Jakarta – The government is restricting state civil servants from traveling out of town and taking leave as part of its efforts to avoid a COVID-19 case surge following the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Jakarta – Many travelers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, are opting to take the gold-standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests as compared with mandatory rapid antigen tests prior to their departures for their hometowns as they want to keep their families safe from COVID-19 infection.

Jayanty Nada Shofa & Farouk Arnaz, Jakarta – The German Embassy in Indonesia has apologized for their recent diplomat's visit to the hardline group Islamic Defenders Front, or FPI, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Sunday.

Jakarta – Almost nine months into the pandemic, Indonesia finally welcomed the first consignment of the COVID-19 vaccine produced by China's Sinovac Biotech at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, on Dec. 6.

Jakarta – Police arrested a group of calo (middlemen) offering fake rapid test results at Pasar Senen railway station, Central Jakarta, on Sunday.

Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Yusri Yunus said they received a report regarding these middlemen on Saturday night. After investigating, they managed to arrest three suspects on Sunday.

The new travel requirement for the year-end holiday has resulted in a long queue for the antigen rapid test at Soekarno-Hatta Airport this morning, with travelers alleging that airport staff were not ready for the turnout.

Friski Riana, Jakarta – Epidemiologist from Australia's Griffith University, Dicky Budiman, asked the government to prepare a lockdown or a fully large-scale social restriction (PSBB) on Java Island in a bid to anticipate a spike in COVID-19 cases after Christmas and New Year holidays.

Irwan Syambudi & Mohammad Bernie – There were 68 independent or individual candidates who contested the December 9 election of regional heads (Pilkada), but according to the General Elections Commission (KPU) only six won.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Indonesia passed the 20,000 mark on Monday while the average of daily new cases set a new record for the fifth day in a row.

The sad milestone was reached amid a dramatic rise in daily death toll, which topped 200 in the last two days.

The Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) and the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) again launched actions in several parts of the country on December 19. This time the actions took up the theme, "Trikora: The Start of Indonesia's Colonisation of the West Papua Nation".

Jakarta

Jakarta – A female Sumatran tiger that was rescued by authorities in March after being ensnared in a wire trap was returned to the wild on Sunday in a habitat restoration area in Riau.

Rizki Fachriansyah, Jakarta – Dozens of university and high school graduates from across the country formed the Alumni for Indonesia organization on Monday to address concerns about the country's potential tilt toward social and political tribalism.

Jakarta – Prominent Catholic scholar and author Bernardinus Herry Priyono died of cardiac arrest on Monday morning. He was 60 years old.

In a written statement made available to the press, Jesuit Indonesia said Bernardinus had lost consciousness at around 10 a.m. and was rushed to St. Carolus Hospital in Central Jakarta. He was pronounced dead at 11:20 a.m.

Jakarta – As Indonesia seeks ways to reopen schools in January, an expert has reminded the government and the public that such an approach carries the high risk of COVID-19 transmission, especially as children are not prioritized in the upcoming vaccination drive.

Jakarta – The Jakarta administration has extended the transitional period of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) for another two weeks until Jan. 3 as it hopes to prevent a spike in COVID-19 cases during the year-end holidays.

Maikel Jefriando, Jakarta – Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo inaugurated the Patimban sea port in West Java on Sunday, saying the new gateway would have a "strategic" role in boosting the nation's pandemic-hit economy.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Indonesia recorded 221 coronavirus-related deaths on Sunday, the highest daily death toll since the outbreak began and 26 percent higher than the previous record.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo hopes the national COVID-19 vaccination program will begin in January 2021.

Jakarta – National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) head Suharso Monoarfa has been appointed chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) for the 2020-2025 period by acclamation.

Usman Hamid, Jakarta – This year Indonesia witnessed a rollback of important reforms in human rights. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's security approach to tackling COVID-19, opting for an economic agenda over human rights and the imposition of hypernationalism, which resulted in a further authoritarian turn and state control of the internet, marked the regression.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has issued a circular calling city departments and municipally-owned businesses to shorten year-end holidays and prevent their employees from travelling as newly coronavirus cases are spiking dramatically.

Jakarta – Provinces in Java have imposed strict health restrictions for the year-end holidays in an attempt to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

Nevertheless, the North Sumatran city of Medan has decided to proceed with Christmas and New Year celebrations while urging residents to avoid crowds, despite the province's prohibition of crowded events.

Djemi Amnifu, Kupang – As the year draws to a close, several regional administrations across the country have taken steps to prepare public order and safety measures amid concerns over another spike in COVID-19 cases during the year-end holidays.

Jakarta – As Indonesia gears up to launch its first COVID-19 vaccination drive, several experts have shared their thoughts on possible disruptions to the program.

Griffith University epidemiologist Dicky Budiman warned of the possible misleading narratives touted by anti-vaxxers.

Haris Prabowo – The total number of people who used their right to vote in the December 9 election of regional heads was low in several parts of the country. In the context of Indonesian politics, those who do not vote – regardless of the motivation and reasons – can be classified as golongan putih or golput.

Bandung – West Java COVID-19 task force head Daud Achmad has admitted that the province saw a decreasing recovery rate in all 27 regencies and cities, to 82 percent from the previous 85 percent.

"The figures are logical because the recovery rate is counted from active cases," Daud said on Friday.

Jakarta – The government has set the price ceiling for individually requested COVID-19 antigen tests at Rp 250,000 (US$17.73) in Java and Rp 275,000 outside Java amid plans to require travelers to have negative antigen test results.

Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) will seek further confirmation from experts regarding the gunshot wounds that reportedly killed six members of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) amid an ongoing investigation into the incident.

Jakarta – Home Minister Tito Karnavian has called on regional leaders to issue regulations banning large crowds and to restrict the number of attendees at public rallies to drive local efforts to "flatten the curve" of COVID-19 transmission.

Ester Nuky, Sanya Dinda, Jakarta – Indonesia's and South Korea's $9.1 billion electric car battery joint venture project has gotten a boost after the two countries signed a comprehensive investment and trade deal, laying the groundwork for the Southeast Asian country's ambition to tap into the latter's technological prowess to establish an integrated battery industry.

Padang – The family of Tan Malaka want more roads named after him in areas which were once a basis for his struggle. Not just in West Sumatra, but also in other parts of Indonesia.

Jakarta – The detention of two ministers in the last month shows that there is still widespread corruption in Jokowi's administration. It is the people who are the victims.

Francisca Christy Rosana, Jakarta – State airport operator Angkasa Pura II will implement the pre-order system for passengers intending to take the PCR swab test and rapid antigen test. This policy was set following the long line of people who ordered the rapid antigen test at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on Friday, December 18.

Jakarta – Officials should refrain from engaging in public spats to avoid sparking already inflamed tensions amid the prolonged COVID-19 health emergency that has triggered a multi-dimensional crisis, independent experts have said.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – The Medan administration in North Sumatra will proceed with Christmas and New Year celebrations while urging residents to avoid crowds despite a prohibition against crowd-pulling events from the provincial administration to curb soaring COVID-19 cases.

Caesar Akbar, Jakarta – Senior economist Faisal Basri during a webinar on Friday criticized the reduced healthcare budget the government had allocated in the 2021 State Budget (APBN). He highlighted the fact that the healthcare budget had dropped from Rp212.5 trillion in 2020 to only Rp169.7 trillion.

Jakarta – The National Police have said 20,068 alms boxes in 12 regions were used to raise money and fund activities for the Jaamah Islamiyah terrorist group.

The boxes were from the Abdurrachman Bin Auf (ABA) charity foundation, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Argo Yuwono said.

Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman, Jakarta – The Public Works and Housing Ministry is offering 25 infrastructure projects worth Rp 278.35 trillion (US$19.7 billion) under public-private partnership (PPP) next year to private investors to plug the cash-strapped budget.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Police are teaming up with groups of ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers working with ride-hailing services to curb health protocol violations across Indonesia's capital.

Jakarta Police chief Inps. Gen. Fadil Imran said they had partnered with some 8,000 drivers as part of the "COVID-19 hunter" team.

A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – The Indonesian government and authorities in Thailand and Malaysia have brought 11 Sumatran orangutans back to Indonesia long after they were rescued from illegal wildlife trade networks.

The Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok and Thai authorities repatriated two of the orangutans, a male and a female, both six years old and weighing 25 kilograms.

Jakarta – A total of 1.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine produced by China's Sinovac Biotech are currently stored in a warehouse of state-owned pharmaceutical company PT Bio Farma in Bandung, West Java, after being flown in to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, on Dec. 6.

Fadlan Syam and Niniek Karmini, Jakarta, Indonesia – Supporters of a detained firebrand cleric marched in Indonesia's capital on Friday to demand his release and justice for six followers who were killed by police.

M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – The Islamic Defenders Front's (FPI) plan to stage the 1812 demonstration in front of the State Palace today, Dec. 18, drew many protests on Twitter.

The demonstration, demanding that the government fully disclose the shooting of six FPI members and to release its leader Rizieq Shihab, is seen as a means of transmitting Covid-19.

Jakarta – In order to prepare for the forthcoming vaccination drive across the country, the Indonesian Military (TNI) is preparing its personnel to help carry out the task.

Max Lane – As Covid year 2020 ends, so too does the first year of the second and final term of the presidency of Joko Widodo. One year in, all the sheen of being the "hope" for Indonesia has vanished.

Yustinus Paat, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan was still self-isolating at his official residence as daily number of coronavirus cases in the capital city set a new high and the overall death toll passed the 3,000 mark on Thursday.

Jakarta – Hundreds of protestors from the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and a group calling themselves the National Anti-Communist Alliance (Anak) staged a protest on Friday in Central Jakarta demanding a transparent investigation into the death of six FPI members and the release of the FPI leader Rizieq Shihab.

Jakarta – The Health Ministry announced 7,354 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Thursday, bringing the total number of infections nationwide to 643,508.

According to the same data, 142 more people died of COVID-19 in a single day, bringing the death toll to 19,390.

Jakarta – Numerous experts have expressed appreciation for the government's decision to make COVID-19 vaccines free of charge for all in a move announced by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Wednesday.

Sulfikar Amir, an expert in sociology of disaster at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU), gave a nod to Jokowi's decision.

Riska Rahman, Jakarta – Indonesia officially kicked off on Thursday the development of the Rp 1.8 trillion (US$127.24 million) Cirata floating solar power plant in West Java, one of the national strategic projects (PSN), as the government aims to boost the contribution of renewables to the country's energy mix.