M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – Indonesian President Joko Widodo or Jokowi submitted his 2022 official wealth report (LHKPN) to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). The report revealed that his wealth increased by Rp10.8 billion in 2022.

Moh Khory Alfarizi, Jakarta – Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF) senior economist Faisal Basri said that officials at the directorate general of taxation who are openly known to live a lavish lifestyle can spark civil disobedience in payment of taxes.

M Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia on Tuesday issued its 2022 annual report revealing the myriad of attacks against human rights defenders in Indonesia throughout the year. The watchdog's researcher Saufa Ata Taqiyya said this is unfortunately a global trend.

Jakarta – Human Rights activists Haris Azhar and Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Coordinator Fatia Maulidiyanti will be tried in a case of alleged defamation against Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan at the East Java District Court on Monday April 3.

Tegar Nurfitra, Kupang – Indonesian Police (Polri), represented by East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Regional Police Chief (Kapolda) Inspector General Johanis Asadoma, intensified cooperation with the Timor-Leste Police (PNTL) by attending its head's inauguration ceremony in Dili, Timor-Leste, Mar 27.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Jayapura District Court on Monday, March 27, 2023, held another trial of treason against the International Spokesperson of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), Viktor Yeimo. In the hearing, expert witnesses presented by Yeimo's side, Herlambang Wiratraman and Cahyo Pamungkas said that anti-racism expression and referendum demands were not treason.

Church leaders in Indonesia's Papua province have asked the separatist group to release a New Zealand pilot, held hostage for nearly two months to garner international support for the Papuan independence movement.

Duncan Graham – It's easy being morally upright when the brutalities and agonies are far away. When adjacent, and the offender is big, powerful, outnumbering us 11-to 1, and a vital trader, concerns get muted. President Theodore Roosevelt's 'big stick' foreign policy advice has been tweaked by Canberra to: 'Speak softly and carry a small twig'.

As Indonesia's hosting rights of the FIFA U-20 World Cup hang in the balance due to overwhelming anti-Israel sentiments, Solo's Mayor Gibran Rakabuming says he does not wish to see all tournament preparations go to waste.

Finau Fonua – Indonesian security forces in West Papua last week launched an offensive against the West Papua Liberation Army (TPNPB) command holding New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens hostage, RNZ Pacific can confirm.

Amelia Rahima Sari, Jakarta – The Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) on Monday highlighted the stagnant industrial production of crude palm oil or CPO in January 2023.

"2023 begins with January CPO production of 3,892 thousand tons and PKO (palm kernel oil) of 370 thousand tons," said Gapki Executive Director Mukti Sardjono in a press statement, Monday, March 27.

Moh Khory Alfarizi, Jakarta – House of Representatives (DPR) Commission XI deputy speaker Amir Uskara on Tuesday said that he is satisfied with Finance Minister Sri Mulyani's account of the alleged information regarding the existence of Rp349 trillion in suspicious transactions.

Antara, Jakarta – The Trikora Beach located at Bintan Regency, Riau Islands has once again been polluted with what is believed to be oil waste, which has darkened the waters of the popular tourist area since the end of last week.

Riani Sanusi Putri, Jakarta – The Indonesian Farmers Union (SPI) chairperson Henry Saragih on Monday assessed that the government's decision to import 2 million tons of rice grain this year is detrimental to farmers as the policy is taken precisely amidst the country's main harvest is in progress.

Mirza Bagaskara, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named Kapuas Regent Ben Brahim S. Bahat and his wife Ary Egahni Ben Bahat, who is a member of the Parliament, as suspects for allegedly extorting civil servants.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) ratified Government Regulation in Lieu of Law Number 2/2022 on the Jobs Law (Perppu Ciptaker) during a plenary meeting on Tuesday March 21.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia is aiming to bring home investment commitments that are at least a hundred times what the country has put in to join the 2023 Hannover Messe industrial fair next month.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Some European companies within the automotive sector have shown interest in investing in Indonesia after the Southeast Asian nation became a partner country to the 2021 Hannover Messe industrial technology fair, according to the Investment Ministry.

BeritaSatu, Jakarta – The police have arrested a married couple who founded the Naila Syafaah Wisata Mandiri, the umrah agency that scammed hundreds of Indonesian pilgrims with some even getting stuck in Saudi Arabia for days.

The couple, Mahfudz Abdullah (52) and Halijah Amin (48) were staying in a hotel in Yogyakarta at the time of the arrest.

Jakarta – It took Bank Indonesia (BI) less than a week to follow up on the President's warning about Indonesia's dependence on foreign credit card networks.

The central bank said on March 18 that it had been discussing with local businesses on developing a domestic network, and that progress was at 90 percent.

Lhokseumawe, Indonesia – More than 180 disoriented Rohingya Muslims, some of whom needed medical attention, arrived in the early morning in Indonesia's northernmost province of Aceh, an official said Monday.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – A 16-year-old boy died and two others were injured after being beaten by vigilantes for throwing lit firecrackers into a mosque compound while a Quran recital was underway in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, late on Sunday.

Endy Bayuni, Jakarta – We are only in the first few days of Ramadan and already many Muslims in Indonesia may have failed the test when they joined the chorus on social media condemning President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo as anti-Islam for telling officials not to hold gatherings for iftar after sunset.

A joint force of Indonesian military and police are claiming to have shot dead a member of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNB) in Central Papua Province on Wednesday last week.

Jakarta – Since she was a senior high school student, Jakarta-based freelance writer Anindya Miriati Hasanah, 25, has favoured second-hand clothes.

The avid fan of Japan's Harajuku street style used to visit thrift stores across Jakarta, but she now hunts for bargains at online shops on Instagram. For her, it feels like a treasure hunt.

Seoul – Government officials and business leaders from South Korea and Indonesia on Friday underscored combined efforts to expand the electric vehicle ecosystem in the Southeast Asian country at a business forum marking the 50th anniversary of bilateral ties.

Jakarta – Business enterprises have been bombarded with numerous sustainability standards globally, with the importance and prevalence of different areas varying from one sector to another. Indonesian companies, notably those engaged in the exploitation of natural resources, are familiar with the principles of economic, social and environmental sustainability.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – The competition ahead of the 2024 elections is heating up as Megawati Soekarnoputri, chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the biggest party in the ruling coalition, and President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo met on March 18 at the State Palace to discuss food sovereignty, foreign policy and the 2024 elections.

Jakarta – Two crew members have died and one is missing after a fire broke out on an oil tanker carrying fuel to terminals on the islands of Bali and Lombok, the state energy company Pertamina said in a statement late on Sunday.

Ni Komang Erviani, Denpasar – The Denpasar immigration office in Bali deported on Saturday two Polish nationals accused of ignoring the strictures of Nyepi (Day of Silence) on Wednesday.

They were forced to cancel their plan to continue their backpacking to West Nusa Tenggara and Australia after violating the ban on activities during Nyepi.

Jakarta – At least 12 people were injured when part of a mosque's dome collapsed in South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

The mosque in the district of Ujung Tanah, Makassar constructed in 1993, was packed last night when part of the dome fell to the ground.

According to National Procurement Commission (CNA) figures cited in China-Lusophone Brief, companies from China won 44 contracts worth a total of US$714.6 million during the period. Indonesian enterprises were awarded 72 contracts worth nearly US$499 million.

Every election season, Indonesia produces countless stories about "politik uang", which literally translates to "money politics" and involves politicians being uncharacteristically generous in that they give money and goods to constituents in order to buy their votes.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Central Papua Provincial Government has been asked to organize a meeting between residents of the Far East Mimika, Jita and Agimuga districts with the management of PT Freeport Indonesia to discuss the environmental impact of the gold and copper mine.

Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia believes that the arrest of Heru Budiawan alias Budi Pego, an activist opposing the Tumpang Pitu gold mine in Banyuwangi, East Java, does irreparable damage the image of Indonesian justice.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) asks the Head of the Investment and One-Stop Integrated Service Office of Papua Province to immediately revoke Decree No. 82/2021 on the environmental feasibility of a plan to develop oil palm plantations and processing plants in the customary forest of the Woro Clan in Boven Digoel Regency, South Papua Province.

Investor Daily, Jakarta – Indonesia's textile and apparel export is forecast to decline by 10 percent from $12 billion in 2022 to around $11 billion this year, according to the Indonesian Fiber and Filament Yarn Producers Association or APSyFI.

Yuni Arisandy Sinaga, Jakarta – US Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Y. Kim met with Commander of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) Admiral Yudo Margono on Monday (March 27).

Muhammad Aulia, Jakarta – Three co-defendants in the drug theft trial that saw high-ranking police officer Teddy Minahasa as the key defendant are recommended prison sentences between 17 and 20 years on Monday.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – The Indonesian Political Economy Association (AEPI) agricultural observer Khudori on Monday assessed the government's decision to import two million tons of rice amidst the country's harvest season as a bitter decision.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The National Police said Monday they will continue to hunt the remaining members of Jemaah Islamiyah although top figures of the shadowy terror group blamed for many major attacks in the 2000s were already captured or killed.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Monday instructed his officials to redesign the group iftar budget to help the poor, as questionably wealthy civil servants remain in the spotlight for their lavish lifestyles.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has officially decided to resume rice imports. Through an assignment letter, the head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi ordered Perum Bulog to import 2 million tons of rice until December 2023.

Tika Ayu, Jakarta – Chairperson for Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) Muhammad Isnur on Sunday asserted that the political maneuver by the current administration in issuing the Job Creation regulation in lieu of law (Perpu) and the subsequent passing into law by House legislators is a brutal attack against the principle of rule of law.

Antara, Jakarta – Head of National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi on Sunday announced that the government's rice food aid is currently being packaged and is set to be distributed to 21.353 low-income families.

This means each person with the right to access the aid will receive 10 kilograms of rice for the next three months.

Tika Ayu, Jakarta – The National Transportation Workers Union (SBTN) deputy Burhanuddin on Sunday stated that members of the union will go on strike in protest against the House of Representatives (DPR) which passed the Job Creation Law on March 21. He threatened to conduct a mass strike that will cripple one of the country's largest and busiest seaports, Tanjung Priok.

Antara, Jakarta – The rupiah slumped at the Jakarta Interbank Spot Dollar Rate [JISDOR] this morning, March 27, with growing market concerns that the banking crisis still has the potential to spread. The rupiah opened with a 30-points (0.19%) correction to trade for Rp15,183 per US dollar.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian government will import 215,000 tons of sugar to maintain the national supply and anticipate increased demand during the fasting month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.

Jakarta – University of Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM UI) Chairperson Melki Sedek Huang says that State Secretary Ministry Special Staffer Faldo Maldini is trying to divert the main issue away from public criticism of the enactment into law of the government regulation in lieu (Perppu) on the Jobs Law (Ciptaker).

BTV, Jakarta – The U-20 World Cup in Indonesia came to a shaky start with world football governing body FIFA canceling the group drawing in Bali scheduled for March 31, after the resort island's governor rejected Israel as the participating team.