Andrew Mathieson – West Papuan separatists in the occupied territory's eastern region allege eight gold miners they shot and killed on Thursday were undercover members of Indonesian security forces.

The eight men were attacked working in the far-flung village of Korowai in the province of Highland Papua that borders Papua New Guinea.

Novan Iman Santosa, Jakarta – Representatives from Singaporean and Indonesian defense industries had their first meeting during a workshop on Thursday, exploring ways to collaborate among themselves amid an increasingly complex security landscape in the Indo-Pacific region and the growing threats in the cyber domain.

How extraordinary Teddy Indra Wijaya is. He has obtained everything every man desires, as portrayed in Iwan Fals's song Bento: wealth, power, and privilege. At 37, his assets increased by nearly Rp5 billion in a year to Rp20.1 billion, his military rank rose rapidly, and with a position equivalent only to echelon II, he can direct ministers.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – A labor union leader has warned that massive layoffs may occur in the next three months on account of skyrocketing production costs due to the Middle East conflict, forcing manufacturing companies across Java to downsize or close operations permanently.

Maretha Uli, Jakarta – The government is aiming to complete the final phase of recovery efforts in disaster-hit areas of northern Sumatra within the next three years, allocating more than US$5 billion for infrastructure-focused rehabilitation and reconstruction programs.

Ferry Yuniar, Olena Wibisana, Erfan Maruf, Jakarta – Tofu and tempeh producers in Indonesia are struggling to cope with soaring imported soybean prices as the weakening rupiah and global supply chain disruptions drive up production costs across Southeast Asia's largest economy.

Baharudin Al Farisi, Bilal Ramadhan, Jakarta – Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) Executive Director Nenden Sekar Arum has revealed that the trend of limiting freedom of expression in digital space continues to increase.

According to Arum, cases of intimidation and attacks on critical groups are increasing from year to year.

M. Faiz Zaki, Jakarta – National Economic Council Chairperson Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan expressed confidence that the targeted 8 to 9 percent economic growth remains within reach over time. His optimism stems from state projects channeling up to Rp1 trillion per day from the central government directly down to the grassroots level.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform has criticised the move to involve members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) in combatting the problem of street muggings in the Jakarta area.

President Prabowo Subianto's decision to establish a state-owned enterprise (SOE) dedicated to exporting priority commodities sends a clear message: many major economic management policies are being made hastily and without thorough study. Rather than delivering significant benefits, this move risks creating serious consequences for the national economy.

Ade Ridwan Yandwiputra, Jakarta – The plan by the Jayakarta Military Command (Kodam Jaya) to deploy a combat battalion to tackle street robberies, or begal, in Jakarta has drawn sharp criticism from the Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Human rights activist from Indonesia, Hendro Prasetyo, recalls the moments when Israeli military intercepted dozens of vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla in the Mediterranean waters in mid-May 2026. Hendro and another Indonesian citizen, Asad Aras, were aboard the Kasri Sadabad ship.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Nine Indonesian citizens who participated in the humanitarian mission called Global Sumud Flotilla have returned to Indonesia after being abducted by Israel while sailing towards Gaza. The hundreds of volunteers who were carrying humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people were subjected to torture by the Israeli military.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia has established a new holding company, Kawasan Industri Indonesia, to consolidate the management of state-owned industrial estates and strengthen the country's investment appeal, a senior official said on Monday.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia is preparing additional regulations that would allow public service agencies to import oil, particularly from Russia, which remains subject to Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, a senior Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry official said on Monday.

Antara, Jakarta – Trade Minister Budi Santoso said on Monday that the central government could not intervene in the decision by authorities in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, to shut down 25 convenience stores operated by retail chains Alfamart and Indomaret.

Budi said the authority to approve or revoke retail operations lies with local governments.

Maretha Uli, Jakarta – When President Prabowo Subianto addressed lawmakers at the House of Representatives plenary session on Wednesday, part of the speech infuriated contract teacher Azzahra, 23.

Wahroni, Jakarta – An Indonesian journalist seized by Israel forces recalled what it was like being in the latter's detention, saying that it doesn't compare to the pain that Palestinians face.

Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, Jakarta – By any visible metric, President Prabowo Subianto has embraced the role of a foreign policy president. He has traveled relentlessly, projecting Indonesia onto the global stage with a vigor unseen in recent administrations.

Riani Sanusi Putri, Jakarta – Several regions across the island of Sumatra were plunged into a total blackout on Friday, May 22, 2026. In the wake of the outage, civil society organization Trend Asia has urged the government to provide compensation for the affected communities.

Antara, Jakarta – The Constitutional Court ruled on Monday that political parties can be disqualified from contesting elections in specific electoral districts if they fail to meet the mandatory 30% quota for female legislative candidates.

Jihan Ristiyanti, Jakarta – The Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) doubts the government's policy to transfer natural resource exports to a state-owned enterprise could cut down on corruption practices.

The Cuban people are currently struggling with an energy crisis due to the oil embargo by the US since last January.

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – The Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) closed lower for the week of May 18 to 22, 2026, compared to the previous week. According to data from the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX), the index fell 8.35 percent.

Tri Listiyarini, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Indonesia's decision to centralize exports of key natural resource commodities under a new state-controlled entity, combined with Bank Indonesia's surprise 50-basis-point benchmark interest-rate increase, is being viewed by business groups as a double blow to investors, companies, and consumers.

Natasha Khairunisa, Jakarta – The Indonesian Economists Alliance, or AEI, has questioned the validity of Indonesia's reported 5.61% year-on-year economic growth in the first quarter of 2026, arguing that the figure released by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) contains internal inconsistencies that warrant further review.

Pesta Babi (Pig Feast), the controversial Papuan documentary film critical of a major development project impacting on the environment in the southeastern Melanesian region, is stirring public debate and a "crackdown" across Indonesia.

Tempo, Jakarta – Indonesia's state-owned electricity company PLN Unit Induk Distribusi (UID) Aceh has imposed rotating power outages in several areas to maintain system reliability.

Sorong – The documentary film "Pig Feast: Colonialism in Our Times" (Pesta Babi: Kolonialisme di Zaman Kita), after being watched at more than 1,800 joint screenings (nobar), was officially broadcast on the Jubi TV Editorial YouTube channel on Friday 22.

Gamaliel Kaliele, Teminabuan, Jubi – The Indigenous Nasawat community in South Sorong Regency, Southwest Papua, has rejected a village forest scheme currently being formulated by the local regency administration.

Aida Ulim, Jayapura, Jubi – One of the directors of the documentary film Pig Feast: Colonialism in Our Time, Cypri Paju Dale, said the film is not merely a work of art or an ordinary social critique, but a testimony to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Land of Papua.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said Indonesia has the potential to achieve self-sufficiency in meat production within the next four to five years, as the government steps up efforts to strengthen national food security.

He said the target could be reached within that timeframe if current programs continue to progress as planned.

Lili Yan Ing – Indonesia continues to post around 5% annual economic growth, maintain low headline unemployment, and enjoy commodity windfalls from nickel, coal, and palm oil. Yet millions of households increasingly feel poorer, more vulnerable, and less secure.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto said his administration has recorded several achievements since taking office in October 2024, including progress toward self-sufficiency in key food commodities.

Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Indonesia's business chamber Kadin warns that the rupiah's continued slide against the US dollar is squeezing consumers and businesses alike, raising concerns over household spending in Southeast Asia's largest economy.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Jakarta – Indonesia may have large natural gas reserves, but replacing imported liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) with compressed natural gas (CNG) for millions of households would require major investment in pipelines, compression facilities, and distribution systems, analysts say.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia has criticized the directive to shoot suspected street robbers, or locally known begal, on the spot. The order was issued in response to a recent surge in violent robberies.

A teacher and six students from SMP N 1 Senior Highschool Sinak were reportedly apprehended without warrant and subsequently tortured by military personnel during an operation in Sinak District, Puncak Regency, Central Papua Province, on 25 March 2026. According to information received, the arrests occurred whilst classes were in progress on the school premises.

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – The West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) has claimed responsibility for the deaths of eight gold panners in the Korowai region of Yahukimo Regency, Papua Highlands, on Wednesday, May 20.

Theressia Sunday Silalahi, Leonard AL Cahyoputra, Jakarta – Indonesia's plantation industry pushed back on Thursday after President Prabowo Subianto announced a policy requiring natural resource commodity exports to be routed through a single state-controlled entity under sovereign wealth fund Danantara Indonesia.

Delfi Neski, Effendi Rusli, Padang/Pekanbaru – A massive blackout swept across Sumatra island on Friday evening after a major disruption in the regional power transmission system, leaving millions of residents without electricity and crippling traffic and public activity in several provinces.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Bali – From worsening traffic in Canggu to rising concerns over overtourism, Bali is facing growing questions about whether the island's current development model is still sustainable.

Archbishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi of Merauke has censured a documentary about development projects in Indonesia's easternmost region of Papua for presenting a one-sided narrative that excludes the perspective of the Catholic Church.

Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia has expanded the range of foreign currencies allowed for the placement of export earnings from natural resource commodities, permitting exporters to deposit funds in currencies other than the US dollar at state-owned banks.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – A number of high-school students participated in the 908th Aksi Kamisan, which coincided with the commemoration of the 28th anniversary of the 1998 Reform on Thursday, May 21, 2026.

The ecological damage experienced by communities living along the Oko-Oko River in Kolaka Regency, Southeast Sulawesi, adds to the growing narrative of the devastating impact of downstream mining projects in Indonesia. The root of the problem is a latent issue: development policies that encourage maximum investment while ignoring environmental and social concerns.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Associated Press, Jakarta – Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) fell deeper into correction territory on Friday morning as investors reacted to mounting concerns over the government's new export control policies, prolonged Middle East tensions, and renewed pressure on state-owned banks following Fitch Ratings' warning on sovereign support risks.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Indonesia's environment ministry has issued a new approval for a controversial zinc and lead mine in an earthquake-prone region of Sumatra Island, less than a year after a Supreme Court ruling forced it to rescind its earlier approval. Critics of the project have slammed the U-turn, pointing out that nothing has fundamentally changed in that time.

Jakarta – Bank Indonesia reported a balance of payments deficit of $9.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026 as rising global financial uncertainty pressured Indonesia's external accounts.

According to Bank Indonesia spokesperson Ramdan Denny Prakoso, deficits persisted in the current account as well as the capital and financial accounts.

Lili Yan Ing – Over the past three decades, export under-invoicing, transfer pricing, and commodity misreporting may have cost Indonesia hundreds of billions of dollars in lost state revenue and foreign-exchange earnings. President Prabowo Subianto recently described the practice bluntly as "fraud" – and on that point, he is right, and for once, I agree with him.