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.

As a regional mechanism only established in recent years, the RCEP is arguably underperforming compared with its potential. 

Australia struggles to get Indonesia’s attention, and its leverage in Jakarta is limited. Anthony Albanese could begin to change this with one bold move.

Indonesia’s efforts to make artificial intelligence (AI) more efficient can end up crippling its power grid.  

Following its failure to secure seats in the House of Representatives during the 2024 general elections, Indonesia’s oldest Islamic political party, the United Development Party (PPP), is now seeking new leadership in hopes of staging a political comeback. In an unprecedented move, the party is even considering figures outside its traditional Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) roots.

Critics suspect the project aims to glorify the incumbent government and will serve as "official history" in textbooks across all educational levels, at least for Prabowo's five-year term.

Growing US interest in Myanmar’s Rakhine State could prompt China to ramp up its backing for the military junta in Naypidaw.

The stance of the current US administration has awoken Europe and Europeans to an opportunity to review and revitalize our defense capabilities and do our fair share in securing our neighbors and allies, and in so doing, help improve transatlantic relations.

Reliance on imports for raw materials makes businesses highly vulnerable to exchange rate fluctuations, rising international shipping costs and global supply chain disruptions.

Traditional civil society, with the support of students, can do a lot to create and maintain pressure on the government.

While the global aviation industry is indeed recovering from the pandemic, the contrast between two national carriers in Southeast Asia is striking.

In protests, the middle class can provide an opening for a change, but once opportunity arises, it is often not ready to claim power.

West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi has made headwinds across the nation after launching a controversial initiative to send delinquent youth to military bootcamps as part of a large-scale re-education effort in the region. Since the announcement of his plan early this month, around 270 “misbehaving” students have been sent to Indonesian Military (TNI) barracks in Bandung and Purwakarta.

The shadow of Soeharto's past now seems to loom over the nation, threatening the civilian supremacy we fought so hard to establish.

The ongoing plight of the Baloch people has prompted organizations to formally appeal to the United Nations, urging immediate intervention in the humanitarian crisis in Baluchistan.

Albeit vaguely, the revised TNI Law allows active military personnel to hold civilian and SOE posts, effectively legitimizing military economic involvement de facto. 

In Indonesia's manufacturing and service industries, workers compete for jobs but due to market forces, 30 percent of them earn below the minimum regional wage.

The Indonesian government plans to cut off refined fuel imports from Singapore —its largest supplier, which currently accounts for approximately 54 percent of Indonesia’s total refined fuel needs. The move reflects a broader strategic shift in Indonesia’s energy import policy, aiming to cut costs and reposition the country within the evolving landscape of global trade, particularly in relation to the United States. However, concerns remain over whether the plan will truly deliver cost savings, given the higher logistics expenses involved, and whether Indonesia’s infrastructure is ready to support imports from more distant suppliers.

Indonesia has invested considerably in e-government and regulatory reform, but many such efforts remain trapped in single-loop logic—streamlining procedures without revisiting their purpose. 

The TNI has claimed compliance with standard operating procedure, but the presence of civilians at such a dangerous zone shows otherwise.

Carbon pricing and other mechanisms like the CBAM have the potential to unleash a decarbonization wave across global industries, regardless of the current US stance.

When it comes to nuclear development, Indonesia must dig deep to ask the tough questions to expose the underlying geopolitical currents and whether what we're being offered will truly lead to energy sovereignty, or if we're being cast as the proverbial canary in the coal mine.

Governments across the world are failing to provide security and safety to tourists, despite the recovery of tourism earnings since COVID-19, in some cases even surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

The government must first tackle the mafia-style organizations polluting the streets in industrial zones, or else it is just pouring trillions in tax incentives into the gutter.

When the government completes rewriting the official national history, scheduled for August, do not expect too much change on topics that are too politically sensitive to be written in a more honest and objective way. The more recent history will likely be much trickier to write, and to read, for that matter, as many of the (bad) actors are still alive.

While the Geneva agreement brings hope, it does not undo all the damage. Our global trade will never be what it used to be.