Firli’s arrest serves as yet another grim reminder that the system we have been relying on to combat corruption may itself be corrupt.

As we prepare for next year’s presidential and legislative elections, there are real concerns that the nation is turning its back on its democratic and pluralistic achievements over the past two and a half decades.

We can no longer take for granted that we will have another successful election that is free, open and, more importantly, peaceful.

Our presidential candidates candidates must think very carefully before backing any future infrastructure projects.

A phase-out of coal power through early plant retirement or project cancellation is not going to happen without global financial support.

The air quality has barely improved since the government beefed up measures to curb Jakarta’s chronic air pollution following incessant media reports of the city’s poor state of air a few months ago. 

Given the low trust in the court, candidates or their supporters could use any appearance of impropriety as a pretext to reject the election results altogether.

Under Indonesia’s chairmanship, ASEAN has not achieved any meaningful progress in pushing Myanmar’s military to comply with the Five-Point Consensus. 

Despite not being a party to the 1951 Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, Indonesia has always been welcoming refugees and asylum seekers.

The most sensitive aspect of the PT Vale divestment is related to the interests of the provincial and regency governments in the three provinces in Sulawesi. 

Not only is the RCEP the largest trade block in the world, but unlike the IPEF, it comes with liberalization, not political gamesmanship, at its core. 

Enforcement of the regulation that restricts groundwater extraction in Jakarta has been lax, allowing people who extract groundwater for daily consumption to go unpunished.

It’s not an exaggeration to suggest that Jokowi was speaking on behalf of the world community who long for peace in Middle East.

For the first time since the fall of the authoritarian New Order in 1998, legitimate concerns have loomed over the integrity of the election.

Voters, and the public will continue to be alienated from our foreign and defense policies, which are supposed to represent or protect the interests of the nation.

Evidence from the trials of corrupt officials and other criminals show how many banks and money changers still engage in transactions with customers even though their profiles do not conform with the value and size of the transactions.

After all, we already have three candidate pairs registered with the General Elections Commission (KPU), which is expected to officially announce later this week that the three are eligible to run. 

It is thus important that the youth squad is given its moment to shine at the World Cup, especially because there is no youth class at the club level in Indonesia.

All three presidential candidates have promised GDP growth of 6 to 7 percent, as Jokowi did in the past.

Indonesian people should be proud of the humanitarian work of the hospital, and the sacrifice of its medical workers and volunteers.

Anwar has been removed from his position as the court’s chief justice and barred from handling election-related cases.

It is almost certain that President Jokowi will table the ongoing war in Gaza in his conversation with his host, who is likely to persuade Jokowi to soften Indonesia’s stance on Israel’s genocidal acts in Gaza.

With the Fed having held rates steady for second time in a row, analysts say the central bank might leave them unchanged in December as well, creating calm for emerging market currencies such as our own until the end of the year.

Self-suffiency is a noble goal, but let's not force the issue if the expertise isn't available domestically, lest we end up creating another snarl with what was supposed to be a public transit solution.

More importantly, these attacks kill helpless and innocent children – more than 3,000 in the span of three weeks, according to the latest figures.

The President is said to have mobilized his apparatchiks to pave the way for his eldest son, who now leads Surakarta, to contest the election.

From the fire incident, we now know how poor waste management can cause not only environmental and health hazards, but also pose security and safety threats.

As most of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s cabinet ministers will be preoccupied with the political agenda of their respective political parties, the fiscal and monetary authorities will be practically the sole management of the economy.

Indonesia's para athletes have taken their game to the Asian level, leaving us reeling in awe at their performance and achievements.

The pairing of Prabowo and Gibran could not have been more incongruous, but parties in the ruling coalition obviously think that this is their best shot at winning next year’s presidential poll.