Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – Tax revenue for the year to March 15 fell 3.7 percent year-on-year (yoy), the Finance Ministry has said, largely a result of companies seeking tax refunds for worse-than-expected business performances last year.

Divya Karyza, Jakarta – The emergence of a food-versus-fuel dilemma in Indonesia has added to concern that a push for palm oil-based biodiesel will drive deforestation.

Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – Vice presidential candidate Mahfud Md stressed that it was not yet time to congratulate Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka as the winners of the 2024 presidential election despite the General Elections Commission's (KPU) announcement on March 20, 2024.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian revealed on Monday that 240 civil servants were found to have violated the neutrality principle during the presidential and legislative elections.

During a hearing with lawmakers, the minister disclosed that at least 450 civil servants were reported to the Election Oversight Body (Bawaslu) for the violation.

Manokwari, Jubi – The Executive Director of LP3BH Manokwari, Yan Cristian Warinussy, urged the Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Agus Subiyanto to immediately remove the Commander of the XVII/Cenderawasih Military Command Maj. Gen.

Jakarta – Indigenous people are taking legal action against the President and the DPR for delaying deliberations of a bill. It has taken second place to the interests of investors.

Hanoi (VNA) – With camera traps and extensive DNA sweeps, Indonesian conservationists are hoping to find more evidence that the Javan tiger, a species declared extinct, actually still exists in the wild, the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry announced on March 26.

Jakarta – The planned new capital Nusantara has been touted as an inclusive, environmentally friendly and humane city, but the recent news about the planned eviction of members of an indigenous community in the area could shatter this image.

Defara Dhanya Paramitha, Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) strongly condemned the torture of an indigenous Papuan man by soldiers of the Indonesian military (TNI). YLBHI Chairman Muhammad Isnur urged the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) to immediately conduct an investigation and demand that the perpetrators be held accountable.

Antara, Jakarta – The Financial Services Authority (OJK) unveiled that the losses stemming from illegal investments or fraudulent schemes have amounted to Rp 139.67 trillion ($8.84 billion) between 2017 and 2023.

Yohanes Maharso and Defara Dhanya, Jakarta – Commander of the XVII/Cenderawasih Military Regional Command, Major General Izak Pangemanan, said the New Zealand Ambassador has handed over the plan for the release of his citizen to the Indonesian government.

Harso Kurniawan, Jakarta – The Ministry of Manpower is urging for ride-hailing and logistics courier companies to grant Eid bonuses (THR) to their employees in 2024. However, Legal consultant Azka Hanani expressed concern that the Ministry's statement on drivers' eligibility for THR might spark future controversies.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU), Hasyim Asy'ari, revealed that a total of 181 members of election officials had passed away while carrying out their duties during the 2024 Election.

The officials include the District Election Committee (PPK), Polling Station Committee (PPS), and Group of Polling Station Officials (KPPS).

Defara Dhanya, Yohanes Maharso and Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – The Spokesperson for the West Papua National Liberation Army of the Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM), Sebby Sambom, denied the allegations that the residents tortured by Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) soldiers were members of the organization.

Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo or Jokowi encouraged ministries and institutions to immediately integrate nine key government services into a unified portal called INA Digital.

This was conveyed in a limited meeting on the transformation and integration of national digital services at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, on Monday, March 25.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The General Election Commission (KPU) Chairman Hasyim Asy'ari announced that the voter turnout for the 2024 presidential and legislative elections stood at 81.78 percent, showing a slight decrease from the 81.97 percent recorded in the 2019 elections.

Bill Birtles in Jakarta – Indonesia's military has pledged to investigate after videos described as "barbaric" circulated online showing what appear to be soldiers punching, kicking and slicing a Papuan man in a steel barrel.

Jakarta – United States President Joe Biden spoke late last week with president-elect Prabowo Subianto to congratulate him on his election victory, said White House national security communications aide John Kirby.

Kirby added that Biden pledged to expand cooperation with Indonesia under the US-Indonesia comprehensive partnership in the Indo-Pacific economic framework.

Bernadette Christina, Jakarta – Indonesia's palm oil product exports slipped in January and February, raising concerns less of the edible oil will be available domestically because of the tie between overseas sales quotas and internal quotas, official said on Monday.

Jakarta – The commander of the Cenderawasih/XVII Regional Military Command (Kodam), Major General Izak Pangemanan, has revealed the chronology of the abuse committed by TNI (Indonesian military) soldiers against a member of an armed criminal group (KKB) in Central Papua.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) asserted on Monday its right to retain the speakership in the House of Representatives after securing the most votes in the Feb. 14 election.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Constitutional Court (MK) Judge Anwar Usman is prohibited from presiding over disputes arising from the 2024 presidential and legislative elections involving the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) due to a conflict of interest.

Basten Gokkon, Jakarta – Greenpeace has condemned mounting legal actions taken by Indonesian authorities against four activists for protesting illegal shrimp farms damaging a marine park off the island of Java.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – It is by far the least powerful job among the country's highest state political institutions, but for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the position of House speaker may be a consolation prize after emerging as the party with the most votes in the February general elections.

Zach Hope and Karuni Rompies – The Indonesian military has detained 13 of its own after disturbing videos surfaced of a group beating and slashing a young Papuan trembling in a barrel of bloodied water.

Jakarta – Shortly after the General Elections Commission (KPU) announced election winners last week, attention has begun shifting to whether the nation will have an opposition force and which of the eight political parties will play a role in the legislature.

An Australian solidarity group for West Papua today warned of a fresh "heavy handed" Indonesia crackdown on Papuan villagers with more "arrests and torture".

Ben Doherty – Footage of a West Papuan man, bound in a water-filled barrel and being beaten and cut with knives, allegedly by Indonesian soldiers, has reanimated demands for international intervention in the contested province.

Julie Wark – Budi Hernawan said it ten years ago: "torture in Papua... has become a mode of governance." It hasn't stopped. It's got worse. It's got worse precisely because it's a mode of governance accepted and blessed by the international "community" whose neoliberal politics of extraction means extermination of anything and anyone getting in its way.

Zach Hope and Karuni Rompies – The Indonesian military has detained eight of its own after disturbing videos surfaced of a group beating and slashing a young Papuan as he stood trembling in a drum of bloodied water.

Human rights groups on Monday were attempting to confirm reports from locals that the victim later died.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – The Finance Ministry has reported a surplus in the state budget amounting to Rp 22.8 trillion ($1.44 billion). As of March 15, state revenue reached Rp 493.2 trillion, while state expenditures totaled Rp 470.3 trillion. This represents a decrease of 81.4 percent in the state budget surplus compared to the same period last year.

The Indonesian government has confirmed it is investigating a viral video showing security forces in Papua torturing a civilian.

As a result of the attack on a police post in Paniai District by the TPNPB on the 20 March, the Papuan Police have deployed 30 rangers from its elite Mobile Brigade (Brimob) to secure the post and hunt down the attackers. Two police officers died in the attack.

Yolanda Agne, Dewi Rina Cahyani and Sita Planasari, Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) on March 20 declared Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming the victors of the 2024 presidential election. The KPU chairman Hasyim Asy'ari said the pair had secured 96,214,691 votes and won in nearly all provinces.

Rabul Sawal, Indramayu, Indonesia – A veil of smog lurks over Surono and Umroh's home as relatives and neighbors file inside to greet the couple. Umroh welcomes the new arrivals over lunch as family members and friends congratulate the beaming pair on the birth of their second child.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna & Agnes Valentina Christa, Jakarta – Indonesia's latest import restriction has raised concerns about its potential to deter tourism and has sparked fears of extortion from customs officials at airports.

Jakarta (Agencies) – The bodies of at least five Rohingya refugees have been recovered off Aceh coast after their boat believed to be carrying around 150 people capsized last week, United Nations officials said Monday.

Niniek Karmini, Jakarta, Indonesia – Indonesia's military said Monday it has arrested 13 elite troops accused of involvement in a video showing the torture of an indigenous Papua man believed to be a member of a separatist group.

Andika Pratama, Palembang – A policeman is being sought after a video went viral showing him shooting a debt collector who was negotiating to seize his car for unpaid installments in the city of Palembang.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Constitutional Court has received 63 lawsuits disputing the election results, including two cases related to the presidential election, just hours before the deadline arrived on Saturday.

Presidential candidates Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo filed separate cases alleging widespread fraud in the Feb. 14 election and demanding a revote.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP) filed a motion to the Constitutional Court on Saturday claiming that it had lost at least 200,000 votes, in its efforts to retain representation in the House of Representatives.

Ronny Kareni – Recent videos depicting the barbaric torture of an indigenous Papuan man by Indonesian soldiers have opened the wounds of West Papua's suffering, laying bare the horrifying reality faced by its people.

Yustinus Paat & Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The ongoing legal motions by two defeated presidential candidates seeking to disqualify president-elect Prabowo Subianto and his running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka are essentially challenging a ruling issued by the same court where the motion will be tried, state administrative law expert Yusril Ihza Mahendra said on Sunday.

Jakarta – The legal team of losing Indonesia presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo filed a complaint at the country's constitutional court on Saturday, calling for a fresh election and disqualification of the winning team of defense minister Prabowo Subianto.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Indonesian government has faced substantial criticism, questions, and recommendations from the UN Human Rights Committee regarding the transparency in addressing past serious human rights violations, the abolition of the death penalty, and ongoing violence in Papua.

Jayapura, Jubi – The bodies of two police officers who died in an attack by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) in Paniai Regency, Central Papua Province on Wednesday (20/3/2024) will be evacuated on Friday morning. Both bodies will be evacuated to Mimika Regency, said Paniai Police Chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Abdus Syukur Felani, on Thursday.

Antara, Jakarta – The Papua Police deployed 30 rangers from its elite Mobile Brigade (Brimob) to the Ndeotadi 99 police post in Paniai District, Central Papua, following a deadly attack on the post on Wednesday, March 20.

Diamanty Meiliana, Jakarta – The Humanitarian Coalition for Papua is urging the government to hold an investigation into the torture of a Papuan civilian by members of the TNI (Indonesian military) after a video of the incident went viral on social media.

Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia is calling for an evaluation of the placement of TNI (Indonesian military) in Papua after a video of a Papuan man being tortured by several soldiers at the Gome Post in Puncak Regency, Central Papua, went viral on social media.

A West Papuan pro-independence leader has condemned the "sadistic brutality" of Indonesian soldiers in a torture video and called for an urgent United Nations human rights visit to the colonised Melanesian territory.