The Giant Sea Wall project shows confusion in policy, poor problem diagnosis and the risk of spending billions on the wrong solution.

The most recent cabinet reshuffle constitutes not only a cabinet refresh, but also a reflection of the consolidation of power and a test of confidence among the market and the public.  

The trade deal reached with the United States at the end of July, though unbalanced and asymmetric, has not brought back stability and predictability.

The Chinese military parade was a declaration that Chinese leader Xi Jinping sees himself in a race against time to secure his place in history.

President Prabowo Subianto’s attendance at the parade in Beijing signals awareness that the world is shifting to a multipolar order, and that Indonesia is navigating its positioning amid uncertain currents.

Indonesia experiences cartelization due to the president's promiscuous power-sharing, elite collusion to secure state access and the weakening of meaningful opposition. 

Pent-up frustrations due to House’s failure to represent citizen interests erupted into large scale demonstrations.

Unless adequate measures are taken to address the problem, people will again take to the streets demanding bold changes in the government’s policies. 

New technological systems do not protect human rights by default.

Beijing’s military parade came amid closer coordination with Russia and North Korea, and against a backdrop of intensifying Sino-American rivalry.

Air pollution erodes competitiveness, undermines education when haze shuts schools and weakens human capital by imposing lifelong health burdens.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?