Cheap cars!

Hidayat: Cheap cars! What's wrong with the little people driving cars?

Kid: Ordinary people driving cars is a sign of prosperity right Dad?

Man: What's wrong with the little people cycling... as long as they don't eat dry left over rice and tempeh made from peanut residue anymore!

Industry Minister MS Hidayat has defended plans to promote so-called low-cost green cars – which critics say will only worsen Jakarta's already horrendous traffic jams – saying it will allow the poor to shift from motorbikes to cars and speed up technology transfer.

Kompas - September 28, 2013

Backroom justice

Man: It seems that money is more agung (grand, exalted, high, noble). Chair reads Hakim Agung (Supreme Court justice), step reads selection.

In the wake of a plan by the House of Representatives to gain more control over Supreme Court (MA) justices, legal affairs commission members have been forced to publicly deny allegations of backroom deals after MA justice candidate Sudrajad Dimyati was caught giving what was believed to be an envelope to a lawmaker in a restroom during a fit-and-proper test.

Kompas - September 25, 2013

Democratic Party convention

Kid: For the convention test: Tempeh made from peanut and soybean residue... they're fond of that right Mr?

Speculation is rife that the Democratic Party convention – which recently announced 11 'public figures' as prospective candidates – is little more than smoke and mirrors before it goes ahead and appoints retired General Pramono Edhie Wibowo (centre-right), President Yudhoyono's brother-in-law, as its presidential candidate. Many say he is the First Family's preferred choice and the convention staged to grant him the nomination.

Kompas - September 21, 2003

Cheap cars?

Man: Cheap cars? Relax... our roads are still free and easy

With a recent World Bank report predicting that Jakarta could face total gridlock as early as 2014 and worsening traffic congestion in most cities, President Yudhoyono has come under fire over his administration's policy to boost sales of so-called low-cost green cars with critics saying the government should be promoting public transport and infrastructure instead of giving tax breaks to big automobile companies.

Kompas - September 18, 2013

Two terrorists

Man: They're two terrorists Mr... the first kills millions of ordinary people slowly... the other kills in an instant...

Police chief Timur Pradopo (left), who in 2010 was named the sole candidate for the job by President Yudhoyono (right) and whose tenure was marked by growing public insecurity, worsening sectarian and religious violence, increased terrorist attacks and rampant corruption within the police, is set to be replaced by another Yudhoyono appointee, Sutarman, who distinguished himself as top detective by actively undermining the work of the Corruption Eradication Commission.

Kompas - September 14, 2013

Mad cow disease

Kid: It looks like the mad cow disease is spreading Dad?

Man: It's not mad cow disease, they're cow-crazy (to become crazy about making money from cows)!

Calls are mounting for anti-graft investigators to broaden the investigation into the beef import corruption case that has embroiled the Justice & Prosperity Party amid new claims that the scandal reaches as high as the presidency.

Kompas - September 7, 2013

Food import cartels

Businessmen: Ah, absolutely delicious

Man: Duh, very bitter and hard

According to the country's top anti-corruption agency, the government's poor management of commodities has created loopholes resulting in the creation of food import cartels seeking to control the market through speculation and price fixing resulting in both scarcity and high prices for basic food staples.

Kompas - September 4, 2013