Negotiators from 14 countries are racing to close out chapters of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity in hastily arranged talks this week, with announcements expected on cooperation to accelerate the clean energy transition and to fight corruption and tax evasion.

The defense minister has made a campaign pledge of a whopping per annum fund of US$28.7 billion toward a national school lunch program to tackle childhood stunting and malnutrition, but one that omits a targeted rate and time frame, unlike his rivals'.

All three presidential candidates have expressed their intention to continue on Indonesia’s energy transition path as the country strives to secure funds for switching off coal-fired power plants and increasing the use of renewable energy.

The recent launch of Indonesia’s carbon exchange could drive the business of carbon credit certification as firms and organizations seek to demonstrate their sustainability credentials, but experts note that the regulatory framework for this has yet to be completed.

Several cooking oil producers and retailers have filed cases against the Trade Ministry seeking to reclaim what they say are billions of rupiah in losses resulting from government policies last year intended to bring down the price of the commodity.

The verdict came just shy of one year after FTX filed for bankruptcy in a swift corporate meltdown that shocked financial markets and erased his estimated $26 billion personal fortune.

The vision and mission documents of the three candidates vying for the presidency next year show that all are committed to boosting the country's R&D spending, but experts commented that their individual targets ranged widely from “way too pessimistic” to “too ambitious”, with only one candidate addressing the necessary institutional restructuring.

The Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) Secretariat, tasked with implementing a US$20 billion global effort to reduce carbon emissions in Indonesia, has made its investment plan available for public review.

Some 200,000 hectares of oil palm plantations found in areas designated as forests in Indonesia are expected to be returned to the state to be converted back into forests, a government official said late on Tuesday.

The debate about unpaid internships intensifies every fall as fresh graduates seek career inroads. Recent posts on social media show many young Indonesians complaining about doing full-time work without compensation – an outcome equally unpopular with the interns themselves as with their paid coworkers.

Social media platforms reportedly keen to engage in e-commerce in Indonesia, despite the government recently restricting social commerce, will need to go through several regulatory hoops according to business analysts.

The government has initiated an investigation into textile import products as an initial step to safeguard the domestic industry against foreign shipments.

Indonesia is expected to conclude negotiations on a pilot coal-fired power plant retirement program before the United Nations’ COP28 climate conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, according to the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry.

Since 2018 the painstaking discussions have picked through everything from chemicals to cosmetics, but have repeatedly come unstuck over market access for Australian products such as beef and sheep meat.

Petrochemical industry players and analysts are urging the government to help ensure stable demand and access to affordable raw materials.

The Customs and Excise Office says most illegally imported goods come to Indonesian shores from Malaysia, often through small routes but sometimes via big ports.

Operated by flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, the Boeing 737-800NG aircraft carried more than 100 passengers from the capital Jakarta to Surakarta city about 550 kilometres (341.75 miles) away, according to CEO of Garuda Indonesia Irfan Setiaputra.

Indonesia's trade ministry banned e-commerce transactions on social media a month ago, saying it sought to protect small and midsize offline merchants and marketplaces, and to ensure users' data was protected.

Jakarta’s decision to commit state funds to energy transition projects may get donor countries to make good on pledges to provide US$20 billion under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

The operator of the new Greater Jakarta LRT has been forced to cancel many trips and slash travel speeds due to a lack of trains in working order.

In a bid to prevent unpleasant surprises, businesses have proposed road maps to be adopted by all three candidate pairs participating in next year’s general election.

Businesses have requested the government grant direct approval of nearly a century in land rights for investments made in the country’s future capital city, Nusantara, which experts perceived as a sign of the private sector’s reluctance to invest in such a high-risk project.

The fisheries ministry is drafting a new decree to lift a 2016 ban on exporting lobster larvae that it says it will follow up with stricter monitoring to ensure compliance among licensed exporters.

Indonesia is looking to involve private companies to accelerate the development of household gas networks, but firms said their participation would only be possible if they are provided with incentives to ensure long-term profitability.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has largely failed to reform energy subsidies in the country, experts say, a promise he made some nine years ago, before his tenure in the nation’s highest office.

The Agriculture Ministry plans to reduce garlic imports next year by around 40 percent to encourage domestic production.

The government has expressed its optimism that the tourist tax to be imposed on Bali in February 2024 will not affect foreign arrivals to the island province.

Policy experts are urging the government to introduce emissions caps for energy-intensive industries to incentivize businesses to participate in the newly launched IDX Carbon and contribute to the country's emissions reduction goal.

Following the closure of TikTok’s e-commerce feature, traditional vendors are urging the government to close down other online platforms as well, arguing that such a move would revive quiet hallways at markets.

Presumed presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo said that he would support extending the Whoosh high-speed railway (HSR), a Sino-Indonesian flagship project started by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, to Surabaya.