Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Agnes Callamard, the Secretary General of Amnesty International, stated that Indonesia is experiencing human rights protection degradation. In fact, Indonesia is cited as a prominent example.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto is planning to assemble a team to deal with Indonesia's unemployment, which could rise as US tariffs loom. A senior economist said Tuesday the task force should make sure that the displaced workers get their severance checks.

Antara, Jakarta – Ride-hailing platforms Maxim Indonesia and Grab Indonesia have rejected a proposal to classify online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers as full-time employees, arguing that the existing partnership model provides greater flexibility and economic opportunity.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia reported that it had attracted Rp 465.2 trillion (approximately $27.7 billion) in the first quarter of 2025, and over half of the money came from domestic investors, the government announced Tuesday.

Jakarta – The Higher Education, Science and Technology Ministry has downplayed public concerns that the Indonesian Military's (TNI) involvement in university teaching could stifle academic freedom and student expression.

Jakarta – Public trust in hospitals as a safe place for the sick to find treatment has been tested after a student of the anesthesiology program at the Padjadjaran University's School of Medicine allegedly committed sexual assaults on at least two patients and a relative of another patient at the Hasan Sadikin Central General Hospital in Bandung, West Java.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – A palm oil company is gearing up to expand into critical orangutan habitat in Indonesian Borneo, raising alarms over the survival of the critically endangered great apes.

More than 50,000 Catholics gathered on April 26 for a requiem Mass for Pope Francis at the Esplanade of Tasi Tolu on the coast of Timor-Leste, where the pope celebrated Mass during his visit to this Catholic-majority nation last September.

Jakarta – Authorities are probing two cases of food poisoning outbreaks that have affected over 170 students under Indonesia's ambitious free nutritious meal programme, the latest of at least six known cases since the programme was launched in January.

Kiki Siregar, Jakarta – When Resty Kinanthi arrived at a gold shop in South Jakarta at 8am on a recent weekday eager to buy a few grams of the precious metal, she was quickly turned away.

The 24-year-old, who is currently unemployed, had heard of the growing gold trend gripping the country in recent weeks so she turned up early, an hour before the shop opened.

Han Revanda, Jakarta – Arief Prasetyo Adi, Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas), has voiced his support for President Prabowo Subianto's suggestion that families plant at least five chili pepper plants at home to help stabilize prices. He affirmed that there was nothing amiss with the President's statement.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta -The President of the Association of All-Indonesian Workers' Union (Aspirasi), Mirah Sumirat, has urged companies to stop unfair and exploitative internship practices that harm Generation Z (Gen Z).

Defara Dhanya, Jakarta – A South Korean consortium led by LG Energy Solution has officially withdrawn from the electric vehicle (EV) battery ecosystem development project in Indonesia. The total investment was valued at 11 trillion won, or around US$7.7 billion (approximately Rp129 trillion).

Fahri Ali, Depok, West Java – West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi is urging men from low-income households to undergo vasectomies as part of a new birth control initiative aimed at reducing poverty in the province.

Dani Aswara, Jakarta – Several law students from Padjadjaran University (Unpad) have formally requested a judicial review of Law Number 3 of 2025 concerning Amendments to Law Number 34 of 2004 regarding the Indonesian Military or TNI Law with the Constitutional Court. Their application has been registered under number 73/PUU/PAN.MK/AP3/04/2025.

Public protests were met with excessive and unnecessary force by police. Journalists were targeted. Freedom of expression continued to be repressed under problematic laws. Unlawful killings, torture and impunity continued in Papua. Development projects affecting Indigenous Peoples lacked free, prior and informed consent.

Solidarity greetings! The Indonesian Poor People's Union (SPRI) conveys its respectful greetings and revolutionary solidarity to all workers, farmers, fishers, urban poor, oppressed women, students, indigenous peoples and all elements of working people who will commemorate International Labour Day (May Day) on May 1, 2025.

Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) believes that the involvement of the Indonesian Military (TNI) in the distribution and implementation of the free nutritious meals (MBG) program in schools is evidence of the absence of a clear separation between civilian and military space.

Yudono Yanuar, Jakarta – In a surprising move, the previously quiet Forum of Retired Indonesian Military (TNI) Members has formally requested the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to replace Gibran Rakabuming Raka as Vice President.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy (KSAL), Rear Admiral Muhammad Ali, said the Navy has yet to acquire tools to detect foreign submarines. These tools, he said, are essential for underwater surveillance.

Paulus Pulo, Sorong – The police have named four people suspects on charges of alleged makar (treason, subversion, rebellion) who have admitted to be leading members of the Federal Republic of West Papua (NRFPB) after they visited a number of government offices and police stations in Sorong City, Southwest Papua province.

Yohanes Seo, Kupang – Suratmi Hamida, head of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP3MI) in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), revealed that between January and April this year, 49 Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) from NTT were repatriated deceased.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – The West Papua National Liberation Army – Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM) has alleged that Indonesian military forces recently carried out an airstrike involving bomb drops. The incident reportedly took place on Friday, April 25, 2025, in Puncak Regency, Papua.

Jakarta – The government has been quick to play down the news that LG Energy Solution is withdrawing from an US$8.45 billion electric vehicle battery (EVB) project that formed a central part of its plan to develop an integrated EVB production chain.

Jakarta – If he were still alive, the father of cooperatives, Mohammad Hatta, would be unhappy seeing the Red-and-White Village Cooperatives. Without the principles of togetherness, fairness, and collective endeavor, President Prabowo Subianto's 80,000 cooperatives have been established from the top down.

Fannesa Adisty Laksmita – Indonesia's presidents keep trying to make food estates work but the scheme will fall short without engaging the true stakeholders and honestly assessing the project's merits.

Jakarta – Amonitor lizard statue built by the Wonosobo administration in Central Java recently went viral for its striking realism and surprisingly low construction budget, sparking widespread online debate over other city monuments many netizens consider "ugly" and overpriced.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – A senior economist said Monday that Indonesia should make regulatory changes to get rid of ageism in hiring, as many people complain about becoming "too old for the job" once they hit 30.

Alfi Dinilhaq, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto received a courtesy visit from the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday as both countries seek to strengthen economic ties amid global trade turmoil triggered by the US sweeping tariff hikes. Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka also attended the meeting.

Prisma Ardianto, Jakarta – The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has reported that the banking sector's risk profile remains relatively stable as of March 2025, despite challenges in the broader economy. While non-performing loans (NPL) have decreased, the Loan at Risk (LAR) ratio continues its upward trend, and capital adequacy has weakened.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Indonesian government provided a grant of US$6 million, approximately Rp100 billion, to the government of Fiji in April 2025. Agus Pambagio, a public policy observer from the PH&H Public Policy Interest Group, assessed that this grant was likely President Prabowo's effort to seek diplomatic support from Fiji regarding the Papua issue.

Jakarta – Chief of the Indonesian National Police (Polri), General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, received the Order of Timor-Leste, the highest honor granted by the government of Timor-Leste, at the country's embassy in Jakarta on Monday.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto revealed that he criticized directors of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) during the Danantara Town Hall Meeting at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) on Monday, April 28, 2025. He refrained from disclosing the identities of those criticized or the specific nature of his reprimands.

Defara Dhanya, Jakarta – Scorching hot weather has affected various regions throughout Indonesia over the past week. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded the highest daily maximum temperature during this period at 37 degrees Celsius. This was observed in Tanah Merah, South Papua, on April 21st.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – The Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek) has addressed concerns that the involvement of the Indonesian Military (TNI) in academic activities on campuses could stifle students' freedom of expression, dismissing these fears as an exaggeration.Togar Mangihut Simatupang, Secretary General of Kemendiktisaintek, argu

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – The CEO of Indonesia's Daya Anagata Nusantara, or Danantara, Rosan Roeslani, said the agency now manages 844 state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The number was revealed during a town hall meeting attended by SOE leaders and President Prabowo Subianto.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Head of the National Civil Service Agency (BKN), Zudan Arif Fakhrulloh, has disclosed the five primary reasons behind the withdrawals of over a thousand Civil Servant Candidates (CASN) who had successfully passed the selection process. The BKN noted that a total of 1,967 CPNS applicants withdrew due to the optimization policy.

Stefani Wijaya, Jakarta – Indonesian National Police (Polri) Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo has been awarded the Order of Timor-Leste, the country's highest honor, by the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has approved the formation of three new task forces to tackle economic challenges faced by Indonesia in the wake of global uncertainties. The task forces will focus on addressing the impact of global economic turbulence, including the United States' tariff policies and rising layoffs across various sectors.

Nawir Arsyad Akbar, Jakarta – As many as 95 percent of Indonesian workers are claimed to support President Prabowo Subianto's policies on International Labour Day or May Day on May 1. The claim was made by the president of the Labour Party, who is also the president of the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI), Said Iqbal.

Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Jakarta – The decision by South Korean company LG to exit a US$8.45 billion (S$11.1 billion) plan to build an electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain in Indonesia has sparked debate over Jakarta's inconsistent policies and slow decision-making.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – The 7th President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), attended as the representative of President Prabowo Subianto at the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican. They conveyed Prabowo's message of condolences on the passing of Pope Francis at the Vatican.

Elan Suherlan, Purwakarta – Ceramics producers in Purwakarta, West Java, have reported a halt in orders from the United States this year, despite multiple successful exports to the market in 2024.

Local officials suspect that protectionist trade policies under US President Donald Trump's administration have led American buyers to postpone or cancel their orders.

Bali, Indonesia – Indonesia's government on Wednesday defended the country's plan to hike mineral royalties, arguing the policy that has attracted widespread criticism from industry will "benefit" Southeast Asia's largest economy.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Deputy Head of the Halal Product Guarantee Organizing Agency (BPJPH), Afriansyah Noor, affirmed that the agency has imposed strict sanctions on producers of halal-certified snacks that were found to contain pork. He stated that these sanctions are in accordance with existing regulations.

Stefani Wijaya, Jakarta – A Jakarta councilor from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) collapsed while delivering a speech on Sunday and was later confirmed dead at the age of 47.

Jakarta – Much of North Jakarta was paralyzed for two days due to traffic snarl-ups on the roads leading to Tanjung Priok Port last week. The port authority should be held responsible for the gridlock, which was a result of its poor operations and planning.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung Wibowo has urged residents to switch off their lights for one hour today, Saturday, April 26, 2025. He explained that this initiative is part of Earth Day observances, which fell on April 22.

Pramono called for the lights-off to take place simultaneously tonight.

Fahri Ali, Depok – West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi has proposed a military-style discipline program for troubled youth in Depok, West Java, citing growing concern among parents over a rise in juvenile delinquency, including drug use and student brawls.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – Economist from the Indonesian Political Economy Association (AEPI), Khudori, confirmed that rice production in the past few months has experienced a surplus compared to the previous year.

However, Khudori disagreed with President Prabowo Subianto's decision to use the current situation as a justification for exporting rice.