Apriadi Gunawan, Kuala Tanjung, North Sumatra – Kuala Tanjung Port in North Sumatra made its debut in the global container market, with its first shipment on Saturday, as Indonesia bids to tap into the lucrative Strait of Malacca shipping trade dominated by Singapore and Malaysia.

Riza Roidila Mufti, Jakarta – State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I has reported that a total of 18,300 flights at its 15 airports have been canceled from January to mid-March as Indonesian airlines scaled back operations in response to reduced demand due to the spread of COVID-19.

Jakarta – Jakarta Military Command (Kodam Jaya) chief Maj. Gen. Eko Margiyono has been appointed to lead the operations of the capital's emergency hospital for treating COVID-19.

Aisyah Llewellyn – Indonesians are brilliant in a crisis. In many ways, they have to be, in a country that unfortunately experiences more than its fair share of tragedy.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura – A foreign employee of gold and copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia was shot dead on Monday by gunmen in Timika, the capital city of Mimika regency in Papua.

Prashanth Parameswaran – Since January, Timor-Leste's politics has been shrouded in uncertainty following the collapse of its previous governing coalition after the failure to pass a budget amid coalition infighting. Though a new government looks set to take office soon, it will face a range of formidable challenges that will need addressing.

Jakarta – A coalition of legal watchdogs has urged law enforcement to temporarily refrain from putting more people in penitentiaries to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Law enforcement could instead use a bail system for light offenses and criminal acts without victims or violence, according to the Justice Monitoring Coalition, which comprises 16 legal advocacy groups.

Rizal Harahap, Pekanbaru – The Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA Riau) rescued a female Sumatran tiger that had been severely wounded by a poacher's snare at a pulp plantation in Pelalawan regency, Riau on Sunday.

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – As members of the public come up with new models of disinfection chambers to aid in the fight against the aggressive spread of COVID-19, an expert has cautioned against the use of such chambers, claiming they can cause irritation.

Jakarta Globe, Jakarta – State-owned airport operators Angkasa Pura I and Angkasa Pura II say the coronavirus pandemic has already reduced their revenues by 20 percent as travel restrictions cause a significant drop in passenger numbers.

Made Anthony Iswara, Jakarta – Indonesia's palm oil exports to China have plummeted by half in volume amid global uncertainties, an industry source has said.

Budi Sutrisno, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has called for stricter rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as the government mulls over a local quarantine policy that would allow local administrations to ban people from traveling to and from their respective areas.

Antara, Jakarta – West Jakarta authorities began to evacuate 183 people from a mosque and send them to the isolation facility on Saturday evening after three of them tested positive for coronavirus during a Muslim gathering.

The participants include 78 foreign citizens who made a pilgrimage to the century-old Jammi Mosque in Taman Sari subdistrict.

Jakarta – The government has teamed up with several hotels to accommodate doctors and other medical workers on the frontline in the battle against COVID-19.

Budi Sutrisno, Jakarta – The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has created tension and panic in a number of communities in Indonesia as residents scramble to distance themselves from perceived risks of infection.

Dwi Argo Santosa, Jakarta – Indonesia is ramping up production of medical protective gear, medical supplies, and critical medicines, confident of local producers' capacity to meet the demand during the Covid-19 pandemic in the next four months.

Jakarta – The Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) has called on President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to issue a regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) following the General Elections Commission's (KPU) decision to postpone several preparatory steps for the simultaneous regional elections due to the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Rizki Fachriansyah, Jakarta – A group of volunteers affiliated with the KawalCOVID-19 initiative have pushed for an immediate quarantine on areas considered to be "red zones" for viral infection as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to surge across the country.

Beritasatu, Jakarta – Half-hearted measures from the government in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic is likely to result in a death toll that is comparable to Indonesia's worst tsunami disaster in modern times, a report from the University of Indonesia showed over the weekend.

Jakarta – While local administrations have begun to block road access into their areas in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, the government has prepared to quarantine the country's capital, which has been most affected by the disease.

Gemma Holliani Cahya and Arya Dipa, Jakarta – That coronavirus is a highly infectious disease is a well-known fact. However, many people still choose to ignore calls from experts and the government to practice physical distancing and cancel big events.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Transportation Agency plans to temporarily suspend the operation of Greater Jakarta-based intercity and interprovincial (AKAP) buses starting at 6 p.m. on Monday.

The decision was made following reports that thousands of residents were leaving the capital for their hometowns, risking the further spread of COVID-19.

Jakarta – The Indonesian government is mulling over a plan to ban this year's "mudik", the annual hometown exodus for the Muslim Lebaran – or Hari Raya – holidays.

Jakarta – The security and welfare approach have failed to resolve the conflict in Papua. The president needs to establish a special team to bring about dialog.

Jakarta – Medical worker associations in the country have threatened to stop treating COVID-19 patients if the government does not ensure the availability of protective health gear amid a shortage of such equipment.

Heru Asprihanto, Adi Kurniawan, Depok, Indonesia – After a busy session at his clinic, Indonesian doctor Fakhrurrozi hops on the back of a motorized tricycle with a loud-hailer to urge residents to stay at home to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Jakarta – Indonesia looks set to adopt a measure dubbed as an "area quarantine" in response to a growing clamour for local lockdowns in certain hot spots, cities or provinces to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Dili – President Francisco Guterres Lu Olo officially declared the state of emergency for the whole territory of Timor-Leste for one month, starting 28 March at 00:00h until 26 April at 23:59h, to protect the country against the corona-virus.

Jakarta – A number of regions across the country have taken serious measures in preventing the spread of COVID-19 by imposing their own versions of regional lockdowns, as the central government in Jakarta has yet to issue any regulation on lockdown requirements and procedures.

Christopher Ryan – In 2015, The Government of Timor-Leste committed the post-conflict country to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while working closely with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) across all areas of development throughout the country.

Nina Loasana, Jakarta – As Malaysia plans to extend its lockdown until mid-April, a lawmaker has urged the Indonesian government to provide aid for many informal-sector workers in the neighboring country, whose livelihoods are severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jakarta – Most Indonesians believe that some information regarding COVID-19 positive patients should be available to the public to be used for contact tracing, as reflected by a recent survey.

Jakarta – The general public has urged the government to impose a lockdown as the country's death toll from the coronavirus has surpassed 100, with more than 1,000 COVID-19-positive cases reported nationwide.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Water pump and valve company KSB Indonesia has revitalized the communal bathing facilities in Jakarta slums, helping their residents to have access to clean water and handwashing facilities, critical for containing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in the area.

Dewi Nurita, Jakarta – Chairman of Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representative (DPR) Ahmad Doli Kurnia Tandjung, criticized a number of regional heads who have made their own decisions by establishing a regional quarantine policy or lockdown to curb the COVID-19 outbreak, in spite of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo stressing that the regional government has no right to s

Nur Yasmin, Jakarta – The Indonesian government needs millions of personal protective equipment, ventilators, and other medical supplies as it anticipates longer-than-expected emergency period due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a senior government official has said.

Jakarta – The Public Works and Housing Ministry handed over 50 homes measuring 28 square meters to fisherfolk living in Linggi village, East Simeulue district, Simeulue regency, Aceh, on Thursday.

Such assistance was expected to help improve the welfare of fisherfolk in the village, as they now had a proper place to live.

Tegal, Central Java has officially enforced a citywide lockdown, its mayor said, arguably the most drastic measure against COVID-19 in Indonesia thus far as the central government continues to reject the idea of shutting down all public activity.

Dili – The leader of the new political coalition, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, asked the president of the republic to dismiss the current prime minister, Taur Matan Ruak. The members of his six-party coalition believe that Xanana is entitled to become the prime minister of a new government.

Caesar Akbar, Jakarta – The Independent Journalist Alliance or AJI Jakarta condemned the face-to-face press conference held by the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment in relation to the delivery of aid from China. The event took place at Angkasa Pura Cargo 530 Warehouse of Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang on Friday, March 27, 2020.

Riza Roidila Mufti, Jakarta – A number of Indonesian airlines have started taking efficiency measures amid challenging times caused by the COVID-19 pandemic by laying off employees, ranging from pilots, flight attendants, technicians to other supporting crew, as reported by the Indonesia National Air Carrier Association (INACA).

Tara Marchelin, Jakarta – Indonesia's Research and Technology Ministry has formed a consortium of local research institutions and universities to work on a Covid-19 mitigation program that will include identifying compounds that can inhibit the spread of coronavirus, developing a vaccine for the virus and implementing artificial intelligence for faster diagnosis of the disease that

Jakarta – The Jakarta Environment Agency has recorded improving air quality in the capital city over the past week caused by a significant decline in the number of people commuting across the city, coupled with rising rainfall intensity.

Dian Septiari, Jakarta – Foreign missions in Indonesia are racing against time to get their citizens home before transport restrictions come into full effect, as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise and concerns over the country's healthcare capabilities deepen.

Agustinus Hari, Manado, North Sulawesi – Police have dispersed up to 1,371 gatherings nationwide within a week since National Police chief Gen. Idham Azis issued an edict banning the public from collecting into crowds to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Made Anthony Iswara, Jakarta – Indonesia is set to support manufacturers with the capacity to produce the desperately needed protective gear, test kits and ventilators that are crucial in the worldwide global fight against COVID-19 as G20 nations pledge to focus on saving lives.

Francisca Christy Rosana, Jakarta – The Indonesian Transportation Ministry announced that there are residents of the Jakarta Greater Area or Jabodetabek (an abbreviation for Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi) that have traveled away to their hometown amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Tara Marchelin, Jakarta – Online health applications have joined government's coordinated measures to deal with Covid-19 epidemic by providing free home consultations to those in need.

Jakarta – The COVID-19 rapid response task force has said that Indonesia needs an additional 1,500 doctors and 2,500 nurses to treat COVID-19 patients amid the surge in cases across the archipelago.

Ivany Atina Arbi, Jakarta – The dean of the University of Indonesia's Medical School, Ari Fahri Syam, has suggested that all other efforts in containing the spread of the novel coronavirus, such as disinfectant spraying and rapid testing, hinge on the reduced mobility of the population.