Gembong Hanung, Jakarta – Indigenous communities in Indonesia continue to bear heavy burdens from the climate crisis impact by losing their homes and livelihoods and face environmental disasters, while engaging in little to no meaningful participation in mitigation and adaptation efforts.

Apriadi Gunawan, Jakarta – Hundreds of students in Maluku and North Sumatra have reportedly suffered from food poisoning after consuming meals provided through the government's free nutritious meal program, as President Prabowo Subianto continues to downplay mounting concerns over the initiative's food safety standards.

Gordon Peake – "If something happens that's wrong, you say sorry" said Evan Shackleton, son of one of the Balibo Five, last week. Shackleton was speaking to media at Balibo at commemorations for the five journalists murdered by Indonesian forces on the Timorese side of the border in 1975.

Saifulbahri Ismail, Dili, Timor-Leste – Timor-Leste is poised to make history as it prepares to formally join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) when regional leaders gather for their summit in Kuala Lumpur later this week.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) says it is actively investigating allegations of corruption in the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project, known as Whoosh.

Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu told reporters at KPK headquarters that the agency does not wait for formal complaints to begin inquiries.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) decided to keep its benchmark rate steady at 4.75 percent during its Board of Governors Meeting on Oct. 21-22, 2025, maintaining a cautious stance amid global uncertainty.

The central bank also left the Deposit Facility Rate and Lending Facility Rate unchanged at 3.75 percent and 5.50 percent, respectively.

Sukarjito, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto officially slashed fertilizer prices by 20 percent starting on Wednesday as Indonesia pursued food self-sufficiency.

According to Agricultural Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman, the move came as a way to lift farmers' burden and boost the national food production.

Jihan Ristiyanti, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch, or ICW, has urged the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Attorney General's Office to be impartial in enforcing the law against foreign executives of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). This comes in response to President Prabowo Subianto's new policy that allows foreign nationals to lead SOEs.

Antara, Jakarta – Anti-graft commission KPK recently revealed that the agency had detected data discrepancy in mining permits after consulting with several ministries and government agencies.

Responding to,, the inclusion of the name of the second president of the Republic of Indonesia, Suharto, on the list of candidates for the title of national hero, Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid said:

Defara Dhanya, Jakarta – The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Indonesia continues to rise. Kantar's research shows that 59 percent of Indonesians have tried AI technology at least once in the past few years, much higher compared to the Southeast Asian average.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – Indonesian Minister of Agriculture, Amran Sulaiman, stated that around 30,000 government rice reserves stored in Bulog warehouses were damaged.

Dewi Rina Cahyani, Jakarta – United States President Donald Trump suggested that several countries in the Middle East have offered to send troops to Gaza to combat Hamas. Trump renewed his threat against Hamas in Palestine on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, amidst a fragile ceasefire in Gaza.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – Indonesian Minister Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) stated that the government is still exploring funding sources for the Giant Sea Wall project. He said the project is urgent to save the lives of millions of residents living in the northern coastal areas of Java or Pantura.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – The Executive Director of Indonesia Political Opinion (IPO), Dedi Kurnia Syah, announced the results of a survey evaluating ministers with the best performance during the first year of President Prabowo Subianto's administration.

The findings were published in a report titled "Evaluation and Public Notes" on October 21, 2025.

Adil Al Hasan, Jakarta – The Indonesian Transportation Workers Union (SPAI) has called on President Prabowo Subianto to immediately issue a Presidential Regulation on the Protection of Online Transportation Workers.

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – A recent survey by the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) suggests that Indonesia's freedom of expression and civil liberties have not improved in the first year of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's administration.

Majority see little or no progress

Jakarta – Indonesia will sign an agreement on Tuesday to repatriate two British nationals, including a grandmother languishing on death row for drug-related crimes, an Indonesian government source told AFP.

Laurel MacLaren – Art in Indonesia has never been neutral; Indonesian artists have always sparked conversation and controversy.

Harumbi Prastya Hidayahningrum, Jakarta – West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi has responded to Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa's statement alleging that several regional governments, including West Java, have placed regional budget funds (APBD) in bank deposits.

Basten Gokkon – A rare sighting of a baby dugong off Alor in East Nusa Tenggara has sparked renewed attention to the importance of protecting Indonesia's seagrass ecosystems and marine wildlife.

Jakarta – Indonesia's tourism sector recorded strong growth during the first year of President Prabowo Subianto's administration, with both foreign and domestic travel showing double-digit increases, the government said on Monday.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia's regional revenue stood at Rp 253.36 trillion ($15.27 billion) as of September 2025, down 10.86 percent from a year earlier, prompting the government to urge local administrations to simplify business licensing and revive regional economic activity.

Prisma Ardianto, Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – Indonesia has decided to postpone its target of feeding 82.9 million people free meals to February 2026 as the government intends to be extra careful in preparing the lunches.

Adil Al Hasan, Jakarta – The CEO of PT GoTo Gojek Tokopedia Tbk (GOTO), Patrick Walujo alias Sugito Walujo, stated that his company supports President Prabowo Subianto's initiative to address efficiency within the online transportation business.

Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia documented that approximately 5,538 people were victims of repressive actions by security forces during demonstrations throughout the first year of the administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

Amelia Rahima Sari, Jakarta – The Alliance of Independent Journalists or AJI Indonesia has requested Indonesian Minister of Agriculture, Amran Sulaiman, to halt the civil lawsuit against PT Tempo Inti Media Tbk. Tempo is being sued for Rp200 billion over a news article in the May 16, 2025 edition titled "Poles-Poles Beras Busuk" (Polishing Rotten Rice).

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Indonesian Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita stated that his ministry has proposed the national car program requested by President Prabowo Subianto to become a national strategic project or PSN (National Strategic Project).

Jakarta – With all the controversies, Prabowo Subianto has been fairly successful in consolidating his power through populism in his first year in office.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia assesses that the human rights situation under the first year of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's administration has experienced its worst decline since the reform era.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said that the rate of food poisoning from free nutritious meals (MBG) is still within the humanitarian corridor when compared to tens of millions of its beneficiaries.

Yvette Tanamal, Jakarta – The law will prevail over corrupt business interests, President Prabowo Subianto declared on Monday as the government formally received some Rp 13 trillion (US$825 million) recovered from a high-profile crude palm oil (CPO) corruption case. He warned that the state would continue pursuing bad actors to hold them accountable.

Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – Amnesty says that the first year of the administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has been marked by paradoxical public policies and a decline in respect for human rights.

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – Iqbal Ramadhan was taken aback when he received a summons from the Jakarta Metro Police in mid-September. At that time, Iqbal was a public lawyer involved in the Advocacy Team for Democracy, or TAUD.

Jakarta – Civil Society Movement to Bring Suharto to Justice (GEMAS) says that the proposal by the Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos), Saifullah Yusuf alias Gus Ipul, for the 2nd President of the Republic of Indonesia, Suharto to be named a national hero is a disappointing move.

Chesa Andini Saputra, Jakarta – Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) 2025 closed with a bang on Sunday after racking up $22.8 billion (Rp 376.2 trillion) in total transactions, far exceeding its initial target of $16.5 billion.

Jakarta – Student groups are planning a protest on the first anniversary of Prabowo Subianto's government in Jakarta on Monday, two months after violent demonstrations rocked the country, as the president holds a cabinet meeting to mark his first year in office.

Jakarta – Indonesia is losing more than US$2 billion every year to illegal tin mining and smuggling, President Prabowo Subianto said Monday.

The President ordered authorities to step up enforcement earlier this month in islands rich in the metal used in everything from electronics to making glass.

"There are still many illegal mines," he told reporters on Monday.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The Finance Ministry has raised the alarm over more than Rp 254.3 trillion ($15.3 billion) in unused regional funds sitting in bank accounts. The ministry is pushing for faster and more productive local government spending, warning that delayed budget realization is hindering the flow of money back into the economy.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia is trying to get the US into letting Jakarta use Chinese ships in its Washington-bound exports to avoid higher costs, according to the presidential economic advisor Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, as the months-long tariff talks continue.

Taufiq Syarifudin, Jakarta – Protesters from the University of Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM UI) held a demonstration on Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan on Central Jakarta on Monday October 20. They brought eight demands called the "Asta Cita Rakyat" (the People's Asta Cita).

Dani Aswara, Sukma N Loppies – The economic and public policy research institute Centre for Economic and Law Studies (Celios) has found that the majority of the public believes that the government of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka uses a militaristic approach to governance.

Jakarta – Indonesian students protested in Jakarta on Monday (Oct 20) as President Prabowo Subianto completed a year in office, two months after violent demonstrations nationwide, with one expert faulting the government on grounds of openness and public participation.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – The Indonesian Educators Coalition (Koalisi Barisan Guru Indonesia or Kobar Guru Indonesia) has criticized the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka administration for what it described as poor performance in the education sector during its first year in office.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta – Indonesian Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita stated that the manufacturing industry grew by 4.94 percent from the fourth quarter of 2024 to the second quarter of 2025. Meanwhile, the contribution of the manufacturing sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during that period reached 17.24 percent.

Dani Aswara, Jakarta – Indonesian Minister of Home Affairs, Tito Karnavian, has highlighted the low economic growth in several mining-producing regions. This condition is caused by the delay in export activities due to incomplete smelter construction in several areas.

Antara, Prisma Ardianto, Jakarta – Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund Danantara has defended its plan to allocate part of its assets to government bonds, following public criticism from Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa.

Dani Aswara, Jakarta – Exactly one year into President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, or TNI, has become the state's "golden child." It is indeed not surprising, given Prabowo's long-standing background in the forces, but it still failed to bring positive reform, of creating a professional and neutral military.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – The Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI) has criticized President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's administration for showing indifference toward millions of children who remain out of school.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI) recorded an increase in victims of food poisoning from the free nutritious meal program (MBG) from October 13 to 19, 2025. During this period, as many as 1,602 children were reported to have suffered from food poisoning.