Adrian Wail Akhlas, Jakarta – The government will reallocate Rp 62.3 trillion (US$3.9 billion) of state spending from the 2020 budget to tackle COVID-19, focusing on health care, the disbursement of social funds and financial incentives for enterprises.

Budi Sutrisno and Ghina Ghaliya, Jakarta – Indonesia is to fly military aircraft to the Chinese city of Shanghai on Saturday to pick up medical equipment to help those on the front lines of the Southeast Asian country's battle against the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has declared a state of emergency for the next two weeks in the capital city in an effort to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jakarta – Two patients under surveillance for COVID-19 in Tasikmalaya, West Java, became an unusual spectacle for dozens of locals when they were transferred into isolation wards at the Soekardjo General Hospital on Friday morning.

Jakarta – The long search for a figure to fill the Jakarta administration's deputy governor position will be postponed amid the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in the capital, the city council has said.

Jakarta – The North Jakarta District Court held a session on Thursday to hear the indictment against two active police officers allegedly involved in the acid attack against top corruption investigator Novel Baswedan.

The defendants are Ronny Bugis and Rahmat Kadir Mahulete, both officers from Depok's Kelapa Dua mobile brigade.

Dyaning Pangestika, Jakarta – Civil society groups assisting HIV patients in the country have urged the Health Ministry to pay attention to the supply of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for such patients, who have been affected by the global COVID-19 outbreak.

Basten Gokkon, Jakarta – Indonesian authorities have ordered a temporary closure of dozens of national parks and conservation sites to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus that has killed thousands of people worldwide.

Basten Gokkon, Jakarta – Conservationists and affected communities have slammed a plan to build a road through a jungle-clad mountain in Indonesia's West Java province, citing the lack of permits and the threat of exacerbated flooding and landslides in the area.

Diana Mariska, Jakarta – The Financial Services Authority, OJK, has advised banks and financing companies against using debt collectors during the Covid-19 pandemic as the authority relaxed the lenders' bad loan requirement as part of a concerted effort to help local businesses to survive the pandemic-induced economic shocks.

Ardila Syakriah, Marchio Irfan Gorbiano and Sausan Atika, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has ruled out the possibility of imposing a lockdown on the virus-stricken capital and has instead ordered mass testing to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which has claimed thousands of lives worldwide.

Dylan Tokar – The palm oil industry's sustainability certifier has for the first time been asked to review allegations that one of its member companies paid bribes to cover up the improper use of protected forest land in Indonesia – a case that highlights the difficulties facing multinationals whose supply chains rely on the widely used vegetable oil.

Ed Davies, Stanley Widianto, Jakarta – Indonesia likely faces a large surge in coronavirus cases after a slow government response masked the scale of the epidemic in the world's fourth most populous country, health experts say, as the capital, Jakarta, declared a state of emergency on Friday.

Chandra Iswinarno, Ria Rizki Nirmala Sari – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has return the investigation dossier on alleged gross human rights (HAM) violations during the bloody Paniai incident to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM).

Responding to this, the Komnas HAM suspects that there is potential for the investigation into the case to come to a halt.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – As the coronavirus outbreak gains pace in Indonesia, so far affecting 17 out of 34 provinces, the number of infected persons could grow to between 600,000 and 700,000, a government spokesman said on Friday.

Muhammad Ridwan – The Novel Baswedan Advocacy Team has criticised the public prosecutor's indictment of Rahmat Kadir Mahulette and Ronny Bugis, two defendants charged with the acid attack against senior Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Baswedan.

Jakarta – The Semarang Legal Aid Institution (LBH Semarang) has questioned the Central Java Police's detention and naming as a suspect a student of Surakarta Muhammadiyah University (UMS), identified only as ISS, for allegedly spreading hate speech against President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on March 13.

Riska Rahman, Jakarta – Investors are questioning the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia amid a selling spree on the domestic stock market as the country records rapid increases in the number of confirmed cases and death toll.

A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – The Environment and Forestry Ministry has named an individual identified as IQ, the commissioner of logging company CV. Sumber Berkat Makmur (SBM), a suspect in an illegal logging case in Sabuai village, Eastern Seram regency, Maluku.

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) personnel have carried out raids at several internet cafes to make sure students stay at home during the two-week school closure imposed by the Jakarta administration.

West Jakarta Satpol PP head Tamo Sijabat said his personnel had raided dozens of internet cafes where students usually played online games.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Police have stopped conducting traffic raids and started ticketing less as part of efforts to curtail the rapid spread of the fatal respiratory disease COVID-19.

"I have ordered my personnel to suspend traffic raids," Jakarta Police traffic director Sr. Cmr Sambodo Purnomo yogo said as reported by kompas.com on Thursday.

Fikri Arigi, Jakarta – Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) stated that mass Friday prayer remains mandatory for healthy people in the green zone or areas with low potential of the coronavirus contagion. Nevertheless, they must comply with a number of virus prevention protocols.

With Friday just a day away, the question of whether or not Muslims in Indonesia should go to the mosque to perform the mandatory Friday prayers looms large, despite the fact that religious authorities have advised against mass prayers in order to prevent further spread of the coronavirus in the country.

Jakarta – The suspected leader of Indonesia's al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) network has gone on trial on charges of terrorism that could result in a death sentence.

Prosecutors told the East Jakarta District Court that Para Wijayanto became leader of the banned organisation in 2009.

James Massola, Jakarta – Indonesia's health and hospital system is struggling to cope with an influx of people presenting for coronavirus testing, with patients being turned away from screening hospitals and told to return in a few days' time.

Beh Lih Yi, Kuala Lumpur (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – An Indonesian YouTube star, whose videos about being gay and living with HIV have generated millions of views, is hoping his popular channel will help fight moves by lawmakers to clamp down on the country's beleaguered LGBT+ community.

Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Linda Yulisman, Jakarta – Indonesia on Thursday (March 19) reported a rise in deaths from the coronavirus, with the toll now at 25. The number of confirmed cases also increased to 309, from 225 the previous day.

Hamish McDonald – With the release of his book detailing the sorry saga of Australia's negotiations with less well-equipped neighbours over oil in the Timor Sea, Canberra lawyer Bernard Collaery has dramatically raised the stakes in his impending trial for breaching secrecy laws.

The West Papua Liberation Army says four of its members have been shot dead by Indonesia's military in Tembagapura district.

The district, home to the large Freeport gold mine, is the latest focal point for conflict between pro-independence Papuan guerilla fighters and Indonesian security forces.

Apriza Pinandita and Ardila Syakriah, Jakarta – Doris Sianturi, 40, a street vendor from North Jakarta's district of Pademangan, has stayed home for the last five days.

The place where he usually works, the Ancol Dreamland amusement park, has been shut down by the Jakarta administration for two weeks to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Adrian Wail Akhlas, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) cut on Thursday the nation's policy rate to prop up the economy, which is likely to grow at the lowest rate in 15 years, battered by a slump in economic activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ghina Ghaliya, Jakarta – The government has decided to stick to the 2020 regional election schedule despite the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has called on Muslims to cancel or suspend events involving crowds such as conferences, discussions and seminars amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The appeal is also a call for the organizer of a Muslim gathering titled Asian World Ijtema to suspend the event, which is set to be held in Gowa, South Sulawesi, on March 19-22.

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – The South Sulawesi provincial administration has cancelled an international Islamic event that was set to take place in Pakkato village, Bontomaranmu district, Gowa regency over heightened concerns about COVID-19, but not before thousands of participants had already arrived at the site.

Markus Makur, Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara – Despite requests to cancel an ordination Mass for Siprianus Hormat, who was named the new bishop of Ruteng, following restrictions on mass gatherings amid the COVID-19 outbreak, organizers pressed ahead with the event in Ruteng district, Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara, that was attended by hundreds of people on Thursday.

Jakarta – The Election Organization Ethics Council (DKPP) has discharged a General Elections Commission (KPU) member, Evi Novida Ginting Manik, from her position as she was found to have violated the commission's code of ethics by falsifying the 2019 regional election results in West Kalimantan.

Ghina Ghaliya, Marchio Irfan Gorbiano, Ardila Syakriah, Jakarta – Calls are mounting for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to take extreme measures to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, including implementing a localized quarantine or partial lockdown, despite concerns over executing such a measure.

Budiarti Utami Putri, Anwar Siswadi, Jakarta – Researchers at the Center for Mathematical Modeling and Simulation of Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) predicts that Indonesia's coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic peak will happen at the end of March and eventually end in mid-April.

Jakarta – Preventing public participation in the drawing up of the omnibus law is anti-democratic. There is no reason to continue with this unrealistic project.

Robert Isidorus, Jayapura – The Indonesian Military and National Police have accused what they call an "armed criminal group," or KKB, of burning down a church in Tembagapura, Papua, on March 12.

But a spokesperson for the National Liberation Army of West Papua-Free Papua Movement, Sebby Sambom, denied the allegation.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has issued an order to carry out massive rapid Covid-19 testing across Indonesia, as the country ramps up efforts to fight the pandemic.

Budi Sutrisno, Jakarta – After days of confusion about the death toll in Indonesia, the country's spokesperson for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) reported a jump from five to 19 deaths, citing "a problem in data input" that caused a delay in reporting the deaths.

Riza Roidila Mufti, Jakarta – Several airports are implementing social distancing measures in tackling the spread of COVID-19 as major operators rearrange public spaces at airports across Indonesia.

Adrian Wail Akhlas, Jakarta – "FILE YOUR TAX RETURNS." As if once is not enough, this message is repeated three times in gigantic lettering on billboards across Indonesia. It projects the dire need for taxpayers to file their annual tax returns (SPT) so the government can secure the funds needed to stimulate the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Norman Harsono, Jakarta – The government aims to jumpstart stalled renewable energy projects through a recently issued regulation as it races against time to catch up with Indonesia's green energy commitments.

Jakarta – In an attempt to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) has developed online services to help its followers worship at home.

PGI chairman Gomar Gultom said the measure was taken after President Joko "Jokowi' Widodo asked people to stay at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on Sunday.

Jakarta – Following the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) disclosure that it had declared a "particular state of disaster emergency" in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, a constitutional expert has said that more decisive action is needed.

Jakarta – A gay soldier, a second lieutenant of the Indonesian Army identified only by his initials DS, is fighting a legal battle over his alleged personal relations with three men in 2017 and 2018. His prosecution is discriminatory, according to rights groups.

Yulia Savitri and A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Palembang – The Environment and Forestry Ministry has complained that a lack of certification in environmental matters among judges remains one of the biggest obstacles to law enforcement in environmental damage cases, including those involving land and forest fires.

Gemma Holliani Cahya and Sausan Atika, Jakarta – Reports have surfaced about patients in Greater Jakarta having to wait for a long time to get tests or treatment for possible cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as referral hospitals face increasing strain.