Container vessels are moored at the Jakarta International Container Terminal on Nov. 6, 2018.`

The foreign exchange Indonesia leaves at sea: Flag carrier is needed

Indonesia fuels the global economy with its coal, palm oil, and nickel, yet loses billions every year by paying foreign fleets to carry its own wealth away.

51 minutes ago

Academia premium

Why Indonesia's fifth Security Council bid needs public buy-in

Indonesia is ready to claim a fifth seat on the UN Security Council, but unless President Prabowo can convince ordinary citizens why it matters, the bid risks looking like little more than expensive diplomatic tourism.

1 hour ago

Opinion premium

Analysis: SAL new rulebook: Where the money should go

The government has formally changed how it manages its budget surplus funds (SAL), ending a nearly year-long debate over how the roughly Rp 400 trillion (US$22.4 billion) in surplus funds should be managed and put to use. Under Finance Ministry Regulation (PMK) No. 67/2026, excess government cash can now be placed with commercial banks or invested in government securities (SBN), giving the Finance Ministry greater flexibility in managing its cash.

1 hour ago

The Latest

Indonesian men's doubles badminton gold medalists Daniel Marthin (center left) and Leo Rolly Carnando (center right) pose with their bronze-winning compatriots Fajar Alfian (left) and Shohibul Fikri on Sept. 29 during the event’s Asian Games 2026 medal ceremony at the Ichinomiya City Gymnasium in Aichi prefecture.

Editorial premium

Nurturing sports talent early

International sporting glory isn’t an accident of luck or raw grit. It is the inevitable dividend of a nation that invests in the health, education and human development of its people.

2 hours ago

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) shakes hands on Sept. 12, 2026, with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Bharat Mandapam, BRICS Summit venue, in New Delhi.

Academia

India-China thaw faces major economic tests

India is working to emerge from China’s shadow while improving diplomatic relations, but the more the world’s most populous country pushes, the more apparent its dependence on its wealthier neighbor becomes.

20 hours ago

A firefighter from the Regional Disaster Management Agency douses a forest fire at Sungai Rambutan village in Ogan Ilir, South Sumatra on Sept. 11, 2026. Toxic haze has shrouded parts of Indonesia and Malaysia for weeks as Jakarta struggles to contain fires that have scorched large tracts of Borneo and Sumatra, with the smoke drifting into neighboring Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

Academia premium

Beyond disaster response: Building a state architecture of resilience

Natural hazards are inevitable, but disaster risk is manufactured, and Indonesia cannot engineer true resilience until it stops spending like a firefighter and starts budgeting like an architect.

21 hours ago

Officials show a room raided by the Indonesian Ombudsman on Sept. 23 at Cibinong Penitentiary in Bogor, West Java. West Java Corrections directorate head Yudi Suseno said the 11 official residences were provided for several prison officials, including the Cibinong penitentiary head.

Editorial premium

Luxury behind bars

Removing prison wardens will never fix Indonesia’s broken justice system as long as luxury remains a commodity the corrupt can buy behind bars.

22 hours ago

President Prabowo Subianto arrives on Sept. 12 before the start of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

Academia premium

Prabowonomics: From diagnosis to delivery

Nations escape the middle-income trap by building factories, not funding handouts - and Prabowonomics risks mistaking consumption for a cure.

22 hours ago

interview

US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) president and CEO Brian McFeeters poses in an undated picture.

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Clear business climate ‘dealmaker’ amid rising protectionism, USABC says

Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta (left) and ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn talk on Aug. 1, 2025, at the ASEAN Secretariat in South Jakarta.

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ASEAN should aim for South China Sea of peace, Timor-Leste president says

Munich Security Conference CEO Benedikt Franke

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Middle powers must make choice in rebuilding global order

Deputy Statistics Indonesia (BPS) chief Sonny Harry Budiutomo Harmadi poses for a portrait at the BPS headquarters in Jakarta, in this undated photograph.

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Economic Census helps businesses spot market opportunities: BPS

Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy Vice Adm. Harold Liebergs.

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International cooperation key in facing emerging naval threats: Dutch Navy commander

Deputy Creative Economy Minister Irene Umar gestures during an interview with The Jakarta Post at the ministry office in Autograph Tower, Thamrin Nine, Central Jakarta, on May 7, 2026.

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Creative economy needs stronger inter-ministerial ties: Deputy minister

Trade Minister, Budi Santoso gestures while speaking during a special interview with The Jakarta Post on April 22 at the Ministry Of Trade office in Jakarta.

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RI seeks new suppliers, export markets as tensions mount: Trade minister

insight

Insight: The strategic role of PT SMI in fiscal policy and economic expansion

Indonesia’s future economic growth will not be determined solely by the size of government spending, but also by how effectively development financing is managed.

8 months ago

insight

Insight: Rethinking work: Driving sustainable growth in the digital age

The digital age has redefined how we live, communicate and work, but perhaps nowhere is this shift more critical than in the field of medicine and public health. As healthcare systems integrate digital technologies, the traditional roles of medical professionals are being reshaped.

1 year ago

insight

Insight: Innovations in managing and developing human capital

Over the past few years, the role of human resources (HR) has expanded far beyond administrative tasks. HR professionals today are expected to drive innovation, enhance the employee experience and align people strategies with business goals. With the help of technology, these responsibilities have become more manageable, and in many ways, more impactful.

1 year ago

insight

Insight: AI and Efficiency: Sacrifices The Next Generation

Introduction: From One Disruption to Another

1 year ago

insight

Insight: Securing a healthier future: The importance of Indonesia's plasma fractionation facility

The global health crisis brought on by COVID-19 tested healthcare systems worldwide, and Indonesia was no exception. As one of the world’s most populous nations, the nation faced immense challenges yet demonstrated resilience and adaptability in navigating the pandemic.

1 year ago

insight

Insight: Understanding sovereign wealth funds and their application in Indonesia

Toward the end of 2020, amid a world grappling with unprecedented challenges, Indonesia took a bold step in securing its economic future: establishing its first sovereign wealth fund (SWF), the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA).

2 years ago