Ayu Cipta, Jakarta – A consumer advocate, Tulus Abadi, has expressed concerns regarding Bank Indonesia's (BI) plan to implement a new Payment ID system. This new policy is designed to track all public transaction activities, including those made through banking, digital wallets, and other channels.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – The Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, stated that the total investment in the energy sector throughout the first semester of 2025 reached US$13.9 billion or approximately Rp225 trillion. This figure has increased compared to the same period last year, which was only US$11.2 billion.

Putri Safira Pitaloka – The plan to build hundreds of villas on Padar Island, located within Komodo National Park, has sparked controversy. Critics argue that the project, led by PT Komodo Wildlife Ecotourism (KWE), poses environmental risks to the national park.

Sultan Abdurrahman – Indonesia's Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, is targeting the completion of the rewrite of Indonesia's history on November 10, 2025.

Jakarta – As we suspected from the outset, the construction of the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) in East Kalimantan has grown to a halt.

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

Indonesia, West Papua – On 10 August 2025, Indonesian security forces opened fire on a group of indigenous Papuans, predominantly children, without prior warning in the Moanemani Airport area of Kamu District, Dogiyai Regency, Central Papua Province.

Banda Aceh – A gay couple who were apprehended by officials in the Sari Park toilet in the Acehnese capital of Banda Aceh with the initials QH (20) and RA (21) were sentenced to 80 lashes by a panel of judges of the Banda Aceh Islamic Court on Monday August 11.

On 14 July 2025, at approximately 8:00 pm, lawyer Mr Joshua Rumbiak and six companions, including Wenior Pakage, Head of the Religious Affairs Working Group of the Central Papua People's Assembly), were allegedly assaulted by a dozen members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Battalion 754 in front of the battalion's headquarters in Timika.

According to information received from local human rights observers, 22-year-old Aprianus Nabelau, was arbitrarily detained in SP2, Nabire Town, Central Papua Province, by members of the Indonesian military on 8 July 2025, without presenting any legal grounds or arrest warrant.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi – Jakarta – The chief executive officer of PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara, Joao Angelo De Sousa Mota, has decided to resign from his position as a top executive of the state-owned company engaged in agriculture and construction consulting.

Agnes Valentina Christa, West Bandung – President Prabowo Subianto on Sunday conferred the honorary rank of four-star general upon five retired senior military officers, including the late Ali Sadikin, a reform-minded naval commander who became one of Jakarta's most influential governors.

Salman Mardira, West Bandung, West Java – President Prabowo Subianto on Sunday appointed Lieutenant General Tandyo Budi Revita as deputy commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), marking the first time in a quarter-century that the position has been filled.

Heru Andriyanto, Bandung, West Java – The Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) will reintroduce the position of deputy commander for the first time in 25 years, marking a significant change in the military's leadership structure. The last officer to hold the post was General Fachrul Razi, who served until September 2000.

The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, inaugurated six new military command areas (kodam) in the Operational Parade and Military Honor at the Special Forces Education Center in Batujajar, West Java, on Sunday, August 10, 2025.

Dinda Shabrina – Mansurni Abadi, an Indonesian diaspora student in Malaysia who is the driving force behind the Jolly Roger, or One Piece, flag-raising campaign with the Plaintiff Student Alliance, stated that the movement will continue throughout August 2025. He emphasized that the action is organic, creative, and adaptable to local issues in each region.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – The Association of Energy, Mineral, and Coal Suppliers of Indonesia (Aspebindo) revealed that the decline in coal exports during the first half of this year was due to reduced demand from the main importers, China and India.

Secretary General of the Federation of State-Owned Enterprise Workers, Indonesia Raya, Ridwan Kamil, is urging the Investment Management Agency of Anagata Nusantara (Danantara), as the shareholder, to intervene in resolving the alleged corruption case related to the investment by the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA) in PT Kimia Farma (Persero) Tbk and PT Kimia Farma Apotek in 20

Priyo Budi Santoso, Magelang, C – Java. Indonesia is pushing ahead with the feasibility study for a high-speed rail line connecting Jakarta and Surabaya in East Java, with the government stressing that planning must be comprehensive, sustainable, and backed by robust financing, Chief Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono said on Saturday.

The Bumi Flora (Earth of Flowers) Tragedy occurred exactly 24 years ago. This tragedy was a mass murder of workers at the company PT Bumi Flora – a palm oil plantation located in Julok, East Aceh regency on August 9, 2001. The incident allegedly occurred due to the prolonged and tense conflict between the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Jakarta – One Piece, the wildly popular and award-winning Japanese manga series that has been adapted to various media, has recently captured national headlines in the country. But for all the wrong reasons.

Rahmad Nur, Morowali, Beritasatu.com – Police in Central Sulawesi are investigating a deadly assault and subsequent riot at the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP), a major nickel processing hub, after unrest erupted Friday night in Bahodopi, Morowali Regency.

Sopian Hadi, Fuad Iqbal Abdullah, Didik Fibrianto, Jakarta – Popular noodle chain Mie Gacoan has agreed to settle a three-year music copyright dispute in royalties, even as many hotels, restaurants, and caf's across Indonesia remain wary of the law.

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati commented on the issue of teachers and lecturers' salaries, which has recently gained traction on social media. She acknowledged that low salaries present a challenge for state finances.

Anastasya Lavenia Yudi, Jakarta – The Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs has addressed the request for a United Nations (UN) audit of Indonesia's Q2 2025 economic growth data, which was published by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

Myesha Fatina Rachman, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto aims for the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program to reach 20 million beneficiaries by August 2025, up from the current figure of 8.4 million.

Tigor Pangaribuan, Deputy of System and Governance at the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), said they are working to meet this month's target by building more kitchens.

Irsyan Hasyim, Jakarta – Jakarta's Department of Environment, in cooperation with the Faculty of Engineering's Institute of Technology at the University of Indonesia (LEMTEK UI), conducted an inventory of pollutant loads in five major rivers: Ciliwung, Cipinang, Sunter, Cideng, and Grogol.

Michelle Gabriela, Jakarta – Jakarta - As Indonesia's 80th Independence Day approaches, a new trend has surfaced on social media: the hoisting of the One Piece flag, also known as the Jolly Roger, a pirate emblem from the Japanese anime series by Eiichiro Oda. The flag has been spotted in several homes and vehicles.

Michelle Gabriela, Jakarta – The raising of the One Piece flag from the Japanese anime series took place ahead of the 80th anniversary of Indonesian Independence Day on August 17, 2025. Many citizens in different regions shared images on social media showing the skull-and-crossbones flag displayed on their homes and vehicles.

Larius Kogoya, Nabire – President Prabowo Subianto's granting of amnesty to Papuan political prisoner (tapol) Viktor Makamuke ahead of the Republic of Indonesia's 80th Anniversary is seen as image building and a pubic deception.

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – Tempo's journalist Francisca Christy Rosana, also known as Cica, received the 2025 Udin Award at the 31st Anniversary of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) on Friday, August 8, 2025. Cica was awarded the Udin Award along with another journalist, Safwan Ashari Raharusun.

Widy Wicaksono, Semarang – The Semarang District Court on Friday sentenced former police officer Robig Zaenudin to 15 years in prison for the fatal shooting of 17-year-old student Gamma Rizkynata Oktavandy.

Dandi Bajuddin – Deputy Minister of Housing and Settlements Fahri Hamzah stated that Indonesia is currently facing a significant housing backlog. He noted that out of the 9.8 million families who do not own their own homes, 6 million reside in dwellings that are structurally and sanitarily unsuitable.

Andi Adam Faturahman – The Head of Information for the TNI's XVII/Cenderawasih Military Command, Colonel Candra Kurniawan, has asserted that burning the Indonesian flag is an unjustifiable act, even when committed by the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) militia.

Douglas Gerrard – In the West Papuan regency of Merauke, close to the border with Papua New Guinea, Indonesia is rapidly clearing land in the world's largest ever deforestation project: three million hectares for sugarcane and rice production.

Antara, Bogor, W – Java – President Prabowo Subianto met with more than 230 members of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) at his Hambalang residence on Friday before sending them to a three-day leadership retreat, from Aug. 8 to Aug. 10, in Magelang, Central Java.

Adinda Jasmine, Jakarta – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed his support for Timor Leste to become a full member of ASEAN. He believes Timor Leste's inclusion will strengthen the regional organization by complementing its geographic presence.

Andrew Mathieson – Indonesian forces in West Papua have arrested 42 Papuan liberation activists, including a prominent 74-year-old tribal chief, during an independence separatist meeting.

Yolanda Agne, Irsyan Hasyim, Jakarta – U.S.-based business magazine Forbes has published its latest list of the world's richest people, including updated rankings for Indonesia. The list is based on real-time wealth tracking using data from stock market movements, corporate financials, and asset valuations.

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – The Ministry of Forestry said it's working with various agencies to prevent illegal trade of sea turtles in Bali. The popular tourist destination is one of the places most vulnerable to trades of the protected species' meat and eggs. Bali also makes up a significant market for sea turtle meat and egg consumption.

Melynda Dwi Puspita, Jakarta – The West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM) burned several Indonesian flags in Pegunungan Bintang Regency, Papua, on Thursday, August 7, 2025.

Jamal Abdun Nashr, Jakarta – The Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF) has raised questions over Indonesia's economic growth figure of 5.12 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2025, saying it surpasses most predictions and appears to contradict several key indicators suggesting a slowdown.

Jakarta – In addition to analyzing financial transactions and preventing money laundering, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) now has a new responsibility: closing and opening bank accounts. Using the pretext that accounts could be being used by terrorists, gamblers, and money-laundering criminals, the PPATK is closing passive or dormant accounts.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named two members of parliament as suspects in a corruption case involving the alleged misuse of Rp 28.38 billion ($1.74 million) in corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds provided by Bank Indonesia and the Financial Services Authority (OJK).

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The regent of East Kolaka in Southeast Sulawesi, Abdul Azis, was arrested on Thursday night on corruption charges, shortly after returning from the National Democratic Party (Nasdem) congress in Makassar.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) will add six new regional military commands (Kodam) to strengthen the Army's presence and improve operational readiness nationwide, the military confirmed on Friday. A symbolic launch ceremony will be held this Sunday in Bandung, West Java.

Ruth Dea Juwita, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has emphasized that Indonesia's national transformation strategy must be rooted in "realism" as the country navigates escalating global conflicts and economic uncertainty, triggered by tariff policies under United States President Donald Trump.

Ilona Estherina – The Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) has formally requested that the United Nations (UN) Statistics Division audit Indonesia's second-quarter 2025 economic growth data, which was reported by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

Jakarta – With her recent reelection as chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggles (PDI-P), 78-year-old Megawati Soekarnoputri is poised to become the lifetime paramount leader of the country's largest party and cement a political dynasty for herself, although her loyal followers claim her leadership is needed most to maintain unity.

Responding to the recent crackdown against people flying Japanese anime One Piece flag as a symbol of defiance and criticism of the Indonesian government, Amnesty International Indonesia's executive director Usman Hamid said: