Sudarno Sumarto and Jan Priebe (The Conversation) – Providing cash transfers to low-income families can reduce child marriage rates among girls living in rural communities.

That is what we found in a recent study which looked at the impact of social assistance programs that gave money directly to families.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Muhammad Farhan, Jakarta – Indonesia is well-positioned to weather increasing global economic uncertainties and keep its financial system stable, according to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The number of Indonesians getting caught in US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown continues to grow, with Jakarta accusing Washington of ignoring the "due process of law" when detaining one of its citizens.

Antara, Jakarta – Investment Minister Rosan Perkasa Roeslani clarified on Wednesday that South Korea's LG Energy Solution did not pull out voluntarily from its $7.7 billion battery ecosystem project in Indonesia, but that the government requested the consortium's withdrawal after five years of stalled negotiations.

Divya Karyza, Jakarta – The government has turned down a request for rice from Malaysia, with Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman explaining that Indonesia cannot export the grain at this time as it seeks to maintain domestic reserves.

Amran said Kuala Lumpur had requested to import rice from Indonesia due to insufficient supply that had pushed up prices in Malaysia.

Jakarta – Seventy years ago, Indonesia stood at the forefront of a historic moment in Bandung, West Java, where leaders from Asia and Africa convened to forge a path of solidarity, self-determination and resistance against colonialism.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto will attend the International Labor Day event at the National Monument (Monas) Square here on Thursday (May 1), where he will address six key issues related to labor.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has again brought up the issue of stock price movements. According to the Head of State, there is nothing to worry about, including when stock prices fluctuate, as long as Indonesia is still producing food for its own people.

Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – The head of the Indonesian Military's (TNI) Information Centre (Kapuspen), Brigadier General Kristomei Sianturi, suspects there is an attempt to delegitimise the government after incidents in which TNI officers have entered campuses have been criticised by many parties.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – Head of National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana revealed the reasons why the government could not complete the laboratory test for the allegedly poisonous free nutritious meals (MBG) that led to dozens of students in Cianjur suffering food poisoning.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Chairperson of the Board of Centra Initiative Al Araf responded to the recent incidents of TNI soldiers entering university campuses following the enactment of the TNI Law. They viewed these actions as reviving patterns from the era of the New Order.

Anastasya Lavenia Y, Jakarta – Around 200 thousand workers are expected to attend the May Day commemoration at the field of the National Monument (Monas) on May 1, 2025, according to the president of the Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI), Said Iqbal.

Pribadi Wicaksono (Kontributor), Jakarta – Burhannudin Zainuddin Rusdiman, also known as Burhan Kampak, a prominent executioner and hunter of Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) members during the 1965-1966 mass killing in Indonesia, passed away in Yogyakarta on the night of Wednesday, April 23, 2025.

Muhammad Naufal – Special Presidential Advisor for Politics and Security, Wiranto, says that President Prabowo Subianto respects the eight points in the demands by the Indonesian Military (TNI) Retired Soldiers Forum. This was stated by Wiranto after meeting Prabowo at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Thursday April 24.

Putrajaya – Malaysia and Indonesia intend to explore the potential for developing large-scale plantations in Central Kalimantan and South Papua.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) said the matter was discussed during a recent meeting between its minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, and his Indonesian counterpart, Dr Andi Amran Sulaiman.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka announced that the Government of Indonesia has provided a grant of US$6 million, approximately Rp100 billion, to the Fijian government. Rabuka expressed his gratitude for the financial aid and affirmed his commitment to continuing cooperation with Indonesia.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – As much of the world shutters coal power plants and shelves new proposals, Indonesia is bucking the trend – adding the third-highest volume of coal capacity globally in 2024, driven largely by the need to power a growing fleet of metal smelters.

Jakarta – Intimidation against those opposed to the revised Indonesian Military (TNI) Law shows that civil freedoms are on the edge of an abyss. TNI personnel are alleged to be responsible for the intimidation against these activists. Without punishments for soldiers stifling the right of expression, similar threats will continue.

Ichsan Ali, Jakarta – Singapore maintained its position as Indonesia's largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first quarter of 2025, continuing a decade-long trend, according to the government.

Wahyu Sahala Tua, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), has urged the government to stand firm on halal certification requirements for imported goods, despite recent criticism from the United States.

Yuni Rohmawati, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto plans to build warehouses and cold storage in every village as a medium-term anticipatory measure to store the community's agricultural products. This development will involve the Indonesian armed forces (TNI), the National Police (Polri), and state-owned enterprises.

Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has denied the notion that he is being "lied to" by his ministers in the Red and White Cabinet. He said that there are some who say he is being "lied to" by his subordinates and the Indonesian economy is only good on paper. Prabowo dismisses this view.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto criticized those who opposed and questioned the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program. He expressed surprise that a university professor was among the critics, suggesting that the professor's knowledge was limited to theoretical classroom studies.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – Head of the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) Authority, or OIKN, Basuki Hadimuljono said around 500 OIKN staff have moved to the new capital since March 1 this year. He said more civil servant candidates (CPNS) will follow suit in June 2025.

Defara Dhanya, Jakarta – Several Greenpeace Indonesia activists staged a peaceful protest in front of the South Korean Embassy in Jakarta on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.

Dani Aswara, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has enacted a new policy regarding motor vehicle fuel tax (PBBKB) rates within the Jakarta area. In a statement following an internal meeting on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, Pramono announced that the PBBKB rates would be significantly reduced for both private and public vehicles.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto claimed the free nutritious meal (MBG) program targeting pregnant women to be the only one in the world.

Azifah Astrina – On March 20, 2025, Indonesia's parliament passed a quiet but far-reaching revision to its military law. The new statute allows active-duty officers to serve in 14 government ministries and agencies without retiring from military service – reversing a post-authoritarian norm in place since 2004.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has appointed Indonesia's 7th President, Joko Widodo or Jokowi, to attend Pope Francis' funeral at the Vatican. In addition to Jokowi, Prabowo delegated Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Djiwandono, and former Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Ignasius Jonan.

Adil Al Hasan, Jakarta – House Commission XI head Mukhamad Misbakhun denied that his committee had canceled the discussion on the Tax Amnesty Bill, claiming that the regulation remained a priority. "Who said it was canceled?

Java/Lombok Islands, Indonesia – The districts of Brebes, Lombok Timur and Serang may be geographically distant, but they share a common struggle: The silence surrounding gender-based violence, as stigma and discrimination deter many from reporting their abusers.

Ebed de Rosary, Ende, Indonesia – The governor of one Indonesia's poorest provinces said it would pause development of new geothermal energy projects on the island of Flores, following an intervention by the Catholic Church.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said on Tuesday that there was no reason to be concerned about LG Energy Solution's (LGES) decision to withdraw from a Rp 142 trillion ($8.45 billion) project to develop electric vehicle battery making in Indonesia.

Bella Evanglista Mikaputri, Riski Maulana, Jakarta – A senior official has pointed to suspected negligence during food preparation as the likely cause of a mass food poisoning incident involving dozens of schoolchildren in Cianjur, West Java, under the government's free nutritious meals (MBG) program.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has pledged that authorities will investigate allegations of misappropriation involving the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program funds at a partner kitchen in Kalibata, South Jakarta.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) has decided to maintain its benchmark interest rate at 5.75 percent, along with the Deposit Facility rate at 5 percent and the Lending Facility rate at 6.5 percent, following the central bank's Board of Governors Meeting held on Tuesday to Wednesday.

Roy Adriansyah, Jakarta – Indramayu Regent Lucky Hakim has been placed on administrative duty after traveling to Japan without official approval during the extended public holidays around Eid al-Fitr earlier this month.

Defara Dhanya, Jakarta – A number of Greenpeace Indonesia activists held a peace rally in front of the South Korean Embassy in Jakarta today, April 23, 2025, demanding the release of five activists detained in the country since November last year.

Yudono Yanuar, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has named Jak TV's News Director Tian Bahtiar (TB) along with lawyers Marcella Santoso (MS) and Junaedi Saibih (JS) as suspects in an obstruction of justice case.

Jakarta – When it comes to implementing the free nutritious meal program, President Prabowo Subianto gives the impression of being consistent with the saying he quoted in a speech in March 2025: dogs bark, but the caravan goes on.

Lili Retnosari and Ayesha Tantriana, Jakarta – Recent data from the World Population Review shows that Indonesia ranks fifth among countries with the highest smoking rates in the world. It is noted that smoking prevalence in South and Southeast Asia tends to be significantly higher among men compared to women.

Agencies, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto mourned the death of Pope Francis on Monday, saying the world had lost a "role model".

"The world has once again lost a role model who had a great commitment to peace, humanity, and brotherhood," Prabowo wrote on social media.

Jakarta – The judiciary is, unfortunately, no stranger to misconduct and corruption due to its fair share of power.

In the latest scandal to hit the country's judicial power, the Attorney General's Office (AGO) arrested four judges last week on suspicion of taking bribes in exchange for acquitting three major palm oil groups from corruption charges last month.

Responding a statement by of the Minister of State Secretary (Mensesneg) and concurrently the presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi, who did not question the proposal to name former president Suharto a national hero, Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid, said:

Marchio Gorbiano and Sara Hussein, Jakarta and Bangkok – Keen to end its reliance on rice imports, Indonesia wants to plant vast tracts of the crop, along with sugar cane for biofuel, in the restive eastern region.

But environmentalists warn it could become the world's largest deforestation project, threatening endangered species and Jakarta's climate commitments.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – The Health Ministry admits the monitoring system in the Indonesian healthcare facilities is easily exploited by medical workers to commit violations, including sexual violence against patients. One such case occurred at Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Bandung, where Priguna Anugerah Pratama, a specialist resident, assaulted a patient's relative.

Deden Abdul Aziz (Kontributor), Cianjur – Dozens of students from the PGRI Junior High School in Cianjur were treated at the Sayang Cianjur Regional General Hospital due to suffering from alleged food poisoning originating from the Free Nutritious Meal program (MBG), on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has altered the reimbursement scheme in the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) into upfront payments. Head of BGN Dadan Hindayana stated that BGN provides upfront payments to each Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) to carry out their duties.

Fia Hamid-Walker – In January 2025, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruled in favour of Indonesia's legal challenge to the European Union's (EU) restrictions on palm oil, which Indonesia said were unfair and detrimental to its exports.

Arlina Arshad, Jakarta – As China and the United States vie for influence in South-east Asia amid tariff tensions, Indonesia – the region's largest economy and a key maritime power – has emerged as a central battleground in a high-stakes strategic contest.