Norman Harsono, Jakarta – The government is considering to shut down the aging Suralaya coal-fired power plant (PLTU) in Cilegon, Banten, and replace it with green energy, as Indonesia chases its long-delayed commitments to cut carbon-dioxide emissions.

Rully Satriadi, Jeis Montesori, Jakarta – The National Police and Indonesia Military has launched an operation to hunt down an Islamist terror group East Indonesia Mujahidin, or MIT, hiding in a forest in Sigi, Central Sulawesi, after the terrorist allegedly killed a Christian family in The Salvation Army church's outpost on Friday.

Under the cooperation, the Indonesian Army will send its troops to take a joint exercise with the French Army next year, General Andika said in a written statement released on Saturday.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesian Army Chief of Staff General Andika Perkasa has discussed military cooperation including the development of Platoon Exchange program with several U.S. military representatives for Indonesia,

Antara, Jakarta – Hengky Heselo, a native Papuan community leader in Jayawijaya District, Papua Province, appealed to the police to crack down on people and groups that launch anti-Indonesian campaigns and spread slanders through social media platforms.

Jakarta – As the majority of COVID-19 transmission in Greater Jakarta came from family clusters, a pulmonologist has urged Jakartans to be stricter in following health rules.

Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Jakarta – Hospitals in Jakarta treating Covid-19 patients are nearly full amid a surge in infections following several mass gatherings involving a controversial Islamist cleric and a recent five-day-long weekend.

Indonesia's Mount Ili Lewotolok erupted on Sunday, releasing a column of smoke and ash 2.5 miles (4km) into the sky, triggering a flight warning and the closure of the local airport.

John McBeth, Jakarta – The long drawn-out saga of mining giant Freeport Indonesia's (PTFI) proposed new copper smelter has taken a new turn with China's Tsingshan Steel agreeing to build the US$1.8 billion facility at its Weda Bay nickel processing complex in Halmahera, eastern Indonesia.

Bandung – West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil has suggested that the central government reduce the number of collective leave days set for the Christmas and New Year break and instead shorten the year-end holiday to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Jakarta – COVID-19 hospitals in Bogor regency, West Java, have shown a rapid increase in patient intake, Bogor Deputy Regent Iwan Setiawan has revealed.

According to Iwan, several hospitals have reached full capacity and some are 75 percent occupied, exceeding the World Health Organization's (WHO) suggestion of 60 percent capacity.

Yudha Baskoro – Environmental activists, students, and children joined the "Asia Climate Rally" in front of the Jakarta City Hall on Friday to raise awareness about climate change and voice demands to the government to step up its efforts in mitigating the crisis.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Indonesia reached a new milestone in daily number of coronavirus cases after adding 6,267 new cases on Sunday, the third time it broke its own daily record during the past week alone.

The country now has a total of 534,266 cases amid a dramatic surge in newly cases spurred mainly by four provinces in the most crowded island of Java.

A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – The Indonesian Biodiversity Conservation Trust Fund (Kehati) Foundation bestowed awards to five individuals and a private company on Friday for their significant contributions in protecting the country's biodiversity through their actions and activism.

A. Muh.

A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – The Environment and Forestry Ministry and the World Bank signed a deal on Friday on the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), which provides an additional opportunity for the government to receive payments in exchange for reducing carbon emissions.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The National Covid-19 Task Force claimed on Saturday that the preparation for the distribution network of vaccines against coronavirus is almost complete, as the surge in newly cases continues.

Senator the Hon Marise Payne
Minister for Foreign Affairs
PO Box 6100
Senate
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

28 November 2020

Dear Foreign Minister,

Jakarta – The Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) officially appointed its new leadership board for the period 2020-2025 during its 10th National Conference which was held in Jakarta on November 25-27.

Jakarta (Reuters) – Indonesian police were searching on Saturday (Nov 28) for suspected militants accused of killing four people said by rights groups to be Christians, beheading one and burning down their homes.

Robertus Wardi, Jakarta – Despite the noisy and cordial welcome by a huge crowd wherever Rizieq Syihab arrives, it turns out that a majority of Indonesian people don't like the leader of the hardline group Islamic Defenders Front, or FPI, according to a recent poll.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) has confirmed the cancellation of the 212 reunion rally as stipulated in a statement issued by the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), Jakarta Military Command (Kodam) Jaya commander Maj. Gen. Dudung Abdurachman has said.

Speculation that Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab has contracted COVID-19 has grown ever stronger after the firebrand cleric was admitted to a hospital in Bogor late yesterday evening due to "exhaustion."

Riska Rahman, Jakarta – Fundraising on the Indonesian stock market is expected to increase next year, Deloitte Indonesia has said, as more small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are projected to go public in response to tax cuts and a relaxation of administrative requirements.

Jakarta – Graft convict Djoko Soegiarto Tjandra has admitted to paying Rp 10 billion (US$710,400) to businessman Tommy Sumardi to assist Djoko with the removal of his Interpol red notice back when he was still on the run.

Jakarta – A prosecutor in Bali has appealed a Denpasar district court verdict sentencing musician I Gede Ari Astina, better known as Jerinx, to 14 months in prison for "hate speech" against the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI).

Ridho Syukra, Jakarta – American food and giant Cargill has invested $100 million in its Indonesian subsidiary Sorini Agro Asia Corporindo to expand a sweetener factory in Pandaan, East Java, the company said on Friday.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesian palm oil companies have pledged not to open new palm oil plantations as they come to terms with the government's decision to put a moratorium two years ago but hoped the landmark omnibus law would help unlock two million hectares of plantation area currently under dispute with the forest authorities.

Jakarta – The West Papua regional police (Polda) arrested 36 people in Manokwari and Sorong city following demonstrations commemorating the anniversary of the West Papua New Guinea National Congress (WPNGNC) on Friday November 27.

Francisca Christy Rosana, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan on Friday mentioned Indonesia's natural tourism and adventures, citing a World Economic Forum study, which claims Thailand is more superior compared to Indonesia.

Based on the study, Thailand tops the category in the Southeast Asia region.

Friski Riana, Jakarta – Former National Armed Forces (TNI) commander Gatot Nurmantyo in Thursday's virtual seminar stated that it would be impossible for the military to be enemies with the controversial mass-organization Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and its leader Rizieq Shihab.

Jakarta – A United Nations special rapporteur wrote his opinion to the Central Jakarta District Court, which has yet to rule on a lawsuit filed by Jakartans over polluted air. The judges need to care more about the environment.

Ikhwan Hastanto – Indonesian police have been criticized for placing a trans woman in a male jail cell following her arrest over the weekend.

Pacific Media Centre – An appeal for a 40-day fast across the region by the Pacific Council of Churches in support of West Papua closes next week with no result in sight.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Indonesia reported the highest single-day rise of both coronavirus-related deaths and newly confirmed cases on Friday as the surge continued in line with improving testing capacity.

Fana Suparman & Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The town of Cimahi in West Java has been led by three mayors since it got a municipal status in 2002 – all the three are now convicts or a suspect of corruption.

Norman Harsono, Jakarta – The Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI) signed on Wednesday a deal with the China Coal Transport and Distribution (CCTD) association to export US$1.46 billion worth of coal to China next year.

Jakarta – Indonesia logged yet another daily record in coronavirus infections and fatalities on Friday as the national COVID-19 task force confirmed 5,828 new cases and 169 new deaths over the past 24 hours.

Adrian Wail Akhlas, Jakarta – The government needs to ramp up research and development (R&D) and develop human resources in the manufacturing industry, the business sector contributing the most to gross domestic product (GDP), to support the country's economic recovery, experts have stated.

Jakarta – A hospital administration expert is urging the government and health authorities to increase bed capacity and expanding isolation facilities to anticipate a potential surge in coronavirus patients, as hospitals in Indonesia are quickly running out of space for COVID-19 patients.

Bandung and Jakarta – State-owned pharmaceutical company PT Bio Farma is still waiting for results from the phase three clinical trial of a COVID-19 vaccine produced by Sinovac Biotech for the vaccine to be authorized for public use.

Padjadjaran University's School of Medicine is currently conducting the phase three clinical trial in Bandung, West Java.

Adrian Wail Akhlas, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo addressed on Wednesday 50 global business leaders in a virtual dialogue held by the World Economic Forum, in which he promoted the Job Creation Law and explained the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Benny Mawel, Jakarta – Five civilians, including minors, were reportedly shot by unidentified assailants in two separate incidents in Papua's Puncak regency last Friday.

Four of them died immediately, while the fifth managed to escape, according to accounts from the victims' relatives.

Reports from Indonesian's Papua region say a West Papuan teenager was shot dead in a mystery attack in the central highlands.

Another male student who was with the victim was also shot in last Friday's attack but survived and later found help to reach a medical clinic.

Mardika Parama, Jakarta – Land acquisition and human capital issues have remained a challenge in the development of the mega trans-Sumatra toll road project, which might delay its scheduled completion.

Jakarta – The national COVID-19 task force has traced nearly 240 confirmed cases to 17 clusters that emerged in May-November from large public gatherings at religious events and places of worship in Jakarta.

Fana Suparman & Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Edhy Prabowo and his wife have used part of bribe money to buy a Rolex watch and luxury handbags during their trip to Hawaii, according to new details that emerged during a press conference by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday night.

A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – The government has called for Christmas celebrations this year to take place under proper health protocols to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Bandung – The West Java administration's COVID-19 and economic recovery task force has prepared refrigerators and cold storage rooms to house vaccine doses in 27 regencies and cities in the province in preparation for mass vaccination efforts.

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has reasserted its commitment to supporting Indonesia's food security programs in its recently released 2021-2025 Country Strategic Plan (CSP).