Danial Donald, Kota Tinggi – Timor-Leste is confident that it has made significant progress and is on the right track to fulfil the roadmap outlined for its full membership in ASEAN.

Jakarta – The Banda Aceh Public Order Agency and Wilayatul Hisbah (Satpol PP WH), or "sharia police", plans to intensify monitoring during of Ramadan to prevent violations of Islamic law under a mandate from the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), according to the agency's duty chief.

Jakarta – Indonesian democracy faced yet another tough challenge last week. Students and members of civil society came out onto the streets to protest President Prabowo Subianto's austerity measures, but unfortunately, the voices of opposition are being silenced.

Jakarta – Growing public distrust of the newly formed sovereign wealth fund, Daya Anagata Nusantara (Danantara), has sparked online discussions on switching banks and cash withdrawals, leading analysts to debate the actual risks of a potential bank run or the ensuing economic crisis.

Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – Despite little chance of lowering benchmark interest rates amid a strengthening United States dollar and highs cost of bond issuance, the Indonesian government is pushing for growth while relying on budget cuts to finance key programs like the free nutritious meal program and the new sovereign wealth fund, Danantara.

Jakarta – The government has announced that Ramadan will start on Saturday following an isbat (confirmation) meeting with several Islamic organizations and other parties in Jakarta on Friday.

Jakarta – The protracted bankruptcy proceedings of Sri Rejeki Isman, or Sritex, a company with 50,000 employees, are the result of government interference. The plan to save the integrated textile company through a bailout has the potential to cause financial losses to the state.

Antara, Sukoharjo – The employees of PT Sri Rejeki Isman Tbk or Sritex will stop working starting March 1, 2025, confirmed Head of the Department of Industry and Labor of Sukoharjo Regency, Sumarno. The workers are continuing their duties until Thursday, February 28, 2025.

Antara, Jakarta – The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by Karen Agustiawan, former CEO of state-run oil company Pertamina, and extended her prison sentence from nine years to 13 years for her corruption conviction.

Ricki Putra Harahap, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has floated a plan to hold a follow-up military retreat for local leaders next year, according to Deputy Home Affairs Minister Bima Arya.

Indonesia is now waking up to what I said after Prabowo Subianto was elected last year: that the ghost of Suharto has returned. The New Order dictatorship was buried twenty-five years ago, but under Prabowo's rule it is being reborn.

Yustinus Paat, Antara, Jakarta – Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Wahyu Sakti Trenggono said Kohod Village Chief Arsin must pay a Rp 48 billion ($3 million) fine for constructing illegal sea barriers off the northern coast of Banten Province. The barriers, spanning over 30 kilometers, restricted fishing access and sparked concerns over unlawful territorial claims.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The government is reducing the Value-Added Tax (VAT) on economy-class domestic flights to ease travel costs ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday. Under a new regulation, passengers will pay only 5 percent VAT instead of the standard 11 percent, as the remaining 6 percent is covered by the government.

Anastasya Lavenia Y, Jakarta – Several activists who are part of the Civil Society Coalition Against Corruption have reported alleged corruption related to the organization of the regional heads' retreat held at the Magelang Military Academy (Akmil) in Central Java.

Jakarta – Without a radical breakthrough, there is no way the government will achieve its targets of reducing household waste by 30 percent and of processing waste by 70 percent by 2025. The handling of waste is still an indicator of failure of almost every city and regency administration in Indonesia.

Intan Setiawanty, Jakarta – The Central Java Regional Police stated that the alleged intimidation case involving the Sukatani band is currently being handled by the Professional and Security Division (Propam) of the Indonesian National Police Headquarters (Polri).

Ni Made Sukmasari, Jakarta – Chief Economist of Permata Bank Josua Pardede assesses nominating former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as Supervisory Board of Danantara Investment Management Agency as an Indonesian government strategy to enhance international credibility and attract global investors.

Han Revanda, Jakarta – Members of the public and traders under the Indonesian People's Care Movement (Gempari) are set to hold a protest today against the alleged garlic import mafia. The protesters will move from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) building, Istana Merdeka, to the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag).

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia must protect its textile industry from an influx of Chinese exports while continuing to attract investment and create jobs, National Economic Council (DEN) Chairman Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said.

Bambang Ismoyo, Jakarta – Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund, Daya Anagata Nusantara (Danantara), will assume management of all 47 state-owned enterprises (SOEs) by the end of March, marking a sweeping consolidation effort aimed at optimizing national assets and strengthening corporate governance.

Jakarta – The unexpected alignment of the United States with Russia during a recent vote on a United Nations resolution on the Ukraine war underscores a profound shift in the global order.

Just a year ago, such a move would have been unthinkable under a US administration that seemed determined to hold Moscow accountable.

Banda Aceh – Two men were publicly flogged in Indonesia's conservative Aceh province on Thursday after they were found guilty of sexual relations by a court operating under strict Islamic law.

Shinta Maharani, Jakarta – Indonesians living in Berlin, Germany, are set to stage a protest at Brandenburg Gate on Saturday, March 1, 2025, in solidarity with the 'Dark Indonesia' (Indonesia Gelap) protest.

Brandenburg Gate, a national symbol of peace and unity, is a key gathering point for people from around the world.

Kiki Siregar, Jakarta – Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto has hit back at recent "Dark Indonesia" protests in the country, depicting a bright future as he expressed confidence that the archipelago would become the world's fourth-biggest economy in 2050.

Responding to the flogging of two university students in Indonesia's Aceh province for having consensual same-sex sexual relations, Amnesty International Deputy Regional Director Montse Ferrer said:

Syafiq Hasyim – Indonesia's largest Muslim organisation missed out on the most significant ministerial portfolio – religious affairs – despite supporting presidential candidate Prabowo. What now?

Trissia Wijaya – The idea of creating a 'superholding' of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) – promoted during his presidential campaign by Prabowo Subianto – is now becoming a reality.

Andreas Harsono – In Indonesia, Islamist groups have long misused the country's blasphemy law as a political weapon to target perceived critics of Islam, discriminate against religious minorities, and carry out personal vendettas.

Agus Rahmat, Banda Aceh – A gay couple who were caught in a boarding house by local residents were sentenced to caning at the Sari Park in the Acehnese provincial capital of Banda Aceh on Thursday February 27. Before the sentence was carried out, they were first given a sermon by a religious teacher.

Arjuno Welirang – Hundreds of professors, academics, students and civil society activists gathered at the University of Indonesia (UI) Salemba campus in Jakarta on Thursday February 27 to issue the "Second Salemba Call, Free Indonesia from Darkness".

Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – Corruption in the energy sector continues to be the main obstacle in the transition to renewable energy. The alleged corruption of crude oil by PT Pertamina, which produced Pertamax and Pertalite, adds to the long list of challenges for Indonesia's transition to renewable energy.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – The Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI) president, Said Iqbal, said workers are planning to stage a protest in Jakarta tomorrow to express disappointment over the Pertamina corruption case.

Sukma Kanthi Nurani, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto attended the closing ceremony of the VI Congress of the Democratic Party, which took place at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Jakarta, on Tuesday night, February 25, 2025.

As part of the agenda, Prabowo was scheduled to deliver the closing speech for the party, known for its mercy star emblem.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – The IDX Composite (IHSG) remained below the 6,600 mark, closing today's trading session with a 2.23 percent dip to 6,458.3.

Intan Setiawanty, Jakarta – The Cartenz Peace Operation is pursuing six inmates who escaped from the Class IIB Wamena Penitentiary on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.

Muawwan Daelami, Jakarta – Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund, Daya Anagata Nusantara (Danantara), is considering stepping in as a standby buyer for state-owned enterprises (SOEs) looking to strengthen their capital amid weak investor sentiment, Chief Investment Officer Pandu Sjahrir said Thursday.

Taufik Kelana, Banda Aceh – Two men were publicly caned in Banda Aceh, Aceh Province on Thursday after being convicted of engaging in same-sex relations under the province's strict Islamic law. The punishment, carried out at Taman Sari in Baiturrahman District, drew public attention.

Sopian Hadi, Denpasar – Bali Governor I Wayan Koster has admitted to a tense atmosphere within the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) following the recent corruption-related arrest of the party's secretary-general, Hasto Kristiyanto.

Bambang Ismoyo, Jakarta – A top executive of Danantara has denied reports claiming that the newly established sovereign wealth fund enjoys complete legal immunity from prosecution.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia confirmed on Thursday that he has signed a regulation requiring all export coal sales to adopt the government's coal price benchmark (HBA), effective March 1.

Yogi Eka Sahputra, Jakarta – Dozens of Rempang residents protested the Rempang Eco City national strategic project in front of the Riau Islands police headquarters in Batam on Thursday, February 27, 2025. The residents demanded justice from the new police chief, Police Inspector General Asep Safrudin.

Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – Indonesia's Minister of Villages and Underdeveloped Regions, Yandri Susanto, has partnered with Minister of Trade Budi Santoso to enhance the export potential of rural commodities. Many villages across the country produce high-value export goods, such as palm sugar, corn, cashews, vannamei shrimp, and djembe drums, yet they struggle with market access.

Church officials in Timor-Leste have joined those opposing a new law that allows the government to recruit foreign nationals to serve as public prosecutors and judges in the Catholic-majority nation.

Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao's government claims the law, passed on Feb. 24, aims at the long-term development of judiciary professionals.

Linda Lestari, Jakarta – The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) announced the recall of 91 illegal cosmetic and skincare brands containing hazardous ingredients, as quoted from Antara, Tuesday, February 25, 2025.

Luh De Suriyani, Denpasar, Indonesia – Conservation foundations on the Indonesian island of Bali raised concerns in February over the volume of live sea turtles seized from traffickers so far this year.

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – The Coordinator of the Indonesian Higher Education, Science, and Technology Lecturers Alliance (Adaksi), Anggun Gunawan, stated that his group is prepared to file a legal lawsuit if the performance allowance (tukin) for previous periods cannot be backpaid.

Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – The alleged PT Pertamina Patra Niaga corruption case, involving the dilution of Pertamax with Pertalite, has disappointed many. Consumers in various regions who are loyal to using Pertamax feel disadvantaged due to the alleged diluted fuel.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto assigned Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) to construct a Giant Sea Wall from Banten to Gresik.

According to Prabowo, the construction of the sea wall is aimed at saving the northern coast of Java from the threat of submergence.

Jakarta – It took 1,871 days after Harun Masiku fled for the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to detain Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Secretary-General Hasto Kristiyanto. In that long time, the political regime changed.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto stated that there are those who called the Red and White Cabinet fat. However, according to him, it is not a problem because the cabinet is filled with talented individuals.