Hendri Dunan, Bengkulu – Former Bengkulu Governor Rohidin Mersyah pleaded guilty on Monday as he appeared before a court to deliver his preliminary defense in a graft case related to alleged misuse of authority for campaign financing.

Anastasya Lavenia Y, Jakarta – Indonesian Minister of Migrant Worker Protection, Abdul Kadir Karding, announced that remittances, or cross-border money transfers, from Indonesian migrant workers reached Rp253.3 trillion in 2024. This total was generated by 297,000 Indonesian migrant workers employed abroad.

Linda Lestari, Jakarta – University Gadjah Mada (UGM) historian Agus Suwignyo stated that Soeharto indeed meets the criteria and requirements to be named a national hero. However, the public cannot ignore the historical facts and controversies surrounding President Soeharto in the 1965 era.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported Monday that Indonesia's trade surplus with the US had grown amid the ongoing negotiations on Washington's tariffs.

Jakarta – Every great idea begins with a spark in someone's mind. Under duress, it is an expression of resilience to escape one's misfortune.

For Raden Ajeng Kartini, a Javanese noblewoman who lived in the 19th century, being betrothed to enter a polygamous marriage with a wealthy aristocrat, like most women of her rank at that time, was a dreadful fate.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Indonesia's State Secretary Minister and Presidential Spokesperson, Prasetyo Hadi, stated that the government does not object to the proposal of the national hero title for the Indonesia's second former President Soeharto.

Mita Amalia Hapsari, Dayat, Putu Ayu Pratama Sugiyo, Jakarta – Indonesia joined the global Catholic community in mourning the death of Pope Francis, who passed away Monday morning in Rome at the age of 88. The Vatican's Apostolic Nunciature in Jakarta flew its flag at half-mast as a mark of respect for the late pontiff, who also served as head of state of Vatican City.

Septia Ryanthie, Solo – Former Indonesian President Joko Widodo or Jokowi has refuted claims of a "twin sun" leadership after several ministers and deputy ministers from President Prabowo Subianto's cabinet visited him in Solo, Central Java.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – The Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) assesses the action of Indonesian Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman in reporting an agricultural observer from a university as a form of criminalization against academics.

Bambang Ismoyo, Jakarta – Indonesia is intensifying efforts to diversify its export markets following the United States' implementation of reciprocal tariff policies targeting several of its trading partners, including Indonesia. Spearheaded by the Trade Ministry, the initiative aims to sustain export growth by expanding into non-traditional and emerging markets.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Head of Information Services of the Indonesian Army (TNI AD) Brigadier General Wahyu Yudhayana responded to a number of incidents involving the presence of soldiers in campuses. According to him, the arrival of military personnel, especially from the army, was due to invitations or the existence of legitimate cooperation agreements.

Melynda Dwi Puspita, Jakarta – Ragowo Hediprasetyo Djojohadikusumo, better known as Didit Hediprasetyo and the only son of President Prabowo Subianto, sits on the board of a foundation managing a kitchen under Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program in Kebayunan, Tapos District, Depok, West Java.

Agencies, Jakarta – Indonesia is considering purchasing billions of dollars worth of US-manufactured defence equipment, including fighter jets and munitions, Bloomberg news reported on Friday.

Rachel Caroline L. Toruan, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Dewi Anggraeni recommends that the government halt the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal (Makan Bergizi Gratis/MBG) program due to its frequent issues.

Anastasya Lavenia Y, Jakarta – Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto claims that the plan to increase import of food from the United States will not disrupt the food self-sufficiency program. Importing food is one of the things offered by the Indonesian government in tariff negotiations with the US.

Singgih Wiryono, Faieq Hidayat, Jakarta – Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) senior researcher and chairperson of Centra Initiative, Al Araf, says that the phenomenon of the military (TNI) entering campuses occurred during the New Order era when the second president of the Republic of Indonesia Suharto was in power.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – The Head of the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) Authority Basuki Hadimuljono confirmed that the development of the new capital city in East Kalimantan is still ongoing.

He stated that the Budget Implementation List (DIPA) of the IKN for the new construction has been finalized.

Jakarta – The Jakarta administration is waiving public transportation fares for female passengers who take city-owned bus and train services on April 21 to celebrate Kartini Day, an annual holiday that commemorates the birth of national heroine Raden Ajeng Kartini.

Defara Dhanya, Jakarta – The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) and the Journalist Safety Committee (KKJ) strongly condemn the cyber attack in the form of distributed denial of service (DDoS) that struck media outlets, including Suara.com, last Tuesday, April 15, 2025. This attack rendered the Suara.com site inaccessible for some time.

Jakarta – Recent threats and attacks on journalists and news outlets in Indonesia are having a chilling effect on the country's media, Human Rights Watch said today.

Antara, Jakarta – Hundreds of people gathered in front of the United States Embassy in the Gambir area of Central Jakarta today to participate in a pro-Palestine rally, Sunday, April 20.

Demonstrators carried various items such as flags, scarves, and accessories bearing Palestinian flag motifs.

Jakarta – Hundreds of people held a Defend Palestine action in front of the United States Embassy in Central Jakarta on Sunday April 20. The protesters arrived using private vehicles and public transportation such as trains, Transjakarta buses and others.

Demak, Indonesia – Mdm Pasijah, a 55-year-old housewife in Indonesia's Central Java province, wakes up every morning to the sound of the sea. If that sounds idyllic, it is anything but.

Her home is the only one remaining in this part of Rejosari Senik, a small village on Java's northern coast that was once on dry land but is now submerged by water.

Jakarta – The cyclical phenomenon of "new government, new policy" is especially apparent in the national education system, which only shows the short-sightedness of policymakers, who prioritize appearance over substance. In the absence of a solid foundation, as manifested by policy inconsistency, the national education system has only devoured its schoolchildren.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – The Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) has assessed that implementing President Prabowo Subianto's food self-sufficiency program has harmed the environment.

Greater military influence in government, reporters under threat and a stuttering economy – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's first six months in power have triggered alarm bells for activists worried about a return to the country's authoritarian roots.

Jihan Ristiyanti, Jakarta – The Directorate of Drug Crime of the Indonesian National Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Barerskrim Polri) showed an increase in cocaine use in Indonesia from 2024 to 2025.

Antara, Jakarta – The Minister of Social Affairs, Saifullah Yusuf, said the government aims to lower extreme poverty to 0 percent by 2026, and the national poverty rate to drop below five percent by 2029.

Danu Damarjati, Jakarta – The phenomenon of the military entering campuses has become of public concern lately. Now it is the turn of the University of Indonesia (UI) campus to be visited by "soldiers". Previously however, there were other campuses that had already felt the development of the Indonesian Military's (TNI) presence on campus.

Jakarta – Indonesia will increase imports of US food and commodities, and reduce orders from countries the South-east Asian nation currently buys the products from, chief economic minister Airlangga Hartarto told reporters in Washington.

Stephen Dziedzic, Andrew Greene – One of Australia's closest neighbours has declared it is willing to join Chinese-led military exercises but insists it would only do so if the activity is "not directed at any perceived hostile entity".

Bambang Ismoyo, Washington – Indonesia is among the first countries officially accepted by the United States to enter formal negotiations over tariffs imposed during former President Donald Trump's administration. The two countries have agreed to a 60-day timeline to finalize a cooperation framework.

The Civil Society Movement to Bring Suharto to Justice (Gemas) held a Kamisan (Thursday) action in front of the State Palace building in Central Jakarta on Thursday April 17.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Theo Hesegem, director of the Papua Justice and Human Integrity Foundation, has called on the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) to provide evidence supporting its claim of a connection between Indonesian military agents and gold miners in Yahukimo, Papua.

A Korean consortium led by LG has decided to withdraw from a project worth around 11 trillion won ($7.7 billion) to establish an EV battery supply chain in Indonesia, industry sources said Friday.

Jayapura – Papua Justice and Human Integrity Foundation (YKKMP) Director Theo Hesegem has acknowledged the increasing number of victims of human rights violations in Papua over the past few years.

Sinan Serhadli – Siamangs are the largest of the 20 gibbon species, and belong to their own genus, Symphalangus. Distributed across Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, and the southernmost part of Thailand, their unforgettable and emblematic call defines the soundscape of the hill forests in the region.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has raised serious concerns over the European Union Deforestation Regulation, or EUDR, saying it imposes a heavy administrative burden on smallholders while lacking clarity and consistency in its enforcement.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi dismissed rumors of an imminent cabinet reshuffle within the Red and White coalition. He clarified that the restructuring underway pertains to the Golkar Party's internal leadership, led by Chair Bahlil Lahadalia.

Timor-Leste has awarded its first offshore gambling license, calling the move a milestone in the broader push for economic diversification and digital sector development.

Jakarta – The Indonesian government held a meeting on Wednesday with key figures from workers' unions to discuss President Prabowo Subianto's plan to establish a special task force aimed at addressing issues related to layoffs.

State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi and Cabinet Secretary Teddi Indra Wijaya represented the government at the meeting.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has pledged to reform Indonesia's judicial system following a series of high-profile corruption cases involving judges and law enforcement officials, including the arrest of South Jakarta District Court Chief Judge Muhammad Arif Nuryanta.

Jakarta – Instead of bringing new hope, the establishment of the Corruption Eradication Corps (Kortas Tipikor) in the National Police (Polri) has given rise to skepticism.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia's foreign debt has slightly declined to $427.8 billion in February from $427.9 billion in the previous month, according to the country's central bank.

Dede Adhitama, Cirebon, West Java – Hotels in Cirebon, West Java, could face mass layoffs within months as plummeting occupancy rates, driven by government budget cuts, continue to batter the hospitality sector, local industry leaders warned Thursday.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has officially signed the revised Law Number 34 of 2004 concerning the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI Law).

State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said the law, which was approved by the DPR on Thursday, March 20, 2025, was signed by Prabowo on either March 27 or 28, just before the Eid holiday.

Amelia Rahima Sari, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has revealed that dozens of judges have received bribes totaling billions of rupiah, based on monitoring conducted from 2011 to 2024. Over that period, 29 judges were named corruption suspects.

Jakarta – Police in Garut, West Java, have arrested an obstetrician-gynecologist (ob-gyn) over suspicions of sexual misconduct after he appeared to touch a pregnant patient inappropriately during an ultrasound examination in a video clip that went viral on social media.

The alleged sexual assault reportedly took place on June 20, 2024.

Maretha Uli, Jakarta – The newly issued government regulation (PP) on child digital protection, which includes a minimum age limit for using social media platforms, has met with criticism for lacking clarity as well as necessary and effective safeguards.

Ayos Carlos, Yohannes Tohap, Jakarta – Severe traffic congestion brought North Jakarta to a standstill on Thursday, trapping thousands of vehicles, including ambulances and container trucks, on roads leading to Tanjung Priok Port. The North Jakarta Traffic Nightmare, sparked by a post-holiday surge in container deliveries, stretched from morning into the night.