Ichsan Ali, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto revealed on Wednesday that many judges assigned across Indonesia are forced to live in rented accommodations due to a lack of state-provided housing.

Addressing the issue, Prabowo pledged quick action while urging judges to uphold integrity and professionalism despite these challenging conditions.

Indonesia's planned expansion of "captive" coal plants used to power industry is threatening its pledge to cut CO2 emissions by 2030 and close all coal-fired plants by a decade later, said a report published Thursday.

Melynda Dwi Puspita, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said budget cuts will be carried out in three stages. He revealed that the government targets a total of Rp750 trillion that can be obtained from efficiency.

Savero Aristia Wienanto, Jakarta – Several international media outlets have reported on the mass protest movement 'Indonesia Gelap' (Dark Indonesia) held on Monday, February 17, 2025. The protests, led by Indonesian students, voiced criticism of President Prabowo Subianto's administration for straying from reformist ideals.

1. The Star, Malaysia

Solo – Hundreds of students held a "Dark Indonesia" (Indonesia Gelap) action in front of the Solo city Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) offices on Wednesday February 19. During the rally, they blockaded Jalan Adi Sucipto which is one of the main thoroughfares in the Central Java city.

M. Rizki Yusrial, Jakarta – The Association of Parents of Advanced Indonesia Scholarship (BIM) or BIM Batch 4 staged a rally in front of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology in Jakarta on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. The rally demanded the government provide clarity regarding the continuity of the scholarship.

Jakarta – The revision to House of Representatives (DPR) Regulation No. 1/2020 on Code of Conduct is a brutal way for the body to increase its authority. With these extensive powers, the DPR has the potential to damage the Constitution because it takes away authority from the executive branch by placing state institutions under its control.

Hammam Izzuddin, Jakarta – The social media trend #KaburAjaDulu has sparked discussions among netizens on X in February 2025, coinciding with growing public disappointment towards President Prabowo Subianto's administration.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – The discourse of appointing former presidents as supervisors in the Daya Anagata Nusantara Investment Management Agency (Danantara) has sparked sharp criticism. Researcher from Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) Yassar Aulia considers that the step would be a disaster for the professionalism and meritocracy within the state-owned superholding company.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia kept its benchmark interest rate at 5.75 percent in a bid to control inflation and support the rupiah amid global economic uncertainty. The deposit facility rate remains at 5 percent, while the lending facility rate is unchanged at 6.5 percent.

Jakarta – American social psychologist Jonathan Haidt begins his popular book The Anxious Generation with a graphic showing a sudden and very large upturn in major depressive episodes among adolescents after the 2010s, a period he refers to as "the great rewiring of childhood".

Jakarta – Thick, foul-smelling smoke reportedly rose from a newly built refuse-derived fuel (RDF) plant in Rorotan, West Jakarta, last week during a test run of the facility, which is slated to process thousands of tonnes of waste every day when it begins full operations.

European Union, Indonesia, West Papua – Over 120 civil society organisations from Europe and Indonesia, including Human Rights Monitor, have called on the European Union and Indonesia to end negotiations on a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Erfan Maruf, Jakarta – Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Chairman of Indonesia's National Economic Council (DEN), has addressed growing concerns following a viral call on social media to withdraw savings from state-owned banks, in the wake of the government's announcement regarding the Danantara Investment Management Agency (BPI Danantara).

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia is planning to develop its very own version of DeepSeek, the Chinese low-cost artificial intelligence or AI that is taking the world by storm.

Amanda Puspita Sari, Jakarta – Earlier this month, Indonesian civil servant Kardiani (not her real name) found the supply of drinking water and toilet paper at her office restricted.

Most lights in the restrooms are now switched off, and use of the printer is tightly regulated.

Medan – The Medan Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) and the North Sumatra (Sumut) Committee for the Safety of Journalists (KKJ) have submitted electronic evidence with the Bukit Barisan I Regional Military Command Military Police (Pomdam I/BB) related to the involvement of First Corporal HB in the alleged pre-mediated murder of Tribrata TV journalist Rico Sempurna Pasaribu and three family

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) officially passed the revised Mineral and Coal Mining Law during a plenary session on Tuesday.

Hendro D Situmorang, Jakarta – Village and Underdeveloped Region Development Minister Yandri Susanto confirmed that the Rp 71 trillion ($4.36 billion) allocated for 75,000 villages this year will not be impacted by government budget cuts.

Ricki Putra Harahap, Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – A growing number of Indonesians are considering leaving the country in search of better job opportunities, as frustration over limited prospects and low wages fuels the viral hashtag #KaburAjaDulu (just run away first) on social media.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia kicked off 2025 with a considerable drop in the export of its top commodity palm oil, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

Hendrik Khoirul Muhid, Jakarta – The presence of sea fences in Tangerang and Bekasi waters have stirred public interest recently, as the two sea fences were erected without proper permits.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto is taking a significant risk with the establishment of the Daya Anagata Nusantara Investment Management Agency, or Danantara. More than merely a privatization of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), this new body is a realization of the guided economy concept with the president's militaristic style.

Michelle Gabriela, Jakarta – Prabowo's government budget cuts policy has forced a number of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to terminate the contracts of honorary employees, despite Finance Minister Sri Mulyani's vow about no layoffs for workers. In several regions across Indonesia, reality paints a contrasting picture.

Anwar Siswadi (Kontributor), Jakarta – Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) responds to the government and the People's Representative Council (DPR)'s decision to not grant mining management permits to higher education institutions.

Hammam Izzuddin, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) officially approves the Draft Law on the Amendment of Law Number 34 of 2004 concerning the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Law revisions as a priority national legislation program (Prolegnas) 2025.

Han Revanda, Jakarta – Tommy Andana, Expert Staff of Business Climate and Market Security at the Ministry of Trade, revealed that importers have yet to realize the import quota for garlic. He suspects the lack of import realization has caused the garlic prices to increase in anticipation of Ramadan.

Lestareno S Basariasis, Jakarta – The government is currently trying to cut the state budget to improve efficiency in financial management. Speaking at the Labour Party's 2nd National Working Meeting (Rakernas) at the Tavia Hotel in Jakarta on Monday February 17, Labour Party President Said Iqbal highlighted the budget efficiency measures taken by President Prabowo Subianto.

Kiki Safitri, Novianti Setuningsih, Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) has highlighted the increase in human rights violations in National Strategic Project (PSN) areas over the last three years.

Jakarta – Dissatisfaction with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's new policies has turned into street demonstrations by thousands of students.

Jakarta – The demonstration titled "Dark Indonesia" (Indonesia Gelap) in front of the Malang city Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) in East Java descended into chaos on Tuesday February 18 when protesters managed to break down the parliament's front gate

Stefani Wijaya, Jakarta – A village head in Tangerang Regency, along with his secretary and two other individuals, has been named a suspect in the ongoing investigation into the construction of over 30 kilometers of illegal sea barriers off the northern coast of Banten Province.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto revealed Monday that Indonesia's foreign exchange reserves would skyrocket by tens of billions of American dollars this year as the government would soon require all resource exporters to hold its proceeds onshore.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Union of online motorcycle taxi drivers today are protesting the partnership work system with the provider company of online transportation services. Drivers from online motorcycle taxi (ojol), online taxi (taksol), and couriers go on a strike and do the mass 'bid off' application on Monday today, February 17, 2025.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia has maintained a trade surplus for the 57th consecutive month since May 2020 as the country's exports surpassed its imports by $3.45 billion in January, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) on Monday.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Indonesia recorded a drop in exports and imports by 8.56 percent and 15.18 percent, respectively, in January 2025, compared to the previous month, said Statistics Indonesia (BPS). Last month, Indonesia's export value was logged at US$21.45 billion and imports at US$18 billion.

M. Raihan Muzzaki, Jakarta – The Ministry of Manpower responded to the trending hashtag #KaburAjaDulu that has been widely discussed by the public on social media. Deputy Minister of Manpower Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan did not see any issue with the hashtag.

Denpasar – A number of student groups, including those affiliated with the All Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM SI) Alliance, are holding a marathon of simultaneous actions in a number of regions in Indonesia between Monday February 17 and Wednesday February 19.

Bandung – Hundreds of students held a demonstration in front of the West Java Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) building located on Jalan Diponegoro in Bandung City on Monday February 17.

Adhyasta Dirgantara, Dani Prabowo, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto claims that the current state of the Indonesian economy is quite good. This was based on reports from economics ministers during a limited cabinet meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday February 17.

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) said the implementation of budget cuts to ministries and state agencies is discriminatory.

Hendro D Situmorang, Jakarta – Deputy Manpower Minister Immanuel Ebenezer on Monday joined a rally of motorcycle riders and car drivers demanding Ramadan bonuses from the ride-hailing companies they work for.

Yvette Tanamal, Jakarta – In the past month, Aldo Simanjuntak's coffee shop in South Jakarta has only had about one third of its typical number of customers. His one-time regulars, mostly university students and employees of a nearby state-run bank, have been coming by less and less frequently.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto's recent budget cut to save over Rp 306 trillion (US$18.9 billion) to fund his administration's priority programs is incomprehensible.

Being fiscally prudent amid these uncertainties is a good thing, but the manner and scale of these cuts raise serious questions about their urgency, rationale and long-term impact of such a decision.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Navy has finished taking down a controversial sea fence off the coast of Tangerang, Banten, after more than three weeks of work.

Navy Marine Force commander Brig. Gen. Hermanto said that as of Thursday morning, Navy personnel had dismantled more than 28 kilometers of the sea fence and expected to remove the remaining section by the end of the day.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto on Monday signed a regulation requiring exporters of resources other than oil and gas to hold all proceeds locally for at least a year, which he said would add US$80 billion to the country's forex reserves.

Jakarta – The All Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM SI) is holding a marathon of simultaneous actions in different regions of Indonesia from Monday February 17 through to Wednesday February 19. The theme being taken up at the demonstrations is "Dark Indonesia" (Indonesia Gelap).

Jakarta – Amid concerns of harmful content over social media and the platforms' impact on their children's development, some parents conveyed their support for the government's move to introduce age restrictions on social media users.

Yogi Eka Sahputra, Batam, Indonesia – Stress levels among the population of Batam reportedly spiked in January after extreme rainfall over a saltwater crocodile farm allowed more than 100 captive predators to explore the local area for the first time.

Jakarta – Some members of Indonesia's parliament plan to propose the president remove the central bank governor because they think he was not properly backing the government's policy, investigative magazine Tempo reported on Monday (Feb 17), citing unnamed sources.