Children play at an early childhood education (PAUD) center near Danone's factory in Prambanan, Yogyakarta.

Javanese sayings for a world losing its way

Indonesia is in a deep crisis, not one of headlines or emergencies, but of systemic erosion with real-life consequences.

1 week ago

Academia

Welcoming the golden age of Indonesia, facilitated by AI

As the country moves toward realizing the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision of being an advanced and prosperous nation, the development of Indonesia has been tremendously assisted by the advancement of technology. ...

1 week ago

Academia premium

Saving Gazans but forgetting about Palestine

Sympathy without structure can devolve into sentiment without solutions, especially if the receiving country lacks the systems needed to truly welcome, care for and protect the displaced. ...

2 weeks ago

The Latest

Containers and cranes are seen at the container port in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China, on April 13.

Academia premium

Can a global trade war be avoided?

If the rest of the world responds wisely, the damage could be circumscribed entirely to the US with even a small dose of liberalization for everybody else.

1 week ago

Up and running: Workers check on packages of battery cells on July 3, 2024, at the Hyundai LG Indonesia (HLI) Green Power plant in Karawang, West Java, following its inauguration.

Academia premium

Reforming Indonesia’s local content requirement policy

A major shift in global trade dynamics, coupled with the growing evidence of LCR-related inefficiencies, makes recalibrating the policy a logical and necessary step.

2 weeks ago

A picture released by the NASA Earth Observatory on July 22, 2009 shows a detailed photograph of the summit caldera of the Tambora volcano, on the island of Sumbawa.

Academia premium

Reflecting on the Tambora eruption 210 years ago

The 210th anniversary of the Tambora eruption is a moment to contemplate, and to educate the public about volcanoes’ threats and their value to mankind.

2 weeks ago

Former communications and information minister and graft defendant Johnny G Plate (right) listens to questions from prosecutors during a hearing at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Oct. 19, 2023. The NasDem politician was indicted of accepting Rp 17.8 billion (US$1.1 million) in kickbacks from inflated procurement in a government 4G telephony project.

Academia premium

Indonesia’s CPTPP bid must begin with procurement reform

Joining the CPTPP could help accelerate much-needed change, but only if Indonesia treats the agreement as a lever for structural reform, not a shortcut to foreign markets.

2 weeks ago

The 2025 ASEAN Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting is seen on April 10, 2025, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center in Malaysia.

Academia premium

Making the case for ASEAN's relevance: Can Indonesia lead the way?

If Indonesia seeks to play a leadership role globally, it must start by strengthening its regional peacemaking initiatives.

2 weeks ago

In this file photo taken on Nov.8, 2017 United States President Donald Trump (left) and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands during a business leaders event at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Academia

Trump vs. Xi: A global leadership contest

The US-China trade war is not only a geopolitical confrontation but also a powerful contest of leadership.

2 weeks ago

Academia premium

Reflection on the 75th years of Indonesia-China relations

The current situation may be the toughest test for the Indonesia-China partnership, especially for Indonesia's new government.

2 weeks ago

United States President Donald Trump (right) and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un hold a meeting on Feb. 28, 2019, during the second US-North Korea summit at the Sofitel Legend Metropole hotel in Hanoi.

Academia premium

South Korea, Indonesia can cooperate in hosting North Korea-US summit

In a rapidly multipolar international order, where the Global South is rising, South Korea has been bucking the trend by deepening its value alliance with the US and Japan.

2 weeks ago

Tourists read leaflets as they look at portraits of victims of the Khmer Rouge regime at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh on March 28.

Academia

Cambodia still haunted by Khmer Rouge

Fifty years on, the Khmer Rouge’s legacy continues to shape Cambodia: politically, socially, economically and emotionally

2 weeks ago

Academia premium

ASEAN should expand to counter Trump's tariffs

Current ASEAN chair Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim can marshal the full power of the bloc to present a unified front and develop policy initiatives that can help shield members from the economic disruption caused by Trump’s tariffs.

2 weeks ago

A broken Buddha statue is pictured on April 4 inside a damaged pagoda following a strong earthquake in Amarapura township, Myanmar.

Academia premium

Myanmar recovery: An urgent plea for ASEAN-led global action

ASEAN must step forward to guide the recovery in Myanmar, potentially building on the model of the Tripartite Core Group, involving the military junta, ASEAN Plus (with China and India) and the UN.

2 weeks ago

Muscle machine: A worker uses a container lift truck on Sept. 17, 2024, at Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta.

Academia

Scale or sink: How to compete in new global trade era

The “reform” and “deregulation” initiated by the government sends a clear message that Indonesia is positioning itself as an open and competitive player in a newly adversarial trade environment.

2 weeks ago

A cargo ship full of shipping containers is seen on March 6 at the port of Oakland as trade tensions escalate over United States tariffs, in Oakland, California, the US.

Academia

Trump’s tariffs hit East Asia hard, but Americans pay the price

Tariffs cannot resolve America’s deeper economic challenges, such as mounting public debt, widening fiscal deficits, crumbling infrastructure and persistent inequality.

2 weeks ago

Advancing solutions: United Nations headquarters is seen on Sept. 24, 2016, in New York City, the United States.

Academia premium

The new UN debt initiative is different

As their debt burdens and debt-service costs soar, many developing countries are being forced to divert resources away from education, health care and climate mitigation.

2 weeks ago

Electric future: BYD electric cars for export sit at a port on April 18, 2024, in Yantai, in eastern China's Shandong province, as they wait to be loaded onto a ship.

Academia

The world needs fairness, not hegemony

Tariffs will neither resolve the United States trade deficit nor “Make America Great Again”. Instead, they harm the US' own citizens.

2 weeks ago

Stronger together: New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon delivers a speech on Feb. 26 during the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 at the Melia Hotel in Hanoi.

Academia

New horizons for ASEAN-New Zealand ties

While we’ve come a long way, there is potential to do a great deal more together.

2 weeks ago

Technicians and residents of Naisau village in East Nusa Tenggara work together to install solar panels in January 2024.

Academia premium

Cleantech can’t afford to be caught in crossfire of trade wars

Every dollar invested in energy innovation can generate returns many times over—not just in economic growth, but in climate stability.

2 weeks ago

Historic partnership: President Prabowo Subianto (right) sits with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on Friday in Antalya, Turkey.

Academia premium

Messages from President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to Turkey

Indonesia and Turkey are well-suited to serve as bridge-builders in today's increasingly polarized global landscape.

2 weeks ago

Strongman spectacle: United States President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order on April 2 after delivering remarks on reciprocal tariffs during an event in the Rose Garden entitled “Make America Wealthy Again“ at the White House in Washington, DC.

Academia premium

Tariffs, myth and the will to power

Trump sees himself as single-handedly and fundamentally altering the global order by a Herculean act of sheer will.

2 weeks ago

David and Goliath: A small fishing boat sails on the waters near the New Prior Container Terminal One (NPCT1) on August 20, 2024, in Cilincing, Jakarta.

Academia premium

What Trump’s tariff pause means for Indonesia

As the global system tilts further into protectionist reflexes and retaliatory theatrics, Indonesia must remain sharp-eyed and steady-footed.

2 weeks ago

Daily grind: Commuters from the suburbs are seen exiting Manggarai station during the morning rush hour on Nov. 8, 2024, in Jakarta.

Academia

Reviving the middle class with jobs

Developing labor-intensive, demand-driven businesses can boost employment and transform the economy.

2 weeks ago

A person opens the Satusehat Mobile app in Pontianak, West Kalimantan.

Academia premium

Breaking the vicious cycle of fragmented digital governance

Indonesia remains locked in a cycle of ruptured progress and policy resets that undermine its long-term digital transformation goals.

2 weeks ago

Workers load oil palm fruit bunches onto a truck at a plantation belonging to state-owned PT Perkebunan Nusantara II in Deli Serdang regency, North Sumatra, on Nov. 19, 2024.

Academia premium

Agrinas is redundant for oil palm plantations

The measure is totally inconsistent with the government drive for improving the efficiency of its fiscal and economic management.

2 weeks ago

Practice makes perfect: Students enrolled in English language courses at the Practical Education Center approach a foreign tourist during a field assignment at Fatahillah Square in West Jakarta. The center requires its students to talk to foreign tourists in the area to boost their confidence and fluency in conversational English.

Academia

Strengthening English language education: Investing in teachers for a global future

Achieving the 2027 target of mandatory English instruction in third grade classrooms will require scaling efforts to reach 180,000 teachers and ensure consistent quality.

2 weeks ago

Academia premium

The Ghibli effect: From dream artist to legal nightmare

Indonesia remains largely positioned as a passive consumer in the global AI landscape, vulnerable to potential rights infringements and lacking robust protections or negotiating power.

2 weeks ago

Indonesians Ole Romeny (center), Ragnar Oratmangoen (right) and Marselino Ferdinan celebrate after scoring the first goal during the World Cup 2026 Asian qualifier soccer match between Indonesia and Bahrain at Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on March 25.

Academia premium

Naturalization of footballers and the meaning of the nation

Naturalization not only reflects a pragmatic strategy, but also reveals how deeply intertwined soccer has become with politics, media spectacle and national identity construction.

2 weeks ago

A shopkeeper uses his cell phone on March 6, 2025, while waiting for customers in a clothing stall at Tanah Abang Market in Jakarta.

Academia premium

The hidden threat: Inflation beneath the surface

The government and the central bank are in a tight spot as global uncertainties shrink the room for measures that support growth amid the rupiah depreciation, US tariffs and higher inflation expectations, but an expansionary approach and good policy communication will go a long way toward reducing future risks.

2 weeks ago

Page: 2