Riani Sanusi Putri, Jakarta – The National Food Agency (Bapanas) said the number of regions vulnerable to food insecurity decreased from 74 regencies/cities in 2022 to 68 regencies/cities in 2023, according to the Food Security and Vulnerability Atlas (FSVA).

Ihsan Reliubun, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democracy and Electoral Empowerment Partnership (DEEP) Executive Director, Neni Nur Hayati, asked the General Elections Commission (KPU) to involve civil coalitions and mass organizations in preparing questions for the upcoming presidential and vice presidential debates in the 2024 elections.

Adil Al Hasan, Jakarta – Presidential Candidate Ganjar Pranowo visited the Nusantara Capital City or IKN project in East Kalimantan on Thursday morning, Dec. 7, 2023. Ganjar expressed his commitment to carry on with its development if he's elected in the 2024 general elections.

The dangers of visiting volcanoes have been thrown sharply into focus in Indonesia after the deadly eruption at Mount Marapi and subsequent ones at other well-known volcanoes, while also drawing attention to the limitations of the country's early warning systems.

Amelia Rahima Sari (Antara), Jakarta – Indonesian Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia stated that the country's investment target next year is a challenge. Why so?

"The future challenge is Rp1,650 trillion [of investment target]," he said during the 2023 national investment coordination meeting in South Jakarta today, Dec. 7, 2023.

Roy Adriansyah, Jakarta – Shocking details emerged on Thursday regarding the tragic murder scene in South Jakarta, where four young children were discovered deceased on a bed, allegedly at the hands of their father.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia has targeted to attract Rp 1,650 trillion (about $106 billion) in combined foreign and domestic investment next year in hopes of spurring economic growth.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – Industry players have complained about a planned excise tax on plastic products and sweetened beverages, arguing it will not solve what it is intended to and will cause other problems in the process.

Jakarta – The Health Ministry has urged greater vigilance amid a recent uptick in cases of new COVID-19 subvariants, both in the country and around the globe, while reassuring the public on the availability of vaccines.

Banda Aceh – More than one hundred Indonesians protested Wednesday against Rohingya refugees who arrived on a western island by boat last week, calling for them to be relocated and clashing with police.

Jakarta – A senior member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has rejected a proposal from a Gerindra Party member that the upcoming presidential debates, organized by the General Elections Commission (KPU), should be held partially in English.

Jakarta – Presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo promised to commit to reducing extractive industries in East Kalimantan, during his campaign in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, on Tuesday.

He asserted that environmentally friendly green energy should be used to replace the industry's current energy demand.

Sandro Gatra – An issue that has been very prominent in the public's attention of late has been the lion's roar by former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) commissioner Agus Rahardjo.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Indigenous people in Indonesia's easternmost South Papua province have lambasted a court's decision to reject their lawsuit that seeks to overturn an environmental permit for a palm oil company to raze their ancestral forest.

Elisa Sekenyap, Jayapura – West Papua National Committee (KNPB) international spokesperson Victor Yeimo is asking the Indonesian government to stop the criminalisation of human rights activists Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti.

Edna Tarigan and Dita Alangkara, Mamuju, Indonesia – A pair of tall birds with black feathers and pinkish breasts crossed a noisy road to reach a quiet part of a sandy tourist beach in the outskirts of Mamuju, a small town at the westernmost part of Indonesia's Sulawesi island.

Ricky Juliansyah, Depok – Depok Deputy Mayor Imam Budi Hartono said the city administration has implemented Universal Health Coverage (UHC) since Dec. 1. This program provides free health services for every resident with just an ID card. Free medical care is available at community health centers or Puskesmas and hospitals.

Ihsan Reliubun Antara, Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) chairman Hasyim Asyari confirmed that there will be five election debates for presidential and vice presidential candidates. Three debates are allocated for presidential candidates, and the rest two are for vice presidential candidates.

Tika Ayu, Jakarta – The Anies Baswedan-Cak Imin campaign team's spokesperson Billy David assessed that the new bill on Jakarta's special status, or DKJ Bill, which allows the president to elect the city governor is loaded with the spirit of authoritarianism.

Mohammad Said, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo on Thursday accepted the resignation of Vice Justice Minister Edward Omar Sharief who is now under investigation by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as a suspect.

Edward submitted his resignation letter on Monday but the president was on inter-island trips at that time.

Kukuh S. Wibowo, Jakarta – Vice presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka responded to the recent issues of his absence from the presidential and vice presidential debates organized by other parties.

"I'll be coming to official debates," Gibran told reporters after the support declaration event in Jakarta, on Wednesday, Dec. 6, as quoted from Antara.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has laughed upon hearing that environmental activists walked out on him on December 1 when he was giving a speech at the COP28 Climate Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.Widodo said that he was not concerned over the news saying only that he conveyed a number of actions taken by Indonesia to respond to climate change.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is banning employees from enjoying its free flight facility this holiday season.

Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid says that the alleged police intimidation of artist Butet Kartaredjasa brings back memories of the New Order (Orba) regime of former president Suharto.

Hamid said that artistic activities are experiencing restrictions and have become the target of censorship such as during the New Order regime.

Raden Putri, Andika Dwi, Jakarta – Forbes, an American business magazine, regularly publishes a list of the world's richest people on its Real-Time Billionaires ranking site. The list includes Indonesian conglomerates as well.

Nabire, Jubi – The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in various regions marked the 62nd anniversary of Papua's struggle for independence that was started on December 1, 1961. Distinct events echoing the historical significance of the West Papuan nation's inception and its ongoing struggle for independence.

Mita Amalia Hapsari, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military is not ready for any modern warfare scenario due to an aging arsenal and a lack of measured armament plans, a defense expert said on Tuesday,

Mutia Yuantisya, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) member from the PDIP faction, Masinton Pasaribu, criticized the bill on the special status of Jakarta (DKJ bill), which stipulates that the city governor and deputy governor will be appointed by the president after the capital city is moved to the new capital of Nusantara or IKN.

Tika Ayu, Jakarta – Presidential candidate Anies Baswedan promised on Tuesday, Dec. 5, to increase the hajj quota by 20,000-30,000 if he wins the 2024 election.

"We are trying to increase more [quota of hajj]. Hopefully, about 20,000-30,000 more pilgrims," he said during a discussion event dubbed Desak Anies in Banjarmasin City, South Kalimantan, on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi"' Widodo inaugurated Wednesday the largest hospital in the eastern part of Indonesia that cost hundreds of billions of rupiahs to build.

The Dr. Ben Mboi Central Public Hospital lies in Kupang, the capital city of East Nusa Tenggara. The overall building measures 35,000 square meters on a land of 14 hectares.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – The Jakarta Health Agency has reported an unspecified number of suspected Mycoplasma pneumoniae cases among children, only days after the Health Ministry called for increased surveillance against the bacterium that is thought to be behind a recent pneumonia outbreak in northern China.

With the policymakers having wrapped up their deliberations on the second revision to the Electronic Information and Transaction (ITE) Law without meaningful public consultation, we will likely continue to live under an illiberal cyberlaw.

Defara Dhanya Paramitha, Jakarta – The National Food Agency's (Bapanas) director of food availability, Budi Waryanto, confirmed that Indonesia is ranked 63rd out of 113 countries in terms of food security, as its Global Food Security Index (GFSI) score in 2022 was 60.2.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Daniel A. Fajri, Nabiila Azzahra, Jakarta – National Police Chief Gen. Sigit Prabowo spoke about Rohingya refugees who are currently in Aceh. According to the general, the asylum seekers are only in Indonesia for transit before continuing to their destination countries.

Defara Dhanya Paramitha, Jakarta – The Ministry of Communication and Information said that the government had finalized the draft of the derivative rules for the Law on Personal Data Protection (UU PDP). Next, the ministry will form a special committee consisting of ministries/agencies to discuss the derivative regulations.

Singapore – Despite slowing exports and a dip in the benchmark stock index, the collective net worth of tycoons on the 2023 Forbes list of Indonesia's 50 Richest rose 40% to a record US$252 billion, up from $180 billion a year ago. The complete list is available here as well as in the December issue of Forbes Asia.

Jakarta – A total of 331,000 millennials and Gen Zs in Indonesia find themselves trapped in non-performing online loans amounting to Rp 675.14 billion ($43.55 million).

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan has given the green light for a collaboration between ByteDance Ltd, the Chinese parent company of video-sharing app TikTok, and Indonesia's PT Gojek Tokopedia Tbk (GOTO) to establish an e-commerce platform.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Many Hong Kong businesses of different sectors are seeking to expand to Indonesia, thus showing that the upcoming election has little effect on investors' appetite, according to the region's trade body representative.

Krisiandi, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia says that the Indonesian government will violate human rights if it repatriates Rohingya refugees to their country of origin, Myanmar.

Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid said that all countries are obliged to protect anyone that is fleeing repression and persecution in their country of origin.

Novianti Setuningsih, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia has asked the General Elections Commission (KPU) to include the issue of human rights in the upcoming presidential and vice presidential (capres-cawapres) debates for the 2024 presidential election.

Reiner Brabar, Sorong – The gagging of democratic space that continues to occur in Indonesia shows the failure of claims that Indonesia is a democratic country. Democracy and human rights have suffered a decline, and even the right to civil space is shrinking with the curbing of freedom of expression.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Malinau, Indonesia – Indonesia's newly revised energy transition plan includes a more stringent limit on carbon emissions, an increase in the share of renewable energy generation, and a diversified range of funding types to cover the $20 billion tab.

Batu Palano – Rescuers searching the hazardous slopes of Indonesia's Mount Marapi volcano found more bodies among the climbers caught by a surprise eruption two days ago, raising the number of confirmed and presumed dead to 23.

Ichsan Ali, Jakarta – Vice Justice Minister Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej has taken legal action to contest the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)'s recent decision to name him as a suspect.

The legal motion was lodged with the South Jakarta District Court on Monday, following an extensive interrogation at the KPK headquarters in Jakarta.

Marianne Hanson – Indonesia's parliament last month agreed to ratify the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). This is an important political development, and it deserves attention – across the region and in Australia.

Trissia Wijaya – The Indonesia-China relationship has attained new dimensions over the past few years. The recent opening of the Jakarta – Bandung high speed rail (HSR) – a joint venture between Chinese and Indonesian state-owned enterprises – marks a significant milestone in bilateral relations.

Jakarta – Indonesia's parliament on Tuesday passed a revision to its internet law, softening articles that critics said have been used to stifle government opposition.

One hundred motorcycles have reportedly been abandoned in the parking zone of the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport for years, authorities say, and they are urging the owners to claim their vehicles.

Aryo Putranto Saptohutomo, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) independence score has plummeted since the enactment of Law Number 19/2019 which resulted in the agency coming under the authority of the executive.