All parties, including Papuan rebels who took Phillip Mehrtens hostage, want the New Zealand pilot released but freeing him is "complicated".
In February 2023 Mehrtens, a husband and father from Christchurch, was working for Indonesian airline, Susi Air, when he landed his small Pilatus plane on a remote airstrip in Nduga Regency in the Papua highlands.
Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia's trade deficit with China in May 2024 nearly tripled to $1.3 billion, marking a significant increase from the $500 million deficit recorded in April, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).
Jakarta – Indonesia reported on Wednesday that it had recorded a trade surplus for 49 months in a row since May 2020, as the country booked a $2.93 billion surplus last month.
Yustinus Patris Paat, Jakarta – The Golkar Party on Wednesday confirmed the nomination of Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution for the upcoming North Sumatra gubernatorial election.
The endorsement was announced by Golkar Party Chairman Airlangga Hartarto after he received Bobby at his official residence in Jakarta.
Simon Butt – In late May 2024, Indonesia's Anti-corruption Commission (KPK) began prosecuting former Supreme Court Judge Gazalba Saleh in the Central Jakarta District Court. It indicted him for taking a bribe of around Rp 650 million to overturn a businessperson's conviction and one-year prison sentence (for failing to properly manage hazardous waste his company produced).
Desty Luthfiani, Jakarta – Public policy observer from Trisakti University, Trubus Rahadiansah, commented on the latest policy of the Jakarta Provincial Government regarding the urban and rural land and building tax (PBB).
Victor Mambor and Pizaro Gozali Idrus, Jayapura and Jakarta – Hundreds of residents in Indonesia's restive Papua region have sought shelter in a church after clashes between security forces and West Papua independence fighters left two insurgents, a soldier and a civilian dead.
Yerica Lai, Jakarta – The National Awakening Party (PKB) has reached out to Marzuki Mustamar, a prominent Muslim cleric and former East Java branch head of the country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), over potentially running in the province's gubernatorial election against its popular former governor, Khofifah Indar Parawansa.
Jakarta – The West Java administration is expanding its cleanup operation of the Citarum River, known as one of the dirtiest rivers in the region.
The local administration last week deployed a team of workers to clean up the Citarum after a post by environmental activist group Pandawara showing a massive stretch of floating trash in the river went viral.
Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – Indonesia's second-largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, has decided to divert trillions of rupiah funds from state-owned Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI), the country's largest sharia bank, to other sharia banks.
Jakarta – It is not exactly good corporate governance but it has been a well-worn practice in Indonesian politics.
It is also a classic patron-client relationship in which a patron grants favors in return for political services, loyalty and allegiance shown by the client.
Nur Janti, Jakarta – A recent Constitutional Court ruling ordering a legislative election revote in Gorontalo may set the precedent for parties to fulfill the 30 percent minimum quota for women's representation in elections.
Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – Political analyst Arifki Chaniago recently said that the possibility for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to hold a cabinet reshuffle remained large despite his term about to come to an end.
Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – Indonesia has advanced to the 27th position in the 2024 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking (WCR), a significant improvement from 34th place in 2023. This places Indonesia third in Southeast Asia, following Singapore and Thailand, with Singapore maintaining its global lead.
Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The weakening rupiah, now significantly deviating from the 2024 state budget assumption, poses risks to Indonesia's trade performance. Bank Indonesia (BI) needs to intervene across short, medium, and long-term strategies.
Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – As President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's term nears its end, several ministers in his cabinet are aiming to appeal to the next president, Prabowo Subianto.
Han Revanda Putra, Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan or Zulhas has proposed an increase in the highest retail price (HET) of government-subsidized packaged cooking oil, MinyaKita, by Rp1,500 to Rp15,500.
Reuters, Jakarta – Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that hundreds of visitors have died during the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca amid scorching heat. At least 550 Hajj pilgrims have died while performing the fifth pillar of Islam.
Hans Nicholas Jong, Sarjan Lahay, Jakarta – The Indonesian government plans to establish 2 million hectares, or nearly 5 million acres, of sugarcane plantations in the eastern region of Papua, home to the last great expanse of rainforest in Southeast Asia.
Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – The incoming Prabowo-Gibran administration is expected to face a serious debt burden, assessed Yusuf Wibisono, director of the Institute for Demographic and Poverty Studies (IDEAS). He predicted that the annual principal and interest installments could reach Rp1,300 trillion.
Abdul C, Jakarta – Every year around the world, June 16 is commonly celebrated as International Domestic Workers Day (IDWD).
Not being left behind, the National Network for Domestic Worker Advocacy (Jala PRT) also commemorated the day in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta on Sunday June 16.
Hendro D Situmorang, Jakarta – Ahmad Doli Kurnia, the deputy chairman of the Golkar Party, recently said the existing cabinet would remain united until the end of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's term.
The reason? Jokowi's ministers were often seen accompanying the president whenever the latter made business trips around the Indonesian archipelago, according to Ahmad Doli.
Yustinus Patris Paat, Jakarta – A prominent Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) figure said Tuesday the party would nominate Anies Baswedan for the Jakarta gubernatorial election if he appoints a party executive as his running mate.
Caleb Fotheringham – West Papua pro-independence supporters are calling Indonesia's condemnation of Israel hypocritical considering its occupation in Papua for 61-years.
The Indonesian government, through the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the President, has condemned the Israeli government's handling of the conflict in Gaza.
Tria Dianti – Environmentalists are expressing deep concerns about Indonesia's ecological future because of President-elect Prabowo Subianto signaling a strong preference for boosting mining industries and sectors that exploit natural resources.
AWPA condemns the latest Indonesian security force operation in the Bibida District, Paniai Regency which has resulted in more than 5,000 people from 15 villages in Bibida and Paniai fleeing their villages.
Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – After dropping the idea of setting up a transition team, president-elect Prabowo Subianto has come up with a so-called synchronization task force comprising entirely of elites from his Gerindra Party. Its job: To synchronize the moves of the incoming and outgoing governments.
Jakarta – Every year, Indonesia contends with one of the most complex logistical feats in the world: the haj. Home to approximately 231 million Muslims, the country regularly sends the biggest groups of citizens to Islam's holiest sites in Saudi Arabia.
Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – Indonesia may lose thousands of hospital beds once standardized inpatient care for National Health Insurance (JKN) policyholders goes into full effect starting next year, raising concerns over longer hospital admission waiting times for millions of patients.
Yerica Lai, Jakarta – Outgoing President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's reported plan for cabinet reshuffle, one that might see his former party the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), ousted, is unlikely to happen as analysts warn it would destabilize the transition to his successor's incoming government.
Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Chairman of the Hajj Oversight Team of the House of Representatives (DPR) Muhaimin Iskandar revealed several reports highlighting various issues in the 2024 Hajj operations. One major problem, according to Muhaimin, is the widespread malfunctioning of air conditioners.
Antara, AP, Jakarta – The Indonesian government explained its decision to abstain from signing a document calling for the territorial integrity of Ukraine to be the basis of any agreement to end the ongoing war, citing Russia's absence from the Swiss conference.
Teguh Adi Prasetyo, Jakarta – Public policy analyst Trubus Radiansyah recently advised the government against launching new strategic policies as the end of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's term is close approaching.
According to Trubus, it is best for the current government to now focus on finishing the existing tasks at hand.
Chandra Adi Nurwidya, Yogyakarta – Ganjar Pranowo, the former presidential candidate of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), has commented on the potential candidacy of Anies Baswedan in his party's deliberations for the Jakarta Gubernatorial Election.
Antara, Jakarta – Economist Gunawan Benjamin said recently that the Kualanamu International Airport could provide a major impetus to North Sumatra's economic growth.
Tri Listiyarini, Jakarta – The Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (KKP) is proactively addressing the anti-dumping case affecting Indonesian frozen shrimp export to the United States (US).
To mitigate the impact, the ministry is diversifying export markets to several potential countries, including China, Japan, Australia, and South Korea.
Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Some top government officials are split over how much Indonesia should set its state budget deficit for next year, although senior minister Airlangga Hartarto said Monday that the House of Representatives was still discussing the exact cap.
Djibril Muhammad, Timika, Papua – An army deserter who became a mercenary for a rebel group in Papua has been shot to death during a recent security operation, authorities said on Monday.
Denis Murib was killed after a joint operation of the military and the police raided a rebel stronghold in the Papua regency of Paniai.
Vinnilya Huanggrio, Jakarta – Members of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's cabinet are anticipating a smooth transition of power five months into his retirement, a senior minister said on Monday.
Ikhsan Reliubun, Jakarta – Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association or PHRI in Bali, I Gusti Ngurah Rai Suryawijaya, urged the local government to carry out strict supervision of foreign investors entering the resort island.
Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta – The East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) volcano, Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, erupted again on Tuesday, June 18 at 07:46 local time, spewing a 700-meter-high column of ash from the summit. The seismograph recorded that it had a maximum amplitude of 37 millimeters in 4 minutes and 7 seconds.
Jakarta – President Jokowi is plotting for his youngest son to run for the deputy governor of Jakarta. This is a repeat of the presidential election.
Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – A project to revive zebra shark numbers in Indonesia's Raja Ampat archipelago has welcomed the successful hatching of 24 pups so far this year, including five most recently in April.
Jakarta – Indonesia's President Joko Widodo plans to speed up the installation of water pumps across the country to protect food crops from the impact of extreme weather.
Mr Widodo urged the government to get 20,000 water pumps in place and use water more efficiently to safeguard the country's food security in the face of climate change.
Rizky Ramadhan, Jakarta – Vice President Ma'ruf Amin praised non-Muslim communities for participating in Eid al-Adha celebrations by donating sacrificial animals on Monday.
Antara, Jakarta – Chief Cultural Affairs Minister Muhadjir Effendy has clarified his statement regarding the provision of social assistance (bansos) to online gambling victims.
Muhadjir emphasized that the recipients of the social assistance will be the family members of the victims, not the perpetrators.
Duncan Graham – At the end of 2023, there were three clear signs that Indonesia's new capital city project on Borneo island – personally driven by President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo – was not going well.
Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – The Ombudsman of South Sumatra Province has discovered alleged fraud in the merit-based selection process for new student admissions (PPDB) for high schools (SMA) in 2024.
M. Adrian, the Head of the South Sumatra Ombudsman, reported that dozens of prospective students who should have been accepted were instead rejected by schools.
Eka Yudha Saputra, Ikhsan Reliubun (Antara), Jakarta – The idea of providing social assistance to victims of online gambling was initially proposed by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy. He stated that the ministry has been offering considerable advocacy to online gambling victims.