#INDONESIA: New Law Bans Sex Outside Of Marriage

[world politics news]

Indonesia's parliament has approved a new criminal code that bans anyone in the country from having extramarital sex and restricts political freedoms.

Sex outside marriage will carry a jail term of up to a year under the new laws, which take effect in three years.

The raft of changes come after a rise in religious conservatism in the Muslim-majority country.

Critics see the laws as a "disaster" for human rights, and a potential blow to tourism and investment.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#INDONESIA: Parliament Approves Higher Energy Subsidies

[world politics news]

The Indonesian parliament's budget committee had approved a government request to raise 2022 energy subsidies and compensation by 349.9 trillion rupiah ($23.75 billion) to keep some energy prices unchanged, its chair Said Abdullah said.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#INDONESIA: Vote On Bill Banning Pre-Marital & Gay Sex Delayed After Mass Protests

[world politics news]

Thousands of students protested at rallies across Indonesia on Monday against a new criminal code that would outlaw sex outside marriage and gay sex, as lawmakers met the president to discuss how to proceed with a bill that has divided Indonesians.

President Joko Widodo on Friday ordered a delay in a planned vote on the controversial bill – originally slated for Tuesday – and said 14 articles needed further review before it was deliberated by a new parliament, whose term begins next month.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#INDONESIA: Presidential Election Enters Final Days; Pres. Widodo Seeks Second Five-Year Term Wednesday

[world politics news]

Indonesian president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo touted his infrastructure achievements and “clean” human rights records as campaigning wrapped up on Saturday, ushering in a three-day cooling-off period ahead of Wednesday’s general election.

Some 200,000 Indonesians, mostly dressed in white, flocked to Jakarta’s main stadium to support Widodo and his vice-presidential running mate Ma’ruf Amin, in a show of force that brought the capital’s downtown area to a standstill since the early morning.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#INDONESIA: President Seeks Islamist Votes; Meanwhile, Attacks On Christian Burial Sites Rise

[world politics news]

Police are investigating the desecration of 11 Christian tombs that were desecrated at a public cemetery in Giriloyo, in a perceived attack against Christians. The graveyard had wooden crosses removed from burial stones, and burial stones were smashed with a hammer, destroying parts of the burial site.

This is one of several incidents signaling deeper divisions between Indonesian Christians and the country's President, Joko Widodo, who is running for re-election next April against Islamist political parties who have accused him of not being a “good Muslim.” Fears of a worldwide crackdown against Christianity are rising.

 [FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#INDONESIA: Pres. Candidate Prabowo Subianto Would Halt Work On Chinese-Funded High-Speed Rail Project If Elected

[world politics news]

Infrastructure projects Indonesia signed up to as part of China's Belt and Road Initiative are likely to be reviewed if former general Prabowo Subianto wins next year’s presidential election, his brother and campaign leader has said. One of the projects that would be reviewed was the US$4.5 billion high-speed railway currently being built to connect Jakarta and the city of Bandung, about 150km apart. The railway is being funded by loans from China Development Bank.

WHY SHOULD AMERICANS CARE?
This and other projects being put on hold and cancelled throughout Asia signal a bit of push-back and concern raised by Asian nations about China's influence and reach in the region. Those who counted the USA out as a positive influence in the region perhaps were ascribing too much "inevitability" to the idea that this was China's Century, and China's alone. There's still room for other players, at least.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#INDONESIA: Quake/Tsunami Response Hurt Pres. Windodo's Re-Election Bid Next May

[world politics news]

Indonesia’s earthquake and tsunami could raise political risks for President Joko Widodo as he prepares a bid for re-election next year, with opponents keen to find fault in his handling of the disaster.

The government left itself open to criticism for failing to maintain a tsunami warning system set up after a 2004 quake and tsunami killed 226,000 people in 13 countries around the Indian Ocean.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#INDONESIA: Pres. Widodo And 2019 VP Runningmate Undergo Mandatory Med Exams

[world politics news]

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and his running mate, Ma'ruf Amin, concluded mandatory medical checkups as part of a verification process in preparation for next year's presidential election. Jokowi, 57, and Ma'ruf, 75, were subjected to medical examinations at Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital in Central Jakarta for around 12 hours.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#INDONESIA: New Anti-Terror Law Seeks To Protect Churches After Attacks

[world politics news]

Weeks after a radicalized Muslim family committed suicide attacks on churches in the city of Surabaya, Indonesia, the country passed an anti-terror law meant to prevent more attacks and foster the majority-Muslim country’s tolerant culture.

[FULL STORY HERE]

PICTURED: Indonesian President Joko Widodo, center, visits the scene of a church attacks in Surabaya, Indonesia, in May.

#INDONESIA: Top Court Overturns Discriminatory Religious ID Law

[world politics news]

Indonesia's top court has overturned a law that denied recognition and legal rights to followers of indigenous faiths. The Constitutional Court said articles in the 2013 Civil Administration Law were discriminatory and unjust. The law effectively required followers of faiths not among the six recognized by the government to list one of the official religions on their national identity card or be denied basic rights such as marriage registration and land titles.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#INDONESIA: Gov't Wants To Keep 3.5% Threshold For Parties Winning Seats In Parliament

[world politics news]

The government has signaled it plans to keep in place a requirement that parties contesting elections for parliament earn 3.5% of the national vote total to win any seats. Some smaller parties had urged elimination of the requirement. Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said it doesn't have the votes to raise the percentage, or it would. Even if smaller parties win more than 3.5% in regional elections, that would not qualify them for seats in the House of Representatives.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#INDONESIA: Parties May Join Forces To Back Popular Businessman For Gov. Of Jakarta In 2017

[world politics news]

Members of the Prosperous Justice Party say they may be willing to support Jakarta's incumbent governor, may be willing to support another party's candidate. In a move to form a new political alliance against incumbent Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, the Prosperous Justice Party, or PKS, indicated that it would likely support businessman Sandiaga Uno, whom the Great Indonesian Movement Party, better known as Gerindra, has nominated as its candidate for the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election in  the Special Capital City District.

Pictured: Businessman Sandiaga Uno, right, who has been nominated by the Indonesian Movement Party to run for governor of Jakarta in 2017.

#INDONESIA: Tax Amnesty Hopes To Rake In Billions In Repatriated Unpaid Tax Bills

[world politics news]

Parliament passed a tax amnesty law aimed at repatriating billions of dollars from wealthy Indonesians abroad and from tax evaders at home to help finance infrastructure and boost economic growth. The law grants special tax rates of 2 percent to 10 percent to tax evaders who declare their past earnings, compared to normal personal income tax rates of 5 to 30%. Enterprises below $757,700 in assets will get a 0.5% rate, while those with greater assets will be levied a 2 percent rate. Normal tax rates are as high as 25%.

#INDONESIA: Election Officials Fear "Puppet Candidates" Running To Avoid Delays As National Politicians Banned From Running

[world politics news]

Parties are finding themselves without candidates for December's regional elections are turning to "filler" or "puppet" candidates after a new law banned those serving in national offices from seeking regional seats. If a region fails to find candidates (and it's happened in two regions) elections could be postponed until 2017.

#INDONESIA: Lawmaker To Face Possible Criminal Charges After Punching Fellow Member During Hearing

[world politics news]

A politician from the United Development Party (PPP) will likely face disciplinary action and possibly criminal charges for punching a fellow lawmaker who interrupted him while he was speaking during a hearing. Mustafa Assegaf will face the House honorary council for punching the deputy head of the committee of which he's a part.

#AUSTRALIA: PM Abbott Warns Indonesia Ties Will Suffer if Aussie Drug Smugglers Executed

[world politics news]

Indonesia’s pending executions of two Australians has hurt the two nations’ relationship, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said, as they were moved to an island prison, where they will face a firing squad. They were arrested on the island of Bali in 2005 for attempting to carry heroin through the airport.

#INDONESIA: Dep. Anti-Corruption Chief Arrested, Charged With Witness Tampering in 2010 Election Case

[world politics news]

Police arrested Corruption Eradication Commission deputy chief Bambang Widjojanto Friday, charging him with instructing witnesses to perjure themselves at a Constitutional Court hearing in 2010. During that case Bambang served as a lawyer for candidates in a district head election in West Kotawaringin, Central Kalimantan.

#INDONESIA: Jakarta Governor Jokes That "Jinn" Demons Downed Plane

[world politics news]

Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama suggested Monday that jinn (demons) might be behind the downing of AirAsia flight QZ8501, which crashed en route from Surabaya, East Java to Singapore with 162 people on board. Social media were quick to attack the political leader, who is known for his "wisecracks."

#INDONESIA: #Golkar Party May Try for Third Convention After Rival Factions Install Their Own Chairs

[world politics news]

Politicians have called for a third national convention to unite two opposing camps that have named their own leaders of the country’s oldest party. The first convention saw Aburizal Bakrie re-elected as chairman, but a rival Jakarta convention held a few days earlier elected Agung Laksono.

#INDONESIA: VP #JusufKalla Calls On His Own Party's Chair to "Graciously Quit"

[world politics news]

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla criticized Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie for seeking re-election, citing the party’s poor results in this year’s election. He and other party leaders are blaming Aburizal after the party won just 91 seats in the House of Representatives, down from 107 in 2009.