Vinnilya Huanggrio, Jakarta – The government should reconsider the plan to implement a hike in value-added tax next year because Indonesia currently has the highest VAT in Southeast Asia, the chairman of the Indonesian Global Brand Retailers' Association (Apregindo) said on Monday.

Salman Mardira, Jakarta – Education activist Henny Supolo Sitepu voiced her opposition to the reintroduction of the national exam as a graduation requirement, as proposed by the Elementary and Secondary Education Ministry.

She argued that using the exam as a graduation standard would be unfair due to the significant differences in education quality across schools.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – Finance Minister Sri Mulyani has temporarily frozen all infrastructure budgets for government construction projects, following directives from President Prabowo Subianto.

Alfida Rizki Febrianna, Jakarta – An expert recently said there are other ways to grow state revenue, including imposing excise on alcohol as the government is set to increase the value-added tax (VAT).

Alfida Rizki Febrianna, Jakarta – The upcoming value-added tax (VAT) hike could take a huge toll on Indonesia's minimum wage earners, economist Achmad Nur Hidayat said in a recent interview.

A 12 percent VAT is set to come into force in January. However, the government's decision to increase the VAT by 1 percentage point has fueled criticisms from experts.

Mita Amalia Hapsari, Jakarta – The Presidential Communication Office officially welcomed nearly 50 new recruits on Monday, some of whom will serve as presidential spokespersons specializing in different areas of expertise.

Jakarta – By visiting the United States immediately after China last week, President Prabowo Subianto has made it clear that Indonesia wants to be friends with both and that, despite their intensifying rivalry, it does not favor one over the other.

Jakarta – Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu'ti said the ministry will soon roll out a a new plan that will allow students to be taught on the subjects of artificial intelligence and coding.

Mu'ti, however, said that the lesson on AI and coding would be elective and would only be available for students in fourth grade.

Jakarta – Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq has encouraged regional heads to enhance the management of final disposal sites (TPA), particularly those with open dumping systems.

In what claims to be the only woman-run cafe in the capital of Indonesia's most conservative province, owner Qurrata Ayuni says she and her baristas provide an alternative to rowdy, smoke-filled male haunts.

Zachary Abuza – In response to a question during a televised debate in December 2023, then-Indonesian presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto stated that he would send more troops to deal with an insurgency in Papua.

Duncan Graham – An alleged plot involving firearms and threatening the life of Kiwi pilot Philip Mehrtens when held hostage in Papua this year is being investigated by the AFP.

The case involves "advancing a political cause by the separation of West Papua from Indonesia... with the intention of coercing by intimidation the governments of New Zealand and Indonesia."

Fery Firmansyah, Jakarta – Tempo Media Group launches Tempo Single Brand, a single digital platform that unites three digital journalistic products of Tempo, namely tempo.co, koran.tempo.co, and majalah.tempo.co. The launch of Tempo Single Brand took place during the Klak Klik Festival at Hallf Pati Unus, South Jakarta on November 17, 2024.

Whisnu Bagus Prasetyo, Jakarta – The government's plan to raise the value-added tax (VAT) to 12 percent will negatively impact exports, reduce household income, and increase unemployment, according to an economist from the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef).

Yustinus Paat, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Ridwan Kamil criticized former Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known as Ahok, on Sunday for issuing the highest number of eviction orders against city residents. He pledged that, if elected, he would take a different approach to addressing Jakarta's housing issues.

Rizky Hidayatullah, Banyuwangi – Police in the East Java regency of Banyuwangi raided a dog shelter on Saturday, arresting two men for further interrogation and uncovering a facility that sold dog meat.

Wijayanti Putri, Solo – Former President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo had breakfast on Sunday in Solo with Central Java gubernatorial candidate Ahmad Luthfi and his running mate, Taj Yasin Maimoen. After their meeting, Jokowi expressed confidence that the pair would secure victory in the upcoming election.

Larius Kogoya, Jayapura – Lince Ronsumbre, a two -year-old baby, and Lince Kafiar, a sick grandmother, were rushed to the Abepura Regional General Hospital (RSUD) on Thursday November 15 after suffering the effects of teargas.

A West Papuan advocacy group for self-determination for the colonised Melanesians has appealed to the United Kingdom government to cancel its planned reception for new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.

Jakarta – Discussion surrounding the controversial subject of childlessness has resurfaced recently as a Statistics Indonesia (BPS) report shows 8.2 percent of Indonesian women of childbearing age choose not to have children.

Jakarta – One possible explanation for the country's persistently low corruption perception index is the failure of highly educated citizens to fulfill their role as guardians of moral and ethical integrity. Indeed, some have been found to have engaged in corrupt practices, such as plagiarism, that have undermined their credibility.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Indonesia, as the world's largest coal exporter, has the potential to play a bigger role in determining global coal prices, the Indonesian Energy, Mineral, and Coal Suppliers Association (Aspebindo) said on Friday.

The group urged President Prabowo's administration to take strategic steps to strengthen the country's influence in the global market.

Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon in Lima, Peru on Friday, November 15, 2024. Prabowo and Luxon discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries.

Te Aniwaniwa Paterson – In 2009 Moiwend was a student at Unitec learning English as a tool to use in political debate and negotiation to help her people of West Papua.

For part of her studies she wrote about Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and she said she cried and thought, "this is like us in West Papua".

Larius Kogoya, Jayapura – The West Papua National Committee or KNPB firmly rejects the revival of the transmigration program in Papua. The KNPB is aware that Papuans will be sidelined, so transmigration must be rejected.

Antara, Jakarta – The Women Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) Ministry plans to propose a revision to Law No. 23 of 2004 on the Elimination of Domestic Violence, citing its shortcomings in addressing persistently high domestic violence cases.

Matthew Burgess and Grace Sihombing – Indonesia's central bank intervened in currency markets to support the rupiah after it weakened toward the psychological level of 16,000 per dollar.

Jakarta – Former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan on Thursday praised President Prabowo Subianto, his rival in the February presidential election, on his first international tour as president in recent days, saying that he had brought respectability back to Indonesia.

Jakarta – The massive collision on Monday involving several cars at kilometer marker (KM) 92 on the Cipularang Toll Road in West Java is the latest in a long list of fatal accidents that have occurred along the notoriously hazardous section of the turnpike.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia recorded a trade surplus of $2.48 billion in October, according to data released by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) on Friday.

The agency reported a $4.8 billion surplus in non-oil and gas trade, which was partially offset by a $2.32 billion deficit in oil and gas trade.

Aisyah Llewellyn, Medan, Indonesia – Halimah Nasution used to feel as if she had it all. For years, she and her husband Agus Saputra made a good living renting out supplies for weddings, graduations and birthdays.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto recently told Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about how seriously he takes the war against drug crimes and people smuggling.

Lusa – The president Timor-Leste said on Tuesday that National Youth Day, which marks the Santa Cruz massacre, is not only about "remembering", but also about strengthening the "freedom and dignity" of the Timorese.

Lusa – The President of Timor-Leste said on Thursday that the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP), which is taking place in Azerbaijan, is unlikely to be very different from the others in terms of funding.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – When Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto called on U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House earlier this week, the two leaders spoke of their shared commitments on a range of issues, including the clean energy transition, sustainable agriculture and sustainable fisheries.

Arti Ekawati – Newly inaugurated President Prabowo Subianto unveiled Indonesia's new and enlarged Cabinet last month, naming ministers, deputy ministers and heads of various national agencies.

Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto received the highest honor from the Government of Peru, 'The Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru.'

The Peruvian President Dina Boluarte personally presented this award during a reception at the National Palace of Peru in Lima, on Thursday, November 14, 2024.

Indonesia, West Papua – The Indonesian military continues to intensify its operations in West Papua, leading lately to increased displacement of indigenous communities and severe human rights abuses.

Jakarta – Jakarta gubernatorial candidates still lack a concrete strategy to reduce waste buildup in the capital city, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) has said

Yulianus Magai, Jayapura – Hundreds of Papuans took to the streets of Jayapura city on Friday November 15 to oppose the government's plan to revive the transmigration program to Papua. They are concerned that the program will threaten their existence and identity as indigenous Papuans.

Andrea Arshirena Hosana, Jakarta, Chief Human Development and Cultural Affairs Minister Muhaimin Iskandar, commonly known as Cak Imin, labeled online gambling a social disaster during his visit to patients undergoing rehabilitation for gambling addiction at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) on Friday.

Jamaah, Rembang – Rembang Police are investigating a clash between foreign workers from Kapur Rembang Indonesia (KRI), a foreign-owned limestone company, and locals from Blora Regency, Central Java, that left three residents injured. The incident, which went viral on social media, occurred on Wednesday night.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni has announced plans to reforest 12 million hectares of land in Indonesia that was damaged by massive fires in the 1990s and 2016.

Rama Sukarta, Jakarta – The Indonesian Shopping Center Management Association (APPBI) is urging the government to delay the planned increase in Value-Added Tax (VAT) to 12 percent on January 1, 2025, fearing it could lead to higher prices for goods and impact public purchasing power. The association warned that the move could hinder economic growth.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) expresses deep concern over the continued stagnation of the legal process surrounding serious human rights violations, including the Semanggi I, Semanggi II, and Trisakti incidents. Despite decades of investigation, these cases remain unresolved.

Natalia Santi – Amnesty International Indonesia has emphasised that it is the state's responsibility to resolve the human rights violations that took place in the Semanggi I tragedy in 1998.

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – The Constitutional Court has issued a ruling in Case Number 126/PUU-XXII/2024 which challenged Article 54D paragraph 3 of Law Number 10 of 2016 concerning Regional Head Elections (Pilkada). Chief Justice MK Suhartoyo said this article contradicted the 1945 Constitution and lacked a clear provision for rerun elections.

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – The Headquarters of the Indonesian National Army (TNI) claimed that they will continue to escort the investigation process of the case of soldiers attacking civilians in Sibiru-biru District, Deli Serdang Regency.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) stated that Indonesia is currently facing a child pornography emergency, in addition to the ongoing online gambling crisis.

Agnes Valentina Christa, Jakarta – Indonesia's digital economy is projected to reach a gross merchandise value (GMV) of $90 billion (Rp 1,422 trillion) this year, marking a 13 percent increase from the previous year, according to a joint report by Google Indonesia, Temasek, and Bain & Company.