Ricky Juliansyah, Jakarta – The University of Indonesia's Student Executive Body (BEM UI) staged a symbolic demonstration at Tugu Makara on the Depok Campus on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. During the rally, the student body officially declared that reformasi, the country's era of democratic reform, is dead.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto today, Wednesday, May 20, during the plenary session of the House of Representatives, cited the "deep state," or the unauthorized network operating within a government, as part of the reasons obstructing the functioning of state institutions.

Jacobus E. Lato – Indonesian Navy suspended the planned construction of a patrol dock close to a Church in the restive, Christian-majority Papua region following a protest joined by hundreds of Papuans.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia unexpectedly delivered a larger-than-anticipated interest rate hike on Wednesday, raising its benchmark BI Rate by 50 basis points to 5.25% as the central bank moved aggressively to defend the rupiah amid escalating global market volatility triggered by the Middle East conflict.

Herman, Jakarta – Ride-hailing company GoTo Gojek Tokopedia (GOTO) said on Tuesday it fully supports the Indonesian government's new regulation requiring ride-hailing platforms to allocate at least 92% of fares to drivers.

Ananda Teresia, Jakarta – Indonesian authorities, including the military, used online disinformation campaigns to brand activists and journalists as "foreign agents" and silence dissent, sometimes leading to physical threats, Amnesty International said on Tuesday.

Pradipa P. Rasidi – With the enactment of Government Regulation 57 of 2025 on Electronic System Operators and Child Protection (PP TUNAS), the Indonesian government plans to restrict access to various digital platforms – from TikTok and Instagram to Roblox – for children under 16. The aim is to prevent cyberbullying, addiction, fraud, and other harmful content.

Silpester Kasipka, Sentani, Jubi – Jayapura Regency has recorded the second-highest number of malaria cases in Indonesia after Mimika Regency, according to local authorities.

Jayapura Deputy Regent Haris Richard Yocku said there were 71,542 malaria cases recorded in Jayapura Regency in 2025, accounting for approximately 10.1 percent of the total malaria cases nationwide.

Antara, Jakarta – The rupiah weakened at the close of trading on Tuesday, falling 38 points or 0.22 percent to Rp17,706 per US dollar, from Rp17,668 earlier.

Bank Woori Saudara analyst Rully Nova said the rupiah's decline was driven in part by rising global oil prices, which remain above US$100 per barrel.

Coordinated disinformation campaigns portraying government critics as "foreign agents" are silencing dissent and fueling intimidation and violence under Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Amnesty International said in a new report published today.

Piter Lokon, Dekai, Jubi – The West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organization Regional Defense Command XVI Yahukimo (TPNPB-OPM Kodap XVI Yahukimo) stated that two of its members from the Yamue Battalion, Marten Heluka and Yoper Payage, were killed in a firefight with Indonesian security forces in Dekai, the capital of Yahukimo Regency, on Sunday (17 May 2026) at around

Agencies, Jakarta – Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said on Tuesday that he had signed a letter of intent last month with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on granting US military aircraft access to Indonesian airspace, but said no commitment was made.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – The chairperson of Centra Initiative, Al Araf, has said that what he describes as the strengthening of militarism in Indonesia is rooted in the negligence of civilian authorities, including the president and parliament.

He argued that in a democratic system, control over the military should rest firmly with civilian leaders.

Jihan Ristiyanti, Jakarta – Lawyers from the Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD), including Andrie Yunus, have reported a panel of judges from Military Court II-08 Jakarta who are handling their client's case to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Adlu Raharusun, Manokwari, West Papua – Member of Indonesia's Regional Representative Council (DPD RI) for West Papua, Filep Wamafma, said the documentary film Pesta Babi serves as an important educational medium to open public discussion about the various issues currently faced by people in Papua.

Halmahera, Indonesia – New research examining Indonesia's vast nickel-processing regions has documented rising rates of ill health and workplace harm linked to a key industry supplying the global energy transition.

On 17 May 2026, an Indonesian military drone reportedly dropped grenades on the St Paul's Catholic Church in Mbamogo Village, Agisiga District, Intan Jaya Regency, shortly after worshippers had completed Sunday mass.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia's external debt rose to $434 billion in the first quarter of 2026, increasing 0.5% from the previous quarter and 0.8% year-on-year. Economists warned that the rising debt trend is narrowing the government's fiscal space, especially as the rupiah continues to weaken to record lows in recent weeks.

Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura, Papua – The Solidarity of Paniai Students Across Indonesia in Jayapura, Papua held a free speech forum at the Paniai Dormitory in Jayapura City on Monday (18 May 2026) night, voicing opposition to the proposed establishment of several new autonomous regions (DOB) in Paniai Regency, Central Papua.

Chairul Fikri, Jakarta – Indonesia is considering legal measures to seek the release of nine Indonesian citizens reportedly detained by Israeli forces while participating in the humanitarian aid fleet known as the Global Sumud Flotilla, Coordinating Minister for Legal Affairs Yusril Ihza Mahendra said on Monday.

There is nothing surprising about the recommendations made by the Commission for the Acceleration of Police Reform. As we suspected from the outset, this team was merely a ploy by President Prabowo Subianto to respond to public anger over police repression in the handling of the August 2025 public protests.

At least two civilians were feared dead and two others injured after an aerial bombing at a Catholic church compound in the Central Papua province.

The Union of Catholic Asian News (UCA News) reported that at least two civilians were feared dead and two others injured after an aerial bombing at the Catholic church compound by a suspected drone attack.

Ricky Juliansyah, Jakarta – Student Executive Board of University of Indonesia, known as BEM UI, has criticized the government over recent remarks downplaying the impact of the weakening rupiah on rural communities.

Jakarta – The Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD) officially reported alleged violations of the code of ethics and behavioural guidelines by the panel of judges at the Jakarta II-08 Military Court, which is currently hearing the case of the acid attack on Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Deputy Coordinator Andrie Yunus.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said Monday that the Southeast Asian country will continue to build up its defense capabilities as the government handed over equipment including six French-made Rafale jets to the military.

Agus Pambagio, Sidik Pramono, Jakarta – Logistics costs are a key factor in national economic competitiveness. In recent months, however, Indonesia's national logistics system, particularly its maritime transportation, has sounded serious alarm bells.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia's external debt edged higher in the first quarter of 2026, driven by government borrowing, although the central bank said the country's debt profile remained healthy with a lower debt-to-GDP ratio and a continued dominance of long-term liabilities.

Ricki Putra Harahap, Jakarta – The Indonesian government will inject Rp 2 trillion ($113.2 million) per day into the domestic bond market to help stabilize the rupiah as the currency continues weakening against the US dollar, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudho Sadewa said on Monday.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – Rupiah's slide past Rp 17,600 per US dollar reflects mounting fiscal and structural concerns at home rather than purely monetary pressures, according to an economist at the University of Indonesia's Institute for Economic and Social Research (LPEM FEB UI).

Bambang Ismoyo, Jakarta – Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) are warning that the rupiah's continued depreciation against the US dollar could lead to layoffs if the currency weakness persists, as companies face rising operational and production costs.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has clarified the intent behind President Prabowo Subianto's recent statement that villagers do not use the US dollar, stating the remarks were meant to engage and entertain the public.

Jakarta – An Indonesian official announced on April 30, 2026, that the government would seek to amend the country's 1999 Human Rights Law to allow authorities to determine who is a recognized human rights defender, Human Rights Watch said today.

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Jakarta – Around 200 students from 12 kindergartens, elementary and junior high schools in Tembok Dukuh subdistrict, Surabaya, East Java, suffered symptoms of food poisoning after consuming state-provided free nutritious meals on May 11.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto often makes controversial statements in his various speeches. Most recently, he mentioned that even though the exchange rate of the rupiah weakened against the US dollar, it did not affect the villagers. His reason was that, according to him, villagers do not use dollars.

Alfi Dinilhaq, Jakarta – Indonesia is securing the number one spot in the global ranking for tax expenditure transparency, dethroning South Korea.

Ilham Oktafian, Jakarta – Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid has denied that Indonesia's new trade agreement with the United States includes the transfer of citizens' personal data, following growing public concern over a cross-border data clause in the deal.

Sorong – The Papua Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Papua) believes that the statement issued by the XVII/Cenderawasih Regional Military Command (Kodam) about the documentary film "Pesta Babi" (Pig Feast) potentially exceeds the authority of military and threatens freedom of expression within the democratic sphere.

Endang Mulyani, Jakarta – Authorities in Jakarta are stepping up vigilance against hantavirus after six suspected cases were identified, along with three confirmed infections, according to the city's health agency.

Jakarta Health Agency head Ani Ruspitawati said the capital had recorded six suspected hantavirus cases currently under monitoring.

Laurens Ikinia, Jakarta – The eighth floor of the Tempo building in Jakarta became the setting for a gathering rich with meaning.

Zhulfakar, Jakarta – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has pushed back against criticism from British magazine The Economist over the fiscal direction of President Prabowo Subianto's administration, arguing that the country's economic fundamentals remain strong and fiscally disciplined.

Alfitria Nefi Pratiwi, Jakarta – The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) has criticized the government's decision to increase the fuel surcharge on airline tickets.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto acknowledged on Saturday that the government's program to provide free meals to combat malnutrition, his signature project, "comes with many problems".

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto addressed the weakening Indonesian Rupiah during the launch of the Red and White Village Cooperative in Nganjuk, East Java, on Saturday, May 16, 2026. The head of state urged the public to remain calm despite the currency sliding to Rp17,500 per US Dollar.

Candle Heiner Rogaga, Manado – A fire at Megamall Manado in the eastern Indonesian city of Manado killed a female employee and injured four visitors on Saturday night, authorities said.

The victim was identified as Pricilia Tamawiwy, who died after becoming trapped during the incident.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto stated that all Indonesian citizens are shareholders of the nation's wealth. Prabowo stated that Indonesia stands on the principle of familyhood.

He expressed this thought while attending the inauguration of the Mother Marsinah Museum and Shelter in Nganjuk, East Java.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has described the murder of Marsinah as involving collusion between the state apparatus and capitalists. He voiced his opinion during the inauguration of the Ibu Marsinah Museum and Shelter in Nganjuk, East Java, on Saturday, May 16, 2026, nearly 33 years after the activist's death.

Ricki Putra Harahap, Nganjuk, E – Java. President Prabowo Subianto said on Saturday that he was "deeply saddened" by reports of government officials allegedly abusing their authority and stealing public money, pledging that his administration would not protect anyone involved in corruption, including close allies and members of his own party.

Antara, Salman Mardira, Jakarta – The screening of the documentary Pesta Babi: Colonialism in Our Time has sparked controversy, with the military warning that the film could create misleading perceptions about Papua, while the government insists it has never ordered a ban on public screenings.

Bambang Ismoyo, Jakarta – Indonesia's business sector is facing mounting pressure from the weakening rupiah, with industry leaders warning of rising production costs, heavier dollar-denominated obligations, and growing uncertainty for investment decisions.

Johnny Blades – A West Papuan church leader has warned that ongoing killings of young Papuans allegedly by Indonesian security forces have the hallmark of genocide.

Since the start of the year there's been no stop to violent incidents in Indonesian-ruled Papua region – known internationally as West Papua.