Linda Yulisman, Jakarta – Indonesia's presidential candidates have outlined their plans to tackle corruption, but activists and analysts say these campaign trail promises ahead of the Feb 14 polls are ineffective to root out deep-seated graft.

Jakarta – Amid the rising distrust in the neutrality of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's government, the general election will enter its crucial phase of public rallies, when candidates and political parties are allowed to hold mass gatherings to consolidate support ahead of voting day.

Bella Evanglista, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo dismissed speculations of mass resignations within his cabinet, saying on Saturday that all ministers are dedicated to their roles and actively participating in coordinating meetings.

Jakarta – Presidential hopeful Prabowo recently thanked the thousands of members of the ride-hailing driver community Ojolet for their support.

A group of drivers who call themselves Erick Thohir fans declared on Friday their support for Prabowo's presidential bid.

Jakarta – Presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto recently told the Communion of Churches – or PGI – that he was born in a culturally diverse family.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – The expert council of the national winning team of Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud Md, Bonnie Setiawan, claimed that the agrarian reform program brought up by the running pair will be more comprehensive than ones by President Joko Widodo or Jokowi.

Yogi Eka Sahputra, Jakarta – Presidential candidate number 1 Anies Baswedan commented on Rempang Eco-City conflict during his limited campaign in Batam today, Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.

Amelia Rahima Sari, Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) politician, Deddy Yevri Hanteru Sitorus, claimed to have heard that five ministers in President Joko Widodo alias Jokowi's Onward Cabinet Volume II were planning to step down from their posts.

Muhammad Aulia, Jakarta – The Ethics Council of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has uncovered several findings from a series of ethics hearings regarding alleged extortion practices in the KPK Detention Center. One revelation pertains to money allegedly demanded for bringing mobile phones into the corruption watchdog's detention center.

Adinda Jasmine Prasetyo, Jakarta – The Indonesian Farmers Union (SPI) accused the government of failing to pursue food sovereignty as rice imports continue to rise every year. The SPI chairman Henry Saragih highlighted the country's heavy reliance on imports for food.

Jakarta – The government and the DPR are retaining the flexible provisions in the revised ITE Law. This is an increasing threat to freedom of expression.

Adi Warsono, Jakarta – The General Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) Bekasi explained the reason behind the takedown of Anies Baswedan's Videotron in Jl. KH Noer Alie. As occurred in Jakarta, the Videotron advertisement was up for less than a day on Monday over the agreed five-day run.

Jessie Chiang – Last October, the reputation of Indonesia's widely respected president took a fateful hit.

Families of victims, rights activists, and young students held demonstrations across Indonesia to mark the 17th anniversary of a unique protest organized by a Catholic mother seeking the resolution of past human rights violations.

Agencies, Jakarta – Indonesia has allowed three Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes to fly again after grounding them, as they have different configurations from a jet that was forced to make an emergency landing in the United States on Jan. 5, the Transportation Ministry said on Thursday.

Jayapura, Jubi – A pioneer ship has successfully docked in Umar Bay and Yaur Village, Nabire Regency, Central Papua a few days ago. John NR Gobai, a member of the Papua Legislative Council (DPRP) representing the Meepago customary region, revealed that the pioneer ship docked in Umar Bay's Yaur on January 12, 2024.

Mong Palatino – Indonesian candidates are urged to address human rights concerns ahead of the 14 February election.

Rebecca Tan, Bentuk Jaya, Indonesia – Indonesia has been clearing tens of thousands of acres of densely vegetated peatland for farming, releasing massive amounts of carbon that had been sequestered below for centuries and destroying one of the Earth's most effective means of storing greenhouse gases.

Health officials in Indonesia are carrying out a mass immunisation drive after 11 cases of polio were detected in East Java.

The East Java Provincial Health Office reported that as of January 17, 11 children had contracted the rare disease that Indonesia was declared free from a decade ago.

Chandra Asmara and Faris Mokhtar – Two of Indonesia's presidential contenders are in intensive talks to form an alliance to beat frontrunner Prabowo Subianto, showing how policy differences come second to winning in the race to lead Southeast Asia's largest economy.

Jakarta – Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto has a commanding lead but is stagnating in popularity just a few weeks out from next month's election, an opinion poll showed on Thursday, raising the chance of a second-round runoff in June.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The development of 20 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) across various regions in Indonesia has attracted investments totaling Rp 177.5 trillion ($11.36 billion) and created job opportunities for 117,492 individuals involving 331 companies in 2023.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Four Sumatran tigers at the Medan Zoo in North Sumatra are reportedly severely ill as a result of institutional mismanagement and a funding crisis, prompting the central government to intervene in the zoo's operations to help care for the animals.

Over the past two months, three other Sumatran tigers were found dead at the zoo.

Jakarta – It is a disappointment to learn the government has chosen to abandon the 23 percent renewable target in the national energy mix that it was supposed to achieve by 2025.

Yohana Belinda, Jakarta – The government has decided to postpone increasing the entertainment tax rate, which was slated to take effect this January, Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Panjaitan said on his Instagram account on Wednesday.

Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD has vowed to set up a production facility in Indonesia this year.

Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – The Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) has projected a record deficit for the National Health Insurance (JKN) program this year.

A projected gap of Rp 18.9 trillion (US$1.21 billion) between its fees revenue and benefit payouts would mark the largest shortfall the agency has experienced since its inception in 2014.

Jakarta – Presidential candidate Anies Baswedan promised that he would reinstate civil servants who were demoted and fired for choosing to remain neutral if he became president.

"We will restore all those who were considered to be not following orders," Anies said on Tuesday in Makassar, South Sulawesi, as quoted by tempo.co.

Thomas Rizal, Jakarta – Ikhsan Abdullah, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), has reiterated the call to boycott products affiliated with Israel as a form of solidarity with the people of Palestine.

Agencies, Jakarta – Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati "continues to carry out her duties in managing state finances," her ministry said in a statement on Friday, amid reports she may resign from cabinet ahead of the Feb. 14 presidential election.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Communications Minister Budi Arie Setiadi has just dismissed rumors of mass cabinet resignation, saying that all ministers were busy focusing on their jobs.

Jayapura, Jubi – Frits Ramandey, the Head of the Representative Office of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM Papua), stated that in 2024, the focus of their efforts will be on monitoring several armed conflict areas in Papua.

Jakarta – Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto said that farmers were the nation's heroes as they played a major role in providing food for the people.

"I extend respect to all the farmers in Indonesia. You are our nation's heroes. You are the true heroes," Prabowo said, speaking to approximately 35,000 heroes in Blora, Central Java, on Thursday.

Henderi Gunadi, Jakarta – In the run-up to the presidential election on Feb. 14, challenges in the taxation sector have been some of the most widely discussed topics in the ongoing political campaigns.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) supervisory council began a series of ethics hearings on Wednesday into the conduct of 93 employees accused of soliciting illegal payments from KPK detainees in exchange for prison perks.

Jakarta – As Indonesia enters the final stretch of the presidential election campaign season and as voters count down the days to the Feb. 14 balloting, we can certainly sense that there is a growing concern regarding President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's impartiality in this election.

Badung, Bali – Tourism operators in Bali have strongly opposed the government's new policy that increases taxes on places of entertainment, which they say will hit businesses such as nightclubs, bars and spas.

The new policy, which came into effect this month, has increased the tax from 15 percent to between 40 and 75 percent.

Jakarta – Presidential candidate Anies Baswedan has promised to prioritize education in Southwest Papua by rolling out a scholarship program for children.

During his campaign in Sorong, the provincial capital, Anies said he had met a child who was unable to attend school because of the high cost of education.

Ichsan Ali, Jakarta – Newly inaugurated Chairman of the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) M Fanshurullah Asa has revealed that the monopoly watchdog will prioritize oversight of the mining, gas, electricity, and construction sectors in the initial 100 days of his term.

Jakarta – Political party leaders in Surakarta, Central Java, have demanded Surkarta mayor and vice presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka to resign from his post because of his frequent leaves of absence for the presidential campaign.

Jakarta – Indonesia's presidential candidates have pledged to strengthen the government's anti-corruption agency, laying out their plans ahead of the country's Feb 14 election, to counter graft in South-east Asia's largest economy.

The candidates' promises were made at a dialogue late on Jan 17.

Jakarta – Mining activity at a nickel industrial park linked to mainly Chinese companies has contributed to mass deforestation in Indonesia, a non-governmental group said in a report.

Jakarta – Indonesian presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto has a commanding lead but is stagnating in popularity just a few weeks out from an election in February, an opinion poll showed on Jan 18, raising the chance of a second-round run-off in June.

Bernadette Christina, Jakarta – Indonesia aims to triple its biomass consumption in power generation to 2.83 million metric tons in 2024, from 991,000 tons consumed last year in an effort to cut its emissions, an energy ministry official said on Thursday.

Faris Mokhtar and Cynthia Li – Economists gave top marks to a dark horse candidate in Indonesia's presidential race, favoring former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan to oversee Southeast Asia's largest economy, according to a Bloomberg survey.

Lusa – The National Student Resistance of Timor-Leste (RENETIL) on Wednesday expressed concern about the country's healthcare sector and called on the government to provide an urgent response, stressing that "health is people's lives."

Rebecca Ratcliffe and Ardila Syakriah – In early December, hundreds of Rohingya refugees walked along the shore of Aceh province in Indonesia, with nothing to guide them but the faint glow of lights in a nearby village. After a treacherous journey by boat, they had already been turned away by locals in one area of Aceh and were seeking refuge elsewhere.

Monique Handa Shafira, Jakarta – China's electric vehicle producer Build Your Dreams (BYD) plans to invest $1.3 billion (Rp 20.3 trillion) to build a manufacturing plant in Indonesia with a capacity of 150,000 units.

Muhammad Fakhruddin, Jakarta – Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto is leading in the pivotal battleground provinces of West and East Java which collectively have more than 67 million registered voters, according to a poll released on Thursday.

Jakarta – A member of the Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD campaign team, Todung Mulya Lubis, said the 2024 presidential election was the least democratic election since the start of the Reform Era, the period after the downfall of the country's authoritarian leader Soeharto.