Jakarta – The Papua Police said on Wednesday it had sent a team to negotiate the release ofNew Zealand national Phillip Mehrtens, a Susi Air pilot who was being held hostage by an armed separatist group in the restive province.

Yohana Belinda, Jakarta – Though people in the area think of it as a haunted house, the building plays a vital role in preserving a part of Indonesian history and culture through its residents' heritage and memories.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – The government has decided to increase the portion of domestic market obligation (DMO) of crude palm oil (CPO), the raw material of cooking oil, and slow down CPO exports to reign in the recent hike of government-sponsored, simple-packaged cooking oil Minyakita. The antimarket policy has irked industry players as it will again punish them more.

Jakarta – Separatist rebels in Indonesia's restive Papua province have released photos and videos of a man they say is the pilot from New Zealand they took hostage last week.

Jakarta – The government is putting on a brave face as its time frame for the establishment of a new capital city, to be called Nusantara, looks increasingly challenged by realities on the ground.

Letters of intent (LoIs) from domestic and foreign investors are piling up at the authority in charge of the megaproject, the IKN Authority.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – The death sentence handed down to former National Police internal affairs chief Ferdy Sambo has resonated strongly with a number of Indonesians as the country reckons with distrust of its law enforcement institutions.

Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – Indonesian media players are pressing for the long-awaited media sustainability bill to include more responsibilities for big-tech platforms such as transparency in ads revenue-sharing and algorithm tweaks, which are currently absent from the draft already prepared by the government.

Stevani Wijaya, Jakarta – The South Jakarta courtroom erupted into chaos on Wednesday after judges delivered a prison sentence of 18 months to Richard Eliezer for shooting policeman Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat to death, in contrast to the death sentence the same court handed earlier to the mastermind in the high-profile murder case.

Hendrik Khoirul Muhid, Jakarta – Indonesia's corruption perception index score fell four points from 38 in 2021 to 34 the following year in 2022, which effectively drops the country from ranking 96th to 110 globally.

Fajar Pebrianto, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ombudsman on Tuesday highlighted the finding of problematic electric vehicle battery waste management after it discovered that a number of battery wastes used to convert conventional vehicles to EVs are stored without being recycled.

Muhammad Iqbal, South Tangerang – South Tangerang Mayor Benyamin Davnie said the city administration would send a warning letter to Ichsan Medical Center or IMC Bintaro Hospital, Ciputat, if it is proven to have committed wrongdoings related to workers' rights.

Tria Dianti – Authorities in Indonesia's Papua will negotiate with separatist rebels to secure the release of a New Zealand pilot the insurgents took hostage last week, police and military officials said Wednesday.

Jakarta – Labour Party President Said Iqbal has denied involvement in the manipulation of the data of political parties wanting to contest the 2024 elections in Sangihe Island regency, North Sumatra, which is alleged to have been committed by the General Elections Commission (KPU).

Jakarta – The Indonesian People's Wave Party (Gelora) has refuted a statement by a North Sulawesi General Elections Commission (KPU) member on the manipulation of factual verification data on political parties wanting to contest the 2024 elections.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – A recent study has revealed that Indonesians are spending more than half of their digital time on the open internet, be it binge-watching their favorite shows or catching up with the latest news updates.

Jakarta – Indonesia extended the positive run of international trade to 33 straight months with another surplus of $3.87 billion in January, the Central Statistics Agency of BPS reported on Wednesday.

The country's exports stood at $22.31 billion in January, down 6.36 percent from the previous month but increasing by 16.37 percent on a year-on-year basis.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) revealed a number of Money Laundering Crimes (TPPU) cases throughout 2022 with a total value of Rp183.88 trillion. For corruption cases, PPATK reported a transaction value of Rp81.3 trillion.

Jayapura, Jubi – Three New Zealand diplomats and two staff of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs came to Timika, the capital of Mimika Regency, Central Papua Province on Monday, February 13, 2023. Their arrival was to monitor the progress of the search for a New Zealand citizen.

Jayapura, Jubi – Member of the Papua Legislative Council John NR Gobai calls on the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) to be objective in looking at the reports from the indigenous people of Mimika in Central Papua Province regarding the impact the mining waste of PT Freeport Indonesia.

Amar Alfikar – "Trans women have the right to worship. We are God's creations and have the right to religious freedom, just like anybody else." These are the words of the late Shinta Ratri, human rights defender, trans woman activist, and head of Al-Fatah Pesantren (Islamic school).

M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – Deputy V of the Presidential Staff Office, Jaleswari Pramodhawardhani, stated that the government has not yet declared a civil emergency in Papua, following the hostage-taking of Susi Air pilot Captain Philip Marten by the West Papua National Liberation Army Forces-Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM).

Syafiq Hasyim, Wahyudi Akmaliah – Despite observations that the group has become defunct, the 212 Movement has held a series of gatherings to display their opposition to President Joko Widodo. One thing is clear: the movement will not endorse presidential candidates endorsed by Widodo.

A rebel group in Indonesia's Papua Province who abducted New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens says he is safe. The New Zealander, who worked as a pilot in the area, was kidnapped by the West Papua Liberation Army last week.

Jakarta – Former National Police general Ferdy Sambo could not escape the guilty verdict handed down by the South Jakarta District Court on Monday, nor will the police be able to simply wash their hands of this crime perpetrated by one of their top officers.

M Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) in responding to the death sentence handed to the defendant of the police murder case trial Ferdy Sambo says the sentencing does not align with the spirit of the 2016 death penalty moratorium.

M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – The Central Executive Board of the West Papua National Committee (BPP-KNPB) is pushing the government to involve third parties in the effort to free Susi Air pilot Captain Philip Marten.

The New Zealand national pilot is presumably being held hostage by the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM).

David Priyasidarta, Bondowoso – Flash floods hit two villages in the Mount Ijen area, Bondowoso Regency, East Java, on Sunday evening, February 12, 2023. The floods carrying mud and sand materials inundated Sempol Village and Kalisat Village of Ijen District. As a result, 79 families in Sempol Village and 13 families in Kalisat Village were affected and forced to evacuate.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The Indonesian government is seeking to have the House of Representatives' approval on the renewables bill by this September, as the Southeast Asian country aims to drastically reduce its coal reliance.

Stevani Wijaya, Jakarta – The South Jakarta Court on Tuesday convicted the fourth defendant in the murder of policeman Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat and sentenced him to 13 years in prison, the most lenient punishment so far in the high-profile trial which saw a former police general sentenced to death.

The new Islamic party has passed the verification process at the General Elections Commission (KPU) and will thus join the other 23 parties, including tw

Jakarta – Indonesia and China have agreed to a budget overrun to the tune of US$1.2 billion (S$1.6 billion) for the first high-speed railway project in the Southeast Asian country, an Indonesian government official told parliament on Monday (Feb 13).

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia's 2022 economic growth is beating most G20 countries, but is still far behind the world's largest oil exporter Saudi Arabia, according to Chief Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform says that the plan to establish regional military commands (Kodam) in every province is a step backwards for TNI (Indonesian military) reform.

Fajar Pebrianto, Jakarta – Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Timor Leste Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak agreed on a number of commitments during a meeting at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java on Monday, February 13, 2023. One of the commitments was related to the establishment of a bilateral investment treaty.

Jakarta (Antara) – The mining and quarrying business sector contributes the largest to the East Kalimantan Province's Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) in 2022, reaching 53.24 percent or Rp 490.5 trillion of the province's total GRDP. This was stated by the region's Statistics Indonesia (BPS) Yusniar Juliana on Sunday.

Tika Ayu, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Kurnia Ramadhana in a discussion on Sunday said the lack of capable antigraft policies also contributes to Indonesia's declining corruption perception index. He said the current President contributed to this decline as many promises have yet to be realized.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Close neighbors Indonesia and Timor Leste agreed to speed up their negotiations on the remaining land border disputes, following a meeting between President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and visiting Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak at the Bogor Palace on Monday.

Jakarta – Gerindra Party deputy chief patron Sandiaga Uno has said that he will discuss with party leader Prabowo Subianto the aspirations of the United Development Party (PPP), following that party's nomination of Sandiaga as a potential candidate for the 2024 presidential election.

Nur Janti, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has again summoned Communications and Information Minister Johnny G. Plate for questioning for alleged corruption in the construction of base transceiver stations (BTS), which was under the auspices of his ministry.

Jakarta (Antara) – Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) expressed hope that the Bill on Protection of Domestic Workers (PPRT Bill) could immediately be passed into law by the House of Representatives (DPR) before its parliamentary sitting period ends.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has begun what it claims is the selection process to determine its presidential candidate, with talk of the party's roster being narrowed to five currently unnamed party members.

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Political, Security and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD has called on the National Police to launch a probe into a road rage incident that has drawn widespread condemnation after footage of the clash went viral online over the weekend.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo welcomed on Monday Timor-Leste's membership of ASEAN and called for greater cooperation between the two neighboring countries in the future.

Medan, North Sumatra – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, who has long been known as a rock fan, over the weekend joined the crowd who gathered at a convention center in Medan, North Sumatra, to see the live performance of legendary rock band Dewa 19, who is currently on a reunion tour.

Jakarta – Last week, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo reiterated in strong terms that he had never tolerated corruption.

It was a strange yet necessary message to send early on in what is certain to be a heated political year, following the release of the latest Corruption Perception Index (CPI) by Transparency International at the end of last month.

Rakyan Adibrata and Jasminder Singh – The announcement by the Indonesian authorities that Askary Sibghotul Haq, the son of former Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) leader Para Wijayanto, has been in their custody since April 2022 has put the notorious militant group back into the spotlight.

Rebecca Root – After decades of debate, the Indonesian government announced a finalised version of its new criminal code at the end of 2022. Critics say it diminishes human rights and is representative of a broader trend of suppression taking place across Southeast Asia.

Max Lane – President Joko Widodo's recent acknowledgement of certain human rights violations in Indonesia took many by surprise. It may prove to kickstart a true national reckoning with one of the darkest periods of the country's history.

Chris Barrett and Karuni Rompies, Singapore/Jakarta – An Indonesian police general who ordered the killing of his bodyguard has been sentenced to death after a panel of judges rejected claims the junior officer had sexually abused his wife.

Jayapura, Jubi – Flash floods hit the Mile Point 74 concentrate processing plant of PT Freeport Indonesia in Tembagapura District, Mimika Regency, Central Papua Province on Saturday, February 11, 2023. The heavy rain on Saturday hit various materials in the area resulting in flash floods.