I Ketut Ari Wiantara, 53, was arrested by the Bali Police on suspicion of having performed thousands of illegal abortions from 2006 to 2023.
Bali Police Special Crimes Unit Deputy Chief Ranefli Dian Candra said in a press conference today that the police received a tip-off about Wiantara's illegal clinic, which led to his arrest on May 8 in Denpasar.
A New Zealand advocacy group has appealed to the government to heed the call of West Papuan church leaders for Indonesia to withdraw security forces and impose a "humanitarian pause" while negotiating for the release of captive pilot Philip Merhtens.
Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto is shaping up as the candidate to beat in the presidential race on Feb. 14, 2024, and is no longer the dark horse of earlier surveys.
Jakarta – The World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19 pandemic no longer a global health emergency, but it is too early to celebrate. Instead, we call on the government and the people alike to remain vigilant.
Sella P G, Fadhli Ruhman, Jakarta – The Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) remains committed to realizing the entrepreneurship ratio target of 3.95 percent by creating one million new entrepreneurs until 2024.
This target is mandated in Presidential Regulation No. 2 of 2022 on 2021-2024 National Entrepreneurship Development.
Riani Sanusi Putri, Jakarta – The Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah said that she would summon the producer of Adidas footwear following reports of the unilateral dismissal of thousands of employees. She plans to have a dialogue with the producer, the supervisor, and the Development of Industrial Relations and Labor Social Security (PHI Jamsos).
Mirza Bagaskara, Jakarta – The Minister of Youth and Sports Dito Ariotedjo appealed young people to participate actively in the 2024 election. He said that it was hoped that the involvement of youth would bring the election in a much better direction than before.
Riri Rahayu, Antara, Jakarta – A public policy observer from Jakarta Trisaksi University, Trubus Rahadiansyah, assessed that the government is reluctant to update its poverty line as recommended by the World Bank due to its image. He opined that the government will be embarrassed if the poverty rate turns out to be higher.
Jakarta – A group of telecommunications workers taken hostage by an armed rebel group in the Papuan Highlands has been released, the local police have said, in the latest kidnapping crisis in the restive region.
BTV, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, on Monday named the head of the Makassar Customs and Excise Office a suspect two months after he was first interrogated for alleged undeclared assets.
Jayapura, Jubi – A public lecture titled "Exploring Nonviolent Alternatives in Papua" was organized by the Student Executive Board of the Jayapura University of Science and Technology (USTJ) in Jayapura City on Saturday, May 13, 2023, where several prominent individuals and human rights activists participated in the discussion.
Singgih Wiryono, Jakarta – In commemorating the tragedy of the May 1998 riots in Jakarta, or the reformasi 1998 incident, Amnesty International is reminding the government that there were other dark events that occurred at that time, namely the sexual violence experienced by ethnic Chinese women.
Antara, Jakarta – A Papuan separatist group attacked six workers involved in the construction of a base transceiver station (BTS) tower in Okbibab, Pegunungan Bintang District, Papua Pegunungan Province, and held four of them hostage.
Two other workers were injured in the incident on Friday (May 12).
Fauzi, Nabil Ihsan, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD stated that the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia was founded as a religious nation-state based on no particular religion.
Sean Filo M, Fadhli Ruhman, Jakarta – The National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) held an event at Pondok Ranggon Public Cemetery on Saturday to mark 25 years of the Reformation.
Victoria Milko and Dita Alangkara, Laindeha, Indonesia – As Tamar Ana Jawa wove a red sarong in the fading sunlight, her neighbor switched on a light bulb dangling from the sloping tin roof. It was just one bulb powered by a small solar panel, but in this remote village that means a lot.
Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Media tycoon Hary Tanoesoedibjo said on Sunday he is confident that his United Indonesia Party, or Perindo, will win House of Representatives seats "by two digits" in the 2024 general elections after an unsuccessful debut in the last polls.
Antara, Jakarta – The Trade Ministry has removed more than 64,500 online stores offering second-hand products from major e-commerce and social media platforms since the crackdown on used-clothing import began in March.
Stevani Wijaya, Jakarta – The support for Ganjar Pranowo has risen by six points since he was officially nominated for president by the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P, last month, while his two main contenders begin to struggle nine months into the election, according to a new survey.
Xena Olivia, Jakarta – The National Association of 1998 Activists (Pena 98) is holding a photo and memorabilia exhibition to commemorate 25 years of reformasi – the political reform movement that began in 1998.
The exhibition is being held at the Graha Pena 98 building on Jalan Hos Tjokroaminoto No 115 in the Menteng suburb of Central Jakarta.
Resty Woro Yuniar – Maria Catarina Sumarsih's world crumbled on November 13, 1998, when she received news that Indonesian soldiers had killed her son on his university campus, nearly six months after the end of a 32-year dictatorship ushered in a period of democratic reform.
Uday Bakhshi – On April 14, the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) shot at a small plane that was landing at an airstrip in Intan Jaya Regency in Indonesia's restive Papuan provinces (Twitter/@udayxSEA, April 14). [1] The TPNPB asserted that it would continue to target aircraft and pilots, including foreigners, after the attack.
John McBeth – Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold (FCX) chairman Richard Adkerson has twice flown to Jakarta this year as he tries to persuade President Joko Widodo's administration to make an early decision on extending the American mining company's contract over the fabled Grasberg mine beyond 2041.
Jakarta – Indonesia Ulama Council (MUI) Deputy Chairperson Anwar Abbas is asking that a fan meeting with gay Thai actors and musicians Billkin and PP Krit that is planned to be held in Indonesia be cancelled because they a symbol of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) groups.
Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) says that the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community will be one of the groups that will be most vulnerable to politicisation during the upcoming 2024 legislative and presidential elections.
Niniek Karmini, Jakarta, Indonesia – U.S. Army Chief of Staff James McConville met with Indonesia's top defense official on Friday to push for stronger security ties amid growing Chinese maritime activity in the Indo-Pacific region.
Fikri Harish, Jakarta – With four days left until registration closes on Sunday, political parties are now scrambling to hand in their list of candidates vying for House of Representatives seats to the General Elections Commission (KPU).
Fikri Harish, Jakarta – A recent survey of Jakarta residents has found former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan still in the lead over Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo in the presidential race, but by a lower margin. Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto, whose electability has increased since July 2022 remains in distant third.
Tenny Kristiana – Indonesia's biofuel program was supposed to be a boon for small farmers. But although the country's biodiesel production has skyrocketed, many farmers complain that the program hasn't benefited them. Farmers are still struggling to become part of the biodiesel supply chain, which is dominated by large palm oil firms.
Chris Barrett, Suai, Timor-Leste – Timorese resistance hero and the country's first president, Xanana Gusmao, has sent a blunt message to Australia: give it a chance to further develop its own gas industry and let the underdeveloped nation flourish.
Jakarta – Indonesia's April trade surplus was seen increasing from the previous month, with imports softening due to less production activities during the holiday of Ramadan, a Reuters poll showed.
The median analysis of 14 economists in the survey showed the trade surplus in April likely increased to $3.38 billion from $2.91 billion in March.
Jayapura, Jubi – On Thursday, May 11, 2023, the Jayapura District Court carried out a follow-up trial for the case of alleged treason involving three students from Jayapura University of Science and Technology (USTJ).
Cindy Layan, Jakarta – The ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P, registered Thursday 20,462 legislative candidates at the local and national levels with the General Election Commission (KPU) as it seeks to retain control of the House of Representatives and the presidential palace.
Jayapura, Jubi – Ha-Anim Women's Association (PPHA) chair Febi Koten highlighted eight cases of sexual violence against children that took place in Merauke Regency, South Papua Province between 2021 and 2023. The protection of children and women from sexual violence and abuse is a matter that requires the attention and efforts of all parties.
Amnesty International is calling on Indonesia to release West Papua National Committee spokesperson, Victor Yeimo.
Yeimo was sentenced on Friday to eight months in prison for his involvement in an anti-racism protest in Papua in August 2019.
Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – Indonesian retailers are projected to maintain their sales momentum even after Ramadan and the Idul Fitri holidays, which normally lift consumer spending, came to an end, Bank Indonesia (BI) data show.
Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has defended the role taken by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in influencing political parties' preference in the 2024 presidential election, saying that past presidents had played the game before.
Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – The World Bank has called on Indonesia to expand its poverty eradication efforts to protect the millions of citizens it says are in danger of falling back into poverty, despite the country's achievements in improving the lot of its people over the past decades.
Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – National Police investigators have arrested a man and a woman suspected to be behind the trafficking of more than a dozen Indonesians to Myanmar, where the victims were forced to run online scams, as ASEAN nations seek a stronger regional response to human trafficking.
Max Lane – The small but vocal Partai Buruh (PB), a newcomer to Indonesian politics, could disrupt the 2024 elections if its questioning of the status quo succeeds. For now, the odds remain low.
Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan has expressed his frustration over a lack of clarity on United States commitments to provide funds it has pledged to Indonesia to help the country move away from fossil fuels.
Fadli, Jakarta – The Riau Islands has rejected a report by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) on an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) on a pig farm in the province.
Rika Azmi, head of the provincial Food Security, Agriculture and Animal Health Agency, claimed the WOAH did not have the means to determine outbreaks of animal diseases in Indonesia.
Jakarta – The Forum of Concerned Citizens for Indonesia's Parliament (Formappi) says that the House of Representatives' (DPR) performance during the IV sitting period for 2022-2023 was poor and declined drastically in comparison the previous period.
Tonggo Simangunsong, Jakarta – Uli Artha Panggabean is a weaver of ulos, the traditional woven cloth of the Batak tribe. Her passion for the tradition goes deep.
Jayapura, Jubi – In a bid to protect their land and forests, a group of environmental activists from the Awyu region has filed for intervention at the Jakarta Administrative Court.
London – With the ink now drying on the laws creating the new provinces in West Papua, claimed by Jakarta to have support from Papuans, TAPOL's new report, 'West Papua 2022: Freedom Of Expression And Freedom Of Assembly', shows a picture of increasing incidents, including arrests, dispersals, intimidation and killings for expressing dissent.
Agnes Valentina Christa, Jakarta – The number of medical workers' organizations supportive of the health bill keeps increasing despite a recent major rally opposing the bill.
Bella Evangelista, Jakarta – Chief Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan expressed confidence on Tuesday that Indonesia will soon surpass Vietnam as the biggest footwear manufacturer in Southeast Asia.
His remarks came after sportswear giant New Balance announced a new investment to operate a seventh athletic shoe factory in Indonesia.
Indonesia is still in a COVID-19 health emergency even though the World Health Organization (WHO) has lifted the global status of the disease.
The Ministry of Health said in a press conference yesterday that Indonesia's transition away from COVID-19 emergency status rests on President Joko Widodo.
Antara, Jakarta – Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairperson Nurul Ghufron on Tuesday lamented the lack of deterrent effect on corruption inmates in the current prison facility and suggested that the agency is considering other alternatives such as the Nusakambangan penitentiary, which among others is also notoriously known to imprison terrorist convicts.