Indonesia Growing Good Blogs, Hatemails and Asia Blog Awards · Global Voices
A. Fatih Syuhud

Indonesia blogosphere this last two years has witnessed the growing and heartening development of good blogging and quality bloggers to cheer about.  This, for most reason, due to the emergence of some Indonesian intellectuals, writers and journalists who start showing their interests to blog.  I have some of good bloggers featured in the Indonesian Blogger of the Week.
Some other reasons as to why they are interested to blog are (a) the full-fledge democracy with freedom of expression attached to it and at the same time (b) the space-limit and  tendentious and sometimes bias decision on the part of mainstream media in publishing an op-ed article are seen as  factors which are contributing to their growing interest to blog.  The infuence of globalization, of course, cannot be ignored.
Despite the full freedom we enjoy, however, another kind of  “repression of freedom” comes not from the government. Instead, it comes from individual(s) or militant organisation who feel “annoyed” by critical postings of some bloggers.
Yosef Ardi , for example, who is blogging regularly on Indonesian riches and VIPs, once commented in Enda‘s blog that he had received “complains” from three conglomerates regarding his posts.
While Indonesia Anonymus, also a journalist like Yosef Ardi, told us that he just received 127 hatemails with different addresses and different contents but he believes it came  from the same individual or organisation, apparently from a militant organisation member.  He reposts the hatemails after he translate it into English.  Many comments of sympathy and supports  in his “hatemails post”. Here are some of those.
An anonymous commenter said:
Keep on blogging, never mind those hatemails. We need to show the world that we ‘Indonesians’ are not just a bunch of fanatics. We're once known as an open minded people. So, let's prove that to the world. For that person(s) who sent those hatemails, shame on you for trying to force your own opinion upon others. Instead of putting to much energy into non essential matters, why don't we put our minds together to fight the rising poverties in Indonesia ?
Andry said:
Well, from the way I see it you already knew how risky blog is at the first place. Despite of your “dancing words” I love to learn one or two things from this blog because you have a gut. Writing for popular demand –pleasing everyone—wouldn’t take us nowhere but writing our opinion (with true intention, I trust you) draws controversy but in time build a credibility.
Is Indonesia politics  going more to Right?
Martin Manurung, one of new emerging insightful blogger highlight the current tendency of Indonesia's politics which he thinks is going more to right (read, religious conservatism).  He supports his analytical view with a table on 2004 Election Result Based on Political Parties’ Ideologies which will give his readers more clear picture on current trend on Indonesia's politics.  He's, and all of us, understandably worried if the current Indonesia political trend is increasing, especially in the context of freedom of expression safety in case Indonesian people vote for the right wing parties in mass-scale in the coming general and provincial election.
Asia Blog Awards: Indonesia
Well, with the growing good and quality blogs, I think Jakartass, who is been busy nowadays as the judge for Asia Blog Awards Indonesia category will be excited in seeing the growing quality blog and at the same time confused to pick one.