After a quarter of a century, the movement for change that was supported by students and ordinary people has faded away without any significant improvements. Activists are now trapped under the feet of those in power.

Pro-democracy groups printed underground flyers to support the students in the 1998 Reformasi. They were pursued by authorities.

Cigarette advertisements in the Health Bill. Is it likely to be removed?

The ASEAN Summit at Labuan Bajo did not produce any important agreements. It was just an expensive neighborly chat.

The dispute between Surya Paloh and Jokowi becomes more intense. There is no benefit to the people from this strained relationship.

In the The Drama of Sambo, it turns out that one important element in democracy (often forgotten) can actually be upheld: the armed forces, which are given the right to monopoly of violence, bow before those who hold authority without arms.

The KPU gives the green light to political parties that do not meet the factual verification requirements. This damages democracy.

A number of articles in the new Criminal Code move Indonesia further away from a being a modern democratic nation. It is a perfect collaboration between supporters of the authoritarianism of the New Order era.

While Ganjar Pranowo has yet to attain his ticket to join the election, Anies Baswedan faces imminent failure in his bid for presidential candidacy as he gets mired in a tug-of-war for a vice-presidential candidate. Beware of signs of trickery by political jesters.

A complaint from a Turkish Airlines passenger.

Democracy suffers setbacks in the Jokowi era. Is it true?

Democracy happens because the ignored and belittled rise up to affirm themselves. When Don Quixote was published in 1605, democracy did not exist in daily life. But Cervantes introduced his times to Sancho Panza, an illiterate farm laborer who wanted something impossible: to become governor.

Ali Sadikin started opposing President Suharto after he no longer served as governor of Jakarta. He was ready to run as a presidential candidate.

The unbecoming record of Prabowo Subianto’s participation in the prior two presidential elections makes him unfit to be a candidate leader of the nation. He should select another, more fitting candidate.

The Criminal Code Bill is full of legal threats to personal and political rights. It is anti-democratic.

The vote share threshold requirement for the presidential election strengthens political cartels. Nomination of presidential candidates becomes simply a matter for party elites.

President Jokowi is encouraging several candidates to partake in the 2024 presidential election. These political acrobatics are potentially damaging to democracy.

The victory of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the Philippines presidential election is a threat to democratic life in Indonesia. History can be manipulated using fake news.

Internal conflict to take over the Golkar Party leadership begins to emerge. The Jokowi administration must resist the temptation to interfere.

The government is to impose massive fines on digital platforms that carry ‘forbidden’ contents. This has the potential to stifle freedom of expression.