Duncan Graham – The news from Indonesia this month has been dispiriting – natural disaster flooding in Bali and Flores, man-made maladministration, political chicanery, perpetual graft and rioting in the cities. The headlines imply the country is crumpling. It's not, and here's why.

A repost from 16 September 2025.

Haryanti Puspa Sari, Jessi Carina, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) is questioning Indonesia's suitability for the presidency of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council.

On 7 December 2025, at approximately 10:40 am, police officers forcibly detained indigenous environmental and land-rights defender, Mr Stenly Dambujai, outside the Divine Mercy (Kerahiman Ilahi) Church in Mangga Dua, Kelapa Lima Village, Merauke Regency, South Papua province (see photos, source: LBH Merauke).

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – Indonesia's Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia said the country's average natural gas production in 2025 reached 5,600 billion British thermal units per day (BBTUD), with around 31 percent, or 1,691 BBTUD, allocated for export markets.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Thousands of West Java laborers will stage a protest against the provincial minimum wage (UMP) in front of the State Palace, Central Jakarta today, Thursday, January 8, 2026.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has shut down critics of its official response to the US strike on Venezuela, after Jakarta shied away from condemning Washington.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – The Jakarta Metropolitan Police have deployed personnel to secure a labor demonstration organized by the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) at the southern section of the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta, Indonesia, on Thursday, January 8, 2026.

Riani Sanusi Putri, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto announced that Indonesia has officially achieved self-sufficiency in rice production, specifically by the year 2025. He made the statement while attending a harvest festival in Karawang Regency, West Java, on Wednesday, December 7, 2026.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has announced what it describes as a sweeping, science-based effort to reassess environmental governance, zoning and corporate accountability in the wake of floods and landslides that killed more than 1,100 people across the island of Sumatra.

A draft of Presidential Regulation on the Role of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) in Counterterrorism is currently circulating in the public domain. The draft regulation is expected to be submitted to the House of Representatives (DPR) for consultation in the near future in order to obtain its approval.

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Bogor, W – Java. President Prabowo Subianto has established a special task force to accelerate post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction in three Indonesian provinces – Aceh, West Sumatra and North Sumatra – following deadly floods and landslides that struck the region late last year.

Merangin, Indonesia – There wasn't much Aris Adrianto felt he could do when the gold miners' heavy vehicles broke into Bukit Gajah Berani, here in this remote pocket of Sumatra's Merangin district.

"They just kept going, like they were afraid of nothing," said Aris, who is the head of the forestry office in Birun village in the Sumatran province of Jambi.

Ady Anugrahadi, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform strongly rejects the draft Presidential Regulation (Perpres) on the Duties of the Indonesian Military (TNI) in Combating Acts of Terrorism, which has recently been circulating publically.

On 28 November 2025, at approximately 2:40 pm, Nabire Police reportedly blocked a student convoy returning from a graduation celebration linked to the STAK Nabire campus. Officers reportedly used tear gas and firearms to disperse the crowd.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – Galau D. Muhammad, a member of MBG Watch, responded to President Prabowo Subianto's claim of nearly perfect implementation of the free nutritious meal (MBG) program. He noted several discrepancies between the president's remark and the reality on the ground, ranging from mass food poisoning to perceived mismanagement and lack of transparency.

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – The Indonesian government is offering investors to develop 75 new oil blocks across the country as part of its push to lift national crude output, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said.

Agencies, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said on Wednesday that Indonesia's rice production met all domestic demand, hailing a landmark achievement for food security – one of his key campaign promises.

Indonesia, West Papua – Between November and December 2025, human rights defenders and local media covered new internal displacements in West Papua due to new security force raids and the ongoing expansion of military infrastructure in the central highlands.

Hammam Izzuddin, Jakarta – The Indonesian National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) is still investigating several companies that could have contributed to the flash floods in Aceh Tamiang. Companies operating in the Tamiang River Basin (DAS) are within areas designated for other uses (APL) and production forests.

Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – The results of a survey by the Denny JA Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) show that the majority of President Prabowo Subianto's voters in the 2024 presidential election (Pilpres) reject the discourse on the election of regional heads (Pilkada) through Regional Representative Councils (DPRD).

Wawan Kurniawan, Jakarta – The Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) has warned that a roughly 6 percent increase in the 2026 minimum wage in Tangerang, Banten – home to major textile and footwear manufacturers – could trigger mass layoffs and factory relocations, adding pressure to labor-intensive industries already grappling with rising costs and weakening global demand.

Natasha Khairunisa Amani, Jakarta – Rupiah remained under pressure on Wednesday, closing weaker against the US dollar as global uncertainties continued to dominate market sentiment.

Oyuk Ivani Siagian, Jakarta – The Jakarta Central Metro Police have deployed 2,038 combined personnel to secure a series of protests on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. The Public Relations Officer of the Jakarta Central Metro Police, Inspector Erlyn Sumantri, said there were three demonstrations today.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia has condemned the presence of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) at the trial of former Minister of Education, Nadiem Makarim. The human rights organization deemed the presence of military personnel in the courtroom as intimidating to participants.

Yogi Eka Sahputra, Jakarta – Caritas Indonesia, a Catholic humanitarian organization and the official social service arm of the Indonesian Bishops' Conference, has issued an early warning over the heightened risk of human trafficking and unsafe migration in disaster-affected areas of Sumatra, citing the growing vulnerability of communities that have lost homes, livelihoods, family m

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has claimed that Indonesia achieved rice self-sufficiency by the end of 2025, reaching the milestone earlier than planned and marking what he described as a major achievement in national food security.

Beni, Jakarta – Hundreds of protesters from the Labour Movement with the People (GEBRAK) held a demonstration in front of the United States Embassy in Central Jakarta on Tuesday January 6.

They came from various backgrounds including students, workers, women's groups and civil society organisations, to express their solidarity with Venezuela.

Adhfar Aulia Syuhada, Jakarta – Workers and students held a demonstration in front of the United States Embassy in Central Jakarta on Tuesday January 6 in which they demanded the US release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto claimed that Indonesia could become the fourth richest country in the world. However, he stated that for this to happen, Indonesia must be united.

According to Prabowo, this opinion is not only his own. He mentioned that world geopolitics experts share the same view, although he did not disclose their names.

Reza Deni, Jakarta – The presence of Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel at the corruption trial of former Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology Nadiem Makarim at the Jakarta Corruption Court has drawn strong criticism from Amnesty International Indonesia.

Jaya Takaliuang Bawole, Jakarta, Authorities in Siau Tagulandang Biaro (Sitaro) Islands Regency in North Sulawesi have declared a hydrometeorological disaster emergency following flash floods on Monday that killed at least 14 people, with six others still missing.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto discussed his defeat in Aceh and West Sumatra in the 2024 Presidential Election or Pilpres. Prabowo stated that he is still working for the citizens of both provinces despite not receiving the majority of votes there.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said that the people of Indonesia are the happiest nation in the world. He referred to the Global Flourishing Study survey conducted by researchers from Harvard University, Baylor University, and the global research institution Gallup.

Jamal Abdun Nashr, Jakarta – Central Java is planning to label Muslim-friendly hotels to bolster the growth of halal tourism, supported by worship facilities, and halal food products, among others.

"The provincial government is projecting hotels to fulfill the basic requirements for the Muslim-friendly tourism," said Deputy Governor Taj Yasin on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.

Anastasya Lavenia Yudi, Jakarta – Statistics Indonesia (BPS) recorded Indonesia's export value at US$22.52 billion in November 2025. This figure decreased by 6.60 percent compared to November 2024.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – With a budget nearing one-tenth of this year's state spending, President Prabowo Subianto 's flagship free nutritious meal program faces mounting pressure to justify its cost, amid criticism over food safety incidents, weak oversight and competing policy priorities.

Theresia Silalahi, Ricki Putra Harahap, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto is gathering his ministers for another cabinet retreat on Tuesday that will focus on food self-sufficiency, among others, as Indonesia no longer relies on foreign rice supplies.

Joshua Walker – Commentators have warned that President Prabowo Subianto's national car program is at risk of repeating the failure of Tommy Soeharto's national car brand, Timor, in the 1990s. They are right to remind us of Tommy's Timor debacle. But when considering Indonesia's national car ambitions, we should also remember another of Soeharto's sons: Bambang Trihatmodjo.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has described his time as defense minister under former president Joko Widodo as an "internship," saying the experience helped prepare him for his current role as head of state.

Maudey Khalisha, Jakarta – The government has officially extended income tax relief for workers in selected labor-intensive sectors by continuing the government-borne income tax (PPh 21 DTP) scheme throughout 2026, as part of a broader economic stimulus package aimed at supporting household purchasing power.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto expressed his desire to understand the limits of being too authoritarian in leadership. This was in response to various criticisms suggesting that he aimed to revive militarism in Indonesia.

Ahmad Baihaqi, Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Bogor – The Indonesian government is set to begin rolling out waste-to-energy projects across 34 cities and regencies grappling with severe waste emergencies, a senior presidential aide said on Tuesday.

State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said the projects will prioritize areas where daily waste volumes exceed 1,000 tons.

Bambang Ismoyo, Jakarta – Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has confirmed that private downstream oil companies and operators of non-state fuel stations are once again allowed to import fuel, easing supply pressures that triggered shortages late last year.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia's coal export fell by double digits in 2025, as the government drafts the regulation to start collecting duties on overseas shipments of the black combustible sedimentary rock.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto gave a stern warning to cabinet members during a retreat in Hambalang, Bogor, on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. He delivered this message during a closed session and an evaluation meeting of the Red and White Cabinet.

Ricki Putra Harahap, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto on Monday urged Indonesians to remain grateful for the country's peace and unity, saying Indonesia has managed to stay relatively stable despite a world increasingly marked by war, conflict and uncertainty.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Best known as the home of the world's rarest great ape, the mountainous Batang Toru forest landscape on the island of Sumatra has become a test case for whether Indonesia can enforce environmental law in a region where mining, energy and plantation projects overlap with fragile ecosystems.

Dani Aswara, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto revealed that he is not hesitant to correct himself and reevaluate his policies, especially when facing criticism from certain circles who see him as wanting to resurrect militarism in Indonesia.

Prabowo believes that criticism and correction are something that saves him.

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday declared the first year of Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program a major success, saying the nationwide initiative achieved a 99.99 percent success rate in its inaugural year despite missing its coverage target and facing vast logistical challenges.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – A member of Commission I of Indonesia's House of Representatives (DPR), TB Hasanuddin, has urged the Foreign Affairs Ministry to take a firm stance against the United States' actions toward Venezuela, which he described as a violation of national sovereignty.