Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has uncovered millions of suspicious transactions involving state-owned insurance company Jiwasraya's investment instruments, lending credence to accusations of investment mismanagement that led the insurer into serious liquidity issues.

Rizal Harahap, Pekanbaru, Riau – Riau has declared the emergency alert status for land and forest fires to warn residents of a possible haze crisis as the region enters the dry season.

Jakarta – Agency for Pancasila Ideology Education (BPIP) head Yudian Wahyudi has drawn criticism for his comment on the supposed friction between religion and state ideology Pancasila during an interview with online news outlet detik.com.

Jakarta – After six months of the position being filled by Muslim officials, Religious Affairs Minister Fachrul Razi has named Aloma Sarumaha, a Catholic, as the acting head of the Catholic Community Guidance Directorate General.

Since December 2019, heavy rain has fallen across many Indonesian provinces. The combined effects of climate change, abominable urban planning, poor waste management, inadequate human preparedness, and longstanding oligarchic influence over development have meant that floods and landslides are unavoidable during the rainy season.

Riska Rahman, Jakarta – The government will front-load its spending on social welfare and rural development to boost household expenditure in an effort to counter the potential economic impacts of the coronavirus epidemic.

Jakarta – The city administration of Banda Aceh in the conservative province of Aceh has barred residents from celebrating Valentine's Day, which falls on Feb. 14, on the grounds that it goes against Islamic teachings.

Marchio Irfan Gorbiano, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has instructed his Cabinet members to increase the availability of raw materials for the steel and iron industry to support infrastructure development while slashing imports.

Gemma Holliani Cahya, Jakarta – Instagram posts showing blurred photos of female members of a student executive body (BEM) in a state university in Jakarta have stirred debate on social media about gender equality among university students.

Adrian Wail Akhlas and Ghina Ghaliya, Jakarta – The government has submitted a letter to the House of Representatives to officially start the deliberation of an omnibus bill on job creation, after failing to do so several times.

Riza Roidila Mufti, Jakarta – Indonesia's productivity in the manufacturing industry is lower than that of its peers in Southeast Asia, a survey conducted by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) has found.

Marchio Irfan Gorbiano, Jakarta – Coordinating Legal, Political and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD has dismissed documents on the victims of human rights violations in West Papua recently handed over to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, calling them unimportant.

Adrian Wail Akhlas, Jakarta – The government has set up a team comprising government officials, businesspeople and labor representatives tasked with coordinating deliberations and public consultations over an omnibus bill on job creation.

Fadli, Batam – The renovation of the 92-year-old Santo Joseph Catholic Church in Karimun, Riau Islands, has been halted following protests from local groups.

Bayu Marhaenjati, Jakarta – West Jakarta Police said they had no idea where to detain transgender celebrity Lucinta Luna, who was arrested for alleged illegal possession of drugs, until they finally decided to put her in an isolated cell at a detention facility for women on Wednesday.

Kendari – A National Mandate Party (PAN) politician broke his leg and chairs were thrown to the air during the chaotic party congress on Tuesday that ended with chairman Zulkifli Hasan retaining his post.

Beritasatu, Bogor – The Indonesian government said on Tuesday they will not facilitate the return of nearly 700 militants who have joined the Islamic State in other countries, despite warning from human rights activists.

Tara Marchelin – After a successful debut in 2019, a premium art fair organized by some of Indonesia's major art collectors, Art Moments Jakarta, will return this year on Apr. 17 to Apr. 19 at the Sheraton Grand Jakarta Gandaria City Hotel.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Army (TNI AD) has officially deployed 700 military personnel to fill a number of 'preparation military commands' (Koramil) freshly established across the West Papua region.

Yance Wenda, Jayapura – The rights of freedom of expression in the second administration period of President Joko Widodo have still in concern to human rights activists. Democracy index 2019 released by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) put the democracy in Indonesia is the category of flawed democracy with index 6.48.

[Speech delivered by Chairman of the ULMWP, Benny Wenda, during the Foreign Ministers & Senior Officials meeting of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), held in Suva from February 10-12, 2020.]

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I greet you all in my own language, wa wa wa wa.

Jauh Hari Wawan S, Yogyakarta – Protesters who said they represent workers from across the Central Java province of Yogyakarta demonstrated at the Yogyakarta Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) today calling for the cancelation of the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation which they said will harm workers.

James Massola, Dana McCauley and Amilia Rosa, Jakarta – Bali's tourism sector has taken a sizeable hit from the novel coronavirus and is facing the loss of 100,000 Chinese tourists per month because of a travel ban introduced last week, while anxiety is increasing among Australian travellers about potential undetected cases.

Diana Mariska, Jakarta – The Australian Embassy is bringing back its annual film festival to six cities across Indonesia. The Festival Sinema Australia Indonesia, kicking off this Friday, will show a selection of films centered around the theme of cultural diversity.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo plans to build an underground tunnel connecting the Istiqlal Mosque and the Cathedral Church in Central Jakarta which are located adjacent to each other. The proposed construction will be carried out during renovations to the Istiqlal Mosque which were reviewed by Widodo on Friday February 7.

Zakarias Demon Daton, Samarinda – A preliminary hearing to hear the reading out of charges against seven defendants arrested over the September riots in Papua was held at the Balikpapan District Court in East Kalimantan on Tuesday February 11.

Banda Aceh – Banda Aceh Mayor Aminullah Usman has banned residents from celebrating Valentine's Day or the day of love on February 14.

It seems there will never be a shortage of viral stories about Indonesians and faux pas in Japan. The latest of such stories relates to restroom hygiene, which we know the Japanese are particularly fussy about (in a good way).

Jakarta – At least 10 National Mandate Party (PAN) members were injured in a violent dispute during the second day of the party's national congress in the Claro Hotel in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, on Tuesday.

In a video of the incident posted on Twitter, several congress participants are seen throwing chairs at each other after the congress leader adjourned the meeting.

Lani Diana Wijaya, Jakarta – Papua activist Paulus Suryanta Ginting – one of six defendants being tried for treason – says that police provided logistical assistance for demonstrators protesting in front of the State Palace.

Andhika Prasetia – Human rights activists Veronica Koman, who is currently in Australia, handed over data on political prisoners and victims of the conflict in Papua to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo via her team during his visit to Canberra on Sunday.

Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD has spoken out on the issue.

Devina Halim, Jakarta – Lawyer and human rights activist Veronica Koman says that today's statement by Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD will only deepen the Papuan people's wounds.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Experts have warned that a slate of sweeping deregulation planned by the Indonesian government could prove disastrous for the environment and create even more conflicts over land and resources.

Police in North Jakarta busted an alleged underage prostitution ring involving girls as young as 14, an investigation into which uncovered depressing circumstances that forced the girls into the grim life.

Dili – After a seven-hour long discussion, the national leaders agreed that the president must find ways to resolve the current political crisis that Timor-Leste is facing. They also concluded that early elections are only a last resort, when no other options are left.

Jakarta – Speakers at an Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) seminar on Monday warned that free speech may be in peril as the government pushed for more foreign and domestic investment in its pursuit of high growth – which Jokowi says is necessary to create jobs and increase incomes.

Rieka Rahadiana and Tassia Sipahutar – Indonesian President Joko Widodo has called for fiscal stimulus to be accelerated in a bid to shield Southeast Asia's biggest economy from the coronavirus crisis.

Indonesia President Joko Widodo's declaration on the floor of the House of Representatives on Monday that "Australia is Indonesia's closest friend" has given us pause for thought.

Maikel Jefriando and Gayatri Suroyo, Jakarta – Indonesia plans to loosen rigid rules on mandatory severance compensation in a new bill aimed at improving the investment climate in Southeast Asia's biggest economy, an official and a source with knowledge of the issue said.

Jakarta – A bureaucratic blunder caused the Religious Affairs Ministry to appoint a Muslim official as acting head of the Catholic Community Guidance Directorate General, a move that drew online and offline criticism.

Ministry secretary-general Nur Kholis Setiawan took the blame for the gaffe, saying he had given mistaken advice to the ministry's top brass.

Jakarta – Indonesia's westernmost province, Aceh, plans to host the West Coast Aceh 250K ultramarathon from April 4 to 6 in an attempt to boost a positive public image.

Pare-Pare, Indonesia – Indonesian cafe worker Rudi Hartono struggled to persuade residents of his small coastal community of Parepare to follow his example and pick up rubbish strewn on the streets and beaches – until he dressed up as Spider-Man.

A power struggle within the Indonesian Islamic-based National Mandate Party (PAN) led to a violent brawl at its national congress today, which reportedly injured some 30 people.

Andita Rahma, Jakarta – The Indonesian National Police Main Headquarters (Polri) affirmed it will not pull police personnel currently tasked in Papua due to the upcoming regional head elections and the 2020 National Games (PON) slated for September and November this year.

Budiarti Utami Putri, Jakarta – Gerindra Party deputy chairperson Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said chief patron Prabowo Subianto had instructed the party to endorse Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the eldest son of President Jokowi, in the 2020 Solo Mayoral Election."We have ordered to support [Gibran]," said Dasco at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday, February 11.

Ricky Gunawan, Will Doran – In late January, three members of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, or GCDP, traveled to Jakarta to discuss sustainable development and advancing Indonesian drug policy.

Nur Yasmin, Jakarta – A study performed by the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation, or YLBHI, shows that democracy in Indonesia deteriorated last year, as more than 50 people died in demonstrations around the country and thousands faced prosecution for expressing their opinion in public.

Riska Rahman, Jakarta – A lawmaker has accused state-owned insurance company PT Asuransi Jiwasraya, and several investment management firms, of alleged investment mismanagement that has led the insurer into financial difficulties.

Evi Mariani, Jakarta – Producer Mira Lesmana knows that film sets could be unsafe places for women.

While producing her latest movie, Bebas, last year, she took time to personally address the whole crew on the first day of work, telling them that her set had to be a "safe environment".

Arya Dipa, Bandung – While West Java has recorded the highest rates of domestic and foreign investment in the country over the last two years, with economic growth also above the national average, the governor has admitted his administration needs to monitor the province's above average inflation rate.