Indonesia's economy expanded by a modest 5.04 percent in the third quarter of 2025, adding 1.9 million new jobs over the past year. The government quickly celebrated the achievement, hailing it as proof that economic growth is reaching the people. Yet behind the upbeat headlines lies a deeper question: is this growth truly generating quality employment, or merely fueling the quiet expansion of the informal economy?

The mission to Gaza has a much wider scope that involves maintaining the precarious peace and ceasefire agreement, and includes the disarming Palestinian resistance groups.

Climate action and development is a false dichotomy, as investing in one necessarily contributes to outcomes in the other, and the global financial architecture needs to reflect this reality through an integrated mechanism that delivers, especially for developing countries.

It is time for Indonesia to turn the table at the COP30 climate talks and take leadership in global discussion on displacement of coastal communities.

Despite Indonesia’s strong regional position, this growth framework is shared by all economies in the region and each pursuing it for their own prosperity. Indonesia must act now to seize opportunities.

The granting of the hero title to Soeharto represents a denial, if not an outright betrayal, of the Reform movement, which was initiated in 1998 to end his corrupt dictatorship.

Prabowo's direction will determine whether the reform team proves or disproves policing scholarship, which indicates that true reform depends on an external approach.

Despite the rise in graft scandals over the past year, a recent sting operation by the Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK) in Riau signals that systemic corruption in the country is showing no sign of slowing down.

Indonesia has demonstrated an inadequate commitment to cutting greenhouse gas emissions in its latest nationally determined contribution (NDC), which shows it will remain dependent on fossil fuels.

Giving local governments more autonomy and prioritizing human rights are key to advancing Indonesia’s renewable energy aims.

Recent ASEAN summits marked an important point in the bloc’s efforts to navigate its own way in the global system, reinforcing its internal cohesion and developing an outward-looking agenda.

Oslo's model shows that streamlined regulatory and incentive policies can help propel market evolution toward an EV ecosystem, while a separate study shows that vehicle electrification doesn't necessary require nickel or the resulting social and environmental harms.

Many who fought the Marcos dictatorship with fierce resolve – people who once swore to resist every Marcos who came to power – are not joining those who want Marcos Jr. removed.

The irony of declaring Soeharto a national hero is that Prabowo doesn't actually need the strongman's ghost to cement his legitimacy: He already has it in spades, and all he need do to carve out his legacy is to break with the past and forge ahead.

President Prabowo Subianto has announced that the government will assume responsibility for repaying the Rp 1.2 trillion (US$71.81 million) cost overrun debt incurred by Indonesia's first high-speed railway, Whoosh. Prabowo justified the government's intervention by framing the railway as a public service obligation (PSO), arguing that its benefits extend beyond profit. He further stated that the government intends to fund the repayment using assets recovered from corruption cases, though the feasibility of this approach remains uncertain.

Now that the Constitutional Court has issued its final and binding ruling to bar active-duty officers from also holding a public post, neither the force nor the government have an excuse to delay police reform.

Tropical cyclones can be even more deadly, and for a wider range of reasons, than we ever thought.

International standards for "high-quality" credits risk excluding the projects Indonesia needs most, threatening billions in conservation finance and the ecosystems that define our nation.

What began as an inclusive experiment in rural energy has hardened into a top-down industrial regime, where benefits flow upward and accountability flows nowhere.

Energy systems’ flexibility, their ability to respond in a timely manner to fluctuations in electricity supply and demand, must increase much faster than is currently expected.

The argument at the heart of the mass protests that erupted in late August isn't centralization versus democracy, but the credibility and trustworthiness of state institutions.

The country is rich in untapped potential for solar and hydro power and is already the world’s second-largest producer of geothermal power.

The Rp 200 billion (US$12 million) civil lawsuit against Tempo magazine now being heard at the South Jakarta District Court has all the hallmarks of a concerted government campaign to silence critical media. The suit, filed by Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman, is so weak that the court should have dismissed it with prejudice.

When state signals tilt toward influencing the outcome of a private merger, it raises red flags for investors and competitors alike.

Indonesia needs to move away from headline promises and instead step up its legislative efforts to emerge as a global leader in ensuring and enforcing guarantees and protections for indigenous rights, including customary territories.

Any climate agenda must involve indigenous peoples, who play a vital role in tacking global warning through the traditional wisdoms they have applied to managing their customary forests and lands, long before "climate change" entered the global lexicon.

While hailed as an overall success, the regional bloc's summit last month demonstrated that its major stumbling block is speed in implementing the various declarations and statements it so loves to issue.