Qurban teaches that sacrifice is not a loss but a spiritual and social investment for the common good. 

As the dust settles from the election, international partners, especially in the Indo-Pacific, are watching closely, with particular attention from Indonesia. 

A series of corruption and fraud cases have been uncovered at several regional development banks (BPDs), including Bank Jabar dan Banten (BJB), Bank DKI Jakarta, Bank Jatim and Bank Jateng. These cases involve practices such as side streaming, fictitious debtors, hidden debtors and document forgery, resulting in losses amounting to trillions of rupiah. The revelations have raised serious concerns about weak corporate governance in the BPD sector.

This year, ASEAN still barely resembles a community in its true sense of the word as its leaders have come up with a new vision for 2045 with even more audacious targets.

Washington must avoid imposing its technology standards or demanding that ASEAN countries exclusively align with the US.

Despite the rapid spread of the digital economy, the ASEAN legal and regulatory frameworks are still stuck in a pre-digital past.

With smarter coordination, Sekolah Rakyat can shine as a model of equity.

If China is to achieve its growth target for 2025, things must change.

Amid the global shocks and turmoil of today, Indonesia and Australia have signaled a shift in their relationship to one based on democratic values, trust and trade, heralding a true partnership between equals with the potential to bring stability to the Indo-Pacific.

We are witnessing the normalization of both emergency governance and militarization, which are fundamentally at odds with democratic accountability and meritocracy.

The controversy surrounding an alleged fake university diploma belonging to former president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo appears to be nearing resolution, though legal consequences for involved individuals could still result in criminal charges.

Now is not the time to think about raising the civil service retirement age, lest we lose out on the coming demographic bonus and thereby miss our Golden Indonesia 2045 goal of becoming a high-income economy and advanced society by our centennial.

While Indonesia has segmented its tax offices and embraced digital tools, the bureaucracy still lacks the agility to navigate the informal economy.

The US may finally be nearing meaningful crypto regulation amid shifting politics and global pressure.

A recent report exposing the growing violence targeting woman parliamentarians in Southeast Asia serves as a clarion call to create a regional protection initiative for lawmakers at risk, as well as facilitate their inclusion and empower their voices toward gender equality in politics: a fundamental principle of democracy.

In today's rapidly shifting geo-economic landscape, ASEAN needs to take the lead by convening a leaders' summit of RCEP member countries to upgrade the agreement toward fully realizing its potential in upholding multilateralism via a collective front.

As the largest economy in Southeast Asia and de-facto leader of ASEAN, do we stand to benefit from a more prosperous ASEAN?

The long-awaited 2025-2034 Electricity Procurement Business Plan (RUPTL), launched by the Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Ministry on May 26, 2025, signals a shift in the government’s energy priorities—placing greater emphasis on energy security over the green transition. The new RUPTL marks a departure from the previous 2021-2030 RUPTL, which aimed for no new fossil-based capacity additions by 2030. In contrast, the 2025-2034 plan delays the significant ramp-up of renewable energy capacity to the second half of the decade, indicating a slower pace for Indonesia’s energy transition ambitions.

Prabowo believes that as a full member state, PNG will strengthen ASEAN in facing geopolitical challenges. 

From Athens to the British Empire and on to the US, dominant powers have used might and consent to exert influence.

Even if policymakers in developing countries see little value in pursuing large emissions reductions at the pace that climate advocates would like, climate-aligned development is still the best path forward.

Given the inherent demand for highly compatible and interoperable weaponry systems, the TNI should prioritize exploring acquisitions from a single nation to streamline integration.

QRIS has become the king of digital payment channels for local transactions. Visa–Mastercard’s position remains dominant for cross-border payments.

The country must continue to invest in technology, infrastructure, agronomic education and value chain integration.

Indonesia should pursue a balanced 2-3 percent GDP defense budget, leveraging quantum technology and strategic partnerships to strengthen its security, preserve its economy and maintain its non-aligned stance.

Every five years, Indonesia holds a multi-party general election typically participated in by around 20 political parties. But every time the nation launches a discourse on how best to finance these parties, someone in the room will quickly shout “corruption”, a reflection of the distrust the public has toward them.

The long-waited, and so-called “green”, long-term electricity business plan (RUPTL) is here, but it is not what we were hoping for.