Two international reports on Indonesian police brutality and military abuses of human rights.
Blogs and social networks are helping Indonesians to become more vocal and to fight for their rights of free speech, as in the case of Prita Mulyasari.
Doubts over president Yudhoyono’s ability to win re-election, and a poll, Sby-Boediono, Megabowo, or JK-Wiranto.
The wives of the JK-Win team, jilbab wearers Mufidah Kalla and Uga Wiranto, are hot stuff in the battle for Muslim votes, while Ani Yudhoyono and Herawati Boediono are not.
The book Ilusi Negara Islam: Ekspansi Gerakan Islam Transnasional di Indonesia, The Illusion of an Islamic State: the Expansion of Transnational Islamic movements in Indonesia.
Indonesian customer service people are officially the most smiley in the world.
BI governor Boediono for vice president, a neo-liberal and not religious enough.
Nahdlatul Ulama does battle against both right and left wing Muslim extremists.
The crime of 2009, a murder of businessman Nasrudin Zulkarnaen implicating Antasari Azhar and a beautiful golf caddy, Rani Julianti.
Censorship of Sasak pop and dangdut music in Lombok.
How Indonesia is facing up to the pig or swine flu virus, H1N1 influenza.
Who will president Yudhoyono choose as his running mate for the Indonesia Bisa campaign.
Whether to ban nikah siri informal marriages, Rhoma Irama and Abu Bakar Bashir are on opposite sides.
Is political Islam off the map in Indonesia?
Provisional results for the 2009 national parliamentary general election in Indonesia.
Allegations of money politics and vote buying against Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono.
A policeman from Aceh becomes police chief of Bali, and is worried about public nudity at Kuta and on the roads.
2009 Indonesian election ‘pesta demokrasi’ - funny campaign posters and billboards.
Taoists are clamouring to have their religion recognised by the government.
How Indonesia handles the Darfur conflict in Sudan, in comparison to that of Palestine.
The alignment of forces for the 2009 elections, the Golden coalitions of political parties.
High quality photos of aspects of the 2009 elections from Yogyakarta.
Over 80 people die in a flooding disaster at Situ Gintung, Cireundeu in south Jakarta, pictures and video of the tragedy.
Usage of religious symbolism in politics, examples of election campaign posters.
Indonesia’s interpretation of human rights in respect of freedom of choice in religion, and secularism.
Agnes Monica annoys Malaysians for the wrong reasons, with her new hit song Allah Peduli.
Buddhist symbols are misused at a Buddhism themed club in Jakarta, the Buddha Bar.
Bright ideas are coming thick and fast from the East Java police chief, headscarves or jilbab for women police officers uniforms.
Educating the public about the pornography bill and judicial review cases against UU Porno at the Constitutional Court.
Some of the last holdouts against Islam on Java have their marriages sponsored and blessed by Hidayahtullah.
The building of specifically Hindu religious schools for primary and secondary education.
Videos of Balinese life 1910-1936 focusing on rice fields, ceremonies, cockfighting, and bare breasted young women.
The magical faith healing stone of young boy Ponari is big business for the small village of Balongsari in East Java.
Positive image building for police officers, religion and praying to improve the bad image of the police force.
Intelligence tests for presidential candidates, and how do Indonesians fare in world IQ rankings.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Demokrat Party is all things to all men and has no real political enemies and appeals to everyone.
Signs of the end of times are read at a dangdut concert in Blora, spectators are barely moved however.
Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X of Yogyakarta goes online to launch his bid for the presidency.
Whether nuclear power is suitable for Indonesia, or are Indonesians too absent minded to manage it.
Voters in Indramayu are threatened with hellfire by Irianto MS Syafiuddin unless the Golkar Party is supported in 2009.
Reading and writing in Arabic is a must for civil servants in Bogor.
For the gentleman who needs a little extra oomph, herbal viagra remedies vs. factory produced stimulants, strong man medicine.
Goyang under threat again, whether the governor of West Java wants to ban jaipong dance for being too sexy.
Another East Timor in Papua, lack of development in the province, and racism by other Indonesians towards Papuans.
Dealing with the Zionist movement and Freemasonry in Bandung, calls for banning of the Rotary & Lions Clubs.
Demilitarization in Papua, Aceh, and Maluku, the difficult process of removing military influence in politics.
A gang rape of an Indonesian maid in Saudi Arabia has the Indonesian press caught napping.
The six new fatwas from the Majelis Ulama Indonesia, against vasectomies and abstaining at election time and more.
The real and true story of a young boy circumcised by a ghost.
Perceptions of corruption at government departments, and the use of brokers and agents at immigration offices.
Photographer Ilham Anas’ new career as Barack Obama celebrity lookalike and impersonator.
Revalina S Temat stars in the latest blockbuster Islamic theme movie, Perempuan Berkalung Sorban.
Celebrity Islamist political candidates, including mother daughter team, Emilia Contessa and Denada Tambunan, line up for the Development Party in 2009.
Burung Koel looks forward to next week’s Asian football Cup qualifier in Jakarta between Indonesia and Australia.
Account from the capital as Dutch dredging engineers are helping Jakartans to reduce the effect of floods.
Protests against the Israel conflict in the Gaza Strip mirror those over the 2006 Israeli invasion of Lebanon.
Has Megawati Soekarnoputri got the necessary Islamic credentials to be president, again, or does she like shopping too much.
A teenage Australian girl from Queensland finds Islam in Lampung and becomes a revert.
Sectarian violence over classroom blasphemy allegations in Masohi, the Central Moluccas, involving Welhelmina Holle and Asmara Wasahua.
Local people in Tasikmalaya are roused to action to prevent mysterious cave men and women rituals.
Beautiful, possibly thuggish actress Marcella Zalianty, the last moments of a celebrity goat, and creative use of cutlery.
The importance of rituals, public signs reminding people about their obligations to perform salaat, daily Muslim prayers.
The Mumbai terror attacks and getting the wrong impression of Islam.
A tale of two not very likeable characters - Roy Suryo reports Dewa 19 & Ahmad Dhani to the police for flag desecration.
Two stories of physical abuse of Indonesian maids abroad, in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.
MUI leader Cholil Ridwan says Kompas newspaper is a western papist tool for undermining and attacking Islam.
Indonesian Muslim yoga enthusiasts are asked to suspend their yoga activities while the MUI examines the pressing issue of whether it is haram.
Adam Malik, former vice president in the Soeharto era, is accused of having been an American CIA agent.
Whether teenagers know how to put on a condom, and free distribution of condoms.
Early pre-election opinion poll results have president Yudhoyono’s Partai Demokrat leading the way.
A film that touches on events of 1965 starring Marcella Zalianty and directed by Eros Djarot runs afoul of the Solo police.
Politicians waging war on poverty via billboards, and bus riding buskers.
Transsexual television personality Dorce Gamalama pays her last respects to the executed Imam Samudera.
The Justice Party, PKS is not a bringer of Wahhabism, Saudi Arabian Wahabi Islam to Indonesia.
The execution by firing squad of Amrozi, Muklas, and Imam Samudra.
Indonesia can’t get enough of the news that Barry Soetoro aka Barack Obama has won the US election.
Justice Party political ads on television, how the PKS is approaching the 2009 election.
Update and results of the East Java election, and winning the votes of the Nahdlatul Ulama faithful.
How much coverage Indonesia gets in the major news papers of the world, like the New York Times.
Bugils bar owner Bartele Santema, a Barack Obama coffee shop, and the Wall Street Journal.
The controversy over Syech Puji, a politician-cleric’s marriage, and underage lust for young girls in Semarang.
Famous Indonesian Indomie & Indofood TV commercials and other videos.
Investigations into political kidnapping cases 1997 and 1998, questioning of former generals and current politicians.
Legendary actress Suzanna, the Queen of Horror films.
A minority within a minority, organization and numbers of Chinese Muslims in Java and North Sumatra.
The top 500 world’s best rated universities list.
Atheist beliefs lead to murder, educating against atheists in schools and universities.
A vitriolic hate speech attack on the presence of smelly expat workers in Jakarta.
How the PKS attempts winning the hearts and minds of ordinary people and voters, through provision of social services.
An English transliteration of Indonesian porn laws.
Copyright Indonesia Matters 2006-09