Finding a way to donate these imports to the poor, who could not buy them new, should do no damage to domestic producers, as long as leakage into the market is prevented.

This coming week, Indonesia prepares to welcome the second pope to ever visit the country since 1989, who brings with him a timely message of peace, justice and humanity amid democracy's ailing health across the globe.

For us to achieve a “golden” generation of Indonesians, as enshrined in the 2045 Vision, it is incumbent upon political parties to develop their talent pool and refrain from making assumptions that dismiss voters as lacking intelligence.

The Defense Ministry must carefully decide which cooperative activities it will engage in, especially given Australia’s ambitious nuclear-powered submarine program, part of the trilateral AUKUS pact.

Indonesia will have another opportunity to collaborate with China on a major peace mission in Southeast Asia a after the peace process in Cambodia in 1990.

It took less than a day of protests for lawmakers and the government to finally bow to the popular demand for compliance with the court’s rulings.

To shine in their adulthood, young souls need the right cognitive stimulation, physical activity and nutrition to develop their creativity, literacy and logical thinking.

Under Indonesia’s chairmanship last year, ASEAN hardly made progress in solving the Myanmar cause, but in the final months of his term, Jokowi can change the game.

The party's politicians are focusing on how to secure influence in the next government, either in the cabinet or other strategic institutions.

In addition to venting their anger over the Regional Elections Law revision, on Thursday people also poured their deep-seated resentment of Jokowi, who has done everything within his power to solidify his political dynasty.

As the country prepares for the government transition in October, our health system needs to ramp up its preparations for a potential outbreak of mpox on Indonesian soil.

There have been doubts the third Shinawatra government will survive until the next elections in 2027.

Dharma is clearly being fielded to lose the election and to avoid the empty-box phenomenon that could potentially embarrass Ridwan.

The government issued a new regulation in the lead-up to the country's 79th Independence Day that bans the inhumane practice of pasung, or shackling people with mental illness, but much more is needed in terms of technical regulations and a funding framework to expand both physical and human resources in ensuring nationwide access to mental health care.

Thanks to the reborn court, the race for regional head posts has been thrown wide open and hopes that the best candidates will win the competition may come true.

The President has again shuffled his cabinet a little over two months until he steps aside, signaling his alignment with Prabowo's incoming government in perhaps his final bid to retain power.

So much damage has been done by Jokowi; from the defanging of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in 2019, to the crass political machinations in the lead-up to the 2024 elections, which have led to a nepotistic and oligarchic rule.

Global uncertainty will persist at least until next year, and the country will need all the support it can get on the fiscal side to keep the wheels running for domestic economic activity.

The running theme in the country's post-independence history is that only through unity among the political elite, the people and the Indonesian Military (TNI), did Indonesia manage to free itself from the shackles of colonialism. 

This cycle of violence has prevented any initiative to hold a dialogue to end the decades-long conflict in Papua.

Macroeconomic data, including that 5 percent growth rate we have achieved with remarkable consistency, reflects the current state of the economy but not the risks that lie far ahead.

Indonesians can empathize with their brothers and sisters in Bangladesh from our own experience of forging our path to democracy in the not-too-distant past, and wish them well in recovering from the turbulent past decades toward building their future.

Not only did he give up his presidential bid for Prabowo, but he also put Golkar’s image on the line for following the orders of the ruler, seemingly ignoring democratic values. 

Increased prosperity and better health mean that the younger generation are, on the whole, much physically fitter and stronger than their seniors, allowing them to compete with the best in international sports.

In practice, women have long been struggling to access safe abortions, even when they have the right to terminate the pregnancy.

The Indonesia Onward Coalition (KIM) has built a cartel-like alliance for its preferred candidates in strategic regions such as Jakarta and East Java, making it difficult, if not impossible, for other parties to garner enough support to field opposing tickets.

The decision of Thailand's top court to dismantle the MFP, the legitimate winner of the 2023 general election, shows the establishment's blatant disregard for an indisputable, immutable truth: Progress cannot be stopped.

It's fair to say that the President has also been responsible for the deterioration in the country's quality of democracy.

One of the most profound cruelties of miscarriages of justice is that in most cases, the victims are weak and marginalized, while the beneficiaries are the strong.

The law is limited to caring for those who need state assistance, meaning those who have no relatives to count on, or those who are being neglected.