President Prabowo Subianto's recent 16-day overseas trip has convincingly marked his presidency as an active global player in a bid to boost global collaboration amid increasingly complex geopolitical dynamics.

And for those who closely watched the state of the race, there was nothing from the quick count results on Wednesday afternoon that came as a surprise.

United States president-elect Donald Trump played the fear card on the economy and won his second term. Now it is apparent that he intends to do the same for the world.

Indonesia must avoid the perception of trading legal principles for diplomatic concessions.

Indonesia's determination should be shown by strong and committed work on the ground, starting by protecting forests across the archipelago, rather than clearing them for agricultural and mining purposes.

It is possible that Indonesia will finish fourth in the group with nine points, which means it will have to play in the fourth-round qualifier against the teams from Group A and Group B of the Asian zone that also finished third or fourth.

Prabowo has frequently said he wants a clean government and to fight against corruption. But the fact is, his administration has done very little to prove it.

Given that he is also the President, Prabowo's display of support for certain candidates runs counter to the principle of impartiality.

The very nations that benefited from loose regulations during their industrialization now expect others to leapfrog into sustainability without the same economic opportunities.

Prabowo can start, for example, by limiting dividend payouts by the SOEs to the state budget so that these funds can be reinvested in the form of expansion and new ventures.

The challenge now for Prabowo as president is to strike the right balance that best serves our national economic, political and security interests.

Enforcement of the law against plagiarism will not suffice, especially in Indonesia, where legal certainty remains a challenge.

Monday's multi-vehicle pileup on the Cipularang Toll Road that killed a teenage girl and left dozens injured, some with serious injuries, should be a wake-up call for the government to clamp down on overloaded trucks and the companies that operate them while striving for stricter enforcement of the country's rigorous road safety rules.

Conscious consumerism is a good thing, but there is also a risk of boycotts targeting the wrong companies or products.

The government's plan to introduce a new health screening program on its dime is another step in the right direction to uphold the constitutionally guaranteed universal right to health.

Indonesia must vigilantly safeguard its sovereign rights in the North Natuna Sea and ensure that such statements are not misconstrued as a shift toward accommodating China’s expansive claims.

The anti-money laundering agency reported the accumulated money turnover connected to online gambling last year reached Rp327 trillion (US$21 billion), equal to the government’s spending on energy subsidies and compensation as of October.

Countries and regions have their own excuses for hampering the global flow of goods and services with trade tariffs, non-tariff barriers and sanctions.

For Prabowo, Singapore plays a strategic role as the largest source of foreign direct investment for Indonesia and one the most important trading partners.

Businesses are reluctant to expand, citing a lack of financing access and government policy flip-flops, among others reasons.

Those who claimed the Trump brand would sink the Republican Party were proven wrong, as this time the 78-year-old millionaire won the popular vote, with more than 70 million ballots cast for him versus Democratic candidate Kamala Harris’ 64 million as of Wednesday night.

The disappointing performances of some regional head candidates indicate the failure of political parties not only to vet and nominate capable figures but also to develop a merit-based system to produce party members with the skills to hold public office responsibly.

Recent bribery cases involving judges could be just the tip of the iceberg, considering the stagnated internal reforms in the judiciary.

The foreign minister's hinting at the Prabowo government's interest in joining BRICS marks a departure from the previous administration's lackluster foreign policy approach, but it would do well for Indonesia to not get stuck in a nonreciprocal relationship.

Indonesia may have made a poor showing by sending low-ranking officials to COP16, but seeing as the President's brother is leading the delegation to COP29 later this month, this could be a sign that the government is finally getting serious about the country's positioning on global climate issues.

While continuation of the economic cooperation should top Prabowo’s agenda in Beijing, he can raise his concern about the latest situation in the North Natuna waters. 

The idea of the state using taxpayer funds to save a private textile company is problematic for a number of reasons, and the desire to save jobs is a weak argument to justify such a move.

The country has seen many instances of politicians chasing doctorates, honorary doctorates and even professorships just for public prestige.

Out of the 48 ministers in President Prabowo Subianto’s newly inaugurated Red and White Cabinet, there are only five women, and only eight female deputy ministers out of a total of 56. The same trend exists for other public offices in the country.

An energetic continuation of the Nusantara project following the government handover would assure investors that the country’s national strategic projects are called “national” for a reason.