Academia: Opinion Articles &amp; News Commentary

Can Minister Arrmanatha make Foreign Ministry great again?

Arrmanatha inherits an institutional legacy, but his real test is whether he can restore the ministry’s authority in shaping Indonesian foreign policy.

16 hours ago

Academia

High shipping costs deepen the oil market crisis

Even as Asian crude imports head toward recovery, soaring logistics costs due to the Middle East war are cutting into refiners' margins, prompting them to seek solutions that would put pressure back on Gulf producers.

17 hours ago

The Latest

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (left) greets Chinese President Xi Jinping as the latter arrives in Kuala Lumpur on April 15, 2025, for a three-day visit to the Southeast Asian country.

Understanding, adapting to the new world disorder

As the post-war order fractures into a volatile new world disorder, Malaysia must abandon diplomatic complacency and master the art of strategic autonomy—or risk becoming collateral damage in the next great-power shock.

18 hours ago

A street is choked by haze from forest fires on Oct. 15 in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan. Toxic haze has covered parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore for weeks as Jakarta struggles to contain fires that have scorched large tracts of Borneo and Sumatra, with smoke drifting across the region.

Who are really behind Indonesia’s forest fires?

Holding those behind Indonesia’s forest fires truly accountable means looking past the individuals striking the matches and following the corporate paper trail straight to the parent companies profiting from the burn.

19 hours ago

Defendants in a murder case of a bank branch head in Jakarta, namely Chief Sgt. Frengky Yaru (second left), Second Cpl. Feri Heriyanto and Chief Sgt. Mochamad Nasir (second right), are escorted out of the courtroom after their verdict hearing at the Jakarta Military Court in Jakarta on June 3, 2026. The judges sentenced Nasir to 13 years in prison, Feri to seven years and Frengky to a year after finding them guilty in the murder case.

Impunity for military ends, may justice for all begin

By dismantling the shield of military courts for ordinary crimes, the Constitutional Court's landmark ruling reclaims civilian supremacy and demands an end to institutional impunity in Indonesia.

20 hours ago

Motorcyclists ride in the morning in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan on October 14, 2026. Thick haze has turned the skies in the city into apocalyptic shades of yellow and orange on Thursday, reducing visibility to a few dozen meters as wildfires cause a regional air pollution crisis

Opinion premium

Analysis: Forest fires prove governance failures have gone too far

For nearly four months wildfires have ravaged Indonesia, exposing acute, systemic failures in government response and law enforcement. While the ongoing dry spell has exacerbated the crisis, suspected corporate land clearing by burning points to a deliberate, recurring practice that authorities have repeatedly failed to halt.

20 hours ago

Demonstrators hold placards and raise three fingers in a salute symbolizing freedom, solidarity and equality during a protest in Jakarta on Oct. 20, 2026. The protesters called for an end to forest and land fires and demanded the eradication of corruption, collusion and nepotism as they marked the second anniversary of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s administration.

Editorial premium

No voice of authority

When a government responds to choking toxic haze with bizarre boasts about "exporting oxygen," it reveals a broken communications machine that breeds distrust while lives hang in the balance.

21 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.

8 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