Since the mid 1990s, Indonesia has significantly reformed its intellectual property laws. These reforms were effected to bring Indonesia's laws into line with the World Trade Organisation's Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPs) Agreement, which requires WTO members to provide...

It is often difficult, if not impossible, to have judicial decisions enforced in Indonesia. This article discusses the legal loopholes within Indonesian law, used by some parties to avoid complying with a judicial decision unfavourable to them. In particular, surat sakti (magic memos) - letters...

The proper position of Islam within the Indonesian state, and within the Indonesian legal system, are matters of significant debate in Indonesia. This article considers the Indonesian state's attempts to regulate Islamic law on polygamy and mixed marriages, and to reform Indonesia's Islamic...

Timor Leste's formal legal system is in disarray. Its major legal institutions suffer from serious budgetary, competence and integrity problems. In recent years, countries with similar problems, such as Bangladesh and the Philippines, have allowed the use of local village-level dispute...

In 2009, Indonesia’s national parliament enacted Undang-Undang Nomor 28 Tahun 2009 tentang Pajak Daerah dan Retribusi Daerah [Law No 28 of 2009 on Regional Taxes and User Charges] (‘2009 Law’). According to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, this statute was enacted to address...

The Indonesian Anti-Corruption Commission (Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi, or KPK) and Anti-Corruption Court (Pengadilan Tindak Pidana Korupsi, or Tipikor Court), both established in 2003 and reputedly corruption-free, have been making steady progress in the investigation, prosecution and...