Sarifuddin Sudding, a People's Conscience (Hanura) Party politician, cracked a joke last Tuesday during the fit-and-proper test of one of the candidates to head the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Basaria Panjaitan. "Actually, I would like to ask more questions, but I see Trimedya keeps looking at me. He's not even blinking," he said to the laughter of those present at the meeting. Trimedya Panjaitan, an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician, only smiled weakly when his colleague cracked a joke at his expense.

THE rain that began to fall in Mojokerto regency, East Java, forced Dwi Heru Kendoyo to rack his brain. The Mojokerto General Elections Commission (KPU) secretary had think up a way to keep the election materials set to be distributed throughout the regency dry. The vote was just a few days away.

Debate raged on last Monday in an important meeting of the House of Representatives' (DPR) ethics committee. At hand was the question of whether Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said had the requisite legal standing to report an ethical violation by DPR Speaker Setya Novanto. Members of the panel were divided in their views.

Debate among members on the House of Representatives' (DPR) Law Commission spread over a record-breaking three days last week as lawmakers struggled to come to consensus on the status of four of eight candidates for Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) commissioner. "The selection committee did not work systematically," complained Taufiqulhadi, a commission member from the National Democratic (NasDem) faction.

SR. Comr. Daniel Bolly Tifaona recently invited five members of the Bekasi Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) as well as Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi to his office. The Bekasi city police chief wanted to brainstorm solutions for solving Jakarta's growing trash problem.

BAMBANG Brodjonegoro slipped out of the budget meeting held at the budget division office at the House of Representatives (DPR) complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, around midnight two weeks ago. The meeting between the government and the House of Representatives became stuck in stalemate as the Gerindra Party refused to endorse the government's budget proposal. Accompanied by his special staffer Arif Budimanta, the finance minister then headed toward Hotel Dharmawangsa in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, where Gerindra's Chairman Prabowo Subianto and Secretary-General Ahmad Muzani were already waiting.