Indonesia – On 20 March 2025, the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) officially adopted amendments to Law Number 34 of 2004 on the Indonesian National Army (TNI).

Sapto Yunus, Jakarta – The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) has launched a new initiative to introduce a love-based curriculum for religious education in schools.

The curriculum, which aims to promote empathy, tolerance, and spirituality among students, is being developed under the leadership of Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar.

Jakarta – Legal activists on Thursday condemned what they described as an attack on press freedom and an attempt to silence critical voices after a journalist received a package containing a severed pig's head.

Hellena Souisa with wires – Protesters have clashed with authorities outside Indonesia's parliament after it passed contentious revisions to the country's military law that critics say could take the country back to the draconian "New Order" era of former president Suharto.

Yanuar Nugroho and Made Supriatma – Indonesia's youth protests today call to mind past cases of student activism in the quarter century of post-reform democracy since the fall of Suharto. Will history repeat itself?

Iim Halimatusa'diyah and Najwa Abdullah – Throughout Indonesia's modern history, music has been a powerful tool of resistance, raising awareness and mobilising society for social and political causes. With lyrics that highlight structural injustices, popular or grassroots songs can play an important role in amplifying the public's calls for change.

M. Rizki Yusrial, Jakarta – Protesters demanding the repeal of the Indonesian National Armed Forces Law (TNI Law) continue to gather at the main gate of the House of Representatives (DPR) Building, Senayan, Jakarta.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Chief Legal Affairs Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra said Thursday that the Navayo International dispute should be a wake-up call for the Indonesian government to pay attention to the dispute settlement chapter in a foreign business deal.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Indonesia's Press Council stated that the terror act involving a severed pig's head sent to Tempo was likely carried out by parties feeling cornered and unwilling to take responsibility.

Jamal Abdun Nashr, Semarang – A total of five individuals were arrested during a demonstration rejecting the Law on the Indonesian National Armed Forces or TNI Law in front of the Governor's Office and the Regional Representatives Council (DPRD) of Central Java on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

The bill itself was approved by the the House of Representatives today.

M. Raihan Muzzaki, Jakarta – The Chair of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), Muhamad Isnur, has condemned the enactment of Law No. 34 of 2004 on the Indonesian National Armed Forces or TNI Law, stating that it violates numerous constitutional principles.

He believes the law was passed to suppress public criticism.

Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Robertus Belarminus, Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) has condemned whoever it was who sent a terror package containing a pig's head to the Tempo offices in Jakarta.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Advocacy Staff of the Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Press), Mustafa Layong, urged the government not to overlook the delivery of a pig's head addressed to the Tempo office. He pressed for the government to disclose the case.

Bayu Nugraha, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto says that the government will continue to advance Indonesia through various development efforts, one of which is downstreaming.

Prabowo asserted that he does not care about comments from those who are unsure about his administration. He believes that Indonesia will have a bright future.

Damien Gayle – West Papua's Indigenous people have called for a boycott of KitKat, Smarties and Aero chocolate, Oreo biscuits and Ritz crackers, and the cosmetics brands Pantene and Herbal Essences, over alleged ecocide in their territory.

Niniek Karmini, Jakarta, Indonesia – Indonesia's Parliament unanimously voted to pass a controversial revision of its military law on Thursday that will allow military officers to serve in more government posts without resigning from the armed forces, despite growing opposition from pro-democracy and rights groups who see it as a threat to the country's young democracy.

Hanin Marwah, Jakarta – The government is inviting private sector involvement in funding the Sekolah Rakyat (SR) initiative. However, Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf emphasized that the State Budget (APBN) will remain the primary funding source.

Francisca Christy Rosana, Jakarta – The ratification of the TNI bill is scheduled to take place at the DPR today, Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia documented 55 cases of unlawful killings in 2024, involving 55 victims. "The majority of perpetrators were from the police and military," said Usman Hamid, the organization's Executive Director, in a written statement on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

Defara Dhanya, Jakarta – Greenpeace Indonesia responded to the request of President Prabowo Subianto to Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) to form a national task force for accelerating the management of waste.

M. Rizki Yusrial, Jakarta – The Indonesian Women's Alliance staged a protest in front of the Pancasila Gate of the House of Representatives building, Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday, March 20, 2025, opposing the newly passed revision of Law Number 34 of 2004 on the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI).

Adhyasta Dirgantara, Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – The protests launched by the public did not deter the House of Representatives (DPR) from passing the Draft Law on the Indonesian Military (RUU TNI) into law.

Fuad Iqbal Abdullah, Nusantara – The Nusantara Capital Authority signed a cooperation agreement with five private investors on Tuesday, securing a total investment of Rp 2.42 trillion ($146.5 million).

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Dozens of students blockaded the car carrying Justice Minister Supratman Andi Agtas at the entrance of the legislature compound on Wednesday, demanding he step out and join their protest against proposed amendments to the military law.

Ilham Oktafian, Jakarta – The Jakarta Metro Jaya Police will deploy 4,000 security personnel to ensure smooth traffic flow during the 2025 Eid homecoming, which will take place over 14 days from March 23 to April 8.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – The cost of returning home for the 2025 Eid holiday, or mudik, is projected to increase by up to 30 percent due to rising fuel prices and soaring transportation fares. Meanwhile, economic uncertainty and a wave of layoffs continue to loom over many workers.

Yustinus Paat, Putu Ayu Pratama Sugiyo, Jakarta – A viral aerial video allegedly showing a marijuana plantation on the slopes of Mount Semeru in East Java has sparked public concern, but the government clarified on Tuesday that the footage is not recent and that authorities had already dismantled the illegal crops.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Stock trading on the Indonesia Stock Exchange on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 experienced a temporary suspension or trading halt due to a drastic point decline.

Hammam Izzuddin, Jakarta – Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I, Tubagus Hasanuddin, said that the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) could be involved in non-war military operations according to the revision of the TNI Law. One of them is in counter-terrorism.

Rizki Dewi Ayu, Jakarta – Indonesian Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas stated that active Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) soldiers could take office in approved 14 ministries/agencies according to the TNI Bill revision. He said that 16 ministries/agencies were initially proposed in the drafting of the bill to amend Law No. 34 of 2004 on the TNI.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Indonesia's State Intelligence Agency (BIN) has launched official social media accounts across multiple platforms. BIN Deputy for Communication and Information Idham Malik stated that these accounts were created to foster closer engagement with the public.

Intan Setiawanty, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has urged the House of Representatives (DPR) to halt the discussion of the revision of Law Number 34 of 2004 concerning the Indonesian National Military (TNI Bill) which is deemed closed and problematic.

Rizki Dewi Ayu, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I held a first-level working meeting on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, to discuss revisions to the TNI Law with the government. During the meeting, all factions agreed that the amendment to Law Number 34 of 2004 could proceed to a plenary session.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Nearly 200,000 people have signed a petition calling on U.K. multinational Jardine Matheson to cancel its plan to expand deeper into Indonesia's Batang Toru Forest, the only known habitat of the world's most threatened great ape, the Tapanuli orangutan.

Ananda Teresia, Jakarta – Rights groups in Indonesia on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, urged parliament to reject contentious revisions of military laws, saying they would take the archipelago back to an era of military domination and create legal uncertainty.

Hammam Izzuddin, Jakarta – Vice Chairperson of Commission I of the House of Representatives Dave Akbarshah Fikarno Laksono stated that the revision of the TNI Law or TNI bill is set to be discussed in the level II plenary meeting on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Beritasatu Team, Jakarta – Ramadan and Eid have traditionally served as strategic periods for boosting Indonesia's national economy, as consumer spending typically surges. However, this year's festive season is expected to see a weaker-than-usual rise in consumption due to ongoing economic uncertainty.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia kept its benchmark interest rate at 5.75 percent on Wednesday in a bid to keep inflation in check – a move that analysts had expected.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – Two coconut processing companies based in Riau have laid off a total of 3,500 workers as they struggle to maintain production in the face of a shortage of the fruit as a key raw material.

Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's slew of populist programmes that require massive funding, declining tax revenues and questions over new sovereign wealth fund Danantara taking the reins at state-owned entities (SOEs) all converged to dent investor sentiment on March 18, sparking a market sell-off as Indonesian stocks tumbled to levels not seen

Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – The Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) Composite index tumbled 3.84 percent to 6,223 points on Tuesday, recovering only slightly from a plunge of more than 5 percent in the morning trading session that triggered a 30-minute trading halt.

Agencies, Jakarta – A politician from President Prabowo Subianto's party said on Wednesday that no active military personnel would be placed in state-owned companies, as the parliament is set to pass contentious revisions to a military law.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – The Composite Stock Price Index (IHSG) plunged by 6.12 percent at the close of the first trading session on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – The Chairperson of Real Estate Indonesia (REI), Joko Suranto, has expressed concerns regarding the lack of progress in the government's 3 million housing per year program during President Prabowo Subianto's initial five months in office. He opined that the President's enthusiasm for this campaign promise from the 2024 Presidential Election has waned.

Agencies, Jakarta – Human rights groups on Wednesday urged the House of Representatives to reject contentious revisions of military laws, saying they would take the country to an era of military domination and create legal uncertainty.

A West Papuan liberation advocacy group has condemned the arrest of 12 activists by Indonesian police and demanded their immediate release.

The West Papuan activists from the West Papua People's Liberation Movement (GR-PWP) were arrested for handing out pamphlets supporting the new "Boycott Indonesia" campaign.

Harry Suhartono and Ameya Karve – An Indonesian state-owned lender scrapped a planned sale of dollar bonds after a stock market rout in the country quickly spread to other asset classes.

New York – Indonesia's parliament should drop proposed amendments to the 2004 armed forces law that will significantly expand the military's role in civilian governance and weaken legal checks on abusive officials, Human Rights Watch and six Indonesian human rights organizations said today.

The activists were arrested because they were handing out leaflets about the upcoming launch of a boycott Indonesian products campaign.

As the activists walked towards the Sentani old market they were stopped by the police and taken to the Jayapura district police station in Doyo Sentani.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Deputy of Emergency Response at the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Major General Lukmansyah, revealed that budget constraints have been a hindrance in regional disaster response.