Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – Research by a London-based institution, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), said that Indonesia's democracy scored 6.44 in 2024, placing the country in a "flawed democracy" category.

Indonesia, West Papua – On 4 March 2025, Mr Aguni Sondegau, a 25-year-old motorcycle taxi driver was arbitrarily arrested and tortured by members of the Yonif 509 military unit at the Holomama Military Post, Intan Jaya Regency, Papua Tengah Province. The TNI members arrested Mr Sondegau at approximately 08:00 am without a warrant.

Indonesia, West Papua – On 30 December 2024, a shooting occurred at a cockfighting arena in Prafi, Manokwari Regency, Papua Barat Province. A police officer's warning shot killed a civilian named Amir Hidayat Sianturi. The officer involved, identified as Brigadier A, was reportedly breaking up a disturbance at the cockfighting venue when the projectile ricocheted, hitting Sianturi.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – In the early stages of President Prabowo Subianto's administration, Indonesia's Democracy Index has declined once again. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a London-based research and analysis organization, recorded Indonesia's democracy score at 6.44 in 2024, placing the country Indonesia in the "flawed democracy" category.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The central banks of Indonesia and Australia recently renewed their bilateral currency swap arrangement by another five years.

Yanita Petriella, Yanita Petriella, Jakarta – Throughout Tuesday March 4, the Greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek) area was paralysed by flooding. Some areas of Bogor and Bekasi regencies that are crossed by the Cikeas, Cileungsi and Bekasi rivers were even flooded with waters to a height of up to five meters.

Jakarta – The Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry launched a nationwide campaign on Wednesday to encourage parents to cut back on their time spent online and to engage in more direct interaction with their loved ones.

Jakarta – Newly inaugurated Bekasi Mayor Tri Adhianto confirmed on Wednesday that he had left his residence for a four-star hotel in the city amid severe flooding that forced thousands of other residents to take shelter at makeshift evacuation centers.

Andika Pratama, Heru Andriyanto, Palembang – Former Bengkulu Governor Ridwan Mukti was arrested on Tuesday on corruption charges, less than three years after completing his prison sentence for a separate graft conviction.

Salsabilla Azzahra Octavia, Jakarta – It is hard to believe that five years have passed since the Covid-19 pandemic first spread across the globe. The virus was detected in Indonesia for the first time in March 2020, and the government launched various efforts to curb its transmission, which spread rapidly across the country.

Indonesia, West Papua – On 14 February 2025, members of the Indonesian National Army (TNI) arbitrarily detained and tortured Mr Abner Karet, 23, in Sorong City, Papua Barat Daya Province. The incident arose from a personal dispute between a TNI member and residents but escalated as around 40 TNI personnel arrived at the scene.

Ahmad Arif, Jakarta – Civil society organisations in Indonesia are asking the European Commission to consider deforestation and threats to the rights of indigenous peoples in Papua in assessing country and regional risks within the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) benchmarking scheme.

Yovanda Noni, Jakarta – Heavy flooding triggered by the overflowing Ciliwung River has forced 1,229 residents in South and East Jakarta to evacuate, according to the Jakarta Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD).

Thousands of evacuees have been relocated across several sub-districts, including Kampung Melayu, Bidaracina, Cawang, and East Pejaten, BPBD reported.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – The Elementary and Secondary Education Ministry is looking to introduce a new form of academic exams starting with high school students later this year. But experts have called for caution, saying that rushing into the new policy could instead catch students and teachers off guard.

Muhammad Aulia Rahman, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is investigating claims that former tax official Mohamad Haniv solicited funds from companies to sponsor his daughter's fashion show.

Hendrik Khoirul Muhid, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) stated that the investigation into the case of the Tangerang sea fence in Banten has been completed.

Deni Friawan – The establishment of Danantara, Indonesia's new sovereign wealth fund (SWF), has sparked both optimism and scepticism. Modelled after successful SWFs like Singapore's Temasek and Malaysia's Khazanah, Danantara is expected to optimise the management of state-owned assets, drive economic growth, and enhance national welfare.

The top education officials in Catholic-majority Timor-Leste have warned of stern punitive action against teachers if students face sexual abuse from them in schools.

Following two recent abuse scandals in schools, Education Minister Dulce de Jesus Soares said the government will not tolerate sexual abuses committed in schools.

Keun Lee and Marco Kamiya Seoul/Jakarta – Industrial policy has come back into vogue in recent years. But simply reviving old approaches will not be enough to achieve the outcomes countries are seeking, especially within an increasingly high-tech global economy. Indonesia is a case in point.

Jakarta – Heavy rains over the past few days have caused the Ciliwung River to burst its banks, flooding dozens of neighborhood units (RT) in the capital's three municipalities to the east, west and south as of Tuesday morning.

Jakarta – This is what happens if corporate crime is forgiven through fines. As opposed to criminally sanctioning companies that encroach on forests and destroy the environment, the government instead negotiates fines, allowing corruption to happen. The value of fines is viewed as a bargaining chip between businesses and those in power.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Malaysian plastic giant Thong Guan Industries recently inked a land purchase order to set up a production plant in Central Java's Batang integrated industrial park.

Jakarta – Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) senior researcher Al Araf has revealed that there are around 2,500 active TNI (Indonesian Military) soldiers holding civilian positions based on information from the National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas) in 2023.

Jakarta – Twenty-two Indonesian civil society organizations have sent a letter to European Union Commissioners to express their concerns over the worsening condition of Papua's rainforests. The region faces the threat of deforestation of 2 million hectares of forest, alongside increasing risks to the Indigenous Malind and Yei communities.

Jakarta – Hundreds evacuated from dozens of flooded neighbourhoods around Jakarta on Tuesday as torrential rains pounded the capital and its surrounding satellite cities, causing several rivers to overflow.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund Danantara will take part in a coal gasification project that aims to slash the country's imports of liquefied petroleum gas or LPG, according to a minister.

Yovanda Noni, North Penajam Paser – All staff members of the Nusantara Authority have been fully relocated to the future national capital in North Penajam Paser Regency, East Kalimantan.

The relocation was announced Tuesday on the authority's social media posts, effectively ending the frequent back-and-forth trips between Nusantara and Jakarta.

Rino Fajar Setiawan, Andi Maulana, Jakarta – Heavy flooding across Jakarta and its surrounding cities brought Bekasi City to a standstill on Tuesday, forcing the cancellation of a major football match and displacing thousands of residents after torrential rains pounded the region overnight.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Indonesia's Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia stated that 21 downstreaming projects will be accelerated. Daya Anagata Nusantara Investment Management Agency (BPI Danantara) will fund the downstreaming projects.

Ananda Ridho Sulistya, Jakarta – A flash flood in Puncak, Cisarua, Bogor, has damaged public infrastructure, triggered landslides, and claimed one life. Heavy rainfall since Sunday, March 2, has destroyed seven bridges, while a local resident was swept away by the floodwaters.

Iim Halimatusa'diyah and Norshahril Saat – Indonesian youth are unhappy about the state of their country, even more so when compared to their counterparts in other ASEAN countries. The government should take heed of such discontent

Didik Fibrianto, Malang – Pertamina Patra Niaga Jatimbalinus has tested fuel at 957 regular gas stations across East Java to verify quality amid fuel tampering concerns. Gas stations reported a 28 percent drop in sales following the scandal.

Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – Manufacturing activity in Indonesia surged last month to its highest level in nearly a year, driven by an increase in new orders and jobs ahead of Ramadan, but analysts say the long-term outlook is less than rosy.

Consumer demand typically peaks during the Muslim fasting month, which falls in March this year.

Tempo.co, Jakarta – Twenty-two Indonesian civil society organizations have sent a letter to European Union Commissioners to express their concerns over the worsening condition of Papua's rainforests. The region faces the threat of the deforestation of 2 million hectares of forest, alongside increasing risks to the Indigenous Malind and Yei communities.

Giffar Rivana, Jakarta – The Jakarta city administration is ramping up its flood mitigation efforts as heavy flooding caused by the overflowing Ciliwung River has displaced 1,229 residents in South and East Jakarta.

Rino Fajar Setiawan, Jakarta – Large-scale flooding has paralyzed Bekasi, West Java, after torrential rains and water overflow from upstream areas in Bogor submerged eight out of the city's 12 districts. Government offices, public facilities, roads, and residential areas have been inundated, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate.

Muhammad Asyharuddin Arbab, Polewali Mandar, West Sulawesi – A 21-year-old pregnant woman in a remote village of Polewali Mandar Regency had to be carried on a makeshift stretcher for 20 kilometers to reach medical help due to severely damaged infrastructure.

Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung and his deputy Rano Karno are beginning their five-year tenure working for the city, which remains plagued by long-standing problems from traffic congestion to flooding.

Indonesia, West Papua – On 27 February 2025, members of the Indonesian National Army (TNI) arbitrarily arrested Mr Goliath Sani, 19, and a friend following an armed clash between the military and the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) in the Mamba Village, Sugapa District, Intan Jaya Regency, Papua Tengah Province, at around 04:30 pm.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The Indonesian government will distribute Rp 50 trillion ($3 billion) in holiday bonuses, known as THR, to civil servants ahead of Eid al-Fitr. Payments will start at least three weeks before the holiday.

Irfan Maulana, M Ambari, Jakarta/Tangerang, Indonesia – Joy was mending his nets when a reporter from Mongabay Indonesia visited him last October in the fishing village of Ketapang in Tangerang district, on the northwestern outskirts of Jakarta.

Wira A. Swadana – Indonesia has developed several climate documents as pathways to curb climate change and adapt to its impacts. These impacts influence many elements of life, including displacement, the spread of infectious diseases, and even fatalities.

Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia has requested to relax the criteria and requirements set for Timor-Leste in a bid to expedite the process for the country to become a full member of ASEAN by the end of this year, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

Two men suspected of having a gay sex are canned in Aceh, the only Indonesian province with strict Sharia laws

Global rights group Amnesty International has criticized the recent flogging of two Indonesian men for having a consensual same-sex relationship as a "horrifying act of discrimination."

Antara, Jakarta – The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by former Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo and upheld his 12-year prison sentence, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced on Monday.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The government's massive cuts to the beef import quota for private enterprises has sparked layoff concerns in the Indonesian meat industry.

Umelto Labetubun and Shashi Jayakumar, Jakarta/Singapore – The reverberations of United States President Donald Trump's Jan. 20 executive order on reevaluating and realigning US foreign aid are being felt worldwide, especially in countries like Indonesia that have been on the receiving end of US foreign assistance for decades.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Erfan Maruf, Jakarta – Indonesia's economy is grappling with weakening consumer demand, as two consecutive months of deflation point to declining purchasing power and rising job losses. With Ramadan approaching, spending is expected to remain subdued as many Indonesians prioritize saving over discretionary purchases.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – The Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Jakarta revealed that public trust in Pertamina is dwindling due to the alleged fuel adulteration (BBM) of Pertamax.

According to data from the complaint post opened by LBH Jakarta, most complainants doubt the resolution of this case, with some even suggesting the dissolution of state-owned enterprises.

Cheta Nilawaty P., Jakarta – The formation of disability service units (DSU) in Indonesia at the regional level as the forefront of empowerment at the local level for people with disabilities continues to be intensified. This effort is made to ensure inclusive and certain job placements for disabled workers.