TheJakartaPost

The rupiah’s long decline and Indonesia’s structural imbalances

The rupiah's persistent depreciation is a structural consequence of over-reliance on volatile capital inflows to finance a chronic current account deficit, persistent saving–investment imbalances, lasting fiscal deficit and a narrow, commodity-dependent export base.

1 hour ago

Jakarta meets the deep state

The institutional reflexes that govern Jakarta were not built for a New York index provider that can erode a fifth of Indonesia's sovereign investor mandate overnight.

2 hours ago

The Latest

Rows of subsidized housing units are seen on Jan. 7, 2026, in Rajeg, Tangerang, Banten.

Opinion premium

Analysis: A house today, a lifetime of debt

Housing is shifting inexorably from a milestone to a mirage in Indonesia. With a national backlog of 15 million houses, housing affordability has turned into a crisis spanning income groups, pushing many families to rent rather than buy. The government’s proposed 40-year mortgage scheme might ease monthly payments but raises a harder question: Does extending debt across most of a person’s productive life solve the housing crisis or merely redefine what desperation looks like?

2 hours ago

China's President Xi Jinping (right) and United States President Donald Trump talk on Thursday during their visit to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.

Editorial premium

What an anticlimax summit

There was plenty of pomp and pageantry, but when it came to substance, there was little for the rest of the world to cheer about.

3 hours ago

A rescue worker monitors an operation using heavy machinery to search for missing people on March 9, 2026, after a landslide buried trucks, food stalls and at least 13 people at the Bantar Gebang landfill in Bekasi, West Java.

The missing pillar: Faith-based efforts to help solve Jakarta’s waste crisis

Jakarta’s billion-dollar WtE dreams will remain buried under a landslide of inefficiency unless the city bridges the gap between high-tech downstream plants and the untapped power of faith-based household sorting.

1 day ago

The raid: Personnel from the National Police’s counterterrorism squad Densus 88 show seized firearms and other items following a raid on the house of an alleged sympathizer of the Islamic State movement in Bekasi, West Java, on Aug. 14, 2023.

Counter-extremism strategy must anticipate, not just respond

For the second phase of Indonesia's counter-extremism policy to succeed, it must become a discipline of strategic thinking with the capacity to evolve alongside the complex security, social and developmental issues that are intertwined in violent extremism.

1 day ago

A man reacts as health official delivers the fourth dose of COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine in Jakarta on Jan. 25, 2023.

ASEAN’s dual-crisis decade: From pandemic recovery to energy crisis response

ASEAN’s response to COVID-19 evolved from rapid emergency containment to a multiyear recovery strategy, which has now transitioned into a permanent institutional architecture for future pandemic preparedness.

2 days ago

interview

premium

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.

premium

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

Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Wang Lutong

premium

‘China, Indonesia must continue upholding international fairness and justice’

German Ambassador to Indonesia, Timor-Leste and ASEAN Ralf Beste speaks on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, during the submission of his credentials as Ambassador to ASEAN to Secretary-General Dr. Kao Him Hourn.

premium

In turbulent times, shared interest can bridge value gaps: German envoy

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung gestures while speaking about his first year in office and developing the megalopolis on Jan. 20, 2026, during an interview with 'The Jakarta Post' at City Hall in Gambir, Central Jakarta.

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Jakartans must embrace global city status: Governor Pramono

Yahya Cholil Staquf, chairman of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), speaks during an interview on Jan. 29, 2026 with The Jakarta Post in Central Jakarta.

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NU must transform to navigate uncertain world order: Chairman Yahya

This aerial photo shows people climbing debris, on Dec. 9, 2025, to cross the river on a newly built bridge, connecting Aceh and North Sumatra province, after being destroyed by flash floods along Peusangan river in Bireuen district, Aceh.

premium

Coordinated response key to govt’s disaster handling

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.

3 months ago

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.

10 months ago

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.

10 months ago

Insight: AI and Efficiency: Sacrifices The Next Generation

Introduction: From One Disruption to Another

10 months ago

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