Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Parts of Indonesia are covered with toxic air pollutants from burning lands and forests as this year's fire season is intensifying amid the El Nino weather phenomenon, which brings drier conditions.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – PT Pakuwon Jati Tbk in cooperation with Marriott International is set to develop three luxury hotels in Nusantara State Capital (IKN). The hotels are Westin, Four Points, and Tribute Portfolio.

Fachri Hamzah, Jakarta – Padang Regional Secretary Andre Algamar stated in a written statement today, September 14, 2023, that the air quality in Padang worsens every day.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – The government has dismissed eight Finance Ministry employees over their alleged efforts to conceal Rp 349 trillion (US$22 billion) worth of suspicious transactions that had occurred within the ministry over the course of years.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Yogi Eka Sahputra, Jakarta – National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo said the police would add four company-level units (SSK) or 400 personnel to Rempang Island to assist with the land measurement agenda and dissemination to residents.

Antara, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan targeted Indonesia to manufacture its own electric cars or electric vehicles (EV) by 2025 or 2026 during a workshop in Jakarta on Thursday, September 14, 2023.

Moh. Khory Alfarizi, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto ensured that the National Strategic Projects (Proyek Strategis Nasional – PSN) financed by the State Budget will be finalized next year.

Jakarta – The state civil service bill is expected to bring some major changes to the annual recruitment process, among others, according to Minister for Administrative and Bureaucratic Reforms Abdullah Azwar Anas.

The minister on Wednesday met with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to discuss the bill at the State Palace in Jakarta.

Ahmad Shoim, Surabaya – Indonesia is grappling with a shortage of religious marriage officiants, a pressing issue given the millions of wedding ceremonies held throughout the country each year.

Muawwan Daelami, Jakarta – Indonesian state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are in overall robust financial health, with a combined market valuation surging to Rp 2,200 trillion ($143 billion) from last year's Rp 1,700 trillion, SOE Minister Erick Thohir said on Thursday.

Jayapura, Jubi – Director of the Democracy Alliance for Papua (AIDP) Latifah Anum Siregar has criticized the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) for the slow progress in investigating the alleged shootings of civilians in Dogiyai Regency, Central Papua Province.

Jayapura, Jubi – The meeting of Committee II of the Papua Regional Representative Council (DPD) resulted in the agreement on various aspects concerning the impact of mining giant Freeport Indonesia's tailings in the Mimika region of Jita and Agimuga, Central Papua Province.

Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – Chinese staff from China Railway Group will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway in its early years, PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China (KCIC), the Sino-Indonesian consortium responsible for the project, has announced.

David Stanway and Fransiska Nangoy, Singapore/Jakarta – Environmental groups have submitted a formal complaint to the World Bank for providing financial support for two coal-fired power plants in Indonesia, violating a pledge to stop backing fossil fuels.

Jakarta – Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said the country's duties did not end with its 2023 ASEAN chairmanship as he passed the role to Laos at the closing ceremony of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits on Sept. 7 in Jakarta.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo may receive criticism for his simplification the cause of clashes between the native inhabitants of Rempang island, situated just a few kilometers from Singapore, and security personnel of the Batam Free Port Agency (BP Batam), as poor communication.

David Robie – Prime Minister James Marape has made two foreign policy gaffes in the space of a week that may come back to bite him as Papua New Guinea prepares for its 48th anniversary of independence this Saturday.

Moh. Khory Alfarizi, Jakarta – Light Rail Transit or LRT Jabodebek is set to add more train travel schedules from Saturday, September 16, 2023, in response to the growing demand of the public for the elevated train service which connects Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, and Bekasi.

Ichsan Ali, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said on Thursday that the electric vehicle (EV) battery plant, owned by South Korean companies Hyundai and LG in the West Java town of Karawang, will become the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The government on Thursday promised faster promotion for civil servants willing to serve in remote areas to address the country's Java-centric public employee composition.

Jakarta – Protesting workers have begun leaving the Horse Statue area in Central Jakarta after holding a brief demonstration for around two hours on Thursday September 14 opposing the Omnibus Law on Job Creation.

The action, which was held by the Confederation of the All-Indonesian Workers Union (KSPSI), began at around 1.25 pm and was joined by around 8,000 people.

Jakarta – The West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) has confirmed that the Susi Air pilot from New Zealand, Philip Mark Mehrtens, who was taken hostage by the group in early February, is still alive.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – U.S. food giant Kellogg's is the latest major consumer brand to suspend its purchases of palm oil from Indonesian plantation giant Astra Agro Lestari, following reports of environmental and social violations.

Antara, Jakarta – Jakarta Acting Governor Heru Budi Hartono said the city administration will soon revitalize 16 rivers, lakes, dams, and reservoirs to anticipate flooding during the upcoming rainy season.

Moh. Khory Alfarizi, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo or Jokowi said the government has completed 161 national strategic projects (PSN) in the past eight years. He revealed this in his opening speech of Sewindu PSN at The Kasablanka Hall, South Jakarta, on Wednesday, September 13, 2023.

Antara, Jakarta – The West Java Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has declared an emergency alert status for drought in Bogor Regency, Bekasi Regency, and Garut Regency.

Moh. Khory Alfarizi, Jakarta – Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said that the national strategic projects (PSN) had resulted in equality development across the country.

This was revealed by studies conducted by the Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Economic Development Prospera and other institutions.

Antara, Jakarta – The Transportation Ministry's Directorate General of Sea Transportation implements the digitization of ship and goods services using the Inaportnet platform at 45 ports. In total, the ministry is targeting to digitize services in 151 ports this year.

Riri Rahayu, Antara, Jakarta – Head of the Batam Concession Agency (BP Batam) Muhammad Rudi suspected that there were many provocateurs who instigated clashes during the protest on Rempang Island.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Former Indonesian Military Chief General (ret.) Andika Perkasa has been appointed as the deputy chairman of the campaign team for Ganjar Pranowo's presidential bid.

His appointment was confirmed on Wednesday during a meeting of political party leaders from the Ganjar coalition.

Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia is urging the government to reinvestigate the gross human rights violations that occurred during the Tanjung Priok tragedy in 1984.

Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid said that the incident, which occurred 39 years ago, must be reopened taking into account the evidence that has been gathered.

Jakarta – Pertamina New Renewable Energy, the renewable sector sub-holding of the state-owned oil and gas firm, was recently placed third globally in Sustainalytics' environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) ratings.

Jakarta – TikTok on Wednesday criticised calls by the government to ban social media transactions, as officials rails against what it says are monopolistic practices by major companies with e-commerce platforms such as the Chinese-owned firm.

Helmut Timothy & Vinnilya Huanggrio, Jakarta – Indonesia has what it takes to be among the world's largest economies by 2042, but this calls for collaboration across all sectors, including both the national and regional governments, according to Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian.

Antara, Jakarta – Jakarta Acting Governor Heru Budi Hartono claimed that all programs and policies to tackle air pollution and improve the city's air quality are effective. "Because we all [contribute]. All [programs] are effective," Heru Budi said at the City Hall, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesian Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning or Head of the National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) Hadi Tjahjanto stated that people residing on Rempang Island, Batam, do not have any land rights, particularly the right to cultivate permit (HGU).

Antara, Yogi Eka Sahputra, Jakarta – Deputy for Special Child Protection at the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA), Nahar, said that children on Rempang Island may have experienced trauma as a result of the clash between the authorities and Rempang residents last week.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – A public policy observer from the National Development University or UPN Veteran Jakarta, Achmad Nur Hidayat, lamented the conflict between security officials and local communities on Rempang Island, Batam, Riau Islands. He opined that the authorities' repressive actions were a form of betrayal of democratic principles and human rights.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy has spoken out about the poverty rate in Papua which has not been declining. He attributed this to the lack of direct monitoring of the affected region by policymakers.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – Indonesian Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia ensured that the government will proceed with Rempang Eco-City development despite the rejection from the locals. Conflict heated up on the island as residents were urged to relocate from the area.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia is planning to remind the Group of 77 at its upcoming Cuba summit to not become a proxy of major powers' rivalry – the same message that the Southeast Asian country had always told fellow members of ASEAN.

The Cuban capital of Havana is slated to host the G77 Plus China Summit on Sep. 15-16.

Theressia Silalahi, Jakarta – Prosecutors on Wednesday recommended a prison sentence of 10 and a half years for former Papua Governor Lukas Enembe, who is on trial for allegedly accepting tens of billions of rupiah in bribe money.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – The government has proposed state capital injections (PMN) of Rp 24.6 trillion (US$1.59 billion) to continue work on toll road projects handled by debt-laden state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – Japan appears less than keen to join a project to extend the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail (HSR) link to Surabaya, East Java, citing concerns about technical compatibility and possible damage to the "brand" of Japan.

Lynda Hong, Singapore – The increased number of hot spots in Kalimantan and Sumatra this week has raised the risk of transboundary haze returning to Singapore, but severe haze is not forecast for now.

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has backtracked on his comments that PNG had no right to comment on human rights abuses in West Papua and has offered a clarification to "clear misconceptions and apprehension".

Last week, Marape met with the Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN summit in Jakarta.

Jayapura, Jubi – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has accumulated pending tasks related to its investigation of alleged civilian shootings in Dogiyai Regency.

Agnes Anya, Jakarta – Soaring pollution in the capital city Jakarta has left 35-year-old Asep Muizudin Muhamad Darmini hooked up to breathing tubes at a hospital, gazing at the dense grey haze outside.

Air pollution is hardly a new phenomenon in the megalopolis, but monitors and activists say the effects have been even worse than usual this year.

Kanti Pertiwi – More than twenty years ago, Indonesia launched a determined crusade against corruption, collusion, and nepotism. However, the zealous spirit of Indonesia's political reformation seems to have dissipated along the way.

Basten Gokkon, Jakarta – In early September, a whale shark washed up on a beach in the Indonesian province of West Java. Within hours, locals had chopped up the 7-meter (23-foot) fish for its meat and bones, considered a rare delicacy in Indonesia.