Hendrik Khoirul Muhid, S. Dian Andryanto – The monetary crisis in 1997 and the people's weariness with the New Order government made activists speak out for reform. These vocal efforts however were silenced repressively for the sake of maintaining president Suharto's position. Of the 23 activists abducted in 1998, on nine were returned. The rest remain missing to this day.

Hendrik Khoirul Muhid, S. Dian Andryanto, Jakarta – The realisation of the 1998 reforms did not happen suddenly. Efforts to overthrow the authoritarian New Order regime of President Suharto had to be paid for with gross human rights violations. One of them was the abduction of pro-reform activists between 1997 and 1998.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia's state revenue dropped by 12.4 percent year-on-year in the first four months of 2025, reflecting weaker collections from both tax and non-tax sources, the government announced Tuesday.

Rescuers battle weather and conditions to find missing after storm kills six people at remote mine.

Torrential rains have forced Indonesian rescuers to suspend their efforts to find 14 missing gold miners after a landslide in the remote east of the country killed six of their colleagues.

Thomas Rizal, Jakarta – Indonesia is trying to be a haven for investors from home and abroad, but the resource-rich country has a ticking time bomb: preman or "thugs".

Jakarta – The loss of 13 lives in an explosion related to the disposal of expired ammunition in Garut, West Java, last week constitutes a tragedy. While the Indonesian Military (TNI) has promised a thorough investigation into the accident, any conclusion will be meaningless without accountability from the top brass and an overhaul of the ammunition disposal mechanism.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Speaking at a parliamentary session in Jakarta, Sri Mulyani stressed the need for national unity and collaboration to navigate ongoing global economic challenges, including heightened geopolitical risks and declining global demand.

Maulani Mulianingsih, Jakarta – The online motorcycle (ojol) and taxi driver community held a demonstration at the Horse Statue in front of the southwest entrance to the National Monument (Monas) on Tuesday May 20.

Stefani Wijaya, Jakarta – Jakarta's ride-hailing services remained largely unaffected on Tuesday morning despite a nationwide protest by online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers, many of whom chose to stay online until a mass demonstration scheduled for later in the afternoon.

Fadhil Haidar Sulaeman, Dili – For the people of Timor-Leste, May 20 is Independence Restoration Day: the day the United Nations officially handed over sovereignty after the Portuguese and Indonesian colonial periods, a time characterized by an enduring struggle for independence.

Ricki Putra Harahap, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has appointed two new top officials to lead Indonesia's tax and customs agencies amid a sharp decline in state revenue during the first four months of 2025.

Maria Gabrielle Putrinda, Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named eight suspects in a bribery case involving the issuance of work permits for foreign nationals at the Manpower Ministry, the agency confirmed on Tuesday.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – As Indonesia, one of the world's biggest polluters, plans to retire its fleet of coal-fired power plants to tackle climate change, one critical question is being overlooked: What happens to the communities and environments they leave behind?

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – Grab Indonesia considers the status of online motorcycle taxi drivers or Ojol cannot be changed to permanent employees because it could have a broad impact. Chief of Public Affairs Grab Indonesia, Tirza R Munusamy, stated that if the partner's status is changed to employee, the number of Ojol drivers would drastically decrease.

Indonesia's Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Dudy Purwagandhi spoke out about the demands of the online motorcycle taxi (ojol) driver association regarding the reduction of the applicator's cut to 10 percent. As a regulator, Dudy admitted that he could revise the regulation to accommodate these interests.

Jakarta – West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi is an example of a regional head who uses simplistic logic when implementing public policy. In order to reduce juvenile delinquency, he sent misbehaving students to military barracks. In order to redistribute wealth, he proposed giving every family a share of the regional budget.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – The Chairperson of Real Estate Indonesia (REI), Joko Suranto, has expressed interest in investing in the Nusantara Capital City or IKN in East Kalimantan. However, he is awaiting legal certainty regarding the national capital's relocation before proceeding.

Kukuh S. Wibowo, Surabaya – Thousands of online motorcycle taxi drivers, or ojol, under the banner of Front Tolak Aplikator Nakal (Frontal) in East Java, held a large-scale protest in Surabaya on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta – Online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers who are joining the protest around the Horse Statue area refuse to meet with the secretary of the Directorate General of Land Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation, Ahmad Yani.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – Indonesia may face another wave of mass layoffs within the next three to six months as global economic challenges, including escalating US-China trade tensions and new US import tariffs, weigh on domestic industries, a leading economist warned.

Nur Janti, Jakarta – A 13th-century statue of Prajnaparamita, the Buddhist goddess of wisdom, welcomes visitors to a new exhibition at the National Museum in Central Jakarta titled Sunting: Jejak Perempuan Indonesia Penggerak Perubahan (Sunting: Footprints of Indonesian women as drivers of change).

Giffar Rivana, Jakarta – Hundreds of thousands of ride-hailing drivers across Indonesia are set to stage a nationwide protest on Tuesday, May 20, demanding better pay, fairer working conditions, and legal protections. The coordinated action will include a mass demonstration in Jakarta and a 24-hour "off-bid" strike, during which drivers will turn off their apps.

Associated Press, Bangkok – Indonesia and Thailand agreed Monday to elevate their relationship to a strategic partnership, during the first state visit by an Indonesian president in 20 years, and agreed to push for greater trade and investment.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – The Indonesian Transport Workers Union (SPAI) is set to hold a mass demonstration on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, bringing together online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers, online taxi drivers, and couriers from across the country.

Melynda Dwi Puspita, Jakarta – The Secretary General of the Indonesia's Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration, Taufik Madjid, mentioned that there are 3,264 villages in Indonesia that have not yet received electricity access.

We, the undersigned, express our concern regarding the deteriorating state of democracy in Indonesia. This is reflected in the increasing militarization and the growing involvement of the Indonesian military in the country's social, economic, and political spheres.

Nabiila Azzahra, Jakarta – The Indonesian National Police (Polri) is currently conducting a massive operation to eradicate thuggery. The operation includes arresting perpetrators, rehabilitation, and investigation of cases. According to a sociologist, the eradication of thuggery requires a larger solution: political will from the national leadership.

M. Rizki Yusrial, Jakarta – The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) strongly condemns a Facebook group allegedly containing incestuous or 'incest' content. The group named 'Fantasi Sedarah' (Incest Fantasy) has been removed by Meta for violating the rules.

Achmad Ghiffary Mannan, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto paid an official visit to Thailand on Monday, May 19, 2025. During the visit, he met with His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn at the Amphorn Royal Palace in Bangkok, as well as with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

Jakarta – Indonesia raised the alert level of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki to the highest after it erupted eight times over the weekend, its volcanology agency has said.

Lewotobi Laki-laki, located on Flores island in eastern Indonesia, spewed volcanic ash between 3 kilometers to 5.5 km high on Sunday, Muhammad Wafid, the agency's head said in a statement late on Sunday.

Olena Wibisana, Jakarta – Golkar, one of Indonesia's biggest political parties, is open to accepting former President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo into its family, according to chairman Bahlil Lahadalia.

Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – Despite a vast labor force, local businesses continue to struggle with hiring and retaining top talent. As the government looks to prohibit arbitrary practices like withholding employees' graduation certificates, companies must find better ways to navigate a labor market marred by low productivity and educational gaps.

M. Rizki Yusrial, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is currently evaluating the potential for corruption in political financing. KPK spokesperson, Budi Prasetyo, stated that the institution is in the process of discussing with political parties and election organizers to gather information.

Jakarta – The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has expressed concern over its minimal role in overseeing the government's free meal initiative, which, despite running for only four months, has been plagued by more than a dozen food poisoning cases.

Jakarta – Responding to calls for him to contest a second term nearly eight months into his presidency, Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto has said he will defend his position only if he achieves meaningful results in his first term.

Jakarta – The Indonesian government's plan to release new history books has sparked concern that some of the country's darkest chapters could be recast to show President Prabowo Subianto and late authoritarian ruler Suharto in a favourable light.

Jakarta – Torrential rains forced a halt on May 19 to Indonesia's search for 14 missing in its easternmost region of Papua after a landslide killed six workers at a gold mine and injured four, officials said.

Ichsan Ali, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has pushed back against early calls for a second presidential term, saying he will only seek reelection in 2029 if he believes his first term delivers meaningful results.

Alfi Dinilhaq, Jakarta – The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) has suspended three of its members following allegations of intimidation and extortion against a Chinese engineering firm involved in a major national project in Cilegon, Banten.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – The Indonesian Transport Workers Union (SPAI) along with online motorcycle (ojol) drivers, online taxis, and couriers will conduct a demonstration on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. SPAI also calls for a mass 'off bid' action or turning off the application during the demonstration.

Ichsan Ali, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto on Saturday said law enforcement officers have faced threats while investigating corruption cases, but vowed his administration would not be intimidated and would continue cracking down on graft.

Calvin Yang, Sukabumi, Indonesia – Indonesian youth Icha Nur Septiani sent out more than 2,000 resumes before she finally landed a job as a customer service expert at a major ride-hailing company.

But for about eight months, all the 23-year-old got was rejection after rejection.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – The Jakarta Metropolitan Regional Police, through the Anti-Thug Operation, which has been carried out since May 9, 2025, has revealed 669 cases of thuggery.

Six workers in West Papua are dead after a landslide at a gold mine. Reuters reported torrential rains on Monday forced a halt to the search for the 14 still missing after the disaster, which engulfed temporary shelters used by miners.

Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – The Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) has voiced its support for the proposal to grant general practitioners the authority to perform cesarean sections or c-sections under specific circumstances. IDI Chair Slamet Budiarto said that this plan is justifiable for particular situations.

Jakarta – It seems as though the Indonesian soccer landscape, at both the domestic and international level, is destined to continue providing bad news after bad news.

Agencies, Jakarta – The Indonesian Navy seized a ship carrying nearly two tons of methamphetamine and cocaine worth US$425 million in the waters of Riau Island this week, and arrested a Thai national and four Myanmar nationals found aboard the vessel, the navy said on Friday.

Duncan Graham – Ancient Javanese mythology, often inherited from India and adapted to fit local culture, is rich with striking characters in the wayang kulit shadow puppet theatre. The fat-gut wise clown Semar is charged with maintaining stability.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and the Coalition Government are detached from the values that Fijians hold dear, said the NGO Coalition on Human Rights in Fiji (NGOCHR).

They have expressed deep concern over the Fiji Prime Minister's ongoing engagements with Indonesia.

James Balowski – Tens of thousands of workers, students and civil society groups took to the streets across Indonesia on May 1 to commemorate International Labour Day.