President Prabowo Subianto has once again turned to loyalists with military backgrounds to fill key leadership roles in the Finance Ministry’s revenue-generating directorates. His decision to appoint an active military general to head the customs office and an alumnus of military-style Taruna Nusantara (Tarnus) high school to lead the tax office has sparked concerns over the erosion of meritocracy and the growing influence of cronyism in public administration.

From directing traffic to looking for parking spots, these preman, derived from the Dutch word vrijeman, are all eager to lend a hand, in exchange for petty cash or loose change in your glove compartment. 

As value creation shifts away from producers, profits are increasingly concentrated among a few powerful processors and retailers.

The upcoming ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, hosted under Malaysia's ASEAN chairmanship, seeks to address the civilizational "diseases" of Islamophobia and Sinophobia by drawing on the traditional values and wisdoms of Islam, Confucianism and their confluence in the Malay region.

The shifting global trade landscape presents an opportunity for the Asia-Pacific to emerge stronger, if countries look more inwardly to improve domestic resilience and intraregional coordination while helping to lift others that might be more vulnerable to external pressures.

A shift from a symmetric to asymmetric model of decentralization is needed to improve regional outcomes and impacts across sectors, especially in effective governance, economic growth and civic participation.

Without intervention, ongoing land use changes are placing significant pressure on Indonesia’s food supply.

A comprehensive strategy that addresses the long-standing legacy of mutual distrust as well as deeply rooted cultural factors, including traditional warfare, is needed to effectively resolve the unending conflict in Papua.

In his unending quest to find a political party to call home, former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s name has now been thrown into the mix of potential candidates to contest the upcoming race for the chairmanship of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI). The nascent party has no legislative seats, but it has a fair share of power within President Prabowo Subianto’s government.

What we have now is a grim new reality, whether one attributes that to domestic politics, the global economy or changing technology. Unlike the pandemic, there is no end in sight.

Urban spaces must be intentionally designed to meet older adults' unique needs, creating safe, accessible and dignified environments rather than alienating or hazardous ones.

The junta cynically declared a farcical temporary truce until May 31, yet its airstrikes have continued unabated, turning disaster zones into killing fields.

Danantara has a rare opportunity to expand the country's economic vision into one that embraces its many cultures as a strategic asset for investment, toward a future that is truly Indonesian.

If solar and wind truly were cheaper, the world's poorer nations would have an inexpensive path to leapfrog from energy poverty to energy abundance.

Prabowo’s close relationship with Jokowi raises a question as to whether this is a shared vision or a case of elite co-optation. 

Many public schools suffer from poor infrastructure, buildings that are outdated or even dilapidated, and lack adequate educational resources.

Indonesia’s economy grew by just 4.87 percent in the first quarter of 2025, its weakest Q1 performance since 2022, despite a seasonal boost in consumer spending during Ramadan and Idul Fitri. The slower-than-expected growth casts early doubts on President Prabowo Subianto’s ambitious economic targets, including achieving 8 percent annual growth by 2029 and reaching high-income status by 2045.

The world's critical situation will serve to clarify minds and priorities when we enter the final phase of EU-Indonesia FTA negotiations. We should never let a good crisis go to waste. 

The cooperation between China and Indonesia is of great significance that goes beyond the bilateral scope for shaping regional and global governance.

American soft power has certainly had its ups and downs over the decades, and while US democracy is likely to survive another four years of Trump, the country will find it costly to regain the trust and restore the ties he has destroyed.

By listening rather than making statements, Pope Leo is not inactive. Instead, he has shown a different form of leadership.

The growing gap between financial inclusion and financial literacy presents a considerable structural challenge.

Indonesia’s current primary competition legislation is outdated and ill-equipped to address the challenges posed by the digital market.

The AGO-TNI arrangement is seen as a dangerous erosion of the democratic principle of civilian supremacy.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has renewed its long-standing partnership with Indonesia following a high-profile visit by Bill Gates to Jakarta in early May. While the Foundation emphasized its commitment to improving public health and healthcare access in the country, one initiative in particular—trials for a novel tuberculosis (TB) vaccine—has attracted growing public skepticism and concern.

Islamic finance is rooted in asset backing and risk sharing, so it is inherently aligned with sustainability principles and well-positioned to finance adaptation efforts, especially in regions most vulnerable to climate change.

As ASEAN is positioning to be the heart of digital economy, fostering trust is key in reaping the benefits of growing digitalization and further empowering the vulnerable segments of the population.