Islamist cleric Abu Bakar Bashir used his final defense against charges of funding a militant group on Wednesday to denounce the United States for trying to stop Islamic preaching in Indonesia. Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for the frail Bashir, 72, who delivered a speech in a piercing voice accusing the government of of [...]

In response to rising radicalism in Indonesia, the heads of eight state institutions agreed to strengthen Pancasila within the country. “All state institutions should commit to actively strengthening Pancasila as the nation’s ideology according to their specific roles, positions and authorities,” the head of the Constitutional Court, Mahfud MD said, reading a joint statement issued [...]

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday finally signed a new agreement with members of his supporting coalition, one that now provided no room for differences on strategic issues. “This morning, the coalition parties met with a single agenda — to sign an enhanced and renewed agreement,” Yudhoyono said prior to a cabinet meeting at the [...]

Denpasar. Concerned by Bali’s rapidly increasing crime rate and the effect it may have on the island’s tourism, the head of the province’s police on Sunday issued a shoot-on-sight order for criminals targeting foreigners. “The police have to act firmly, and, if necessary, shoot on sight if perpetrators try to escape arrest,” Insp. Gen. Hadiatmoko [...]

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono flies to India today for a three-day state visit with the promise of $12 billion in bilateral business deals waiting to be signed, pushing India to the forefront as one of Indonesia’s biggest foreign investors. The 15 major deals, in the areas of infrastructure, natural resources, manufacturing and services, are due [...]