Gemma Holliani Cahya and Arya Dipa, Jakarta – That coronavirus is a highly infectious disease is a well-known fact. However, many people still choose to ignore calls from experts and the government to practice physical distancing and cancel big events.

Budi Sutrisno, Jakarta – The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has created tension and panic in a number of communities in Indonesia as residents scramble to distance themselves from perceived risks of infection.

Dwi Argo Santosa, Jakarta – Indonesia is ramping up production of medical protective gear, medical supplies, and critical medicines, confident of local producers' capacity to meet the demand during the Covid-19 pandemic in the next four months.

Beritasatu, Jakarta – Half-hearted measures from the government in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic is likely to result in a death toll that is comparable to Indonesia's worst tsunami disaster in modern times, a report from the University of Indonesia showed over the weekend.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Transportation Agency plans to temporarily suspend the operation of Greater Jakarta-based intercity and interprovincial (AKAP) buses starting at 6 p.m. on Monday.

The decision was made following reports that thousands of residents were leaving the capital for their hometowns, risking the further spread of COVID-19.

Jakarta – While local administrations have begun to block road access into their areas in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, the government has prepared to quarantine the country's capital, which has been most affected by the disease.

Jakarta – A number of regions across the country have taken serious measures in preventing the spread of COVID-19 by imposing their own versions of regional lockdowns, as the central government in Jakarta has yet to issue any regulation on lockdown requirements and procedures.

Dili – President Francisco Guterres Lu Olo officially declared the state of emergency for the whole territory of Timor-Leste for one month, starting 28 March at 00:00h until 26 April at 23:59h, to protect the country against the corona-virus.

Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Jakarta – Indonesia looks set to adopt a measure dubbed as an "area quarantine" in response to a growing clamour for local lockdowns in certain hot spots, cities or provinces to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Jakarta – The Indonesian government is mulling over a plan to ban this year's "mudik", the annual hometown exodus for the Muslim Lebaran – or Hari Raya – holidays.

Heru Asprihanto, Adi Kurniawan, Depok, Indonesia – After a busy session at his clinic, Indonesian doctor Fakhrurrozi hops on the back of a motorized tricycle with a loud-hailer to urge residents to stay at home to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Jakarta – Most Indonesians believe that some information regarding COVID-19 positive patients should be available to the public to be used for contact tracing, as reflected by a recent survey.

Jakarta – Medical worker associations in the country have threatened to stop treating COVID-19 patients if the government does not ensure the availability of protective health gear amid a shortage of such equipment.

Jakarta – The Public Works and Housing Ministry handed over 50 homes measuring 28 square meters to fisherfolk living in Linggi village, East Simeulue district, Simeulue regency, Aceh, on Thursday.

Such assistance was expected to help improve the welfare of fisherfolk in the village, as they now had a proper place to live.

Nina Loasana, Jakarta – As Malaysia plans to extend its lockdown until mid-April, a lawmaker has urged the Indonesian government to provide aid for many informal-sector workers in the neighboring country, whose livelihoods are severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nur Yasmin, Jakarta – The Indonesian government needs millions of personal protective equipment, ventilators, and other medical supplies as it anticipates longer-than-expected emergency period due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a senior government official has said.

Jakarta – The security and welfare approach have failed to resolve the conflict in Papua. The president needs to establish a special team to bring about dialog.

Dewi Nurita, Jakarta – Chairman of Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representative (DPR) Ahmad Doli Kurnia Tandjung, criticized a number of regional heads who have made their own decisions by establishing a regional quarantine policy or lockdown to curb the COVID-19 outbreak, in spite of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo stressing that the regional government has no right to s

Christopher Ryan – In 2015, The Government of Timor-Leste committed the post-conflict country to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while working closely with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) across all areas of development throughout the country.

Jakarta – The general public has urged the government to impose a lockdown as the country's death toll from the coronavirus has surpassed 100, with more than 1,000 COVID-19-positive cases reported nationwide.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Water pump and valve company KSB Indonesia has revitalized the communal bathing facilities in Jakarta slums, helping their residents to have access to clean water and handwashing facilities, critical for containing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in the area.

Tara Marchelin, Jakarta – Indonesia's Research and Technology Ministry has formed a consortium of local research institutions and universities to work on a Covid-19 mitigation program that will include identifying compounds that can inhibit the spread of coronavirus, developing a vaccine for the virus and implementing artificial intelligence for faster diagnosis of the disease that

Ivany Atina Arbi, Jakarta – The dean of the University of Indonesia's Medical School, Ari Fahri Syam, has suggested that all other efforts in containing the spread of the novel coronavirus, such as disinfectant spraying and rapid testing, hinge on the reduced mobility of the population.

Jakarta – The government is drafting a regulation (PP) to stipulate the procedures and requirements for imposing regional quarantines, also known as lockdowns, a minister says, as confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to surge in the country.

Dian Septiari, Jakarta – Foreign missions in Indonesia are racing against time to get their citizens home before transport restrictions come into full effect, as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise and concerns over the country's healthcare capabilities deepen.

Tara Marchelin, Jakarta – Online health applications have joined government's coordinated measures to deal with Covid-19 epidemic by providing free home consultations to those in need.

Jakarta – Indonesia's coronavirus crisis is far worse than being officially reported and the government's response is "in tatters", the country's doctors association warned Friday (Mar 27) as the death toll climbed to 87.

The world's fourth-most populous country only reported its first confirmed infection this month but by Thursday, that had ballooned to over 1,000.

Michael Taylor, Kuala Lumpur (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Indonesia is set to weaken rules on timber products it exports, undermining measures adopted by other countries to fight illegal logging and deforestation, green groups said on Friday.

Made Anthony Iswara, Jakarta – Indonesia is set to support manufacturers with the capacity to produce the desperately needed protective gear, test kits and ventilators that are crucial in the worldwide global fight against COVID-19 as G20 nations pledge to focus on saving lives.

Daniel Boffey, Brussels – An Indonesian man forced to watch his father's summary execution by a Dutch soldier when he was 10 years old has spoken of his gratitude after a court in The Hague ordered the Dutch state to pay compensation to victims of colonial massacres in the 1940s.

Dili – The leader of the new political coalition, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, asked the president of the republic to dismiss the current prime minister, Taur Matan Ruak. The members of his six-party coalition believe that Xanana is entitled to become the prime minister of a new government.

Caesar Akbar, Jakarta – The Independent Journalist Alliance or AJI Jakarta condemned the face-to-face press conference held by the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment in relation to the delivery of aid from China. The event took place at Angkasa Pura Cargo 530 Warehouse of Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang on Friday, March 27, 2020.

Tegal, Central Java has officially enforced a citywide lockdown, its mayor said, arguably the most drastic measure against COVID-19 in Indonesia thus far as the central government continues to reject the idea of shutting down all public activity.

Nivell Rayda, Jakarta – Mr Imam Riady misses Jakarta's notorious traffic jams. For the motorcycle taxi driver, the city's gridlock was a sign that it was bustling with workers looking for the fastest ride to and from work.

Indonesian officials have warned citizens not to eat up a clearly fake viral video of a magical talking newborn baby who suggested that eating boiled eggs can help the body resist the novel coronavirus.

At a time when a health crisis has brought out the worst of the online hoaxes, the fact that we have been told not to believe the video below is, frankly, depressing.

Dyaning Pangestika, Jakarta – The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) donated Rp 10 billion (US$619,597) to the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) on Friday.

The donation was delivered personally by Kadin Indonesia chairman Rosan P. Roeslani to PMI chairman Jusuf Kalla.

Jakarta – Indonesian health authorities have confirmed 1,046 COVID-19 positive cases as of Friday, an increase of 153 from the previous count a day earlier.

The number of fatalities caused by the disease has also risen by nine cases to 87. Meanwhile, the number of people having recovered from COVID-19 has also increased to 46.

Jakarta – Dozens of Indonesian medical professors have called for "local lockdowns", saying that the government's policy of physical distancing is not "effective".

The call comes after medical workers and scholars in the midst of the fight against COVID-19 have died, while others continued working in dire conditions.

Agustinus Hari, Manado, North Sulawesi – Police have dispersed up to 1,371 gatherings nationwide within a week since National Police chief Gen. Idham Azis issued an edict banning the public from collecting into crowds to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) has distributed 151,000 pieces of personal protective equipment to 34 provinces across Indonesia to help medical personnel in combating the spread of COVID-19.

Jakarta – The food and beverage (F&B) industry across cities in Indonesia has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic as people opt to stay in rather than going out for meals, data from a payment gateway show.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Environment Agency has recorded improving air quality in the capital city over the past week caused by a significant decline in the number of people commuting across the city, coupled with rising rainfall intensity.

Eisya A. Eloksari, Jakarta – Indonesia retained its position as the second-largest venture capital market in Southeast Asia as Malaysia remained in third position and Singapore continued to lead the rankings.

Jakarta – The COVID-19 rapid response task force has said that Indonesia needs an additional 1,500 doctors and 2,500 nurses to treat COVID-19 patients amid the surge in cases across the archipelago.

Asip Hasani, Bambang Muryanto and Suherjoko, Blitar, Yogyakarta and Semarang – Authorities in Yogyakarta, Central Java and East Java are scrambling with plans to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease as workers from Greater Jakarta have started returning to their hometowns for early Idul Fitri mudik (exodus), as business had slowed due to the outbreak.

Francisca Christy Rosana, Jakarta – The Indonesian Transportation Ministry announced that there are residents of the Jakarta Greater Area or Jabodetabek (an abbreviation for Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi) that have traveled away to their hometown amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Dion Bisara, Roberth Isidorus, Nur Yasmin, Jakarta – Regional areas across Indonesia have been scrambling to close their borders to stop an exodus of informal workers from the capital Jakarta, the epicenter of the Covid-19 outbreak in the country.

Jakarta – The Supreme Court is about to select a new chair following the retirement of Muhammad Hatta Ali at the beginning of April. It is time to reform the Court.

Riza Roidila Mufti, Jakarta – A number of Indonesian airlines have started taking efficiency measures amid challenging times caused by the COVID-19 pandemic by laying off employees, ranging from pilots, flight attendants, technicians to other supporting crew, as reported by the Indonesia National Air Carrier Association (INACA).

Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has called on the National Police not to detain people who insist on holding mass gatherings after being warned against doing so during the COVID-19 pandemic.