While the government funds "elite" schools and free meals, the 237,000 "honorary" teachers who form the backbone of the nation are being left behind in a growing gap of privilege and pay.

Though the Supreme Court's ruling against Trump's sweeping tariffs has left Jakarta with less clarity regarding the newly signed US-Indonesia ART, it has at least opened a door to the possibility of reworking the deal so its terms are fairer.

Sending our brave soldiers to Gaza could put them in harm’s way given the still fluid and tense situation there. 

Southeast Asia's netizens have spoken as one against racial discrimination by some Korean creators and backed their unified voice with action, showing that the region is no lightweight when it comes to cultural inclusion or consumer power.

One year in, Jakarta’s "more colorful" makeover is facing a gray reality of systemic waste and stagnant flood mitigation. With the honeymoon over, the city’s 11 million residents are waiting to see if their governor will finally tackle the perennial problems lurking behind the populist wins.

From a logistical standpoint, the program may well proceed without disruption. The more fundamental question, however, remains: is maintaining the initiative during the fasting month, and extending it into Idul Fitri, the most effective and responsible use of our limited education budget?

While the Prabowo Subianto administration has intensified its campaign against white-collar crime, these efforts have failed to improve the global perception of Indonesia as a nation entrenched in corruption.

It would probably be good to ask ourselves whether we have practiced what Gus Dur taught the nation, namely the obligation to fight discrimination and to respect human dignity.

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has thrown his weight behind the President’s proposal to build an office for Muslim organizations, but needs to suggest an alternative site.

When human lives are reduced to statistical "error rates," our social contract fails the very people it was built to protect, from a child lacking a notebook to a patient denied life-saving care by a spreadsheet.

An aggressive growth target may lift headline GDP, but it could also inflate asset prices, strain the state budget and erode investor confidence in fiscal policy. 

While such a neo-statist development approach is within the global zeitgeist, there seems to be doubt about it working in this country.

Whether through corruption, a lack of risk assessment or a desire for short-term financial gains, the "danger zones" are wiped off the map until the earth reclaims them.

In recent years, we have seen the civic space shrinking, undermining the quality of democracy. The press can help to stop and reverse the trend.

Indonesian tourism must move away from a reactive model that only responds to organic virality, such as the "aura farming" trend of the Pacu Jalur longboat races in Riau. 

While the Prabowo government may seek to avoid economic "punishment" through proximity to the Trump administration, our national dignity and strategic independence are at stake.

Today the National Police are increasingly reminiscent of the military during the New Order era. 

Rather than mounting rescue operations repeatedly, Indonesia should take the lead in a coordinated regional and international response, including legal harmonization, to clamp down on human trafficking and forced labor linked to transnational crimes.

The sudden appointment of lawmaker Adies Kadir from the pro-government Golkar Party as a Constitutional Court justice reveals how political interests now command the vetting process for the guardian of the Constitution.

Prabowo’s administration should avoid complacency and resist politically expedient fixes to complex economic problems.

A ministry tasked with safeguarding core elements of education receives far less state funding than a presidential pet program, which endures oversight failure from the beginning.

Our past presidents used anti-foreigner narratives only to sustain power that enabled them to remain in office for decades. 

The government and stakeholders must act now to protect archeological sites on Sulawesi from a growing list of threats, from climate change to mining. 

The Indonesian Air Force has already demonstrated a unique capability to bridge these technological divides in real-world scenarios. 

In the Central Java regency of Pati, the target in the uprising, one who had incurred the wrath of so many in the impoverished region was Regent Sudewo, a politician from President Prabowo Subianto’s Gerindra Party. 

Prabowo's audience at home does not fully agree with him. They are deeply pessimistic about the council created by Trump.

Two recent air and land transport incidents have again pointed out that, regardless of the vast improvements over the past decade, safety requires continuous, consistent maintenance nationwide.