Running for president

Bakrie: Looks fit to run for president he does!

Business tycoon Aburizal Bakrie, a former Suharto acolyte who bought and bullied his way into the chairmanship of the New Order's former ruling party Golkar and is linked to numerous scandals and business controversies – including the Lapindo mudflow disaster and the Gayus Tambunan tax affair – has brushing aside dismal electability ratings and opposition from within the ranks of his own party and is set to declare himself a candidate for the 2014 presidential election.

Kompas - May 26, 2012

Progress?

1st Man: How come we're not making any progress?

2nd Man: Progress? We don't even have a driver.

Parcel reads Human Rights, bus reads Reformasi (political reform).

Fourteen years after president Suharto's overthrow, many say the country has made little or no progress with a small group of elites – many of whom committed past human rights violations – once again controlling the country's politics for their own interests.

Kompas - May 23, 2012

Tighten our belts

Yudhoyono: Economise! We must tighten our belts (waist band)!

Man: But I don't have a waist Mr!

In a repeat of a scene seven years ago, air conditioners at the Palace were turned down and lights turned off following a last week's live televised speech by President Yudhoyono unveiling the government's latest plan to control energy consumption and calling on the people to tighten their belts. Such symbolic gestures will not of course be possible for the one-third of population with no access to electricity, and who probably missed the speech anyway.

Kompas - May 19, 2012

National culture and morals.

Cop: Not in line with our national culture and morals...

Man: And this Mr? (state budget)

More than a few eyebrows were raised this week when police bowed down to Islamic hard-liners and refused a permit for a concert by pop diva Lady Gaga claiming her act is incompatible with Indonesia's culture and morals. Many were also left asking what kind of morality and culture the police – one of the most brutal and corrupt institutions in one of the most graft-ridden and pornographic hungry countries in the world – do consider compatible.

Kompas - May 16, 2012

Restore the party's image

Yudhoyono: Restore the party's image! Problematic members resign!

Kid: And if senior party officials are problematic?

A speech by Democrat Party patron President Yudhoyono last month in which he said all party members who had been named suspects must step down is starting to look like more empty rhetoric with disgraced lawmaker Angelina Sondakh (bottom right) – who was indicted for corruption almost three months ago – still not removed from her position as party deputy general secretary.

Kompas - May 12, 2012

Cowboys

Cowboy: Ah, that’s just a rogue individual...

The disdainful official response last week to a case in which an army captain pulled a gun on a driver during a traffic altercation and an incident involving 15 drunk police officers who assaulted customers in a bar before pointing guns at them and trashing the establishment, has fuelled fears that police and military personnel are being allowed to act with impunity.

Kompas - May 9, 2012

False license plates

Man: In this republic where so much is unverified, counterfeiting is common place Mr... false pledges, false promises, false police, false license plates, false love... and... false teeth...

Democrat Party chairperson Anas Urbaningrum (right) – already dogged by allegations of corruption and money politics – is embroiled in a fresh controversy after illegal licence plates were found on his two cars. Despite the seriousness of the office, police said no action would be taken because they hadn't actually seen the cars on the road.

Kompas - May 5, 2012