In the digital age, information chaos has real-world consequences, and Indonesia is fighting it handicapped.

If conservation areas are administratively interpreted as “unproductive land”, Indonesia risks engineering a policy contradiction of its own making. 

Amid the unprecedented levels of hunger across the world and as members of the second-largest religious demographic in the world and at home, Indonesian Muslims have an obligation this Ramadan to not just fast as an end in and of itself, but also to share as a means of attaining takwa.

Governor Pramono Anung shares his vision for Jakarta and its suburbs, including elevating the magalopolis so it ranks among the top global cities.

Several companies have come under scrutiny following global index provider MSCI’s decision to temporarily freeze Indonesia’s February review, citing concerns over market accessibility and transparency. In response to the announcement, the Financial Services Authority (OJK) and the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) have stepped up due diligence and trading surveillance to address potential vulnerabilities. As this closer monitoring unfolds, it has brought renewed attention to sharp and unexplained price movements in several counters, most notably PT Sanurhasta Mitra (MINA), which had previously been flagged for unusual market activity.

One year in, Jakarta’s "more colorful" makeover is facing a gray reality of systemic waste and stagnant flood mitigation. With the honeymoon over, the city’s 11 million residents are waiting to see if their governor will finally tackle the perennial problems lurking behind the populist wins.

Conservation of freshwater biodiversity must be integrated with ongoing watershed rehabilitation and restoration efforts to ensure river health in key basins across Java.

Decades of damaging forest governance decisions degraded landscapes, turning heavy rain into catastrophe.

The rapid promotion of SPPG employees stands in stark irony to the plight of honorary teachers, many of whom have dedicated decades to education without clear employment status.

Too often, emerging markets have relied on models proselytized by global development finance institutions without paying adequate attention to local institutional constraints.

While presented as a stabilizing force, experts argue the “hegemonic coalition” of the current administration narrows the system of checks and balances. 

Beyond the 5.39 percent headline, Indonesia’s economy is trapped in a cycle of "jobless growth" that prioritizes respectable statistics over stable careers.

On many occasions, President Prabowo Subianto has publicly stated that he welcomes criticism of his administration, emphasizing that governments require critical feedback, even when it is uncomfortable. Yet the situation on the ground suggests a paradoxical reality: criticism may be welcomed in rhetoric, but its public expression appears increasingly constrained.

While Indonesia has a multiparty democracy, the General Elections Law limits the number of political parties that can serve in the House of Representatives through an electoral threshold, which sets the minimum number of votes a party must win to gain a seat in the House of Representatives. In the 2024 general election, eight of the 18 contesting political parties met this threshold, one party fewer than the previous polls.

From a logistical standpoint, the program may well proceed without disruption. The more fundamental question, however, remains: is maintaining the initiative during the fasting month, and extending it into Idul Fitri, the most effective and responsible use of our limited education budget?

Portfolio hedging has relied on the same rules for decades, but as technology, geopolitics and the nature of trading undergo rapid change, hedging needs an update.

BRICS expansion reflects a deeper shift toward a Global South-driven framework for cooperation, representation and influence.

The Canadian premier's recent declaration of an end to the "rules-based order" is an an outstanding but delayed admission, as the West only complied with soaring US unilateralism since the 1980s so long as the material perks remained: Today, they are gone.

Just as war is too important to be left to the generals, AI is too important to be controlled solely by those inventing it.

To restore Indonesia’s market credibility, the OJK must stop trying to be both a cheerleader and a policeman, because a regulator tasked with protecting growth will always be too conflicted to enforce the law.

Despite demonstrable resilience, as long as economic policy prioritizes headline growth over the creation of high-quality jobs, the country risks leaving an entire generation of educated youth behind in a cyclic trap of informal jobs and wasted potential.

Indonesia’s economy grew 5.11 percent in 2025, slightly higher than 5.03 percent in 2024, but still below the government’s 5.2 percent target. Though the figure signaled resilience, it was quickly overshadowed by Moody’s decision to revise its outlook for Indonesia from stable to negative, citing governance concerns and policy uncertainty. The revision has renewed questions about the ambition of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration to reach 8 percent amid the country’s longer-term goal of becoming an advanced economy.

While the Prabowo Subianto administration has intensified its campaign against white-collar crime, these efforts have failed to improve the global perception of Indonesia as a nation entrenched in corruption.

Globalization is alive and well despite its latest challenge, Trump's tariffs, as countries have move to realign partnerships through free trade agreements.

India and Indonesia have a shared approach to inclusive AI, grounded on a clear conviction that technology must improve lives and expand opportunity.

This structural reform is a step in the right direction as the government focuses on boosting Indonesia’s capital market liquidity.

It would probably be good to ask ourselves whether we have practiced what Gus Dur taught the nation, namely the obligation to fight discrimination and to respect human dignity.