A protester holds a sign that reads “Pati united. Down with arrogant regent who oppresses the people“ during a protest in Pati, Central Java on Aug. 13, 2025.

People power in Pati

The uprising in Pati serves as a powerful message to leaders at all levels of government about the importance of public trust and consultation.

11 hours ago

Editorial

Ending the spat over Ambalat

Ambiguous joint arrangements over Ambalat will only allow China to dilute the legal foundations of maritime governance in the region. ...

1 day ago

Editorial

Much tech, less protection

Roblox has been accused of prioritizing user growth, revenue and profit over child safety. ...

2 days ago

The Latest

Editorial

The price of Borobudur

When we simply focus on increasing the number of visitors, we ignore the sustainability of tourist destinations, and in turn the industry itself.

3 years ago

President Joko Widodo (left) and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese respond to a journalist on June 6, during the two leaders’ first bilateral meeting at Bogor Palace in West Java.

Editorial

Albanese’s surprise G20 vow

Australia's newly elected premier has come bearing diplomatic gifts on his first state visit to Indonesia, foremost of which is his unconditional assurance to attend the G20 Bali Summit in November.

3 years ago

Workers transfer harvested palm fruit bunches to a transport truck before they are processed into crude palm oil (CPO) at a palm plantation in Pekanbaru, Riau, on April 23.

Editorial

For at least 10 days after President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo lifted the palm oil export ban on May 23, not a single shipment of the commodity left port as a result of the entirely new and labyrinthine bureaucratic procedures imposed by the Trade Ministry.

3 years ago

New circuit: Finishing touch is put on the Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit in Ancol, North Jakarta on May 5, 2022, ahead of the Formula E race on June 4, 2022.

Editorial

Anies’ real race

For Jakarta, the E-Prix will test its ability to host an international event of a higher level, such as the Formula One, in the future.

3 years ago

A large wave hits passenger vessel KM Lestari Maju in Selayar Islands, South Sulawesi, on July 3, 2018.

Editorial

Seafaring nation

The accident highlights the problems with Indonesia’s shipping industry, especially the traditional shipping sector.

3 years ago

A poll worker (right) helps a woman put on a plastic glove before she casts her ballot at a polling station in Tapos, Depok, West Java, on Dec. 9, 2019. Poll workers enforced strict health protocols on voting day for the Depok mayoral election, requiring voters to wear gloves and face masks, among other precautions. JP/P.J. Leo

Editorial

Betrayal to the people

The government’s choice of active police and military officers for some of the interim regional head posts implies its penchant for a security approach, which also typified the New Order under Soeharto.

3 years ago

Former energy and mineral resources minister Arcandra Tahar speaks to journalists at the Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister on Aug. 9, 2016.

Editorial

All the way on dual citizenship

The security argument against dual citizenship no longer holds water due to increasing government-surveillance power, thanks to information technology.

3 years ago

A man transports vegetables he bought at the wholesale market on his motorbike in Jakarta on April 13.

Editorial

Burning more money

The fiscal policy shows that the government will focus on strengthening the role of the state budget in absorbing the impact of the skyrocketing food and energy prices.

3 years ago

Race to the office: Many workers kept coming into offices during the pandemic, enduring Jakarta's legendary traffic jam, only to find barely tolerable working environments (Antara/Galih Pradipta)

Editorial

Time to return to office

Many are happy to return to the office as they believe face-to-face interactions will go some way toward a stronger workplace synergy.

3 years ago

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left), US President Joe Biden (second left), Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (second right) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wave to the media prior to the Quad meeting at Kishida's office in Tokyo on May 24.

Editorial

Cherry-picking Biden

For Biden, this was an opportunity to combine security and economic cooperation with the regional grouping, clearly with the ultimate goal of forming a multilateral force to contain China.

3 years ago

Historic win: Indonesian basketball team celebrate after beating defending champion the Philippines in the gold medal match at the Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi on May 22, 2022. The 85-81 win gives Indonesia its first basketball gold medal ever in the regional sporting event.

Editorial

Surprises at SEA Games

For Youth and Sports Minister Zainuddin Amali, the smaller team -- emphasizing the young -- was part of the country’s sports-development strategy to achieve more at the Olympic level.

3 years ago

Victory is ours: A visitor looks at photos that depict people jumping for joy after the resignation of dictator Soeharto.

Editorial

Years of living dangerously

Without the IMF’s intervention, it would have been much more difficult for the nation to force Soeharto to step down and embark on historic political reforms to bring democracy back to life.

3 years ago

President Joko Widodo (center) walks with then-Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (right) and opposition leader Anthony Albanese (left) while attend an official luncheon on Feb. 10, 2020 in the Great Hall at Parliament House in Canberra.

Editorial

G'day Anthony, g'bye Scott

We look forward to welcoming Australia's newly elected prime minister, with hopes of continued cordiality and perhaps even a shift in Indonesia's climate stance.

3 years ago

India's Kidambi Srikanth hits a return against Indonesia's Jonatan Christie during the men's finals of the Thomas and Uber Cup badminton tournament in Bangkok on May 15.

Editorial

Down but not out

The badminton world has for too long fallen under the domination of a few.

3 years ago

Indonesian Navy Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Agung Prasetiawan (left) inspects a container filled with cooking oil at the port of Belawan in Medan, North Sumatra, which was going to be shipped to Malaysia, on May 6.

Editorial

Palm oil export ban revoked

The problem is that Indonesia, as the world’s largest producer, only consumes about one-third of its crude palm oil production, which last year totaled over 47 million tons.

3 years ago

Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli activists from the Combatants for Peace movement carry posters during a gathering in honor of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the West Bank biblical city of Bethlehem on May 12.

Editorial

Heartless Israel

Israel will find justification for its gross violence and the US will readily act as an excellent bodyguard for its “master” Israel.

3 years ago

Editorial

Don't repeat mistakes

The coronavirus and its variants — whether they are as deadly as the Delta or as contagious as Omicron — should have taught the government about how to prepare, detect and respond to any emerging diseases.

3 years ago

President Joko Widodo (right) watches along with Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (left) as United States President Joe Biden responds to a reporter’s question about the baby formula shortage during a photo op for the US-ASEAN Special Summit on May 12, 2022 at the White House South Lawn in Washington, D.C.

Editorial

Still much to prove

Biden still has a lot to do to show how "special" ASEAN and Southeast Asia really are to the US and its greater Indo-Pacific strategy, aside from keeping China at bay.

3 years ago

In this photo illustration, news about Elon Musk's bid to take over Twitter is tweeted on April 25, 2022, the day it was announced that Twitter had accepted a $44 billion bid from Musk to acquire the company.

Editorial

Tech tycoon bromance

From a public relations standpoint this is a major coup for Jokowi, considering that Musk is now the biggest newsmaker especially after his move to take over Twitter.

3 years ago

Deputy to the home minister for border area resource management Paulus Waterpauw takes an oath as he is installed as the acting West Papua governor at the Home Ministry in North Jakarta on May 12. Home Minister Tito Karnavian also inaugurated four other acting governors on the same day.

Editorial

Appointed, not elected yet powerful

Not only can the interim leaders serve for a few years without people’s mandate, they will also wield powers that barely differentiate them from elected ones.

3 years ago

Editorial

The inflationary pressures

If inflation spirals out of control, the growth of private consumption would weaken and unfortunately, inflation hits the fixed low-income group hardest.

3 years ago

Philippine presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos speaks while on the campaign trail on March 25, 2022 in Laoag city, Ilocos Norte province.

Editorial

Marcos’ 'people power'

ASEAN states may need to sit up and batten down if the junior Marcos' successful presidential bid spells a return of political dynasties in the Philippines.

3 years ago

Let’s talk: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Russia Summit in Singapore in 2018.

Editorial

Inviting Putin is no joke

Indonesia should first and foremost invite and make sure all the G20 leaders turn up for the summit.

3 years ago

Evacuated Rohingya people from Myanmar sit on the shorelines of Lancok village, in North Aceh regency, Aceh province, on June 25, 2020. Nearly 100 Rohingya from Myanmar, including 30 children, have been rescued from a rickety wooden boat off the coast of Sumatra island, a maritime official said.

Editorial

Helpless Myanmar opposition

The opposition should also remember that its leader Suu Kyi has little trust in some ASEAN members, especially Indonesia and Malaysia, because of their bond with the minority Muslim Rohingya.

3 years ago

New attraction: The Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, glitters as construction continues at night on Nov. 23, 2021. The new stadium is set to be inaugurated by the end of the year.

Editorial

Anies’ stadium legacy

For Governor Anies Baswedan, JIS is his signature legacy especially, when he leaves office on Oct. 16.

3 years ago

Well-wishers: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (second right) and First Lady Iriana (right) receive Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and his son Didit Hediprasetyo (left) on Idul Fitri at the State Palace in Yogyakarta on Monday.

Editorial

Prabowo’s Idul Fitri safari

As part of the administration, Prabowo can claim all the government’s achievements, as well as Jokowi’s relatively high approval rating.

3 years ago

President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo (right) speaks as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida watches during a joint press conference on April 29, 2022 at Bogor Palace.

Editorial

Jokowi’s hopes for Japan

While Indonesia and Japan continues to maintain mutually beneficial ties, they should not expect everything to remain smooth sailing amid the global currents.

3 years ago

Vehicles are stuck in a traffic jam on the toll road heading out of Jakarta, in West Karawang on April 28, as people head to their hometowns for the upcoming Idul Fitri festivities, which marks the end of Ramadan.

Editorial

Happy ‘mudik’, at last!

As we enter the third year of the pandemic, we have reasons to believe that we are now better protected than ever.

3 years ago

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron celebrate after his victory in France's presidential election, at the Champ de Mars in Paris, on April 24, 2022.

Editorial

Jokowi’s French connection

Macron’s victory over far-right Euroskeptic, anti-Islam and antimigrant Marine Le Pen represents the triumph of common sense.

3 years ago

Commodity boom: A plantation company worker loads a truck with newly harvested oil palm fruit bunches in Berkat village in Central Mamuju regency, West Sulawesi, on March 10. Indonesia scored its highest exports last month, thanks in part to crude palm oil.

Editorial

The windfall and the burden

If this huge additional subsidy is allowed, the fiscal deficit could exceed the 4.85 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) target this year, whereas the government is required by law to keep the deficit below 3 percent of GDP in 2023.

3 years ago

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