The People's Torch

Man: Why instead is it making things dark Mr?

Kid: But it's making it clear right, which is real and which is fake!

Despite the obviously libelous content of articles published by the Obor Rakyat (People's Torch) tabloid, which is spearheading a smear campaign against presidential candidate Joko Widodo, police say they will not investigate the paper because 'no official report has been filed' and they could 'risk being accused of not being neutral and of working for the interest of a certain presidential candidate'.

Kompas - June 21, 2014

I think I'm full already

Kid: I think I'm full already Dad! (bowl read 'promises')

Lacking any concrete proposals to address Indonesia's myriad of social and economic problems, the grandiose promises being made by presidential candidates Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa (left) and Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla (right) to lead the country into a new era of prosperity and greatness are of little interests to the 130 million Indonesian's eking out living on less then US$2 a day.

Kompas - June 14, 2014

Presidential debate

Man: On the surface its peaceful, how about on the ground too...

While the first live-televised debate between presidential candidates Prabowo Subianto and Joko Widodo was all smiles and expressions of mutual admiration, campaigning has been marred by a massive smear campaign against Widodo, the circulation of 'leaked' documents detailing Prabowo's dark military past, soldiers illegally canvassing for Prabowo in Jakarta and a gathering of Islamic hard-liners in Yogyakarta declaring a 'war on pluralism'.

Kompas - June 11, 2014

Peace declaration

Sign reads: Pluralism declaration of peace. Placard: Peace declaration. Writing on figure: Black campaigns.

Despite last week's declaration by presidential candidates Prabowo Subianto (left) and Joko Widodo (right) to hold a clean election, campaigning for the July 9 poll has been marred by sectarian violence by hard-line Islamic groups, several of which are openly backing Prabowo, and a massive smear campaign against Widodo spearheaded by the Obor Rakyat tabloid deliberately targeting the Islamic community.

Kompas - June 7, 2014

Unity in Diversity

1st Man: Do they want to abandon it or just forget it?

2nd Man: Lets just hope it doesn't get ignored...

Bhinneka Tunggal Ika: The national motto, Unity in Diversity

Yogyakarta's reputation as a city of religious tolerance is in tatters after a series of violent attacks by hard-line Islamic groups, the latest being the closure of the Pentecostal Christian church in Sleman only days after an attack on a Catholic prayer recital, also in the Sleman area.

Kompas - June 4, 2014