Agung Dharma Putra, Jakarta – National Nutrition Agency (Bapanas) Head Dadan Hindayana announced that the government's Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) will begin on Jan. 6, 2025, a slight delay from the original start date of Jan. 2.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Russia is still waiting for Indonesia to revise the existing regulations before they can proceed with the plan to partner on nuclear power generation, according to a Russian diplomat.

Swastika Swasikananda, Jakarta – As of November 2024, 272,164 Indonesian migrant workers have been deployed abroad, nearly matching the 274,000 recorded in 2023, according to the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) report.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Deputy Chairman of the Gerindra Party, Habiburokhman, clarified President Prabowo Subianto's recent statement about forgiving corruptors if they return stolen state funds. According to Habiburokhman, Prabowo's remarks focus on maximizing asset recovery rather than pardoning corruptors from legal consequences.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia plans to introduce an excise tax on sweet beverages (MBDK), projected to generate Rp 6.25 trillion ($385.24 million) in revenue, according to the Institute for Economic and Social Research (LPEM) at the University of Indonesia's Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB UI).

Jakarta – Questions should be asked about the ambition of Prabowo Subianto's administration to start building a nuclear power plant (PLTN) next year.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – In recent United Nations biodiversity conferences, global leaders have championed Indigenous peoples as critical partners in achieving conservation goals. Indonesia, as a signatory to an international treaty on biodiversity protection, pledged to uphold these principles.

Lies Marcoes, Jakarta – The world is working hard to halt femicide, or the murder of women based on prejudice against their bodies, sexuality or social/gender roles that are seen as not in line with men's desires. This practice is in principle the same as genocide, killing of a certain (minority) ethnic group based on ethnic prejudice against them.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – A ransomware scare has, once again, rung alarm bells surrounding the state of Indonesia's digital security, which analysts warn has seen little improvement despite the enactment of a privacy law two years ago.

Novianti Setuningsih, Jakarta – Gajah Mada University (UGM) Anti-Corruption Study Centre (Pukat) researcher Zaenur Rohman says that efforts to eradicate corruption require strengthening law enforcement rather than providing an opportunity for perpetrators of corruption (tipikor) to repent by returning financial losses incurred by the state.

Agung Sandy Lesmana, Fakhri Fuadi Muflih – A solo painting exhibition by artist Yos Suprapto at the National Gallery (Galnas) in Jakarta has been cancelled. The exhibition titled "Revival: Land for Food Sovereignty" was supposed to open on Thursday December 19, but was banned by the gallery.

Hans Arnold Kapisa (Contributor), Jakarta – Environmental activist Sulfianto Alias, the director of the non-government organisation (NGO) Panah Papua, suffered serious injuries after being brutally beaten on the morning of Friday December 20 in Bintuni Bay regency, West Papua.

Irsyan Hasyim, Jakarta – Flash floods sweep South Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra, on Wednesday afternoon, December 18, 2024, injuring ten people. The floods were caused by a torrential downpour that struck two districts, Batang Angkola and Tano Tombangan.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Imam Hamdi, Jakarta – Thousands of residents were reported to be affected by the tidal flooding disaster in Indramayu Regency, West Java. The National Disaster Management Agency or BNPB records this disaster inundating the areas of Kandanghaur and Cantigi Subdistricts.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia has welcomed the Indonesian government's decision to repatriate Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso, a Filipina woman who had been sentenced to death for drug-related offenses. However, the organization emphasizes that this repatriation should serve as a crucial step towards the abolition of the death penalty in Indonesia.

Jakarta – A total of 99,098 people have signed a petition addressed to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to cancel the 12 percent increase in Value-Added Tax (VAT) on the change.org page.

As seen by Tempo on Thursday, December 19, 2024 at 10:11 WIB (Western Indonesian Time), a total of 43,652 people have signed the petition today.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Police have deployed at least 820 combined personnel to secure a protest against the 12-percent VAT hike at the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta. They will be stationed at several points around the Horse Statue Roundabout near Monas and in front of the Presidential Palace.

Alfida Rizki Febrianna, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has criticized Indonesia's imposition of value-added tax (VAT) on oil and gas exploration activities, arguing that the policy is a major obstacle to the country's push for energy independence.

Irfandi, Muhammad Asyharuddin Arbab, Gowa, South Sulawesi – South Sulawesi Police have uncovered a counterfeit money syndicate operating within the campus of Alauddin State Islamic University, located in the Somba Opu district of Gowa Regency.

Alfida Rizki Febrianna, Jakarta – Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has firmly rejected mining giant Freeport Indonesia's request to export copper concentrates, citing "national interests."

Singgih Wiryono, Bagus Santosa, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition has expressed concern over the formation of the National Defence Council (DPN) which is considered not to be in line with Law Number 3/2002 on State Defence.

In addition to this, the broad powers under Article 3 Letter f of the presidential regulation on the DPN are also a primary focus of their concern.

Theo Kelen, Jayapura – The Indonesian government is considered to not be serious about resolving the armed conflict in Papua. An approach of peaceful dialogue must continue to be encouraged as an effort to resolve the conflict in Papua, but the government has ignored this.

Markus You, Jayapura – Demanding justice for the fatal shooting of Tobias Silak and the wounding of Naro Dapla in Dekai, Yahukimo regency, Papua Highlands, national actions were held in several cities on December 16. Aside from Jayapura, similar actions were held in Jakarta, the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar and other cities.

Herman, Jakarta – Ausino Exim Pty Ltd has announced a recall of several Indomie instant noodle variants in Australia due to undeclared allergens on their packaging. The affected products include Indomie Goreng Rendang, Indomie Ayam Bawang (Chicken and Onion), and Indomie Soto Mi (Noodle Soup) flavors.

Cairo, Egypt – President Prabowo Subianto has said he might pardon people who engaged in graft if they return what they stole, underlining his commitment to tackle corruption.

Putra Muskita, Jakarta – When reports started to come out about Indonesia's shrinking middle class, I read them with great interest. Because this is about me. It's about my family, friends and colleagues.

Jakarta – The Foreign Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that Foreign Minister Sugiono would not attend the informal ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Bangkok on Friday, as he would be accompanying President Prabowo Subianto at the Developing Eight (D8) Summit in Cairo.

Jakarta – National Police chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo has inaugurated a new directorate responsible for handling crimes against women and children as well as human trafficking.

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – The coconut processing industry is facing a crisis due to a surge in coconut exports, which has led to a shortage of domestic raw materials. The lack of control over export policies has exacerbated the situation, affecting the production of coconut-based products, despite high demand.

Jakarta – The government denied Thursday media reports that they were planning to cut the threshold for the final income tax for Indonesia's micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The government recently announced that it would extend the 0.5 percent final income tax incentive until 2025. This incentive was supposed to end in 2024.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – Senior Economist and Executive Director of the Center of Reform on Economics (CORE) Indonesia, Mohammad Faisal, warned the government of potential food waste stemming from the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, set to launch in January 2025.

Ilham Oktafian, Jakarta – The police have denied allegations made by foreign tourists, who claimed they were forced to undergo urine tests and extorted during the 2024 Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) at JIExpo Kemayoran, Central Jakarta last week.

Antara, Jakarta – Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), the country's largest state-run bank by assets, assured customers that their data and funds remain secure and that normal transactions continue uninterrupted, following rumors of a ransomware attack circulating on social media.

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) has reported rapid growth in payments using the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS), while transactions made with debit cards have declined. QRIS usage has surged by 186 percent year-on-year, reaching 689.07 million transactions.

Alfi Dinilhaq, Jakarta – Chinese automaker BYD's (Build Your Dream) new electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant in Subang, West Java, is expected to be completed ahead of schedule and create 18,000 new jobs.

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – Foreign tourists have voiced their intention to boycott the annual Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP), Indonesia's largest electronic music festival, following allegations of police harassment and extortion.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia has distributed Rp 133.7 trillion ($8.25 billion) in banknotes to meet the anticipated spike in cash withdrawals during the year-end holiday season.

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – The Indonesian Coconut Processing Industry Association (HIPKI) is urging the government to implement the coconut downstream policy to tackle the shortage of raw materials that threaten the sustainability of Indonesia's coconut processing industry.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) has decided to keep its benchmark interest rate at 6 percent to maintain inflation within its target range of 2.5 percent for 2024 and 2025, while also supporting sustainable economic growth amid global uncertainties.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named two suspects in the case of alleged corruption of corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds at Bank Indonesia (BI). However, the KPK did not reveal the names or agencies of the two suspects.

Grace Gandhi, Hanin Marwah, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the value of investment in special economic zones (KEK) in the tourism sector is still sluggish due to a lack of investors.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – A project worker, identified as AS, was fatally injured in a clash on Kebon Kacang Road, Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. The altercation involved local residents and workers involved in a land-clearing project.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs expects inflation to rise by 0.3 percent in 2025 following the implementation of a 12 percent Value-Added Tax (VAT) on Jan. 1.

S. Dian Andryanto, Michelle Gabriela, Jakarta – The government ensures that the 12 percent increase in Value Added Tax or VAT will take effect from January 1, 2025. This policy is mandated by Law Number 7 of 2021 concerning Harmonization of Tax Regulations (HPP Law).

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Germany has agreed to forgive Indonesia's debt worth 75 million euros or around $78 million in return for the Southeast Asian country to invest in its public health programs for HIV and tuberculosis.

Rama Sukarta, Jakarta – The free nutritious meal program (MBG) launched under President Prabowo Subianto's administration is expected to boost Indonesia's livestock industry, create new business opportunities in rural areas, and attract younger generations to livestock farming, according to Nanang Subendro, Chairman of the Indonesian Cattle and Buffalo Farmers Association (PPSKI).

Jauhari Mahardhika, Jakarta – Indonesia's wholesale car sales from January to November 2024 fell 14.7 percent year-on-year to 784,788 units, according to industry data. Despite the decline, the figure remains on track to meet the full-year target.

Fetty Azizah, Jakarta – Indonesia's 2024 regional head elections have revealed the overwhelming dominance of the Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM) Plus, which secured victories in several strategic provinces, including Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java and North Sumatra.

Ni Made Tasyarani, Jakarta – The Golden Visa scheme introduced this year has not brought as much investment into the country as hoped, according to the year-end report from the Directorate General of Immigration.

Nur Janti, Jakarta – A United States envoy has said that the US government and businesses will support Indonesia in human resource development (HRD), a central focus of President Prabowo Subianto and his administration to achieve the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision.