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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has recorded 113 alleged human rights violations in Papua from January to December 16, 2024. Of these, 85 were related to armed conflicts and violence.

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).

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.

Jakarta – Policymakers are not in a rush to determine the system for future regional head elections, First Deputy Home Minister Bima Arya Sugiarto said, following President Prabowo Subianto's suggestion to roll back direct regional polls to cut costs.

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.

Muhammad Aulia Rahman, Jakarta – Former Justice Minister Yasonna Laoly was questioned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday regarding the corruption case involving Harun Masiku, a fugitive and fellow Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) executive.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – The Constitutional Court recently confirmed that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has the authority to investigate alleged acts of corruption involving or implicating the Indonesian Military (TNI).

Maulana Ilhami Fawdi, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) noted that between January and December 2024 there were 113 human rights incidents in Papua, 85 of which had the dimensions of armed conflict and violence.

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.

Jakarta – Meikarta Customer Care Community Association chairman Yosafat Erland says he hopes for a solution for customers of the stalled mega-apartment project after tycoon Mochtar Riady met with former president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in Surakarta, Central Java, on Friday.

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.

Defara Dhanya, Jakarta – Floods are still inundating several coastal areas of Jakarta, including the Sunda Kelapa Port area, Ancol Village, Pademangan District, North Jakarta. Today, Tuesday, December 17, 2024, the tidal flood (flooding due to maximum sea tides) at that location is 70 centimeters high.

Dat Nguyen – The list of 50 richest individuals in Indonesia is made up of all billionaires for the first time this year, with combined wealth rising 4% to $263 billion.

The list, compiled by Forbes, put the Hartono brothers, R. Budi and Michael, at the top with a net worth of $50.3 billion, a new peak for the duo.

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).

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.

Batam – Barelang Municipal Police Chief Senior Commissioner Heribertus Ompusunggu says that the situation at a village on Rempang Island is now conducive after an attack by unidentified people (OTK) early on the morning of Wednesday December 18.

Vitorio Mantalean, Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) Executive Director Djayadi Hanan believes that President Prabowo Subianto's proposal for regional heads to be elected by Regional Houses of Representatives (DPRD) is unsuitable because Indonesia adheres to a different system.

Jayapura – Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) says that military operations in the land of Papua only sacrifice civilians and create massive internal displacement.

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 – 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.

Zach Hope and Amilia Rosa, Bali – The brother of Bali bomber Ali Imron has questioned why the remaining Australian members of the Bali Nine have been set free when his allegedly deradicalised family member is still serving a life sentence.

Jakarta – The Gunungkidul Regency administration in Yogyakarta is working to deactivate three extreme routes leading to tourist destinations from Google Maps for the Christmas and New Year holidays to reduce potential accidents.

According to the Gunungkidul Transportation Agency, there are at least three tourist destinations with quite extreme terrain.

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.

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.

Agencies, Manila – A Filipina who spent nearly 15 years on Indonesia's death row tearfully reunited with family members Wednesday after arriving in Manila, where she now awaits a hoped-for pardon in a women's prison.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has received a barrage of criticism for appointing over 100 people to his Red and White Cabinet, which is likely now the world's largest.

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.

Jakarta – Former Indonesian president Joko Widodo has not yet decided on his next political move after being officially dismissed from the country's largest political party on Monday (Dec 16) for backing Prabowo Subianto in February's presidential elections.

Ilham Oktafian, Jakarta – Violence against women and children remains a pressing issue in Indonesia. National Police (Polri) Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo revealed that over the past five years, there have been 401,975 cases of violence against women, 105,475 cases of domestic violence, and 15,120 cases of violence against children.

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) noted an increase in imports of ready-to-wear clothing entering Indonesia. Acting Head of BPS, Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, said that the largest imports of textiles and textile products or TPT came from China.

Jakarta – It is time Indonesia abandoned the dream of obtaining significant funding from the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). Two years after this idealistic-sounding program was first spoken of at the November 2022 G20 Summit in Bali, only a small amount of funding has actually been received.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – Following a series of recent police shootings, the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission III will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the use of firearms by police officers.

Antara, Jakarta – Ahead of the preparations for Christmas 2024 and New Year 2025, tens of thousands of joint personnel from the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police (Polri) will be deployed to secure more than 61,000 crowded locations and places of worship.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto's new target to build 3 million homes a year will never solve Indonesia's housing shortage, especially if the government does nothing to fix the broken housing market.

Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) raided the headquarters of the central bank in Jakarta on Monday in relation to a probe into alleged mishandling of a corporate social responsibility programme, the agency and the central bank said.

Betty Herlina, Elviza Diana, Enggano Island, Indonesia – Milson Kaitora's grandparents never had trouble finding water to grow food here on Enggano Island. But today, coastal abrasion is pushing back the shoreline of Milson's village, and the dearth of freshwater has reduced the annual rice harvest from twice a year to just once.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – At the U.N. climate conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Indonesian government announced an ambitious plan to reforest 12.7 million hectares (31.4 million acres) of degraded land, an area 80 times the size of London.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The government will roll out an income tax incentive package for people working in the labor-intensive industries as a means to cushion Indonesia's middle class from the value-added tax (VAT) hike.