The President should consult with his aides before striking a deal with a foreign leader or institution. 

Prior to his appearance with Putin at last week's Victory Day event, Xi signaled a new chapter in Beijing's energy diplomacy by signing a bilateral agreement on a new pipeline in defiance of Washington's attempt to isolate Moscow, setting the stage for sharper tensions in the China-US great power rivalry.

Though the recent protests evoked a darker chapter in the nation’s history, they also mark a departure, and the question is whether the state response will, too.

The wave of demonstrations that began over legislators' pay and perks expanded during its second week into a collective civil movement, bringing together women, workers, students and LGBTIQ+ to fight on the front lines for their right to engage in political life for a democracy in which they are seen, heard and accepted.

Comprehensive reform of the legislature guided by the principle of transparency, with an overarching aim to break the link between wealth and policymaking, is key to restoring the spirit of public service and welfare and regaining the people’s trust.

The seeming success of the government’s repressive tactics, by granting the police and military freedom to use force during recent massive rallies, will likely embolden President Prabowo Subianto.

While the burden sharing scheme was an apt instrument during the COVID-19 pandemic, it now risks becoming a fiscal dominance policy, blurring the line between fiscal and monetary policy, accelerating depreciation, eroding market trust and undermining the central bank's independence.

The deployment of the Indonesian Military (TNI) to crack down on massive nationwide protests, some of which descended into violence, around the turn of the month may have helped restore order. President Prabowo Subianto, for one, felt comfortable enough about the situation in the country for him to make a quick trip to Beijing.

It would be tempting to interpret the excessive increase in lawmakers’ housing allowance as the final straw that broke the camel’s back.

The "mamas" of the Arfak Mountains are not merely housewives; they are the hardworking breadwinners who determine the course of life for their community.

Decision-making requires framing the problem correctly, surveying the terrain, updating data and information sources accordingly and settling on a model to evaluate competing choices.

With its low price, intense effects and highly addictive nature, yaba is one of the most commonly abused stimulants in Southeast Asia, and its spread shows no sign of slowing.

When power is exercised without public oversight, the risk of abuse and inequality increases.

There are parties who are deploying state-sponsored influencers and cybertroops to spread disinformation and could delegitimize the 17+8 movement.

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has found the police are the state institution most frequently accused of human rights violations.

Bank Indonesia’s second consecutive rate cut in August, and its third this year, reflected both domestic headwinds and shifting global dynamics. The central bank lowered its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 5 percent, just a week before the U.S. Federal Reserve signaled a dovish turn. That shift further expanded the policy space for emerging markets like Indonesia to ease monetary conditions. For the Prabowo administration, the decision offers timely support for its ambitious growth agenda.

Jakarta's ambition to stand equal with the world’s major cities is being undermined by the absence of a comprehensive traffic plan and persistent policy inconsistencies.

As envisioned, the digital euro will be useless for corporate transactions, and it will probably not play a significant role in liquidity management or wholesale payments.

There have been effectively three waves of famine in Gaza since spring 2024. First weaponized 18 years ago in the Strip, these hunger games could have been preempted several times. Why weren’t they?

The recent protests have evoked memories of the 1998 Jakarta riots, but it remains to be seen how underlying interests related to the police-military rivalry and the oligarchic elite will play out against the demonstrators' anger over genuine socioeconomic and political concerns.

A government that relies too heavily on security forces and foreign symbolism without addressing domestic grievances may find its legitimacy steadily eroding. 

A woman who confronted a group of riot police last week has inadvertently elevated pink to the color of resistance, reminding us of the significant influence Indonesian women wield when they step outside their prescribed identity of mother-wife to embrace the role of activist ibu.

Illegal mining is hardly a hidden crime in Indonesia, it is an entrenched industry protected by powerful backers. The practice has persisted for decades, and remains unresolved even under President Prabowo Subianto’s administration. In his State of the Nation address, Prabowo pledged to confront active and retired police and military generals allegedly involved in the illegal mining business. Whether those words will translate into decisive action, and whether he is willing to target the true masterminds and their allies, remains to be seen.

Many people still remember the sight of troops in camouflage on Jakarta's streets almost three decades ago, and that the current domestic security response to the ongoing protests isn't what they fought for.

Central bankers are the high priests of high finance. That is because they control high-powered money, commonly known as the monetary base, or the sum of currency in circulation plus commercial bank deposits with them. 

The Tianjin summit suggests that Modi and Xi did not seek reconciliation, but stabilization, learning from the US-Soviet detente during the Cold War.

Indonesians have long tolerated hardship with patience. But there is a limit when public trust erodes.