Hani Sofia Muthmainnah, Denpasar – Wages that do not meet the needs of a decent living were highlighted during the commemoration of International Labour Day (May Day) 2026 in Bali. Although they did not take to the streets, trade unions remain committed to fighting for an increase in wages for workers.

Putu Ayu Pratama Sugiyo, Malang – The commemoration of Labor Day in Malang, East Java, on Friday May 1 presented a different atmosphere from the usual May Day demonstrations.

Not only was it filled with speeches and demands, the mass action was enlivened by musical performances from hardcore and punk communities, who performed live directly on the streets.

Surabaya – The commemoration of International Labour Day or May Day 2026 in the city of Surabaya, East Java, was divided on Friday May 1.

The mass of protesters was divided between the East Java governor's office on Jalan Pahlawan Surabaya and the East Java Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD) building on Jalan Indrapura Surabaya.

Herlambang Jati, Yogyakarta – Various elements of society from workers to students held an action demanding workers' welfare during a commemoration of Labor Day in front of the Yogyakarta Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD) on Friday May 1.

The protesters said that workers' welfare was still far below the standards set under the Reasonable Living Cost Index (KHL).

Indra Wijaya, Banda Aceh – Hundreds of workers who are members of the Aceh Labour Alliance (ABA) held a convoy on Friday May 1 from the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque (MRB) via the Aceh Provincial Legislative Council (DPRA) and ending at the Aceh governor's office.

Juli Rambe, Medan – Scores of people from the North Sumatra Labour Party along with several other groups held an action to commemorate International Labour Day (May Day) in front of the North Sumatra governor's office on Jalan Diponegoro in Medan on Friday May 1.

Dominius Desmantri Barus, Bandar Lampung – The Lampung People's Struggle (PPRL) conveyed 18 demands to the government during the commemoration of International Labour Day (May Day) on Friday May 1.

Jakarta – Sunarno, chairperson of the Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance Confederation (KASBI), explained the reasons his organisation did not participate in the International Labour Day or May Day commemoration at the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta on Friday May 1.

Jakarta – The police will investigate the source of funding behind a planned riot during the commemoration of International Workers' Day or May Day in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta.

This is related to the confiscation of cash amounting to 10,961,100 rupiah from one of the people suspected of being the coordinator behind the riot plan.

Muhammad Iqbal Al Fardi, Semarang - May Day or Labour Day protesters held a demonstration in front of the Central Java (Jateng) governor's office on Jalan Pahlawan in Semarang city this afternoon. They brought a number of demands and took up 11 national and four local issues.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto attended the International Labor Day or May Day celebration at the National Monument (Monas), Jakarta, on Friday, May 1, 2026. During the event, which was also attended by government officials, Prabowo took to the stage to deliver a speech and even danced.

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto on Friday pledges to build daycare facilities for workers' children and accelerate the construction of at least 1 million homes, responding to labor demands voiced during International Workers' Day celebrations at the National Monument (Monas).

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – Indonesia recorded a state budget deficit of Rp 240.1 trillion ($13.8 billion) in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, equivalent to 0.93% of gross domestic product (GDP), according to preliminary data from the Ministry of Finance.

Bangkok – A decade-long study tracking dozens of whale sharks off Indonesia's coast has revealed the secrets of their migrations and two hotspots where they gather year-round.

Agencies, Jakarta – The government will cut the caps on the commissions that ride-hailing companies take from drivers for each trip to 8 percent from 20 percent, President Prabowo Subianto said on Friday in Jakarta.

Fauzan, Makassar – The commemoration of International Labour Day or May Day 2026 in Makassar city presented two different faces in one momentum of the workers' struggle.

The naming of Hery Susanto, Chair of the Indonesian Ombudsman, as a suspect for alleged corruption is shocking as it is concerning. An institution, which was established to oversee public services, has been embroiled in a case of abused authority.

Mutia Yuantisya, Jakarta – Indonesian Prabowo Subianto has signed Presidential Regulation No. 27 of 2026 on the Protection of Online Transportation Drivers, capping platform commissions at a maximum of 8 percent and ensuring drivers receive up to 92 percent of trip earnings.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto distributed aid packages and T-shirts after delivering a speech at the International Workers' Day or May Day event organized by the Labor Party at the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta on May 1, 2026.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announced the establishment of a Task Force for Labor Dismissal Mitigation and Workers' Welfare during the commemoration of International Workers' Day, or May Day, at the National Monument (Monas) in Jakarta on Friday, May 1, 2026.

Raihan Muzzaki, Jakarta, Indonesia – President Prabowo Subianto attended the national commemoration of International Workers' Day, or May Day, held at the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta on Friday, May 1, 2026.

Djibril Muhammad, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia is urging the government to cancel plans to form a team of assessors to determine the status of human rights defenders. This policy is considered to have the potential to limit civil space and is contrary to basic human rights principles.

Alfitria Nefi Pratiwi, Jakarta – The Association of All Indonesian Workers Unions (ASPIRASI) is pressing eight demands to improve the labor system as part of its May Day, or International Workers' Day, agenda.

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – A coalition of civil society groups has rejected a government plan to add new tiers to Indonesia's tobacco excise system, warning it could undermine public health goals and open new avenues for corruption.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Labor unions across Indonesia marked International Workers' Day on Friday with split events in the capital, reflecting differing approaches to engaging the government of President Prabowo Subianto.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Labor groups in Indonesia staged separate May Day actions on Friday, with a coalition of unions and civil society organizations rallying outside the parliament complex while others joined an official celebration at the National Monument attended by President Prabowo Subianto.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Institute Foundation (YLBHI) has addressed accusations of infiltration during the International Labour Day or May Day 2026 rally in front of the Indonesian Parliament (DPR) building. Earlier, the Jakarta Metro Jaya Police claimed a mass group was suspected of intending to cause destruction during the demonstration.

Jember, Indonesia – Syazwan Luftan Riady traces his environmental campaigning to school holidays spent at his grandmother's riverside home in a rural part of Indonesia's East Java province.

Radhiyya Indra, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) prosecutors have read the indictment against four officers for allegedly launching a premeditated acid attack against human rights activist Andrie Yunus in the first hearing of the case in the Jakarta Military Court.

Joniansyah, Jakarta – The Directorate General of Immigration has officially inaugurated a special lounge for Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. This facility has been provided as a form of appreciation for the significant contribution of migrant workers to the country.

Intan Setiawanty, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia slams Indonesia's Ministry of Human Rights proposal to assemble a team to determine the status of human rights defenders. The organization sees this policy as potentially limiting civil space and deviating from the principles of human rights.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – The Indonesian police are deploying tens of thousands of personnel to secure the 2026 May Day rally. Workers are planning to stage protests in several locations, from the National Monument (Monas) to the parliament complex in Jakarta.

Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Indonesia's tax authority has moved to reassure the public that taxpayer data remains secure, saying its systems are regularly audited by state cybersecurity and digital agencies amid concerns over data protection.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – Rupiah fell to one of its weakest levels this year on Thursday, pressured by persistent global uncertainty after the Federal Reserve held interest rates, reinforcing concerns over inflation and external risks.

Alfitria Nefi Pratiwi, Jakarta – State-owned railway operator KAI President Director, Bobby Rasyidin, has asserted that the company will shut down unauthorized railway crossings controlled by mass organizations if they fail to meet safety standards. "We must close them. If it requires legal action, we will pursue it," he stated at Bekasi Station on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.

Defara Dhanya, Jakarta – Glass manufacturer PT Muliaglass and ceramic manufacturer PT Muliakeramik Indahraya, in collaboration with renewable energy company Xurya, have officially launched Indonesia's largest commercial and industrial rooftop solar power plant (PLTS Atap). The project has a total capacity of 22.5 megawatts (MW).

RR Ariyani, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has announced several programs to enhance the protection and welfare of workers as May Day approaches on May 1, 2026. The Secretary General of the Ministry of Manpower, Cris Kuntadi, revealed that one of the implemented policies is the increase in the minimum wage in 2026.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Several labor unions affiliated with the Alliance of Labor Movement with the People (Gebrak) have confirmed they will stage a May Day rally in front of the Parliament building in Jakarta on Friday, May 1, 2026.

Karina Tehusijarana, Jakarta – The tragic railway accident on the outskirts of Jakarta, which has taken the lives of 16 women, hit close to home for me for a few reasons.

Responding to the Indonesian military's move to try four members of the Military's Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) for their roles in an acid attack against human rights activist Andrie Yunus in a military court in Jakarta, Amnesty International Indonesia's Executive Director Usman Hamid said:

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto once again mentioned the "Dark Indonesia" movement. This time, he remarked during the groundbreaking ceremony for the second phase of 13 irrigation projects in Cilacap, Central Java.

Vidya Pinandhita, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto visited victims of a deadly train collision at Bekasi Regional Hospital on Tuesday, hours after a long-distance train smashed into a stationary commuter train overnight, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens. He ordered a full investigation into the cause of the accident.

Ruth Dea Juwita, Jakarta – The government is considering using compressed natural gas (CNG) as a substitute for mostly imported liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to shield domestic energy supplies from global disruptions caused by the US-Israel war against Iran.

Endang Mulyani, Jakarta – Authorities in Jakarta have begun deploying portable water treatment systems to ease a persistent clean water shortage, as the capital works toward universal piped water coverage by 2029.

Oyuk Ivani Siagian, Jakarta – The Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD) has filed a pretrial motion at the South Jakarta District Court over what it says is a stalled investigation into the acid attack on activist Andrie Yunus.

Riani Sanusi Putri, Jakarta – Four Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) soldiers assigned to the Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) have been charged with committing serious assault against the Deputy Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS), Andrie Yunus, involving an acid attack.

Antara – Jakarta's air quality is listed as unhealthy, prompting residents to wear masks when outside, according to the IQAir website on Wednesday morning, updated at 4:00 a.m. WIB (Western Indonesian Time).

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Indonesia's Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdikti) has raised the idea of shutting down study programs considered irrelevant to the industry.

Vidya Pinandhita, Jakarta – The upcoming dry season, which is predicted to be longer and drier due to the impact of El Nino, has raised concerns about health risks faced by many Jakartans, especially those who must continue working outdoors under the heat.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) is pushing for improvements to the system and consumer protection following the fatal train crash that occurred in East Bekasi on Monday, April 27, 2026. YLKI is highlighting vulnerable consumer groups, namely women, who were victims of the incident.