M. Raihan Muzzaki, Jakarta – Deputy Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) Ossy Dermawan stated that they will carry out the legalization of palm oil plantation land if the land is no longer part of the forest area. For this reason, the Ministry of ATR/BPN will coordinate with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry or KLHK.

Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia is asking Tangerang Municipal Police (Polresta) investigators not to pursues a report against government critic and former State-Owned Enterprises Ministry (BUMN) secretary Said Didu for criticising the Pantai Indah Kapuk 2 (PIK) National Strategic Project (PSN).

Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) revealed that the state's financial losses in a corruption case involving the commodity trading system within the tin mining concession area of state-owned tin producer PT Timah from 2015 to 2022 amounted to Rp 332.6 trillion (US$21 billion) following the arrest of Hendry Lie.

Sukma Kanthi Nurani, Jakarta – PT Sarimelati Kencana Tbk (PZZA), the licensee of Pizza Hut in Indonesia, has reported a decline in both its outlet count and workforce.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The proposed increase in the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate to 12 percent in 2025, which has faced widespread criticism, remains a topic of discussion and has not yet been finalized, according to Adies Kadir, Vice Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) for economic affairs.

Monique Handa Shafira, Jakarta – The Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) and other labor unions will organize a national strike involving 5 million workers across Indonesia if the government raises the Value Added Tax (VAT) from 11 percent to 12 percent in 2025 and fails to meet minimum wage demands.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Amid plans to increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) from 11 percent to 12 percent, raising concerns among many Indonesians, the House of Representatives (DPR) has decided to include the Tax Amnesty Bill in the 2025 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas).

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has refuted allegations made by the legal team of former trade minister Tom Lembong regarding the arbitrary appointment of suspects in the sugar import corruption case. The AGO maintains that Tom's designation as a suspect adhered to legal procedures.

Zunita Putri, Jakarta – Transwoman and celebrity Isa Zega has caused a stir on social media after she performed the Umrah pilgrimage (a smaller version of the haj pilgrimage to Mecca) wearing a sharia hijab. Mufti Anam, a member of the House of Representatives (DPR) from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction says that Zega's actions are a form of blasphemy.

Vinnilya Huanggrio, Jakarta – The impending value-added tax (VAT) increase set to take effect next year is expected to exacerbate challenges for Indonesia's already struggling automotive industry amid weak sales performance, an executive from Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN) warned on Tuesday.

Jakarta – The investigation into the Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry employees backing online gambling is expanded to include many people. Ill-gotten gains from a political operation.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Bima Arya Sugiarto, has revealed that President Prabowo Subianto has tasked the ministry to evaluate the current general election system.

Negar Mohtashami Khojasteh, Montreal, Canada – In Indonesia's humid heat, I watched as dozens of men on motorcycles lingered outside the garment factory gates, their children hanging off their shoulders, as they waited for their partners to finish their shift. These men – many without jobs of their own – came to pick up the women who provide for their families.

Moh. Tamimi, Nagekeo, Indonesia – The land weighed on Mateus Bhui as he sifted the Rendubutowe soil through his fingers into a traditional container.

"To our ancestors: please don't be angry," Mateus said, repeating the lament as he clasped another handful of earth. "I never wanted to sell this land."

Yolanda Agne, Jakarta – The Charity Aid Foundation (CAF) has once again unveiled its annual World Giving Index 2024, and Indonesia has reclaimed its position as the world's most generous country for the seventh consecutive year.

Jakarta – Indonesia is considering the possibility of a new tax amnesty programme, a senior lawmaker said on Nov 19, which would be the country's third in the past decade despite criticism that repeatedly offering the relief could lead to more tax avoidance.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto recently called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine at the G20 Brazil Summit as the war hit the 1,000-day milestone.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The House of Representatives on Tuesday amended the law on the Jakarta administration and stipulated that the city's governors from the 2024 election onward will no longer be called the leader of the national capital.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto recently asked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help Indonesia train more doctors so the country can have enough physicians to treat its people.

Vinnilya Huanggrio, Jakarta – The government should reconsider the plan to implement a hike in value-added tax next year because Indonesia currently has the highest VAT in Southeast Asia, the chairman of the Indonesian Global Brand Retailers' Association (Apregindo) said on Monday.

Alfida Rizki Febrianna, Jakarta – The upcoming value-added tax (VAT) hike could take a huge toll on Indonesia's minimum wage earners, economist Achmad Nur Hidayat said in a recent interview.

A 12 percent VAT is set to come into force in January. However, the government's decision to increase the VAT by 1 percentage point has fueled criticisms from experts.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has highlighted Indonesia's abundant natural resources as a foundation for national energy security, suggesting that the country could meet its entire energy needs without relying on fossil fuels.

Mita Amalia Hapsari, Jakarta – The Presidential Communication Office officially welcomed nearly 50 new recruits on Monday, some of whom will serve as presidential spokespersons specializing in different areas of expertise.

Jakarta – By visiting the United States immediately after China last week, President Prabowo Subianto has made it clear that Indonesia wants to be friends with both and that, despite their intensifying rivalry, it does not favor one over the other.

Jakarta – Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu'ti said the ministry will soon roll out a a new plan that will allow students to be taught on the subjects of artificial intelligence and coding.

Mu'ti, however, said that the lesson on AI and coding would be elective and would only be available for students in fourth grade.

In what claims to be the only woman-run cafe in the capital of Indonesia's most conservative province, owner Qurrata Ayuni says she and her baristas provide an alternative to rowdy, smoke-filled male haunts.

Salman Mardira, Jakarta – Education activist Henny Supolo Sitepu voiced her opposition to the reintroduction of the national exam as a graduation requirement, as proposed by the Elementary and Secondary Education Ministry.

She argued that using the exam as a graduation standard would be unfair due to the significant differences in education quality across schools.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – Finance Minister Sri Mulyani has temporarily frozen all infrastructure budgets for government construction projects, following directives from President Prabowo Subianto.

Mita Amalia Hapsari, Jakarta – The Presidential Office has acknowledged that frivolous reports have flooded the "Lapor Mas Wapres" complaint service. In response, the system is being refined to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Lili Yan Ing, Yessi Vadilla, With Donald Trump's return to the White House, we are likely to witness a renewed focus on the "America First" policy, which emphasizes reshoring jobs, reducing trade deficits, and tightening immigration policies – Such a stance holds significant implications for emerging economies like Indonesia.

Jakarta – Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq has encouraged regional heads to enhance the management of final disposal sites (TPA), particularly those with open dumping systems.

Fery Firmansyah, Jakarta – Tempo Media Group launches Tempo Single Brand, a single digital platform that unites three digital journalistic products of Tempo, namely tempo.co, koran.tempo.co, and majalah.tempo.co. The launch of Tempo Single Brand took place during the Klak Klik Festival at Hallf Pati Unus, South Jakarta on November 17, 2024.

Alfida Rizki Febrianna, Jakarta – An expert recently said there are other ways to grow state revenue, including imposing excise on alcohol as the government is set to increase the value-added tax (VAT).

Zachary Abuza – In response to a question during a televised debate in December 2023, then-Indonesian presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto stated that he would send more troops to deal with an insurgency in Papua.

Antara, Denpasar – The Bali Provincial Government has officially banned erotic Joged Bumbung performances, which have often gone viral on social media, due to "sensual elements" in the traditional dance.

Duncan Graham – An alleged plot involving firearms and threatening the life of Kiwi pilot Philip Mehrtens when held hostage in Papua this year is being investigated by the AFP.

The case involves "advancing a political cause by the separation of West Papua from Indonesia... with the intention of coercing by intimidation the governments of New Zealand and Indonesia."

Rizky Hidayatullah, Banyuwangi – Police in the East Java regency of Banyuwangi raided a dog shelter on Saturday, arresting two men for further interrogation and uncovering a facility that sold dog meat.

Wijayanti Putri, Solo – Former President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo had breakfast on Sunday in Solo with Central Java gubernatorial candidate Ahmad Luthfi and his running mate, Taj Yasin Maimoen. After their meeting, Jokowi expressed confidence that the pair would secure victory in the upcoming election.

Whisnu Bagus Prasetyo, Jakarta – The government's plan to raise the value-added tax (VAT) to 12 percent will negatively impact exports, reduce household income, and increase unemployment, according to an economist from the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef).

Yustinus Paat, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Ridwan Kamil criticized former Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known as Ahok, on Sunday for issuing the highest number of eviction orders against city residents. He pledged that, if elected, he would take a different approach to addressing Jakarta's housing issues.

Jakarta – Discussion surrounding the controversial subject of childlessness has resurfaced recently as a Statistics Indonesia (BPS) report shows 8.2 percent of Indonesian women of childbearing age choose not to have children.

A West Papuan advocacy group for self-determination for the colonised Melanesians has appealed to the United Kingdom government to cancel its planned reception for new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.

Larius Kogoya, Jayapura – Lince Ronsumbre, a two -year-old baby, and Lince Kafiar, a sick grandmother, were rushed to the Abepura Regional General Hospital (RSUD) on Thursday November 15 after suffering the effects of teargas.

Jakarta – One possible explanation for the country's persistently low corruption perception index is the failure of highly educated citizens to fulfill their role as guardians of moral and ethical integrity. Indeed, some have been found to have engaged in corrupt practices, such as plagiarism, that have undermined their credibility.

Antara, Jakarta – The Women Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) Ministry plans to propose a revision to Law No. 23 of 2004 on the Elimination of Domestic Violence, citing its shortcomings in addressing persistently high domestic violence cases.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Indonesia, as the world's largest coal exporter, has the potential to play a bigger role in determining global coal prices, the Indonesian Energy, Mineral, and Coal Suppliers Association (Aspebindo) said on Friday.

The group urged President Prabowo's administration to take strategic steps to strengthen the country's influence in the global market.

Larius Kogoya, Jayapura – The West Papua National Committee or KNPB firmly rejects the revival of the transmigration program in Papua. The KNPB is aware that Papuans will be sidelined, so transmigration must be rejected.

Te Aniwaniwa Paterson – In 2009 Moiwend was a student at Unitec learning English as a tool to use in political debate and negotiation to help her people of West Papua.

For part of her studies she wrote about Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and she said she cried and thought, "this is like us in West Papua".

Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon in Lima, Peru on Friday, November 15, 2024. Prabowo and Luxon discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia recorded a trade surplus of $2.48 billion in October, according to data released by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) on Friday.

The agency reported a $4.8 billion surplus in non-oil and gas trade, which was partially offset by a $2.32 billion deficit in oil and gas trade.