Workers from a Nutrition Service Unit (SPPG) distribute boxed meals to residents affected by flooding at the Pekalongan Social Affairs Agency in Central Java, on Jan 20, 2026.`

How priority programs risk eroding meritocracy in bureaucracy

Indonesia’s pursuit of "fast-tracked" priority programs risks breaking the moral contract at the heart of its bureaucracy. When new initiatives jump the queue, the state doesn't just bypass a backlog of honorary workers, it threatens to replace meritocracy with programmatic proximity.

23 minutes ago

Opinion premium

Analysis: Electoral law reform: A test of the House’s faith in democracy

Beef Since Jan. 20, the House of Representatives has been gathering input from academics and civil society groups regarding the proposed revision of the 2017 General Elections Law, formally submitted on Nov. 19, 2024. A central pillar of these discussions is the adoption of a "codification" approach, specifically, the consolidation of disparate election-related regulations into a single, unified political law package.

30 minutes ago

Editorial premium

Online scams and punishment

Rather than mounting rescue operations repeatedly, Indonesia should take the lead in a coordinated regional and international response, including legal harmonization, to clamp down on human trafficking and forced labor linked to transnational crimes.

1 hour ago

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Words reading “Artificial intelligence AI“, a miniature robot and toy hand are pictured in this illustration created on Dec. 14, 2023.

Academia premium

The hidden footprint and opportunity of AI’s economic promise

If artificial intelligence remains concentrated in a small number of advanced economies, firms and platforms, it risks reinforcing global inequality rather than narrowing it.

20 hours ago

Muslim pilgrims pray at dawn on June 5, 2025, on Saudi Arabia's Mount Arafat, also known as Jabal al-Rahma or Mount of Mercy, during the climax of the haj, as Saudi officials called on participants to refrain from being outside during the hottest hours of the day.

Academia premium

‘Kampung haji’ and the challenge of building a sustainable pilgrimage hub

By serving the broader Southeast Asian Muslim community, the year-round demand base would become sufficiently large for kampung haji to stabilize occupancy and smooth seasonal fluctuations.

21 hours ago

Elderly people fill out forms and wait in line on Nov. 23, 2025, to register or renew their Free Service Card (KLG) during Car Free Day at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta. The event provides an opportunity for seniors aged 60 and above to obtain free access to public transportation services such as TransJakarta, MRT Jakarta and LRT Jakarta, offered by the Jakarta administration.

Academia premium

Demographic bonus: Who pays the price tomorrow?

With only 5 percent pension inclusion, the demographic bonus is on a collision course with an aging reality. It is time to stop blaming individual financial planning and start fixing a system that leaves 120 million workers behind.

22 hours ago

United States President Donald Trump (center) gestures toward President Prabowo Subianto (right) and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as they take part in a charter announcement on Jan. 22 for his Board of Peace initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts, alongside the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, Switzerland.

Academia premium

Indonesia’s realist bet on Trump’s Board of Peace

Joining the BoP may seem like a betrayal of our values. But not joining may mean total irrelevance in decisions that will affect Palestine’s future.

23 hours ago

Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) president director Iman Rachman (center) announces his resignation to reporters on Jan. 30, 2026 at the IDX media center in South Jakarta. Iman stepped down after the IDX Composite index fell by up to 8 percent over the past two days.

Academia premium

The risks of reordering Indonesia’s financial governance

The push to "align" Indonesia’s financial regulators with political objectives marks a fundamental paradigm shift from stability to short-termism. While these moves may sustain growth today, they defer systemic costs to a future where institutional safeguards may no longer exist to catch the fall.

1 day ago

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NU must transform to navigate uncertain world order: Chairman Yahya

This aerial photo shows people climbing debris, on Dec. 9, 2025, to cross the river on a newly built bridge, connecting Aceh and North Sumatra province, after being destroyed by flash floods along Peusangan river in Bireuen district, Aceh.

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Coordinated response key to govt’s disaster handling

History in focus: Belgian historian David Van Reybrouck, author of Revolusi: Indonesia and the Making of the Modern World, poses for a post on his official social media account.

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‘Revolusi’ returns home: David Van Reybrouck on youth, memory and the spirit of Bandung

Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu'ti (right) talks with a student on the sidelines of the inauguration of an integrated school on Sept. 30 in Samarinda, East Kalimantan. The international-standard school integrates schools of three levels of education, namely SDN 28 state elementary school, SMPN 16 state junior high school and SMA Prestasi senior high school.

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Dignifying students key for Indonesia’s education: Education minister

Peace and reconciliation: Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf (eighth right) and Aceh wali nanggroe (traditional leader) Malik Mahmud (center) release doves with former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) officials and incumbent Aceh Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) officials during the 20th anniversary ceremony of the Aceh Peace Agreement in Banda Aceh, Aceh, on August 15, 2025,

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Discourse: Aceh people real heroes in 2005 peace deal

Facing climate crisis: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) executive secretary Simon Stiell.

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Climate action delivers when benefits are visible: UNFCCC

Louder than words: An activist holds a poster criticizing Culture Minister Fadli Zon's statement denying the 1998 mass rapes during a Kamisan (Thursday) silent protest on June 26 in front of the State Palace in Jakarta.

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Discourse: There are more 1998 mass rape victims than recorded

insight

Insight: The strategic role of PT SMI in fiscal policy and economic expansion

Indonesia’s future economic growth will not be determined solely by the size of government spending, but also by how effectively development financing is managed.

6 days ago

insight

Insight: Rethinking work: Driving sustainable growth in the digital age

The digital age has redefined how we live, communicate and work, but perhaps nowhere is this shift more critical than in the field of medicine and public health. As healthcare systems integrate digital technologies, the traditional roles of medical professionals are being reshaped.

6 months ago

insight

Insight: Innovations in managing and developing human capital

Over the past few years, the role of human resources (HR) has expanded far beyond administrative tasks. HR professionals today are expected to drive innovation, enhance the employee experience and align people strategies with business goals. With the help of technology, these responsibilities have become more manageable, and in many ways, more impactful.

7 months ago

insight

Insight: AI and Efficiency: Sacrifices The Next Generation

Introduction: From One Disruption to Another

7 months ago

insight

Insight: Securing a healthier future: The importance of Indonesia's plasma fractionation facility

The global health crisis brought on by COVID-19 tested healthcare systems worldwide, and Indonesia was no exception. As one of the world’s most populous nations, the nation faced immense challenges yet demonstrated resilience and adaptability in navigating the pandemic.

1 year ago

insight

Insight: Understanding sovereign wealth funds and their application in Indonesia

Toward the end of 2020, amid a world grappling with unprecedented challenges, Indonesia took a bold step in securing its economic future: establishing its first sovereign wealth fund (SWF), the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA).

1 year ago