Endangered wildlife

Kid: There are some animals that'll never become extinct right Dad...

Headline reads 'Endangered wildlife', badges read 'Political Elite', 'Business Owner'

Conservationists warn that the tiger population in the rainforests of Sumatra is vanishing at a staggering rate with as few as 400 animals remaining and that the primary cause is the expansion of palm oil and pulpwood plantations which are responsible for nearly two-thirds of the destruction of tiger habitats.

Kompas - April 9, 2016

Collusion

Human rights groups say that there has been a sharp rise in human rights violations in recent years as a result of people being forced off their land – often with the backing of the military and police – due to collusion between the private sector and government officials who award projects to private companies in exchange for political and financial support.

Kompas - April 6, 2016

Buying a Cat in a Sack

Kid: Once again, we'll be buying a cat in a sack (lit: to buy something without knowing what it is) right Dad?

Headlines read: Independents vs political parties, regional elections, tripping someone up, political acrobatics, political bride price.

More than 23,000 people have signed an online petition rejecting a proposal by lawmakers to tighten requirements on independent candidates running for office which many see as a ruse by the parties to maintain control over local elections and specifically to block the reelection of Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama.

Kompas - March 19, 2016

Medical Checkup

Document in pocket reads 'crystal methamphetamine', chair on head reads 'regional head', documents in hand read 'manipulation' and 'medical checkup'.

Amid the government's so called 'war on drugs', the arrest of several senior regional government officials for drug possession and reports of rampant drug use among civil servants have led to call for pre-election medical checkups for candidates running for regional elections.

Kompas - March 16, 2016

Cabinet Reshuffle

Public bickering and poor coordination between members of President Widodo's so-call 'working cabinet' (Kabinet Kerja), which many are blaming on the president's weak leadership over his ministers, the majority of which are appointees from the political parties that backed his election campaign who are pursuing their own personal and political interests, is undermining public confidence in the government and leading to calls for a yet another cabinet reshuffle.

Kompas - March 5, 2016

Poverty levels rising

President Widodo has said that poverty levels are rising on account of slow economic growth and food-price increases resulting in the gini coefficient, which reflects the gap between rich and the poor, rising to 0.41 in September 2015. This however ignores the fact that robust economic growth of above 6% in previous years also saw the rich taking an larger share of wealth at the expense of the poor with the top 10% now controlling around 80% of the country's wealth.

Kompas - March 2, 2016

We must be competitive

Widodo: We must be competitive

Despite warnings that Indonesia desperately needs to solve problems such as a lack of research (riset) funding, interest rates, logistics costs, energy and bureaucracy ahead of the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (MEA), President Widodo is already talking up joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) which activists say would open the country to being sued by disgruntled foreign investors, violate labour laws and undermine the availability of cheap generic medicines.

Kompas - February 24, 2016

As long as we're safe

Kid: For us it doesn't matter if we're late as long as we're safe right Dad? (sign reads 'Economy Class')

Ignoring safety concerns, conflicts with existing special plans and the loss of vital water catchment areas, the government appears determined to proceed with a high-speed train project dubbed PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC) connecting Jakarta with Bandung, which will cost a whopping US$5.5 billion that many say would be better spent on desperately needed repairs and the expansion of Indonesia's existing rail network.

Kompas - February 20, 2016

Anti-Corruption Law

Kid: Is it to empower or weaken who Dad?

Not content with replacing the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) leadership with more compliant commissioners which anti-graft activists say have dubious records on fighting corruption, the government and the House of Representatives is ignoring widespread public opposition and pushing ahead with plans to revise the anti-corruption law (RUU KPK) aimed at limiting the anti-graft body's power to investigate and prosecute graft cases.

Kompas - February 13, 2016

Senayan style boxing

Kid: This is most certainly a case of Senayan style boxing

Women's rights activists are demanding justice be served in the case of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle lawmaker Masinton Pasaribu who allegedly punched his female aide in the eye. Despite saying that it would work with police to resolve the case, the House of Representatives' (Senayan) ethics council – notorious for shielding lawmakers from ethical and criminal investigations – appears reluctant to take the case seriously saying it is unable to proceed due to lack of evidence.

Kompas - February 6, 2016

We Are Not Afraid

Crowd: We are not afraid

Corruptor: We are not afraid of taking bribes, corruption...

In stark contrast to his government's increasingly soft stand against corruption – which many see as a far greater threat to the country than terrorism – with plans by lawmakers to further weaken the Corruption Eradication Commission and a tax amnesty for corruptors with money parked overseas, President Widodo has called on the nation not to cower in the face of terrorism following the attack in Jakarta on Thursday which left four people dead and 24 injured.

Kompas - January 30, 2016

No rain

Despite the rainy season having begun in November, global warming exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon has resulted in rain still not falling on parts of eastern Indonesia with farmers reporting widespread harvest failures. Environmental activists meanwhile have lambasted the government for its failure to reduce carbon emissions amid plans to build hundreds of new coal-fired electricity plants.

Kompas - January 27, 2016

Golkar leadership dispute

Man: I am indeed thinking about it.

Kid: Think about me too Dad.

The destructive leadership dispute within the Golkar Party symbolised by the banyan tree appears unlikely to end anytime soon as the rival camps within the party are still insisting on their respective agendas, with the Aburizal Bakrie camp kicking off its national leadership meeting on Saturday while Agung Laksono's camp continues to push for a national congress to elect a new party leader.

Kompas - January 23, 2016

Regional Budget

Box reads 'Regional Budget'

Kompas - January 20, 2016

Toothless Tiger

Dentist: We have to do routine checks on your dental health Mr... so you're not prone to losing all your teeth!

Having replaced the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) most combatative commissioners with more 'compliant' interim chiefs, late last year President Widodo swore in five new leaders which anti-graft activists say have dubious records on fighting corruption and will severely weaken the highly respected commission which had gained widespread public support for its aggressive prosecution of corrupt officials, judges, generals and politicians.

Kompas - January 9, 2016

Infrastructure not felt by all

President Joko Widodo's 'grand' plan to boost economic growth by attracting investment for infrastructure, which despite a significant increase in state spending is still very much dependent on partnerships with the private sector, has inevitably resulted in investments largely flowing into profitable projects such as electricity generating capacity for business and toll roads for those who can afford cars, while ordinary Indonesian have yet to see any real benefits.

Kompas - January 6, 2016