Academia: Opinion Articles &amp; News Commentary

The unemployment rate is falling, rural distress is not

Indonesia's falling unemployment rate looks like an economic triumph, until you realize the country’s poorest villages have the lowest joblessness, masking a hollowed-out manufacturing sector and millions driven into survival farming.

1 hour ago

Beyond elite conflicts: How state surveillance swept up lives

A massive wiretapping scandal targeting over 6,000 people, ranging from politicians to activists, reveals that Indonesia’s surveillance apparatus isn't just guarding the state. It's systematically dismantling democracy from the shadows.

2 hours ago

The Latest

National Police Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) chief Comr. Gen. Asep Safrudin (center) addresses a news conference in Jakarta on Nov. 3, 2026. Bareskrim has named three generals, Listyo Sigit Prabowo, Ahrie Sonta Nasution and Eko Hadi Santoso, as suspects for unlawful wiretapping of President Prabowo Subianto.

Opinion premium

Analysis: We have not seen the full political fallout of the police scandal

The detention of former National Police chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo on allegations of illegal wiretapping has become one of the most consequential political scandals in recent Indonesian history. Yet the country has probably not seen its full fallout. If anything, the affair is only beginning to reveal how deeply police power penetrated the political system and how weak oversight and accountability have become.

2 hours ago

Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka looks on before President Prabowo Subianto's speech to lawmakers on May 20 at the Senayan Legislative Complex in Jakarta.

Editorial premium

The path to a law-abiding nation

Will Indonesia become a society governed by the rule of law or a country coopted by the interests of its ambitious leaders? It is high time for President Prabowo Subianto and lawmakers to decide.

3 hours ago

Currency integrity: A vendor and customer complete a cash transaction on Nov. 2, 2026 at the Johar traditional market in Semarang, Central Java.

At 80, the rupiah needs credibility, not ceremony

As the rupiah touches record lows and the IDX alters its core index to stem market turbulence, Currency Day is more than an anniversary. Eighty years in, the real test is whether the institutions backing the rupiah can still command market trust.

1 day ago

President Prabowo Subianto gestures inside the House of Representatives building, while Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka looks on near him, on the day the President was set to deliver his speech on economic policies and the 2027 fiscal plan in Jakarta on May 20, 2026.

Rivalries, reckonings on the Orient Express of Indonesian politics

Nobody was murdered, but Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka finds himself trapped on a speeding political train where shifting allies, bitter family legacies, and unsettled rivalries make everyone a suspect.

2 days ago

Unifying flag: A protestor holds a flag bearing the Straw Hat Pirates’ Jolly Roger from the Japanese manga and anime series One Piece during a demonstration on Jakarta’s thoroughfare Jl. MH Thamrin on Oct. 28, 2026.

Wiretapping scandal: Who else lives in the house of glass?

When the state's surveillance machine is turned against the ruling elite, state power is mobilized overnight, whereas the crises choking ordinary citizens are left to burn for months.

2 days ago

interview

Nur Rakhman Setyoko, deputy permanent representative of Indonesia to the World Trade Organization

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Indonesia holds its red lines at faltering WTO, deputy representative says

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

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.

9 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.

1 year 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.

1 year ago

Insight: AI and Efficiency: Sacrifices The Next Generation

Introduction: From One Disruption to Another

1 year 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