Timor-Leste and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a US$78 million agreement on Monday aimed at rehabilitating a vital segment of the national road network, reports the Portuguese newspaper O Jornal Economico.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Greenpeace Indonesia and Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Foundation have voiced their concerns over President Prabowo Subianto's push to drive palm oil, sugarcane, and cassava plantations in Papua. They believed the initiative could bring ecological disasters to the region.

Jakarta – The Indonesian government has officially acquired a hotel and land in Thakher City, Mecca, in a deal worth $500 million, a move expected to accommodate up to 23,000 Indonesian Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.

Investment Minister Rosan Roeslani said on Wednesday that the Novotel Thakher City hotel purchased by Indonesia has a total capacity of nearly 4,400 rooms.

Erick Tanjung – President Prabowo Subianto's plan to plant more oil palms in Papua for energy self-sufficiency has drawn strong criticism from environmental activists. They believe this policy ignores the lessons learned from the ecological disaster in Sumatra and has the potential to cause similar damage in Papua.

Jihan Ristiyanti, Jakarta – The corruption case involving the procurement of Chromebook laptops at the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology is now being heard in court. Three defendants appeared in a trial at the Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto has explained why he is advocating for the cultivation of palm oil in Papua, linking it to the government's goal of ending Indonesia's dependency on imported gasoline.

Duncan Graham – A year after Prabowo Subianto's election, Indonesia's democracy is under strain as power centralises, dissent is curtailed and the military's influence grows.

Prabowo Subianto, a former army general with a disputed record of human rights abuses, was elected president last year through a democratic vote. Now he's trying to destroy the system:

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – Indonesia's economy has remained resilient despite rising global uncertainty, but persistent weaknesses in job quality and household purchasing power threaten the durability of growth, the World Bank said in its latest Indonesia Economic Prospects report released on Tuesday.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto is urging the expansion of oil palm cultivation in Papua as a means to produce alternative fuel to replace hydrocarbon-based energy.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – A fire tore through Jakarta's largest wholesale market, Kramat Jati, in East Jakarta, on Monday morning, destroying hundreds of stalls and prompting Governor Pramono Anung to order a thorough investigation amid renewed scrutiny of the capital's fire-safety standards.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto convened regional leaders from Papua, Papuan community figures, and members of the Executive Committee for the Acceleration of Special Autonomy Development for Papua at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.

Antara, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has not been able to make public the results of a study on illegal mining suspected to be the cause of flash floods and landslides in Sumatra.

Jakarta – The renewed clashes between Thailand and Cambodia along their common border this past week has again exposed ASEAN's impotence when it comes to dealing with serious threats to the peace and stability of Southeast Asia.

Defara Dhanya, Jakarta – Social media platform X has fulfilled its obligation to pay an administrative fine of nearly Rp80 million to the Indonesian government.

The fine was imposed after the platform, owned by Elon Musk, failed to promptly comply with its obligation to moderate pornographic content.

Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – Disaster-handling across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra is entering its third week. The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported that the death toll from the floods and landslides that devastated the region has exceeded 1,000 people.

Larissa Huda, Jakarta – The first court hearing of three activists accused of inciting the August 2025 demonstrations was marked by symbolic action.

Lokataru Foundation Director Delpedro Marhaen gave pink roses to the public prosecutor and the panel of judges during the hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday December 16.

Maria Gabrielle Putrinda, Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – The Ministry for the Protection of Migrant Workers will deploy 1,035 Indonesian migrant workers overseas this week, coinciding with the commemoration of International Migrants Day on December 18.

Jakarta – The period of Suhartoyo's leadership may be called the Constitutional Court's redemption. The justices, guardians of the constitution, have issued normative, progressive rulings in various judicial reviews of laws.

Ni Made Tasyarani, Jakarta – The Tourism Ministry has admitted that its ambition to spread tourist arrivals beyond Jakarta and Bali to 10 priority destinations, known as the "10 New Balis" program, is falling short.

Rizal Harahap, Jakarta – Police in Meranti Islands, Riau, have arrested a recruiter of illegal migrant workers after one of his victims filed a police report following the latter's repatriation from Malaysia, the worker also claimed his wages had not been paid.

The report was filed by Surya Hafandi, a resident of Bokor village in Meranti Islands regency, on Dec. 5.

Jakarta – The Migrant Worker Protection Ministry recently inked 13 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and 5 cooperation agreements with strategic partners.

Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is pushing palm oil plantations in Papua. Prabowo wants to produce fuel from palm oil.

"And we also hope that oil palms will be planted in Papua so that they can also produce fuel from palm oil", Prabowo said at a joint briefing with regional heads from across Papua at the State Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday December 16.

Ade Ridwan Yandwiputra, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office has released a list of 23 companies accused of having a hand in causing ecological disasters across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf has once again received international assistance to cope with the devastating floods and landslides in his region. On Monday night, Muzakir personally welcomed foreign aid in the form of basic necessities donated by the multinational energy company, Upland Resources.

Pribadi Wicaksono (Kontributor), Jakarta – The birth of investment management agency (BPI) Daya Anagata Nusantara, or Danantara, during Prabowo's administration, has drawn sharp scrutiny. Various parties have raised concerns about the governance and accountability of the agency that manages over US$900 billion in assets.

Mamay Sukaesih, Jakarta – The government has introduced a variety of fiscal incentive policies to support the property sector in 2025, one of which involves the government bearing the value-added tax (VAT) that homebuyers would otherwise pay.

Dani Aswara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Army (TNI) has confirmed an incident involving an attack on the soldiers of the Combat Engineer Battalion 6 of the Division Unit during a training session in Ketapang Regency, West Kalimantan, on Sunday, December 14, 2025. The incident involved 15 foreign nationals from Beijing, China.

Anastasya Lavenia Yudi, Jakarta – The Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) has rejected the Draft Government Regulation on Wages, which will serve as the basis for determining the 2026 provincial minimum wage (UMP).

The government is scheduled to announce the UMP provisions on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.

Cut Nauval, Banda Aceh – The Civil Society Coalition held a peaceful action in front of the Aceh People's Representative Council (DPRA) offices on Tuesday December 16 urging the central government to declare the floods and landslides that hit Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra as a national disaster.

Dani Aswara, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto held a cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday afternoon, December 15, 2025, addressing the disaster response in Sumatra. Prabowo conveyed instructions and warnings to his aides regarding the handling of the disaster in Sumatra. Here are some key points from the meeting:

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto suggested that foreign forces are attempting to sow discord regarding the Sumatra disaster situation, claiming they are spreading lies suggesting the government is absent in managing the disaster response.

Antara, Denpasar – Flooding has affected five of Bali's nine regencies and cities since last week as heavy rain and strong winds linked to tropical cyclone system 93S continue to batter the island, the provincial disaster mitigation agency said on Tuesday.

Eko Susanto, Magelang – The Magelang City District Police have arrested two Tidar University (Untidar) students and a Ruang Juang (Struggle Space) activist. They will be held for 20 days in the first phase of the investigation.

Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – Three weeks after devastating flash floods and landslides, residents in Aceh are raising white flags along the Trans-Sumatra highway, symbolizing their distress. These flags are hoisted on wooden poles along the crucial road connecting Aceh Tamiang Regency and Langsa City.

Adi Abidin – In the pantheon of Southeast Asia's strongmen, Soeharto and Rodrigo Duterte occupy adjoining pedestals – both built on fear and polished by the rhetoric of 'order.' Each promised to rescue their nation from chaos, and each delivered that promise through killings.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto admitted to being contacted by several other world leaders to assist in the handling of the Sumatra disaster. The Head of State expressed gratitude for the offers. However, Prabowo feels that the Indonesian government is capable of addressing this disaster.

Antara, Jakarta – The Financial Services Authority (OJK) said on Tuesday it will tighten oversight of debt collection practices, emphasizing that primary responsibility rests with creditors or lenders who appoint third-party collectors.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto urged the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to increase the number of operational Nutritional Fulfillment Service Units (SPPGs) in Papua to 2,500 by August 17, 2026, to serve Free Nutritious Meals (MBG).

The Civil Society Coalition Against Impunity condemns the launch of the latest edition of the book "The National History of Indonesia" that was launched on Sunday December 14.

Anastasya Lavenia Yudi, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia announced Indonesia's foreign debt position in October 2025 amounted to US$423.9 billion or Rp7,062 trillion (with an exchange rate of Rp16,659 per U.S. dollar on Monday, December 15, 2025). This figure decreased from the previous month's position of US$425.6 billion. Indonesia's foreign debt grew by 0.3 percent annually.

Rhett Butler – Indonesia's government has been at pains to stress that the recent catastrophe in Sumatra was triggered by a rare meteorological event. Cyclone Senyar formed in the Malacca Strait, an area where the national weather agency notes such storms are "an extremely rare phenomenon," before unloading torrents of rain on Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra.

Esti Utami – The Civil Society Coalition Against Impunity has condemned the launch of the latest edition of the Indonesian National History book, which was released on Sunday December 14.

Adil Al Hasan, Jakarta – The Head of the Economic Division at PT Bank Central Asia Tbk, David Sumual, stated that the Sumatra floods caused a 0.31 percent decrease in spending, equivalent to Rp18.58 trillion of the gross domestic product in the fourth quarter of 2025. The condition arose because the purchasing power of flood-affected communities decreased automatically.

Maudey Khalisha, Jakarta – On any given weekday, Jakarta's commuter trains echo with familiar reminders to safeguard wallets, phones and other valuables. But recent videos circulating on social media show that one more item has now joined the list: a tumbler.

Aceh – In order to accelerate dealing with victims, restoring infrastructure and opening access to international humanitarian aid in a coordinated and accountable manner, Acehnese Islamic clerics (Ulama) are asking President Prabowo Subianto to declare a national disaster in the three provinces affected by floods and landslides in Sumatra, namely Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra

Rahel Narda Chaterine, Nawir Arsyad Akbar, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has alluded to foreign parties who dislike Indonesia being a strong nation.

This was conveyed by Prabowo when he asserted that Indonesia was capable of handling the disasters in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto said the presence of central government agencies in responding to the Sumatra disaster is widely seen by the public as a direct reflection of his leadership, adding that any shortcomings in disaster management ultimately fall under his responsibility.

Mele Tuuakitau – As a small island state in the Pacific, Tonga is the only remaining Kingdom that has never been colonized in the region, valuing sovereignty and self-determination which are principles that could shape a moral stance for West Papua.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto's recent visit to Aceh Tamiang on December 12 was marked by an apology to the public regarding the electricity network which has yet to be restored.

Basten Gokkon – Conservation officials have announced the death the first Javan rhino ever translocated as part of Indonesia's conservation program, marking a setback for efforts to protect the critically endangered species.