Bekasi won the award because of its bylaws that promote religious harmony and its sufficient budget allocation to organize programs aimed at strengthening religious tolerance among residents.

With all the uncertainty that comes with a regime change, Indonesia's business world has breathed a collective sigh of relief at the highly likely possibility of closing the chapter on the presidential election in just one round.

For those who expected the presidential poll to be decided in two rounds, the result, based on the quick count method conducted by a number of pollsters, was a continuation of a trend prevailing since 2009 that presidential elections finish after a single round.

Opinion surveys have found that while most voters know who they will vote for, many remain on the fence.

It is getting harder to take Washington’s Middle East policy seriously when it has been arming, funding and assisting Israel in the Gaza war.

One of the causes of widening income inequality is the structure of personal income tax (PIT), which until 2021 favored the upper middle income and rich taxpayers. 

As the economy seems to be under control, it is entirely valid to question the need for Jokowi's opaque budget adjustment.

Let us hope we can rest and refresh over the coming long weekend, so we can channel the positive characteristics of the Wood Dragon and herald a new era of courage and wisdom as we head to the polls a few days later.

When the leader of a nation has no qualms about showing off his moral ambiguity, how can we expect the rest of government to maintain higher standards?

That respected academics from various universities across the country have talked tough against the President should serve as a reminder that his acts of intervention have threatened the hard-won democracy.

Many local developers struggle to find the necessary funding with many still relying on their own pockets or angel investors. 

Financial difficulty makes a poor excuse for not saving the lives of these tigers. Especially when the country is spending so much money on the coming elections.

Thomas Lembong’s characterization of Indonesia’s foreign policy as “transactional” makes it sound as if decisions were made ad hoc based on pragmatic considerations, but neutrality or non-alignment is, in fact, quite a principled position to take.

Reaching the round of 16 should be the team's minimum target if they qualify for the next AFC Asian Cup.

Indonesia has no moral ground to hold Israel responsible for its acts of genocide, unlike South Africa, because we are not a party to the 1948 Geneva Convention.

The final unit price of the Jakarta-Bandung railway, some US$52 million per kilometer, is higher than that of China’s high-speed rail, which cost between $17 million and $30 million per kilometer, as well as France’s, which cost $24 million per kilometer.

Assuming a voter knows which presidential election ticket they want to support, they might want to cast their vote strategically by choosing the ticket’s main political party sponsor.

The rumors and reports of a flock ministers potentially flying the coop are beyond the slight ruffling in government that might be expected during an election year, and the people deserve better.

By resorting to cheap tricks, Gibran has undermined the credibility of the debates, which are a crucial feature of our democratic elections and help many voters make up their minds for election day.

The fact is, the government has been trying to put all its EV development eggs in one basket, that of nickel, but flexibility, innovation and adaptability are key to building an industry that is founded on ever-evolving technology. 

The government has never consistently implemented the comprehensive food security strategy outlined in the 2012 Food Law.

In a desperate attempt to control its worsening deficit, BPJS Kesehatan made several attempts to remove drugs for cancer.

According to estimates from environmental watchdogs and researchers, the GSW megaproject would cost some Rp 207 billion (US$13.3 million) in potential economic losses in the fisheries sector every year

If the President fails to remain neutral, state apparatus will find justification to follow suit and the credibility of the upcoming elections will be in jeopardy.

The government has not done enough to turn dreams for renewable into reality, or perhaps it never the will to make it happen in the first place.

Despite his own pledge of neutrality, in the past few weeks the incumbent President has issued statements and taken actions that could undermine his own claim of staying above the fray.

The best option available is to step up pressure on Israel and its allies, in particular the US, whose reputation is at risk for defending an ally that is waging a dirty war.

ASEAN leaders have expressed their hope for maximum restraint because tension in the Taiwan Strait could lead to "open and unpredictable consequences", especially in the Indo-Pacific region. 

Rafael's case reveals a disconcerting web of corruption and money laundering that has been invisible to the public eye.

Megawati said the PDI-P won the 2014 and 2019 legislative elections because the people were behind the party, and not because of the President it had backed.