Yustinus Paat & Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The House of Representatives on Tuesday enacted the bill on the Criminal Code into law despite mounting public criticisms over its controversial articles, including one that criminalizes sex outside of marriage.

The Timorese state oil company Timor GAP, the majority partner in the Greater Sunrise consortium in the Timor Sea, has informed Australia's Woodside of its intention to replace it as operator of the project.

Timor GAP holds 56.56 per cent of the Greater Sunrise consortium, in which Woodside has 33.44 per cent, and Japanese Osaka Gas company has 10 per cent.

Jakarta – With its gleaming offices, electric buses and economically productive residents, Nusantara is the quintessential modern metropolis – smack in the middle of a vast rainforest.

Indonesian Church activists lamented the cancellation of the visit of the US special envoy to advance the rights of LGBTQI+ persons following opposition from hardline Muslim groups.

The US embassy in Jakarta announced on Dec. 2 it was canceling a visit by Jessica Stern to the Muslim-majority country planned for Dec. 7-9.

Juliana Harsianti – The long-awaited Indonesian Personal Data Protection Bill was approved by the parliament on September 20, 2022.

Yerica Lai. Jakarta – Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Yudo Margono, the only candidate nominated by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo as the Indonesian Military (TNI) commander, said at his confirmation hearing on Friday that he would strengthen maritime defense to help realize the President's vision of turning the country as a "global maritime fulcrum".

Abdil Mughis Mdhoffir, Melbourne, Australia – It is a myth that civil society is a backbone of democracy.

Dave McRae, Daniel Russo-Batterham, Kim Doyle and Maria del Mar Quiroga. Jakarta – Online discussion about the conflict over independence in Indonesia's easternmost provinces – the Papua conflict – is a fiercely contested space.

Divya Karyza, Jakarta – Electric vehicle (EV) producers are confident that the planned subsidy for purchasing electric cars and electric motorcycles will drive EV sales in Indonesia.

Fikri Harish, Jakarta – After signaling earlier that he would set up a special National Health Insurance (JKN) program for the wealthy under the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan), Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has clarified that the facility would maintain universal coverage of only basic health needs (KDK).

Jakarta – The Indonesian Financial Services Authority, or OJK, has revoked the business license of Asuransi Jiwa Adisarana Wanaartha, better known as Wanaartha Life, as the company failed to meet the solvency requirements set by the authority, an official said on Monday.

BTV, Cianjur, West Java – The government will build 1,800 earthquake-resistant houses for residents in areas worst hit by the November 21 earthquake that killed more than 300 people in the West Java district of Cianjur, President Joko Widodo said on Monday.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia will helm the ASEAN bloc in 2023, and in the same year, Sweden will assume the chairmanship of the Council of the European Union. The green transition will likely become a large part of the collaboration as the two countries lead the world's two major trading blocs, according to a Swedish envoy.

Adrial Akbar, Jakarta – Protesters opposing tomorrow's planned enactment of the Draft Criminal Code (RKUHP) have arrived in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta. They brought with them posters containing their demands and yellow flags symbolising death.

Jayapura, Jubi – Senior Papuan journalist and chief editor of Jubi, Victor Mambor, said Papuan students should start writing about Papua's conflict as clear writing was important in the midst of the current noise and flood of information on problems that occur in Papua.

Jakarta – Early in October President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo was upbeat, thinking the government was an inch closer to declaring the COVID-19 pandemic over. That such a hope has not been realized after about two months may, however, be a blessing in disguise, simply because we are not yet certain whether we have managed to get the pandemic under control.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has proposed Navy chief of staff Admiral Yudo Margono as the new commander of the Indonesian Military (TNI).

P. K. Balachandran – In a sharp turn towards authoritarianism and archaic religiosity, Indonesia's parliament is expected to pass, within a few days, a new Criminal Code that will extend the ambit of blasphemy, ban criticism of State Institutions and criminalize cohabitation and sexual relations outside wedlock.

Timor-Leste has authorised a US$73.3 million finance agreement with Australia for works at Dili Airport.

"This is the last leg of the funding, so that progress can now be made on the project. We will now issue international tenders for this large-scale project," said Timor-Leste's Finance Minister Rui Gomes.

Activists protested at the Ternate Police headquarters, North Maluku demanding the force release eight people arrested while commemorating the West Papua Independence Day on December 1.

December 1 marked 61 years since the first raising of West Papua's symbol of independence, the Morning Star flag.

Shayal Devi – In solidarity with West Papua, the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) called for a boycott of all Indonesian products and programs by the Indonesian government.

Agencies, Jakarta – A quake of 6.1 magnitude hit West Java area on Saturday, the Geophysics Agency BMKG said, sending people running out of buildings.

The quake has no tsunami potential, the agency said. It was felt in capital Jakarta, around 200 km from the epicentre.

Agencies, Lumajang, East Java – Thousands of villagers living near Mount Semeru were racing for refuge Sunday to the wail of emergency sirens as lava snaked towards their homes under a black sky after the volcano erupted.

Locals fled on motorbikes sometimes three at a time as a mushroom cloud of ash approached and monsoon rains lashed the area in East Java.

Nabila Nurshafira L Imaji Lasahido, Jakarta – The Smart City movement was initiated by the Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kemenkominfo) and has been implemented since 2017.

Smart City is aimed at increasing mobility, creating quality of life, environmentally friendly construction, and the use of renewable energy sources.

Anisa Hafifah L Imaji Lasahido, Jakarta – Hundreds of masses from many workers' organizations will hold a demonstration in front of the Jakarta City Hall starting on Friday, December 2, 2022, until Wednesday, December 7, 2022, next week. The Labor Party demonstration was carried out as a form of rejection of the Jakarta provincial minimum wage (UMP) increase by 5.6 percent.

Jakarta – President Joko Widodo or Jokowi has established an agreement with US President Joe Biden to develop electric vehicles, as a follow-up to the G20 Summit last month in Bali.

Fossil-based electric vehicles will be developed through the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), with an investment worth of US$20 billion or around Rp308 trillion.

Jakarta – This year's Indonesian Film Festival (FFI) marked another big win for the country's art-house cinema. Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas (Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash), directed by Edwin, brought home Best Director along with awards in four other categories. Kamila Andini's Nana (Before, Now and Then) won in five categories, including Best Picture.

Makassar – Five unmarried couples were netted by the Makassar Metropolitan District Police (Polrestabes) Women and Child Protection (PPA) Unit during a sweep operation of boarding houses in the South Sulawesi provincial capital that are often cited as places of immorality.

Chris Barrett and Amilia Rosa – It has been teased as the chance of a lifetime. An auction in New York this week at which the development rights to an uninhabited, pristine archipelago in far eastern Indonesia are up for grabs.

Hans Arnold K, Suharto, Manokwari, West Papua – West Papua Provincial Police Chief Inspector General Daniel T. M. Silitonga instructed the province's district police personnel to crack down on actions of certain parties that can potentially disturb public order on December 1, 2022.

Daniel Ahmad, Jakarta – United States Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) Persons Jessica Stern has cancelled her initial plan to visit Indonesia next week. This was confirmed by US Ambassador for Indonesia Sung Kim.

Michael Moran – Indonesia is set to pass new legislation to outlaw sex before marriage, with a punishment of up to one year in jail for rule breakers.

Indonesian Deputy Justice Minister Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej said the new criminal code was "in line with Indonesian values".

Danyal Hussain – Aussies travelling to Bali could face a year in jail if they have sex outside of marriage under a strict new law the country says is 'in line with Indonesian values'.

Bali is one of the most popular tourist destinations for Aussies, with over a million visiting in a typical year.

Jayapura, Jubi – Dozens of activists from the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP), the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP), and the Indonesian Student League for Democracy (LMID) protested in front of the Ternate Police Headquarters, North Maluku on Thursday evening, December 1, 2022.

Jakarta – A 5.7-magnitude earthquake has hit Indonesia's main island of Java, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said, shaking the same town devastated by another quake last month that left more than 330 people dead.

Yvette Tanamal, Jakarta – The time was nigh for Indonesia to embark on a candid discourse about its role in enabling slavery during the colonial era, experts said following Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte's apology speech addressing the Dutch state's historical role in slavery.

Jayapura, Jubi – Chairperson of the Papua AIDS Control Commission (KPA Papua) Anton Mote said as of September 2022 there were 50,011 HIV/AIDS cases in Papua, consisting of 20,441 HIV-positive cases and 29,570 AIDS cases. Mote said the commission continued to accelerate efforts to prevent and control HIV/AIDS in Papua.

BTV, Jakarta – The General Election Commission, of KPU, on Saturday, called on political parties to listen to the choice of the people when selecting candidates for public posts, especially the president.

Dicky Kurniawan, Jakarta – The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, expressed optimism that Tesla would invest in the electric car industry in Indonesia. Luhut said that he had talks with Tesla CEO Elon Musk about several advantages of investing in the country.

Indonesian authorities should immediately release three Papuans who have been charged with treason by police for peacefully expressing their opinions, following crackdowns on a series of peaceful protests in the lead-up to and on 1 December, Amnesty International Indonesia and Amnesty International Australia said today.

Jakarta – Indonesia's Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that the government's priority in the health sector has been shifted from the COVID-19 pandemic handling to the quality improvement of public health services. The Health Ministry will thus allot a sufficient budget for the revitalization of health facilities and promotive and preventive programs.

Major Islamic organizations are voicing their outrage over plans by the US to send a special envoy for the advancement of LGBTQ+ rights in Indonesia.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has called for resuming vigilance over inflation as the price increase rate eased to a three-month low in November.

Felix Martua, Jakarta – The two-year global pandemic and the surge of digital streaming platforms have put Indonesia's radio stations on edge. Some of them, however, have decided to adapt and embrace the changing times.

A commanding officer with the Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres) is being investigated for the alleged rape of an army lieutenant, as confirmed by Indonesian Military Commander General Andika Perkasa.

Jakarta – A dozen families whose relatives died or were injured after consuming tainted cough syrups have sued the government and companies accused of supplying the products, according to a lawsuit.

Fadli, Batam – Batam city in Riau Islands has seen a decrease in numbers of HIV/AIDS cases in the past few years, but same-sex partners still make up the majority of cases.

The city Health Agency reported that a total of 446 people contracted HIV in 2022; 333 of them are men. Since recording began in 1992, a total of 8,800 cases have been reported in the city.

Indonesia's parliament is expected to pass a new criminal code that will penalise sex outside marriage, with a punishment of up to one year in jail, officials have confirmed.

The legislative overhaul will also ban insulting the president or state institutions and expressing any views counter to Indonesia's state ideology. Cohabitation before marriage is also banned.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo warned on Friday that the general election, scheduled for February 2024, could take place under the cloud of global economic and political uncertainty from the Ukraine war effect and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Diego Garcia Rodriguez – Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and transsexual (LGBT+) individuals in Indonesia have been affected during the COVID-19 pandemic by multi-layered discrimination and intolerance.