A human rights campaigner in West Papua has been arrested by Indonesian security forces. Film-maker Wensislaus Fatubun was one of 54 people arrested in Merauke.
The group, which included church pastors and local politicians, had been planning a meeting to discuss Indonesia's intention to extend the Special Autonomy laws.
The British government is encouraging Indonesia to allow access to West Papua for the UN human rights chief's office. It's part of the UK's support for a recent Pacific Islands Forum resolution.
Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has urged businesses to partner with 2 million independent farmers by 2023 to improve their productivity, as Indonesia seeks to improve its farmers' welfare and food security.
Erin Cook – The return of Jakarta's notorious cleric Rizieq Shihab portends more upset in Indonesia's devastating year of pandemic and recession. But for the thousands of Islamic Defenders Front, or FPI, who gathered at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport just outside Jakarta to welcome the religious leader's flight from Saudi Arabia last week, it's a new beginning.
Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – A 34-year-old man in North Sumatra who sold a meteorite that smashed through his roof for Rp 200 million (US$14,000) found out later that he could have received 100 times the sum as the space rock is actually worth around $1.85 million.
James Massola and Karuni Rompies – Indonesian President Joko Widodo's plan to fast-track the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine from next month has been stymied by his government's own Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM).
Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has come down hard on those who have broken health protocols in the aftermath of massive crowds turning up to welcome the return of controversial cleric Rizieq Shihab in two events last week.
Arlina Arshad – Chaotic scenes of men in white robes and matching turbans celebrating the return of Indonesian firebrand cleric Rizieq Shihab from self-exile in Saudi Arabia have been hogging the media spotlight for over a week now.
Linda Yulisman, Jakarta – Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab returned from Saudi Arabia on National Heroes' Day in Indonesia, Nov 10, after a three-year self-imposed exile, calling for a "moral revolution" to save the country.
Across Indonesia, hundreds of communities are in conflict with companies seeking control of their resources. In some cases, the resistance has been led by women. Journalist Febriana Firdaus travelled across the country to meet grassroots female activists and delve into the stories behind their struggles.
It's official. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has signed the Regional Regulation (Perda) on COVID-19 mitigation, through which those who refuse COVID-19 vaccination, when it becomes available, can be fined up to IDR5 million (US$354).
Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim today announced that schools across Indonesia can reopen and conduct face-to-face learning starting January, provided that they fulfill the requirements and are authorized by their respective regional governments.
Jakarta – Many volunteers with the COVID-19 task force have resigned following the task force's controversial donation of 20,000 masks for the wedding of the daughter of controversial Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab.
One of the volunteers, Abdul Mufid, claimed that around 2,000 volunteers in the Greater Jakarta area had decided to quit the task force.
Jakarta – The Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) has criticized the hate speech verdict handed down against Bali-based musician I Gede Ari Astina, better known as Jerinx, saying his conviction was "unacceptable".
Sausan Atika, Jakarta – Like many parents during the COVID-19 pandemic, Siti Masita, 36, sits with her 8-year-old daughter during remote learning sessions every weekday.
Over time, she started to notice that her second-grader, a state elementary school student in Bekasi, West Java, wasn't able to complete school assignments on her own.
Jakarta – Indonesia's drug supervisory body has revoked the authorization for chloroquine phosphate and hydroxychloroquine sulfate use in the Covid-19 patient treatment after a study suggesting the drugs increase the risk for heart rhythm disorders among the patients.
Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The seven-day average of newly coronavirus infections hit a new high on Thursday as Indonesia is heading into a second peak of the outbreak.
The country has been averaging 4,461 cases in the past week, surpassing the previous high of 4,379 on Sept. 26.
Imam Hamdi, Jakarta – The Head of the Jakarta Public Order Agency (Satpol PP), Arifin, on Friday requested the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) to take down public billboards showcasing images of Rizieq Shihab. The agency said the billboards' installation had violated the city's public order.
Lani Diana Wijaya, Jakarta – The Jakarta Military commander (Pangdam Jaya), Maj. Gen. Dudung Abdurrahman, was infuriated by the installation of a large billboard depicting Rizieq Shihab in an area in Jakarta.
Jakarta – Police have released 54 participants of a Papuan People's Council (MRP) public hearing on Special Autonomy in Papua who were arrested for allegedly committing makar (treason, subversion, rebellion). The arrests took place on Tuesday November 17 while the public hearing was being held in Merauke regency, Papua.
Jakarta – Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Dudung Abdurachman has revealed that he had ordered his subordinates to take down banners in the city depicting Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab.
Eisya A. Eloksari, Jakarta – The Finance Ministry's Taxation Directorate General on Tuesday appointed another 10 digital technology companies as "VAT collectors", which are obliged to collect 10 percent value-added tax (VAT) from the foreign goods and services they sell under the government's new digital tax.
Sabrina Asril, Jakarta – The practice of obstructing press freedom has happened again. This time it befell Kompas.com reporter Nirmala Maulana whose mobile phone was seized by a rogue TNI (Indonesian military) officer when he was covering TNI personnel taking down an Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) billboard depicting the face of the group's leader Habib Rizieq Shihab.
Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – Denpasar district court in Bali has sentenced musician I Gede Ari Astina, who goes by the stage name Jerinx, to 14 months in prison after finding him guilty of spreading hate speech against the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) through his social media account.
Jakarta – On Tuesday November 17 the Merauke district police arrested more than 50 people from the Papuan People's Council (MRP) in relation to a public hearing on Special Autonomy in Papua. They have all been indicted on charges of makar (treason, subversion, rebellion).
M Yusuf Manurung, Jakarta – The Press Council conducted yet another free Polymerase Chain Reaction or PCR swab test program for 100 media workers. The activity was carried out in collaboration with the Federal International Finance (FIF) Group and Djarum Foundation.
A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – Semarang State University (Unnes) in Central Java has suspended a student for six months after he reported the university's rector to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for alleged graft.
Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – Dutch donor group HiVos has joined hands with Indonesian NGOs to launch the Active Citizens Building Solidarity and Resilience in Response to COVID-19 (ACTION) project to support the country's vulnerable and marginalized groups in facing the economic and social impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Agustinus Beo Da Costa, Jakarta – A Indonesian musician who is a drummer for Bali-based punk rock band Superman is Dead was sentenced on Thursday to 14 months in jail for criticising the country's medical association on his Instagram account over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Caesar Akbar, Jakarta – Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi on Thursday's virtual seminar asserted that Indonesia will continue to fight the palm oil discrimination which she suggests is happening in a number of regions, such as the European market.
Augustinus Beo Da Costa, Bernadette Christina, Jakarta – Some of the relatives of victims of a fatal Boeing 737 MAX crash in Indonesia have slammed a decision by U.S. aviation authorities to allow the jets to return to the skies, saying the move comes too soon.
Zarafshan Shiraz, Sumatra, Indonesia (Associated Press) – With his hand clamped tightly over her mouth, she could not scream, the 16-year-old girl recalls – and no one was around to hear her anyway. She describes how her boss raped her amid the tall trees on an Indonesian palm oil plantation that feeds into some of the world's best-known cosmetic brands.
Surakarta, Indonesia (Reuters) – Running against an obscure rival, the son of Indonesian President Joko Widodo is expected to cruise to victory in an election next month for the post his father once held as mayor of Surakarta.
Melanie Chalil, Kuala Lumpur – Modest fashion may be in demand but it appears that the trend has extended to our four-legged feline friends too.
A Shopee seller in Jakarta, Indonesia has been making headlines for selling shariah-compliant cat outfits much to the amusement of social media users.
Monika Winarnita, Nasya Bahfen, Adriana Rahajeng Mintarsih, Gavin Height and Joanne Byrne – The fight against gender inequality on digital platforms – known as digital gender activism – is a contentious issue in Indonesia.
Activists attribute this to an increase in conservative views, which see gender rights movements as secular and in conflict with Indonesian norms.
A'an Suryana Nur Syafiqah Mohd Taufek – The recurring puzzle as to whether Indonesia's most divisive Muslim cleric, Habib Rizieq Shihab, leader of vigilante group Islam Defenders Front (FPI), would return to the country was solved on Tuesday last week when he finally set foot at home from Saudi Arabia.
Indonesian police in West Papua claim to have thwarted an underground arms syndicate in the region.
The Antara news agency reports that the ammunition was smuggled from the Philippines and destined for North Sulawesi and Sorong in West Papua. Three people, including two in West Papua, have been arrested.
Whether you're voting or not on Dec. 9 (we won't hold it against you if you want to avoid crowds for health reasons), you will get the day off as the government is set to turn the date into a national holiday.
Jakarta – State-owned train operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) has announced that passengers are no longer required to take a COVID-19 rapid test prior to boarding the trains of certain routes.
The announcement was posted through KAI's official Instagram account, @kai121_, on Wednesday.
Jakarta – The government has redoubled its efforts to ensure that regional administrations enforce COVID-19 restrictions after a number of violations occurred at a series of mass gatherings last week.
Adrian Wail Akhlas, Jakarta – Indonesia and the United States signed on Wednesday a US$750 million agreement to finance trade and infrastructure projects as the countries seek to strengthen economic relations.
Adrian Wail Akhlas, Jakarta – The lack of confidence in the economy among upper-middle-class citizens presents a hurdle for the nation's economic recovery, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has said, noting that the government will need to get purchase on the COVID-19 pandemic to restore confidence.
Novy Lumanauw, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has met with US President Donald Trump to express appreciation and gratitude for American decision to keep Indonesia in the US trade preference program.
Semarang – Frans Josua Napitu, a Semarang State University (Unnes) student who reported the university's rector to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has challenged the campus administration to an academic debate over accusation that he is involved with the Free Papua Movement (OPM).
Jakarta – The police have asserted that they will not allow the 212 reunion rally to take place in December, saying that authorities will disperse the event if it goes ahead, so as to ensure the enforcement of COVID-19 protocols in Jakarta.
Jakarta – Over 64 percent of Indonesian respondents in a survey conducted by global public opinion and data company YouGov have revealed that they wish to be vaccinated against COVID-19, while mentioning Russia among their top-three vaccine-manufacturing countries.
Jakarta – This year's National Sports Competition for Students (KOSN), an annual event hosted by the Education and Culture Ministry, is held online as the country is fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jakarta – It has been over eight months since President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo announced the first COVID-19 cases in Indonesia in March, and nearly just as long since the government launched a robust public health campaign and imposed the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), as well as other measures.
Jakarta – Eleven active members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) stand to face up to two years in prison after being charged for allegedly torturing a man who later died in the hospital.
Jakarta – The East Java administration has pledged not to support activities that might violate the 3M health protocols: menggunakan masker (mask-wearing), mencuci tangan (hand-washing) and menjaga jarak (social distancing).