Hariz Baharudin, Jakarta – Indonesia is strengthening its digital defences by establishing a new cyber force, Angkatan Siber, which will become the fourth branch of the military, alongside the army, navy and air force.

Stephen Wright, Bangkok, Thailand – Indonesia's military is taking a leading role in plans to convert more than 2 million hectares of wetlands and savannah into rice farms and sugarcane plantations in a part of the conflict-prone Papua region that conservationists say is an environmental treasure.

Switzerland's federal Supreme Court has approved the seizure of bank accounts linked to the family of Indonesian president-elect Prabowo Subianto's tycoon brother as a long-running tax saga casts a shadow over the incoming leader who is set to take office later this month.

Jakarta – The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has vowed that early warning information for tsunamis and other related disasters will be disseminated within three minutes of an earthquake's detection.

Daryono, head of the BMKG's Earthquake and Tsunami Center, said such warnings would reach all levels of society in Indonesia.

Ary Hermawan – A troll social media account under the name of Fufufafa in Indonesia's oldest chat forum, Kaskus, has sparked speculation about the relationship dynamics between president-elect Prabowo Subianto and vice president-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the eldest son of outgoing President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Jakarta – A reality check on our government's ambition is in order after the World Bank questioned last week the plan to turn the country into a developed economy under the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision.

Maria Monica Wihardja and Putu Sanjiwacika Wibisana – Indonesia's middle class can be a boon for democracy but a bane for the government. Its economic security and political participation are crucial to the country's prosperity.

Antara, Jakarta – The head of Indonesia's General Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), Rahmat Bagja, said voters are allowed to campaign for empty ballot boxes in regions with single candidates in the upcoming regional elections. The campaign, however, must not utilize state facilities.

Jakarta – Perhaps playing word games has become President Joko Widodo's specialty. In regard to the export of sea sand, he refers to the material extracted from the seabed and sold overseas as 'sediment'. However, in the government regulation that he signed, marine sediment is defined exactly as sea sand and mud.

Dani Aswara, Petir Garda B, Jakarta – Indonesian Islamist cleric Rizieq Syihab, commonly known as Habib Rizieq, filed a lawsuit alleging unlawful acts against President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo through the Central Jakarta District Court on September 30, 2024.

Alfitria Nefi P, Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – Guntur Romli, a politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), opposed the idea of awarding former President Suharto the title of national hero. He argued that the Suharto government was involved in a number of crimes against humanity.

Ridho Bramulya Ikhsan (BINUS University in Jakarta) – Consumers including millennials choose carefully, increasingly aware of deceptive environmental claims by businesses.

Yolanda Agne, Jakarta – A number of parties have protested the proposal to award the title of national hero on the second President of the Republic of Indonesia, Suharto, which was announced by People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker and Golkar Party politician Bambang Soesatyo at a gathering of MPR leaders and Suharto's extended family.

Oyuk Ivani S, Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – The Ministry of Manpower recorded that as of October 1, 2024, as many as 52,993 workers have been laid off. The Director General of Industrial Relations and Social Security for Workers, Indah Anggoro Putri, said the manufacturing sector contributed the largest number of layoffs this year, logging a total of 24,013 workers.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo received on Tuesday a short list of 10 candidates to serve as leaders of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Jakarta – The rivalry between North Sumatra gubernatorial candidates Bobby Nasution and Edy Rahmayadi is intensifying ahead of the 2024 regional head elections. Bobby, the current Medan mayor, recently criticized regional leaders who avoid responsibility for road repairs, indirectly targeting the current North Sumatra Governor Edy.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Police's Internal Affairs Division (Propam) has questioned 11 officers regarding the disruption of a diaspora discussion in Kemang on Saturday.

The investigation aims to review the standard operating procedures for providing security at discussions and demonstrations.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – A total of 580 members of the House of Representatives (DPR) and 152 members of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) for the 2024-2029 period will be sworn in on Tuesday at the parliament complex in Senayan, Jakarta.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesian textile manufacturers are still struggling against floods of imported goods, according to the Industry Ministry.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported that Indonesia experienced a monthly deflation of 0.12 percent in September 2024. Meanwhile, the year-on-year inflation rate stands at 1.84 percent, with a calendar year inflation rate of 0.74 percent.

Ali Achmad, Batu, East Java – Twelve individuals involved in a sex party at a villa in Batu City were arrested by the East Java Police.

The suspect, SM, 31, organized the sex party, facilitating group sexual relations. He invited participants, including seven men and five women, to engage in sexual activities together.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia has attracted more than 9 million foreign travelers as of August this year, but these figures were still below the pre-Covid levels.

Jakarta – The past few weeks, if not months, have not been a proud time for our teenagers, the generation that will carry the torch to achieve the country's vision of a Golden Indonesia by 2045, with news reports of youth violence resounding from across the archipelago.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) passed 225 drafts into laws during its 2019-2024 term, a significant increase compared to the 91 laws passed by the 2014-2019 parliament.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Jamaludin Malik, a newly elected member of the House of Representatives (DPR) from the Golkar Party, arrived in an Ultraman superhero costume ahead of the swearing-in ceremony for DPR members in the Senayan parliament complex, Jakarta, on Tuesday.

Yokie Rahmad Isjchwansyah – President-elect Prabowo Subianto will likely appoint a military figure to head the Defence Ministry when he steps into office in October 2024. As a former army general who now serves as defence minister under President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, Prabowo is expected to further marginalise civilian politicians in the country's defence sector.

Mai Nguyen, Siyi Liu, Fransiska Nangoy and Pratima Desai – Top nickel producer China's Tsingshan has cut ferronickel production in Indonesia due to persistent shortages of ore caused by delays to mining quota approvals, two sources with knowledge of the matter said.

Ilham Oktafian, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The Jakarta Police have arrested five individuals in connection with Saturday's raid on a political discussion and have named at least two of them as criminal suspects.

The incident took place during a gathering at the Grand Kemang Hotel, where prominent figures critical of the government were holding a discussion.

Duncan Graham – There'll soon be a new leader next door – ageing hardliner Prabowo Subianto. He's Indonesia's dark lord with a worrying past of alleged human rights abuses, yet overwhelmingly elected in the February national poll. He'll take over on 20 October.

Ivany Atina Arbi, Jakarta – Human rights organizations have denounced the disbanding of multiple public discussions and peaceful protests by "unknown" individuals over the past week, and the police's apparent indifference to the cases has raised suspicions that the force is aiding in President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's efforts to hold on to power at the cost of civil liberties.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – All eyes are still on Kaesang Pangarep, the youngest son of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, who became embroiled in a controversy over his use of a private jet for a recent trip to the United States. The controversy has only increased since Kaesang provided clarification over the matter to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Sept. 17.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – The North Sumatra Prosecutor's Office arrested five people for alleged corruption in the fraudulent procurement of facilities at Kualanamu International Airport, which had incurred Rp 7.1 billion (US$469,936) in state losses, the office's spokesperson said on Thursday.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) reminded the people to continue boycotting products made by Israel and all affiliated items to support the struggle for Palestinian independence.

Jakarta – With less than a month before leaving office, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo was on a roll in the past week visiting multiple sites, where milestones of some downstream projects were achieved, simply to show how well the policy is working.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) will retain Puan Maharani as the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the next five years, a party executive confirmed on Monday.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Senior minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan revealed Monday more details of his recent visit to New York, which included an impromptu meeting with US President Joe Biden.

Djibril Muhammad, Jakarta – Former President Megawati Soekarnoputri and President-elect Prabowo Subianto planned for a meeting before the latter is inaugurated as the next president.

As the meeting nears, political expert Ujang Komarudin recently said that these two party leaders have always had good ties despite their differences.

Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia believes that there was an element of omission on the part of the security forces in the recent attacks by unidentified groups on the Homeland Forum (FTA) discussion in Kemang in South Jakarta and the Global Climate Strike action at Menteng Park in Central Jakarta.

Maria Gabrielle Putrinda, Jakarta – President-Elect Prabowo Subianto, who will soon start leading the country next month, has set an ambitious goal of building 2 million houses in Indonesian villages annually during his presidency.

Teguh Adi Prasetyo, Jakarta – Jakarta governor candidate Pramono Anung recently promised that he would let civil servants to take the MRT and LRT public transport services for free should he win the election.

Teguh Adi Prasetyo, Jakarta – More than half of the 580 elected House of Representatives members are newcomers who will be part of a parliament where seven of eight incumbent parties have expressed support for the upcoming presidency of Prabowo Subianto.

The House will welcome 360 debutants during the inauguration on Tuesday.

Juan Ardya Guardiola, Jakarta – The wife of the late President Abdurrahman Wahid, popularly known as Gus Dur, expressed her gratitude on Sunday for the recent annulment of the 2001 parliamentary decree that led to his impeachment.

Nabiila Azzahra A, Daniel A. Fajri, Tika Ayu, Andi Adam Faturahman, Petir Garda B, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo or Jokowi recently asserted that the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) project has garnered widespread approval from the Indonesian people through their elected representatives in the House of Representatives (DPR).

Joniansyah, Petir Garda B, Jakarta – Director General of Immigration Silmy Karim has defended the recent amendment to immigration regulations that permits officers to carry firearms, citing the escalating dangers they face in the field.

Indonesia, West Papua – On 29 September 2024, the five students Mr Josan, Mr Ando, Mr Joshua, Mr Cela, and Mr Emigay, all members of the 'West Papuan Student Solidarity', were intimidated after registering a peaceful assembly to commemorate the Rome Agreement of 30 September 1962 in Nabire, Papua Tengah Province.

Wahyu Chandra, Makassar, Indonesia – Indonesian authorities have arrested a 72-year-old South Korean national for allegedly running a sand quarrying operation in a protected forest area in West Sulawesi province. The incident marks a rare instance of a foreign citizen charged with environmental crimes in the world's largest archipelagic country.

Arie Firdaus, Jakarta – Shocked families of victims of human rights abuses committed under former Indonesian President Suharto have condemned a proposal by national assembly members to give the deceased authoritarian leader "national hero" status.

Jakarta – Central Java has recorded the most layoffs of any province this year, with 14,767 as of Sept. 26, according to the Manpower Ministry.

Following Central Java, Banten recorded 9,114 layoffs, while Jakarta had 7,469. Nationwide, there have been almost 53,000 layoffs this year, with 6,573 in September.

Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) has named Romy Soekarno a member of the House of Representatives for the 2024-2029 term after two elected members from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) resigned.

This decision was formalized in KPU Decree No. 1401/2024, signed by KPU chairman Mochamad Afifuddin on Friday.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) will showcase over 1,000 military assets from its three branches during the 79th Anniversary celebrations at Silang Monas, Central Jakarta, on Saturday, Oct. 5.