Endy Bayuni, Jakarta – When it comes to integrity, the February general election is billed as the worst Indonesia has held in the 25 years since the nation launched the Reform era to put us on the road to democracy. The path has not always been smooth, but what happened this year reinforces the notion that democracy is backsliding.

Jakarta – The Labour Movement with the People (GEBRAK) says that the 2024 elections were the worst democratic process that has occurred since the era of reformasi – the political reform process that began in 1998.

Riani Sanusi Putri, Jakarta – Statistics Indonesia (BPS) confirmed a surge in the number of foreign tourist visits in February 2024. Indonesia saw 890,864 arrivals through its main entry points and 145,173 arrivals through its borders.

Linda Yulisman, Jakarta – Years of work at a factory enabled Ms Sari Sartika Dewi to enrol to study law at a private university in Karawang, West Java, in 2018.

Successfully juggling her full-time job and studies, she earned a bachelor's degree in 2022. With it, the 34-year-old divorcee hopes she can find a more decent job.

Jakarta – Responding to a claim by the separatist West National Liberation Army (TPNPB) that aerial bombing had occurred in an area where New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens was taken hostage, the Indonesian Military (TNI) said it had deployed only flyby operations in Nduga regency.

Jakarta – It was still pitch-black outside when Sutinah made her way to a local police station early one morning last month, hoping to avoid queues and take advantage of a government scheme offering affordable rice.

David Robie – On my office wall hangs a framed portrait of Shireen Abu Akleh, the inspiring and celebrated American-Palestinian journalist known across the Middle East to watchers of Al Jazeera Arabic, who was assassinated by an Israeli military sniper with impunity.

State murder

Beijing – Indonesia's president-elect Prabowo Subianto visited Beijing on Monday on his first foreign trip since his election, and was quoted by Chinese state media as telling President Xi Jinping he aimed to continue the close ties under predecessor Joko Widodo.

Muhammad Aulia, Jakarta – Former high-ranking customs official Andhi Pramono was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Monday after the court found him guilty of corruption.

Jakarta – The explosions that ripped through a military ammunition storage depot in Ciangsana, Bogor regency, West Java, on Sunday is reported to have damaged dozens of homes.

Kiki Siregar, Jakarta – Foreign investors remain wary of Indonesia's planned new capital Nusantara despite "continuity candidate" Prabowo Subianto winning the presidential election, raising questions on what more the government can do to get them on board the US$30 billion mega project.

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia posted a revenue growth of approximately 40 percent to $2.94 billion (Rp 46.79 trillion) in 2023 compared to the previous year's revenue of US$2.1 billion.

Sharon Muller – On Friday March 22, a video circulated of TNI (Indonesian military) soldiers torturing of a civilian in Papua. In the video, the victim is submerged in a drum filled with water with his hands tied behind his back. The victim was alternately beaten and kicked by the TNI members. The victim's back was also slashed with a knife.

Yustinus Paat & Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The Constitutional Court has summoned four ministers from President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's cabinet to deliver testimonies in the election dispute trial, as requested by defeated presidential candidates, a spokesperson said on Monday.

Jakarta – Gajah Mada University (UGM) Center for Legal and Social Justice Studies (LSJ) together with lecturers and researchers from the faculty of law have put themselves forward as an amicus curiae or friend of the court in cases of General Election Result Disputes (PHPU) in the 2024 presidential election at the Constitutional Court (MK).

Djibril Muhammad, Jakarta – The Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) has urged the National Awakening Party (PKB) to gracefully accept the results of the 2024 Presidential Election.

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) is one of the largest Islamic organizations in Indonesia. PKB, on the other hand, is a political party that originated from NU.

Rebecca Ratcliffe and Richaldo Hariandja in Nusantara – In eastern Borneo, beyond the thick jungle forests, an epic building project is under way. Giant trucks, cement mixers and diggers lumber along battered roads. Cranes tower overhead.

Ananda Teresia and Stefanno Sulaiman, Jakarta – Indonesian financial regulator Mahendra Siregar and former finance minister Chatib Basri are among the top choices Prabowo Subianto is considering for the role of finance minister, sources close to the president-elect told Reuters.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) revealed that the monthly inflation rate reached 0.52 percent in March. The year-on-year (YoY) inflation stood at 3.05 percent, with a year-to-date (YTD) inflation rate of 0.93 percent.

Jakarta – Batam's Batu Ampar port recently launched its first direct shipment to China, thus potentially slashing logistic costs.

Jakarta – Bima Abdul Sholeh, 32, sat calmly as a doctor armed with a laser pointer zapped tattoos from his face at an event in Jakarta being held by a charity organization during the holy month of Ramadan to give practicing Muslims an opportunity to "repent".

Radhiyya Indra, Jakarta – A series of explosions and an ensuing fire at a military ammunition depot in West Java over the weekend have raised safety questions regarding the stockpiling of expired munitions, following a similar incident at a police warehouse in East Java in March.

Antara, Jakarta – The General Election Commission (KPU) is gearing up to oversee simultaneous regional elections across Indonesia in November, spanning 37 provinces and 508 regencies/cities.

Alfina Sekar, Jakarta – Jakarta will stay the nation's economic center even after the city of Nusantara is granted national capital status, a recently passed law says, alongside provisions that call for Jakarta to become a "global city" and require its leaders to be directly elected.

Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin urges people to maintain their health and immunity amid the spread of infection of several influenza variants in Indonesia, including Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) also known as Singapore Flu.

Jakarta (Agencies) – Multiple explosions ripped through an Indonesian Army's ammunition warehouse in Ciangsana, Bogor regency, West Java, on Saturday night, sending flames and smoke into the night sky. No casualties were immediately reported.

The first explosion was heard at around 6 p.m. at a depot used to store expired ammo inside a military complex.

Sentani, Jubi – Rev. Benny Giay, the Moderator of the Papuan Church Council, has emphasized the need of a third party to investigate various cases of violence involving security forces in Papua. This third party should examine all related facts and information, including allegations that the victims were members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB).

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Three Indonesian badminton players have been banned for life, and five others have been suspended for varying periods, after being found guilty of match-fixing, bribery, and/or betting by the sport's governing body.

Antara, Yogyakarta – Indonesia officially commenced the preparations for simultaneous gubernatorial, mayoral, and regent elections on Sunday evening, following the Feb. 14 general elections for the president and legislative members at district, provincial, and national levels.

Herman, Jakarta – The government will soon repay Rp 474.8 billion (nearly $30 million) debt it took from cooking oil producers who were asked to obey the ceiling price two years ago, Chief Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan confirmed on Saturday.

Jakarta – After 53 years, Christians in Indonesia can finally celebrate Good Friday consistent with their theology. Starting this year, the state no longer applies the term Isa Al-Masih (Messiah), which is borrowed from Islamic tradition, and has instead switched to using the words Jesus Christ when referring to Christianity's most central figure.

Novie Fauziah & Roy Adriansyah, Jakarta – Harvey Moeis, the husband of actress Sandra Dewi, has been identified as a suspect by the Attorney General's Office (AGO) in connection with corruption allegations related to tin trading permits issued to the state-owned company Timah.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The government continues to push for mandatory biodiesel usage, which has now reached B-35 and is being tested for B-40. The domestic biodiesel sales in 2023 amounted to 12.2 million kiloliters (KL).

Jayapura – Papuan students in various cities around Indonesia along with humanitarian solidarity groups including the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) are demanding that the state be held accountable for cases of torture and violence against civilians by TNI (Indonesian military) and Polri (Indonesian police) officers against the people of the land of Papua.

Fito Akhmad Erlangga, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, along with Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, invited the Ministers of the Indonesian Cabinet to break the fast together (iftar) at the State Palace on Thursday.

Jakarta – A number of senior members in the cabinet of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, including some ministers backed by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) failed to show up on Thursday during an iftar dinner held at the Presidential Palace.

Ronny Kareni – Since the atrocious footage of the suffering of an indigenous Papuan man reverberates in the heart of Puncak by the brute force of Indonesia's army in early February, shocking tactics deployed by those in power to silence critics has been unfolding.

Jakarta – The legal team of Indonesian president-elect Prabowo Subianto told the Constitutional Court on Thursday (March 28) that the state had not interfered in last month's election, and a case brought by his opponents to disqualify him should be thrown out.

Jakarta – Every five years, there is political horse-trading in Indonesia. The practice of bargaining for cabinet posts takes place between the parties and the presidential candidate that the General Election Commission (KPU) has declared the winner of the election.

Monique Handa Shafira, Jakarta – The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) projects that the financial turnover during the 2024 Eid al-Fitr holiday period will reach Rp 157.3 trillion ($9.92 billion) with over 190 million people expected to travel for Eid homecoming.

Sella Rizky, Jakarta – President-elect Prabowo Subianto extended his appreciation to the Golkar Party, a crucial ally in the coalition supporting his presidential candidacy, during a visit to the party's headquarters in West Jakarta on Friday.

Zach Hope and Karuni Rompies – Indonesia has suspended live cattle imports from a Darwin export yard while authorities investigate how more than 150 animals died this month on a transport ship.

Resty Woro Yuniar – Indonesia is investigating human trafficking allegations involving more than a thousand university students ensnared in a bogus internship programme in Germany in a case that highlights the vulnerability of the country's youth to exploitation.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Australia sees enhancing people-to-people ties as crucial to forging stronger relations with Indonesia.

In Revolusi: Indonesia and the Birth of the Modern World, author David Van Reybrouck reveals a fascinating history of resistance in the southeast Asian country, writes Simon Basketter.

Victoria Milko, Jakarta, Indonesia – Roads turned to murky brown rivers, homes were swept away by strong currents and bodies were pulled from mud during deadly flash floods and landslides after torrential rains hit West Sumatra in early March, marking one of the latest deadly natural disasters in Indonesia.

Pizaro Gozali Idrus for BenarNews, Jakarta, Indonesia – For the second time in three months, a belligerent and resentful crowd of locals in Indonesia's Aceh province made authorities move dozens of newly arrived Rohingya refugees from their shelter by storming the facility, officials said Wednesday.

Senator the Hon Penny Wong
PO Box 6100
Senate
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

28 March 2024

Dear Foreign Minister,

I am writing to you on behalf of the Australia West Papua Association in Sydney concerning the brutal torture of a West Papuan man, Defianus Kogoyaby Indonesian troops in West Papua in early February.

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – Indonesia has seen a significant increase in cases of dengue fever and deaths from the illness as the El Nino weather phenomenon causes a warmer rainy season across the country.

The Health Ministry recorded some 35,500 dengue cases nationwide from the beginning of January to March 18, with 290 deaths.

The Papuan Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) has raised concerns over the denial of legal assistance to Melianus Baye and Benny Elopere, two minors detained by the Papua Regional Police (Polda Papua) on suspicion of involvement in an aircraft shooting incident in the Yahukimo Regency.