Parcel nation

Man: It's just a parcel... where's the tempeh?

Official: We are not a tempeh nation

Man: Then what kind of nation are we? A parcel nation...

A play on a 1963 speech by founding President Sukarno in which he said, "...We are a hard-working nation, not a tempeh nation, nor a nation of coolies...", referring to tempeh, a cheap source of protein for the poor, which due to skyrocketing prices of imported soybean is becoming increasingly expensive, and the Idul Fitri holiday tradition of giving gift parcels to curry favour with one's superiors.

Kompas - July 25, 2012

Jackpot democracy

Poker machine reads: Election of Regional heads

Man: Jackpot democracy...

With incumbent Governor Fauzi Bowo and Surakarta Mayor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo now set to contest the second round of the Jakarta gubernatorial election in September, the political parties that failed to secure spots in the first round are busy calculating the odds on which candidate will offer the most political and financial gains if they endorse them.

Kompas - July 21, 2012

Food imports

Agrarian rights activists say that the government's policy of trade liberalisation and implementing an almost zero-tariff policy has led to a flood of imported food into the country and is impoverishing more than 44 million farmers who depend upon the land for their survival.

Kompas - July 11, 2012

The Lapindo(s) Beauty Spa

The "Lapindo(s) Beauty Spa" as it is jokingly called, referring to the massive Lapindo mud flow disaster in East Java blamed on drilling by a company linked to Golkar Party chairperson and business tycoon Aburizal Bakrie (right), continues to dog his 2014 presidential ambitions with two victims receiving widespread media coverage as they near the end of a 25-day journey on foot to Jakarta from their home in Sidoarjo to raise awareness of the plight of people from his village, which was buried by the mudflow in 2006 but have yet to receive compensation.

Kompas - July 7, 2012

Is he even listening?

1st Man: Conflicts in the regions continue to smolder Mr...

2nd Man: Is he even listening?

Indifference by regional governments to the plight of local people involved in land disputes with plantation and mining companies is driving people to take their protests to Jakarta, such as the recent case of 84 villagers from Riau who camped outside the parliament for three months and stitched their mouths shut in a dramatic hunger strike to attract public attention.

Kompas - July 4, 2012