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Jakarta Post
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Indonesia is officially aging

As its population graying at an unprecedented rate, Indonesia must pivot from viewing its elderly as a cultural burden to designing proactive policies that transform them into a national asset.

7 hours ago
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Not China’s problem

Any impression that rules are enforced selectively or that crackdowns are politically motivated would be extremely detrimental to the country’s investment climate. ...

1 day ago
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What an anticlimax summit

There was plenty of pomp and pageantry, but when it came to substance, there was little for the rest of the world to cheer about. ...

2 days ago

The Latest

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Waste sorting can’t wait

As the Bantar Gebang landfill overflows, Jakarta’s new waste sorting mandate marks a vital yet long overdue shift toward sustainability. But its success depends on real solutions, consistent enforcement and above all, public education.

4 days ago
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The ghost in the film

A series of crackdowns on public screenings and discussions of the documentary film Pesta Babi (Pig Feast) serves as a grim reminder that the nation’s democratic progress is not only stalling but effectively backsliding.

5 days ago
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Gig economy no more

By intervening in ride-hailing commissions, the government risks turning a flexible "bridge" into a rigid dead end for the very workers it aims to protect.

1 week ago
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Defending rights defenders

By attempting to screen who qualifies for protection, the government risks transforming itself from a guardian of liberty into a gatekeeper for rights violators.

1 week ago
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Still ASEAN leader?

Disunity has held back ASEAN from making progress on many fronts, particularly resolving the persistent issues in its backyard, and the same could also apply to the Prabowo administration's foreign policy stance as regards the bloc: Perhaps it is simply not the time for Indonesia to take up the regional mantle.

1 week ago
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Wrong target, wrong response

The government's choice to respond to uncomfortable public statements with police reports and takedown requests only proves the shrinking space for freedom of expression.

1 week ago
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All good on the macro front

Economists have warned of climbing inflation as soon as this month, as more of the global price pressure caused by the Middle East conflict is passed on to domestic consumers.

1 week ago
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Capitalizing on the Malacca Strait

Indonesia must trade its outdated regional rivalries for a sophisticated maritime strategy that honors international law while finally turning the Malacca Strait into a true engine for national growth.

1 week ago
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Childcare reform can’t wait

As viral tragedies expose a broken system of unregulated daycares and uncertified caregivers, Indonesia must choose between performing temporary damage control or finally building the foundational safety net its "golden generation" deserves.

2 weeks ago
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Taxing without turmoil

Regional taxes will not be accepted if citizens see local elites living extravagantly, renovating official residences or wasting public money on nonessential spending.

2 weeks ago
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More than just PR problem

A quick scroll on social media is enough to show the extent of the public relations problem, with netizens expressing vitriol toward not only some of the government’s signature projects, the free meal program in particular, but also making personal attacks against the President and members of his inner circle. 

2 weeks ago
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Fatal crossings, failing signals

Safety should be a structural guarantee, not a matter of luck. The Bekasi train collision must finally end the country’s deadly reliance on level crossings.

2 weeks ago
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Protecting 'the help'

After nearly a quarter century stuck in legislative limbo, the nation has finally passed a law guaranteeing the rights of domestic workers, but structural gaps and deep-seated social biases may still stand in the way of true protection.

2 weeks ago
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Culling pests, cleaning rivers

As Jakarta ramps up its war on janitor fish, the real enemy isn't the invasive pests, but the decades of systemic pollution that allow them to thrive.

3 weeks ago
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Sexist humor is no joke

When future judges and lawyers treat "silence means consent" as a punchline, the scales of justice are broken before they even enter the courtroom. This controversy at the University of Indonesia isn't just a private chat gone wrong, it is a chilling look at the foundation of the pyramid that keeps rape culture alive.  

3 weeks ago
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Dark days soldier on

The case should be tried in a civilian court to ensure accountability and uncover the full chain of command.

3 weeks ago
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Making sense of Indonesia

Standard practice around that period mostly revolved foreign correspondents parachuted from the major capitals of the West to report from the “exotic” East, who often wrote with an outlook which literary critic Edward Said deemed “orientalist”.

3 weeks ago
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Inflation won’t stop at pump

While government estimates suggest fuel hikes are a minor technicality, the real danger lies in a "squeezed middle class" whose forced spending cuts could trigger a much broader economic slowdown.

3 weeks ago
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Arrests aren’t enough

While the KPK’s arrest spree suggests a victory for the rule of law, it may indicate a deeper political rot. Without reforming how parties select candidates, we risk trading our hard-won democracy for a cycle of perpetual graft.

3 weeks ago
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Silencing critics, losing touch

Indonesian democracy is regressing not through a sudden coup, but through what experts call the “gradual, subtle and even legal” subversion of democratic norms.

4 weeks ago
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Our doctors are dying

Last month, three intern doctors died within just 11 days from complications linked to dengue fever, anemia, and measles. While official reforms promise to protect medical interns, the tragic deaths reveal a system where "safety limits" exist only on paper.

4 weeks ago
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Put country first

At a time when global leaders are shifting their priorities toward securing national interests amid the ongoing war in the Middle East, our President is fluttering from country to country drumming up cooperation deals instead of heeding his people's calls to come home and attend to domestic matters first.

1 month ago
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Transit drives growth

While often viewed as a public cost, Transjakarta is actually a massive economic driver generating three times its weight in national output. By shifting focus from fuel subsidies to transit integration, Indonesia can clear its skies and its balance sheets simultaneously.

1 month ago
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Cheap loans won’t fix SMEs

Limited growth potential and informal structures often disqualify Indonesia’s small enterprises from external financing, as lenders perceive them as high-risk or unattractive clients.

1 month ago
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Second time surrender

From "free and active" to a silent subordinate: Prabowo’s recent concessions to Washington signal a dangerous erosion of Indonesian sovereignty.

1 month ago
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Bracing for ‘Godzilla’

As a "Godzilla-like" El Niño looms, Indonesia must move beyond complacency and apply the lessons of history to protect its food security and its future.

1 month ago
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Indonesian law for Myanmar general

For the sake of both national integrity and humanity, the Attorney General’s Office should proceed with the necessary investigations to bring the act of genocide case involving the Myanmar junta leader before an Indonesian court. 

1 month ago

Today's ePost

Wed, May 20, 2026

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