Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – The Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) and the Labor Party are set to stage a protest in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building today, September 22, 2025.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – The Indonesian business competition watchdog KPPU has slammed the government's decision to restrict unsubsidized fuel imports, citing that it is unfair to both consumers and private retailers.

Supplies have run dry at privately-run gas stations like Shell and BP over the past weeks.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) revealed that the Indonesian National Police (Polri) is the institution most frequently cited in reports of alleged human rights violations.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has officially extended its value-added tax (VAT) exemption for property purchases until 2026, aiming to stimulate the housing sector and broader economy.

Jakarta – Indonesia and the European Union will sign a trade agreement on Tuesday after nearly a decade of negotiations as they seek to mitigate the effects of US President Donald Trump's tariff policy.

The agreement, to be signed in Bali, will bring Indonesia and the 27-member European bloc into closer economic ties.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The government will entirely pay the salary of the fresh graduates joining the upcoming internship program meant to spur economic growth, according to a senior minister.

In other words, businesses do not have to worry about skyrocketing costs as they will not spend a single dime on the interns' paychecks.

Antara, Jakarta – The rupiah slipped against the dollar on Monday, extending this year's losses as fiscal concerns and a stronger greenback added to pressure on the Indonesian currency.

Daniel Ahmad Fajri, Jakarta – Unlike his predecessor Joko Widodo, Prabowo Subianto attended the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in his first year as president. Jokowi, during his 10-year presidency, never attended the UNGA usually held in New York, United States.

Adil Al Hasan, Jakarta – Researcher and Policy Analyst at the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS), Jimmy Daniel Berlianto, is urging the government to halt and evaluate the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program. He believes this step is necessary due to many recent cases of poisoning.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has urged the government to temporarily halt the free nutritious meal program (MBG) for a comprehensive evaluation. This demand comes after another mass food poisoning incident involving children, including those in early childhood education (PAUD) in Tasikmalaya, West Java.

Melki Gani, Iman Rahman Cahyadi, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has expelled Gorontalo provincial legislator Wahyudin Moridu after he appeared in a viral TikTok video boasting that he would "steal state money."

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – General Agus Subiyanto, the Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), has voiced the same frustrations as the public regarding the widespread misuse of strobe lights and sirens on the roads. He admitted that the noise is a disturbance, even to him.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia is mulling restricting its citizens from having multiple social media accounts – a proposal that Presidential Chief of Staff Muhammad Qodari believes can do wonders on the country's fight against hoaxes.

Salman Mardira, Tembagapura, Papua – Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) on Saturday has recovered two bodies from a mudslide that struck its Grasberg Block Cave mine in Tembagapura, Mimika Regency, on Sept. 8, as rescue teams continue searching for the remaining trapped workers.

Jakarta – Last week, our attention was drawn to Bali, but not for its natural beauty. The resort island's streets were paralyzed, buildings were submerged in mud and tourists were evacuated as floods swept through Denpasar and six of its eight regencies, including major tourist hubs Gianyar, Tabanan and Badung.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – Starting in 2028, President Prabowo Subianto has designated Nusantara Capital City (IKN) in East Kalimantan as Indonesia's political capital. This provision is stipulated in Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 79 of 2025, which concerns the update of the government work plan (RKP) for 2025 and was signed on June 30, 2025.

Agencies, Jakarta – Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) has erupted multiple times, spewing a column of ash kilometers into the sky after authorities raised its alert level to the highest, prompting a local airport to suspend operations on Saturday.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) has positioned the KHAN missile in the 18th Field Artillery Battalion under the Military Regional Command VI/Mulawarman in East Kalimantan Province. This ballistic missile was procured from Turkey in 2022.

Roy Adriansyah, Jakarta – Indonesia's traffic police chief has announced a temporary suspension on the use of strobe lights and sirens by police escort vehicles, responding to widespread public complaints over the disruptive effects of these devices on daily traffic.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto is set to transfer 1,700 to 4,100 civil servants (ASN) to Nusantara Capital City (IKN). This regulation is outlined under the Presidential Regulation Number 79 of 2025 concerning the government work plan update for 2025.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – University of Indonesia (Universitas Indonesia, UI) has established the UI-Palestine Center to advocate for the struggle of the Palestinian people. Heri Hermansyah, the university rector, said the institution will conduct studies as part of advocating for Palestinian independence.

Agencies, Jakarta – Over 800 students fell sick in two cases of mass food poisoning this week after consuming free school meals sponsored by the government, officials said on Friday.

One case affected more than 500 and was the biggest outbreak yet under President Prabowo Subianto's flagship program.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesian Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa explained the government's plan to reduce electricity subsidies without burdening the public with tariff increases. One of the discussions is about the development of Solar Power Plants (PLTS) as well as the utilization of other New and Renewable Energy (EBT), which are more efficient.

Andreas Iswinarto – The process of democratisation that followed Suharto's resignation extended into the realm of history. His fall marked the beginning of a freer and more open engagement with the past, breaking away from the rigid, state-controlled narrative of historical truth imposed during the New Order regime.

Saskia Wieringa – The denial of the genocide which took place in Indonesia after 1 October 1965 has cultural, legal, discursive and affective dimensions. This genocide was one of the largest mass murders after World War II, yet it is hardly known internationally.

Hanin Marwah, Jakarta – A recent survey by the Indonesia's Setara Institute revealed that most experts consider public trust in the Indonesian National Police to be poor.

The findings come as the government prepares to establish a Police Reform Commission under President Prabowo Subianto.

Agnes Valentina Christa, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has asked several prominent figures, including former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mohammad Mahfud MD, to join a newly planned National Police Reform Commission, a close presidential aide said Friday.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa disapproves of tax amnesties, as the senior economist feared forgiveness would only build a bad habit among Indonesia's taxpayers.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ministry of Human Rights regards the hunger strike carried out by Gejayan Memanggil (Gejayan Calling) activist Syahdan Husein as part of his freedom of expression. The activist has been on a hunger strike since September 11, to protest his detention over alleged incitement during late August protests.

Hanaa Septiana, Jakarta – The East Java Regional Police announced the arrest of nearly 1,000 people suspected of involvement in riots that erupted during demonstrations across ten areas of East Java from Friday to Saturday, August 29-30, 2025.

Officers also confiscated various items, including books they claim promote anarchist ideologies.

Lawmakers in one of the world's poorest countries have scrapped plans for lavish spending on themselves amid days-long protests led by Timorese students.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – The Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI) has released its latest monitoring results on mass food poisoning cases allegedly caused by Prabowo's free nutritious meal program. By mid-September 2025, the organization had recorded at least 5,360 children across the country poisoned after consuming the state-sanctioned meals.

Sigit Zulmunir, Jakarta – A total of 657 students in Garut Regency, West Java, Indonesia, have been affected by suspected mass food poisoning linked to the government's free nutritious meal program (MBG).

"Currently, only 10 students remain hospitalized, down from 30 at the peak," said Garut Health Office Head Leli Yuliani on Friday, September 19, 2025.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian government urges the public not to conclude that there have been cases of enforced disappearance during the late August protests. This comes in response to the failure to locate two individuals, Reno Syachputra Dewo and Muhammad Farhan Hamid, after the protests in Jakarta.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – The Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI) is urging President Prabowo Subianto and the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to immediately halt the free nutritious meal program. This demand comes against the backdrop of repeated mass food poisoning cases over the past week.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Digital Technology (Komdigi) has opened the option of implementing face and fingerprint scans as a requirement for activating social media accounts. This step is considered a solution to the problem of owning and controlling multiple social media accounts anonymously.

Ankur Banerjee, Karin Strohecker and Rae Wee, Singapore – Bank Indonesia's rate cut this week stunned markets for all the wrong reasons – investors fear the central bank is bowing to pressure from President Prabowo Subianto to juice the economy, compromising its independence and risking a rupiah sell-off.

Jakarta – Political developments in the past few weeks have not been very kind to the concept of civilian supremacy in the country.

In the wake of looting and rioting that took place in late August, President Prabowo Subianto agreed to the deployment of more than 75,000 soldiers from the Indonesian Military (TNI) to secure areas within and around Jakarta.

Jamal Abdun Nashr, Jakarta – The Pati City Police have deployed personnel to several points to secure the protest demanding the impeachment of Pati Regent Sudewo. The United Pati Community held a demonstration on Friday, September 19, 2025.

Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – Deputy Chief of the National Economic Council (DEN) Mari Elka Pangestu stated that the mass protests in Indonesia in August 2025 were not a result of President Prabowo Subianto's 10-month rule. According to her, these actions were the consequences of the legacy of economic policies over the past decade.

Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives' (DPR) Commission IX, Sahidin, revealed that there are thousands of suspected fictitious free nutritious meal (MBG) kitchens across Indonesia. He obtained the information during his working visit to Batam in the Riau Islands Province on Thursday, September 18, 2025.

Danu Damarjati, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform has criticised a statement by the Ministry of Defence (Kemenhan) which said that the involvement of the Indonesian Military (TNI) in guarding public facilities is similar to the situation in the United States (US).

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia is preparing a new market-based incentive scheme to encourage citizens to repatriate U.S. dollar savings held abroad, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said Friday, outlining one of his first major policy priorities since taking office.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has signed a presidential regulation formally designating Nusantara Capital City (IKN) in East Kalimantan as Indonesia's political capital by 2028.

The policy is outlined in Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 79 of 2025 on Updating the Government's 2025 Work Plan.

Gembong Hanung, Jakarta – While Indonesia is experiencing a "wet dry season" with relatively high rainfalls, a recent independent analysis has revealed an increasing rate of forest and land fires across the country, particularly in oil palm plantation and energy concessions.

Indonesia will ban the construction of new hotels and restaurants built atop cleared rice fields and agricultural land on the popular resort island of Bali, after recent flash flooding killed at least 18 people.

A state of emergency was declared on Bali on 10 September after the island experienced the most severe flooding in more than a decade.

Ade Ridwan Yandwiputra, Jakarta – Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is facing various challenges in determining the status of the suspects in the hajj quota corruption case. One of the challenges is examining the 400 or so hajj organizing agencies.

Dili – Timor-Leste has assured Myanmar's military regime that it will no longer allow Myanmar opposition groups to engage in political activities or open offices on its territory.

The diplomatic breakthrough came during a two-day visit to Naypyitaw by Timor-Leste's Foreign Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa confirmed on Thursday that Siti Hardijanti Rukmana, better known as Tutut, has withdrawn her lawsuit challenging a government travel ban imposed over unsettled debt.

Muhammad Farhan, Jakarta – Indonesia will introduce new import restrictions on cassava and ethanol to protect local producers, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman announced Friday, following directives from President Prabowo Subianto.