Salsabilla Azzahra Octavia, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) noted that the rupiah has weakened against the US dollar recently. Previously, BI revealed that the rupiah closed at Rp16,575 per US dollar on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. Meanwhile, on Thursday's opening, March 27, 2025, the rupiah weakened again to Rp16,590 per US dollar.

Daniel Ahmad Fajri, Jakarta – The Chairperson of the Press Council, Ninik Rahayu, regretted the issuance of Police Regulation No. 3 of 2025. The regulation required foreign journalists to have a police clearance (SKK).

Yovanda Noni, Nusantara – The number of visitors to Indonesia's future capital, Nusantara, has seen a significant uptick during the Eid al-Fitr holiday season. Daily visitor numbers rose from around 8,000 on the first day of Eid (April 1) to over 14,100 by April 3.

Jakarta – There's only a thin line separating good communication strategy with bad public relations. When the government is backed up by a well-planned communication strategy, an effective messaging campaign and a team of professionals, even a crisis can be an opportunity to score a win.

Jakarta – Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati visited former president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo at his residence in Surakarta, Central Java, on Thursday in celebration of Idul Fitri.

Joseph Rachman – Students are protesting across Indonesia – chanting slogans; skirmishing with police; and in one city, even throwing Molotov cocktails. The protesters are demanding the repeal of a law passed on March 20 that they say threatens to bring Indonesia back to the days of the military dictatorship that lasted from 1965 to 1998.

Jakarta – Indonesian activists on Thursday (Apr 3) decried a new regulation allowing police to monitor foreign journalists and researchers working in the country, a move they say would limit press freedom.

Abdil Mughis Mudhoffir and Rafiqa Qurrata A'yun – Fears of an authoritarian reversal in Indonesia have gained traction, especially after Prabowo Subianto, a former military general known for his record of alleged gross human rights violations, assumed the presidency in Indonesia.

Dr. Sameer Kumar – Indonesia sits atop the world's biggest nickel reserves – a metal essential for electric vehicle (EV) batteries and the renewable energy transition. In recent years, Jakarta has boldly wielded its resource might by banning exports of raw nickel ore to force global companies to invest in domestic processing.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Calls are mounting for President Prabowo to pick his envoy for the US after US President Donald Trump slapped 32 percent retaliatory tariffs on imports coming from Indonesia.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – The Presidential Communication Office (PCO) announced that President Prabowo Subianto has formulated mitigation strategies in response to the import tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Indonesia.

Secretly and in violation of internal procedures, the House of Representatives (DPR) passed the revisions to Law Number 34/2004 on the Indonesian National Armed Forces (UU TNI). The revisions to the TNI Law will give more power to the military.

Tatang Guritno, Robertus Belarminus, Jakarta – Musician Baskara Putra has revealed the reasons behind the making of a song in collaboration with Maria Sumarsih, the mother of the Benardinus Realino Norma Irawan, or Wawan as he was known by friends, a student who was killed in the Semanggi I tragedy in 1998.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – A senior economist said Thursday that Indonesia should try to get much closer to the China-led BRICS trade-wise after US President Donald Trump launched sweeping tariffs on nearly all of Washington's trading partners.

Antara, Jakarta – Bhima Yudhistira, Executive Director of the Center for Economic and Law Studies (Celios), commented on the United States' reciprocal tariff policy on Indonesia, which stands at 32 percent.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The Indonesian government plans to negotiate with the US after its president, Donald Trump, launched a 32 percent reciprocal tariff on imports from the Southeast Asian nation.

Stefani Wijaya, Jakarta – The National Police on Thursday denied reports that foreign journalists are required to obtain a police-issued acknowledgment letter to work in Indonesia. The clarification comes after the recent issuance of a police regulation concerning the monitoring of foreign nationals.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta – Inspector General Sandi Nugroho, Head of the Indonesian National Police Public Relations Division, clarified the circulating information about Police Regulation No. 3 of 2025 concerning the issuance of a police clearance letter for foreign journalists and researchers planning to work in Indonesia.

Bambang Ismoyo, Jakarta – The newly imposed 32 percent tariffs by the United States on Indonesian imports are expected to significantly impact Indonesia's automotive and electronics exports, a leading economist warned on Thursday.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas said only a small number of drug convicts will be granted amnesty. "There are only about 700 convicts who are pure drug abusers," said Supratman at the Widya Chandra Complex, Jakarta, on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.

Nabiila Azzahra, Jakarta – The Indonesian government will soon implement a student loan to aid students with tuition fees. Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) Stella Christie explained that students will only be required to repay the loan after working and earning a certain wage benchmark.

Antara, Jakarta – Minister of Housing and Residential Area Maruarar Sirait said the government is preparing 1,000 units of subsidized housing for journalists and 20,000 for farmers from the Housing Financing Liquidity Facility (FLPP) program.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta – The Chief of the Indonesian National Police, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, has enacted Police Regulation No. 3 of 2025, which includes regulations for monitoring foreigners in Indonesia. One of the decree's articles even regulates journalistic activities requiring police clearance.

Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – Indonesian Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, Maman Abdurrahman, mentioned online gambling as one of the factors weakening people's purchasing power. According to him, based on the findings of the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP), the money flowing into online gambling reaches Rp900 trillion annually.

Ilham Rian Pratama, Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) has criticised National Police Regulation (Perpol) Number 3/2025 on the Police's Functional Supervision of Foreigners which regulates the supervision of foreign journalists and researchers working in Indonesia.

Aristyo Darmawan and Jeremia Humolong Prasetya – Much has been said about the controversial amendment of the 2004 Indonesian Military (TNI) Law. Critics say is meant to revive the dual function (dwifungsi) of the military that underpinned Soeharto's authoritarian regime.

Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – Shinta Kamdani, chairwoman of the Indonesian Employers' Association (Apindo), has said this year's Idul Fitri did not bring the usual surge in economic growth, despite the holiday traditionally driving a spike in spending as millions travel to their hometowns.

Nur Janti, Jakarta – With the growing influence of food vloggers, many people have turned their love for food into careers, recommending dining spots, reviewing dishes and sharing their culinary experiences with the public through social media.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – US President Donald Trump has imposed a steep 32 percent tariff on imports from Indonesia, significantly higher than the baseline 10 percent levied on many other countries.

The White House cited several reasons for applying the elevated tariffs, primarily targeting countries with which the United States has the largest trade deficits.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – West Java Governo Dedi Mulyadi threatened to take legal measures against local government officials who have been involved in requesting holiday allowances from several entrepreneurs or businesses.

According to him, such actions are illegal and can be considered as extortion. Dedi emphasized that this matter could be taken to the legal domain.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday local time a 32 percent "reciprocal" tariff on imports from Indonesia while accusing Jakarta of being unfair in the bilateral trade.

Bambang Ismoyo, Jakarta – Danantara is open to the possibility of backing the government's 3 million affordable housing program, according to the fund's boss Rosan Roeslani.

President Prabowo Subianto wants to build 3 million affordable houses each year. He has also put Housing Minister Maruarar Sirait to oversee this program and search for investors.

Oyuk Ivani Siagian, Jakarta – Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Bima Arya Sugiarto, has announced that the second stage of the regional head retreat will be held shortly after the 2025 Eid al-Fitr holiday. However, the government has yet to determine the precise date for this event.

Oyuk Ivani Siagian, Jakarta – Puan Maharani, Chairperson of the Central Leadership Council (DPP) of the opposition party PDIP, has announced that Megawati Soekarnoputri and Prabowo Subianto, Chairperson of the ruling party Gerindra, are scheduled to meet in the near future.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – The Chairperson of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), Muhammad Isnur, has criticized a new Indonesian Police Regulation that mandates oversight of foreign journalists and researchers covering events within the country.

Rohingya refugee Abdul Aziz was in high school when he first fled to Indonesia, but four years on, he remains in limbo, desperately missing home at the start of Aidilfitri festivities.

The 19-year-old, and thousands like him, languish at temporary shelters in the western Aceh province, after escaping squalid conditions in a refugee camp in Bangladesh.

Jakarta – An open mosque is an oasis in the desert of exclusivity that seems to have been spreading over the last few decades. Mosques like this not only become houses of worship for building a bond with God but also places to embrace others. Mosques thus serve as centers for cultural and intellectual development benefiting society.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – The Indonesian government is reportedly preparing to sign the revised Indonesian Military or TNI Law. The House of Representatives (DPR) formally approved the revisions during a plenary session held on March 20, 2025.

Jakarta – Gadjah Mada University (UGM) – known as 'the blue campus' – has punished a lecturer involved with sexual violence. In order to prevent a recurrence of this offense, the rectorate of the university in Yogyakarta should also announce the dismissal of the professor as a civil servant.

Carolyn Nash – Every Thursday evening, a group of activists assembles in front of the presidential palace in Jakarta, Indonesia's congested capital city. They wear matching black t-shirts and carry signs demanding accountability for a legacy of military-led human rights abuses.

Jakarta – The government is planning to disburse the second round of social aid this year after the Idul Fitri holiday, while also seeking to begin utilizing the newly launched Single National Social and Economic Data (DTSEN) system.

Coordinating Social Empowerment Minister Muhaimin Iskandar has assured that the social aid will be rolled out quarterly as planned.

Riza, Sukabumi, West Java – Police stopped an ambulance on Tuesday for allegedly transporting local tourists through heavy Eid al-Fitr traffic in Sukabumi Regency, West Java.

Second Inspector Ayet Permana said the vehicle, which had departed from Bogor, was using its siren and flashing lights to bypass long lines of vehicles caught in holiday congestion.

Zacharias Wuragil, Jakarta – The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported a series of temblors in northern regions of Sumatra, Banda Aceh City and Aceh Besar District since Sunday, March 30, until today, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The latest earthquake occurred this morning at 05:56 a.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIB).

Nabiila Azzahra, Jakarta – Member of House Commission III and Deputy Speaker of DPR, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, said that lawmakers have no plan to discuss the amendment to police or the prosecutor's bills.

Helen Davidson and Chi-hui Lin, in Java – Ricky* was one of the first to see his crewmate's dead body. It was 2023 and he was six months into a stint at sea, working on a longline tuna boat in the Indian Ocean for $480 a month. The crew were mostly Indonesian, like Ricky, or Chinese, like the captain and owners of the boat.

Zachary Abuza (BenarNews) – It wasn't supposed to be so hard. Prabowo Subianto cruised to victory in the 2024 presidential election, winning 58 percent in the first round of voting.

Yet only five months after taking office, he is confronted with a host of compounding challenges and chaotic policy rollouts that have resulted in public protests and market jitters.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Ragowo Hediprasetyo Djojohadikusumo, son of President-elect Prabowo Subianto, paid a visit to the private residence of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri on Monday to offer Eid al-Fitr greetings.

Catholic Church leaders have called for dialogue to bring an end to deadly violence in Indonesia's conflict-torn Christian-majority Papua region.

Annisa Febiola, Jakarta - A ship caught fire at Larantuka Sea Port, Larantuka Subdistrict, East Flores Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) on Saturday, March 29, 2025. The KM Trans Floreti carried about 100 drums of Pertamax fuel oil.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Indonesia's Ministry of Manpower reported that more than 18,000 workers experienced termination of employment during the first two months of 2025.

The number was officially recorded in data published on the Manpower Ministry's official portal.