Empires rise and fall, but to my knowledge no state has ever deliberately, and systematically, killed its own power — much less with such speed.

The rupiah's persistent depreciation is a structural consequence of over-reliance on volatile capital inflows to finance a chronic current account deficit, persistent saving–investment imbalances, lasting fiscal deficit and a narrow, commodity-dependent export base. 

The institutional reflexes that govern Jakarta were not built for a New York index provider that can erode a fifth of Indonesia's sovereign investor mandate overnight. 

Housing is shifting inexorably from a milestone to a mirage in Indonesia. With a national backlog of 15 million houses, housing affordability has turned into a crisis spanning income groups, pushing many families to rent rather than buy. The government’s proposed 40-year mortgage scheme might ease monthly payments but raises a harder question: Does extending debt across most of a person’s productive life solve the housing crisis or merely redefine what desperation looks like?

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.

Jakarta’s billion-dollar WtE dreams will remain buried under a landslide of inefficiency unless the city bridges the gap between high-tech downstream plants and the untapped power of faith-based household sorting.

For the second phase of Indonesia's counter-extremism policy to succeed, it must become a discipline of strategic thinking with the capacity to evolve alongside the complex security, social and developmental issues that are intertwined in violent extremism.

ASEAN’s response to COVID-19 evolved from rapid emergency containment to a multiyear recovery strategy, which has now transitioned into a permanent institutional architecture for future pandemic preparedness. 

As global hegemonic structures falter, the Eurasian Charter offers a bold, indigenous blueprint for a continent-wide security architecture built on the principle of indivisible security. This is a final call for Eurasian nations to claim their seat at the table and define a future free from external diktat.

Humanity stands at a critical juncture where unprecedented technological growth collides with escalating inequality and ecological collapse. We need a radical shift toward an inclusive, blue economy and peaceful diplomacy as the only viable path to a sustainable future.

As the world’s two largest economies meet in Beijing, the 2026 Summit marks a high-stakes pivot from "crisis management" to a fragile but essential strategic equilibrium.

Indonesia is tightening its grip on food trade. Through Trade Ministerial Regulation No. 11/2026, the government has imposed stricter import controls on a range of agricultural commodities while expanding the authority of the Agriculture Ministry across the food supply chain. Framed as a push toward food self-sufficiency, the policy signals a broader shift toward a more centralized and interventionist food regime, but it also raises concerns that tighter restrictions could drive up food prices before domestic production is ready to fill the gap.

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.

Peatlands have been developing over millennia on every continent and although they are globally important ecosystems, there is still much we don't know about them in order to make informed policy decisions today for benefits in the future.

Indonesia has no shortage of brilliant minds; what it lacks is a system capable of cultivating them

Frustration with a failed strategy should not lead ASEAN into a more dangerous mistake: legitimizing military rule without accountability.

The center stage now belongs to technologies and industrial systems that will define long-term competitiveness. And increasingly, these two countries will help define its direction. 

The current crisis unfolding in the forex market is not the same as in 1997 and stems from inherited vulnerabilities, but what is similar is the artificially suppressed inflation underlying it.

Platform-native influencers actively participate in the shaping of illiberal democracy, which in Indonesia almost always means working within the configurations of the oligarchy they appear to scrutinize. 

The Indonesian government is looking to dimethyl ether (DME) and compressed natural gas (CNG) as alternatives to import-reliant liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), as it grapples with the impact of the global energy crisis triggered by the United States-Israeli war with Iran. Competing blockades by Iran and the US have shown little sign of easing, pushing up global energy prices and increasing pressure on Indonesia’s state budget, particularly energy subsidies for 3-kilogram LPG cylinders. In response, the government has raised prices for unsubsidized LPG products, sought alternative import sources and accelerated efforts to develop DME and CNG as substitute fuels.

This year appears to be a significant moment for the Indonesian government to test its content moderation mechanisms. As the state expands its authority over digital platforms, a major challenge remains: balancing the need to protect users from harmful and illegal content while ensuring that moderation efforts do not evolve into broader censorship and restrictions on freedom of expression.

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.

Myanmar’s embassy in Jakarta criticizes The Jakarta Post for identifying an NUG representative as a deputy foreign minister, urging balanced reporting and respect for Myanmar’s sovereignty and official position.

Indonesia must look past the junta’s tactical gestures and recognize that in Myanmar, a history of broken promises is the only reliable guide for future diplomacy.

As the old rules of diplomacy falter, a new "composite" era of mediation, led by middle powers and private experts, is rising to meet the most violent decade of the 21st century.

While ASEAN is famous for diplomatic platitudes, the Cebu summit proved that admitting your flaws is the first step toward remaining relevant in a shifting geopolitical landscape.

The aim is to create a venue for these countries to discuss technical issues, share information on addressing debt challenges, access technical assistance and capacity building in debt management, coordinate their approaches and influence the global debt architecture.