Jakarta – The government denied Thursday media reports that they were planning to cut the threshold for the final income tax for Indonesia's micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The government recently announced that it would extend the 0.5 percent final income tax incentive until 2025. This incentive was supposed to end in 2024.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – Senior Economist and Executive Director of the Center of Reform on Economics (CORE) Indonesia, Mohammad Faisal, warned the government of potential food waste stemming from the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, set to launch in January 2025.

Ilham Oktafian, Jakarta – The police have denied allegations made by foreign tourists, who claimed they were forced to undergo urine tests and extorted during the 2024 Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) at JIExpo Kemayoran, Central Jakarta last week.

Herman, Jakarta – Ausino Exim Pty Ltd has announced a recall of several Indomie instant noodle variants in Australia due to undeclared allergens on their packaging. The affected products include Indomie Goreng Rendang, Indomie Ayam Bawang (Chicken and Onion), and Indomie Soto Mi (Noodle Soup) flavors.

Antara, Jakarta – Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), the country's largest state-run bank by assets, assured customers that their data and funds remain secure and that normal transactions continue uninterrupted, following rumors of a ransomware attack circulating on social media.

Alfi Dinilhaq, Jakarta – Chinese automaker BYD's (Build Your Dream) new electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant in Subang, West Java, is expected to be completed ahead of schedule and create 18,000 new jobs.

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – Foreign tourists have voiced their intention to boycott the annual Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP), Indonesia's largest electronic music festival, following allegations of police harassment and extortion.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia has distributed Rp 133.7 trillion ($8.25 billion) in banknotes to meet the anticipated spike in cash withdrawals during the year-end holiday season.

Markus You, Jayapura – Demanding justice for the fatal shooting of Tobias Silak and the wounding of Naro Dapla in Dekai, Yahukimo regency, Papua Highlands, national actions were held in several cities on December 16. Aside from Jayapura, similar actions were held in Jakarta, the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar and other cities.

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) has reported rapid growth in payments using the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS), while transactions made with debit cards have declined. QRIS usage has surged by 186 percent year-on-year, reaching 689.07 million transactions.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Police have deployed at least 820 combined personnel to secure a protest against the 12-percent VAT hike at the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta. They will be stationed at several points around the Horse Statue Roundabout near Monas and in front of the Presidential Palace.

Jauhari Mahardhika, Jakarta – Indonesia's wholesale car sales from January to November 2024 fell 14.7 percent year-on-year to 784,788 units, according to industry data. Despite the decline, the figure remains on track to meet the full-year target.

Rama Sukarta, Jakarta – The free nutritious meal program (MBG) launched under President Prabowo Subianto's administration is expected to boost Indonesia's livestock industry, create new business opportunities in rural areas, and attract younger generations to livestock farming, according to Nanang Subendro, Chairman of the Indonesian Cattle and Buffalo Farmers Association (PPSKI).

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Germany has agreed to forgive Indonesia's debt worth 75 million euros or around $78 million in return for the Southeast Asian country to invest in its public health programs for HIV and tuberculosis.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) has decided to keep its benchmark interest rate at 6 percent to maintain inflation within its target range of 2.5 percent for 2024 and 2025, while also supporting sustainable economic growth amid global uncertainties.

Ni Made Tasyarani, Jakarta – The Golden Visa scheme introduced this year has not brought as much investment into the country as hoped, according to the year-end report from the Directorate General of Immigration.

Nur Janti, Jakarta – A United States envoy has said that the US government and businesses will support Indonesia in human resource development (HRD), a central focus of President Prabowo Subianto and his administration to achieve the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision.

Batam – Barelang Municipal Police Chief Senior Commissioner Heribertus Ompusunggu says that the situation at a village on Rempang Island is now conducive after an attack by unidentified people (OTK) early on the morning of Wednesday December 18.

Jakarta – Policymakers are not in a rush to determine the system for future regional head elections, First Deputy Home Minister Bima Arya Sugiarto said, following President Prabowo Subianto's suggestion to roll back direct regional polls to cut costs.

Agencies, Manila – A Filipina who spent nearly 15 years on Indonesia's death row tearfully reunited with family members Wednesday after arriving in Manila, where she now awaits a hoped-for pardon in a women's prison.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has received a barrage of criticism for appointing over 100 people to his Red and White Cabinet, which is likely now the world's largest.

Fetty Azizah, Jakarta – Indonesia's 2024 regional head elections have revealed the overwhelming dominance of the Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM) Plus, which secured victories in several strategic provinces, including Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java and North Sumatra.

Jakarta – The Gunungkidul Regency administration in Yogyakarta is working to deactivate three extreme routes leading to tourist destinations from Google Maps for the Christmas and New Year holidays to reduce potential accidents.

According to the Gunungkidul Transportation Agency, there are at least three tourist destinations with quite extreme terrain.

Jakarta – Former Indonesian president Joko Widodo has not yet decided on his next political move after being officially dismissed from the country's largest political party on Monday (Dec 16) for backing Prabowo Subianto in February's presidential elections.

Zach Hope and Amilia Rosa, Bali – The brother of Bali bomber Ali Imron has questioned why the remaining Australian members of the Bali Nine have been set free when his allegedly deradicalised family member is still serving a life sentence.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – A project worker, identified as AS, was fatally injured in a clash on Kebon Kacang Road, Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. The altercation involved local residents and workers involved in a land-clearing project.

Jakarta – Meikarta Customer Care Community Association chairman Yosafat Erland says he hopes for a solution for customers of the stalled mega-apartment project after tycoon Mochtar Riady met with former president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in Surakarta, Central Java, on Friday.

Muhammad Aulia Rahman, Jakarta – Former Justice Minister Yasonna Laoly was questioned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday regarding the corruption case involving Harun Masiku, a fugitive and fellow Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) executive.

Maulana Ilhami Fawdi, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) noted that between January and December 2024 there were 113 human rights incidents in Papua, 85 of which had the dimensions of armed conflict and violence.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – The Constitutional Court recently confirmed that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has the authority to investigate alleged acts of corruption involving or implicating the Indonesian Military (TNI).

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has recorded 113 alleged human rights violations in Papua from January to December 16, 2024. Of these, 85 were related to armed conflicts and violence.

Jayapura – Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) says that military operations in the land of Papua only sacrifice civilians and create massive internal displacement.

Vitorio Mantalean, Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) Executive Director Djayadi Hanan believes that President Prabowo Subianto's proposal for regional heads to be elected by Regional Houses of Representatives (DPRD) is unsuitable because Indonesia adheres to a different system.

Dat Nguyen – The list of 50 richest individuals in Indonesia is made up of all billionaires for the first time this year, with combined wealth rising 4% to $263 billion.

The list, compiled by Forbes, put the Hartono brothers, R. Budi and Michael, at the top with a net worth of $50.3 billion, a new peak for the duo.

Defara Dhanya, Jakarta – Floods are still inundating several coastal areas of Jakarta, including the Sunda Kelapa Port area, Ancol Village, Pademangan District, North Jakarta. Today, Tuesday, December 17, 2024, the tidal flood (flooding due to maximum sea tides) at that location is 70 centimeters high.

S. Dian Andryanto, Michelle Gabriela, Jakarta – The government ensures that the 12 percent increase in Value Added Tax or VAT will take effect from January 1, 2025. This policy is mandated by Law Number 7 of 2021 concerning Harmonization of Tax Regulations (HPP Law).

Grace Gandhi, Hanin Marwah, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the value of investment in special economic zones (KEK) in the tourism sector is still sluggish due to a lack of investors.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named two suspects in the case of alleged corruption of corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds at Bank Indonesia (BI). However, the KPK did not reveal the names or agencies of the two suspects.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs expects inflation to rise by 0.3 percent in 2025 following the implementation of a 12 percent Value-Added Tax (VAT) on Jan. 1.

Betty Herlina, Elviza Diana, Enggano Island, Indonesia – Milson Kaitora's grandparents never had trouble finding water to grow food here on Enggano Island. But today, coastal abrasion is pushing back the shoreline of Milson's village, and the dearth of freshwater has reduced the annual rice harvest from twice a year to just once.

Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) raided the headquarters of the central bank in Jakarta on Monday in relation to a probe into alleged mishandling of a corporate social responsibility programme, the agency and the central bank said.

Jakarta – Central Kalimantan Police have dishonorably discharged an officer from the Palangka Raya City Police, identified only as Brig. AK, for his involvement in a murder case, following a professional code of ethics hearing.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto's new target to build 3 million homes a year will never solve Indonesia's housing shortage, especially if the government does nothing to fix the broken housing market.

Theressia Sunday Silalahi, Jakarta – Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka responded to the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI-P) decision to expel him, his father Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, and his brother-in-law Bobby Nasution, acknowledging the move with respect.

Ilham Oktafian, Jakarta – Violence against women and children remains a pressing issue in Indonesia. National Police (Polri) Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo revealed that over the past five years, there have been 401,975 cases of violence against women, 105,475 cases of domestic violence, and 15,120 cases of violence against children.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The government will roll out an income tax incentive package for people working in the labor-intensive industries as a means to cushion Indonesia's middle class from the value-added tax (VAT) hike.

Antara, Jakarta – Ahead of the preparations for Christmas 2024 and New Year 2025, tens of thousands of joint personnel from the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police (Polri) will be deployed to secure more than 61,000 crowded locations and places of worship.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – Following a series of recent police shootings, the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission III will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the use of firearms by police officers.

Jakarta – It is time Indonesia abandoned the dream of obtaining significant funding from the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). Two years after this idealistic-sounding program was first spoken of at the November 2022 G20 Summit in Bali, only a small amount of funding has actually been received.

Yusuf Wahil and Victoria Milko Kabaena, Indonesia – The crystal blue waters that once surrounded Kabaena are murky brown now, and the octopi and colorful fish that locals used to catch nearby to eat and sell have fled. The lush seaweed they used to harvest is gone.