As the country prepares for the government transition in October, our health system needs to ramp up its preparations for a potential outbreak of mpox on Indonesian soil.

There have been doubts the third Shinawatra government will survive until the next elections in 2027.

Dharma is clearly being fielded to lose the election and to avoid the empty-box phenomenon that could potentially embarrass Ridwan.

The government issued a new regulation in the lead-up to the country's 79th Independence Day that bans the inhumane practice of pasung, or shackling people with mental illness, but much more is needed in terms of technical regulations and a funding framework to expand both physical and human resources in ensuring nationwide access to mental health care.

Thanks to the reborn court, the race for regional head posts has been thrown wide open and hopes that the best candidates will win the competition may come true.

The President has again shuffled his cabinet a little over two months until he steps aside, signaling his alignment with Prabowo's incoming government in perhaps his final bid to retain power.

So much damage has been done by Jokowi; from the defanging of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in 2019, to the crass political machinations in the lead-up to the 2024 elections, which have led to a nepotistic and oligarchic rule.

Global uncertainty will persist at least until next year, and the country will need all the support it can get on the fiscal side to keep the wheels running for domestic economic activity.

The running theme in the country's post-independence history is that only through unity among the political elite, the people and the Indonesian Military (TNI), did Indonesia manage to free itself from the shackles of colonialism. 

This cycle of violence has prevented any initiative to hold a dialogue to end the decades-long conflict in Papua.

Macroeconomic data, including that 5 percent growth rate we have achieved with remarkable consistency, reflects the current state of the economy but not the risks that lie far ahead.

Indonesians can empathize with their brothers and sisters in Bangladesh from our own experience of forging our path to democracy in the not-too-distant past, and wish them well in recovering from the turbulent past decades toward building their future.

Not only did he give up his presidential bid for Prabowo, but he also put Golkar’s image on the line for following the orders of the ruler, seemingly ignoring democratic values. 

Increased prosperity and better health mean that the younger generation are, on the whole, much physically fitter and stronger than their seniors, allowing them to compete with the best in international sports.

In practice, women have long been struggling to access safe abortions, even when they have the right to terminate the pregnancy.

The Indonesia Onward Coalition (KIM) has built a cartel-like alliance for its preferred candidates in strategic regions such as Jakarta and East Java, making it difficult, if not impossible, for other parties to garner enough support to field opposing tickets.

The decision of Thailand's top court to dismantle the MFP, the legitimate winner of the 2023 general election, shows the establishment's blatant disregard for an indisputable, immutable truth: Progress cannot be stopped.

It's fair to say that the President has also been responsible for the deterioration in the country's quality of democracy.

One of the most profound cruelties of miscarriages of justice is that in most cases, the victims are weak and marginalized, while the beneficiaries are the strong.

The law is limited to caring for those who need state assistance, meaning those who have no relatives to count on, or those who are being neglected.

Any further postponements of Indonesia-European Union trade agreement would result in the loss of invaluable time that could otherwise be invested in enhancing the country's competitiveness vis-à-vis its neighbors.

Learning from the two main events from the past five years, we understand that Indonesia remains unable to match great powers in sports.

With the prospects of peace in the broader Middle East hanging in the balance, it has become more important for nations everywhere to cut across geopolitical lines and demand a permanent end to hostilities.

The statements that capped two separate ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meetings in Vientiane last week were simply repetitions of what the group has issued year after year.

The next batch of KPK leaders must know the difference between leading genuine corruption eradication efforts and wielding authority over an antigraft institution.

The ICJ opinion may not be binding, but it carries a huge moral imperative for members of the United Nations, including Indonesia, to act and ensure that it is observed.

Whether or not the amendment to the law fulfills Prabowo's dream, the legislative agenda will allow him as president to appoint his allies to the advisory council, including Jokowi.

Sexism remains deeply entrenched in the country's institutions, even within the central government.

Nepotistic practice is not a good look for an administration that has not even entered office, so Prabowo and his team must put up a conscious effort to prove that those cabinet appointments, and any others, are based on merit.

Finding common ground on the SCS, including in the matter of overlapping claims, would strengthen ASEAN’s bargaining position vis-à-vis China.