Looking to invest: United States President Donald Trump is seen on a giant screen during his address by video conference at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 23, 2025.

US sovereign wealth fund: A feasible idea or a giant opportunity for waste?

Mongolia, Norway and Kuwait all have one. So too do Texas, Alaska and New Mexico. But a US fund to invest in projects of national interest needs to be free of political interference.

2 months ago

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Why social media fact-checking promised too much

Many lament social media companies dropping independent fact-checking but perhaps “false-checking” is a more honest and achievable target. ...

2 months ago

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Centralized, stronger oversight of key financial professionals

A single authority has been established for a consistent standard of expertise, ethical conduct and continuous education for the professionals who serve as gatekeepers to Indonesia’s tax regulations. ...

2 months ago

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Governance challenges in implementing Prabowo’s vision

The current planning process lacks sufficient cross-sectoral coordination, leaving development programs fragmented, not only across ministries but also within different units of the same ministry.

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Does Indonesia need its own digital markets act?

Indonesia's current legal framework is inadequate for the digital era.

3 months ago

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Should Indonesia withdraw from the Paris Agreement?

Rather than contemplating a departure from the Paris Agreement in the wake of Trump’s decision, Indonesia should take a look at the potential impacts of such a move and instead realize the opportunity the US departure presents in staying put and taking the lead in demanding better terms for itself, as well as all other developing nations.

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The big show: United States President Donald Trump speaks to the press as he signs an executive order to create a US sovereign wealth fund, in the Oval Office of the White House, on Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington, DC.

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Donald Trump's smoke and mirrors

The second Trump administration also will pursue policies with effects on the United States that will almost certainly be deeply harmful.

3 months ago

Much to mourn: Tributes are placed beneath the covered seal of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) at their headquarters in Washington, DC, on Feb. 7, 2025.

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In freezing foreign aid, the US leaves people to die

US$60 billion worth of USAID programs have been brought to a screeching halt. It’s a devastating decision for developing nations, but also for US foreign policy.

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A member of an indigenous community holds a poster that reads “We need regulations that protect our rights from state and corporate crimes“ during a protest in front of the Senayan legislative complex in Jakarta on Oct. 11, 2024. The protesters demanded lawmakers push for protection of indigenous communities' rights and acknowledgement of their areas, as well as resolution of agrarian conflicts.

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Let indigenous peoples lead just energy transition

Research finds that indigenous peoples, including women and youth, can lead and have an active role as promoters of clean and sustainable energy production.

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Driven by teamwork: Clarine Beryl (right) poses for a photo with her team members.

Academia

Study abroad in China: Stepping into the future

In a time of rapidly advancing technology, those who can study at the forefront of its development will have an advantage. This idea is drawing Indonesian students to study in China, where this development is turbo-charged.

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A health worker (left) administers a COVID-19 vaccine to a patient at Arcamanik community health center in Bandung, West Java, on Jan. 4, 2024.

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Health checks for all: A historic leap in healthcare for Indonesia

Every Indonesian will receive a free voucher for medical check-ups worth millions of rupiah that can be claimed during or after their birthday, ensuring that this historic program reaches every individual, leaving no one behind.

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A man walks past a banner with an artificial intelligence (AI) sign at the Frankfurt book fair on Oct. 16, 2024,.

Academia

The crisis in Western AI is real

China’s growing AI capabilities were well known to the AI research community and even to the interested public.

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Critical cooperation: Leaders of the Quad strategic alliance (from left) the United States' then-president Joe Biden, Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Japan's then-prime minister Fumio Kishida and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi pose for a photo as they hold a meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Seven Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 20, 2023.

Academia

Quad and AUKUS face an uncertain future

The challenge is to make a compelling case for Donald Trump to support and endorse these partnerships.

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Rain or shine: A family carries umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun as they cross a street in Manila, on April 25, 2024.

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La Niña's impact on global warming may be waning

January 2025’s record heat highlights how human-driven ocean warming is increasingly overwhelming natural climate patterns.

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The PT Bumiputera office building (center) stands on Dec. 18, 2016, amid Jakarta's skyscrapers.

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Can the insurance industry survive regulatory pressures in 2025?

The OJK has prepared new regulations in order to enhance policy provisions, underwriting and claim processes.

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'Plastic apocalypse': A man stands among a dense accumulation of plastic waste and other garbage which has washed ashore at a beach in Kedonganan Badung regency, Bali, on Jan. 3, 2025.

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Bali, the willing cash cow of national interest

The large inflow of tourists in Bali would likely not be accompanied by long-term planning, potentially resulting in mass takeovers of sacred lands, pristine beaches and enticing river banks to build hotels, villas, restaurants and other tourist infrastructures.

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Honorary welcome: Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto review the honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov. 9, 2024.

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Indonesia’s silent retreat from the South China Sea

Prabowo's administration has effectively left the dispute to the direct claimants rather than treating it as a regional issue.

3 months ago

A denuded area marks the Tugu Lima (five pillars) construction site of the Kayan Hydropower Plant project in Peso district, Bulungan, North Kalimantan, in this picture taken on June 5, 2024.

Academia

How bold climate action can help Indonesia achieve growth target

Indonesia has already made impressive strides in climate adaptation, and with its abundant resources and historic leadership, this year presents a critical opportunity for it to take another big step forward in paving the way to both global and national prosperity, by embracing the global clean energy boom and leading climate finance.

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Early detection: Medical workers take blood samples of students during a screening to detect nnoncommunicable diseases, including diabetes, at SMP 21 state junior high school in Bandung, West Java, on March 2, 2023.

Academia

Why diabetes is a growing public health concern in Indonesia

Puskesmas offer early screening services for diabetes and its related complications at low or no cost to the patient.

3 months ago

A representative (center) of investors listens to start-up entrepreneurs presenting their ideas at a start-up investor speed-dating session at the Tech in Asia conference in Jakarta on Oct. 9, 2019.

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How investor biases can enable fraud in start-ups

In the eFishery case, reported sales of 400,000 fish feeders versus the verified 24,000 should have been an instant red flag, but investors prioritized growth potential over verifying operational reality.

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Daily struggle: Residents line up to exchange subsidized 3-kilogram liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) canisters in Cibodas, Tangerang city, Banten, on Feb. 3, 2025.

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Java, the national economic hub still struggling with poverty and inequality

Around 12.62 million people, or 52.45 percent of Indonesia’s total poor population, are concentrated on Java.

3 months ago

United States President Donald Trump speaks to the press as he signs an executive order to create a US sovereign wealth fund, in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington, DC.

Academia

Tariff man Donald Trump's risky bet

Trump is gambling with America’s long-term influence and prosperity.

3 months ago

Courting controversy: A police officer walks in front of the Constitutional Court building in Jakarta on Feb. 4, 2025.

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Safeguard court’s independence, ‘Strawberries’ remind us

Beyond this landmark victory of the “Gen Z”, often dismissed as easily bruised “strawberries” by exasperated seniors, is the urgency to retain the independence of the highest court.

3 months ago

United States President Donald Trump is seen on a giant screen during his address by video conference at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on Jan. 23, 2025.

Academia

Deep freeze: Trump leaves US diplomats with little to offer Pacific

Paris climate treaty exit, defunding WHO and foreign aid suspension strike blows at US perception in Pacific as “trusted friend.”

3 months ago

High-tech conundrum: The DeepSeek app is seen on a mobile phone in Hong Kong in this photo illustration on Jan. 28, 2025.

Academia

Open source and under control: The DeepSeek paradox

DeepSeek has emerged on the front line of debates determining the future of AI, but its arrival poses questions over who decides what “intelligence” we need.

3 months ago

A pedestrian uses his smartphone while walking on a sidewalk in Jakarta in February 2019.

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E-SBN: A game-changer for Indonesia’s bond market

The e-SBN platform has markedly improved the inclusivity, accessibility and transparency of Indonesia’s bond market, while simultaneously enhancing public trust in government financial instruments.

3 months ago

An attendant walks across a gas station belonging to state-owned energy holding company Pertamina in Kuningan, South Jakarta, on Dec. 4, 2018.

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SOEs law overhaul: A new dawn or the same old story?

History has shown that grand restructuring plans often come with unintended side effects.

3 months ago

President Prabowo Subianto (left) and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim attend a press conference during Prabowo's visit to Malaysia, in Kuala Lumpur, on Jan. 27, 2025.

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Let us be positive about Malaysia's ASEAN chairmanship

Make no mistake, this is an exciting time as our country helps navigate the geopolitical sensitivities and potential of a bloc of nations that is home to close to 700 million citizens.

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A digital display shows trading activity on the Indonesian Carbon Exchange (IDXCarbon) on Jan. 20, 2025, at the Indonesia Stock Exchange in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.

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Prioritizing quality over expansion in Indonesia's carbon market

While the move to open IDXCarbon internationally marks a milestone in Indonesia's green transition and offers many opportunities, the government needs to ensure that a host of technical and institutional elements are in place, lest it be seen as a superficial commitment to climate action.

3 months ago