Air pollution is responsible for an estimated 2,500 premature deaths a year in Greater Jakarta, while also causing other health problems such as immune, respiratory and cardiovascular disease.

Though the draft 2024 state budget might be criticized for being boring, it offers the soothing effects of familiarity while considering the global uncertainties that continue linger, and hence avoiding the likelihood of any midyear adjustments.

Getting Indonesia to the finish line in 2045 will be a massive undertaking and one that will require political stability, a very valuable commodity in a country with a multi-party system.

The election results allows PM Anwar a sigh of relief because his federal government can now complete its five-year term until 2027. 

The decades-long conflict between the police and the military, at least below the surface, has remained unaddressed. 

Persecuting people on the basis of their faith is not only going against the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion, but it also runs counter to the teaching of most major religions.

In Indonesia, periods preceding general elections tend to see increased domestic spending by both organizations and consumers, with a noticeable impact on economic growth.

Whatever the age minimum for the presidency is, we need to have strong and transparent reasons for setting it.

Both Indonesia and China have agreed that all involved in the project must make an all-out effort to ensure the high standards and high quality of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train. 

Being significantly less competitive than its regional cohorts will spell great dangers if Indonesia does not remedy these issues.

Anyone old enough to remember the heady summer of 1998 who sees the direction of the country’s politics today will feel we are still living under the shadow of Soeharto. 

The government knows that extreme weather events can cause crop failures almost every year but does little to prevent and mitigate the impacts of them.

The government has been forging a good relationship with China because it is Indonesia’s most important trading and investment partner and has developed an economic heft on par with the world’s other major powers.

Indonesia has the biggest economy in Southeast Asia, a growing consumer market, EV purchasing incentives and the world’s largest nickel reserves.

All attempts to amend the 1997 Military Court Law since the beginning of the Reform Era have stalled because of TNI objections.

Aside from the hotter dry season forecast for Indonesia this year, the government needs to prepare for the longer term of 'global boiling'.

It is unthinkable for any nation to lose its trusted journalistic voices, but the diversion of advertising revenue to big tech platforms as a result of uneven competition could make the unthinkable a reality.

The rising number of interfaith marriages is an inevitable consequence of Indonesia becoming a more open and mixed society.             

Donor countries are waiting for Indonesia to create a conducive environment in which various energy-transition programs can be implemented.                                                             

The Golkar crisis was not triggered, at least not directly, by Airlangga's poor results at polls, but by his alleged plan to leave the two pro-government coalitions.               

ASEAN will lose its international credibility if it fails to restore the fundamental rights of its member states’ citizens.

The reality is that all countries care about fair trade only where it serves their interests, and they object to it where it runs counter to their interests.

The frequency of diplomatic personnel changes has put Indonesia on precarious ground, especially as it relates to sustained engagement with Washington.

Art should inform its audience about the human condition and great art can serve as a rallying call against evils in politics.

Gen Zers are projected to play a key role in the upcoming elections, which have been framed by many as a critical period that would shape, if not determine, the future of the country.               

The regulation, if properly enforced, will help the government clamp down on undeclared offshore profits and tax evasion.            

It is safe to say they are all the President’s men, not only because they answer to him, but also because their presence in the Cabinet will help him consolidate his power in dealing with other key players.

The ARF has become the most important forum in the Asia Pacific to discuss global security issues, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s nine-dash-line claim of sovereignty over nearly the whole South China Sea and the increasing tension in the Indo-Pacific region.            

The debates that have followed Indonesia’s disgraceful exit from the World Beach Games reveal a troubling lack of commitment to ensuring their success.

Political parties and politicians want to win the hearts and minds of 70,000 village heads, whose influence can steer millions of rural voters toward certain candidates on Feb. 14 of next year.