Academia: Opinion Articles &amp; News Commentary

Indonesia’s shaky Myanmar rapprochement

By pursuing rapprochement with Min Aung Hlaing, Southeast Asian leaders risk trading democratic credibility for empty concessions from a crumbling regime.

11 hours ago

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Job seekers wait in line during the opening of the 2026 Bogor Job Fair on June 8 at Plaza Jambu Dua in Bogor, West Java. The job fair, organized by the Bogor Manpower Office and attended by 30 local and national companies offering 3,212 job vacancies, aims to connect job seekers directly with employers and help reduce unemployment in West Java.

The promise of ‘Sumpah Pemuda’, the promise of a first job

Nearly a century after the Youth Pledge, Indonesia’s demographic promise will not be fulfilled in speeches, but in whether its economy can offer millions of waiting young people their critical first job.

12 hours ago

A visitor walks past a screen displaying the movement of the Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) on Oct. 19 at the Indonesia Stock Exchange in South Jakarta.

Keeping emerging market status: Lessons from 1998

To save Indonesia from a humiliating market downgrade, policymakers must abandon defensive rhetoric and deploy the painful, proven audit blueprint that rescued the nation’s banks in 1998.

14 hours ago

A man uses his mobile phone in front of a reflection of an electronic board displaying stock prices at the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) building in South Jakarta on Oct. 14, 2026.

When diplomacy loses its place in policymaking

Indonesia does not lack spokespersons. What it is missing is diplomacy as the center of gravity of its foreign policy.

14 hours ago

An electronic display board inside the main hall of the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) in South Jakarta shows an overall downward movement across most stocks during the lunch break on Jan. 29, 2026, when the IDX Composite index fell 6.3 percent after global index provider MSCI raised concerns about Indonesia's stock market.

Opinion premium

Analysis: Indonesia’s market sell-off punishes poor governance

Last Friday was a Black Friday for Indonesian stocks. A market sell-off wiped out US$65 billion in value and sent the Indonesia Composite Index (IDX) plunging 11.6 percent, its steepest drop since 1998. The market did not crash because corporate fundamentals suddenly weakened, but because investors punished regulators for turning a blind eye to market abuses and acting only after MSCI forced their hand.

14 hours ago

Then-foreign minister Sugiono speaks during the Foreign Minister's Annual Press Statement (PPTM) at the Foreign Ministry in Jakarta, on Jan. 10, 2025. The Foreign Ministry is committed to continuing to strengthen Indonesia's position on the global stage by becoming a member of BRICS and in the process of accession to be included in the membership of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) which affirms its active role in various world economic forums such as the G20, APEC, IPEF, MIKTA and CPTPP.

Editorial premium

Just another FTA

Unless Indonesia tackles its worsening corruption and regulatory chaos at home, joining the high-standard CPTPP will deliver mere diplomatic prestige rather than real economic gains.

15 hours ago

interview

US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) president and CEO Brian McFeeters poses in an undated picture.

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Clear business climate ‘dealmaker’ amid rising protectionism, USABC says

Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta (left) and ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn talk on Aug. 1, 2025, at the ASEAN Secretariat in South Jakarta.

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ASEAN should aim for South China Sea of peace, Timor-Leste president says

Munich Security Conference CEO Benedikt Franke

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Middle powers must make choice in rebuilding global order

Deputy Statistics Indonesia (BPS) chief Sonny Harry Budiutomo Harmadi poses for a portrait at the BPS headquarters in Jakarta, in this undated photograph.

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Economic Census helps businesses spot market opportunities: BPS

Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy Vice Adm. Harold Liebergs.

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International cooperation key in facing emerging naval threats: Dutch Navy commander

Deputy Creative Economy Minister Irene Umar gestures during an interview with The Jakarta Post at the ministry office in Autograph Tower, Thamrin Nine, Central Jakarta, on May 7, 2026.

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Creative economy needs stronger inter-ministerial ties: Deputy minister

Trade Minister, Budi Santoso gestures while speaking during a special interview with The Jakarta Post on April 22 at the Ministry Of Trade office in Jakarta.

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RI seeks new suppliers, export markets as tensions mount: Trade minister

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.

9 months ago

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.

1 year ago

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.

1 year ago

Insight: AI and Efficiency: Sacrifices The Next Generation

Introduction: From One Disruption to Another

1 year ago

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