Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – The founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), Dino Patti Djalal, has provided five suggestions to President Prabowo Subianto, who has been criticized for frequently traveling abroad.

Shinta Maharani, Jakarta – Hundreds of academics, activists, civil society organization activists, and communities consolidated at the University Club of Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on Saturday, May 30, 2026.

Tilda Colling – Jose da Costa was born "in the middle of a war". It was 1976, one year after Indonesia's invasion of the Portuguese territory then known as East Timor.

"My family ran to the bush to hide," he said. "I was born in the bush."

Jakarta – Former Indonesian defense minister and army chief Ryamizard Ryacudu died on Sunday at the age of 76 after undergoing treatment at a military hospital in Jakarta, his family said.

According to family members, Ryamizard died while receiving treatment at Gatot Subroto Army Hospital. The illness he suffered was not disclosed.

Rabin Yarangga, Biak, Papua – At least five people were killed and five others hospitalized after a suspected World War II-era bomb exploded in Biak Numfor Regency, Papua, on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

The explosion occurred beneath a stilt house near the shoreline on Walter Mongonsidi Street in Biak town, destroying several nearby homes.

Erfan Maruf, Jakarta – Indonesia will officially begin implementing a centralized export system for selected natural resource commodities on June 1 through Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia (DSI), a newly established state-owned entity designed to improve trade transparency and prevent revenue leakage from exports.

The world can learn diplomatic lessons from Asean, East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta has said in a strongly worded rebuke to existing global power structures.

He acknowledged that Asean was "not heaven on earth", achieving consensus was "frustratingly slow" and security challenges persisted, singling out Myanmar's civil war.

Aida Ulim, Jayapura, Jubi – Representatives of Papuan women have called for resistance against oppression and National Strategic Projects (PSN) across Papua. The call was made during a free speech forum organized by the Save the Homeland Alliance (SETARA).

Imam Suhartadi, Jakarta – A recent survey has shown that operational costs have taken out a huge chunk out of Indonesia's ride-hailing drivers' monthly income, slashing what they bring home a month to just Rp 1.7 million ($95).

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate slides past 17,880 in Friday's trading, marking a decline compared to the previous week. As the rupiah continues to fall, several banks are selling the currency for over Rp18,000 per US dollar.

Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura, Jubi – The Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) in Merauke has urged President Prabowo Subianto to instruct the Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander to end military involvement in the Indigenous land dispute involving the Kamuyend clan in Merauke Regency, South Papua, and to respect both the crosses erected by Indigenous communities as blockade markers and

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has said that Indonesia is doing a good job by upgrading its military arsenal, as Washington wants allies to share the burden of beefing up "collective defense".

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia is hoping to turn the weakening rupiah into a tourist magnet, as the currency continues to near Rp 18,000 against the greenback.

Singgih Wiryono, Jakarta – Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) activist As'ad Aras recounted one of the dark rooms where GSF activists were tortured after being captured by Israeli soldiers.

He said each GSF activist was put into the room one by one, then tortured, regardless of age or gender.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The chief statistician has defended the credibility of the country's 5.61% year-on-year economic growth figure for the first quarter of 2026, responding to criticism from economists who questioned whether the data accurately reflected broader economic conditions.

Indonesia, West Papua – The documentary Pesta Babi ("Pig Feast"), which examines land dispossession and the impact of resource extraction and military operations on Indigenous communities in West Papua, was officially released on JubiTV's YouTube channel on 22 May 2026 after being shown at more than 1,800 public viewings.

On 26 May 2026, members of the Marine Corps (TNI-AL) allegedly arrested the two Papuan pupils Atinus Payage, 16, and Aman Heluka, 17, (see photo on top, source: independent HRD) in the Paradiso area of Dekai, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Highlands Province. The boys were taken away in a military truck.

Antara, Jakarta – The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has assured the public that subsidized fuel prices will remain unchanged through the end of 2026 despite mounting pressure on the rupiah, which has weakened to as low as Rp 17,877 against the US dollar.

Endang Mulyani, Jakarta – The Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) on Friday warned that Indonesia's plan to build 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar power capacity will depend not only on massive investment, but also on improvements in procurement systems, land readiness, and renewable energy regulations.

James Balowski – International Labour Day was commemorated by thousands of Indonesian workers, students, and civil society activists in major cities across the country.

Singapore – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and President To Lam met with President of Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta in Singapore on Friday.

Jakarta – The Education and Teachers Association (P2G) has criticised President Prabowo Subianto's instruction for all schools in Indonesia to start requiring French as a subject.

A legal aid group called for dialogue and an end to Indonesia's military involvement in Papua amid an ongoing land dispute over a state-backed food and energy project that triggered intense tension and protests.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia is forging ahead with its plan to require its citizens to submit facial biometrics data before they can register their new phone numbers starting in July.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto wants Indonesian schools to teach French, further expanding the list of new foreign languages to be included in the country's curriculum.

Yvette Tanamal, Jakarta – After four days at sea attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and another four confined inside an overcrowded container turned prison by Israeli forces, 24-year-old activist Hendro Prasetyo said he returned with many emotions, but fear was not among them. What grew instead, he said, was outrage and determination.

Maudey Khalisha, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has instructed the reactivation of Bandung's Husein Sastranegara Airport for commercial flights, alongside plans to reopen Yogyakarta's Adisutjipto Airport, according to officials in the West Java capital.

On 1 May 2026, members of Kodim 1711/Boven Digoel allegedly detained four political activists in the grounds of the Catholic Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Mawan Village, Mandobo District, Boven Digoel Regency, South Papua Province (see photo on top, source: independent HRD).

Muhammad Yoppy Adhi Hernawan – Indonesian universities are more than just administrative units in the state hierarchy. Law 12 of 2012 on Higher Education protects academic freedom, freedom of academic expression, and scientific autonomy.

The two elephants were found dead in the Indonesian province of Bengkulu, in an area of "production forest" in southern Sumatra. The mother and her calf were lying side by side with their tusks still intact.

Tri Listiyarini, Jakarta – Indonesian sugar farmers are urging the government to ensure the country's upcoming E10 fuel-blending program uses only domestically produced molasses, arguing that a surplus of local supply could support renewable energy goals while improving farmers' incomes.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – Indonesia's top Islamic clerical body has defended President Prabowo Subianto's use of state funds to purchase sacrificial cattle for the Eid al-Adha, saying the policy is permissible under Islamic law because the animals are intended for public benefit rather than personal use.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The rupiah has entered a phase of excessive depreciation and is now trading significantly weaker than what Indonesia's long-term economic fundamentals would justify, according to an economist.

Anastasya Lavenia Yudi, Jakarta – The rupiah exchange rate has once again plummeted on Thursday morning, May 28, 2026, to the level of Rp17,870 per US dollar. Director of PT Traze Andalan Futures, Ibrahim Assuaibi, laid out the external and internal factors to today's rupiah depreciation.

Vidya Pinandhita, Jakarta – Education watchdogs are pressing the government to immediately enforce a Constitutional Court ruling mandating free basic education at both public and private schools, a year after the decision was issued with no concrete follow-up from the state.

Singgih Wiryono, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid has condemned the forced disbandment of a congregation service held by the Prosperous Mission Church (GSM) in Bantul, Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY), on Sunday May 24.

Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said he was "stressed" by the rupiah's sharp depreciation after the currency briefly weakened to around Rp 17,848 against the US dollar, although he insisted the government remains confident in the country's economic fundamentals.

On 19 May 2026, joint security forces apprehended Mr Ruben Kobak alias Kone Kobak, the Head of Diplomacy for the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Yahukimo Regional Branch, in Dekai Town, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Pegunungan Province.

Adlu Raharusun, Manokwari, Jubi – Legal Aid Foundation (YLBH) Sisar Matiti has questioned the progress of a legal investigation into the alleged misuse of Rp12 billion in rehabilitation and reconstruction grant funds from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) allocated to the Teluk Wondama regency administration.

Alfitria Nefi Pratiwi, Jakarta – The Chairperson of the Indonesian Retail Entrepreneurs Association, Solihin, confirmed the temporary shutdown of dozens of modern retail outlets in Central Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara. "There are a total of 25 shops, including franchise stores," Solihin said on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – More than a decade after the palm oil industry embraced a pledge to not deforest, clear tropical peatlands, or use exploitative practices, policies to that end now cover most of the global palm oil trade, as major traders, refiners and consumer brands have pledged to keep deforestation-linked palm oil out of their supply chains.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Culture Minister Fadli Zon announced that the new national history book titled 'Sejarah Indonesia: Dinamika Kebangsaan dalam Arus Global' (Indonesian History: National Dynamics in Global Currents) is slated for publication this coming August.

Tempo, Jakarta – The Head of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, stated that the consumption patterns of Indonesian society have shifted toward experience-based spending, including transportation, restaurants, hotels, and travel.

Johnny Blades – A West Papuan independence activist says AI-generated fake footage of her and her words has been used to spread disinformation on social media.

The Indonesian government responded awkwardly to the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 humanitarian convoy by Israeli forces in international waters. Instead of immediately asserting a diplomatic position in favor of civilian protection, the government briefly fell into a narrative that normalized Israel's military action.

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa stated that he was not aware of the reported use of the state budget (APBN) to finance the purchase of sacrificial cattle for President Prabowo Subianto.

Alfitria Nefi Pratiwi, Jakarta – The Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki) reported a monthly decline in Indonesia's crude palm oil (CPO) production, domestic consumption, and exports in March 2026.

Andrew Mathieson – West Papuan separatists in the occupied territory's eastern region allege eight gold miners they shot and killed on Thursday were undercover members of Indonesian security forces.

The eight men were attacked working in the far-flung village of Korowai in the province of Highland Papua that borders Papua New Guinea.

Djayadi Hanan and Yoes C Kenawas – President Prabowo Subianto has repeatedly expressed his concern that foreign interests are using proxies – colloquially known as 'antek asing' (foreign stooges) – to destabilise Indonesia, including by instigating major protests in late August 2025.

Ajit Niranjan – An expedition to document the end days of the last tropical glaciers in Oceania has revealed sombre footage of "planetary destruction on fast-forward".