Building this is important...

1st Man: Building this is important...

2nd Man: More important again is looking after it.

While many have welcomed the government's emphasis on infrastructure spending, particularly infrastructure firms which have recorded record profits this year, only around 10% of spending has been allocated for maintenance and desperately needed repairs to roads and irrigation systems.

Kompas - December 30, 2015

Merry Christmas

Man: Merry Christmas. Bhinneka Tunggal Ika: The national motto, Unity in Diversity

While there were no reports of violence during Christmas celebrations this year, unable to celebrate at their own premises because they have been sealed off by authorities at the behest of Islamic vigilante groups, for the fourth year running members of the Batak Protestant Churches Filadelfia in Bekasi and Indonesian Christian Church Yasmin in Bogor held Christmas services in front of the State Palace where they placed a red plastic chair with writing above it reading 'Indonesian President'.

Kompas - December 23, 2015

Political Comedy Drama

Kid: Wait! The next episode of the political comedy drama!

Only days after controversial lawmaker Fadli Zon was appointed acting House of Representatives speaker (Ketua DPR) following the resignation of Setya Novanto, just as he was to be found guilty of ethical violations for trying to shake down Freeport Indonesia for 20% of shares in exchange for extending its mining contract, the House has again incurred the public's wrath by announcing that it will begin deliberations on revising the Corruption Eradication Commission (RUU KPK) law, widely seen as yet another attempt to weaken the anti-graft body.

Kompas - December 19, 2015

Politics as Usual

Ball reads 'decision', flag reads 'politics'

Any chance the House of Representatives Ethics Council (MKD) had of restoring public trust in the legislative body through a hearing into allegations that House speaker Setya Novanto demanded shares from Freeport Indonesia in exchange for extending its mining contract were quickly dispelled after the hearings were marred by disagreement on technical trivialities and council members treating key witnesses as if they were defendants, making it clear that the council was simply playing politics as usual rather than seeking the truth behind the alleged misconduct.

Kompas - December 16, 2015

Your Honors

Kid: Your Honor!... Aren’t closed sessions usually for hearings into pornography?

The keyword Yang Mulia (Your Honors) quickly become a trending topic on Twitter as public disgust mounted over the House of Representatives (DPR) ethics council's hearings into the Papa Minta Saham scandal (which were only opened after intense public pressure) as it tried to shield DPR Speaker Setya Novanto by bogging down proceedings with technical trivialities, questioning the standing of witnesses and disputing the validity of a recording of Setya trying to shake down Freeport Indonesia for 20% of shares in exchange for extending its mining contract.

Kompas - December 5, 2015

Papa wants shares

Man: It's like they use the state as a game... (arm reads Gangster Elite)

The arrest in mid-November of the alleged ringleader of the Mama Minta Pulsa (Mama wants phone credit) phone scam syndicate, which had already spawned a hit single of the same name, quickly prompted the creation of the internet meme Mama Minta Pulsa, Papa Minta Saham (the latter meaning 'Papa wants shares') after revelations that House of Representatives speaker Setya Novanto requested shares from mining giant Freeport Indonesia, ostensibly on behalf of president and vice president, in exchange for extending Freeport's mining contract.

Kompas - December 5, 2015

Setya Novanto

Barely a month after the public furor over his appearance at a press conference with Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump in which he was spotted wearing a US$14,000 Swiss watch, House of Representatives (DPR) deputy speaker and Golkar politician Setya Novanto is once again having to defend himself after pictures of an XJL Jaguar (which he claims belongs to his son) parked in his space at the DPR complex went viral sparking a public debate about the opulent life styles enjoyed by Indonesia's notoriously corrupt lawmakers.

Kompas - November 14, 2015

National Heroes Day

Word on right reads 'Now', bag reads 'Social Aid' funds (widely abused by politicians to line their own pockets)

The commemoration of National Heroes Day on Nov 10, a date chosen to mark the struggle of independence fighters such as the late Bung Tomo (left) against Dutch efforts to reassert control in 1945, is now little more than an occasion to announce the latest members of an esteemed list of 'national heroes' who's selection has been increasingly subject to political influence and led many to question just what the state's definition of a hero is.

Kompas - November 11, 2015

State Defense Program

Man (speaking to kid imagining independence fighter the late Bung Tomo): State defence isn't just about taking up arms but also about science, art, sport and respecting the law and human rights, acting honestly, anti-corruption and anti-bribes...

The State Defense (Bela Negara) program launched by Defense Minister and hardline general Ryamizard Ryacudu, which supposedly aims to train 100 million people to 'defend the nation', has been slammed as a waste of money and a return to the authoritarian system of Suharto's New Order dictatorship.

Kompas - November 7, 2015

Economic policy initiatives

A series of economic policy (kebijakan ekonomi) initiatives launched by the administration of President Joko Widodo (left) and Vice-President Jusuf Kalla (right) aimed at boosting economic growth, none of which address the fundamental problems plaguing the country such as corruption, dependency on raw material exports, foreign domination of the economy, bureaucratic red tape and the bankruptcy of the political parties and legislature, appears to have had little or no effect on the daily problems facing ordinary Indonesians.

Kompas - October 24, 2015

Singing a different tune

Man: How come they're all singing a different tune? (Song sheet reads 'Work')

Calls are mounting for a reshuffle following a series of public spats between members of President Widodo's so-call 'working cabinet' which has again highlighted the lack of coordination between cabinet ministers, the majority of which are appointees from the political parties that backed his election campaign last year each with their own personal and political priorities.

Kompas - October 21, 2015

Salim Kancil

Kid: Money has become the ideology right Dad!

The brutal murder of Salim Kancil days after organising protests against a sand quarry in the Selok Awar-Awar sub-district of Pasirian, who was allegedly tortured and killed because he and his neighbors were in the way of lucrative business interests involving the village head, police and other officials, adds to the growing list of activists being assaulted or killed in land disputes between local people and private companies.

Kompas - October 10, 2015

Forest Fires

Despite repeated pledges by the government that it will put an end to the massive forest fires sweeping across Riau, Kalimantan and Sumatra, which have been widely blamed on big and usually politically connected wood pulp and palm oil companies clearing land ahead of the planting season, the choking haze blanketing a large swathe of South-East Asia is on track to become the worst on record.

Kompas - September 30, 2015

Rich Prisoners

Disgraced tax official Gayus Tambunan, serving a 30-year sentence for bribery, money-laundering and passport forgery, made waves yet again this week when a photo circulated online purporting to show him dining at a restaurant with two unidentified women in Jakarta. It is a public secret that for a price, rich prisoners can obtain a wide range of special privileges such as air-conditioned cells, TVs and cell phones, conjugal visits and even weekend furloughs.

Kompas - September 23, 2015

Donald Trump Fiasco

Kid: Dad can I have more travel allowance money?

Man: Why don't you just ask Mr Donald Trump...

According to budget watchdog Fitra, a 'working visit' to the US by House of Representatives speaker and deputy-speaker Setya Novanto and Fadli Zon who later appeared at press conference with Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump during which Novanto told the crowd that Trump was 'highly' liked in Indonesia, cost the Indonesian taxpayer more than US$325,000.

Kompas - September 19, 2015

Forest Fires

Environmental activists say that in order to avoid legal liability for the massive forest fires sweeping across Riau, Sumatra and Kalimantan, big palm oil and wood pulp companies pay local people to start fires that conveniently spread onto their concession areas providing a cheap way to clear land ahead of the planting season.

Kompas - September 16, 2015

Jatigede Dam

Government official: For the sake of a prosperous future!

Man: And me right now Mr? (Paper reads help, sympathetic care)

Hundreds of people in Sumedang regency, West Java, have protested plans to proceed with the construction of the Jatigede dam which will displace more than 70,000 people (who will receive a fraction of the actual value of their land in compensation), submerge five districts and 30 villages as well as inundating some 1,200 hectares of state forest.

Kompas - September 5, 2015

Tired Old Promises

While regional elections slated for December 9 will be a watershed for Indonesia – with elections being held simultaneously in 269 regions throughout the country – little else has changed with candidates trotting out the same tired old promises which people know from experience won't be kept once they're elected.

Kompas - September 2, 2015

KPK Selection Committee

Kid: Your looking for commissioners who are like angels right Madam? (hat reads 'Suspects continue to increase')

Women: Ah no, what's important is they're not sensitive about being made into gekos...

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) selection committee (Pansel) tasked with finding a new batch of commissioners after two KPK leaders who were suspended following the Gecko (KPK) vs the Crocodile (Police) fiasco, has been has been slammed for considering candidates with dubious track records on fighting graft.

Kompas - August 29, 2015

For the sake of the people

Kid: So many trillions of rupiah to construct a building... for the sake of the people or for the sake of... projects Mr?

Man: For the sake of the people fool! I'm also the people.

Following a massive public outcry, lawmakers at the House of Representatives – consistently rated as one of the most corrupt and poorly performing institutions in the country – have finally shelved a multi-million dollar project to construct new buildings at the Senayan legislative complex which they had argued would help them boost their performance and get closer to the people.

Kompas - August 22, 2015

Independence Day

Kid: We are independent aren't we Dad?

T-shirt reads '70th Anniversary of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia', a national holiday falling on August 17 which is widely celebrated with community games for children such as sack races.

Singing Independence, again independence, still independent, sacks read: Judicial mafia, corruption; Terrorism, radicalism, racial, religious and ethnic conflicts; political mafia, power; Narcotics mafia.

Kompas - August 15, 2015

Beef Imports

Man on cow: Independence! Truck reads 'Imports'

Government officials are resorting to their now-familiar game of smoke and mirrors by blaming cattle stockpiling by feedlotters for the recent surge in beef prices instead of admitting that the real cause was the trade ministry's ill-advised move to slash the quarterly cattle import quota by more than 80 percent in an effort to show the country had attained self-sufficiency in beef.

Kompas - August 12, 2015

Democratic Sovereignty

Kid: Is our democratic sovereignty is in the hands of the people... the politicians or money Dad? (badge reads 'independent candidate')

Sign reads '2015 Regional Elections', writing on sleeve reads 'Business tycoon', 1st badge reads 'Puppet candidate', 2nd badge reads 'Candidate', bag reads 'Bride price', chair reads 'Political Parties'

Kompas - August 8, 2015

Rice Self-Sufficiency

Politician: 2016 self-sufficiency in rice!

Farmer: So where's the water?

The government's much touted goal of achieving self-sufficiency in rice by 2016 is facing a tough road ahead with many parts of the country reporting massive harvest failures due to this year's prolonged dry season, made worse by years of government neglect which has left over 50 percent of the country's network irrigation systems in urgent need of repair.

Kompas - August 5, 2015

Generic drugs

Kid: This is a generic drug isn't it Dad? (bottle reads PIL KADA, regional election)

Man: Generic, patented whatever! What's important is we're healthy, prosperous and free of the virus of politics and greed! (Headlines read: Political bride price, puppet candidates, incumbent)

In another sign of the country's waning commitment to battling corruption, ex-convicts and graft suspects have flocked to run in the December regional elections after the Constitutional Court annulled a ban on convicts running in elections on the grounds that it undermines their constitutional rights.

Kompas - August 1, 2015

Lack a conscience?

Man: As state official... Do I lack honesty? Lack loyalty? Lack integrity? Come on, what else?

Woman: Lack a conscience?

The recent indictment of Evi Susanti, the second wife of North Sumatra Governor Gatot Pujo Nugroho, has revealed a recurrent pattern of official's wives helping husbands launder ill-gotten gains by becoming second party beneficiaries to hide the whereabouts of dirty assets.

Kompas - July 29, 2015

Defamation

Politicians: Defamation

Police have leveled defamation charges against two members of the Judicial Commission (KY) – the government's court watchdog – at the behest of controversial judge Sarpin Rizaldi who notoriously ordered that corruption charges be dropped against 'fat bank account' national police chief nominee Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan. Police acted on the complaint after the KY recommended that Sarpin be suspended for ethical misconduct over the ruling.

Kompas - July 25, 2015

Political dynasties

Kid: Dad, will they become servants of the people, servants of power or... political party officials? (chair reads 'Dynasty')

The Constitutional Court has come under fire for revoking a provision in the regional elections (Pilkada) law intended to prevent the formation of political dynasties. Experts have long championed the restriction saying that through patronage, cronyism and bid-rigging, political dynasties have long been used to embezzle massive amounts of money from regional budgets.

Kompas - July 4, 2015

Aspiration fund

After failing to obtain state funding for the down payment on their private cars, members of the House of Representatives are pushing the government to include 20 billion rupiah (US$1.5 million) in 'aspiration funds' in next year's state budget – essentially a pork-barrel fund that will be distributed among all 560 representatives and used for any development project of their choosing with little or no independent oversight.

Kompas - July 1, 2015

Corruption law revision

With graft suspects already taking advantage of a new legal loophole allowing them to use pretrial motions (praperadilan) to quash corruption charges before they are even indicted in court, Indonesia's notoriously corrupt lawmakers have announced plans to revise the 2002 law on the Corruption Eradication Commission (Revisi UU KPK) aimed at limiting the anti-graft body's power to investigate and prosecute graft cases.

Kompas - June 27, 2015

Projects

Chest reads 'state budget', folder reads 'projects'

President Joko Widodo's overriding emphasis on economic growth policies centred on attracting investment for infrastructure and cutting regulations that might hinder business investment, particularly foreign investment, much of which will be paid for by cutting subsidies for the poor or eaten up by corruption, will primarily benefit big business and take years or even decades before any benefits will be felt, if at all, by ordinary Indonesians.

Kompas - June 24, 2015

Setting an example

Kid: You should set an example Mr! (document reads Law 25/2014 on State Officials Wealth Reports)

Man (speaking in Dutch): No need, I've always been rich haven't I!

National police chief of detectives Budi Waseso, who led the witch hunt against two Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) commissioners in retaliation for charging national police chief hopeful Budi Gunawan with corruption, has refused to submit a mandatory wealth report challenging the KPK to fill it in themselves.

Kompas - June 19, 2015

Violence against children

Door reads Child Protection Law

According to the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), the number of child abuse cases in Indonesia has risen sharply and the majority of perpetrators are those close to their victims such as family members, religious figures and teachers. The KPAI recorded 485 cases of violence against children in 2012, increasing to 632 cases in 2013 and 970 cases in 2014.

Kompas - June 17, 2015

Plastic rice

Kid: Rastik, plastic rice.... Raskin, lots of rice weevils...

Man: Fortunately there's still Raskin... which is complete with a high protean side dish right!

Indonesian authorities have vowed to crack down on the distribution of synthetic rice – said to be made with potato starch and toxic resin from China – after rice from the government's cheap rice program for the poor or Raskin in East Java was reportedly found to have been contaminated with plastic rice.

Kompas - May 30, 2015

Criminalisation

Handcuffs read 'criminalisation'

President Widodo announced nine new members of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leadership selection committee Thursday, all of whom are women. Widodo effectively decapitated the commission in February by suspending two of its commissioners who were well-known for their aggressive prosecution of corrupt officials, judges, generals and politicians, replacing them with more 'compliant' interim chiefs after they were indicted by police on trumped up charges.

Kompas - May 27, 2015

Disqualification

The Golkar Party and the United Development Party (PPP) are facing the threat of disqualification from the upcoming regional elections (pilkada) due to prolonged internal power struggles, with Golkar divided between two camps, those supporting Agung Laksono (bottom left) and those loyal to Aburizal Bakrie (bottom right), and the PPP split between supporters of Djan Faridz (top left) and those of Muhammad Romahurmuziy (top right).

Kompas - May 23, 2015

Ease of doing business

Document reads licence/permit, chair reads Echelon I (director general)

Despite the launch of a one-stop service program to process business permits more speedily, business licensing processes remain lengthy and complicated in major cities, with Indonesia ranked 114th out of 185 countries according to the World Bank's ease of doing business index.

Kompas - May 13, 2015

Looking after the crocodile

Kid: So you won't be looking after the crocodile (the police) any more right Mr? (Dog collar reads Scenthound)

Less than a week after a meeting between the AGO, national police and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) agreed that police would stop criminalizing KPK investigators looking into a bribery case involving disgraced deputy police chief Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, police have arrested KPK top investigator Novel Baswedan on trumped-up charges going back to a case closed a decade ago.

Kompas - May 9, 2015

Hoarding

Despite the souring cost of rice on the market, the price of unhusked rice (gabah) produced by local farmers has fallen to around 0.37 US cents per kilogram. According to the Central Statistics Agency, unscrupulous traders are buying rice at low prices from poor farmers, then hoarding stockpiles in order to inflate prices and reap huge profits.

Kompas - May 5, 2015

Weapon against the poor

An East Java court sentenced 70-year old Asyani to 15 months probation and a US$40,000 fine for stealing seven pieces of wood belonging to state company PT Perhutani. Asyani insists she took the wood from her own land years ago but lacked the proper documentation. Civil society groups say Indonesia's forestry laws are used as a weapon against the poor, while big companies that illegally plunder the country's shrinking forests remain untouched.

Kompas - May 2, 2015

Going in circles.

Following a series of regulatory flip-flops and erratic policy-making moves, President Widodo's much touted Nawacita or nine priorities agenda appears to be going in circles.

Kompas - April 29, 2015

Cabinet reshuffle

Man: You're in a really big hurry to become a minister aren't you? (wheels read 'problems inherited from the past', 'political uproar')

President Widodo's sliding popularity in the polls has prompted calls for a reshuffle of his so-called 'working cabinet' (Kabinet Kerja), with the loudest calls coming from the political parties that were rewarded with cabinet posts for backing his presidential campaign – and now want even more seats – whose political appointees have been widely blamed for the cabinet's lackluster performance in the first place.

Kompas - April 25, 2015

Kartini Day

Sign reads: Airport

Commemorating Kartini Day on April 21, activists say that 136 years since the birth of the nationalist hero and feminist symbol, many Indonesian women are still forced to seek employment overseas as domestic workers (TKI) due to the lack of employment opportunities at home, where they face extortion, violence and sexual abuse at the hands of employers and unscrupulous employment agencies.

Kompas - April 22, 2015

A state official stupid

Kid: Mr, are you a party official or...

Man: A state official stupid!

Puan Maharani, who despite her lack of experience and qualifications was appointed as coordinating human development and culture minister in what was widely seen as a token of gratitude to her mother Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri for supporting President Widodo's presidential campaign, has been given the nod by Widodo to keep her leadership post in the PDI-P despite the obvious conflict of interest.

Kompas - April 18, 2015

National drugs emergency

Fears that Indonesia is in the grip of a national 'drugs emergency' that is decimating the country's youth were confirmed Monday after the National Narcotics Agency said it had busted an online operation selling marijuana brownies and arrested three people, one of whom attempted to justify the crime – for which they could receive the death penalty – by claiming he was selling them to help people like himself who were living with HIV and Hepatitis C and used marijuana for pain relief.

Kompas - April 15, 2015

Pond of milk

It's not a sea, just a pond of milk, a hook and net is enough to sustain you (from the song Pond of Milk by Koes Plus)

A year-long Associated Press investigation has reveled at least one Indonesian firm – and likely many more – are using slave labor. According to the AP, Pusaka Benjina Resources has been keeping 327 workers, mainly from Burma, working in captivity without pay, on pain of torture or even death.

Kompas - April 8, 2015

A poverty of conscience

Kid: Is there any 'Dilkin' (Justice for the poor) Dad?

Man: What there is... is 'Misnurani'... a poverty of conscience!

Gaskin/Raskin – Subsidised LPG and rice for the poor. Newspaper headlines: Grandmother Asyani, Police vs KPK, Political uproar, Fat bank accounts, Robbers.

Rising dissatisfaction with the government is being fueled by the skyrocketing prices of staple foodstuffs, gas and electricity, and the fluctuation of fuel prices in recent months.

Kompas - April 4, 2015

You've got to be bold and tough

Kid: If you want to fix the law you've got to be bold and tough right Dad?

Signs: 'Politicisation, criminalisation, pretrial motions, remission for corruptors', 'Law enforcement'

President Widodo, who vowed during his election campaign to strengthen the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and end Indonesia's culture of corruption as part of his much touted Nawa Cita or nine priorities agenda, has instead presided over a systematic assault on the KPK by the police (goaded on by the political elite) which threatens to cripple the anti-graft body for good.

Kompas - March 28, 2015

Lee Kuan Yew

Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who once described Indonesian dictator President Suharto as 'a man of the world' and said during a visit to Jakarta in 2006 shortly before Suharto's death that he was 'an old friend of mine and remains a friend until now', has died age 91 after a long illness.

Kompas - March 25, 2015

Asyani

Amid public ire over a government plan to relax a 2012 remission policy for corruption convicts to allow them more sentence reductions, the arrest and trial of 70-year-old grandmother Asyani for allegedly stealing teakwood belonging to state forestry company PT Perhutani, who was eventually released Monday after a massive public outcry, is yet another testament to how the law is strictly enforced against the poor and weak and but lenient on the rich and powerful.

Kompas - March 18, 2015