Jakarta – When the tech boom was at its peak, its shine hid a lot of problems. But as the tech winter arrives, the water level has fallen, and like a drying lake, the ugly things at the bottom are now in plain sight.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has arrested nine people in a sting operation in Jakarta over alleged bribery involving a state-owned forestry company.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia's flagship Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program could require more than Rp 300 trillion ($18.58 billion) in state funds annually by 2026 as the government expands coverage to 82 million beneficiaries, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said Wednesday.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia wants Japan to shorten its internship term to no more than a year, as Jakarta refuses to have its citizens work as "cheap labor" overseas.

Executive Summary

There were no significant changes in the human rights situation in Indonesia during the year.

Muhammad Iqbal Ikromi, Jakarta – A massive protest involving tens of thousands of residents demanding the resignation of Pati Regent Sudewo descended into chaos at the Pati Regency Hall in Central Java on Wednesday, prompting the local legislature to initiate impeachment proceedings.

Indonesia, West Papua – Between April and July 2025, Papuan students in the Indonesian cities Gorontalo, Surabaya, Makassar, and Yogyakarta faced an alarming escalation of coordinated intimidation campaigns.

Rama Sukarta, Jakarta – The United States has imposed a 19 percent import tariff on coffee from Indonesia, a move that local industry leaders say will hurt American buyers more than Indonesian producers, given the US's heavy reliance on imported coffee.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Indonesia's 2025 fire season is spiraling into one of the worst in recent memory, with a sharp spike in hotspots and toxic haze already choking parts of Malaysia.

Forest and peat fires, mostly caused by deliberate land clearing for agriculture, are an annual problem in Indonesia that strain relations with neighboring countries.

Sapto Yunus – Member of Commission VII of the People's Representative Council (DPR) Bambang Haryo Soekartono said the Indonesian government needs to immediately evaluate the plan to relocate its capital city from Jakarta to the Nusantara New Capital City, or IKN, in Penajam Paser Utara Regency, East Kalimantan.

Melynda Dwi Puspita, Jakarta – Hundreds of thousands of workers planned to stage simultaneous demonstrations across 38 provinces on Thursday, August 28, 2025. Among their key demands is a minimum wage increase for 2026, ranging from 8.5% to 10.5%, as well as a sectoral minimum wage increase of 0.5% to 5%.

Wahyu Sahala Tua, Jakarta – Indonesia's music licensing body, Wahana Musik Indonesia (WAMI), has doubled down on its stance that wedding organizers must pay royalties for any live or recorded music played during the celebration, amid mounting public criticism over the policy.

Erfan Maruf, Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – The government recently admitted that almost half of the social assistance did not reach the targeted households, while promising that they would improve the recipients' database.

Basten Gokkon – In their latest study, a group of researchers from Indonesia, the U.K., and the U.S. find that heath forests (locally known as kerangas) span 16,586 square kilometers (6,400 square miles) – almost the size of Hawaii's land area – across Kalimantan.

Jakarta – It is hard to believe that this is happening today, that 27 years after the Reformasi, the flying of a flag from a comic can be viewed as treason. The overreaction by the authorities to the flying of the One Piece flag further underlines their dislike of any dissent.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia could generate more than Rp 81 trillion ($5 billion) in additional revenue by imposing a wealth tax on just its 50 richest individuals, according to a study released on Tuesday.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) stated on Monday that preliminary findings from a corruption probe into the allocation of additional Hajj quotas in 2024 indicate more than Rp 1 trillion ($64 million) in state losses.

Igor Oneill, Jakarta – Greenpeace Indonesia has launched a photo book Paradise Silenced at KALA in Kalijaga, South Jakarta. Following International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, the launch provided a joyful space for Indigenous Papuan representatives and the wider public to discuss the past, present, and future of West Papua (or 'Tanah Papua' as it is also known).

Septia Ryanthie, Jakarta – A mass food poisoning incident, suspected to be caused by meals from the President Prabowo Subianto's Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, has occurred again, this time affecting several students and teachers in Gemolong District, Sragen Regency, Central Java.

Sapto Yunus – The phenomenon of raising flags from the Japanese manga and anime series One Piece ahead of the 80th anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia has been occurring in various regions. Instead of the Indonesian national flag, some people have been erecting the Jolly Roger pirate flag from the anime series on their houses and vehicles.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi – Joao Angelo De Sousa Mota has decided to resign from his position as CEO of PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara. In his announcement of resignation, Joao mentioned the invasion of large-scale rice mills to small farmers in Indonesia, who are only treated as mere laborers.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia reports that non-tax state revenue (PNBP) realization from the energy sector so far this year has reached Rp138.8 trillion. This figure is equivalent to 54.5 percent of the yearly target set at Rp254.5 trillion for 2025.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – The Association of Indonesian Energy, Mineral, and Coal Suppliers (Aspebindo) sees an opportunity to diversify its export market after demands from major consumer countries like China and India are slowing down.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Thousands of people are protesting in Papua, demanding the government replace Acting Governor Agus Fatoni with the Commander of the Military Regional Command (Kodam) XVII/Cenderawasih as the region's temporary governor.

Hanoi – Viet Nam and Indonesia are targeting two-way trade of US$18 billion by 2028, zeroing in on food industry ties and food security, heard the Indonesia-Viet Nam food security cooperation forum hosted by the Indonesian Consulate General and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Ho Chi Minh City branch (VCCI-HCM) on Monday.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – Retail sales in July are projected to grow after nine months of sluggish performance, driven by increased commerce in certain goods.

Jakarta – On paper, streaming services the likes of Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube music solve a lot of problems, especially for music fans. For the first time in the history of humanity, every recorded piece of music is available in a handheld device that consumers can carry in their pockets and can be played with just a click of the button.

Julianus Palermo, Surabaya – East Java has introduced new restrictions on the use of high-powered "sound horeg" systems, a form of mobile street entertainment often criticized for blasting music at ear-splitting volumes late into the night.

The Civil Society Coalition Against Impunity condemns the awarding of a four-star honorary general rank on Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.

Muhibar Sobary Ardan, Muara Kate, Indonesia – More than eight months after the bloody killing of an Indigenous elder in eastern Borneo, police in Indonesia have yet to name a suspect, while community leaders in the country's coal heartland continue to demand justice.

Gatra Priyandita – 17 August 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of Indonesia's independence. Surrounding the commemorations are various discourses on whether Indonesia was colonised by the Netherlands for 350 years, or less than that. Regardless of the answer, traces of colonialism prevail.

Indonesia, West Papua – President Prabowo Subianto's decision to grant amnesty to six political prisoners from West Papua and Maluku ahead of Indonesia's 80th Independence Day has drawn mixed reactions from human rights organisations, with advocates welcoming the releases while questioning the limited scope and timing of the presidential pardons.

Faced with a growing number of dengue cases and deaths, Timorese authorities are releasing thousands of mosquitoes bred to slow the spread of disease.

Iim Halimatusa'diyah – The Indonesian social media scene has recently been flooded with short, humorous videos and memes illustrating social inequality. Phrases such as "kesenjangan sosial core" and hashtags like #kesenjangansosial have gained significant traction, particularly among younger users.

Roy Adriansyah, David Wilson, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara – The Indonesian Military (TNI) is investigating the death of Private Lucky Chepril Saputra Namo, who died from alleged abuse by fellow troops, as authorities detain 20 suspects, including senior officers.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Peru is willing to drop most of the tariffs that it charges on Indonesian goods in the freshly signed trade pact with Lima, according to a senior government official.

Slamet Wibowo, Sidoarjo, E – Java. Police in Sidoarjo, East Java, have arrested three men suspected of creating a same-sex or LGBT community on Facebook that circulated pornographic content.

Bambang Ismoyo, Jakarta – Indonesia's coach building industry is sounding the alarm over a surge of completely built-up (CBU) truck imports from China, warning that the influx is eroding opportunities for domestic manufacturers and sole brand agents.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia recently reported that its nationwide program of using palm oil-based biodiesel had helped the country save at least $3.68 billion in foreign exchange this year.

Prisma Ardianto, Jakarta – A wave of public holidays, religious celebrations, and school breaks in the second quarter of 2025 significantly boosted household consumption and intercity travel, driving a surge in domestic mobility that became a major force behind Indonesia's strongest quarterly growth in two years, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

Investor Daily, Antara, Jakarta – The debate over collecting music royalties in business venues, such as cafes, restaurants, and hotels, has once again become a hot topic. Business owners are now worried about playing music in their establishments, and a proper solution is needed so that this issue does not drag on.

Associated Press, Banda Aceh – An Islamic Shariah court in Indonesia's conservative Aceh province on Monday sentenced two men to public caning 80 times each after Islamic religious police caught them engaged in what the court deemed were sexual acts.

Erfan Maruf, Jakarta – Indonesia's Transportation Ministry has granted international status to 36 public airports across the country, in a move aimed at boosting economic opportunities, strengthening trade and tourism flows, and reinforcing the role of air transport as a key driver of national growth

In the lead up to the first year of the administration of President Prabowo Subianto, civil-military relations in Indonesia are showing a setback.

Ricki Putra Harahap, Jakarta – Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia on Monday brushed off swirling chatter over a viral video showing Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka skipping handshakes with several top ministers during a military ceremony in West Java, calling it a "wrong camera angle" story that has been blown out of proportion.

Jakarta – Indonesia and Peru sealed a trade agreement Monday as their leaders met in Jakarta, with Southeast Asia's biggest economy looking to make inroads into South American markets.

The agreement comes after US President Donald Trump recently imposed a tariff rate of 19 percent on imports from Indonesia under a new pact.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – The central bank's consumer confidence index (CCI) showed a slight improvement last month, largely thanks to respondents having more positive expectations for the future, even as they saw current economic conditions deteriorating.

A proposal to amend Timor-Leste's media law has sparked strong criticism from journalists and activists who allege the move seeks to curtail press freedom and muzzle dissent in the tiny Catholic-majority nation.

The Secretariat of State for Social Communication recently proposed an amendment to the Social Communication Law, passed in 2014.

Andika Pratama, Palembang – A military court in Palembang, South Sumatra, on Monday sentenced Corporal Second Class Bazarsah to death for fatally shooting three police officers during a raid on an illegal cockfighting operation in Way Kanan, Lampung, earlier this year. The court also ordered his dismissal from the Indonesian Army.

Radhiyya Indra, Jakarta – A massive restructuring of the Indonesian Military (TNI) has raised concerns among observers over its inefficient use of the defense budget and further militarization efforts across the country, warning of the growing military presence in civic spaces.