Sopian Hadi, Denpasar – Bali Governor I Wayan Koster announced on Saturday that the provincial government will stop issuing permits to convert farmland into commercial areas such as hotels and restaurants, following the deadly floods earlier this week that killed 17 people and caused widespread destruction.

Ika Idris and Derry Wijaya (Monash University, Indonesia) – On the night of September 1, 2025, Indonesian police forcibly detained Delpedro Marhaen, Executive Director of the Lokatatu Foundation, a prominent human rights organization.

Vinnilya Huanggrio, Jakarta – The Indonesian government plans to launch six new Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the near future, including the country's first halal industrial park in Sidoarjo, East Java, with a projected investment of Rp 40 trillion ($2.4 billion).

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – Indonesia's Ministry of Education and Culture has explained the government's insistence on continuing the program of distributing smart TVs to schools. They believe that digitalizing learning can accelerate the improvement of education quality.

Zacharias Wuragil, Jakarta – Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has officially declared the start of the rainy season, with several regions already transitioning from dry weather this September. Typically, the rainy season begins later in the year, but this time it has come earlier than expected.

Where the rains have started

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – The screening of a video featuring President Prabowo Subianto's government programs in local cinemas has drawn sharp criticism from netizens, who argue the practice is inappropriate in the current situation.

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi has defended the screening of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's video in cinemas across the country before movie showings, saying it is a common practice.

Antara, Jakarta – The State Secretary Minister (Mensesneg) Prasetyo Hadi denied rumors stating that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto had sent a presidential letter (surpres) for the replacement of the Chief of the Indonesian National Police to the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR).

Hanin Marwah, Jakarta – The Association of Ride-Hailing Drivers Garda Indonesia has called for the dismissal of Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi, accusing him of incompetence and prioritizing the interests of application companies over those of drivers.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – The Indonesian National Police (Polri) is once again under public scrutiny, with growing calls for reform due to cases of police violence and weak oversight.

Civil society groups, student organizations, and religious leaders are urging the government to take action to restore public trust in the institution.

Maria Gabrielle Putrinda, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has confirmed that the controversial concrete seawall in Cilincing, North Jakarta, has been fully licensed and approved by national authorities.

He warned that the protests could intensify if the government continues to delay pro-people policies.

Oslo – Norway's sovereign wealth fund said Friday it was excluding French mining company Eramet from its portfolio, citing risks that the company was contributing to human rights violations and environmental damage at a nickel mine in Indonesia.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – Danu Ali, the head of the Cilincing Fishers Community in North Jakarta, said fishing catches in the area are down 70 percent following the development of embankment and port by PT Karya Citra Nusantara (KCN).

Anna Hartley – Two men have been charged after a two-year counter-terrorism investigation allegedly linked them to the trafficking of firearms and military-grade equipment from Australia to a violent paramilitary group in Indonesia.

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has officially moved half of its funds deposited in Bank Indonesia (BI) to the accounts of five state-owned banks. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa stated that the interest or return on the Rp200 trillion deposit is approximately 4 percent.

Agencies, Jakarta – Indonesia is expected to experience a longer-than-usual peak period during its wet season this year, bringing a higher risk of floods and extreme rainfall in many areas of the country, the weather agency forecast on Friday.

Dythia Novianty, Yaumal Asri Adi Hutasuhut – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has revealed that there was alleged forced disappearances that occurred during the demonstrations that took place on August 25-31.

Jakarta – "Life will find a way," thus spoke by Dr. Ian Malcolm, a character in Michael Crichton's 1990 novel Jurassic Park. The quote is of course immortalized in pop culture through actor Jeff Goldblum's enunciation "life, uh, finds a way" in the 1993 movie adaptation of the book.

41 years have passed since the Tanjung Priok incident occurred on September 12, 1984. The lack of justice continues to be felt especially for the victims and families of victims.

Alberta Christina Pertiwi – In the lead-up to Indonesia's 80th Independence Day, an unexpected symbol has surfaced across social media: the Jolly Roger. It is the pirate flag from the long-running anime One Piece. For some, it is a reference to pop-cultures.

Dani Aswara, Jakarta – The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) has affirmed that cyber threats are borderless and cannot be easily distinguished between attacks originating from abroad and those from within the country.

Daniel Ahmad Fajri, Jakarta – Brigadier General Freddy Ardianzah, Head of the Information Center for the Indonesian Military (TNI), stated that there are alleged criminal acts of defamation, hate speech, provocation, misinformation, and incitement in statements made by Malaka Project's CEO, Ferry Irwandi.

Resty Woro Yuniar – Indonesia is seeking China's help to build a US$80 billion giant sea wall along the northern coast of Java in a project that officials see as essential to protecting millions of residents and key industries from rising seas and sinking land, despite criticisms over its financial and environmental costs.

The report, Bringing it All Back Home: The Role of British Companies in the Destruction of West Papua, is co-authored by Professor David Whyte and Samira Homerang Saunders from Queen Mary's School of Law. It presents the first comprehensive audit of British involvement in extractive industries and large-scale agriculture in the region.

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto is planning to set up a new commission dedicated to driving reforms in the police force, according to a group of public figures and religious leaders.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto's September 8 reshuffle of the Red-White Cabinet, which replaced Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati with Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, has drawn sharp scrutiny from economists, governance experts, and international observers.

Ichsan Ali, Associated Press, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto flew to Doha, Qatar, on Friday to meet Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, in a visit to show Jakarta's support for the Gulf state after Israel carried out a rare strike on Qatari soil earlier this week.

Agencies, Denpasar – The death toll from deadly flash floods that swept Bali and East Nusa Tenggara, rose to 19 on Thursday, officials said, with five others missing.

Torrential rain since late Tuesday triggered floods and landslides in seven districts across Bali, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Abdul Muhari said in a statement.

Antara, Jakarta – Starting in 2026, Industry Ministry will no longer continue incentives for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) imported as completely built-up (CBU) units into the domestic market.

Jakarta – There is no justification for the destruction and looting that have accompanied the demonstrations over the last two weeks. Whatever the reason, and whoever was targeted, these brutal actions are a form of persecution that deprives citizens of their right to safety.

Jakarta – Government authorities have seized a small section of the world's largest nickel mine for encroaching on forest areas without permission, authorities said Friday.

The Weda Bay Nickel concession, which has long been criticized by environmental and Indigenous rights groups for its effects on surrounding forest, spans 45,000 hectares on Halmahera Island.

Nida Sahara, Jakarta – Bank Central Asia (BCA), Indonesia's largest private lender, denied rumors on Friday that its investment fund accounts had been compromised, resulting in losses of up to Rp 70 billion ($4.5 million).

Hendro D Situmorang, Jakarta – Indonesia's meteorological agency on Friday warned of another week of extreme weather across the country, just days after Bali was hit by its most severe flooding in 10 years.

Jakarta – Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa begins his job as the country's new finance minister at a tough moment, as the 2026 budget plan comes with lots of open questions but little time to find the answers.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia is preparing to import fuel from the United States in a bid to ease gasoline shortages at private gas stations, including those operated by Shell and BP, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said Friday.

Ahmad Baihaqi, Jakarta – An early morning explosion tore through a residential neighborhood in South Tangerang, just south of the Indonesian capital, destroying homes and injuring several people on Friday.

Police said they are still investigating the cause of the blast, which occurred around 5:15 a.m. on Jalan Talas II in Pamulang District.

Oyuk Ivani Siagian, Jakarta – The Jakarta Metro Police will deploy 256 personnel for a large-scale patrol in the city this afternoon, Friday, September 12, 2025.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Flooding disasters in Indonesia are increasingly traced not to natural causes, but to corporate destruction of peatlands, NGO Pantau Gambut warns in its newest report.

The report reveals how the construction of industrial-scale canals, not just haze, poses a growing threat.

Andrew Tito, Jakarta – Indonesian military police have detained an Army corporal accused of acting as a go-between in the abduction and killing of a state-owned bank branch manager, a case that has drawn national attention for its scale and planning.

Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – Nepal is currently facing a political crisis following massive protests driven by Generation Z that have forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign. What began as peaceful protests on Monday, September 8, 2025, erupted into riots in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Itahari.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – The massive demonstrations at the end of August 2025 left a deep scar. An online ride-hailing driver named Affan Kurniawan and several other victims were killed in clashes near the Parliament building. The wave of protests, driven by students and various community groups, was once hailed as a rallying point for the people's movement.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – The Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan, revealed that 9 out of 14 containers of imported goods from the Philippines were found to be exposed to cesium-137 (Cs-137) radioactivity.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – The Vice Chairperson of Indonesia's Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK), Sri Suparyati, stated that the national human rights institution (LN HAM) independent team will investigate the protests and riots that occurred at the end of last August.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) sent a letter of objection to the Secretariat General of the House of Representatives (DPR) on Friday, September 12, 2025. The letter was sent after Parliament failed to respond to ICW's request for transparent information about members' income.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Former Minister of Religious Affairs, Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, stated that President Prabowo Subianto has committed to upholding civilian supremacy.

Jakarta – Government authorities have seized a small section of the world's largest nickel mine for encroaching on forest areas without permission, authorities said Friday.

The Weda Bay Nickel concession, which has long been criticized by environmental and Indigenous rights groups for its effects on surrounding forest, spans 45,000 hectares on Halmahera Island.

Yohannes Tohap, Jakarta – Indonesia's environment minister has blamed poor waste management and uncontrolled villa construction for exacerbating the floods and landslides in Bali that killed at least 14 people earlier this week.

Jakarta – State health insurer BPJS Kesehatan will require its participants to undergo a health screening test, starting this month or in October.

The screening is mandatory for those who wish to access primary healthcare facilities, community health centers (Puskesmas), clinics, and independent doctors' practices. The new policy is part of early detection efforts.

Jakarta – Crime syndicates may be setting up a scam centre in Asia's youngest nation, East Timor, the United Nations said on Thursday, as a multibillion-dollar online fraudindustry spreads across Southeast Asia.

The industry involves sprawling compounds housing tens of thousands of workers, many of them trafficked, who are forced to scam victims around the world.