Chairul Fikri, Jakarta – The Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) for Arts, Culture, and Islamic Civilization, Jeje Zaenudin, has criticized musician Ahmad Dhani for reciting Surah Al-Fatihah with musical performance during a Dewa concert, calling it a violation of Sharia norms in artistic expression.

Alfi Dinilhaq, Jakarta – The Jakarta Transportation Agency (Dishub) will implement a Rp 1 fare for mass transportation modes this Saturday.

"In celebration of the Indonesian Military's (TNI) 79th anniversary, Transjakarta, MRT, and LRT will have a special tariff of Rp 1," according to an Instagram post from @dishubdkijakarta on Friday.

Yustinus Patris Paat, Jakarta – Members of the House of Representatives (DPR) for the 2024-2029 term will no longer be provided with official residences. Secretary-General Indra Iskandar explained that the condition of many of these residences has deteriorated to the point that they are no longer habitable.

Jakarta – Smiling faces were all that marked the inauguration of the 580 House of Representatives members for the 2024-2029 term on Tuesday. Forget the Feb. 14 race, which saw them fight tooth and nail for the coveted legislative seats they now occupy.

Agung Dharma Putra, Surabaya – Tri Rismaharini, the candidate for East Java Governor from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), ranked second in the 2024 East Java Governor Election, according to the latest national survey by Indikator Politik Indonesia.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – A study by an Indonesian NGO challenges government claims that oil palm cultivation is a driver of economic welfare and development, showing that the environmental and social damage from plantations in the country's Papua region vastly outweigh any benefits.

Haryanti Puspa Sari, Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Diky Anandya says that the composition of candidate names for the next leadership of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is not ideal because half of them are law enforcement officials.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Andrea Arshirena Hosana, Jakarta – Chief Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto hopes that President-Elect Prabowo Subianto will continue the pre-employment card program after he assumes office later this month.

Antara, Jakarta – A failure to increase tobacco excise tax could undermine efforts to eradicate tuberculosis (TB) by 2030, according to Diah Satyani Saminarsih, CEO of the Center for Indonesia's Strategic Development Initiatives (CISDI).

A side event to the 57th UN Human Rights Council entitled "Human Rights in West Papua," hosted by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and partner organizations on 1 October, addressed the dire human rights situation in the Papuan provinces of Indonesia, with ongoing violations that include extra-judicial killings, internal displacement due to armed conflict, restrictions on civil li

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has clarified that the "No Pork No Lard" label used by restaurants does not guarantee that the products are halal-certified.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – A recent survey by Indikator Politik Indonesia reveals that public satisfaction with transportation during Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's 10-year presidency is rated high, scoring 3.962 on a scale of 1 to 5.

Hendrik Khoirul Muhid, Jakarta – Military observer and lecturer at the Brawijaya University Faculty of Law, Al Araf, believes that the formation of new Conflict Area Support (PDR) infantry battalions (Yonif) in five regions of Papua reflects the government's position of considering Papua a conflict prone region.

Vinnilya, Jakarta – Ajib Hamdani, an economic policy analyst at the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo), warned that Indonesia faces significant economic challenges, as indicated by five consecutive months of deflation and declining manufacturing activity.

Bangkok – Producers from Malaysia and Indonesia's palm oil industry to Vietnam's coffee sector on Thursday welcomed a European Union decision to delay implementation of its anti-deforestation rules.

The year-long delay triggered immediate outcry from environmental groups, but the legislation had faced substantial pushback from many governments and industries.

Ilham Oktafian, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) confiscated hundreds of billions of rupiah in cash during a raid on the offices of CPO companies Palma and Asset Pacific in Menara Palma, Jakarta, on Wednesday.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The newly inaugurated House of Representatives members will have 13 commissions, two more than the previous term, to accommodate the planned cabinet expansion under Prabowo Subianto, who will assume presidency later this month.

Jakarta – Defense equipment firm Pindad is supplying the Indonesian armed forces, popularly known as TNI, with fresh equipment as the latter celebrates its 79th anniversary.

Chandra Adi Nurwidya, Sleman – Mount Merapi in Central Java emitted 21 lava flows on early Thursday. The Center for the Investigation and Development of Geological Disaster Technology (BPPTKG) has raised the volcano's status to Level III, indicating an alert.

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – The Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) fell sharply in early trading on Thursday, sliding 0.44 percent to 7,526, despite positive momentum from US markets.

The Investor33 index dropped to 490.8, while the LQ45 blue-chip index weakened to 933. The Jakarta Islamic Index (JII) also declined to 525.2.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Ahmad Muzani, Secretary-General of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), was officially appointed as the Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) following a meeting of incumbent party representatives on Wednesday evening.

Jakarta – The political parties should not arbitrarily replace House of Representatives (DPR) candidates who have been elected, yet alone, if this is based on internal decisions or for unclear reasons. These arbitrary actions betray the principle of people's sovereignty as well as the decision made, and the mandate given, by the people.

M. Rizki Yusrial, Petir Garda B, Jakarta – The Indonesian aviation landscape has witnessed the emergence of a new airline, Blue Bird Nordic or BBN Airlines Indonesia. This airline, a subsidiary of Avia Solutions Group, officially commenced operations on Friday, September 27, 2024.

M. Raihan Muzzaki, Petir Garda B, Jakarta – The Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) has released a comprehensive report analyzing the government's decision to reopen the sea sand export. The study highlights Government Regulation (PP) No.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Petir Garda B, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) has established new Infantry Battalions in five regions of Papua to bolster government programs in food production and infrastructure development. General Maruli Simanjuntak, the Army Chief of Staff, announced that similar battalion formations will be implemented in several other regions.

Jakarta – The Defense Ministry on Wednesday handed over domestically made security and defense equipment to all branches of the Indonesian Military (TNI), the Army, Navy and Air Force, at the National Monument (Monas).

Deputy Defense Minister M. Herindra and TNI commander Gen. Agus Subiyanto attended the symbolic handover of 769 units of mostly armored vehicles.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Ombudsman will mediate a dispute between the Borobudur Crafts and Food Center Association (SKMB) and PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko (TWC), which manages the Borobudur Arts Village.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Indigenous Papuans say they've been caught off guard by helicopters flying over their villages and excavators tearing down their forests in their area, all while accompanied by the Indonesian military.

Tempo.Co, Petir Garda B, Jakarta – The Indonesian government's decision to resume the export of sea sand continues to draw criticism. Bhima Yudhistira, executive director of the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios), said the resumption of sea sand exports will actually create new problems: rising unemployment.

Stephen Wright, Bangkok, Thailand – Indonesia's military is taking a leading role in plans to convert more than 2 million hectares of wetlands and savannah into rice farms and sugarcane plantations in a part of the conflict-prone Papua region that conservationists say is an environmental treasure.

Hariz Baharudin, Jakarta – Indonesia is strengthening its digital defences by establishing a new cyber force, Angkatan Siber, which will become the fourth branch of the military, alongside the army, navy and air force.

Switzerland's federal Supreme Court has approved the seizure of bank accounts linked to the family of Indonesian president-elect Prabowo Subianto's tycoon brother as a long-running tax saga casts a shadow over the incoming leader who is set to take office later this month.

Maria Monica Wihardja and Putu Sanjiwacika Wibisana – Indonesia's middle class can be a boon for democracy but a bane for the government. Its economic security and political participation are crucial to the country's prosperity.

Ary Hermawan – A troll social media account under the name of Fufufafa in Indonesia's oldest chat forum, Kaskus, has sparked speculation about the relationship dynamics between president-elect Prabowo Subianto and vice president-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the eldest son of outgoing President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Najla Nur Fauziyah, Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Several religious, legal, and environmental organizations filed a judicial review appeal at the Supreme Court, challenging Government Regulation No. 25 of 2024 on mining concessions for religious mass organizations.

Rights activists and families of victims of human rights abuses committed by former Indonesian president Suharto's regime have slammed a proposed move by the country's parliament to confer the title of national hero on the former authoritarian leader.

Jakarta – The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has vowed that early warning information for tsunamis and other related disasters will be disseminated within three minutes of an earthquake's detection.

Daryono, head of the BMKG's Earthquake and Tsunami Center, said such warnings would reach all levels of society in Indonesia.

Zhulfakar, Jakarta – It will be up to President-Elect Prabowo Subianto to decide on when the government should begin moving its civil servants to the new capital Nusantara, according to Bureaucratic Reforms Minister Abdullah Azwar Anas.

The government initially planned to have some civil servants start working from the new capital in September.

Jakarta – A reality check on our government's ambition is in order after the World Bank questioned last week the plan to turn the country into a developed economy under the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision.

Thomas Rizal, Jakarta – The public is closely watching the performance of celebrity lawmakers in the newly inaugurated 2024-2029 House of Representatives (DPR), as 25 entertainers, including actors and musicians, have secured seats in the Parliament.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The government of the archipelagic Indonesia has spent Rp 1.3 trillion (around $85.4 million) to build seven of the so-called cross-border posts.

These posts, which are typically adjacent to other countries, are responsible for inspecting the passport holders and goods that are about to enter Indonesia.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported a deflation of 0.12 percent in September 2024, marking the fifth monthly deflation this year. Despite the consecutive deflation, Chief Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto emphasized that it was driven by effective food price management, not a decline in consumer purchasing power.

Jakarta – Although it took 19 months, the release of hostage Phillip Mark Mehrtens is an important lesson for the new administration regarding how to respond to the conflict in Papua.

Juan Ardya Guardiola, Faturahman Sophian, Jakarta – National Batik Day, celebrated annually on October 2, showcases the rich cultural heritage of batik, an iconic Indonesian art form that dates back to the Majapahit era in the late 13th century.

Jakarta – Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) General Agus Subiyanto on Wednesday inaugurated five infantry battalions (Yonif) to support the government's food resilience program in Papua region.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – The Indonesian government is considering a ban on the Chinese online marketplace, Temu, which facilitates direct transactions between Chinese producers and global consumers, citing concerns it could harm local small and medium enterprises (SMEs), an official said on Wednesday.

Ridho Bramulya Ikhsan (BINUS University in Jakarta) – Consumers including millennials choose carefully, increasingly aware of deceptive environmental claims by businesses.

Dani Aswara, Petir Garda B, Jakarta – Indonesian Islamist cleric Rizieq Syihab, commonly known as Habib Rizieq, filed a lawsuit alleging unlawful acts against President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo through the Central Jakarta District Court on September 30, 2024.

Jakarta – Perhaps playing word games has become President Joko Widodo's specialty. In regard to the export of sea sand, he refers to the material extracted from the seabed and sold overseas as 'sediment'. However, in the government regulation that he signed, marine sediment is defined exactly as sea sand and mud.

Antara, Jakarta – The head of Indonesia's General Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), Rahmat Bagja, said voters are allowed to campaign for empty ballot boxes in regions with single candidates in the upcoming regional elections. The campaign, however, must not utilize state facilities.