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Jakarta Post
Opinion premium

Analysis: DHE policy revised again, but gains to foreign reserves remain elusive

The national policy on export proceeds (DHE) from natural resources has been revised for a third time after repeated attempts failed to significantly bolster foreign exchange (forex) reserves or deepen onshore foreign currency liquidity. The latest revision relaxes the mandatory rupiah conversion requirement from 100 percent to 50 percent and requires the placement of DHE in Association of State-Owned Banks (Himbara) members. While this is intended to ease pressure on exporters, it raises questions about whether locking DHE onshore can be effective in the long run without undermining export competitiveness.

10 minutes ago
Academia premium

International aid and the state: Nargis Myanmar vs Senyar Aceh

In the aftermath of the disaster devastating parts of Sumatra, the lesson of Nargis is relevant not because Indonesia is on the brink of total failure, but because the moral test is identical.  ...

22 hours ago
Academia premium

Expendable lives, lack of leadership in the Sumatra disaster

Prabowo seems to live inside a political bubble, dependent on information filtered by ministers and advisers whose main job is protecting his pride rather than telling him the truth. ...

22 hours ago

The Latest

Academia premium

Women are leaving what no longer serves them

Patriarchy damages a potentially powerful force of mature masculinity, one that could have been emotionally grounded, ethically strong and socially accountable

23 hours ago
Academia premium

How to deal with involution in China

Multiple factors have contributed to overcapacity in China due to intense domestic competition, and though the government has several anti-involution measures in place, it will take time before they begin effecting any change.

1 day ago
Opinion premium

Analysis: When law enforcers place themselves above the Constitution

Rather than safeguarding justice, Indonesia's legal instruments are increasingly being bent to serve institutional interests. The standoff between the Constitutional Court (MK) and the National Police over the assignment of active officers to civilian posts exposes not merely regulatory inconsistency, but a deeper disregard for constitutional authority.

1 day ago
Academia premium

What the Philippines chairmanship means for ASEAN

ASEAN as a liberal institutionalist entity continues to suffer from political realist power plays which strain ASEAN unity.

1 day ago
Academia

Indonesia's modernized penal code ratification represents positive transformation

Indonesia is set to implement the New Indonesian Penal Code (Kitab Undang-Undang Hukum Pidana Baru or KUHP Baru), scheduled to come into effect on Jan. 2, 2026, enacted through Law No. 1 of 2023. The change demonstrates the country’s move away from a colonial-era criminal justice framework and reflects a modernized legal system rooted in national values and aligned with contemporary international norms.

1 day ago
Academia

Indonesia’s EV market races ahead with 49% growth despite auto slowdown

Electric vehicles are rapidly changing Indonesia’s automotive landscape, gaining remarkable traction and offering hope for a cleaner and more innovative future despite declining traditional car sales.

1 day ago
Editorial premium

Bittersweet Games

Since 1995, Indonesia’s best performance at the SEA Games when not hosting had been a top-three finish, making this year’s result a notable benchmark in the country’s recent sporting trajectory.

1 day ago
Academia premium

Forests, fuel and food: Is expanding oil palm to Papua worth the cost?

Forest loss to palm oil plantations directly weakens these dimensions by increasing disaster risk and exposing communities to instability.

2 days ago
Academia premium

The limits of responsible business labels in nickel industry

Nickel smelter companies have increasingly worked with major national outlets such as Kompas, CNN Indonesia, and Tempo to run advertorials and sponsored content. 

2 days ago
Academia premium

Why the usual approach to corruption keeps failing

The real task of eradicating corruption is narrowing the space where wrongdoing still feels normal, necessary or excusable.

2 days ago
Academia premium

Women’s leadership and the long road to Golden Indonesia 2045

The theme selected by the women’s ministry for Hari Ibu 2025 proposes a shift to a pragmatic, inclusive strategy that embraces women leaders' creativity and resilience toward achieving the country's centennial vision.

2 days ago
Editorial premium

An unhistorical history book

Rather than erasing dark chapters of Indonesian history, the government should allow marginalized voices to tell their stories, ensuring the younger generation learns comprehensively about what the nation did.

2 days ago
Opinion premium

Analysis: Current account surplus in Q3 2025 undercut by capital outflows

Indonesia's current account balance returned to a surplus in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025, but the improvement was overshadowed by one of the sharpest capital outflows in recent years. Bank Indonesia (BI) reported that the current account swung into a surplus of US$4 billion, or 1.1 percent of GDP, the first surplus in 10 months. However, this gain was more than offset by a steep financial account deficit of US$8.1 billion. As a result, Indonesia posted an overall balance of payments deficit of US$6.4 billion in Q3.

3 days ago
Academia premium

Can artificial intelligence end the political blame game?

Under President Soeharto's administration, the blame game seemed to evolve into a tool for active control. 

3 days ago
Academia premium

The Bondi tragedy: The rising specter of inspirational terrorism

In today's interconnected, borderless digital world, counterterrorism strategies must evolve to one of preparedness that emphasizes the early detection of online narratives that glorify violence, so as to nip inspirational terrorism in the bud.

3 days ago
Academia premium

As ecological disasters intensify, judiciary can lead the way

The judiciary is our last line of defense in driving an urgent rethink of Indonesia's growth-centric policies, which are inherently unconstitutional, toward a mindset that embraces the strong sustainability approach.

3 days ago
Opinion premium

Analysis: Energy subsidy reform set in motion as govt eyes budget efficiency

The administration of Prabowo Subianto is reforming the disbursement of fuel and electricity subsidies to improve state budget efficiency. These subsidies have long been criticized for disproportionately benefiting upper-middle-class households, who consume more energy, rather than the poor and vulnerable groups they are intended to support. As a result, the government now aims to better target subsidy distribution and reduce its long-standing fiscal burden. The urgency to optimize subsidy spending has also grown amid rising expenditures for several major government programs.

4 days ago
Academia premium

The quiet injustice in migrant women’s financial lives

The migrant worker ecosystem needs to innovate from the current focus on remittance flows toward an integrated design that aims for empowerment toward financial inclusion and long-term financial health as the ultimate outcome.

4 days ago
Editorial premium

Anti-Semitic terrorism

The Bondi Beach attack is a warning that Jewish around the world are becoming vulnerable with the rise of antisemitism.

4 days ago
Academia premium

Don’t let the 100 GW solar ambition become another Nusantara

To realize its 100 GW solar power generation, Indonesia must utilize international financing, particularly from China, which is pivoting its overseas investments toward clean energy. 

4 days ago
Academia premium

From zero to coverage: Why insurance in Southeast Asia is at a tipping point

Insurance in Southeast Asia is reaching a structural turning point, Indonesia is showing what the next decade will look like.  

4 days ago
Academia premium

Why Muhammadiyah must return its mining concession

If it enters the mining industry, Muhammadiyah risks being reduced to a mere “digger”, bearing severe ecological and social liabilities while others reap the value.

4 days ago
Academia premium

Reckless use of chemical weapons cannot go unchallenged

The use of such weapons undermines the nonproliferation regime that the UN and international forums have worked tirelessly to uphold. 

5 days ago
Opinion premium

Analysis: Sumatra's flood aftermath and the consequences of fiscal neglect

Grief has engulfed Sumatra. Flash floods and landslides have devastated the provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra, leaving behind not only the ruins of homes and infrastructure but also the deepening realities of hunger, displacement and profound uncertainty. Yet the government's decision to slash disaster funding to its lowest level in years is now testing its ability to help the affected rebuild their lives.

5 days ago
Academia premium

Thailand-Cambodia conflict: The trap of a long war

The internal dynamics within Thailand and Cambodia ensure that neither side wants to concede first: Every concession is viewed as a vulnerability; every pause is a political risk.

5 days ago
Editorial premium

Put kids' online safety first

For more than a decade, the warnings have been mounting. Children have taken their own lives after enduring relentless cyberbullying. Teenagers report rising anxiety and body dysmorphia driven by idealized online imagery, with some reports noting that children as young as ten express interest in using anti-ageing beauty products.

5 days ago
Academia premium

Social safeguards key to sustainable and ethical landscape management

Once hailed as a revolutionary solution to climate change, carbon market’s credibility began to erode to the point where late-night TV hosts joked about carbon offsets.

5 days ago

Today's ePost

Tue, December 23, 2025

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