If Indonesia seeks to play a leadership role globally, it must start by strengthening its regional peacemaking initiatives.

For foreign journalists, reporting on Indonesia is already difficult enough with so many conditions and restrictions that come with their visa and work permit. Though not as bad as it was during the Soeharto years, Indonesia still counts among the strictest as far as foreign journalists are concerned in comparison with many other countries in the region.

The new KUHAP, if passed as it is, risks worsening entrenched human rights violations in the judicial system, which is why the revision is needed in the first place.

As their debt burdens and debt-service costs soar, many developing countries are being forced to divert resources away from education, health care and climate mitigation.

While we’ve come a long way, there is potential to do a great deal more together.

Every dollar invested in energy innovation can generate returns many times over—not just in economic growth, but in climate stability.

The “reform” and “deregulation” initiated by the government sends a clear message that Indonesia is positioning itself as an open and competitive player in a newly adversarial trade environment.

Tariffs cannot resolve America’s deeper economic challenges, such as mounting public debt, widening fiscal deficits, crumbling infrastructure and persistent inequality. 

ASEAN must step forward to guide the recovery in Myanmar, potentially building on the model of the Tripartite Core Group, involving the military junta, ASEAN Plus (with China and India) and the UN.

United States President Donald Trump has reignited global trade tensions by imposing reciprocal import tariffs on 180 trading partners, with rates starting at 10 percent and rising significantly for 60 countries, including Indonesia, which now faces a 32 percent tariff, although now paused for three months. While Indonesia benefited modestly from the first US-China trade war in 2018, the dynamics of this second wave of trade retaliation demand a recalibrated strategy to unlock potential economic gains.

Islamic organizations in the country, including the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), have voiced strong concerns over the evacuation plan, warning that it could ultimately serve Israel’s interests. 

Trump sees himself as single-handedly and fundamentally altering the global order by a Herculean act of sheer will.

Developing labor-intensive, demand-driven businesses can boost employment and transform the economy.

Tariffs will neither resolve the United States trade deficit nor “Make America Great Again”. Instead, they harm the US' own citizens.

Effective communication at times is not only about clarity, but also about the delivery of the message, whether it can convince the people who receive the message.

Indonesia remains locked in a cycle of ruptured progress and policy resets that undermine its long-term digital transformation goals.

As the global system tilts further into protectionist reflexes and retaliatory theatrics, Indonesia must remain sharp-eyed and steady-footed.

Following the “liberation day” tariffs imposed by United States President Donald Trump, countries are scouring for strategies and partnerships to mitigate the economic blow dealt by Washington. A developing country like Indonesia stands at a crossroads of having to prioritize the national interest while still being nice to Uncle Sam.

Indonesia and Turkey are well-suited to serve as bridge-builders in today's increasingly polarized global landscape.

Naturalization not only reflects a pragmatic strategy, but also reveals how deeply intertwined soccer has become with politics, media spectacle and national identity construction.

The measure is totally inconsistent with the government drive for improving the efficiency of its fiscal and economic management.

Achieving the 2027 target of mandatory English instruction in third grade classrooms will require scaling efforts to reach 180,000 teachers and ensure consistent quality. 

Indonesia remains largely positioned as a passive consumer in the global AI landscape, vulnerable to potential rights infringements and lacking robust protections or negotiating power.

In response to the sharp decline in tax revenues in early 2025, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani has assembled a special ministerial task force to bolster state revenue by targeting key taxpayers. However, market concerns persist over Indonesia's fiscal discipline, mounting debt obligations and the central bank’s increasing role in absorbing government bonds.

The problem is that the police’s generally hostile attitude toward journalists may have come directly from the top leadership.

What matters most in the revision of the KUHAP is how the changes can produce law enforcement agencies that are more professional, accountable and transparent in performing their duties.

The imposition of US tariffs has spotlighted that now is the time to conclude negotiations on the IEU-CEPA as an agreement between equal partners that offers mutual benefits for both Indonesia and the EU.