Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The government has issued state bonds amounting to Rp 107.6 trillion ($6.9 billion) to fund the state budget as of January 31. This figure constitutes 16.6 percent of the annual debt target set at Rp 648.1 trillion for the fiscal year 2024.

Kukuh S. Wibowo, Surabaya – Dandhy Dwi Laksono, the producer and director of Dirty Vote, stated that the success of a movie depends on the interpretation. However, the most valid answer for a movie's success is measured by the intention of the maker.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) asked presidential and vice presidential candidates and political parties to exercise patience and await the General Elections Commission's (KPU) announcement of the valid and legally binding election results.

Defara Dhanya, Michelle Gabriela and Adil Al Hasan, Jakarta – Capital market observer William Hartanto expressed concern that the allegations of fraud in the 2024 elections could potentially hamper the interest of investors and entrepreneurs in Indonesia. He believed that if there are any demonstrations related to the issue, the interest may decline.

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) decided to keep the benchmark interest rate at 6 percent during the Board of Governors Meeting on Feb. 20-21, 2024, maintaining the rate since October.

Meanwhile, the deposit facility interest rate remains at 5.25 percent, and the lending facility interest rate stays at 6.75 percent.

Annisa Febiola and Amelia Rahima Sari, Jakarta – An economist from the Center of Reform on Economic (CORE) Yusuf Rendy Manilet responded to presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto's plan to separate the Directorate General of Taxes from the Finance Ministry. Prabowo will form a National Revenue Agency to boost tax ratio.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – As President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's ramped up the rice social assistance program for 22 million poor households in January ahead of the general election, premium rice disappeared from modern retailers.

Yerica Lai, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo promoted on Wednesday one of his loyalists, Hadi Tjahjanto, to a senior post in the cabinet and also welcomed opposition Democratic Party leader Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono as the newest member of his outgoing administration.

Jakarta – Short video app TikTok is still violating Indonesia's rule that bans in-app transactions, a cabinet minister said on Tuesday, after it took control of the country's biggest e-commerce platform to restart its online shopping business.

Hong Kong, China – HSBC said Wednesday it achieved "record profit" in 2023 as pre-tax profits soared by nearly 80 percent, with the banking giant also announcing further share buybacks.

The Asia-focused lender and its peers have been buoyed by rising interest rates for more than a year, but are bracing for greater economic uncertainties in 2024.

Jakarta – The Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement published earlier this week that it congratulated Indonesia on its successful Feb. 14 elections and respected the poll outcome.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that China "believes that the choice of the Indonesian people is in the interests of their country's future and prosperity."

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said on Tuesday that he took harsh criticism from the media in his stride and he respected the media's opposition to some of his political moves leading up to the Feb. 14 general election.

Will Jackson – Indonesia's foreign policy is expected to remain largely unchanged once Prabowo Subianto takes the reins later this year, meaning business as usual for the country's relationship with Australia.

But experts warn the presumptive new president's personality and questionable past could cause some headaches for Canberra.

Mita Amalia Hapsari, Jakarta – Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko was a notable absentee when Democratic Party Chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono was inaugurated as the agrarian affairs minister at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Peter Hobson, Canberra – The Australian government said on Wednesday that Indonesia had issued import permits for Australian live cattle and horticultural goods after a weeks-long delay that stalled shipments.

Australia is Indonesia's biggest supplier of live cattle, sending around 400,000 animals worth around $400 million to the country each year.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia and Timor Leste recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperatives as well as micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Antara, Denpasar – Bali's Tourism Agency announced that the Rp 150,000 ($10) tourist levy for foreign visitors, in effect since February 14, has yielded Rp 9.1 billion in just one week.

"The current earnings stand at Rp 9.1 billion, contributed by around 60,800 foreign tourists," stated Tjok Bagus Pemayun, the agency's head, during a Wednesday briefing in Denpasar.

Ichsan Ali & Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, the eldest son of former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), was inaugurated as the new Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning on Wednesday.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr recently congratulated Prabowo Subianto on his presidential victory in the latest count, saying that he is looking forward to bolstering ties between the two countries.

Known popularly as Bongbong Marcos, the president sent a congratulatory message on the social media platform X on Tuesday night.

Jakarta – Chairman of the Democratic Party advisory council Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has given his permission for his son and party chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono to serve in the cabinet of incumbent President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Nabiha Zain, Jakarta – PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk, along with its subsidiary Telkomsat, has successfully launched the Merah Putih 2 Satellite from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the Ministry of State Owned Enterprise said in a press release.

Jakarta – An imaginary letter from Indonesian comedian Komeng to the Indonesian Solidarity Party leadership. The irony of a party becoming a wet nurse to the government.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Balikpapan, East Kalimantan – As the Indonesian government embarks on a massive push to reforest the area around the country's new capital city in Borneo, it is turning to the private sector in hopes that investors will help supply the labor and capital needed for the program.

M Rahman, Jakarta – As many as 100 social figures have declared that they reject the results of the 2024 presidential election (Pilpres). The inter-faith and cross-organisation figures stated that they reject the elections because they believe there was structured, systematic and massive (TSM) fraud.

Sheena Suparman, Jakarta – 42Geeks has arrived in Jakarta to foster more global connections in the technology industry. Indonesia's capital city joins the vast array of key regions that have hosted the group, with cities located in East Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and of course, Southeast Asia.

Jakarta – A plan by Indonesia's likely new president Prabowo Subianto to provide free school lunches and milk will cost up to Rp 120 trillion ($7.68 billion) in its first year, his team said on Wednesday.

By Irma Rahim

Executive Summary

Zach Hope, Amilia Rosa and Karuni Rompies, Jakarta – Indonesian police are calling on Australian authorities to share information about how recently arrived asylum seekers managed to avoid detection, so they can step up prevention efforts.

Juvita Pereira Faria (EngageMedia) – While 50 percent of Timor-Leste's population is aged 15-25, the country suffers from underdeveloped digital infrastructure, and the public is highly vulnerable to attacks against human and digital rights, such as threats to their digital security, online harassment, and mis- and disinformation.

Yogyakarta – Dozens of people calling themselves the Jogja Pro-Democracy Citizens held a theatrical action in front of the regional General Elections Commission (KPU) office in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Tuesday February 20 as a form of protest over the 2024 elections.

Made Supriatma – A post-election analysis of Ganjar Pranowo's poor showing in last week's presidential election requires examining what went on behind the scenes and at the grassroots level, including on his home turf, Central Java.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force has tightened security at airports across nine operational areas, including Yahukimo, Mimika, Intan Jaya, Dogiyai, Puncak, Nduga, Minika, Jayawijaya, and Jayapura districts, following incidents where the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) shot at two civilian aircraft on Friday (16/2/2024) and Saturday (17/2/2024).

Jayapura, Jubi – The security situation in Kenyam, the capital of Nduga Regency in Mountainous Papua Province, has returned to a state of calm following conflicts between resident groups on Thursday (15/2/2024).

Jakarta – Two unsuccessful candidates in last week's Indonesian presidential election have urged parliament to look into complaints of irregularities in the run-up to the event.

Andree Surianta – Indonesia's unofficial election result put the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka ticket ahead sufficiently to avoid a second-round showdown in the presidential race. Yet their coalition parties did not win an outright majority in the legislative election.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia needs to introduce incentives to the recycling industry of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, according to an expert.

Bhima Yudhistira, the executive director of the economic think-tank Celios, said Tuesday that Indonesia could run out of nickel – a mainstay ingredient in EV battery production – if it continues to mine the metal.

Nugie Tangkepayung, Jayapura – Indonesian authorities have arrested a member of a separatist movement in Papua wanted for the alleged murder of civilians, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Alenus Tabuni, also known as Kobuter, was arrested on Sunday by a joint police-military security operation in Papua known as the Cartenz Task Force.

Jakarta – A senior member of the Prabowo Subianto campaign has said that soon after his inauguration as president, the former general would prioritize the distribution of free lunch and milk to students.

Former lawmaker Budiman Sudjatmiko said the team had started trialing the two programs in several locations including Sukabumi, West Java.

Jakarta – Despite a fired-up presidential race that saw candidates battle intensely in order to prevail, especially in densely populated Java, Indonesia enjoyed a peaceful general election last Wednesday.

Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) supervisory council found dozens of employees guilty of an ethics breach for soliciting illegal levies from detainees in exchange for prison perks.

Ruth Dea Juwita, Manila – The National Food Agency (Bapanas) is planning to import 2 million tonnes of rice from Thailand to combat shortages and skyrocketing prices across the country, the agency's chief secretary Sarwo Edhy said on Sunday.

Muhammad Aulia, Jakarta – The legal team of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is preparing to press charges against the former Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL), the Ministry's Secretary-General Kasdi Subagyono, and Agricultural Machinery Director Muhammad Hatta. The trio is accused of engaging in extortion and accepting gratuities.

Amelia Rahima Sari, Jakarta – Minister of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (Kemenpan RB) Abdullah Azwar Anas revealed the transfer scheme of state apparatus including civil servants or PNS to IKN.

Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – Democratic Party spokesperson Herzaky Mahendra Putra said the party's chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono or AHY is ready to fulfill his duties as a minister if President Joko Widodo or Jokowi calls upon him.

"He is a soldier. He always dedicates his life to the nation and state," Herzaky confirmed to Tempo on Tuesday, February 20.

Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – In less than two months into 2024, the Financial Services Authority or OJK had revoked the business permits of four rural banks (BPR). Deposit Insurance Corporation (LPS) secretary Dimas Yuliharto said that the permit revocations are not a sign of economic weakness. The main factor for BPRs' bankruptcy, he said, is internal fraud.

Septia Ryanthie, Jakarta – Vice presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka commented on a widespread issue about the purported list of names that are expected to fill ministerial posts in the upcoming government's cabinet for the period of 2024-2029. He firmly stated that it was false information.

Dinita Setyawati – With a solar power potential of up to 1,052 GW, Indonesia is sitting on a "solar gold mine" that can jump-start the clean-tech economy using this clean energy source.

Maria Gabrielle & Irfandi, Jakarta – A member of the polling station working group (KPPS) in Makassar City, South Sulawesi, passed away on Monday after experiencing a fever while on duty. Fahriansyah, 26, took his last breath at RSUD Haji in Makassar.

Wahyu Sahala Tua, Jakarta – The NEU Green electric sports motorcycle, ridden by vice-presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka during a grand campaign at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (GBK) on Feb. 10, has become a sensation, selling out during the Indonesia International Motor Show 2024 at JIExpo, Kemayoran Jakarta.

Antara, Jakarta – Petronas Carigali North Madura II Ltd, a unit of Malaysia's Petronas, has won the bidding for the exploration and production rights of oil and gas in the Bobara Block located in West Papua.