With the COVID-19 pandemic far from being over, coupled with the threat of a looming recession in the midst of ongoing disruption to the global supply chain, for the majority of people things do look bleak. And with the war now raging in the eastern part of Europe, involving some of the world's major powers, there is definitely a sense of foreboding.

The moderate approach is a positive gesture from the government, showing that it is being very careful, or “vigilant” as President Jokowi puts it, despite the fact Indonesia’s economy remains strong with the support of a record trade surplus and export revenue this year.

Knowing that the junta has repeatedly pooh-poohed the agreement, ASEAN should take harsher measures against it.

Shortly after assuming the leadership of the Group of 20, Indonesia begun a flurry of diplomatic activities to kick-start the group’s presidency, which culminated in the visit of President Jokowi to Ukraine and Russia in late June this year. 

The latest draft maintains articles that criminalize insults to a sitting president, fornication and cohabitation, as well as other provisions that critics deem as threats to civil liberties. 

One domestic downside risk is that the steady rise of inflation will weaken consumer purchasing power and eat away at private consumption.

An open and direct military confrontation between the two giants is an unlikely scenario for many, but any miscalculation by either side could trigger a catastrophe in the Indo-Pacific region.

The alleged cover-up is just the tip of the iceberg of the endemic corruption within the police force.

As the country’s economy continues to thrive and consumer spending continues to grow, there is huge potential for cross-border commerce to develop in Indonesia. 

As a pragmatic leader, Hun Sen realized that taking sides with the murderous junta leader would only tarnish his position among ASEAN leaders.

The ASEAN Para Games has been a winning demonstration of the participating athletes' determination and hard work, whether they took home a medal or not.

We are lucky that though we depend mainly on fuel imports, the government can afford to cushion the impact of rising international oil prices to protect the purchasing power of the people. 

All fires start with a spark, and it might still not be too late for Biden to put out the one that the US has lit in our neighborhood by allowing Pelosi's Taiwan visit.

Some may suspect that Super Garuda Shield is just another trick to contain China, but Indonesia has invited China to participate in other forms of cooperation.

Given the increasing rivalry and tension between the two powers, Biden and Xi should continue to maintain their line of communication and talk as frequently as needed to prevent a war. 

The government and the public should not let the prevailing homophobia derail our efforts to contain the spread of monkeypox.

The early delivery of tens of millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses from China helped Indonesians endure the health crisis, although many Indonesians were doubtful about their efficacy as compared to Western vaccines.

In fact, social media has contributed significantly to the spread of lies, fake news and hatred that lead to sociopolitical segregation, like what happened during recent elections in Indonesia and beyond.

ASEAN should take tough actions against the cold-blooded Myanmar junta leader for killing citizens on charges he himself had fabricated, which only undermines the five-point consensus he has pledged to implement. 

But when these victims decided to withdraw their complaints, we cannot help but have the impression that the LPSK's protection guarantees were inadequate.

It is most imperative for the government to ensure that the energy subsidies will not overshoot the target.

For the first time in history, temperatures in the United Kingdom reached more than 40 degrees Celsius, further disrupting lives that were already upended by COVID-19, supply chain disruptions, runaway inflation and the geopolitical tension brought about by the Ukraine war.

The armed attack on civilians last weekend by a Papuan separatist group has raised calls to retaliate with a stronger response, but we would do better to heed the age-old phrase that violence only begets violence.

Gen. Listyo should realize he will only seriously compromise his and the police’s credibility if he chooses to protect a few.  

While Indonesia has supported Timor Leste since it applied for membership in 2011, it was vetoed by one or two other members, who felt that Timor Leste was too poor and that it would be an economic burden for the regional bloc.

The world economy is in a vulnerable state at present, and collaboration rather than division can help countries tread carefully toward an uncertain future.

President Jokowi should start his three-nation tour with a visit to Tokyo because the Japanese people are still mourning the tragic death of former prime minister Shinzo Abe 

Given the far lower cost of living in Indonesia, nomad visas could attract professionals and senior executives of start-up companies in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia.

The line, delivered by the protagonist Joseph Cooper, rings truer today than it did eight years ago when the Christopher Nolan feature-length was released in theaters the world over.

Whatever the merit of these serious accusations, since ACT has denied any impropriety, there is still the big problem of poor government supervision of the activities of charity organizations.