they are going to assist the Indonesian government in tracking down Suharto’s wealth, regardless of its location.

Megawati the Most Powerful Woman

September 24th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Former President Megawati Soekarnoputri tops the list of Indonesia’s 99 Most Powerful Women, according to the October edition of GlobeAsia business magazine.

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SBY v’s Megawati?

September 20th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

The next two years will be crunch time for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his predecessor Megawati Soekarnoputri as they each work toward convincing Indonesia they can make much-needed changes to the republic.

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PDI-P Nominates Megawati in ‘09 Presidential Election

September 20th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) concluded its recent meeting with a unanimous decision to nominate chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri as its presidential candidate in the 2009 presidential election. Tjahjo Kumolo, PDI-P’s deputy chairman of political affairs and chairman of the party’s faction at the House of Representatives, discussed the issue with The Jakarta Post’s Ridwan Max Sijabat recently.

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Hard-Line Muslim Group Calls for Islamic State

September 10th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Thousands of followers of a hard-line group seeking to unite the world’s Muslims under a single government marched through the streets of Indonesia’s capital Sunday ahead of the Islamic holy month, Ramadan.

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Supreme Court Mafia: Indonesia

September 9th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

There remains a low rate of reform in the Supreme Court and the mafia still exists within its ranks, experts said. Mahfud MD, a legislator from Commission III with the House of Representatives, said the court’s reform process had failed because of judicial corruption and the court’s mafia as the Jakarta Post article explains.

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Megawati to Run for President 2009?

September 8th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Secretary General of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Pramono Agung said the party`s general chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri has yet to decide whether or not to run for the presidency in the 2009 general elections, but for the sake of the party, Megawati should take part in the presidential race.

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