By holding up an uncomfortable mirror to state-led exploitation and violence in Papua, Pesta Babi has shattered decades of enforced silence, forcing Jakarta to choose between repressive censorship and genuine, rights-respecting reform.

The crisis surrounding the government's flagship free meals program urges a fundamental rethink: restore the program's original focus as an anti-stunting intervention for vulnerable groups or maintain the current, unsustainable model of a universal feeding program that leaves it open to rent seeking.

President Prabowo Subianto officially dismissed National Nutrition Agency (BGN) head Dadan Hindayana and his two deputies through a surprise announcement by the State Secretariat early last week, marking one of the most abrupt leadership changes of his administration. The move was soon followed by the Attorney General's Office (AGO) naming all three officials as corruption suspects in the program.

A national internship program won't save Indonesia’s stalling demographic bonus unless the government addresses the real crisis: a severe shortage of formal jobs.

Underlying demand growth remains strong but disappointing global EV sales in the first quarter have tempered expectations for this year.

The same flooded soils that help rice thrive also create ideal conditions for microbes that release climate-warming gases.

The energy shock triggered by the Iran war has further increased borrowing costs, particularly for energy-importing countries, and this trend may persist if current geopolitical tensions continue.

As President Prabowo finds himself in an international spotlight over a brutal chemical attack on a human rights defender, a landmark pretrial ruling has exposed a deep systemic clash between civilian accountability and entrenched military impunity.

A state asset fund that will not account for itself is not managing public assets.

Once trust begins to weaken simultaneously across multiple sectors, economic stress can accelerate much faster than many policymakers expect.

The more than 50 overseas trips President Prabowo Subianto has taken during less than two years in office have increasingly drawn public skepticism. Critics question whether the frequency of these trips aligns with genuine diplomatic priorities and the administration's stated commitment to fiscal efficiency. Thus far, the government's defense has been less than satisfying.

By reopening the investigation into Andrie Yunus's acid attack, the National Police have a rare, unmissable chance to tear down a culture of impunity and finally restore their shattered credibility.

As Tokyo modernizes its Indo-Pacific strategy, a wave of new defense pacts and potential submarine exports marks a bold shift in Japan's military partnerships across Southeast Asia.

As governments turn forests into tradable carbon assets, local residents and indigenous communities are paying the price for a corporate climate shortcut that trades genuine emission cuts for green labels.

Water can become an example of how multilateralism can still deliver tangible results in people’s daily lives.

The world is in turmoil, yet financial markets are riding high. Are investors wrong, or is the picture more complex than this seeming contradiction suggests?

In economics as in chess, a bad move changes the game, but the real blunder is refusing to adapt when the board shifts.

Investors need one of two things: better returns to compensate for risk, or lower risk to justify staying. Indonesia is giving them neither.

As geopolitical tensions expose Indonesia’s dependence on imported fuel, the government is accelerating its B50 biodiesel mandate to strengthen energy security. Yet the policy raises questions about feedstock availability, infrastructure readiness, fiscal costs and its potential impact on the palm oil industry, one of the country’s largest sources of export earnings.

If investors are pulling funds out of Indonesian assets, or are reluctant to enter the market even though there is money to be made, what does that say about their confidence in the country’s prospects?

While Southeast Asian nations promote green growth, their legal systems are being weaponized against the very people fighting to protect the region's climate-vulnerable landscapes.

TKA 2026 proves Indonesia can measure learning at a massive scale, but if the government cannot fix the stark literacy and numeracy deficits revealed by the data, the promise of "Golden Indonesia 2045" will give way to a staggering demographic burden.

In a world fractured by polarization and driven by rapid technological acceleration, Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical delivers a timely, powerful reminder: no advancement must ever overshadow the intrinsic value of human dignity.

By leveraging data-driven frameworks like the Tropical Forest Forever Facility, Brazil and Indonesia are proving that the Global South can ditch traditional geopolitical competition and use science diplomacy to protect the world's most vulnerable ecosystems.

Securing the release of nine Indonesians, detained by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in international waters as part of a humanitarian aid flotilla to Gaza, was no small diplomatic achievement for Indonesia, which has no formal ties to the Jewish state. Yet this accomplishment was not fully appreciated at home, where critics dismissed the government’s efforts as timid and pointed to President Prabowo Subianto’s silence throughout the episode.

Tokyo is not wringing its hands; it is acting to defend itself and help others secure themselves against Chinese expansionism and the US volatility.    

Before we can dream of producing Nobel laureates, we must first rescue an education system where high schoolers can barely pass basic math.