Nur Janti, Jakarta – A 13th-century statue of Prajnaparamita, the Buddhist goddess of wisdom, welcomes visitors to a new exhibition at the National Museum in Central Jakarta titled Sunting: Jejak Perempuan Indonesia Penggerak Perubahan (Sunting: Footprints of Indonesian women as drivers of change).

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – The police have begun cracking down on a Facebook group that allegedly posts adult content revolving around incest, amid mounting calls for the operators behind these illicit accounts to be brought to justice.

Jakarta – The loss of 13 lives in an explosion related to the disposal of expired ammunition in Garut, West Java, last week constitutes a tragedy. While the Indonesian Military (TNI) has promised a thorough investigation into the accident, any conclusion will be meaningless without accountability from the top brass and an overhaul of the ammunition disposal mechanism.

Maulani Mulianingsih, Jakarta – The online motorcycle (ojol) and taxi driver community held a demonstration at the Horse Statue in front of the southwest entrance to the National Monument (Monas) on Tuesday May 20.

Jakarta – Grab Holdings and GoTo Group, which owns Gojek, were among ride-hailing and delivery services targeted by protesting drivers on May 20 in Indonesia, with thousands gathering to demand better compensation and other terms.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta – Online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers who are joining the protest around the Horse Statue area refuse to meet with the secretary of the Directorate General of Land Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation, Ahmad Yani.

Indonesia's Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Dudy Purwagandhi spoke out about the demands of the online motorcycle taxi (ojol) driver association regarding the reduction of the applicator's cut to 10 percent. As a regulator, Dudy admitted that he could revise the regulation to accommodate these interests.

Ricki Putra Harahap, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has appointed two new top officials to lead Indonesia's tax and customs agencies amid a sharp decline in state revenue during the first four months of 2025.

Kukuh S. Wibowo, Surabaya – Thousands of online motorcycle taxi drivers, or ojol, under the banner of Front Tolak Aplikator Nakal (Frontal) in East Java, held a large-scale protest in Surabaya on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – The Chairperson of Real Estate Indonesia (REI), Joko Suranto, has expressed interest in investing in the Nusantara Capital City or IKN in East Kalimantan. However, he is awaiting legal certainty regarding the national capital's relocation before proceeding.

Maria Gabrielle Putrinda, Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named eight suspects in a bribery case involving the issuance of work permits for foreign nationals at the Manpower Ministry, the agency confirmed on Tuesday.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – As Indonesia, one of the world's biggest polluters, plans to retire its fleet of coal-fired power plants to tackle climate change, one critical question is being overlooked: What happens to the communities and environments they leave behind?

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – Grab Indonesia considers the status of online motorcycle taxi drivers or Ojol cannot be changed to permanent employees because it could have a broad impact. Chief of Public Affairs Grab Indonesia, Tirza R Munusamy, stated that if the partner's status is changed to employee, the number of Ojol drivers would drastically decrease.

Hendrik Khoirul Muhid, S. Dian Andryanto, Jakarta – The realisation of the 1998 reforms did not happen suddenly. Efforts to overthrow the authoritarian New Order regime of President Suharto had to be paid for with gross human rights violations. One of them was the abduction of pro-reform activists between 1997 and 1998.

Jakarta – The Indonesian government's plan to release new history books has sparked concern that some of the country's darkest chapters could be recast to show President Prabowo Subianto and late authoritarian ruler Suharto in a favourable light.

Jakarta – Responding to calls for him to contest a second term nearly eight months into his presidency, Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto has said he will defend his position only if he achieves meaningful results in his first term.

Jakarta – Torrential rains forced a halt on May 19 to Indonesia's search for 14 missing in its easternmost region of Papua after a landslide killed six workers at a gold mine and injured four, officials said.

We, the undersigned, express our concern regarding the deteriorating state of democracy in Indonesia. This is reflected in the increasing militarization and the growing involvement of the Indonesian military in the country's social, economic, and political spheres.

Jakarta – The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has expressed concern over its minimal role in overseeing the government's free meal initiative, which, despite running for only four months, has been plagued by more than a dozen food poisoning cases.

Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – Despite a vast labor force, local businesses continue to struggle with hiring and retaining top talent. As the government looks to prohibit arbitrary practices like withholding employees' graduation certificates, companies must find better ways to navigate a labor market marred by low productivity and educational gaps.

Olena Wibisana, Jakarta – Golkar, one of Indonesia's biggest political parties, is open to accepting former President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo into its family, according to chairman Bahlil Lahadalia.

Achmad Ghiffary Mannan, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto paid an official visit to Thailand on Monday, May 19, 2025. During the visit, he met with His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn at the Amphorn Royal Palace in Bangkok, as well as with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

M. Rizki Yusrial, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is currently evaluating the potential for corruption in political financing. KPK spokesperson, Budi Prasetyo, stated that the institution is in the process of discussing with political parties and election organizers to gather information.

M. Rizki Yusrial, Jakarta – The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) strongly condemns a Facebook group allegedly containing incestuous or 'incest' content. The group named 'Fantasi Sedarah' (Incest Fantasy) has been removed by Meta for violating the rules.

Associated Press, Bangkok – Indonesia and Thailand agreed Monday to elevate their relationship to a strategic partnership, during the first state visit by an Indonesian president in 20 years, and agreed to push for greater trade and investment.

Nabiila Azzahra, Jakarta – The Indonesian National Police (Polri) is currently conducting a massive operation to eradicate thuggery. The operation includes arresting perpetrators, rehabilitation, and investigation of cases. According to a sociologist, the eradication of thuggery requires a larger solution: political will from the national leadership.

Jakarta – Indonesia raised the alert level of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki to the highest after it erupted eight times over the weekend, its volcanology agency has said.

Lewotobi Laki-laki, located on Flores island in eastern Indonesia, spewed volcanic ash between 3 kilometers to 5.5 km high on Sunday, Muhammad Wafid, the agency's head said in a statement late on Sunday.

Giffar Rivana, Jakarta – Hundreds of thousands of ride-hailing drivers across Indonesia are set to stage a nationwide protest on Tuesday, May 20, demanding better pay, fairer working conditions, and legal protections. The coordinated action will include a mass demonstration in Jakarta and a 24-hour "off-bid" strike, during which drivers will turn off their apps.

Melynda Dwi Puspita, Jakarta – The Secretary General of the Indonesia's Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration, Taufik Madjid, mentioned that there are 3,264 villages in Indonesia that have not yet received electricity access.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – The Indonesian Transport Workers Union (SPAI) is set to hold a mass demonstration on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, bringing together online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers, online taxi drivers, and couriers from across the country.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – The Indonesian Transport Workers Union (SPAI) along with online motorcycle (ojol) drivers, online taxis, and couriers will conduct a demonstration on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. SPAI also calls for a mass 'off bid' action or turning off the application during the demonstration.

Six workers in West Papua are dead after a landslide at a gold mine. Reuters reported torrential rains on Monday forced a halt to the search for the 14 still missing after the disaster, which engulfed temporary shelters used by miners.

Calvin Yang, Sukabumi, Indonesia – Indonesian youth Icha Nur Septiani sent out more than 2,000 resumes before she finally landed a job as a customer service expert at a major ride-hailing company.

But for about eight months, all the 23-year-old got was rejection after rejection.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – The Jakarta Metropolitan Regional Police, through the Anti-Thug Operation, which has been carried out since May 9, 2025, has revealed 669 cases of thuggery.

Ichsan Ali, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto on Saturday said law enforcement officers have faced threats while investigating corruption cases, but vowed his administration would not be intimidated and would continue cracking down on graft.

Alfi Dinilhaq, Jakarta – The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) has suspended three of its members following allegations of intimidation and extortion against a Chinese engineering firm involved in a major national project in Cilegon, Banten.

Ichsan Ali, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has pushed back against early calls for a second presidential term, saying he will only seek reelection in 2029 if he believes his first term delivers meaningful results.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta - The Indonesian government is preparing a revision of the Cybersecurity and Resilience (RUU KKS) that will include penalties for platforms that fail to adequately protect their cybersecurity, according to the Deputy Head of the National Cyber and Encryption Agency (BSSN), Rachmad Wibowo.

Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – The Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) has voiced its support for the proposal to grant general practitioners the authority to perform cesarean sections or c-sections under specific circumstances. IDI Chair Slamet Budiarto said that this plan is justifiable for particular situations.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta - The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has identified several irregularities in the implementation of the pancawaluya character education program in West Java, introduced under the leadership of Governor Dedi Mulyadi.

The program involves sending children to military barracks for disciplinary training.

James Balowski – Tens of thousands of workers, students and civil society groups took to the streets across Indonesia on May 1 to commemorate International Labour Day.

Duncan Graham – Ancient Javanese mythology, often inherited from India and adapted to fit local culture, is rich with striking characters in the wayang kulit shadow puppet theatre. The fat-gut wise clown Semar is charged with maintaining stability.

Antara, Jakarta - The Chairperson of the Cilegon Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), MS, and two others have been named suspects by the Banten Regional Police's General Crimes Directorate for allegedly extorting a foreign investor for Rp5 trillion.

Agencies, Jakarta – The Indonesian Navy seized a ship carrying nearly two tons of methamphetamine and cocaine worth US$425 million in the waters of Riau Island this week, and arrested a Thai national and four Myanmar nationals found aboard the vessel, the navy said on Friday.

Jakarta – It seems as though the Indonesian soccer landscape, at both the domestic and international level, is destined to continue providing bad news after bad news.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – The online motorcycle taxi drivers' association, Garda Indonesia, will stage a mass protest on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

Sukma Kanthi Nurani, Jakarta - The Indonesian Industry Ministry has claimed that Indonesia currently maintains a relatively low number of non-tariff trade barriers (NTBs) and non-tariff measures (NTMs) compared to many other nations.

Jakarta – One bad apple spoils the whole barrel. As a result of the embezzlement of corporate funds that allegedly occurred at eFishery, an aquaculture startup, investor trust in startups in Indonesia is melting away. And the eFishery scandal shows that the young people managing them are highly skilled in financial manipulation.

Yvette Tanamal, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto on Thursday threw a festive reception to welcome Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese back to the State Palace in Jakarta, marking their first official meeting following the latter's second-term inauguration just two days prior.

Jakarta – Police need to lighten up and have a better sense of humor in their work, particularly in monitoring social media platforms. For one, they need to be able to recognize satire when they see it, which in a democracy is a protected form of political speech.